Sheep Movie Review: Venom (2018)

Venom

Oct 5, 2018
Directed By: Ruben Fleischer
Written By: Scott Rosenberg, Jeff Pinkner, Kelly Marcel, Will Beall

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed

Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for language)

Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Runtime: 112 minutes
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Journalist Eddie Brock is trying to take down Carlton Drake, the notorious and brilliant founder of the Life Foundation. While investigating one of Drake's experiments, Eddie's body merges with the alien Venom -- leaving him with superhuman strength and power. Twisted, dark and fueled by rage, Venom tries to control the new and dangerous abilities that Eddie finds so intoxicating.

I don't understand all the hate for Venom. My 17-year-old daughter and I went to see it. We both found it entertaining. Stop comparing it to other Marvel films and enjoy it for what it—fun!

The critics are right about the first part of the movie. It moves slowly compared to the second half. But that doesn't mean the first part is bad. And Holly and I agree that the action-packed half makes up for it.

I didn't know much about Venom before seeing the movie so I'm not comparing it to the comics. I loved Venom. He is a snarky alien who got put in a snarky guy. With the PG-13 rating, there is no blood even though Venom eats a head or two...but they totally deserved it!

This movie isn't a masterpiece, but we laughed and cheered. There are a lot of big action scenes that look great on the big screen. If you see it be sure to stick around for the two after credits scenes!

Holly and I give it 4 "Apologizing" Sheep

SharonS

Sheep Movie Review: Lawless

Lawless, directed by John Hillcoat and starring Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce, and Jessica Chastain is a gritty film that left me emotionally wrecked by the credits. However, I don't think the film could have ended any other way and is worth the emotional turmoil.

Plot:

Lawless is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. In this epic gangster tale, inspired by true-life tales of author Matt Bondurant's family in his novel "The Wettest County in the World", the loyalty of three brothers is put to the test against the backdrop of the nation's most notorious crime wave.

It's a part of the past that many Americans, especially of the younger generations, are quick to forget. Prohibition left many folks scrambling to take matters into their own hands and start making their own bootleg moonshine and bathtub gin. Add the fantastic sums of money to be made from bootlegging, and you end up with citizens and cops alike all taking part in the buying and selling of this illegal but tasty drink. This movie is extremely stylish and visually breathtaking to watch, it leaves you truly feeling like you're right in the thick of Virginia partying at the local square in town. I'll bring the banjo! Combined with a musical score that's on point and you've got yourself the makings of something really special.

Give me characters I can stand behind and root for! Lawless has its moments of really shaking the audience down with the emotional stick when it comes to its characters. I wanted to jump in and help kick some butt, and then laugh with the boys afterwards. The actors all did an outstanding job of knowing the characters and delivering them in a very authentic and rich way. Shia has a tendency of grating on my nerves, but I found him both refreshing and spot on throughout this film. Hardy brings the heat and passion like no other, he's gruff and probably smokin' a tad too much of the wacky tabacy but it all works out in the most delicious of ways.

The only downsides I found were the lack of clear pronunciation at times and the mumbling of lines was annoying. This was recently a problem in the Batman movies, like The Dark Knight Rises and it really takes away from the movie. I want to be able to hear what the heck the characters were saying! I can dig the accents but it's so frustrating when you have to turn to the person next to you (Shout out to my girl Ceci!) and ask "what'd they say?". And even worse when they don't know either. Some choppy editing from scene to scene left me a tad confused as we transitioned along the storyline. You add that the movie's core lacked a serious something and I have to give this movie a lower rating than I'd like.

Dirty cops that you'll love to hate and bloody realistic fights will leave you rooting for these backwoods brothers, this drama is one to see.

Getting 4 'girl what you doing in my bed' Sheep

KD

Sheep Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises

I'd like to make a personal note of dedication to the folks in Colorado who went out to a midnight showing of this film. Their lives, and those of their family and friends, were forever changed. My deepest sympathies are with you and my prayers continue today. Jessica Ghawi, Alex Sullivan, Matt McQuinn, John Larimer, Veronica Moser (6 years old), Micayla Medek, Alexander Boik, Jesse Childress, Jonathan Blunk, Rebecca Ann Wingo, Gordon Cowden, Alexander Teves.

