Change Your Image
thefirmdrummer
Reviews
The Boys in the Boat (2023)
Clearly a good story, lacking in execution
Hiring Clooney was the mistake. He clearly doesn't have experience in inspiration and this film lacks an awful lot of that considering how incredible the story is. Many of the best themes are glossed over like The Great Depression and the tension of the 1936 Olympics. They opt to spend more time on fundraising and romance...which frankly aren't as interesting or unique. I would have loved to see an experienced director give this the time and attention like Ron Howard did with Cinderella Man. Overall, it's not a bad film, it just obviously could have been so much more than it ended up being. I don't think many people will leave this film feeling much at all, and that's unfortunate because it really is an incredible story of heart, patriotism, overcoming adversity, and survival.
Haunted Mansion (2023)
Exactly what you want from a movie based on this ride
The Eddie Murphy Haunted Mansion came out when I was about 10 so I definitely remember watching that and almost enjoying it. It leaned more into jokes and the story wasn't as interesting. This is as good of a movie as Disney can make based on this silly random ride. The story was genuine, actually had interesting plot points, and was more complex that I expected. The character development (for most characters) was pretty impressive. The scares were enough to keep it exciting but not ruin young kids forever. Owen Wilson was absolutely hilarious and I really really enjoyed LaKeith as the lead, he was very engaging and interesting. If you bomb this movie I think you're expectations were in the wrong place. It is a kids movie, it's never going to be super scary. It's a Disney comedy...so it can only be so funny. It was exactly what I hoped it would be and I had a lot of fun watching it. I don't understand why this got so hammered by critics and audiences. It being released in July was a major head scratcher. It they released it in late September or early October I think way more people would have been in the mood. Overall, fun family flick! I'm glad I saw it.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
Cheesy, unfunny, tough to enjoy
Tatiana is a fine casting choice. Her character is really poorly written though. She doesn't seem like a competent lawyer and she is terribly unfunny. I'm fact every legal scene seems to be written by people who clearly are not interested in law. I thought, especially with the subtitle Attorney at Law, this would be a very "smart" show. It couldn't be further from that. Everything is dumbed down and the pacing makes every plot point seem void of importance. The show is riddled with MCU cameos to try and give it relevance, or at least some characters to care about. The character development with all original characters is very poor. The only attempt at it is Sh Hulk's identity crisis which is never fully explored or emotionally compelling. There was a lot to dig into there that was wasted on poor jokes and crammed plots. Overall the tone of this show is just off putting and it's just not a quality addition to Marvel. I'm all for the character and was genuinely excited for some legitimate courtroom content but this take is just a little flash with no substance.
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
Lin Manuel-Miranda made this such a captivating film
I didn't know anything about this story, not had I ever even seen RENT. I was a little familiar with RENT but just a few songs. As much as I found the story interesting, it was the direction, photography, style, and editing that really impressed me. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film. Andrew Garfield was spectacular, as was the rest of the cast. No one else is given the opportunity to shine nearly as bright as Andrew but that's okay, it's his story.
Cruella (2021)
Disney putting some thought into a live action
I feel like this is the best script for one of these live action throw back movies. The music was very fun. I feel like the director was very solid. The plot was actually very engaging and I was pleasantly surprised where things went. I do hope they avoid a sequel because I can't imagine that would be very good. Emma stone was great, as always! Nothing magnificent but honestly it was well thought out and a fun vibe throughout. I did feel like Cruella was the Joker of the Disney-verse, which was fun. She was a little nuts!
Ted Lasso (2020)
Drop the F-bombs and this show is unstoppable
K before I say anything else, I loved the music in this show. Marcus Mumford killed it. The redone version of "Forever" in episode 5 or 6 (I can't remember) was perfect!
This show is surprisingly uplifting, which I really enjoyed. Honestly it's a weird blend of family friendly and TV-MA. The characters are great, the story keeps up interest and Ted never gets annoying. Overall a great show although it isn't the funniest show ever by any means.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
The worst Mission Impossible in every way
Worst villain, plot, script, casting, music, stunts, use of masks, and directing of any Mission Impossible film. The stunts weren't organic, felt forced and off-brand. The story was just dumb and I was never the "suspense" moments had me embarrassed. The slow motion and explosions ruined the pacing and distracted from actual stunts. The bad guy was SOOOOO lame and they didn't give him any backstory or motivation other than money. Thank goodness things got back on track after that pathetic installment. Oh! And even the great Anthony Hopkins was awkward and stale!
Kenan: Teachers' Strike (2021)
Chris Redd FTW
This show certainly isn't amazing, but I've enjoyed most of the episodes. Almost 100% of the times I catch myself laughing though are because of Chris Redd, he is fantastic! I love him on SNL but sometimes he's underutilized there. Being such an integral part of this show is awesome.
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Lipstick on a pig
This is not a good movie, don't fool yourself. It's a shallow empty shell of a superhero movie. The effects aren't great, the script is worse, and the acting is stale. Sure it is better than the theatrical version but it's not good. It makes more sense...but even with FOUR hours it still doesn't really explain much of what's going on. Including Easter eggs and hints to things that will never happen doesn't make it good. Throwing all the characters together in one big melting pot is not the answer if we have no emotional connection to any of the characters. The cherry on top, Snyder is just not good. He draws everything way out. Exaggerates every CGI element so it just looks like a video game. Nothing is grounded, the dialogue is just there to pretend there is a story and feed the trailers, and the characters are FLAT. Applaud nothing, this was a massive waste of time and resources, twice. If DC had someone at the helm with a real plan to keep Snyder in check I'm sure it could have been decent. This drivel is not worth the hype or four hours of anyone's time.
