Top Rated Films
Reagan Gavin Rasquinha's Film Reviews
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What can bog the film down at times though is that it can get a bit heavy-handed. The very same emotion that it goes for, can make it a bit drippy at times. The movie’s trajectory is also a bit predictable and you should know that this film focuses quite squarely on his early life.
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As an ensemble comedy, it somewhat works. But the jokes could have been more in number. Pass the spanakopita, please.
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Watch this one. It is more than just a hostage-crisis film. It tries hard to make you think about the bigger picture, and mostly succeeds.
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Sure, there is a fair bit of violence. And yes, it might seem needlessly gratuitous at times but you can let that slip as you’ve probably not seen Costner in this challenging a role (for him at least) in quite a while. The London location also makes for a beautiful backdrop for the film. Definitely different, and interesting.
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Rogers’ mistrust regarding new-world values (compared to the time he was from) is nicely explored. His unwillingness to compromise on his code is seen to great effect. There is darkness, there is depth, but the important thing is that the element of fun is also most definitely present. Oh and needless to say, don’t miss Stan Lee’s cameo and do stay for the post-credits scene.
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All said and done, the two strongest points of this film would basically be Julia Roberts and a bit of slapstick humour.
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The camerawork perfectly captures their closed surroundings, with tight angles, thereby accentuating dramatic tension. Winstead’s performance is also amazing, evoking both empathy and intensity with equal ease. Don’t miss this gem of a thriller.
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The period detailing – be it a rustic locale or sophisticated surroundings – is quite superb. Brown also tries to give the story an emotional touch, to good effect. And in fact, it is this which makes this film both enjoyable and gripping.
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All said and done though, it’s the visual dazzle that keeps this one afloat.
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Flanagan relies heavily on jump-scares. Brooding silences punctuated by loud crashes, bangs and demons in the background. It is all too predictable for horror buffs. The disturbed kid syndrome was played up to good effect in Babadook, The Ring and of course classic horror like Exorcist. But what we get here is a thin stew instead of a hearty brew. This is at best, cookie-cutter horror that joins the dots, fine, but it doesn’t dish out anything memorable.