In Short... Movie Reviews

The Nice Guys 

Mr Knight

Set in the 70s in Los Angeles, this odd couple, action flick follows Russell Crowe as the bruiser thug and Ryan Gosling the corrupt private investigator forced together and dragged into a sordid mystery which gets deeper as their love-hate bond gets stronger. It’s no Riggs and Murtaugh but it gets some good laughs. Enjoy.

Mrs Knight

 

A fun “buddy-copy” movie, where Ryan Gosling plays an unlucky, dodgy private agent and Russell Crowe hurts people for a living. Overall it’s good for a laugh and light entertainment. I enjoyed watching it at the time, but it wasn’t very memorable and I won’t ever see it again. Despite its potential to be a cracker, it’s definitely not a must see.

 

Finding Dory

Mr Knight

The long awaited follow up from Finding Nemo. The question is… was It necessary? The storyline was actually fun, with roles reversed having Marlin and Nemo chase after a lost Dory who is tracking her parents. The journey takes us to a waterpark with an assortment of new and fun characters. The story was enjoyable, however the repetition of Ellen DeGeneres saying “I have short term memory loss” over and over was not so enjoyable.

 

Mrs Knight

It’s difficult for any children’s animation to live up to one of the best kids films ever made, I am of course talking about Finding Nemo. This long awaited sequel generally stuck to the same story line and formula but was just that little bit too farfetched and silly. Plus, I hate to say it, but Dory plays better as a secondary character than a main one. Despite that, it was still enjoyable and fun. I think it’s worth a watch if you’re a fan of the first one or have children.

 

The Hunt for the Wilder People

 

 Mr Knight

 

A touch more art house, straight from New Zealand, the Hunt for the Wilder People is the mixed up belief that a foster kid with his guardian Sam Neill, is out in the wilderness against his own will, and the authorities and bounty hunters are hot on their tails. The movie is funny, warm and engaging without being too serious. It’s not first class acting from the lesser roles but it is an entertaining time at the movies.

 

Mrs Knight

 

Ricky is a rebellious foster child raised on hip hop and city living, in New Zealand. His world changes after he goes missing in the bush with his new foster parent, Hec played by Sam Neill. It’s a heart-warming, light-hearted and engaging tale about family, parenthood and being a teenager. I enjoyed watching their relationship develop and the characters had great chemistry. There are a lot of positive reviews out there, and I agree, it’s definitely worth seeing.

 

 

 

The Conjuring 2

Mr Knight

 

Definitely see the first Conjuring prior to this one. It has the same recipe with married couple The Warrens, investigating hauntings, this time at a home in England in the 70s. Based on alleged true stories I found this one not quite as tense and scary as its predecessor. It did have a horrible yellow eyed nun though that may keep you up at night! What had a lot of potential this horror left you wanting a touch more mystery and a scarier background. Still worth a look for scare fans.

Mrs Knight

 

When I saw the trailer for this one, I thought to myself “there is no way I’m going to see this”. The nun was the most frightening thing I have ever seen, and I love scary movies! But after seeing the first one and scaring myself silly, I was intrigued to see the second. The fact that it’s ‘based on true story’ makes it all the scarier. Not quite as good as the first, the ending wrapped up a little too easy and quickly, but if you’re looking to be terrified, this should do the trick!

 

 

Ghostbusters

Mr Knight

 

God I was skeptical walking in. The all lady crew remake of an old classic. I wondered, like with many remakes, is it necessary? I actually ended up pleasantly surprised. Littered with laughs, mostly from Kristen Wiig’s awkward character and Chris Hemsworth’s handsome idiot assistant. A little too much CGI and a final battle which I didn’t feel I was all that invested in, but I still walked out glad I went in. A good popcorn flick with a few cameos for the old school fans. The lesson here, don’t hate it till you try it.

Mrs Knight

It’s always a big risk re-making a classic, but I think this was well done. The banter between Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and Chris Hemsworth’s characters was fantastic and definitely made the movie good. Great to see Hemsworth having a laugh at himself. Overall I found it very entertaining. If you’re a fan of the originals you should enjoy all the nostalgic references and cameos of this remake. It stuck to the same formula and is a good introduction for the new generation.

 

Star Trek Beyond

Mr Knight

 

All action and no story. Sad to say because I enjoyed the last two instalments. The missing X factor?? J. J. Abrams. Abrams not being in the directors’ seat was horribly evident. It still had the same fun quips and wit from Kirk, Spock, Scotty and Bones but the story had no depth, mystery or intrigue and the villain looked as though he was dressed by the same makeup artist from the 60s TV series which may have kept to traditional Trekkies happy, but not me. A real let down.

