leebutler Action, Crime, Comedy, Review

The Naked Gun (2025) – Surprising

Released: 21st August
Seen: 27th November

In the world of spoof comedies, one of the biggest franchises to ever grace the genre is the Naked Gun franchise. Based on the TV series Police Squad that was cancelled after a single season, Naked Gun was a massive cultural touchstone that spawned several sequels and is really the point where Leslie Nielsen went from serious actor to comedic legend (Yes he did Airplane! before this but you can literally look at his filmography and see that he pretty much never touches a serious film after Naked Gun). Of course the last film in the Naked Gun franchise was a little over 30 years ago now, Leslie has been gone for 15 so the idea of reviving the franchise is one that really shouldn’t have made it past the concept stage but somehow a new Naked Gun movie ended up being made and, to the shock of everyone, it’s actually really good.

Continue reading “The Naked Gun (2025) – Surprising” →
leebutler Review

The Ice Road (2021) – Driving On Thin Ice

Released: 25th June
Seen: 29th June

The Ice Road Info

In 2000 the History Channel had a series known as “Suicide Missions” and during that series they aired a special on the profession of Ice Road Truckers. This episode would prove to be popular during reruns and would lead to one of History Channel’s biggest hit series, known simply as Ice Road Truckers. The show went for 11 seasons, the last one ending in 2017. Now, what’s mildly interesting is that the first season was so popular that Fox bought the rights to make a movie out of it. I’m not sure if this is what that movie ended up being but it sure does seem like the kind of thing you commission in 2008 and bury for 13 years because it’s utter garbage.

Continue reading “The Ice Road (2021) – Driving On Thin Ice” →
leebutler Uncategorized

The Marksman (2021) – You’re Taken The Piss

Released: 21st January
Seen: 4th February

The Marksman Info

Can we, as a society, just admit that Liam Neeson action films have become repetitive and stale? Is that a thing that we can collectively do? Hell, let’s be honest, they were getting stale roughly around the third time he played a character who had a member of his family taken. It’s now to the point where you could write a Liam Neeson action film using a madlib form, they all have the same basic plot and only change the minor superficial details. It’s always the same and every time it gets a little bit less interesting and The Marksman is just another one for the pile.

Continue reading “The Marksman (2021) – You’re Taken The Piss” →
leebutler Uncategorized

Honest Thief (2020) – Honestly? Not Great

Released: 22nd October
Seen: 11th November

Honest Thief Info

Can we, as a society, just admit that Liam Neeson action films have become repetitive and stale? Is that a thing that we can collectively do? Hell, let’s be honest, they were getting stale roughly around the third time he played a character who had a member of his family taken. It’s now to the point where you could write a Liam Neeson action film using a madlib form, they all have the same basic plot and only change the minor superficial details. It’s always the same and every time it gets a little bit less interesting and Honest Thief is just another one for the pile.

Continue reading “Honest Thief (2020) – Honestly? Not Great” →
leebutler Uncategorized

Men in Black: International (2019) – Men In Blech

Released: 13th June
Seen: 18th June

In 1997, the earth was saved by the legendary Men in Black. It was a film that blew audiences and critics away with its elaborate effects, clever script and terrific leads. It destroyed the box office that year, only being beaten at the box office by the juggernaut that was Titanic and to this day there probably hasn’t been an alien comedy that could compete with it, not even its own sequels which just did worse and worse at the box office. The last one, Men in Black 3, was released 7 years ago to just above average critical praise and didn’t even make its budget back domestically so you would think that might be the sign to retire the black suits and move on… I mean, you might think that but then you remember that Hollywood is a sadistic bastard that enjoys flaying horses years after they’ve stopped neighing and so now we have Men In Black: International or as it probably should be known “Men In Black: Look, we hired the people from Thor: Ragnarok so that means we’re just as funny as Thor Ragnarok, right?” but I’m guessing that probably wouldn’t have fit on the poster.

Continue reading “Men in Black: International (2019) – Men In Blech” →
leebutler Uncategorized

Cold Pursuit (2019) – The Plow King

Released: 8th February
Seen: 8th February

Cold Pursuit Info.png

When I was picking what film to go see this week, I put a poll up on my twitter account to ask what to see out of the multiple options available at my local cinema. The movies available to choose from were On The Basis Of Sex, Cold Pursuit and Ben Is Back. By the end of the poll, it was a tie between Cold Pursuit and Ben Is Back. A randomiser then picked the winner, so it’s not my fault that I went to see Cold Pursuit, it was fate… horrible, horrible fate

Continue reading “Cold Pursuit (2019) – The Plow King” →

leebutler Uncategorized

Widows (2018) – Nobody Thought They Had The Balls To Pull This Off

Released: 22nd November
Seen: 27th November

Official Trailer for Widows (2018)

One of the standard genre’s that is almost always guaranteed to be a really good time is the heist film. For some reason, we all just enjoy a movie where a bunch of criminals stick it to someone higher in the social food chain while also making a ton of money. Widows is certainly going to fit that standard mould, a bunch of people plan to steal a large amount of money that will stick it to the people above them in the social food chain and that would be good enough. It would be enough if Widows was just a standard heist film but it also happened to star a group of amazing women, that would be good enough… but this is a Steve McQueen film, good enough doesn’t cut it here.

Continue reading “Widows (2018) – Nobody Thought They Had The Balls To Pull This Off” →