Change Your Image
bosullivan2-719-143250
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
The Langoliers (1995)
Made for 90's TV at its cheapest best
Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this mini-series. Starts off super 90s TV cheese, but once we get to the main characters they're all really well cast and recognisable at this stage, having all been in multiple shows & movies since.
I'm a huge King fan, and the show didn't disappoint. Lovely slow build up as we meet and fall for each characters' backstory: wafer thin yes, but the actors do really well to get across their personality, so you find yourself rooting for them and become sad (or delighted!) when they are killed off.
The mystery as it unfolds is fascinating as you discover the plot along with the characters through excellent dedective work exposition.
The only think lacking is the horror and suspense, due to the limited 90's TV cgi, which is honestly laughable, but the cast are so good at acting horrified you go along for the ride.
It might seem ironic that you'd give a Stephen King horror novel a good rating when the horror element is weakest link, but I've always seen this book as more of a sci-fi mystery.
I won't give the ending away suffice to say for a King novella, it was surprisingly satisfying and beautiful.
Haunted Mansion (2023)
Spooktacular!
Family friendly but don't play it too safe!
Younger innocent kids will find it frightening.
But kids who like to be scared will have a blast.
Disney plays the scares cleverly for a family movie with a joke to reduce tension after the frights, without making the film too cheesy. Danny Devito is well utilised here.
Effects amazing. Scary but still good family acceptable ghosts that won't cause younger kids to stay up all night terrified.
Story/ mystery is well told. Great cast and emotional pay off at the end. Again without being too cheesy.
Families will have a ball at this movie.
Bring your kids and cuddle up behind the jackets.
And book a restaurant after because you'll want to go talk about the scares!
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Action spectacle with unspectacular stakes
I've grown to love the mission impossible franchise over the last decade. Ethan Hunt has provided some of cinemas greatest moments in cinema. With benchmark so high, its always going to be hard to top last outing. The action here was tremendously strong but the story and characters' motives were extremely weak IMO.
I think the movie still needed a proper beginning, middle and ending, despite being a part 1. Without spoiling ending, I didn't feel massive urge to see the 2nd one, the same way I did at end of Avengers Infinty War. I expected Tom Cruise to deliver something spectacular to justify the part 1 and part 2, but to me, it doesn't seem like it needed to be 2 parts, as not much was established in part 1. I suspect movie studio wanted 2 movies made to justify the budget and investment.
My opinion might very well change once I see part 2, but overall I left cinema feeling a little underwhelmed as the movie felt like a load of action set pieces strung together with overly long exposition dumps between set-pieces to justify why everyone was there for Ethan to battle, but I just didn't buy the dialogue, which wasn't clever enough to pull off what it was trying to achieve, which I think was arching back to the classic old days of mission impossible 1 which was primarily an action spy thriller. But it just fell a little flat, so when action happened the stakes weren't high enough for me to be on edge of my seat. The villan looked the part but spewing lines like "you've no idea of the power I poses" and then not showing us, makes the fight scenes less intense, as we don't know what he's capable of, unlike terrifying villans in past like Philip Seymour Hoffman who we knew exactly the danger Ethan was in during every scene with the creepy terrifying Hoffman.
Having said all that, I was there with my kids, who maybe distracted me, so will watch again for sure before Part 2 again, and my opinion might change, as I do love this franchise and everything TC has done for cinema. As long as he's continuing to make movies I'll keep going to the theatre. And hopefully Dead Reckoning part 2 will have more of the heart and impact I craved that we get in likes of Fallout and Top Gun 2. Keep flying high Tom, you deserve all the cudos and good will, your heart is in the movies. I know I'll change my tune after part II.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Great whip roaring adventure.
Delighted to see Indy on the big screen again and have the chance to take my kids to see such an iconic legend. It's great fun. A bit long, maybe scary for kids in places (but exactly what you want from an Indiana Jones movie!) and IMO ending pays off with a big surprise. (Go see it before someone who doesn't like it ruins it for you!)
