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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)
It's a Fine Murder Mystery & Very Entertaining!
Don't believe all those negative reviews. I think people were unduly harsh on this film. If you want to be kept on the edge of your seat, watching how the characters get themselves into, and out of, some terrible jams - grab the popcorn, and go down vintage lane with 2009's Beyond A Reasonable Doubt. Enjoy the strong cast of characters, each holding their own in this formulaic thriller. There's darling, tall, dark, and handsome, Jesse Metcalf, Stately Michael Douglas, and lovely Amber Tamblin as the heroine with a pretty fantastic closing scene. Other cast members admirably carry more than their weight. Professionalism abounds, the plot is tight and clear, mixed with a fast pace, there is simply nothing to complain about regarding this movie! Unless you happen to despise courtroom dramas, I urge you to see it, and DO stick around for the ending. There's something very 1940's Film-Noir about this movie that made it completely enjoyable for me. Give it a chance, I think it may be enjoyable for you.
VICE News Presents: Epstein Didn't Kill Himself (2024)
I Guess it was a fairly reasonable collection of thoughts
Well, for Left-Wing Vice News. Admittedly, the amount of evidence and sources to collect and listen to is a monumental job; so kudos to them for sorting through the (known) facts, and trying to present the story from both the Left and the Right.
Unfortunately, Vice's TDS and left-leaning bias reigns supreme and they get in a lot of jabs at Trump, while not touching a plethora of Hollywood stars and D. C. Dems who have the CIA at their beck and call. Not to mention the BRITISH Deep-State which has an equally effective MI-6 much like our CIA to clean up 'untidy' sex scandals that involve nearly the whole world's billionaire's and major CEO'S. Why would Joe & Jean Taxpayer like us deeply suspect that it was a major global cover-up and murder of convenience to specifically hide the truth? I personally believe JE was only charged, then arrested by those Democrat DA's in Manhattan for the sole purpose of corralling and silencing him. It had nothing to do with justice for those many trafficked sex-slaves. It was about keeping the Matrix running smoothly; protecting the reputations of powerful hedonists who control our world. Too bad the credible, hard-working reporter for the Miami Herald had really upset the status-quo with her competent, detailed article about criminal sociopath, Jeffery Epstein's, profitable, large scale, sex club for the Rich.
In the end, still trying to be equitable, Vice interviewed several liberal writers and podcasters as to what they believed? The consensus was a tie/split opinion on whether Epstein killed himself or was professionally disposed of. I just rolled my eyes. Everyone is going to accept whatever story they need to hear to make their world seem livable.
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
I Know You! You're That English Secret Agent, from England.
It's sheer delight in the stagnation of 21st Century Wokeness to watch a movie produced for nothing but entertainment. It has Just a tinge of an agenda as the "energy shortage" had first reared its ugly (and BTW, not real) head in the early 1970's, occurring only because OPEC decided it was time to screw the rest of the world over oil. Bond must fight an evil villain for a 'Solar Actuator' which would solve everything.
The Man With The Golden Gun, is a much maligned Bond flick; I suppose by lots of Sean Connery loyalists, but I think a tall, slim, tanned Roger, "Moore" than holds his own (sorry, not sorry for the pun)
Just for the cinematic beauty of the far East this movie is worth the watch, especially the hidden paradise of the villain, Scaramanga. Kudos to the cinematographers on this Bond film.
Just relax, sit back, and enjoy the era where men were men, women were definitely women, bad guys were clearly defined, and hero's won the day.
Oh, and one more thing to watch for in this vintage romp is women whose hair is naturally beautiful and expertly coiffed by quality hairstylists; and thankfully, not butchered by blue, green, purple, or pink dyes. Notice the quality of 70's hair. Ahh yes, the seventies. Those were the days.
Almost Human (2013)
How Bad Can 21st Century Scary Movies Get?
Frankly? Really, really bad. Take anything resembling skill, quality, acting talent, operating within some parameters of story-telling, or simply, internal governors like "best not do, or show, THAT for the general good of the film industry - or humankind in general..." Just throw anything associated with boundaries or quality out the window. The financiers, director, actors, producers, promoters, et; all, of this movie, 'Almost Human' are not remotely interested in such clap-trap as human standards or decency.
