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The Fall Guy (2024)
Fun movie from start to finish
Had to say I waffled between whether I should see this one or not since the director's last movie 'Bullet Train' was such a unimitgated disaster class. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by this one.
Ryan Gosling is perfect in his role as a suave stuntman and the chemistry between him and Emily is very solid. Gosling is full of charisma and you see the levels of his talent as he can go from very funny to serious in minutes and make it fit within a movie that's primarily an action comedy.
Action sequences are impressive and the stunt scenes do not disappoint. In an era lacking magnetic male leads, Ryan Gosling is one of the few leading men that gives you hope.
Terror on the Prairie (2022)
Well, the cinematography is good.
I was excited to see this one as a Daily Wire subscriber, but ended up disappointed. The film is visually striking, but that's pretty much all there is to it. The script is mediocre and none of the characters are compelling or memorable other than the leader of the of the outlaw.
I respect Gina Carano sticking it to the woke mob, but I'm not really sure of what to make of her performance in this movie. She has her moments at the end where she acts in a convincing manner, but for a majority of the movie she doesn't give a good performance. I think the genre of movie doesn't fit her style, but as long as Daily Wire keeps making movies I will faithfully watch. There is bound to be a good one!
I enjoy a good western, but I can't in good conscious say this one is comparably as good as even the westerns that have recently come out such as Slow West, The Sisters Brothers, or Old Henry.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
A riveting sequel that surpasses the original in every sense
From the get go, Maverick keeps you on the edge of his seat whenever he is in the air. I don't want to give too much away, but you HAVE to watch a movie like this on the big screen. Cinematography is great, Cruise and Miles Teller deliver excellent performances, and there are several poignant moments that connect the original to this incredible sequel.
People have been raving Tom Cruise is the last remaining movie star and although I wouldn't go that far, he may be the greatest action movie star ever. See this movie immediately.
Tokyo Vice (2022)
Starts off really good, but kind of bogs down in second half.
Tokyo Vice is a crime drama that takes place in Japan with the central character being an American journalist working for a reputable newspaper in Tokyo trying to uncover the Yakuza's sinister dealings.
Ansel Elgort does a great job and must have worked really hard on his Japanese and immersed himself in their culture because he sounds very fluent and confident when he speaks Japanese. The actor who plays Sato is a highlight of the show convincingly playing the brooding gangster who is conflicted on who he really wants to be. A man who chooses his family or notoriety and respect as a Yakuza member?
Both the aforementioned characters are the most interesting and the main storylines surrounding each of them is what I think makes the show compelling to watch. However, about halfway through the show it decides to focus on these callgirls or escorts and it really slowed the story down to a crawl. It also didn't help that the woman the show focuses on was very unlikeable. She stole money from a church missionary fund to "be free" and I'm supposed to root for her? Total nonsense and it really hurt the show.
Despite some flaws, I thought it was a solid show and will watch Season 2 if they actually make one.
Ozark (2017)
Starts off good, but the ending is a disaster
This show wasted a ton of my time and I don't want to give too much away, but I feel a duty to give a warning to unsuspecting individuals in search of a good show.
If you are looking for a great from beginning to end, this is not the one for you. There is no growth from the characters, the plot becomes increasingly incoherent after season 3, and nearly all the semi decent people in this show end up doing the most cruel things that go against everything they are.
Christianity bad. Nihilism and using innocent people to become a power couple is honorable. Please stay away unless you enjoy being disappointed.
The Northman (2022)
A masterpiece that deserves to be remembered forever
Wow. I just saw this masterpiece and what a ride. First, you need to see this on the big screen. The movie was made to be watched on the big screen and the cinematography and score is perfection.
The acting is excellent, the action scenes are incredible, and the overall themes of father and son bonds, vengeance, and fate will keep you engaged throughout the whole movie. The movie builds perfectly to the point where you feel as if you are literally on sitting on volcanic rock watching Amleth and his uncle battle at the Gates of Hel.
See this beautiful work of filmmaking and thank me later.