Mrs Knight

 

Definitely went into this one kicking and screaming and it sadly didn’t prove me wrong. The writing was terrible, no real story line and it didn’t feel like any of the characters had a good rapport between one another. It was all a bit lame and I was eye rolling so hard I’m surprised I didn’t fall off my seat. Personally it was a disappointing couple of hours that I will never get back. But if you’re a mad Star Trek fan you might enjoy it.

 

 

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

Mr Knight

 

If you’re 30 and over you would remember these two trash bags, Eddy and Pat from the 90s TV series of the same name. Put together like a long TV episode, I found myself laughing out loud at the completely inappropriate humour from two alcoholic, diabolic women in the fashion industry seeking further fame, fortune and Bollinger. Good to watch with a drink of champers and a cheese plate.

Mrs Knight

I haven’t seen enough of the series to get all the inside jokes, but I didn’t need too. I found it hilarious as a standalone film. It was so ridiculously inappropriate, silly and rude, I couldn’t believe they were saying and doing half the things they did. I loved all the cameos from the fashion industry, just about every scene there was someone different. Grab a glass of Bollinger darling and enjoy!

Jason Bourne

Mr Knight

 

An aging Bourne, out of the game, but dragged back in by an old associate Nicky Parsons, punches, shoots and smashes his way through Greece, Germany and Las Vegas. I thought this franchise was done and dusted, but with the adding of CIA boss Tommy Lee Jones (looking super weathered!) and a stone faced (but very attractive!) Alicia Vikander as a CIA operative pursuing Bourne, the amnesiac super spy proves he’s still fun to watch. With a few new tricks up his sleeve Bourne is forced to handle a CIA asset tasked with killing him whilst learning more of his past. The only thing that made me laugh is even after driving a car through a ceiling, with a bullet in his stomach, he still manages a bare knuckle fist fight apparently unaffected by injuries. I had my doubts that was possible, but who am I to question an action packed super spy movie?! Enjoy. If you’re wondering, Mrs KNIGHT refused to see this one! Ha! Sorry ladies if you wanted a female perspective. Take her absence as her review!

Movie Review: Suicide Squad

Action/ Fantasy

Rated – M

Duration- 2 hours 2 mins

Release – August 2016

Director –David Ayer

Cast –Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Cara Delevingne

Mr Knight

So it took a big film to get myself and Mrs Knight back in the game. I did have concerns though before watching this one. The previews had a mixture of could be good and could be cringe-worthy lame. The scrappy Bostin accent getting tossed around by Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn combined with Jai Courtney’s, doesn’t actually do much, Aussie criminal Boomerang filled me with fear. BUT… my curiosity and hope of an interesting new chapter in the DC world filled me with optimism.

To kick-start the tale, enter Viola Davis’ super spy boss Amanda Waller. If anyone has ever seen Viola Davis before they know that she fits the CIA, straight faced, angry, tough, power house authority like a glove. She proposes to the President to put together a group of meta-humans to stand tall, now that Superman is dead and buried, in case another General Zod or the like decide to take out the Earth.

After a slight arm wrestle, her program under the watchful eye of Colonel Flag (Joel Kinnaman) has her team approved and not long after some age old powerhouse evil spirit siblings decide to bring the world to its knees. The squad is then tasked to go in to certain death and save the day.

Suicide Squad isn’t trying to be anything else which was refreshing. I felt it was a clever blend of the original Batman films (the Keaton, Clooney, Kilmer era) with the bright colours and comic book costumes, and the more serious Nolan trilogy of the gritty, dark, no holding back, break-neck style. Where other films may have been cheesy, Suicide Squad blasts you with an upbeat soundtrack keeping the viewer deeply involved and enjoying it.

Will Smith was a highlight. I enjoyed seeing him play a role where he wasn’t the lead star, on his own, taking the spot light. His character Deadshot along with Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn were the two most featured characters which makes me feel we will see a lot more of them in future spin offs.

Jared Leto’s Joker also rose triumphant. Again, not trying to be Heath Ledgers infamous version, but his own, which I felt stayed truer to the comics and video games. I was glad he didn’t take too much of the movie either. He came in and out with just the right amount of involvement.

The best small role for me though, who I continued to wait for, was Ben Affleck’s Batman. His role was so small that he actually goes uncredited in the movie, I assume not to take the limelight away from the other cast members. He managed to make me more pumped for Justice League and any other film with him in it. I think he has a lot more to offer and I’m curious to see what’s to come.

Suicide Squad was fast paced, with good strong characters, scattered with some less important ones, some great music and a good foundation to build on for future flicks.  


 

Mrs Knight

There was a lot of hype and a lot of big expectations around Suicide Squad, especially after the huge success of the other anti-hero film, Deadpool. The trailers released a frenzy of opinions, mostly negative and specifically negative about Margot Robbie’s role as Harley Quinn. Personally, I liked the music from the trailers but that’s about all, but the music was hated by others. In any case, due to all the negativity surrounding the movie’s release and initial bad reviews surfacing in the media-sphere I went in with very low expectations. Often I am pleasantly surprised when I go in with low expectations and this is no exception. I actually really found it quite enjoyable.

