Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)

 

7/10

Starring the voices of

Ben Whitehead

Peter Kay

Lauren Patel

Reece Shearsmith

 

 

Directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham

 

 

First, you must understand that the Wallace & Gromit universe is like a child’s early morning cartoon hour. With that in mind, when you watch this stop-motion animation, prepare yourself for anything to be possible, with characters that are hilariously exaggerated in their intelligence or stupidity.

Of all the Wallace & Gromit adventures I’ve seen, this is one of my favorites. I love how it picks up from where the 1993 short The Wrong Trousers left off. We see the return of the penguin villain, Feathers McGraw, who has been apprehended and locked up in a high-security facility.

Meanwhile, Wallace and Gromit are back to their usual lives, with Wallace constantly inventing contraptions to handle mundane household tasks, leaving Gromit to clean up after him.

If you’re not familiar with Wallace & Gromit, this British stop-motion animation is a production of Aardman (created by Nick Park), the studio behind Chicken Run, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Arthur Christmas, and more. The Wallace & Gromit series has been a staple since the 1980s, with numerous shorts produced over the years. This film marks the second full-length feature in the series.

The duo consists of Wallace, an eccentric inventor, and Gromit, his loyal dog. Gromit is an intelligent, anthropomorphic beagle who, in this universe, even has a degree in Engineering for Dogs.

In The Wrong Trousers, Feathers McGraw temporarily stayed with Wallace and Gromit while Wallace tried to raise money to pay off his debts. Unbeknownst to Wallace, Feathers used his techno-trousers to steal the blue diamond. That story ended with Feathers being caught. Fast-forward to the present, and Wallace is still in debt. He decides to use an invention he made for Gromit—a gnome named Gorbot, designed to help with garden work—as a tool to rent out to others.

However, Feathers learns about Wallace’s invention during his incarceration and devises a new scheme. Using his cunning, he gains access to a computer and hacks the Gorbot.

Gromit immediately dislikes Gorbot, believing that Wallace is becoming overly dependent on machines. This creates tension, as Wallace dismisses Gromit's concerns when he begins to suspect that Gorbot has turned evil.

Things take a dark turn when Gorbot starts replicating itself and stealing from the neighborhood. Wallace becomes the prime suspect, with the police closing in on him. Meanwhile, Gromit uncovers the truth: the Gorbots are linked to Feathers, who is once again up to no good. Now, Gromit must convince Wallace to join him in stopping Feathers and his mechanical minions.

As always, the animation is fantastic and well worth watching.

Juror #2 (2024)

Juror #2 (2024)

 

7/10

Starring

Nicholas Hoult

Toni Collette

J. K. Simmons

Chris Messina

Zoey Deutch

 

Directed by Clint Eastwood

 

What makes this movie amazing is the fact that you’re placed in a moral dilemma along with the lead. What will you do if you’re involved in a case as a juror, and you have evidence to show that the whole case should be thrown out of court?

Anyone placed in that situation will say, "I will come forward and say something."

Here’s the twist: you, the juror, go to a lawyer and tell them what you know concerning the case, and you’re told that if you come forward, you’ll be thrown into jail for at least 30 years. Now, what will you do?

I like the fact that this dilemma is given to us from the start. Thirty minutes into the movie, and this is placed on your plate. Here’s Juror #2, a married man whose wife has had more than one miscarriage, and this one is in its third trimester. He wants to be there for her; better still, who wants to throw their life away?

Clint Eastwood gives us a directorial masterpiece, and the movie has an all-star cast. You watch all these things play out, and you’ll be lost, asking yourself, "What would I do if this were me?"

Here’s the case as a whole: recovering alcoholic Justin (Nicholas Hoult) is called to jury duty. He’s selected to be a juror in the case concerning the death of Kendall Carter. She was killed, and according to the police, her body was dumped over a bridge pass on the rocks.

