Reviews

10 Thousand, directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich is one of those films classically overlooked by Hollywood and critics worldwide as it does not have well Anglo-Saxon stars at the helm.

Cliff Curtis is the most recognizable face in one of the leading roles and it isn't until the credits role that one realizes that Omar Sharif narrates this tale of ancient times.

Comparable to Apocalypto, 10 Thousand is a love story that is exciting, graphic with violence, historically significant, chock full of adventure, strong characters, great editing, scripting and cinematography.

It's not for everyone, but everyone should see it.

This convoluted, special effects mess is a shameful example of what happens when a studio and its script writers have such a low opinion of it's audience that they think they are willing to just throw hard earned money at any movie with the name Marvel behind it.

This fascination with made up realities has got to stop.

This foolish. Incomprehensible storyline is both unbelievable , long and boring.

This is why going back to the theater and dropping $10+ has become a crap shoot that you will get a quality film from story tellers who aren't trying to rip you off.

The producers should be sued for malpractice!

For the genre, this was a pretty good Fright Night Flick. Young Jeremy T. Thomas provides just the right look for the kid with the secret life in the house where no one visits.

Fright Flicks depend a lot on the Director, writer and photographer to get things just right and producers J. MIles Dale, Guillermo del Toro and Nick Antosco put just the right crew together to give that one moment that sticks with you.

Yes, the standard elements are here: "don't go in that house." "I wouldn't unlock that door..." and so on, but it's the story behind what we see that is so beguiling.

And, of course there is the ending that give us an "uh oh!." I'd watch it again.

Directed, co-written and produced by Matthew Vaughn, this origin story of the Kingsman series first introduced in 2014 carries all the swashbuckling antics that viewers have come to expect.

Set in the period preceding WWI and laced with somewhat true life characters of the time such as President Woodrow Wilson, Kaiser Wilhelm, Czar Nicholas and King George, not to mention Grigori Rasputin, retelling would have one to believe that the Kingsman were indespensable in persuading the U. S. A. To enter the war after taking away an embarrising bit of film showing Wilson in a compromising position.

At 2 hours and 11 minutes, this episode is never boring. At the one point, one did get the feeling that it would anti-climatic as it gave us an unforseen tragic death. Not so.

Instead, the script of Vaughn and Kar Gajdusek wasted no time in character development without all the details aided by the fantastic cinematography directed by Ben Davis, magnificent stunt work, outstanding set decoration by Dominic Capon and Costume Design by Michele Clapton.

And while the script is the thing, star Ralph Fiennes did not over due it. Aided by Djimon Hounsou(Amistad among many others), Gemma Arterton, and Rhys Ifans as Rasputin, The Kings Man is a winner for action movie fans who love the English Gentlemanly touch.

I would watch it again. Let's see what the sequel has to offer.

This 8 episode saga is one of the better "whodunits" you will see this year.

Headlined by actors who are not well-known, but well schooled in the craft with great direction, scripting, editing, and photography, "Reacher" is one of the best products greenlighted by Amazon Prime Video in quite some time.

Alan Ritchson makes the title character his own and doesn't overplay the role as a man in search of a long lost blind blues singer in Georgia of all places.

Willa Fitzgerald and Malcolm Goodwin bring a fresh look as unwilling sidekicks to our lead character.

Bruce McGill provides the only recognizable face in this cast of virtual unknowns.

This bingeable tale will keep you looking for what comes next.

This is a southern fried murder mystery that touches all the right notes.

I would watch it again!

"What if...?" Getting Orlando Bloom, Leslie Odom. And Cynthia Erivo to headline this sci-fi sleeper of a lovestory was quite a feat. Unfortunately that is where the wonder ends.

John Ridley s vision of a future is unique and it asks a lot of any audience that is not prepared for absolutely no action in the traditional cinematic sense.

This is not a bad film, but it is why streaming services exist. You would certainly not drop $10-plus and a bag of popcorn to leave the comfort of your home to see this yawner.

This is the most unfunny, crude and silly piece of work ever greenlighted by the DC UNIVERSE.

The title character comes to the screen via the equally squalid "Suicide Squad "where Idris Elba and Viola Davis lent their talents to no avail .

John Cena is simply no good as the leading man in this ridiculous tale that doesn't deserve a second look.