Next, hand these "movie makers" a large sum of money to play "let's make a movie!" with. Assure these AMC-approved film makers that there's no boundaries regarding ANY level of porn-plus-gore scintillation.... And voila! You have the formula for 21st century horror films and their success (?). I know AMC would not make these brain-cell destroying piles of putrification, if there weren't putrification-lovers to lay down their hard earned bucks to watch it... I shrug my shoulders and sigh in disgust and dismay.
I wrote this scathing review after watching just a few minutes of this brazen stupidity and grotesquery. It gives me great pause as I consider AMC Corporate and their standards for a live-streaming channel called *AMC Thriller* through a Google-fueled Smart TV. WHO are these people? As a Tech-disabled person, I was just channel surfing and wondered if "Almost Human" might be a Sci-Fi worth watching. I would hide my Cocker Spaniel's eyes and ears from this perverse slop.
As the gruesomeness continued scene after scene, it occurred to me how ridiculously easy it is for otherwise innocent children to get ahold of a TV remote and accidentally get access to this garbage. Something's very wrong in the
"entertainment industry".
Mystery Road (2013)
A really sucky ending
So a really sucky ending follows a mediocre beginning and middle. They combine together to bring you a melancholic, dystopian movie that's supposed to move you with its poetic allegory.
The trouble is, only an extremely skilled movie making team can pull off these slow - I mean SLoW - low action, artsy fartsy tales, and also wrap in the allegory and comparisons, plus - add some poignancy, some emotion for the characters, and a little tension and action to actually keep the viewer involved. This film team missed their mark. Entirely. It was close, but no bananas.
Maybe it's an Australian thing, maybe the Aussies gave it all those stars on Amazon Prime? In my opinion, this slow, drawn out tale doesn't deserve much more than 4 stars out of 10.
Strangerland (2015)
A Whole Lotta Nothing...
Pretty lame in its artsy fartsy nothingness. It's one of those movies that go nowhere, slowly. You're watching it, thinking, "Maybe it will get better..." Pretty soon your thinking, "This isn't going anywhere, and it's not getting better..." There's a mystery to unravel, some human angst to be acted out, but this movie can't seem to even do that. It does manage to really focus on sex, and females as needy, dysfunctional horny-toads. I think an inordinate number of "films" are just some dude's sexual fantasy acted out on an incredibly large budget that he conned out of some stupid-rich dumb heads. Apparently, there's people with money to waste on fake art.
Anyway, I soldiered on in this slog-fest, taking a tiny bit of joy from the cinematography of the great Australian Outback, which is impressive.
At the two-thirds point, I'm saying to myself, "This is going to have one of those stupid, unsatisfying endings, and you're going to be really mad at yourself for wasting your time...". Sure enough: The ending was utterly unsatisfying and stupid, and I am mad at myself for losing valuable rest for this boring, inane, film.
Don't cause yourself to be mad at yourself. Skip this dud. Two points for arty landscape photography; but I should have just Googled Australian Outback photos. Doh. I am still so mad at myself.
Autumn Leaves (1956)
WHY Can't Anyone in the 21st Century Make A Movie Like Autumn Leaves?
Just finished watching this 1956 psychological, melodramatic romance starring Joan Crawford and Cliff Robertson and I am gob-smacked by its heart, quality story, and tight professional direction and acting. Watching this was completely satisfying. Autumn Leaves is as good as Casa Blanca, and with all due respect to Bogey & Bergman, should be a loved classic as well.
This was actually a very progressive movie for the era; touching on unacceptable subjects for the time: Mental illness, and May-September romances, as well as the selfishness and sin from 'everyday' people that can drive susceptible folks into psychosis.
I'd like to warn off the fans of Fast & Furious, or Keanu Reeves-Jason Statham type movies. This sensitive, and totally retro, dive into love, loyalty, heartbreak, and mind-bending pain will not be your cup of tea.
But! If you would like a look at how superb professionals in the Golden Era of Hollywood did a proper treatment on the subject of love, life, and the heartbreak it often dishes out, if you like to see passion shown in a classy and tasteful way (There's a morning scene where Cliff is bringing the orange juice, and Joan is Glowing under the covers. This scene shows more love, sex, and fulfilled passion than any twenty nude, humping, moaning, grunting modern sex scenes nowadays!) and if you'd like a nice retro look at lovely old California in the post-war days? Then Autumn Leaves is a sure bet. Rent it for commercial free enjoyment. My wet eyes and runny nose says this movie is a 10 out of 10.
