Movie: 2010s – wonderoes

August 6, 2020July 25, 2022 Danielle Movie Reviews, Movies

Widows (2018) | Movie Review [Spoiler Free]

[Header Image: Viola Davis as Veronica | 20th Century Fox]

“Now the best thing we have going for us, is being who we are […] because no one thinks we have the balls to pull this off.”

Widows primarily follows three women who, after their husbands are killed in an armed robbery gone wrong, have to pull off their own heist in order to pay back a debt and take control of their futures. Now, it would have been so easy for this movie to go so wrong and become just a generic crime/thriller heist movie and really, under the surface that is exactly what this movie is. However, there are a few key things that really help Widows to go beyond and be an incredibly entertaining and surprisingly fresh experience. That’s not to say it’s perfect — it’s not — but those little imperfections are so easy to overlook in the wider context of the full movie.

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August 1, 2020July 25, 2022 Danielle Movie Reviews, Movies

Mom and Dad (2017) | Movie Review

[Header Image: Nicolas Cage as Brent Ryan | Momentum Pictures]

“It’s a Sawzall. That means it saws ALL!”

Oh, boy, was this a wild ride. I really should have guessed knowing that Brian Taylor was behind the directing and writing. Let’s just say this, Mom and Dad is pretty bizarre and incredibly fun. It takes a very simple concept — parents across a suburban community find themselves with the uncontrollable desire to kill their children — and just goes to town with it. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to go into this with zero expectations and ready to have an entertaining time. It’s not the type of movie that should be deeply analysed or overthought. Sitting at just under an hour and a half, it hits the ground running and wastes no time in dragging you on this journey that is both hilarious and oddly intriguing. If you’ve seen any of Taylor’s previous work (like Crank or Happy!) you’ll have some rough idea of what you’re possibly going to get yourself into.

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July 28, 2020July 25, 2022 Danielle Movie Reviews, Movies

The Raid 2 (2014) | Movie Review [Spoiler Free]

[Header: Iko Uwais as Rama | Sony Pictures Classics]

“No… I’m done.”

This post contains potential spoilers for the first movie!

There was a moment after I finished The Raid where I wasn’t sure if I was immediately going to go straight into the sequel — mostly because it’s almost an hour longer (giving both movies a combined run time of 4 hours and 10 minutes) — but in the end, I was just too intrigued to see where the story went and I’m really glad I didn’t put it off.

Taking place several hours after the first movie, The Raid 2 continues to follow Rama (Iko Uwais) as he goes undercover, joining a powerful crime syndicate in order to expose corrupt members of his force.

Similarly to its predecessor, The Raid 2 is an intense watch with even more going on this time around. While this one would certainly not exist without the first movie, I have to admit that The Raid 2 is my favourite. While there were some standout moments and things from The Raid that I loved, it definitely felt like I got more out of the sequel. If you’re reading this review, you’ve most likely seen the first movie, so you’ve probably got at least some idea of what you’re getting yourself into. However, that being said, there are some significant changes this time around.

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July 27, 2020July 25, 2022 Danielle Movie Reviews, Movies

Knives out (2019) | Movie Reivew

[Header Image: Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc and Ana de Armas as Marta Cabrera | Lionsgate]

THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Seriously, I think Knives Out is way better if you go into it not knowing anything at all. Like most mysteries, it’s a lot more entertaining not to have the answers prior so if you haven’t seen it, don’t read this review. That being said, you can find a spoiler-free review over on my letterboxd account.

“It’s a weird case from the start. A case with a hole in the centre. A doughnut.”

At the time of writing this, I have just finished watching Knives Out. I don’t always like to write these reviews immediately after, preferring to wait a few hours at least, but this one just felt appropriate. I’ll start by saying this, I enjoyed this movie very much and I’ll most likely re-watch it again sometime in the future.

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July 22, 2020July 25, 2022 Danielle Movie Reviews, Movies

The Raid (2011) | Movie Review [Spoiler Free]

[Header: Iko Uwais as Rama | SinemArt, Sony Pictures Classics, Stage 6 Films]

“Our mission is simple: we go in, and we take him out!”

This movie has been on my to-watch list for at least 4 years now and I finally got around to watching it. Throughout that time, I kept coming across people recommending it as a must-see movie and while I don’t consider it a top-tier favourite by any means, it was certainly worth the hype and I’m pleased I finally got around to it.

Set in Jakarta (Indonesia), an elite SWAT team attempt to infiltrate a rundown apartment block that is used as a safe house by various criminals and is seen as untouchable. Their task is to take down the notorious drug lord who runs the building, however, trapped on the sixth floor, the team have to fight their way through.

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