The chief suspect is her boyfriend, Sythe. Sythe and Carter were in a relationship known for their fights and abuse toward one another. On the night the body was found, both were at a bar, and there was a fight. A fight that was public, and it was a rainy night.

She walked off, and he later walked off. It was later that night that her body was found.

The weird thing about all this is that Justin happened to also be at the bar when this happened, but he was there minding his own business and didn’t even notice the couple or see the fight.

He was alone in the car while the fight was going on, and on his drive home, that’s when the incident of her death happened.

Fantastic movie! Get ready to see amazing acting by the cast. It was first given a moderate release, but now it has been given a wider release, so you can catch it in the cinema. It’s amazing to watch it all unfold before you.

Nosferatu (1922)

Nosferatu (1922)

 

6/10

Starring

Max Schreck

Gustav von Wangenheim

Greta Schröder

Alexander Granach

 

Directed by F. W. Murnau

 

 

I’m not one to watch horror movies, and I did intend to see the new Nosferatu movie. But when I came across this old one, I had a funny suspicion that the new version might take a romantic turn between Ellen and Nosferatu. I don’t know for sure, because the movie isn't out yet, but I’m holding on to my suspicions and won’t be seeing it. Call me boring, but not a fan of the numerous artistic liberties movie makers usually take.

This movie, for one, is actually not bad, especially for a film made in 1922. It’s an unauthorized and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, a wonderful book set in the 1890s in Britain. The moment the movie starts and I see what Thomas does for a living, I knew it was an adaptation, though an unofficial one.

It’s hard to comment on the effects or cinematography because I haven’t seen many silent films of this nature to compare it with. But as a whole, from what I got out of it, it’s a nice movie to watch.

Set in 1838, in Germany, Thomas works as an estate agent. He’s tasked with visiting the castle of a new client, Count Orlok, who plans on buying the house opposite his.

Thomas sets off to the castle so the count can sign the papers for the purchase, but on his journey, he meets many locals who warn him not to go. He continues on anyway and reaches the castle. From there, things start to get odd. There are no servants around, but food is always available for him to eat. The count is strange-looking, with pointed ears and a nose that protrudes, making him resemble a rat.

Thomas soon realizes he’s essentially a prisoner in the castle, and the count is on his way to his new house. Thomas breaks out of the castle and tries to find his way back home.

Back home, his wife Ellen is haunted by the image of Count Orlok (Nosferatu).

The movie has a very different ending compared to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It also merges some characters and does away with others to make the story more succinct.

To be honest, I kind of enjoyed the movie for what it is, and for an old German film, it does the job of entertaining me. I think you can catch this movie free online, it is on the public domain, so if you are interested, then you will not have a hard time finding it.

Kraven The Hunter (2024)

Kraven the Hunter (2024)

 

2/10

Starring

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Ariana DeBose

Russell Crowe

 

Directed by J. C. Chandor

 

I don’t know if the bad box office figures will finally bring an end to all these Sony Spider-Verse spin-offs, but if it does, I’d be so happy. There’s no better outcome than stopping all the nonsense movies Sony keeps dropping.

The best thing to come out of these Spider-Man spin-offs is Venom. Even then, it’s only the first Venom (not the sequels) that really made an impact. Every other one has just been a waste of time.

This is the sixth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU). It shows the brotherly relationship between Kraven (Sergei Kravinoff) and Chameleon (Dmitri Smerdyakov) and how they parted ways, with Dmitri heading to the U.S. That part sticks to the source material. But the movie focuses more on the relationship between Kraven and his family. We also see how he got his powers.

The movie has a slow start that could have been summarized instead of dragging out for over 30 minutes. After an initial prison break in the first five minutes, there’s a long wait before Kraven is back on the escape plane.

As you know, Kraven isn’t a hero—he’s a villain. But this movie tries to make him an anti-hero.

The story begins with Kraven going to a prison to kill someone and breaking out. Then, it drags on for about 30 minutes, showing Kraven as a young man growing up, who his father is, and why he doesn’t like him.