This time it's Robert Patrick who attempted to lend some credibility to this overscripted mess.

It's long, loud, unfunny, predictable , crude., and vulgar.

It is hard not to smile and laugh whenever Tracy Morgan is involved in a project.

OG is no different. Anna Maria Horsford adds a reality check to this series of redemption for a misguided life based in Brooklyn.

Life lessons abound in this TBS/HBOMAX. COM series created by Jordan Peele with some episodes directed by Carl Weathers.

The writing is on the money with stories that apply to nearly every aspect of li.

Binge on this.

This is a movie that deserves a second look.

Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas carry this tale as only leading men can.

It will scare you, excite you, and horrify you.. The direction is on the money. The script is just right. The African scenery is worth the trip back in time.

I would watch it again.

This feminine dominated "who done it" inspired by novelist Nora Roberts is a good time waster for murder mystery fans.

Alyssa Milano puts in good work as the novelist/profiler helping the police solve the murder of her sister.

Sam Page walks through his supporting role as the typical detective.

Well done in scripting, editing and directing by Monika Mitchell, Edith Swensen and Donald Martin who all follow standard procedure.

It is worth waiting for the ending.

This travesty of a costume drama falls squarely on the shoulders of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Ridley Scott. The producers of this sorryly directed flick.

The fact that they expected gullible audiences to return to the theater and drop more than $10+ to see this sloppily edited tale is key evidence in Not returning to the theater as you never know what you will get.

The characters are ill drawn, the storyline is of no real concern. And there is no hero.

I won't watch this again. This was a waste of talent, time and money .

Another reason to add any film starring Will Smith to your "must-see" list.

Although Joel Edgerton is in full makeup for all of the shoot, he comes across well as costar in this 2017 Sci-fi view of future racism, heroism and "good police." Well-done by Director David Ayer and company.. Take another look at it.

I would watch it again!

A truly uninspired film with absolutely no one or nothing to hope for except that this waste of money would end.

This is the sort of thing Netflix is built for. It is s a time-waster.

The production value is good. The actors do their jobs. Hiring Guy Pearce to lead the boring caste was reasonable. But in the end what would happen if the Robots were unleashed on mankind?

West World has already answered that question.

I won't watch this again.

A "well-done" in giving the lead in this character play to an unusual ethnicity that doesn't end as you would expect.

What starts out as an opportunity to stop an alien invasion soon leads you to understand that the "alien " is in all of us.

Riz Ahmed carries the writing of Joe Barton, who also directed, and Michael Pearce in an emotional direction that gives the viewer empathy that most anti-heros don't get.

Adding Octavia Spencer to the headline will certainly add extra views to the drama that otherwise would be overlooked.

Family, a veteran. PTSD, fatherhood and law enforcement.

It's a good film.

This is the worst piece of trash that I am glad I did not pay more than the Netflix subscription it came in on.

Why in heaven's name would Meryl Streep,Leonardo Decaprio. Cate Blanchett., Ron Perlman, and a host of other well-known actors sign on to this poorly written, directed, edited, and photographed excuse for getting paid.

It's supposed to be a comedy on some level but each character is written and acted as nothing more than buffoons in costumes.

Don't watch this.

Streep, Decaprio, Blanchett should all be sued for malpractice!

Aside from the fact that the viewer needs to have a PHD in computer science and programming to understand the first 45 minutes of this so called sequel. This is not a good film.

Keanu Reeves is the only recognizable face in this ridiculously scripted attempt at a blockbuster.

The premise makes no sense and with our hero only existing to bring back a lost love; Carrie Moss. While learning that everything is a computer program constructed by the computer system mafia represented by Jada Pinkett Smith, Telfair Hopkins, and the former star of"Doogie Houser" this mess is totally unbelievable and certainly not worth the $25 you might spend to leave the comfort of your viewing room to see this among strangers.

The script is confusing, direction is by the book, the rest is predictably dull. And still unbelievable.

"And can anyone explain why Neo looks a lot like John Wick?

I won't watch this again!

John Cho is a Supporting Actor thrust into the lead role in this 10 episode Netflix drama about Bounty Hunters who never collect a Bounty.

Most of the characters in this remake of an Italian original are interestingly drawn, but not in a very interesting way.