***Spoiler free review***

The Dark Knight Rises, directed by Christopher Nolan, stars Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard. While the film starts out in a slump it ends up being a fun action adventure ride with some nice plot twists and bad villans!

Plot:

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

Hands down Christopher Nolan has got to be one of my favorite directors; he's breathed some much-needed life in the Batman franchise that was sorely missing for quite some time. (And don't even get me started on Inception!) But sticking to Batman, let me say that the director owns his craft and knows how to get both the audiences and actors invested in the story. You team Nolan up with the music master Hans Zimmer, who's brought the world such wonderful movie scores to the likes of Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, The Last Samurai, and Sherlock Holmes, and you have the makings of a fantastic flick. A movie should not only grip you with the acting, plot and cinematic wonder, but with its score as well. Hans makes the audience feel what it should feel during the whole journey; from beginning to end you will be moved and brought to an emotional climax time and time again!

Now the film itself was very enjoyable and while it felt a little bloated in parts, overall Batman gives the audience what it was looking for: an ending that leaves us satisfied. The special effects were pretty outstanding, but a few parts were a tad unrealistic. Look, I know I'm watching a film of a made-up superhero, but let me at least buy into the fantasy that it COULD be real. The first five minutes of this film were definitely just rough and I was so nervous that the whole shabang was going to end up in some kind of awkward weird mess. But after trudging through a muddled beginning the movie gradually climbs up the redemption ladder.

Action and adventure take over in the second act as the plot continues to build and our villains pick up more steam. Overrunning a city and holding millions hostage is no easy feat, but with Tom Hardy playing Bane just about anything is possible. Tom's got the bad dude thing down pat and he brings the nasty to this performance. His facial mask does make it hard to understand him at times, but it definitely worked for dramatic effect. While some of the fight scenes between good and evil felt a little too staged for my tastes, the majority of the action goes off without a hitch. Anne Hathaway also holds her own as the new Catwoman. I had some reservations about this initial casting, but I was completely impressed with the performance she delivered: an equal mix of sassy and badass all mixed into the perfect burglar bow.

Characters from previous Batman movies pop in and out *winks* plus a whole lot of actors faces you may recognize from tv shows out now like GOT actor Aidan Gillen and Dexter's Desmond Harrington. This is definitely one to watch for both comic fans and movie fans of the franchise. You get your money's worth and then some!

Getting 4 'who took my pearls' Sheep

KD

Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises

I Smell Sheep is lucky enough to know Marc Savage of Following The Nerd, who got to see The Dark Knight and he shares his thoughts with you!

The Dark Knight Rises (12a)
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman
Running time: 164mins

After the events of The Dark Knight, Gotham has been living is a state of relative peace, with crime at an all-time low there is a sense of foreboding, as everyone remembers the anniversary of Harvey Dent’s death and the dawn of peace, a new threat is planning to make its move in the form of muscular crime-genius Bane…

Oh my. There’s so much riding on this one. The end of the Dark Knight trilogy. The pressure on Christopher Nolan and the crew is immense. Can they avoid the curse of the trilogy (Jedi, Godfather, Matrix) and build on what has gone before? Or, more realistically, can they top The Dark Knight?

The Dark Knight Rises is, let’s get it out of the way quickly, the weakest of the trilogy. But, given the first two chapters, this is not necessarily a disaster.

With all the principals returning to their now familiar roles, it’s a quick jump into the story. And for the sake of spoilers, I’m loathe to go into much detail. All I will say is the story is a natural progression from The Dark Knight, that said it’s a very different beast right out of the stables. Oh and the movie you think you’ve already mapped in your head based on trailers and rumours? It’s unlikely you’ve worked this all out.
Gotham’s peace is very quickly pulled back to reveal a Bruce Wayne (Bale), Alfred (Caine) and Commissioner Gordon (Oldman) who are all haunted in different ways by the events of the last movie. A dark passenger rests in all the principal characters that is fighting to get out and tell the truth about past events.

