eddie_baggins
Joined Dec 2005
Welcome to the new profile
Our updates are still in development. While the previous version of the profile is no longer accessible, we're actively working on improvements, and some of the missing features will be returning soon! Stay tuned for their return. In the meantime, the Ratings Analysis is still available on our iOS and Android apps, found on the profile page. To view your Rating Distribution(s) by Year and Genre, please refer to our new Help guide.
Badges10
To learn how to earn badges, go to the badges help page.
Reviews1.8K
eddie_baggins's rating
A joint production between America and Australia that combines something we never knew we needed combined in our cinematic landscape, serial killers and sharks, Dangerous Animals marks Aussie director Sean Byrne's first feature film since 2015's The Devil's Candy in what's a unique and sporadically brilliant offering that is a little to contrived and long in the tooth to be regarded as an outright success.
Basking in its demented and inventive set-up that follows the life and death battle of wits Hassie Harrison's American free spirit surfer Zephyr finds herself in as she tries to escape the clutches of Jai Courtney's shark aficionado serial killer Bruce Tucker, Animals starts off in a rollicking fashion with a scene-chewing Courtney having the time of his life but as its seemingly brief sub-100 minute running time ticks on Byrne's film can't maintain the momentum and energy it's early segments possess.
Unafraid to get bloody and play into its darker nature, Animals has a very similar vibe to Byrne's breakout debut Australian cult classic The Loved Ones and when its got a Zephyr and Bruce focus, Animals has a great time playing off the good vs evil angle with a fishy twist but once it gives way to more screentime dedicated to Zephyr's one night stand knight in shining armour Moses (played by Josh Heuston), a lot more plot contrivances and repetitive back and forwards take hold, ensuring Animals is unable to reach the grand heights its wild concept may have had within its reach.
What is an unquestionable aspect of Animals is the joyous performance of Courtney who has unarguably never been better than he is here.
Matching the energy of famous Australian cinema villains such as Wolf Creek's Mick Taylor or Animal Kingdom's Andrew "Pope" Cody, Courtney's Bruce is an instantly iconic creation and after being misused in various ways across his career so far in the likes of Terminator Genisys, A Good Day to Die Hard or Suicide Squad, Courtney here showcases a whole other element to him as a performer and one suspects that following on from this Hollywood may look at Courtney in a whole different line when it comes to future roles, not dissimilar to Ben Mendelsohn's career revival in the wake of his Animal Kingdom turn.
Full of little moments and some darkly twisted ingredients that sadly don't always gel together to give us the first official serial killer/shark classic combo, Dangerous Animals is a uniquely designed local offering that has equal amount of highs and lows creating an uneven viewing experience that can't be accused of not taking a big swing.
Final Say -
An unfortunately mid-tier affair that flirts with being something special, Dangerous Animals isn't a must-see but thanks to Jai Courtney's unexpectedly great against type performance and some solid shark carnage there's still some viewing joy to be found here.
2 1/2 Pinkfong songs out of 5.
Basking in its demented and inventive set-up that follows the life and death battle of wits Hassie Harrison's American free spirit surfer Zephyr finds herself in as she tries to escape the clutches of Jai Courtney's shark aficionado serial killer Bruce Tucker, Animals starts off in a rollicking fashion with a scene-chewing Courtney having the time of his life but as its seemingly brief sub-100 minute running time ticks on Byrne's film can't maintain the momentum and energy it's early segments possess.
Unafraid to get bloody and play into its darker nature, Animals has a very similar vibe to Byrne's breakout debut Australian cult classic The Loved Ones and when its got a Zephyr and Bruce focus, Animals has a great time playing off the good vs evil angle with a fishy twist but once it gives way to more screentime dedicated to Zephyr's one night stand knight in shining armour Moses (played by Josh Heuston), a lot more plot contrivances and repetitive back and forwards take hold, ensuring Animals is unable to reach the grand heights its wild concept may have had within its reach.
What is an unquestionable aspect of Animals is the joyous performance of Courtney who has unarguably never been better than he is here.
Matching the energy of famous Australian cinema villains such as Wolf Creek's Mick Taylor or Animal Kingdom's Andrew "Pope" Cody, Courtney's Bruce is an instantly iconic creation and after being misused in various ways across his career so far in the likes of Terminator Genisys, A Good Day to Die Hard or Suicide Squad, Courtney here showcases a whole other element to him as a performer and one suspects that following on from this Hollywood may look at Courtney in a whole different line when it comes to future roles, not dissimilar to Ben Mendelsohn's career revival in the wake of his Animal Kingdom turn.