The movie starts off great. There's a bit of uncanny valley with the de-aging, but the scene itself is so much fun and classic Indy back fighting Nazi's and you know it's Harrison Ford for real, which makes it so much more powerful.
Once we jump forward we see an older Indy now forced to face the new age of the moon landing and space fanatics. He's tired, grumpy and fed-up with life. What's there to live for? Well thank God there's another adventure around the corner waiting for him! Phoebe waller-bridge is the new sidekick for Indy who sets everything in motion. No one is ever going to beat Sean Connery in that role, but Phoebe does her best and you believe their relationship for the most part. It's not perfect, their banter isn't hilariously funny and emotional, but it does not ruin the movie, and Phoebe is a perfectly well equipped actor to keep up with Harrison and join in on the action. (Ignore the haters. She is not as annoying or over bearing as they make out.)
The new bad guys led by Casino Royal's Mads Mikkelsen and ruthless henchman Boyd Holbrook from Logan, are ferocious brutal killers, in the most horrible sense. They shoot innocent people in cold blood too often for my liking in a family adventure movie, but are worthy foes for Indy to battle against, and you do find yourself on the edge of your seat when Indy is on the run from them or fighting them.
This is where some people may have gripes with the film, which is Indy can't physically take them on, due to his age, so just runs away instead or chases them in a car, but then he's no problem jumping from cars to horses to gain the upper hand, which is fine, Harrison is magnificent, but if we're going to play the age card, I'd like to see Indy outwit the bad guys too with his book-smarts & experience, trapping the bad guys in a cave full of skeletons or spiders, if even just to slow them down, without changing the overall outcome.
Nonetheless, Indy's last action adventure is a whip roaring one from start to finish. It's incredible to see Harrison donning the famous fedora again, taking on Nazi's and exploring creepy caves and getting himself in way over his head, as always! It's not Raiders or Last Crusade. Definitely not Kingdom. Just a great mad new adventure. To be enjoyed on the big screen with the amazing John William's score that's guaranteed to get you in the mood for another spine tingling adventure.
The Batman (2022)
The Batman we thought we needed
I've a new found appreciation for the Chris Nolan Batman movies. I've always enjoyed them but now I admire more their ability to balance raw grittiness with cheesy comic book fun.
The new Batman movie takes itself way too seriously without been serious enough. Not taking its characters seriously. Alfred. Bruce Wayne. Carmine Falcone. All under developed. Batman, Gordan, catwoman and Riddler are good. But rest of cast may as well be cardboard cutouts.
It feels like the movie Seven. But never ventures down what makes Seven incredible. So you find yourself wishing you were watching Seven instead.
The style of storytelling is painful at times. Too much of the plot is told through overly long exposition dumps at the Bat signal roof top and overly convenient voice messages. Thrillers rely on this style of storytelling to find out the characters motives, history and who'd done it but it's executed poorly here.
If you're going to do an R-Rated Batman Detective movie then do an R-Rated Dedective movie. Don't chicken out. Show us the SAW like killings. And brutal deaths. If you're not then show us an exciting Batman movie. With a powerful movie score.
Unfortunately the new Batman movie does neither. Just about makes it over the finish line way too late with a whimper. Don't get me wrong, there's flashes of brilliance. But before you know it the scene is over and you're back to broodying boring Batman.
The Marksman (2021)
An action slow burner
A great Liam Nesson flick. Plays to his strengths. A lot of people forget what a great actor he is too. Movie successfully combines his charismatic presence for the strong fatherly role with his more familiar action chops. To build 'slowly' for the climatic & satisfying showdown we've all come to expect from the beloved action hero.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)
Incredibly average
Starts off odd. But you keep going. Some creepy z bits.
Cast introduced. Too many. But you keep going.
Locations from game introduced. Split 2nd cool. Back to bland. But you keep going.