The death of Harvey and the sacrifice of Batman weighs heavily on everyone. Instead of leaving them in peace it tears them apart and right away we know that things are going to be much, much darker than before. From the fresh enthusiam and idealism of Batman Begins through the confidence of The Dark Knight, we now reach the dark, unforgiving and relentless third act and we are left in no doubt that there is suffering to come.

And come it does as Gotham plays host to two new – but very different – villains: Hathaway’s Selina Kyle (never called Catwoman), a cat burglar who is in deep with ‘the wrong crowd’ and Hardy’s Bane, a pumped-up monster of a man who is not only blessed with the strength to kill with one blow, but the brains to bring down governments. A lethal combination.

And while both actors are great, Hathaway is very solid in the role but never feels quite right and Hardy does the best he can behind a mask that sadly allows little expression of character and while his Bane has a great presence and certainly comes across as the terrifying man he should be, the role could really have been played by anyone. And that’s a big part of the problem with The Dark Knight Rises. Eveyone does solid work but the movie really lacks a performance like Ledger’s Joker and sadly no-one comes close and although we knew this going in, the movie feels the void.

Another problem is plot holes – remember the scene in The Dark Knight where Batman dives out the window and rescues Rachel after Joker drops her? Well, remember the way no-one mentioned how Batman actually left the Joker and his henchmen in the penthouse full of prisoners? Well, this movie have many similar plotholes that are never resolved. And while The Dark Knight was so good we let them slide, The Dark Knight Rises is slowly paced (and could have been easily fifteen minutes shorter) and these things stick in the memory.

Joseph Gordon Levitts’ character, John Blake, is the new addition to the side of the angels but sadly feels very much like a wasted opportunity, with little development. And Batman has shockingly little screen time, which is very disappointing.

Ok, enough of the negative. What are the pluses? Well the performances are all great, and you know that scene in the trailer where Bane blows up the football field? Well there’s a lot more to that whole sequence than the trailer shows and it’s superb. As the tension builds as Bane makes his move on Gotham it’s pulse-racing stuff and Nolan, as we come to expect, handles it with aplomb. And there are several set pieces throughout the movie that are stunning – the opening sequence is incredible, especially when you realise it was all done practically.

And what of THAT scene? The breaking of the bat? Well, I’m not going to spoil it but I personally felt a little underwhelmed by it. As a fan of the Knightfall story arc (where Bane is introduced and breaks Batman’s back) I expected to be rocked to my core by it, but sadly it just didn’t have the impact (no pun intended) that I hoped for.
Nolan shows the confidence we expect and his direction is mostly solid here, but his pacing, especially in the mid-section is too slow and some of the movie feels disjointed.

This all said it is still a good movie and I feel that expectation was a big part of the problem, with my hopes raised unachievably high. I also think that it suffers from Revenge of the Sith syndrome where there’s just too much to wrap up, but it’s clear that Nolan did have a vision for the whole trilogy whereby there are threads from the last two movies picked up and given a satisfactory finish. But there are a few left open-ended too. Deliberately? Perhaps. But I felt that the scale was just a little too epic in places as odd as it sounds with Nolan a little lost with just how to handle it; Batman Begins and Dark Knight both worked so well because they were blockbusters that had a small, personal movie at heart, and it feels like this movie tries too hard to be massive.
So all in all, solid performances and confident direction but there are loose ends and it’s poorly paced. However, the thing I’m most interested in seeing is fan reaction to the end, I have a feeling it’s going to split audiences right down the middle.

Much like Prometheus, I loved a lot of it but there were many little things that niggle at the back of my mind that leave me coming away feeling it is something of a missed opportunity.
But it certainly isn’t a disaster. After coming out of the Dark Knight I remember commenting that there was no way it would be topped and sadly I was right.
A good if deeply flawed ending to the trilogy. But not the barn-storming finale I hoped for…

3 out of 5 Sheep 

Marc Savage (find more of Marc's reviews and all things nerdy at Following The Nerd)

Movie Review: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy

This review is from our friends over at Bad Haven. They have revamped their site and it looks great. Go give them a look if you get the chance.

Plot – In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6′s echelons.

Director – Thomas Alfredson

Starring – Gary Oldman, John Hurt, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Ciaran Hinds, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, Kathy Burke, David Decik

The cold war has been over for more than twenty years, so when I headed into the screening of Thomas Alfredson’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, I was wondering exactly what a cold war espionage thriller would have to offer.