Tamara Tunie, A Martinez lend their talents to this tale that just doesn't take you anywhere.

Cinematography is good, Direction is adequate, but the story is unappealing.

The American-Japanese prodduction collaboration is interesting, but in the end you just want this killemall mess to end.

This small south American drama offers insight into the system of modern day slavery that most of us tend to ignore.

The script is drawn from real life experiences of what is behind the migrant hoards that continue to move north to escape this reality .

The irritation for this reviewer is the anglisizing of the voiceovers. The film would have been better served by using voice-actors with Latin accents instead of the Anglo sounding actors heard here.

That said, this is an intriguing drama with just enough violence to make it believable and on camera actors whose expressions told the story quite well.

Take a look.

For many of us the first time we noticed young actor Saniyya Sidney was in the 2021 version of "Annie". But this 2018 feminine fantasy put this star on display for all to see.

The cast is led by Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Loki)and Lorraine Toussaint who is currently supporting Queen Latifah in the "Equalizer ".

But the script, direction and editing is the thing and the work of Julia Hart, Jordan Horowitz, and Martin Pensa is not to be ignored.

It's a Fantasy film which requires a bit of suspension of belief. But it is well worth it.

It's about family, mothers and daughters and a whole lot of what ifs film. It will scare you, sadden you, and make you smile.

I would watch it again!

This version of the popular 1960s Family Robinson Lost in Space is similar in name only. The cast led by Toby Stevens Molly Parker and Parker Posey as "Dr. Smith," only lead a cast that is upstaged by young actors Maxwell Jenkins as Will, Taylor Russell as Judy and Mina Sundwall as Penny.

The beauty of this Netflix bingeable series is that you don't need to be fan of the original series, just enjoy great action direction, writing, computer imaging and photography.

And unlike the original series which was canceled before the end.... Spoiler Alert!: We get an ending.

Its worth you time. A good film that will make you angry, sad, tearful, adventurous, curious and cheer for more than the home team in each episode of each of the 3 seasons.

This is worth the Netflix subscription.

Movies with Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, and Vincent d'nOfrio are hard to turn away from. Unforgivable is no exception.

The prison system. The Parole System, and families in crisis are all on display here.

A well edited film with direction that does not get in the way of a script that keeps you wondering "what next?" This is worthy of the price of a Netflix subscription.

This is yet another attempt by comedian Kevin Hart to enrich his acting skills.

This 7 episode tale of family, career and betrayal is well directed by Janelle M. Culpepper and Stephen Williams with Hart narrating.

It's always good to see Wesley Snipes on screen as he adds a bit of credibility to the story. But it was just not quite believable and in the end. It was all just one big killemall story.

If you like Kevin Hart, you will like this. I don't and didn't.

This is not the glamorous and beautiful Halle Berry we have grown accustomed to. But for an actor who just wants to act, this is a noble effort.

Making her directorial debut. This clearly done Halle's way. Therein maybe the problem. Is this an expose' on the world of MMA boxing?

Is it tortured look at on broken family?

The setting scenes that were thrown into this flick we were unnecessary. The training scenes seemed to be all for naught by the time we got to the closing fight.

The viewer is left simply saying "is she crazy?" I want the "James Bond" and "STORM" Halle Berry back on screen.

This feel good movie is worth saving for the holidays.

Will Smith controls the screen in this origin story of the top tennis players in the world and the father who "had a plan." Director Renaldo Marcus Green and writer Zach Baylin were blessed with a cast that brought to life a family that became world renowned.

Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton did not overplay their parts and veteran actor Aunjanue Ellis can add this to her resume as a major achievement.

I'd watch it again!

This stylish western tale in Black is well done by Director Jeymes Samuel and Boaz Yakin features an all star cast.

For those who are not versed in the African American contribution in the old west, the characters depicted here will appear to be strictly fictional. But Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Betz), Bill Pickett(Edi Gathegi), Bass Reeves(Delroy Lindo) Nat Love(Jonathan Majors) and Cherokee Bill played by LaKeith Stanfield are depicted here as not just heroes but villains in real life. They chose to be on the right and wrong side of the law.

This is a well acted, scored, and written "what if " example of what can be done with a quality crew and script.

And did I mention that Idris Elba and Regina King did not have to carry this flick alone?

I'd watch it again!