Full of little moments and some darkly twisted ingredients that sadly don't always gel together to give us the first official serial killer/shark classic combo, Dangerous Animals is a uniquely designed local offering that has equal amount of highs and lows creating an uneven viewing experience that can't be accused of not taking a big swing.
Final Say -
An unfortunately mid-tier affair that flirts with being something special, Dangerous Animals isn't a must-see but thanks to Jai Courtney's unexpectedly great against type performance and some solid shark carnage there's still some viewing joy to be found here.
2 1/2 Pinkfong songs out of 5.
The little 2024 film that could, earning a raft of audience and critical praise as well as a large collection of festival awards at some of the industries premiere events, one suspects that the life of Tracie Laymon's debut feature Bob Trevino Likes It is only just beginning as more audiences discover this based on a true story tale for themselves.
Based on Laymon's own personal experiences after meeting with an online contact while searching for a connection with her real life father, Trevino clearly comes from heartfelt place and while it walks the same path of many similar low-budget character driven films of the past, it's hard not to be moved and inspired by this small but effective offering that is worked brilliantly by its two leads.
Finally getting a chance to test herself in the feature film landscape after making her mark in hit HBO series Euphoria, a lot of Trevino's success rests on the shoulders of Barbie Ferreira and she is more than up for the task.
A tricky role for any performer to deliver on, with Lily being a complex and flawed iteration of Laymon's own-self, Ferreira does a fantastic job of keeping Lily on the right side of the ledger while at the same time creating a memorable chemistry with her off-sider John Leguizamo who is as good as his been in years as the softly spoken and kind-hearted Bob, reminding us all that when he is given the right material and he himself invests, he's one of Hollywood's most reliable character actors.
With her two leads on fine form there's any easy-going nature and feel to Trevino yet while viewers may feel as though they have everything pegged as the early stages march on, Laymon has some tricks up her sleeve with where Trevino goes and how it goes there, creating an emotionally resonate and powerful watching experience that is sure to surprise many unsuspecting viewers unaware of what Trevino has too say about life, love, friendship and finding ones way in this big scary world.
In a day and age where small independent films like Trevino feel like a dying breed as they are forced into fighting for space in cinemas or standing out in crowded streaming marketplaces, Laymon's relatable and humanly focussed dramedy isn't a revelatory experience but its a timely reminder of the power of films of this shape and size.
Final Say -
Sure to discover a wide-reaching and passionate fanbase as a larger audience accesses the film on home media, Bob Trevino Likes It is a heartfelt and heart-warming little tale that features two fine central performances anchoring proceedings.
3 1/2 possessed toilets out of 5.
Based on Laymon's own personal experiences after meeting with an online contact while searching for a connection with her real life father, Trevino clearly comes from heartfelt place and while it walks the same path of many similar low-budget character driven films of the past, it's hard not to be moved and inspired by this small but effective offering that is worked brilliantly by its two leads.
Finally getting a chance to test herself in the feature film landscape after making her mark in hit HBO series Euphoria, a lot of Trevino's success rests on the shoulders of Barbie Ferreira and she is more than up for the task.
A tricky role for any performer to deliver on, with Lily being a complex and flawed iteration of Laymon's own-self, Ferreira does a fantastic job of keeping Lily on the right side of the ledger while at the same time creating a memorable chemistry with her off-sider John Leguizamo who is as good as his been in years as the softly spoken and kind-hearted Bob, reminding us all that when he is given the right material and he himself invests, he's one of Hollywood's most reliable character actors.
With her two leads on fine form there's any easy-going nature and feel to Trevino yet while viewers may feel as though they have everything pegged as the early stages march on, Laymon has some tricks up her sleeve with where Trevino goes and how it goes there, creating an emotionally resonate and powerful watching experience that is sure to surprise many unsuspecting viewers unaware of what Trevino has too say about life, love, friendship and finding ones way in this big scary world.
In a day and age where small independent films like Trevino feel like a dying breed as they are forced into fighting for space in cinemas or standing out in crowded streaming marketplaces, Laymon's relatable and humanly focussed dramedy isn't a revelatory experience but its a timely reminder of the power of films of this shape and size.
Final Say -
Sure to discover a wide-reaching and passionate fanbase as a larger audience accesses the film on home media, Bob Trevino Likes It is a heartfelt and heart-warming little tale that features two fine central performances anchoring proceedings.
3 1/2 possessed toilets out of 5.