As it turns out, I needn’t have worried. The movie surpassed all my expectations and delivered a gripping and hugely entertaining thriller without compromising it’s characters or story.

The plot follows a semi-retired spy by the name of George Smiley (Oldman) who is asked out of retirement by a government minister to investigate claims that there is a Russian double agent working in the upper echelons of MI6.

With the help of a junior member of the service (Cumberbatch), Smiley sets about exposing the mole who is likely to be one of the four most powerful spys in the country (Dencik, Firth, Jones, Hinds).

While it is true that a cold war espionage thrillers aren’t really relevant anymore, except as a period pieces, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is much more than just a thriller or period piece. It elevates itself above the average with wonderful performances from a fantastic cast, a gripping plot and subtle but classy direction.

Oldman is magnificent as the subdued yet calculating Smiley. His role was first brought to moving images by Alec Guinness in the seventies and even without seeing that adaptation it is obvious that Oldman has absorbed some of Guinness here. But he certainly makes the part his very own, the way only Gary Oldman can. He inhabits the character of Smiley completely and plays him as a shrewd but tired spy who has had to do things he wishes he hadn’t in the name of Queen and Country.

Oldman’s performance would have been all for nought if the supporting cast had been second rate, but the movie has one of the best casts I have seen in recent years. Firth, Jones, Hinds and Dencik are all excellent as the senior spies under suspicion, Cumberbatch is great as Oldman’s anxious sidekick and John Hurt is perfect as Control, the paranoid head of the intellegence service who is forced out after a bungled operation.

Although solid, Tom Hardy is probably the least effective cast member as ‘Scalphunter’ Ricki Tarr. Michael Fassbender was originally supposed to play the role and I think he might have brought a little more emotion to the rogue agent who falls in love with a Russian counterpart.

Alfredson’s direction is notable in that it is hardly noticeable. I was never aware of the camera unless I looked for it which is a testament to the subtlety and nous that the swede uses and the cinematography and art direction work perfectly together to create a a bleak and grimy 1970s London that reflects the shadiness of the characters’ business. Even the score is subtley effective and never intrudes on the narrative.

All things considered, I was quite surprised that I was so engrossed in a film whose subject matter was outdated in a genre that has been done to death. The real reason why Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy works is that it is only an espionage thriller in a narrative sense.

At it’s heart, the movie is actually about the characters’ relationships and personal betrayal. We are presented with a secret and closeted world filled with paranoid men who have little else in their lives except their work. When that world starts to unravel, it becomes evident that the double-crosses and lies affect these men personally because their colleagues are really the only friends that they ever had.

A cracking story that stands up despite being politically irrelevant, casting that was made to facilitate that story, impressive performances and technical subtlety all combine to make Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy one of the most entertaining spy dramas I have ever seen.

review by Karol Murray

8/10

Inception, Holy Crap this movie was AMAZING!

Inception directed by Christopher Nolan opened to the public this weekend and Oh. My. God. I don't know if I can do this movie justice with my review, but for all of you, I will try.

Plot:

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

Inception also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom-hot as can be-Hardy, Ken Watanabe and drum roll please.....the one and only Tom Berenger! "Take your man and get out of here or I'll shot you in the hand." Classic.

I didn't really know what to expect going into this movie, yeah sure dreams and all that whoo haa. But the layers and layers that are woven, the dynamic of the story and actors, heartbreaking drama, the nail bitting edge of my seat action and unbelievable sound and visual effects? Yeah um no, did NOT see all that coming.

Musical score was amazing, Hans Zimmer a master at what he does. And yes he is the same guy who did Dark Knight. Fact checker that I am. ;) Music brought the views right where they needed to be throughout the film. Dark and twisted then sad and longing. LOVED IT!

***Waring: If you did not get the Matrix, you wont get this film. Period.

Its not a fluff summer popcorn movie, its the read deal and will make you think. No vegging allowed people! lol

Dont miss this film, I recommend IMAX for this one or if you live in the Campbell area they have a theater that just installed motion seats. I have yet to check it out for myself but trust that its on the to do list.

KD