Fallout (2024)
After ALL THAT MONEY SPENT, Fallout Barely Earns Five Stars. Here's Why:
The main reason is because basing a sci-Fi drama on a weak plotted video game is just really dumb, and egotistically disrespectful of entire generations of people who do not, nor would they ever, play (or enjoy) mindless video games. Trying to transfer the plotless nothingness of video games into an involved TV drama is a real oxymoron, and ultimately doomed to fail.
We humans love the theater, movies, and TV because we love the human melodrama. This gore-fest gave us none of that.
Another reason Fallout scores low is the lack of compelling characters for the viewer to care about. While all the characters were somewhat interesting in their own way, with a special kudos to Goggin's multi-faceted ghoul, Arias' over-thinking, depressed, brother Norm; and Dickey's hardened Ma June, store proprietor; Nevertheless, over this eight-episode slog, and all the never-ending mayhem - the lack of real story, and some really poor dialogue: "You want to have sex?" "What? Use my cock?" (Shaking my head and rolling my eyes)
It just put the characters in spinning circles and brief cameos. We viewers had little to no empathy with any of them. Besides that, what with the endless wholesale slaughter, we knew that they would be dead soon anyways.
I feel that, although the production crew and special effects people really went above and beyond with the post-apocalyptic sets, CGV, desert scenes, costumes, and makeup to successfully create their dystopian world; still, all this effort and skill can't make up for what lacks in a coherent script and cohesive direction. I got the distinct impression that this was a "For Gen Z and Millennials ONLY" TV program, and I felt truly excluded. This is NOT the spirit of good Sci-Fi, ask H. G. Wells and other imaginative writers. Well told sci-Fi stories should be enjoyable by all age groups. This elaborate video game was not.
(4.5 stars out of 10)
Dark Harbor (2019)
Two out of Ten, Sooo bad it was good in a cheesy way
I'm guessing this was from the bottom of the barrel of Lifetime movies.
An attempt at film noir, done 21st Century style. 'Dark Harbor' is pregnant (pun intended, Lol) with lots of dysfunctional family crap: a standard issue Gen X daughter that's having an illegitimate baby but needs to drink, hates her mom, dislikes her baby-daddy, favors daddy, and generally mopes around and takes photos during her daddy's funeral, but everyone is cool with that. We're supposed to be rooting for this drip, but it was impossible, as she was totally un-likable from scene one, until she finally brutally dispenses with the villain mere minutes after she delivers what appears to be a two-month old Native American baby... :o I bet her Caucasian, New-York-Lawyer baby-daddy will have some things to say about that!
There's an overly dramatic villain that sports a dandy "ay-yep" N'Easterner accent, that is totally unfocused about what the hell he's so mad about. First, he seems to want her, then he wants money from her rich daddy, finally, he seems to want her freshly birthed baby as his own kid... (Hey, it's not the actor's faults! They didn't write the eight-storylines-in-one script, none of which made a lick of sense)
Does ANYONE edit these scripts before they start filming?
Nevertheless, I was totally entertained by the villains brand of crazy. Whatever entertainment value is in this TV movie - and trust me it's on the nano particle level - came from the villain's over acting. I also got some major chuckles from the fact that not ONE of these related, dysfunctional, family members even remotely resembled each other. Kudos to the legally blind casting person.
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
I've been more entertained under anasthesia.
Not kidding - this movie is a pretentious stinker!! There's no story to speak of, other than an older actress is having a hard time being in a play as the older actress. Intrigued yet? Yeah. Didn't think so.
I suffered through about forty minutes of this drivel. Watching this was made worse by seeing a normally power-house actress like Binoche being obviously embarrassed and self-conscious in most of the disjointed, jumpy, scattered scenes in this **it movie, The Clouds of Sils Marie.
Nothing saves this film, not even the unspectacular camera work showing some of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe. I think my niece could do better with an iPhone.
This film is lukewarm Crème-of-Wheat cereal cooked with zero salt and served without a drop of milk, sugar, or flavoring of any kind.
The current rating of 6.8 is padded and totally false. This is a 2/10 tops.
Black Sheep (1996)
Spade & Farley were the Martin & Lewis for Gen. X
It all started when the hit TV show Saturday Night Live captured lightning in a bottle in the early 1990's.
