Prometheus (2012)

 

A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe.

All the ingredients are there, and certainly this has been made by an intelligent craftsman and a great cast, but the plot doesn't add this all up and has too many open ends.

On renewed viewing: I still agree with my first assessment: the script is muddled, but the movie does deliver some of the goods.

On re-watching: meanwhile this film has become a guilty pleasure.

Maltin ***: "Companion piece to Scott's ALIEN offers echos of that film in both good and not-so-good ways: it's thoughtful and intelligent, with two strong female characters, and masterfully crafted, but gives way to icky, gross-out moments...right up to the end. Fassbender is a standout as a sly, watchful robot who's one step ahead of everyone else."

 

Idris Elba

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idris_Elba

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)

 

 

A chronicle of Nelson Mandela's life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.

Well-made biopic with an excellent cast does a good job as a portrayal of the man, but sparks no excitement or has anything original to add to the story.
 

Maltin**1/2: "Respectful but routine biographical drama...Elba is excellent in all phases of this saga, while Harris does the best she can with an underwritten part as his wife Winnie." 

 

 

The Mountain Between Us (2017)

Stranded after a tragic plane crash, two strangers must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow-covered mountain. When they realize help is not coming, they embark on a perilous journey across the wilderness.

Formulaic and predictable survival tale including a likewise corny romance has mainly some good beautiful landscape photography to go for it; no challenge for the two stars either. 

The Jungle Book (2016)

The man-cub Mowgli flees the jungle after a threat from the tiger Shere Khan and, guided by Bagheera the panther and the bear Baloo, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, though he also meets creatures who don't have his best interests at heart.

Highly entertaining updated version of Kipling's classic, mixing excellent CGI animation with a real  (good) actor playing Mowgli, resulting in more realistic and in parts dark and upsetting sequences for a child audience.

On renewed viewing: menawhile a guilty pleasure of mine.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)

Johnny Blaze, tortured by the Ghost Rider's curse, gets a chance of redemption through protecting the Devil's son, whose father is pursuing him.

Pure trash cinema: silly story, mayhem and a cast of overacting stars.

Maltin BOMB: "Even worse than the 2007 film; the potential for spectacle is trashed by the relatively low budget."

The Jungle Book (2016)

The man-cub Mowgli flees the jungle after a threat from the tiger Shere Khan and, guided by Bagheera the panther and the bear Baloo, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, though he also meets creatures who don't have his best interests at heart.

Highly entertaining updated version of Kipling's classic, mixing excellent CGI animation with a real  (good) actor playing Mowgli, resulting in more realistic and in parts dark and upsetting sequences for a child audience.

On renewed viewing: I still enjoy this version very much.

Star Trek: Beyond (2016)

The crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the test.

Entertaining and with good production value, this installment to the series is watchable, but is not quite as thrilling as the first two movies.

Prometheus (2012)

A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe.

All the ingredients are there, and certainly this has been made by an intelligent craftsman and a great cast, but the plot doesn't add this all up and has too many open ends.

On renewed viewing: I still agree with my first assessment: the script is muddled, but the movie does deliver some of the goods.

Maltin ***: "Companion piece to Scott's ALIEN offers echos of that film in both good and not-so-good ways: it's thoughtful and intelligent, with two strong female characters, and masterfully crafted, but gives way to icky, gross-out moments...right up to the end. Fassbender is a standout as a sly, watchful robot who's one step ahead of everyone else."

The Unborn (2009)

A young woman fights the spirit that is slowly taking possession of her.

Another exorcism horror 'shocker' below par, at times risible and quite forgettable, the ending is quite abrupt without any thrills.

Maltin*1/2: "Steeped in Jewish mysticism, and featuring one of the very few on-screen exorcisms performed by a rabbi (Oldman), writer-director's low-voltage shocker is often inadvertently comical enough to qualify as camp. Even so, some viewers may be seriously offended by this supernatural drama's exploitation of the Holocaust as a plot device."

Prometheus (2012)

Following clues to the origin of mankind a team journey across the universe and find a structure on a distant planet containing a monolithic statue of a humanoid head and stone cylinders of alien blood but they soon find they are not alone.

The Jungle Book (2016)

The man-cub Mowgli flees the jungle after a threat from the tiger Shere Khan and, guided by Bagheera the panther and the bear Baloo, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, though he also meets creatures who don't have his best interests at heart.

Highly entertaining updated version of Kipling's classic, mixing excellent CGI animation with a real  (good) actor playing Mowgli, resulting in more realistic and in parts dark and upsetting sequences for a child audience.