The King's Man (2021)
A mess the first hour and change, finishes ok
I enjoyed the first Kingsman movie and was intrigued to see an origins Kingsman story. However, about 30 minutes in it was clear this would not be as good as the first one.
For one, the pace is so frenetic that you don't have a chance to get to know the characters or really fully understand what's going on. The characters are just paper thin figures whose whole purpose is to just conveniently move the plot along which is not the case in the first Kingsman movie. I remember the first Kingsman being funny with great action, but the jokes didn't land for me here and the action was just ok. The Rasputin fight had me laughing, but for all the wrong reasons. You also see the secret villain coming a mile way. There is a surprise moment, but it's really the only moment that will make you say 'wow'. Ralph Fiennes does a decent job given the lack of a decent script and overall muddled story.
If you are looking for mindless entertainment, then this is a solid choice. Lower your expectations prior to hitting play.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
An excellent, inspiring film that Hollywood no longer knows how to make
I read this novella a few years ago which this movie is based on and really enjoyed it. I cannot believe it took me so long to watch this excellent piece of cinema. The script is great and the performances by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are impeccable.
The movie follows the novella very closely in relation to the main plot points, but its the theme of hope and sense of dignity that Andy Dufresne displays to his fellow inmates that is main heart of this movie. At the beginning, Andy is a man who seems hollow and without hope. However, as the years go by you see that he is a man who perseveres through trials while helping others taste a bit of freedom such as having a cold beer after a long day of work and convincing the state to fund a library within the prison.
The themes of friendship, brotherhood, and strong desire to get busy livin' are incredibly illustrated in this movie and the end brings it all to an inspiring moment. We live in such a cynical world in which Hollywood seems to magnify by having no interest in creating movies of hope and inspiration. This is a reminder that the industry did make riveting movies that inspire and teach us good lessons among flawed characters. Here's to hoping we can have those kind of movies again.
Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Riveting start and then takes a nosedive
Ok, lets get the good out of the way because it won't take long. The opening scene is riveting and a rollercoaster of emotion filmed beautifully. You really feel as if you are in the room with them as they go through a home birth.
Everything after that moment plays out like a total dumpster fire. The woman after a month of her baby tragically dying under mysterious circumstances decides to send the baby for medical research after her partner pleads not to do it. She promises not to and still does it anyway. She's cold to everyone around her and in a zombie like state for nearly the entire movie after the opener. The writers bend themselves into pretzels to villainize Shia Labeouf's character upon realizing the audience most likely sympathizes with him rather than the woman who is rude to everyone and doesn't want to move forward and try to get through this stage of grief with her loved ones. All of a sudden, he's having his physical needs satisfied by another woman and drinking heavily. Those are all bad things but the writers seem to believe you are blind to how terrible the woman is acting towards him and her family. There seems to be some kind of closure for the woman in the end of the film but none for the man who also lost his daughter.
Are we supposed to be inspired by this woman or the story in general? A sigh of relief when she looks at the negative photos and realizes that she lost her child and finds her emotions again? Many couples married or not go through similar trials: losing a baby, cancer, infidelity, addiction. The more interesting and inspiring story is the couple that endures these trials and becomes closer in the end, not the couple who self destructs and makes you feeling miserable for an hour and a half.
The Hyperions (2022)
Starts off solid, but kind of goes off the rails at the end.
The Hyperions is a family dramedy with a superhero background. Cary Elwes is good and there are a few funny moments, but I wasn't really moved by the main point or emotional moments of the film.
You just don't get to know the characters enough to really feel anything and the most pivotal moment and conversation between the Professor and his estranged daughter all happens through facial expressions. Ok, we get that her power is reading minds but you decided to keep the audience guessing what he told her other than saying 'I love you'? I think the movie is filmed in a creative way that reminds me of Wes Anderson, but the script is lacking in cohesiveness and interesting characters other than the Professor which I feel is owed more to Cary Elwes talent than the script.
I'm a subscriber to the Daily Wire and really respect what they are doing by trying to make great movies without a woke agenda. However, it would be a lie to say any of them so far have been more than average.
The Batman (2022)
An excellent start to Pattinson's Batman.
