Movies
If you think films like Terminator Salvation need a solid storyline and well-developed characters, you would do best to stay away from this film.
McG returns to his Babysitter franchise to try and repeat the success of the first film. The Babysitter became somewhat of a cult hit. I don't think Netflix expected anything much when they released it, but the surprisingly jolly mix of comedy and horror made it a very likeable film that was good for more than a handful of giggles and chuckles. This is an ideal franchise for a platform like Netflix, since they don't get too involved in the creative process. It's obvious that McG had free rein here, which results in a comedy that blatantly references other films, throws in some outrageous gore, subverts genre clichés whenever it feels like it and isn't afraid to be utterly daft when called for. It's an oddball combination of horror and comedy elements, but that's why it works so well. The sequel is a film that exudes fun. It might not be the most memorable of films, some actors look ill at ease (Lind is a miscast) and there are some technical hiccups, but that's easy to forgive when the rest is so utterly joyous. If they can keep up this level of quality, I wouldn't mind a third film.Read all
McG isn't very shy about his inspiration here, at the same time all these influences are just that: influences. Rim of the World is a film that is primarily focused on being as fun and amusing as possible. Be damned plot, background story and consistency. This is probably not the most popular approach, but it sure is my preferred one for nonsensical films like this.
The Substance for the tweens. No doubt this is based on a young adult novel (it's certainly set up like those franchises, as it ends with a big old cliffhanger). It's a shallow sci-fi with a dumb premise and lazy morality, but big-budget sci-fi is quite rare and the decent pacing made it somewhat watchable. The "perfect" world looks like hell on Earth, the twists are predictable and the performances are flat. I also kind of hope this flops because I don't need to see more of this universe, and I generally expect more from McG. Still, if you like sci-fi and are fed up with all the near-future variations, there's some mild 'fun to be had.Read all
I guess this is what you get when you try to make a blockbuster for "him and her". This Means War does its best to blend an action flick with a romcom, trying to please everyone, but the result is some odd contraption that feels forced and at odds with itself, neither very funny nor very exciting. The performances of Pine and Witherspoon are rather plain, Hardy is slightly better but he looks painfully out of place. The mix of action, comedy and romance feels rather convoluted, the execution of the genres is basic, the ending is lame. This was a pretty unnecessary film, that said, I've seen way worse.Read all