Reviews Archives - Gem Seddon

Alien: Covenant: blood, gore, and more lore than you can shake a stick at

May 20, 2017 by Gem

(This article contains many, many SPOILERS for Alien: Covenant. Of course it does, I mean, man, I’ve waited five years for this film. I’m going … Read More

Godzilla Review

May 29, 2014May 16, 2014 by Gem

Director: Gareth Edwards
Writer: Max Borenstein, Dave Callaham
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche
Running Time: 123 Minutes
Year: 2014

Gareth Edwards feature debut, Monsters, served as proof this man knows what to show, and what to leave to the nerdy recesses of your imagination. A modest flick it presented an intimate approach to monster invasion, the antithesis to Roland Emmerich’s bumbling brawl back in 1998. Choosing the Brit to helm the next big screen outing of Japan’s spikiest export, Godzilla, was no wild stab in the dark.

captain america the winter soldier chris evans scarlett johansson

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

May 9, 2014April 2, 2014 by Gem

Director: Anthony and Joe Russo
Writer: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, 
Robert Redford
Running Time: 136 Minutes
Year: 2014

The Quite Nice Avenger, Captain America (Chris Evans), returns for his sophomore solo feature-length effort further unraveling the vast, vast landscape which is Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. If this were a high-budget comic actioner opening a new franchise, reviewing the flick would be a different proposition. As it stands, Captain America: The Winter Soldier serves as a lynchpin tying itself to the earlier Cap standalone flick and The Avengers. And all the other Avengers standalone movies. Which is where the limitations of any of Marvel’s features come to the fore; can they ensnare new fans, satisfy existing movie fans and do a good enough job of tackling the massive comic book canon?

The Lone Ranger Review

May 10, 2014August 4, 2013 by Gem

Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: Justin Haythe, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio
Starring: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Tom Wilkinson
Running Time: 149 Minutes
Year: 2013

Gore Verbinski’s passion for Westerns is no secret. Following on from his animated kids flick with a heart, Rango, The Lone Ranger prowls deeper into the myths and legends of its titular character. It sets its sights on bringing the sheer awe of the plains and mountains of Texas into the fore as much as any of its leading characters. This first and foremost sets the tone and hints at a style previously witnessed in Pirates Of The Caribbean. This isn’t a small time flick about an outlaw. It’s a grandiose beast held together by a minimum of at least half a dozen exciting action sequences.

Evil Dead Review

May 10, 2014August 2, 2013 by Gem

Director: Fede Alvarez
Writer: Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues
Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci
Running Time: 91 Minutes
Year: 2013

Oh, The Evil Dead. Mistress of my youth. Deciding to watch a remake of a much beloved film is a tough choice, as do you really want to spend an entire running time marking out the differences between the two? No, not especially. Taking a trip down to that cabin in the woods filled me with equal amounts dread and excitement. Dread because the older I get, the more films affect me. Excitement because this reboot has arrived with praise.

the heat sandra bullock melissa mccarthy

The Heat Review

May 10, 2014July 29, 2013 by Gem

Director: Paul Feig
Writer: Katie Dippold
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy
Running Time: 117 Minutes
Year: 2013

Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids was not a fluke, folks. The Heat is here as bona fide evidence. We should all feel very lucky indeed, as it features two of cinema’s finest funnygals charging towards each other, drunk, wearing dumpster-ready outfits with mouthfuls of comedy gold.

the world's end simon pegg nick frost edgar wright

The World’s End Review

May 9, 2014July 19, 2013 by Gem

Is The World’s End the brilliant end to the trilogy we’ve been waiting for?

Warm Bodies Review

May 9, 2014July 17, 2013 by Gem

Director: Jonathan Levine
Writer: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich
Running Time: 98 Minutes
Year: 2013

Let’s get this little tidbit out of the way. The novel on which Warm Bodies is based, by Seattle author Isaac Marion is very very good. By that I mean, it opens the zombie genre up, tinkers around with the starter motor and then goes full throttle. It’s one of the better offerings to horror’s latest love affair.

Pacific Rim Review

May 9, 2014July 12, 2013 by Gem

Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Writer: Travis Beacham, Guillermo Del Toro
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi
Running Time: 132 Minutes
Year: 2013

A fleet of giant monsters attack the planet, and humans create giant robots to defeat them. Who doesn’t want to see that played out on the big screen? It’s every fanboy’s dream, from the early Godzilla romps through Tokyo, to Cloverfield. An extinction event at the hands of scaly gargantuans from the deep is enough to whet the appetite of even the casual viewer. It screams of fun.

Before Midnight Review

May 10, 2014July 7, 2013 by Gem

Director: Richard Linklater
Writer: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
Starring: Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
Running Time: 109 Minutes
Year: 2013

This review appears courtesy of Derby QUAD Blog

Rounding out trilogies is a feat no filmmaker can undertake without thinking of the diehard fans. Ensuring all loose ends are tied up, throwing in cheeky nods to forgotten elements of the first, ratcheting up the action….they all require careful attention. For lovers of the original two instalments of Richard Linklater’s trilo-talkie, there’s nothing left unsaid in Before Midnight. It will entrance you completely, blinding you with the ruthlessness of true romance and the joy in our opposites. You’ll rise from your seat, with an urge to leave your phone alone for a few hours and go for a walk with someone you care about.

Reviews

This review appears courtesy of Derby QUAD Blog

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