Month: August 2018

Movie Reviews 4/5 stars: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Julie Gilbert Fantasy, ghosts, Young Adult , , , , , , ,
This is the movie poster. I do not own the rights to it, but it’s not exactly a state secret.

*mild spoilers possible in discussion

Summary:

I had no expectations going into the movie, except that if Tim Burton directed it, you’re bound to be in for some brand of weird.

Additional Comments:

  • I never read the books, so I can’t compare how that story lines up/lives up to this one.
  • Casting department did a nice job. Eva Green as Miss Peregrine pulled off austere yet caring very well. The kid who played Jake Portman pulled off average Joe look very well too.
  • Characters 4/5: There are a heck of a lot of characters here. Jake and Emma are fairly quickly singled out as the would-be love interests. Miss Peregrine explains she’s an em-something or other lady who can control time. Their powers are kind of ordinary for Gifts, but it still works very well. Don’t remember all their names but there’s an adorable little girl who has super strength. (That led to some great moments like her picking up the twins and holding them up so they can see.) Fiona can make things grow. Enoch can control inanimate objects as long as they have a little creepy heart he puts in them. Emma can fly. There are a few others, but I forget their powers
  • Plot 3/5: I enjoyed the sections seeing the parts of their daily life and meeting the Peculiars.
  • Pacing 2/5: They could definitely have cut like 20 minutes and been fine. The beginning part crawled. Once he actually got to the home, things moved along better.
  • For kids? Content warnings: Not sure who the movie was aimed at. Seems like a kid movie, but the thing with the eyes was kind of nasty. I get it, they’re monsters, but still, that’s just gross.
  • Favorite part: When the bad guy brings Jake to the home and Miss Peregrine agrees to go with him. The part where she shushes the bad guy like 3 times was hilarious. I enjoyed the fact that it was a powerful moment but they put some humor into it.
  • Comparatives: It’s most similar to Percy Jackson in terms of monster fighting. A wee bit of Harry Potter school/ routine influence.

Time travel aspect:

  • I’ve very rarely seen time travel stories that work. This is one of those rare explanations that I buy the explanation.

Conclusion:

I enjoyed it. Don’t think it’ll ever be in my top 10 must see movies ever, but I’m glad I took the time to watch it.

Associate links to follow…

This Movie…

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Dark Side of Science.


OR

Movie Reviews 4/5: Thor Ragnarok

Julie Gilbert comedy, Fantasy, Movie Reviews, scifi , , , ,
I don’t own the movie poster but I will say it’s probably the most colorful I’ve ever seen.

 

Spoilers ahead, maybe.

4/5 Thor Ragnarok

Summary:

Fun and weird. Some pretty sad and twisted stuff happens, but it’s no Game of Thrones in terms of grim factor. There’s usually some light moment to break up the horror of war and death.

Additional Comments:

  • Cate Blanchett plays one heck of a Goddess of Death.
  • Jeff Goldblum as the Master was pretty funny.
  • Tessa Thompson as the Valkyrie rocked too. Her relationship with Thor was intriguing: first captor, then reluctant ally, then committed ally.
  • I was trying to figure out what else Karl Urban was in. I think it was Almost Human that I remembered him most for. I miss that quirky show. Though I will say, he definitely looks better with hair.
  • Thor’s new look suits him well, but I kinda miss the golden locks.
  • The poster looks like a gobstopper candy.
  • I’m gonna hold on to the fantasy that they make it and live happily ever after.

Conclusion:

Not going to go down as the most serious Marvel movie, but an interesting time. Worth seeing a few times.

 

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try Spirit’s Bane.

 


OR


Movie Reviews 4.5/5: Mission Impossible VI: Fallout

Julie Gilbert Movie Reviews, thriller , , , , ,
don’t own the movie poster

*very mild spoilers possible.
4.5/5 Mission Impossible VI: Fallout

Summary:

Terrorists want to blow the world up, and it’s up to Ethan and company to stop them… again. Even with several tired clichés in the plot, it’s still a very entertaining movie.

Additional Comments:

– There’s a lot of action in here. Car chases were cool, but a lot repetitive.
– Helicopter chase. That’s not something you see in every action movie. It added a nice touch.
– I like that there’s no love lost between the various US government agencies.
– The bad guy was fairly realistic, even if his beliefs hit nearly every thriller bad guy cliché.
– I liked the British agent and the ambiguity in her relationship to Ethan and company.
– Twists: they had a few that worked.
– Length: Even being a tad on the long side, it felt like you needed most of it to make sense of things.
– Plot: Complicated in some senses. They included a lot of unnecessary factions, but I suppose not all things work out good vs evil with only two teams.

Conclusion:

Worth watching, probably worth watching a few times.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.

Try The Dark Side of Science.

 


OR