Chris Farley and David Spade WERE the quintessential comedy duo of the late 20th Century. They were truly special together; the straight man and the goofball that pulled off the same type of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Schtick beautifully, and hysterically, to the delight of millions.
If only.... If only... deep sigh. One can get pretty morose at the run-away illegal drug problem that torments every town and city in America - and that robbed David Spade of a good friend; and the world of a brilliant comedian, Chris Farley.
I urge you to indulge your corny side and watch 'Black Sheep' showcasing Farley and Spade doing what they did best - exploiting physical comedy and slapstick with delightful energy and ridiculously fun humor.
It's 2024 and the entire world needs real comedic actors like these - sadly, there's never been another duo who can come close to them in over two decades.
R. I. P. Chris Farley. 1964 - 1997. Age 33.
Surrounded (2023)
Another "Movie" That's really a Video Game
When video games took over a generation of young people's brains, then developed better graphics, and became ever more realistic, immersive, and addictive - I wondered (feared) what kinds of negative fallout might come to our 21st century.
Here is but one: Gen X and Z cannot seem to tell a cogent story. They can't visualize, write, or direct, a cogent story or narrative to save their lives. Surrounded, 2023, is a classic example of this
They can prop up an uber-violent, open-ended, mostly nonsensical adventure. They can have the hero (or heroine in this case) do a bunch of fighting in the pitch dark, they can have maniacal Comanche's just cut-and-run much the same way absurd surprises and widgets drop in and out of their video games. They can make every cacausian character in the film - except the murderous bank robber - a one-dimensional, ignoramus, bigot who can't tell a petite, slender, black woman with an eleven inch neck from a black man.
But they cannot tell a simple story. Nor, do they have any eye for cinematography. Nor do they have a clue about casting the correct actors in a role.
Not even with a sure hitter like Jamie Bell acting his heart out, as the verbose outlaw, Tommy Walsh, could they make this a cogent story where you gave two-***ts what happened to any of them.
Furthermore, with numerous opportunities for literally magical cinematography in the stunningly beautiful Southwest high desert, they could not manage to produce one Divine sunset, sunrise or landscape to somewhat counter balance the constant human ugliness, and to help validate the heroine's strong faith in God. It's actually really sad, just what a fail 'Surrounded' is.
This dud of a movie played out like a dumb video game in western-wear. It insults our intelligence, not to mention actual history, as the macho-woman handily fells her opponents one after another, then rides off on a magical horse (seriously! It just showed up out of nowhere) with the prize.
This movie was violent and BORING; just as most video games are. That's a pretty serious consequence, folks, of video game cretinism. American movie-making (and us unwitting viewers) are paying for the dumbing-down and video game addiction of Western civilization.
The White City (2014)
What a Stinker
Sorry, but, gender confused, disaffected millennials Just leave me cold. It's an expensive porn flick pretending to be artsy fartsy, but it's all swill.
Then there's the main character, aptly named Kyle, some arrogant little twerp prancing around in his friggin' peddle-pusher short pants as only a metrosexual can do - who literally left me with a stomach ache. When you're embarrassed for someone else, it can literally nauseate you. This actor needs to lift weights and fire his agent stat.
If this is what people call "art" or entertainment in the 21st century, then I am carefully stocking up on DVD's from the 80's and 90's. God save us from the gender confused nihilists.
The film is about bisexual cool-cats in Tel Aviv being drunk, stoned and selfish in their pedal-pushers.
This attempt at independent art was truly bad, just simple degeneracy. I repeat; this movie truly stinks.
The New Daughter (2009)
SO BAD, It's Good...
The reason for a very generous score of 6 out of 10 is the confidence of knowing that for sure, Costner's friends and golf buddies probably razzed him about making this movie over the next fifteen years. No sense in me piling on.
"Hey, did you get that IRS bill taken care of, Kev?" They likely said.
While we figured this movie was going to have some scares, what with the setting in and around that lovely, antebellum home in South Carolina; we didn't anticipate the turn it was going to take.
I can't talk much about the turn it took because I don't want any spoilers in here. However, this movie, kind of a Month-of-October movie of the week fare, could be a lot of fun for some pre-teens having a sleepover. The rest of us will likely be incredulous, to disappointed, to mildly angry that we took the bait.
Forward (2019)
Good Premise, acceptable acting...However
Unless you're a serious Sci-Fi fan and love it when they work romance in with incredible and infeasible situations, you're not going to have the fortitude to fill in the myriads of blanks left in 'Forwards' action and story.
