Review: Kong: Skull Island (2017)

“We are dealing with a monster from a bygone era.”
– Preston Packard

SYNOPSIS: A team of scientists explore an uncharted island in the Pacific, venturing into the domain of the mighty Kong, and must fight to escape a primal Eden. – via IMDB

I finally got to this, and I must say that I was more impressed than I expected to be. While Kong: Skull Island has some issues, if you don’t overthink it and just go in for what it was made for (pure entertainment), you are bound to have a pretty good time. I quite enjoyed myself throughout.

I had quite a good time with the humour, which was cheesy at times, but every now and again had a good, sharp snap to it. I also absolutely loved the soundtrack, which was totally right up my alley, and worked with this. I think the movie touted quite the impressive cast, though some of them were underused. None of them were actually given a character to really chew on, but they all served their purpose of bringing the story of Kong to life. I thought Hiddleston to be a good ex-military type, Jackson played who and what he always plays, Larson was solid (as is to be expected), and it was a treat to see Reilly here.

I did not enjoy the romance that was squashed into this (I could totally have done without it), and I must acknowledge that the movie had some super dodgy effects at times. Also, just don’t overthink it, because this is a movie to entertain, not to be picked apart like The Godfather or something. Kong was really cool, and I totally enjoyed his scenes. Those icky-ass monsters on the island that Kong protected everyone from served their purpose – to be gross as hell. Ewwww. There were also plenty fight scenes, and all were done quite well – exactly what they needed to be, which is a blockbuster action film. If that’s what you are going in for for Kong, then that is exactly what you are going to get.

Anyway, there isn’t really much to say about Kong: Skull Island other than it is quite a bit of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I had a few laughs, there were some cool fight sequences, a great soundtrack to carry it all, and decent performances from the cast. It’s seriously not a bad movie to while away some time with.

Rapid Review: 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

“People are strange creatures. You can’t always convince them that safety is in their best interest.”
– Howard

SYNOPSIS: After getting in a car accident, a woman is held in a shelter with two men, who claim the outside world is affected by a widespread chemical attack. – via IMDB

Alright, so we all know I wasn’t particularly sold on Cloverfield, much as I had  hoped I would be. When I saw 10 Cloverfield Lane, I wondered if they had anything to do with each other, and then saw that it was some type of sequel/prequel, but not, and no found footage, and it seems that it interested people. Naturally, that piqued my interest and I got off my butt and watched this. Finally. Let me tell you, it was totally worth the wait. John Goodman was perfectly menacing and creepy, and was certainly a strange, twisted character. Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Gallagher Jr are both also really good here. The cast is essentially just the three of them, and they each carried their weight just so, making the dynamics worth a watch. 10 Cloverfield Lane will also keep you guessing throughout the film – is Howard cray cray? Is Michelle being held captive or is there really some attack going on out there? How exactly does Emmett fit in? Who is right? Who is wrong? Who do you trust? Come on, the questions go on and on. I went in hoping that this would be alright, and it was much better than expected. There was never one dull moment for me, and the tension in the bunker was ongoing, and never really let up. I don’t really want to say too much about this movie, because I really don’t want to spoil it. All I know is that the movie was put together really well – it was shot well, the performances were solid, the guessing games were mad, and the sense of confusion was real, because knowing what is going on is incredibly obscured throughout the film. The most important thing to know is that 10 Cloverfield Lane is entertaining, that it is done really well, and is worth looking into.

Review: Flight (2012)

“Hey, don’t tell me how to lie about my drinking, okay? I know how to lie about my drinking. I’ve been lying about my drinking my whole life.”
– Whip Whitaker

“Death demands responsibility.” – Hugh Lang

Airline captain William “Whip” Whitaker (Denzel Washington) pilots a flight to Atlanta after a hard night of sex, drugs and alcohol with his fellow flight attendant Katerina Márquez (Nadine Velazquez). Coked up to be ready for the flight, it starts as any other day would, though the turbulence is bad and his co-pilot, Ken Evans (Brian Geraghty), wonders if Whip is alright. Whip consumes some vodka discreetly on the flight, and takes a nap. This is where his life is irrevocably changed. Ken Evans attempts to gear up for a landing, and the plane goes into a ridiculously scary dive. Whip is instantly awake, and even in his state takes over. After a nasty scare with the engines failing and the inability to get the plane righted, Whip makes the call to make a forced landing in a field, with some terrible consequences. He is dragged from the wreckage of the plane.

Waking in the hospital, he learns that of the one hundred and two passengers on board, six died; of which two of them were flight crew. His union rep and old friend Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood) is there to greet him. The National Transportation Safety Board has to undergo an investigation as to what went down on the plane that morning, and an NTSB official tells Whip that Katerina was among those who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident. Whipe calls in his drug dealer friend Harling Mays (John Goodman) to get him some cigarettes and get him some cash from his home for when he leaves the hospital. While under observation at the hospital, Whip meets with drug addict Nicole Maggen (Kelly Reilly) who is recovering from a heavy overdose. He instantly takes a liking to her and wishes to see her again.

The press are relentless when you are either a hero or a scapegoat

Leaving the hospital and taking cover, avoiding his own home, Whip goes back to the family farm, and the first thing he does is get rid of all the pills and all the liquor in the house. Naturally, it does not last long after he goes to meet with Charlie and his lawyer, Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle), where he learns that a toxicology screen was performed on him at the hospital by the NTSB and they know about the drinking and the drugs. Angered, Whip leaves them and gets knackered, and he then moves on to visit Nicole, where he finds her moving out from her apartment, and takes her in to stay with him. The two begin a haphazard romance, which gets dark quickly when Nicole is intent on cleaning herself up while Whip will not even admit that he has a problem, though it has already cost him his now-ex-wife and teenage son. He needs to start getting ready for the NTSB hearing, where Ellen Block (Melissa Leo), the lead investigator, seems to have it out to prove his incompetence the day of the flight. Everyone is trying their damndest to get him ready and help him out, but he is not interested.

“Nobody could’ve landed that plane like I did.” – Whip Whitaker

Will this NTSB investigation bring Whip to his knees? Will they pin the entire accident on his hindered abilities, or rule that it was a mechanical fault that led to the terrible crash? Will Whip ever admit he has a problem, and what will it cost him to figure out there is an issue?

Flight earns a 7/10. It was a good movie, well put together and was compelling to watch. This was definitely an outstanding role for Denzel Washington; you get so attached and involved in the life of Whip, and you feel for him. It is more pity than anything, because he is a product of his own circumstances, ones that he created purely on his own. His battle is a difficult one to watch, and you are permanently in his corner waiting for him to admit to his shortcomings. Denzel Washington truly impressed me with this role, and again demonstrated why he is such a great actor. Don Cheadle was great as Whip’s attorney, and he gave me a few of the laughs that I experienced in the movie. I must say that there were a few times where the script followed a simple and predictable recipe, but overall not that bad. The soundtrack for this film was also very remarkable, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.