Monsters from the game introduced. Like the licker. Destroyed 60 sec. But you keep going.
Next you're in the thick of an extremely average horror flick. But you keep going.
Last you realise the movie is almost over. Too late to not keep going. You finish an incredibly average horror film.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Instant classic.
What a rush. This movie was just so much fun. So much heart. So many thrills. Edge of your seat moments. Rare you get all of these things right. I had a blast watching and cannot wait to watch again.
Every shot is iconic. You could pause this movie anywhere for a classic movie moment to frame. There's so many things to admire and soak in.
Tom Cruise. Enough said. The man will go down as a movie legend. Already was, but this movie shoots him into the stratosphere. His persona throughout, his guidance to the other actors. He's a real movie star. Up there with James Dean, Steve McQueen. A legend in his own right.
The effects, if you can even call them that, are insane. I've never had so much fun in a cinema. You feel like you're right there in the cockpit because the actors really are. Makes such a difference to know it was all shot for real. Will make it very tough for other airplane movies moving forward. Just breath taking stunts.
So it's an instant classic. One you'll want to share with everyone you know. Take your kids, grandkids, so they don't miss it on the big screen. Like Jurassic Park, it's a moment in film history to enjoy being part of! A must-watch, movie event of the year. Worth the wait! Thank you Mr. Cruise. Keep the hits coming!
Finding Jack Charlton (2020)
The Jack we love and remember
God what a trip down memory lane. So delighted that this movie was made. Difficult to watch the newer scenes with old Jack. But makes the older scenes all the more powerful for it. Delighted to see he has a family who cares for him so much. I hope I'm as lucky some day. I think if the young Jack was around he'd be happy with both outcomes. Although maybe he'd have cut the nudy changing room scene. He was obviously great craic! Long may his memory live forever in Irish hearts. Long live Jack.
Underwater (2020)
Alien Diluted
Good cast. Some good set-pieces. Opening scene exhilarating. But overall just a let down. Which is disappointing because everyone was trying hard to make a really good sci-fi flick.
Primarily due to poor backstories. Poor location set-up/geography. Poor lighting. Poor dialogue.
I can only imagine how difficult it is to create an underwater movie. The logistics must be a nightmare. But if you're going to do it, while they achieved what it must feel like to be underwater and attacked in scuba gear, you have to consider your audience, it's a movie, we're here to be entertained, but if we can't see what's going on, it's hard to enjoy.
A good horror movie device in these set-ups is to show the audience the monster that the characters can't see. Just because the victims can't see anything, sometimes the tension can be built by us the viewer knowing what is about to happen.
Tension however is not built by shining a torch down a dark corridor. Which is what this movie resorts to, on too many occasions.
As for the set-up, this movie is a perfect example for film students as to why establishing characters and the Geography of a location is so important, even if it feels boring and delays the anticipated monster battle. We need that intro to invest in the characters & care about them when they start getting knocked off 1-by-1. And we need to understand where they are running to and from. So we can have a reference in our head of the location, before it was destroyed, and to then revel/ aguish in its destruction.
Otherwise you're left with a movie that just feels diluted, there should be something more. But you can never quite put your finger on it. Until it's all over.