Don’t get me wrong, the story line is a bit meh, so is the script and some of the acting but it was fun. The costumes were great, the music was amazing and it was just a good popcorn flick to sit back and enjoy. Take it at face value. It’s Suicide Squad for crying out loud, not the next Oscar winning film.

The movie follows America’s most dangerous and deranged criminals who the Government assemble in a group to fight against a mysterious and supernatural identity. The story focuses on the A-Listers, Will Smith who plays Deadshot and Margot Robbie who plays Harley Quinn. Other members of the group, placed slightly in the background in comparison are Captain Boomerang (Aussie, Jai Courtney), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Diablo (Jay Hernandez). The supernatural identity is the Enchantress played by supermodel Cara Delevingne, despite loving her as a model I’m not a fan of seeing her in movies. I found her to be the weakest part especially her weird ‘mystic’ dancing towards the end… Once you see it you’ll know what I mean.

Another thing I wasn’t a fan of was the over sexualisation of Harley Quinn, with the fishnet stockings, prancing around in her underwear and being a big old flirt. But to my understanding, and from what I’ve seen thanks to Google, they stayed true to the comics, cartoon, games etc… which doesn’t make it right but does make it understandable and would keep the mega fans happy. But let’s be honest, to quote another reviewer, ‘she is a teenage boy’s wet dream’. Despite this, I didn’t mind watching her, she was still entertaining and I loved her makeup. Speaking of Harley Quinn, her lover The Joker, was played by Jared Leto. I thought this version of the Joker was really good. They cleverly stayed clear of the dark, twisted and iconic portrayal done by Heath Ledger and Leto really made it his own. It reminded me of the 1989 Jack Nicholson version in a way, but serious and believable.

I think this lot of Batman/Superman/DC Universe movies sit in between the 80’s/90’s classics and Christopher Nolan’s adaptations. They lack the same dark realness that Nolan’s series has and play to a slightly younger audience, but they’re not as funny/silly as the classics. Which by the way, I did love as a child, which might be why I have a soft spot for this movie. 

 

Civil War V Apocalypse

Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy

Rated – M

Duration - CW: 2 hours 27 mins
A: 2 hours 24 mins

Release – May 2016

Director – CW: Anthony & Joe Russo  
A: Bryan Singer

Cast – CW: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson
A: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac 


Mr Knight

So the question is, which do you prefer? The Avengers and their universe, or Professor Xavier and his X-Men? Either way, Marvel wins and DC languish behind in the superhero super race. Mrs Knight and I have seen both in quick succession and we are putting the comparisons out there for our readers to digest.

I’ll start with Captain America: Civil War. I personally was disappointed to find, much like the lemon “Clash of the Titans” with Sam Worthington, this movies trailer was much more exciting than the film.

The story follows after Age of Ultron when again the Avengers completely destroy a densely populated area and the UN decides they need to keep this group of heroes in check, dividing the team with the good old Cap refusing to follow his restrictions and Tony Stark pushing for the new rules.

To me, this screamed a stolen story line from Batman v Superman where these heroes leave collateral damage without a second thought with Batman dirty at Superman. I found in Civil War, using the same main theme wasn’t very creative.

As well as the divide, in comes the mentally broken and ruthless Bucky “Winter Soldier” Barnes. The Cap, wanting to save Bucky, despite the carnage Bucky leaves behind, puts himself truly in the crosshairs and on the wrong side of the law. The story was complex with a huge assortment of characters and talented actors (the budget must have been enormous!), but what would lose me was the recipe of this movie.

It went from fight scene, to tense conversation, to fight scene, to tense conversation continually until the stories end. I found the opening battle a bit forced and try hard and I also found that Cap and Bucky’s relationship not as warm and genuine as Marvel wanted it to appear. It felt very forced with no sincere feeling to it.

The positives. Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. He was the stand out with brilliant acting and emotion. The battle at the airport was fun with the appearance of Antman a new and improved and cleverly introduced Spiderman and a pretty impressive Black Panther.

Civil War was long, and had its moments but it wasn’t as captivating as I would have liked.

Now to X-Men Apocalypse. I have always been a fan of this story and last three flicks bringing in James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender have breathed new life into the X-Men franchise. This new epic is set in the 80’s ten years after Magneto and Mystique have their stand-off in Washington DC, and all seems quiet.

However, a super mutant named Apocalypse awakens from a 5000 year sleep and brings together his four horseman to “Cleanse” the earth and start again with only the most powerful to dwell on Earth with him.