From there, the movie keeps dragging. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why the writers filled this movie with so much unintelligent dialogue. There’s a long stretch—up to an hour—of talking, and none of it is meaningful. The conversations don’t add up to much beyond setting up the next person Kraven has to take down.

As Kraven goes about killing people as revenge for what they’ve done to the land—like killing animals for their horns—Rhino kidnaps his brother. So, Kraven now has to figure out how to save him.

It feels like the writers were trying to build up to the final fight but didn’t know what to add in between Kraven’s introduction and that fight. You have no idea the level of boredom this movie delivers. I’m not surprised it’s a box office flop. Honestly, the best thing you can do for yourself is not to bother watching this movie.

I do hope Sony stop making these movies.

Carry-On (2024)

Carry-On (2024)

 

6/10

Starring          

Taron Egerton

Sofia Carson

Danielle Deadwyler

Jason Bateman

 

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra

 

This movie is not bad. I get the feeling that Netflix is trying to create for their subscribers their own Die Hard movie. Acting-wise, this movie delivers. Taron Egerton as Ethan is amazing in creating the sense of urgency the movie needed, keeping you attentive all the way. Jason Bateman as the antagonist had the scare tactic needed when the bad guy is calm and collected and does not seem to care about anything or anyone.

Now, that said, both Ethan (Egerton) and the Traveler (Bateman) are no Bruce Willis (playing John McClane) or Alan Rickman (who played Hans Gruber), in Die Hard (1988). Although the movie is ok, I do not have the urge to rewatch this movie every Christmas like I do Die Hard, but it is a ok film altogether.

Here is the plot: The Traveler has purchased a chemical called Novichok and intends to deploy it on a plane. The problem is, how is he going to get it onto the plane? Somehow, although not explicitly stated (and I’m guessing here), the bad guys got hold of the TSA agents' list of those who will be there to inspect carry-ons and their contents. They plan to blackmail the agent to let the carry-on pass-through security and onto the plane.

They had someone give the TSA agent a misplaced earpiece, which he puts in his ear, and he is then instructed to let the carry-on pass or someone he loves will be killed.

Ethan tried everything he could to reach out for help, but the bad guys had cameras on him, so all his movements were tracked.

The police arrived at a burnt building, where they suspect that someone took the Novichok from there, and they want to trace it. How they linked the burnt building to Ethan’s attempted phone call to 911 is another example of movie magic, which only the writers understand.

The movie is about how Ethan wants to stop these guys, protect the ones he loves, and save the people on the plane the carry-on is on. The things that play against this movie will require you to suspend your reasoning. Good movies tend to draw you in, making you forget you are watching a movie, and immerse you in the lies shown on screen. This movie does not have that immersive quality to make you suspend your senses. While watching, you can notice plot holes that highlight how the bad guys’ plan would fail under normal circumstances. For example, giving a TSA agent a device, like in this movie a lost earpiece, won’t play out as the movie shows. Why Ethan thought it was a good idea to put it in his ear while at work is hard to believe. Airport security is high stakes, no TSA agent will think of doing that, he will hand it off to someone nearby, and not leave their post to attend to a call, even though there is someone else on the other end. The chances of someone successfully blackmailing you over the phone these days are slim, most people hang up rather than engage.

With all that said, I will say go see this movie. It is on Netflix, and it will suit a nice weekend.

The Crow (2024)

The Crow (2024)

 

5/10

Starring          

Bill Skarsgård

FKA Twigs

Danny Huston

 

Directed by Rupert Sanders

 

I stayed away from reviews to avoid bias in my view of this movie. The Crow (1994) is, to me, one of the best movies I have ever seen. I love it so much that it’s a 10/10 on my blog because of how good it is. It digresses (more than half) from the comic on which it is based because the movie portrays Eric as a hero, whereas the comic presents him as someone who is not mentally stable. Notwithstanding, the 1994 adaptation is amazing.