It Chapter Two (2019)
Great if watched back-2-back with 1st
Really enjoyed this one. Myself and my wife watched Chapter 1 and 2 back-to-back over the bank holiday weekend: the way to do it I'd recommend. A lot of my friends who watched both in cinemas 2 years a part were disappointed because they went in hoping for more of the Losers Club which they remembered enjoying so much in 1st film, but what they saw was very different to the 1st, as we're dealing with adults now. But I'd argue that's a good thing. Having come straight off the back of Chapter 1, I was ready for a different type of feeling, more grown up movie. And boy do we get that right from the shockingly scary grotesque unfortunately very true opening sequence that let's us know we're not dealing with rock throwing bullies from 1st movie. This is now the real world. From there we're introduced to all our grown up characters and boy do they shine: perfectly cast, especially Eddie the nervous germaphobe boy. From the very satisfying intro we're quickly thrown back into the world of IT we're all familiar with. But the sequel ups it a notch exploring more of IT who delightfully has more trauma of the now grown up losers club to dwell on and playing with to terrify our characters. We also get some welcomed timed flashbacks to the kids' Loser Club new 80's scenes. The kids are noticibly older which some ropey de-aging visual and voice effects try to work around the male kids' broken-voices, which does throw you off slightly as your brain tells you something is wrong. But not enough to ruin movie and TBH I'd rather have the kids back than not, so they did a good job considering. Back to the adults and I revelled in the individual scares they're taken through as they have to revisit their childhood and IT who is now delightfully more evil as Bill S chews up the scenery. Horror effects a joy to watch with great mixture of cgi and practical effects, and homages back to classic horror movies like The THING and the Shining: clear influences on the director. A joyfully self-aware Stephen King cameo is welcomed. And the ending extremly satisfying which I won't ruin but just to say it fixes the main problem with the original TV movie, and possibly even the book (I haven't read so can't comment except for reviews I've read), which they hint at throughout the movie in fun quips to how King often struggles with happy endings. But this one, much like King's movie adaptation of the Mist, is a very satisfying conclusion for different reasons. Overall an extremely entertaining sequel that's just different enough from the 1st but which wraps up at end making us feel nostalgic to watch the 1st again, which I'm looking forward to in a year's time I think. Thank you Stephen King for keeping us scared while always reminding us about the beauty of life.
The Dark Tower (2017)
Roland's Journey is one of terrific heights and terrible lows
Terrific score. Terrific cast. Terrific visuals.
Terrible script. Terrible runtime. Terrible editing.
As a Huge King fan in general and of the Dark Tower books, I had high hopes for this movie.
They got the casting spot on. All 3 leads are superb. Mcconaughey's motivation is unclear for non-DT-fans. And he's given some questionable exposition to ramble off. But his overall screen presence and charisma is perfect for a cinematic Walter Flag.
Edris is sensational as Roland. His character development and relationship with Jake (Tom Taylor) is very strong. You really believe their bond by the end of the film. And this is down to Tom's excellent portrayal and emotional development as film goes on too.
The locations are breathtaking. They really nailed the vastness of mid-world in the few scenes they spent there. I only wish there was more of them. The movie just seemed so rushed to get back to New York unfortunately.
The score then is phenomenal. Blew me away. Its delicate build up to the finale is beautifully done. Shades of Hans Zimmer's Inception soundtrack.
Hats off to the Director for what he got right. It's a humongous task to take on the Dark Tower novels to turn into a film. They had what seemed like a clever idea similar to the Star Trek reboot, by reinventing the franchise in a way that let them retell the old ST stories that people loved in new ways. The best of. However, that only works if you have a screen franchise already. The Dark Tower did not.
So everything feels watered down. You get bits of some cool stories as a fan you recognise from the books, but they are only touched upon. The editing also has a rushed feel to it. By the time you're starting to enjoy a classic Roland gun scene, next thing it's over. And there's a quick cut to the next scene, with an obvious change in tone/ score, that needed to be addressed more delicately.
You only wish that the Director (who was passionate - just look at the detail in Roland's gun play, guns and costume design, to see how much he respected and loved the character) would have decided to make a Western Style movie based on 1st Book instead, that could have been a standalone while also leading to future sequels if successful.
Unfortunately it's clear now in 2020 that this universe is dead and buried. Edris and Mcconaughey will not be returning to their roles. Which is a shame because they were all brilliant in the movie.
Thankfully, if you put all of the bigger Dark Tower expectations aside, and just treat this as a standalone Good vs Evil movie between 3 terrific actors, there's still a lot of fun to be had and enjoyed during those few moments of brilliance when Roland gets a chance to rememeber the face of his father.
