Movie review: The Fix

 

 Host Jimmy Carr challenges two teams of comedians to solve the world's biggest problems. Comedians D.L. Hughley and Katherine Ryan head the opposing teams.

Jimmy Carr (Host), D.L. Hughley, Katherine Ryan, Mona Chalabi (Data Expert)

Comedians D.L. and Katherine are each paired with another comedian and pitted against one another in a comedy competition to solve the world's biggest problems. Host Jimmy Carr presents the issue and moderates to keep the comedy coming. Each team then presents their solution which is voted upon by the audience. The laughs are good and the solutions are realistically hysterical. Presentation of accurate data by Mona Chalabi helped keep things in perspective.

Jimmy Carr was a decent host however, British personalities bashing the U.S. is getting old. Katherine Ryan was hysterical with self-deprecating humor and a blunt approach that brought more than a few laughs. Hughley was also entertaining though with more serious humor.

Technical work is good if bland. The stage set is okay, nothing special. The comedy is a lot of fun and putting multiple comedians in the same place ensures a variety of laughs. Sound is good.

Those who enjoy comedy focused on current issues will enjoy this the most. Those hoping for serious solutions with added comedy may be disappointed.

With some mild racy content, this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2018
Reviewed: 1.16.19
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Comedy, TV Comedy

copyright ©2019 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Watership Down

 

 Believing their warren doomed by an encroaching threat as seen in visions by his brother, Hazel and several other rabbits set out in search of a safer place for their warren. But building a home may be more difficult than they imagined.

James McAvoy (Hazel), Nicholas Hoult (Fiver), John Boyega (Bigwig), Ben Kingsley (Woundwort), Tom Wilkinson (Threarah), Gemma Arterton (Clover), Peter Capaldi (Kehaar), Olivia Colman (Strawberry).

Watership Down begins well with character introductions and plot setup. From there the story builds depth with the relationships between the rabbits, and their social structure. When Hazel and friends decide to find a new warren, things get more interesting as the rabbit social structure is tested. The film does a nice job of presenting social issues in the form of rabbits and building intensity.

Being animation, acting in this one was all voice work which was well done.

Animation was decent with good detail and high quality. The rabbits, other animals, and scenery had a nicely realistic feel. The only difficulty being that rabbits can be difficult to distinguish from one another. Dialogue was solid and moved things along well. Sound and soundtrack are good.

It has been years since reading the book so I can't comment on consistency but this short series is enjoyable and feels like it follows the book if memory serves. Those who enjoyed the book should enjoy this series.

Nothing here to limit audience age other than some animated violence. This should be fine for preens and above.

Released: 2018
Reviewed: 1.16.19
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Adventure, Action, Animation, Films based on a book

copyright ©2019 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Salt Fat Acid Heat

 

 Based on her award winning book, Samin Nosrat travels northern Italy visiting farms and working with other cooks to explore the role of salt, fat, acid, and heat in food.

In Salt Fat Acid Heat Samin Nosrat, author of the book by the same name, travels northern Italy exploring how the four elements influence the food we eat, and the flavor. Along the way we are exposed to butchering, cheese making, and more.

Samin apparently wrote an interesting book which I have not read. And she appears knowledgeable about food regionally and in general. That said, much of the film is simply her eating or complimenting the food.

Camera work is good. Sets appear to be live locations and are used well. Dialogue is okay but Samin describing everything about to go into her mouth as 'beautiful' and food in her mouth as 'so good!' gets old quick and seems to make up most of the dialogue.

Overall if you want a fluffy feel good piece check this one out. If you are looking for more technical applications of salt, fat, acid, or heat, look elsewhere.

Nothing to limit audience age other than some butchering work.

Released: 2018
Reviewed: 1.16.19
Star rating: 2 out of 5
Genre: Documentary, Food, Lifestyle

copyright ©2019 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Ready Player One

 

 The year is 2045. Humanity is on the brink of chaos and collapse but people hardly notice as they spend most of their lives in a virtual reality universe called the OASIS. Upon death of the OASIS creator, a video is released challenging players to find an Easter Egg allowing full control of OASIS and his vast fortune.

Tye Sheridan (Parzival/Wade), Olivia Cooke (Art3mis/Sam), Ben Mendelsohn (Sorrento), Lena Waithe (Aech/Helen), T.J. Miller (I-R0k), Simon Pegg (Curator/Ogden), Mark Rylance (Anorak/Halliday), Philip Zhao (Sho), Win Morisaki (Daito).

Ready Player One begins with some character introductions and by showing us how dependent humanity has become on virtual reality and specifically a VR universe named the OASIS as means of escaping the reality of a collapsing society. With the death of the OASIS creator, a video is released challenging players to find an Easter Egg in the game that will grant full control of his vast fortune and the OASIS universe. The rest of the film is an interesting blend of action between virtual reality and the real world.
What the film doesn't do well is explain the persistent 80's references or why humanity is so focused on the 80's in the year 2045.

Acting was better than expected in this one. Sheridan was enjoyable and worked well with others. Cooke was a good choice and delivered nicely. Pegg, Rylance, Zhao, Mendelsohn and the remainder of the cast were solid and fit well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are heavily blended with CGI and well done. Technical work does a good job of blending reality with virtual reality almost to the point of augmented reality. Action scenes in both formats are nicely done and fitting for the film. Dialogue is good though an explanation of the persistent 80's focus would have been nice. Sound and soundtrack are good.

When the game is over and the credits roll Ready Player One is found to be fairly entertaining. The plot is interesting, including the 80's references, and moves along well. Action, CGI blending, and technical work are good. Those who enjoy action sci-fi, or the 80's, should enjoy this one.

Including some mild sexuality, violence, and mild foul language, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2018
Reviewed: 1.16.19
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Movies based on a book

copyright ©2019 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Humanity Bureau

 

 The year is 2030 and the world is barely surviving permanent economic recession and global warming. Working as a U.S. deportation caseworker, Noah begins to question authority leading him to protect a woman and her young son.

Nicolas Cage (Noah), Sarah Lind (Rachel), Jakob Davies (Lucas), Hugh Dillon (Adam), Vicellous Shannon (Porter), Jett Klyne (Little Noah), Mel Tuck (Chester), Lorne Cardinal (Ranger).

The Humanity Bureau is definitely a dark dystopian thriller as we learn during character introductions and plot setup. The film takes some time to get rolling, eventually finding a slower pace. As other characters are rolled in the plot acquires some depth that is further pushed along by a few twists to keep things interesting. The story finally finishes with an ending that suggests the story continues, but likely not on film.

Acting was okay at best. Cage put in the energy but felt a bit detached at times. Lind was interesting but also rough around the edges. Davies, Dillon, and the remainder of the supporting cast were a mix but did pretty well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds felt lifeless and lacking energy, though that may have been intentional considering the theme. Action scenes were solid and nicely done. Dialogue was okay but could have built more depth. Sound and soundtrack are good.

Overall The Humanity Bureau is reasonably well done. It just never achieves the energy we would expect from a sci-fi action thriller. Cage fans or those who enjoy post-apocalyptic dystopian films may enjoy this one.

With violence and gore, save this one for older teens and above.

Released: 2017
Reviewed: 1.14.19
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi, Action & Adventure, Canadian Films, Action Thriller

copyright ©2019 Dave Riedel