The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)
Great action but the comedy falls flat
This was a fun movie with loads of enthralling and unrealistic action. Unfortunately I was in it for the comedy which really never showed up, even though they clearly thought it would be funny. The courtroom countdown was pretty lame and contrived. Gary Oldman was a weird casting choice and honestly they wasted his talent, he barely spoke. It was okay...I guess.
Mindhunter (2017)
Great show, horrifying subject matter
This show is very well done, I can't overstate that. That being said, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Ever. I watched all 19 episodes because it was so enthralling but I seriously regret it. I can't unsee or erase what I learned from this show. None of the horrible things done by these murderers is ever glorified but the fact a show is made around them in sort of an indirect, and unintended, glorification of the deviant things done by these men. I even watched this show edited on Vidangel and it was still traumatizing to a degree. Again, it's really well done and I watched all of it because I couldn't stop. Absolutely Fincher's style to a T, and holds up to his standard of quality.
Boys State (2020)
A revealing look at a 2-party system
I like the idea of this documentary because it gives a unique perspective of American politics and where the inherent flaws are with our political parties. Obviously it's a mock situation run by high school kids but these are likely who will be politicians 20 years down the road so it's still important to understand their mindsets now. Honestly the last hour is pretty boring though. I liked the concept I just don't think this was the most interesting year as far as the events that play out.
Masterminds (2015)
Jared Hess is an American Gem
I love Hess. I think Nacho Libre is absolutely fantastic and if you enjoyed that I'm sure you'll like this too. The script in this film is hilarious, some of the lines just kill me. That being said, his humor is not for everyone so if you don't like him you won't like this.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Frightening and captivating
I had no idea what this movie was going into it, no trailers or synopsis. I had just heard it was good so many times I thought I'd give it a try. The twists really surprised me, I didn't know where it was headed. While this movie is not my type, I can't deny the genius at work. Very well crafted, great writing, fantastic acting. I'd rather it not have been so intense (I'm a pg13 type) but it was certainly an achievement.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
Lots of wasted talent here
By wasted talent I mean acting and directing. Tarantino did a wonderful job turning this worthless plot into art. Problem is...the entire story. Lots of fun build up for basically nothing, some random scene to rewrite history and really not tie into anything that happened the first 2 hours. Was beautifully shot though, some great driving scenes, fantastic production design, and some great acting.
Patriots Day (2016)
Powerful display of human spirit
This movie is a dedication to all those who acted in the face of evil and came together to resist. A testament to the community of Boston, and America as a whole. I'm proud to know this is the country I live in. I was abroad when the attack happened in 2013 so I watched this more to learn than anything. It isn't the most incredible film ever but I think it was really well done. A very real depiction of what happened and all those involved. #BostonStrong
The Mummy (2017)
Don't understand the hate, The Mummy was really cool!
I have read countless negative reviews for this film and too be honest, I just don't understand where everyone is coming from. I thought this movie was great, and pretty much exactly what I was expecting when I walked into the theater. I personally think people are just generally hating on the film because they dislike Tom Cruise, which I also don't understand. I think he is a fun actor and I try to see most of his movies because there are usually awesome. The Dark Universe is very exciting to me and I think they did a pretty good job setting things up for the future through this film. Obviously the Dark Universe will not be directly comparable to Marvel and DC, the complexity isn't the same and it will not be as easy to combine the characters into the same movies. In this film the blend of The Mummy and Dr. Jekyll was pretty good, Russell Crowe was fantastic in my option. Granted this isn't a masterpiece by any means but as far as action/horror goes, this was pretty good. The villain was scary, the lead role was interesting, the comic relief of Jake Johnson was pretty funny and very welcome since I am a fan of "New Girl". I wasn't expecting any Oscar quality from this film and I'm reviewing it from an entertainment standpoint to which I think it exceeds most movies in theaters right now. I saw Wonder Women just days before I saw this and personally I enjoyed The Mummy significantly more than Wonder Woman because it is very fast-paced, exciting, has an interesting ending, and Zack Snyder is not involved in any way. I despise his film style.
Go see it. don't listen to all the haters. Tom is the man. Deal with it.
Nacho Libre (2006)
This is one of my favorite comedies all time!
This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. I have probably watched it about 10 ten times by now and it still cracks me up. I just watched it this summer for the first time in years and I was dying just through the first five minutes. Jack Black is outstanding, he really buys into the Jared Hess dry stupid humor. I think this is funnier than Napoleon Dynamite honestly. It is not for everyone, I went to see it in theaters with my uncle and he never cracked a smile so it dumb dry humor isn't your thing, don't watch Nacho. If you love Jack Black, this is a must see! It is amazing how Jack can carry a movie were virtually the entire rest of the cast is unknown to the Hollywood world. I lived in South America for two years and the people in this movie, especially the older cast members, remind a lot of what life is like in the traditional south American towns. Granted, this is set in Mexico, but I imagine things are relatively similar. I could watch this movie 100 times and still think it's funny.
Don Verdean (2015)
Honestly, I loved this movie
I have seen just about everything Jared Hess had made, that is how I found the film, and if you like him you will probably love this. Jemaine Clement is also a favorite of mine from his Flight of the Conchords days and he really made the film for me. There are obviously a lot of weird elements to this film, but that is the charm of Hess, everything he makes is pretty odd and slow really. I thought the characters were great, Danny McBride and Will Forte were also very funny. This isn't something I would watch with just anyone, it is a very particular humor that doesn't click with all but I watched it with my friend and we were dying laughing throughout. The end got a little too serious for my liking but then the very last scene was probably the funniest part to me and really finished it off nicely. Great comedians involved, raw idiotic humor, perfect Wednesday night to me! Good job Jared, I liked it a lot more than Gentleman Broncos.