I would like to see this script made better, because the concept is cool (and why I generously gave it a 5) I would like to see the story made much more cognizant, and therefore more enjoyable - stronger actors, more laughs, more tears, and just basically the whole project given a bunch of TLC (Tantalizing Loads of Cash) especially the directing, and turned into what they call "A major motion picture".
It's got most of the basic elements; it just isn't there yet. But it could be!
Upload (2020)
COULD Have Been a Long Running Sitcom.
Season one started out so creative, clever, and unique. The characters quickly endeared themselves to the viewer, quirks and all. And the whole concept? Wow. It's time was due. To a Boomer who views all technology with squinted, cynical eyes, the idea that Tech Wizards at 'Horizon', a Mega-Technology corporation in the distant future, had finally come up with their man-made version of heaven (for those who could pay, of course) was a debacle looking for a place to happen. The potential was limitless, if they had stuck with high standards.
This sitcom could have gone on for years and years simply based on the initial idea, man-made 'heaven', what could possibly go wrong? A customer service rep falling in love with a deceased client was only one. The intrigue of an evil cabal of billionaires pulling numerous technological strings behind the world's back was the icing on the story.
It's just so SAD that they hired so many talentless writers, several with apparent serious personal issues that they interjected right into the script. By the later part of the 2nd season, the clear trajectory of the characters and their story was sliding downhill. Their language became fouler, their values lowered. They were not funny anymore. By the 3rd season some of the most endearing characters, and their storyline was creepified beyond hope. There's an old saying, "Too many cooks in the kitchen spoils the soup." And it's certainly true in this sitcom by Amazon Prime. Don't they have a quality control department that oversees their writers?
I wonder when, or if, Amazon Prime, and other 'entertainment' networks will ever learn that the viewing public wants them to raise their standards and keep things clean.
R. I. P Nathan, Nora, Ingrid, Luke, Alesha, AI Guy (especially AI Guy) and Mr. Choak. I think your moms could have written a better, more sustainable, imaginative, storyline to keep you all going for years.
Grand Isle (2019)
Thoroughly Entertaining
Even given that the situation on the screen is 100% incongruent with any possible normal, thinking, human being, Grand Isle kept us into it right down to the unexpected ending.
Without saying too much to warrant spoilers, just go along with this weird and edgy thriller set in the Deep South. I'm betting the script started with, "It was a dark and stormy night..." And although, yes, it's paperback pulp fiction, it IS entertaining and pulls the viewer along on a voluntary voyeuristic ride.
At times, in fact, one wonders just what direction we are going in; creepy thriller? Sexploitation? Horror? For a bit, it seems like the film is heading into MA+ territory, then Nicholas Cage and his lusciously capable co-star, KaDee Strickland, take us to crazy town.
For me, this movie brought back the essence of pleasurable old 40's and 50's movies, also filled with unbelievably impossible plot lines, but enhanced by delightfully BaD characters.
Minus the (always unnecessary) F-bombs and nudity, I could see this same film being a blockbuster played by vintage greats like John Garfield (1913 - 1952) and Barbara Stanwyck (1907 - 1990) And that is a genuine compliment.
Never mind the negative reviews. Just grab the popcorn and let yourself ride along with the highly implausible highly enjoyable drama.
The Vast of Night (2019)
SO CLOSE, yet so far away. 4/10
The premise and set up was so very clever and campy. This Prime Movie, The Vast of Night wonderfully welcomes you in with a Twilight Zone-like opening and a peek into the nifty fifties in an endearing small town named Cayuga, New Mexico. I got a real kick out of the name of the town and its double-entendre. If you have ever streamed old re-runs of The Twilight Zone, you'll be let in on the inside joke too.
If you enjoy light Sci Fi, you'll likely enjoy this mildly entertaining flick.
If you treasure movies with good lighting and good, clear, quality film? This imaginative adventure will be a major disappointment; I mean major.
The camera crew hoped to immerse the viewer in 1950's era television watching, with a grainy, unclear perspective. OK, I get it. Unfortunately they simply failed to light up any of their scenes, indoor, outdoor, or wherever. They pointed their cameras at darkness and caught grainy-darkness and people in shadows. Other than a couple gym scenes, for the entire movie, they appeared to have invested in a 7 watt lightbulb to light entire sets. I found myself literally rubbing my eyes and straining to see what was going on. Gawd, what a miserably dark, foggy, grainy pain in the eyes to try and view what could have been a very campy, clever, engrossing little thriller.
