Weekend Reviews Episode #6

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!

Yesterday
Danny Boyle directing. Richard Curtis writing. Tim Bevan producing. The Beatles back catalogue for a soundtrack. Surely all this is a recipe for a masterpiece… wrong. I write this bite-sized review with a little bit of rage. I was so excited to see this film having missed it at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival last Summer – now I am just left disappointed.
 
Yesterday follows a struggling musician named Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) who realises he's the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles after waking up in an alternate timeline where they never existed. An intriguing plot for sure, and definitely one that Danny Boyle could turn his whimsical hand to. Well, turns out, not really. It’s so predictable, lacklustre and the acting seems so forced. There is zero chemistry between Patel and his love interest Lily James – it’s difficult to watch at times without flinching. The film is not quite a mess, but certainly horrifically clunky.
 
Cineroom’s rating: 2 stars

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
I had been meaning to catch this movie for so long, so thank you Netflix for being the best friend a cinema addict could ask for. Michael Bay directs the f**k out of Chuck Hogan’s screenplay (based on Mitchell Zuckoff’s book), ramping up the intensity from start to finish. When you think something is over or straight-forward in this movie, think again.
 
13 Hours centres on an attack on a U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. A security team needs to help regain control of the building but they struggle to make sense out of the chaos. John Krasinski leads the cast portraying real-life soldier Jack Silva, an American hero with a dozen of servicemen risking their lives for their country. 13 Hours is a long film, but every sequence is needed. It’s a complex script that is sensitively directed but still including all the authentic action pieces you would imagine. I’m disappointed I didn’t catch this sooner on the big screen, but if there’s ever a reason to buy a projector – you’ve got one now!
 
Cineroom’s rating: ​4.5 stars

The Heartbreak Kid
The Farrelly Brothers rarely get it wrong when it comes to directing comedy (we won’t talk about the Dumb and Dumber sequel). To be fair, the writers Scot Armstrong and Leslie Dixon also very rarely scribble down some unfunny movies too. So when the foursome joined forces for 2007’s The Heartbreak Kid, it was only going to be a banger.
 
Starring Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan and Malin Akerman; the movie follows newly wed Eddie (Stiller) who believes he's just gotten hitched to the perfect woman (Malin Akerman). Then whilst on his honeymoon, he encounters another perfect lady (Michelle Monaghan). When it comes to a Ben Stiller movie, you know what you’re going to get. Some slapstick comedy, some stellar scenes of hilarity and quips that will be quotable with your mates for years. The Heartbreak Kid doesn’t break the mould there, it certainly packs a punch with the humour. Stiller’s chemistry with Monaghan is also a great watch – only making me wish they had made more films together. But hey, at least we have this beauty.
 
Cineroom’s rating: 4 stars