This is really a 8.5 out of 10 stars for me, but let me begin by saying this is the most visually impressive live action Batman movie ever made. The cinematography is as good as Blade Runner 2049 or Dune and Gotham City comes alive at night and during the sunrise scenes. The opening scene after Riddler's first kill is truly something to behold. You feel that Batman is supernaturally terrifying to these criminals and that's not something that's been executed very well other than parts of the Nolan films. Pattinson does a great job of portraying a young Batman feeling hopeless amidst a constant state of crime and corruption while also hellbent on getting to the truth even at the potential cost of his life. He has become a great actor and he really exudes the supernatural darkness of Batman when he is in the suit.
The action scenes are solid, The Riddler & Penguin are great villains, the plot keeps you engaged from beginning to end. It's not a perfect movie by any means as the third act gets a bit confusing and some of the scenes in the end feel a bit shoehorned in to help Batman see he needs to be more than just "vengeance" but a symbol of hope.
I didn't feel the movie was woke. In today's Hollywood I always expect a few politically correct lines or scenes, but the few I noticed didn't bother me. The movie really focuses on the detective aspect of Batman and has a heavy influence of detective noir films, but I really enjoyed that focus considering no other Batman has truly explored that part of Batman in great detail.
Looking forward to see where Reeves takes this trilogy. Hope we get to see a bit more of Bruce Wayne in the next one.
Shut In (2022)
Not bad for DW's first original production
This is a thriller in the vein of Panic Room that's not political or woke unlike virtually every Hollywood production since 2016. The main character Jessica is a recovering meth addict recently out of rehab looking to leave her deceased grandmother's farmhouse with her two toddlers and start a better life. However, things go sideways when her meth addict boyfriend and his dealer/friend drop in uninvited and lock her in a pantry.
I won't go into much beyond setting the stage of the movie when talking about the plot, but as a faithful subscriber at the Daily Wire I was slightly disappointed. Apparently, this was on the "blacklist" for Hollywood scripts which means it was highly coveted. Listening to the dialogue play out in the movie though, I was kind of surprised it was on the blacklist at all. It's certainly a decent script, but not great.
The themes of addiction, motherhood, redemption, and faith are noticeable within the movie but none of it's really fleshed out in a way that really moves you in a profound way. To be honest, I'm not sure you can really develop these themes in a satisfactory way when the movie is less than 90 minutes long. Perhaps part of why this movie ended up just being ok to me is the lead actress was given a role that needed to be the driving force of the movie and I felt like she struggled in critical moments of the movie. It's one of those roles that requires a lot of experience and gravitas, and Rainey Qualley may one day be that actress but I think it was a role that required a bit more experience.
Overall, it was a solid effort that kept me engaged throughout the whole movie and the cinematography is well done but I felt the script and performances were hyped by the Daily Wire guys. Looking forward to the next one! Making a great movie isn't easy and I know the Daily Wire is working hard.
Scenes from a Marriage (2021)
Stop the madness
Since my first review of this show was taken down (without any notification) although I used no foul language and only expressed myself civilly, I find it more important to double down on my opinion.
This show is not about marriage, but about two self involved losers who just fell into marriage as roommates. The shows starts off with the "married" couple confirming their pronouns, followed by a dinner with friends in an open marriage who begin blaming each other for the resentment they feel toward one another for their choice of being in an open marriage. It's sad to say that people like this exist, but why does anybody care to watch such rotten people?
Twenty minutes into the show, the bisexual black woman starts berating the female lead that she feels its empowering to show her children to be always chasing that cloud nine feeling no matter how much or how many time it dissolves the family structure and affects her children. She follows that up by trying to make out with the female lead because idk...
All in all, this show is a depraved circus of madness in the first 30 minutes and Hollywood is obsessed with illustrating these "marriage" movies as the norm ie 'A Marriage Story' and it couldn't be further from the truth. Marriage and building a family is fulfilling no matter how many times Hollywood weeps and gnashes in their echo chamber the opposite.
Broadchurch (2013)
S1 is good, could not finish S2
I would have given this show 8 stars for the first season alone, but made the mistake of watching half of the second season.