Where was the editor? Where's quality control?
Have you ever tried to shop in a store in the summer that had broken air-conditioning? Where, despite what great products the store offers, you know you are ready at any second to turn around and bolt for your own comfort and safety? This creative little movie was like that. The overall darkness of the movie severely distracted the viewer from its huge potential. So instead of an exciting 'close encounter', we're forced to trudge through some tiresome dreck.
It's really sad, because this movie really checked a lot of necessary boxes for home entertainment. It was reasonably clean, had an actual story, had a fun historical viewpoint, had some great characters with very clever dialogue.... It is too darn bad that the producers, camera crew, editors, director, et.all, just blew off a necessary component of filmmaking: Lighting!
The House on Pine Street (2015)
Have LOW expectations people!
Because this is one LOW quality, LOW budget film. In fact, everything about it is low. Low on talent, frightenly, painfully, low on sound quality; the whispering, mumbling, actors can't be heard. But unfortunately, the "scary" music is set at about 200 Decibels above eardrum damage. If they keep making crummy, poorly engineered, ear-abusive crud like this film, I may have to give up movies altogether.
How else can I postulate with this word low to use up characters? This film is low on quality editing, low on direction, and finally, low on plot.
There is no plot, actually. It's more like a low quality film-school project.
Blue Moon (2018)
There's 'Suspending Disbelief' Then there's THIS
We learned a long time ago that in order to enjoy a fictional book or movie, we humans have to voluntarily Suspend Disbelief. Of course this is true, and part of the enjoyment of fictional stories. The more fantastical the story is, for example, the cinematic pleasure of the movie, Avatar, the more we just give over our everyday skepticism and go along for the ride.
This whole concept is not so simple in gritty 'real life' dramas. In these, the story/script, the location, the director and crew, and especially the actors must convince us viewers that we could be in their shoes too. It's even better when the drama is so compelling that we forget that we're in our living room and begin to feel that we're there with the actors.
This film, while a strong effort by this New Zealand crew, just didn't pull us in. I love how the story presents the question of, who, really, is the Bad Guy? Then presents some great arguments that the bad-guy is definitely us.
However, throughout most of the movie, we were saying, "That would never happen", or "can you believe that idiot didn't lock the doors?". This occurred from the start when we learn the basic premise that the main character wasn't even in the correct country working, as he had convinced his family for several weeks. Ninety Eight percent of wives just aren't that stupid. The expectations of the audience to believe one absurd premise after another was just too much. Even though the mood is anxious, and creepy, and tension steadily builds, it just caused us as viewers to pull back away from the story, because so many of the behaviors became too unbelievable.
I read that this whole movie was filmed on an iPhone (!) Which, if true, is really commendable for the potential talent and skills of this working crew of movie makers. Set them up with a tighter script and real equipment, and who knows what they may accomplish.
Abandoned at Birth (2021)
A High School "Film" Project...?
You Have Been Duly Warned-
Not worthy of being on the Internet Movie Database, or on any streaming app, period. Just eye-rolling, embarrassingly amateurish and unworthy of being anywhere in a category of real films.
After watching a documentary about rescue dogs, my streaming app just stepped right into this mess and we gave it a few minutes, as it seemed like, from the sound effects, that it was going to be a spooky, or horror film.
NOT.
Just a simplistic, all African American directed, acted, produced, scripted, home-made project about some black-woman-as-victim who thinks demons are after her.
We made home movies with mom's V-8 back in the 60's that were more interesting than this.
The Fields (2011)
Seriously Sucks
Attention Tom Mattera and "B." Harrison Smith: Were you even sober when you came up with this swill?
I have to come up with five hundred more characters before I can turn in my scathing review (from an average movie viewer, not these movie people's hiney-kissing associates who game the ratings)
I am even embarrassed at Cloris Leachman, a high quality, experienced, actress being in this dysphoric, ugly, depressing waste of money and time. Cloris, you, and the horrid script, lost me in the first twelve minutes as you cussed and bitched at the grandson and any other character within earshot. Were you THAT desperate for a paycheck? Did some balloon mortgage payment come due?
