Weekend Reviews Episode #5

By Adam Ray Palmer
 
This feature does exactly what it says in the title. Some reviews of films, from over the weekend – basically.
 
No matter the genre, nor the year… I basically watch a streaming service, or a DVD, and do a little bite-sized reviews for you to agree or disagree to.

Out of the three, let me know which film you prefer!

Central Intelligence
As action-comedies go, Central Intelligence delivers. I caught this recently after missing out on it back in 2016 on release. I’m a fan of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart is always brings a great supporting comedic role. Hart plays Calvin who reconnects with an awkward pal (The Rock) from high school through Facebook. What ensues for the mild-mannered accountant is a crazy journey into the world of international espionage.
 
Whilst, as you can assume, the film is a little messy, beyond farfetched and the twist and turns are predictable. However, it is just good ol’ fashioned fun! You’ll have some giggles, there’s great stunts and it’s perfect with a takeaway.
 
Cineroom’s rating: 3.5 stars

Venom
I had high hopes for this. It had all the markings of a Marvel classic. Reuben Fleischer is the shot caller (director of Zombieland), Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed star and it’s a no-nonsense 15 certified movie. Venom follows Eddie Brock (Hardy) who, after a faulty interview with the Life Foundation ruins his career, the then former reporter’s life is in pieces. Six months later, he comes across the Life Foundation again, and he comes into contact with an alien symbiote and becomes Venom, a parasitic antihero.
 
My hopes were quickly dashed. Firstly, for a relatively short movie for Marvel, it took far too long to get into the action. Then, when it finally gets there, it’s a bit damp. The visual effects are also average here, feeling very dated from the outset. Basically, Hardy deserved more I think, and maybe he can put it back on track in Venom 2.
 
Cineroom’s rating: 3 stars

Crazy Stupid Love
An absolute classic, a belter, a tour-de-force. From the casting to the script, from the quips to the romance – it is sublime. Crazy Stupid Love revolves around a middle-aged husband (Steve Carell) whose life changes dramatically when his wife (Julianne Moore) asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a newfound friend, Jacob (Ryan Gosling), learning to pick up girls at bars.
 
As rom-coms go, this 2011 film will stand the test of time. Gosling and Emma Stone working together here is the real reason they hit unmeasurable heights in La La Land years later surely. Together, they are dynamite. I cannot speak highly enough of this movie.
 
Cineroom’s rating: 5 stars