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Good but not the Cameron sequel we hoped for
When Cameron announced he was taking back over, there was hope that the fate of the franchise would be saved by what he would make.
Unfortunately the movie doesn't really break any new grounds that the first 2 movies were famous for: practical effects and cgi. And only the latter is used in T:DF. A real shame.
Positives: The characters are all strong. Performances solid. And exposition dealt with naturally. What T1 & T2 did so famously.
The action on the other hand is a mixed bag. Too manic and over the top. Poorly lit. And hard to see sometimes what's happening. Surprising, when T1 & T2 handled night time scenes so well.
So by the end you realise it doesn't come close to T1 & T2, and you end up comparing it to Genysis. And you realise what Genysis got terribly wrong (exposition), DF gets right, but what Genysis got right (action - small set pieces done well), DF fails miserably. I understand the pressures studios must be under to compete with Marvel, but DF's action is just so insane, especially the main action set piece, you find yourself imaging what the storyboard session must have been like - not a good sign.
Having said that the end set piece is satisfying, lit and choreographed well, so you can see what's going on, and because your invested in the characters, you care and want them to succeed.
Oh I didn't even notice there was 3 female leads: assuming that's a good sign.
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
Rambo's back. Kind of...
If you enjoy Stallone kicking hell out of 2 dimensional bad guys then you'll get a kick out of this movie. The gore is rammed up to 11. Gone is the awful looking cgi blood from the expendables in favor of real guts, crunches and squelshes. Not for the sqemish, Rambo is fun but doesn't feel like a Rambo film. The way Creed still feels like a Rocky film. He seems out of character. Not a man really haunted by his past. The way Hugh Hackman managed so well in Logan. Whose comparison is unavoidable. That said I enjoyed watching it. I always love Stallone. Great presence on screen. You believe he can beat up 100 guys. Just the final pay off doesn't quite reach the satisfaction of his previous Rambo entries. One only for fans. So as a fan, thank you Stallone. Keep pumbling. I'll keep watching
Man of Steel (2013)
A brilliant more realistic take on Superman
Superman. This word means so many different things to so many people. Everyone has their own version of what superman should be like. A lot of us grew up with Christopher Reeves. Others have never had a Superman to picture. The former are probably angry that this new superman is the first superman that a whole generation are being introduced to.
Why?
Maybe because this Superman isn't as clean cut as Reeve's version. But there are 2 flaws here: 1) Reeve's Superman is from a different era 2) You shouldn't even compare.
We all loved Reeves but this is a new take on the Man of Steel. Nolan asks how would a man who learns he's from another planet actually act if it was true? Would he be as clean cut as Reeve's portrayal - probably not. We'd like to think he'd try, but the truth is that it would be a very rocky road for that person. They're at a point where they can take over the world or choose instead to help it. And it points back to a simple truth - we are heavily influenced by our upbringing, which rings home in Nolan's version.
Some people are annoyed at the violence and amount of people who die in this movie. But the point again Nolan makes is that if there was a Superman on earth a lot of his battles would end in destruction. Unavoidable. And civilian casualties would be inevitable. Superman is only 1 man. And couldn't possibly save everyone. But what is hammered home here is that he would save those he could. However there would always be Victims. And a lot of people hate this truth and therefore don't like the movie. Understandable.
Superman is a fantasy. A chance to believe a hero can save everyone. No matter how unbelievable. Why superheroes were invented. Nolan likes to look at the realistic side though of these characters.
So if you want to see a realistic take on Superman go see this film. If you have an ideal Superman already in your head, this film will probably annoy you. I loved the realism. I loved that Superman wasn't perfect. And maybe even made choices at the end that he'll regret later. But that's my preferred version (at the moment) of the Man of Steel. Flawed but trying his best to make the right choices based on what he learned from his parents. And isn't that what we all spend our life trying to do?