It's like everyone involved with the film, down to the caterers, went off their meds, had extreme sleep deprivation plus a case of the flu, then gathered together in their communal misery and said let's just make a plotless movie.
Night Sky (2022)
*THIS SERIES IS SO ENDEARING AND REAL! And the Cretins at Prime cancelled it.
It's just a damn shame that there's ZERO integrity in corporate MEDIA these days, that they won't keep a highly favored, full-of-talent series just because it didn't pull enough numbers... This is ART, for Pete's sake...not pork bellies.
It's 2023 and I purely STUMBLED upon this wonderfully Twilight Zone-ish series called "Night Sky" on Prime Video streaming app. I simply could not stop watching it. It took me on a creative journey that literally transplanted me from my daily life into a family drama in the green belt of Illinois; a family drama that was also visited by the extraordinary and eerie.
This very special 8-episode series was truly a gift to us millions who yearn for acting over CG explosions and STORY over cheap, gratuitous sex and violence... of course, Prime Video corporation, in its infinite wisdom, closed it down to a second season. I sure would like to see more of Franklin, Irene, and the rest of the Night Sky characters as they puzzle through their unique life situations.
Outer Range (2022)
Meh. Could have been kickass, but ....
Too many cooks in the kitchen, spoil the soup.. Or in the case of a supernatural Western (huh?) that could have been cogent, creepy, and awesome; Too Many Writers Of Episodes Makes A Screwed Up, incomprehensible, Story.
That's exactly what happened here. What a shame... what a doggone shame.
The actors were better than good, the authenticity of the sets was superior, the look, the feel, the music, the majestic camera views... all above average.
It's just too damn sad that the director and producers didn't work harder (and maybe use some tough love and fire a few too many iffy writers?) for true cohesion of the story. As Outer Range wound through eight tiresome episodes that COULD have been edge of your seat stuff - they lost their way; and instead turned into a rather gelatinous mess by episodes four through eight.
What were they going for, 'equity' among the writing, directing, and editing staff? Ok, kids, everyone gets to write their own episode! I'm shaking my head.
Every TV show, and movie maker of the 21st century needs to be put in solitary confinement and made to watch the old classics from the pre-talkies, up to the 60's, then stop. That's when drugs poisoned Hollywood, and cheapened their product. Maybe if these 'film makers' watched the old masters, some of them might become inspired to simply TELL A STORY, and make it a cogent one.
As a fan of Sci-Fi, I wanted to love Outer Range. But it was just too blah, without rhythm, and such a waste of acting talent. Especially Josh Brolin. He perfectly channeled the pathos of a man who didn't fit, but the story just couldn't support his character. Three stars out of ten.
419 (2012)
*Spoilers Ahead* If you haven't seen this, I suggest not to read this review.
Soo, I am going to give the ultimate compliment to the Director, Ned, and the fine crew of actors who made this movie, 419.
You got me, and my viewing pal pretty darn good!
I figured it out towards the middle ... when there was so much 'found footage' of the chase, then the plot twist, then the thugs on tape. The victim's escape seemed just too convenient...But up until that point, wow. You got us. I can't say this is a film genre I would regularly enjoy, but this one time, it turned out to be uniquely entertaining.
This mockumentary was very natural and quite convincing. It felt very much like a Dateline episode, and it did cause anxiety. It especially pulled at a parent's heartstrings. Even from the start of the film, where the viewer was informed that there is a sad story of an African cyber-scam to explain; We just did not want anything bad to happen to these nice, normal, typical, young American man/boys, so the tension began to build when they started their flight overseas, and it did not stop.
Furthermore, there was excellent attention to DETAILS, as questions & concerns arose, then were answered. It's the DETAILS that always made Spielburg's films so darn great; and that nearly all modern filmmakers ignore, or graze over. This team of filmmakers did their work.
We never knew there was such a genre of films as 'found footage', so we began viewing this film strictly as American parents of young people, also as Americans truly very-fed-up with the amount of cyber crime being perpetrated upon good-hearted, if-a-bit-gullible, Americans. Therefore, we were the A-1 perfect targets for this epic film-prank.
If I saw this team of actors in person, I would punch them in the arm (mostly gently) for pranking us so adeptly; then I would hug them for their cleverness and worthy work efforts. Good job to all of the crew; but particularly the three young men, and the heartbroken girlfriends, that so organically pulled off the loving friendship act. Nine out ten stars.