The movie covers a lot of back story and introduces familiar faces as their younger selves such as Nightcrawler, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Storm, as well as old favourties such as Magneto, Beast, Mystique and a new favourite of mine, Quicksilver (Evan Peters), known for his hilarious slow motion scene when breaking out Magneto in the previous instalment, Days of Futures Past.

McAvoy and Fassbender were the shining lights in this one again with their love and hate for each other captivating without being over the top. This is the chemistry Marvel tried to capture with Captain America and Iron Man without success.

As well as following the end of the Earth story, director Bryan Singer also manager to squeeze in other teasers for movies to come such as a scene at Alkali Lake, where Wolverine first gets his adamantium claws, and you get to treat yourself to a brief moment with some Weapon X intrigue.

Jen Law’s Mystique was disappointing. She was all talk and no action where as in previous films she uses her ninja skills to kick ass. I also found some of the henchmen/bad guys have always been a bit weak in the X-Men movies, such as Angel, one of the four horseman, who says two words for the whole film. A true waste of space.

To compare the two films you have to be a true fan of each franchise. For me the X-Men films have it slightly over the Avengers troupe. Apocalypse was long but if you’re keen on back story, it will keep you enthralled. Civil War was more a build-up film introducing exciting new characters, but in respect to the Cap and Bucky relationship, Marvel need to let that storyline wither and die because it doesn’t feel genuine. Either way, some top quality Superhero action. Enjoy!

Captain America: Civil War 

X-Men: Apocalypse

Mrs Knight


There are so many superhero movies these days I feel it’s becoming quite tiresome and they all start to blend into one. In saying that, the X-Men flicks do still get me excited. They have done well to keep the stories fresh by moving back and forth through time and essentially re-writing history. In comparison, I’m becoming a bit bored with The Avengers universe and feel X-Men doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.

I’m sure a lot of you will agree that Captain America is one of the worst characters in this ‘Avengers’ universe. The first movie in particular put me to sleep (literally!) so when Mr Knight and I went to the cinema to see Captain America: Civil War my expectations were low. By low I mean completely unenthusiastic.

Unfortunately the first half hour didn’t bring me any hope, I found it quite boring. I started to find it interesting when Tony Stark recruits a new member and introduces Spider-Man (Tom Holland).

I must like origin stories because I didn’t perk up until this point. I enjoyed seeing Tony Stark go to Peter Parker’s house and recruit him and the banter that came with it. I was also happy that Peter Parker was an unknown actor and an actual young kid, rather than a 30 year old pretending to be a school kid. Tobey Maguire I’m looking at you. They also made Aunt May a bitty (Marisa Tomei) rather than an absolute chalkie. Which I appreciate since most Aunts are your parent’s age not your grandparent’s age. Any who…. I digress.

The second half was definitely better as more and more characters came into it, especially Paul Rudd as Ant-Man. I also once again enjoyed Scar-Jo as Black Widow and may I just ask where her damn movie is?!

My only real negative in terms of characters is how weak Elizabeth Olsen is as Scarlet Witch. Does she have a bloody Sokovian accent or not?! One scene she did, the next she didn’t. Speaking of weak characters, I wasn’t a huge fan of some of X-Men: Apocalypse’s sidekicks either, for example Angel. I found him to be a bit lame and useless.

Apocalypse takes us back to when Jean Grey, Game of Thrones Sophie Turner aka Sansa Stark and Cyclops are studying with Professor Xavier. Again, I love a good origins story so I enjoyed Cyclops orientation and training. It also gave me good insight into Cyclops, Jean Grey and Wolverines relationship from another point of view

I enjoyed the plot line of Apocalypse a lot more, I feel the X-Men movies in general have more interesting characters and story lines. I like seeing them try to control their powers and see them grow into badass ‘superheros’. Mystique has always been one of my favourites, even when Rebecca Romijn was in the role. Unfortunately I found J-Law a little weak in this one. It was as if she was playing Katniss, every word out of her mouth was inspiring, and she never just talked normally. Just talk normally woman! She didn’t really do much either in terms of shape shift or fight.

Professor X and Magneto were great once again, they definitely carry the films. No matter what era and who’s playing the role. Much like Days of Future Past the slow motion scene of Quicksilver running amuck or in this case, saving people was definitely a highlight. His character is a great addition to the squad and Evan Peters does a great job in playing the part.

Overall I definitely enjoyed Apocalypse a lot more. If it wasn’t for the humour, coming from Tony Stark and Ant-Man in Captain America it would have been a bit of a flop in my eyes. They both had some lame characters and moments but I enjoyed the characters and storyline a lot more in X-Men and left excited for the next one. It wasn’t my favourite out of all the movies but it’s still a goodie.

Captain America: Civil War



 

X-Men: Apocalypse: 3.5 Stars