When this movie started, and I saw that this reboot plot is straying from both the original and the comic, I began to worry.

The plot of The Crow, as I know it from the comic and the original movie, shows Eric and Shelly without much connection to drugs or rehab. But, as I continued watching, I realized this movie is its own adaptation, delving into its own material, much like the various sequels of The Crow after the 1994 version.

For that reason, I am judging this movie on its own merits as a film, like I’ve done with all the sequels that followed the 1994 version.

The plot is about Eric and Shelly, two drug addicts who met at a rehabilitation center. Shelly’s friend recorded an incident involving Shelly and Roeg on her phone, and sent the video to Shelly, but she was killed for having it. Shelly is hiding in the rehab center while on the run. When she discovers she has been found, she and Eric escape the rehab and start a life together. However, Roeg sends people after them, and they soon catch up with the couple, killing them both. Eric is brought back to life by the Crow, tied to the land of the living by his pure love for Shelly. Now, he must exact revenge on the people who killed her and also kill Roeg.

On its own basis, the main problem with this movie is the bad pacing and the lack of depth in the antagonist, Roeg. It takes almost forty-five minutes to show the effects of Eric being brought back to life by the Crow. Additionally, there is a lack of fluidity in the reasoning behind some of the actions. For instance, while it’s clear the antagonist sends innocents to hell for eternal life, the film does not sufficiently explain how he obtained this deal, who else is involved in it, and how he is able to grant this delay of death to others or if he can.

I wouldn’t say the movie is unwatchable, but it lacks the impact of a film I’d want to watch again. Additionally, there are so many loose ends that it feels like the creators were hoping to turn it into a franchise. Sadly for them but fortunately for audiences, the poor box-office returns will likely prevent that from happening anytime soon.

Elevation (2024)

Elevation (2024)

 

3/10

Starring          

Anthony Mackie

Morena Baccarin

Maddie Hasson

 

Directed by George Nolfi

 

Movies like to make us feel we can survive alien attacks, even when those aliens are far more advanced in technology. This movie attempts to explore that concept, with no originality. The movie is derivative and boring, making it hard for me to recommend.

While the acting is good, the pacing of the movie is off. A lot of times, I felt the movie was just dragging things because the writers had nothing to add.

I spent the first 30 minutes at the beginning begging for something to happen. But sadly, it was just lacking any form of momentum. In addition to this, the film seems to neglect important plot details, leaving me confused. I, for one, cannot wrap my head around the way Nina came up with the idea of using magnesium to fight the aliens is never properly explained. It’s a plot point that could have been developed more clearly.

The plot centres on an Earth that’s been ravaged by sinkholes. These holes have unleashed creatures known as Reapers that wiped out most of the human race. The survivors live in high altitude colonies. As they discovered that the aliens are unable to go beyond any point that is 8,000 feet and above. The reason for this is not shared. Will (Anthony Mackie), lives in one of these colonies with his son, Hunter, who is suffering from a life-threatening lung disease.

The main plot begins when Hunter, seeking distraction from his loneliness, ventures out of the safety of the colony and is pursued by a Reaper. He makes it by crossing the line, which designates where the 8000 feet and above starts.

We then see that Hunter’s illness is getting worse and Will, desperate to find more medicine for his son, seeks help from Nina. Nina was with Will’s wife when she died. Nina agrees to join Will on his journey due to her lingering guilt over his wife’s death. Together with one of Will’s friends, they set out on a mission to find a research lab so they can get medicine and go by Nina lab, where Will hopes Nina can still find a way to kill these aliens. To reach the lab, they plan to use old mining tunnels that Will is familiar with from his past as a miner.

The idea of using old mining tunnels as a means of survival could have made for an intriguing journey, but it played into the realm of, “I have seen this before.” As you can guess, they get cornered, and from here the film dulls the overall experience.

In the end, I doubt this movie will get the sequel, as it doesn’t seem to have made enough of an impact at the global box office.

Not worth wasting your time to see it.