Arriving onto our screens at home (courtesy of Netflix) 29 years on since the original 1996 sports comedy launched its star Adam Sandler into the big leagues, Happy Gilmore 2 marks the return of one of Sandler's most well-liked and well-known properties, gifting us a final product that is sure too appease fans of the original while not gaining new fans along the way.
More so an excuse for Sandler and his team that includes original members Christopher McDonald as fan favourite/Gilmore nemesis Shooter McGavin and Julie Bowen as Gilmore's loving partner Virginia (getting one of the films most unexpected moments) to harken back to past glories, mix and mingle with an abundant array of celebrity cameos that matter little to the grand scheme of things, Happy Gilmore 2 doesn't worry too much about crafting a real reason to exist but considering what could've been the end result here is about as mindlessly enjoyable as it could've been.
Working alongside director Kyle Newacheck, who last collaborated with Sandler on the atrocious Netflix offering Murder Mystery, Happy Gilmore 2 kicks off proceedings in a fast-paced and solidly humorous fashion, enhanced by the films secret weapon John Daly as a Gilmore house co-inhabitant, with anyone who regularly quotes or revisits the original likely to enter peak reminiscing nirvana as we go for a trip down memory lane to a bygone era where comedies in this ilk use to be prime movers at the global box office.
Getting looser as time wears on, Happy Gilmore 2 certainly starts to feel the weight of clocking in at just under two hours in length and looking to draw out a very flimsy premise and audience enjoyment is likely going to depend on how willing one is too go along with an increasingly chaotic and juvenile outing but when you consider much of Sandler's Netflix original work, Happy Gilmore 2 is thankfully one of the more watchable and entertaining examples of their lucrative partnership.
Not so much of a film, more so an excuse to live off the good-will of the 1996 original and get as many willing celebrities to come along for the ride (did anyone ever think a feature film would include Post Malone, Eminem and Bad Bunny?), including a bunch of scene-stealing real life golf pros who have a blast at their own expense in the films second half, Happy Gilmore 2 is as slight as they come but by owning what it is and giving its target audience an experience that was too be expected, Sandler and his merry band of off-siders may not have hit a hole in one but they've struck the right amount of energy and good-natured fun to allow Happy Gilmore 2 to come in just under par.
Final Say -
Unlikely to win over any new fans or convince any naysayers of the brand of its worthiness, Happy Gilmore 2 is unashamedly what it is for better and worse as Sandler takes a victory lap of his most popular past achievement.
3 hidden flasks out of 5.
More so an excuse for Sandler and his team that includes original members Christopher McDonald as fan favourite/Gilmore nemesis Shooter McGavin and Julie Bowen as Gilmore's loving partner Virginia (getting one of the films most unexpected moments) to harken back to past glories, mix and mingle with an abundant array of celebrity cameos that matter little to the grand scheme of things, Happy Gilmore 2 doesn't worry too much about crafting a real reason to exist but considering what could've been the end result here is about as mindlessly enjoyable as it could've been.
Working alongside director Kyle Newacheck, who last collaborated with Sandler on the atrocious Netflix offering Murder Mystery, Happy Gilmore 2 kicks off proceedings in a fast-paced and solidly humorous fashion, enhanced by the films secret weapon John Daly as a Gilmore house co-inhabitant, with anyone who regularly quotes or revisits the original likely to enter peak reminiscing nirvana as we go for a trip down memory lane to a bygone era where comedies in this ilk use to be prime movers at the global box office.
Getting looser as time wears on, Happy Gilmore 2 certainly starts to feel the weight of clocking in at just under two hours in length and looking to draw out a very flimsy premise and audience enjoyment is likely going to depend on how willing one is too go along with an increasingly chaotic and juvenile outing but when you consider much of Sandler's Netflix original work, Happy Gilmore 2 is thankfully one of the more watchable and entertaining examples of their lucrative partnership.
Not so much of a film, more so an excuse to live off the good-will of the 1996 original and get as many willing celebrities to come along for the ride (did anyone ever think a feature film would include Post Malone, Eminem and Bad Bunny?), including a bunch of scene-stealing real life golf pros who have a blast at their own expense in the films second half, Happy Gilmore 2 is as slight as they come but by owning what it is and giving its target audience an experience that was too be expected, Sandler and his merry band of off-siders may not have hit a hole in one but they've struck the right amount of energy and good-natured fun to allow Happy Gilmore 2 to come in just under par.
Final Say -
Unlikely to win over any new fans or convince any naysayers of the brand of its worthiness, Happy Gilmore 2 is unashamedly what it is for better and worse as Sandler takes a victory lap of his most popular past achievement.
3 hidden flasks out of 5.
Recently taken polls
8 total polls taken