S1 is compelling and you really feel for the characters that get caught up in the tragic events of S1. It's similar to Mare of Eastown in many ways, but that show is markedly better.
However, it take a nose dive in quality the next season. It's boring and the characters you felt sympathy for are now pathetic, unforgiving, self involved losers. The majority of the second season is all about a court case and turns into a marathon of a lower tier Law & Order. The new characters are not interesting nor offer any new compelling storylines. It brought back traumatic memories of True Detective S2 and Fargo S4.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
Disregard the pretentious reviews. It's a good watch.
The movie is an action thriller from the guy who wrote Sicario, Wind River, and the TV series Yellowstone. A smoke jumper in Montana is still suffering mentally from seeing children die in a recent fire, when she comes across a child on the run from two hired hitman who are trying to silence a dark, mysterious secret that some powerful people want to keep from being revealed.
The pace is unrelenting once the action starts, the dialogue is solid, and it keeps you engaged from beginning to end. The script writer Taylor Sheridan is a well traveled man who loves the West such as Wyoming/Montana and has a unique way of showing the beauty and dangers of it in a way that's compelling and not dull. It's probably the case he takes some liberties to the obstacles the characters encounter in nature, but it's a movie. Not the best of his, but a solid entry.
The people hating this movie have suddenly become the next Bear Grylls since spending a whole year in a 600 sq foot apartment and watching Planet Earth. You'll notice this pedantic chant amongst the negative reviews that "its not realistic" or "this scene was not realistic, that did it for me." Movies are supposed to entertain you, not make you believe this is a real time event unfolding before your very eyes. It's escapism, and pretending this movie should be more than that is silly.
Rectify (2013)
A great show from beginning to end.
Rectify was a show I had on my shows to watch for years, and I'm glad that I got to finally see it. The show begins with the main character being released from Death Row due to DNA evidence and reunites with his family after 20 years in prison. The show is not action packed but the writing is impeccable and the emotion displayed throughout the show is believable and touching.
The characters make some poor choices and have to live with those consequences, but the arcs of the main characters are compelling with moments of redemption and leave you satisfied, for the most part, when it ends. There are elements of despair, a search for meaning, and hope.
Today's landscape of television is over saturated with darkness, violence, unlikable characters, and convoluted plots. It's refreshing to find a show that is able to create a compelling storyline containing hope, without creating the most ridiculous incoherent virtue signaling plot as nearly 90% of shows do today.
The Sopranos (1999)
A memorable show and must watch
With current TV in such a tailspin as far as quality and compelling storytelling, my wife and I made a list of older shows we haven't seen yet and The Sopranos was first on the list.
The first season is incredible and hooks you in with the tension between Tony and multiple family members within his own home and the New Jersey mafia. Its bold, hilarious, and not politically correct.
You grow to love or have soft spots for some of these crime members and there are many moments when you shake your head in disgust with some of the violent actions they take towards innocent people. The show makes clear they have no illusions how cruel and violent the Soprano crime family is, and they all do bear the consequences of their sins in one way or another.
My only misgiving was the show closes up a lot of the main characters' stories abruptly and Tony Soprano becomes nearly impossible to root for. There are a lot of anti hero shows where the main character does despicable things, but there are also moments or a moment of redemption and I just didn't feel like Tony had much of that in the last two seasons.
Overall, The Sopranos is great and I will remember certain moments of this series forever but the last two seasons kind of falter a bit in my opinion.
Run Hide Fight (2020)
Intense thriller with great performances
A very intense thriller about a school shooting that keeps you engaged from beginning to end. The dialogue is very well written and has themes of courage and selflessness that are not just portrayed by the amazing lead actress, but by several other characters in the movie as well.
There is a lot of heart and grit in this movie and the execution is well done. Time well spent watching this one. Highly recommend! Please don't let Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score or Metacritic be the guiding light of what movies you watch. I can't think of a more painful way to guide your media choices than those two "authorities" of critique.
Fargo: Storia Americana (2020)
How did we up here?
I won't give any spoilers, but the script was very weak. The first three seasons have a clear distinction of good vs. evil with both sides of that coin having compelling character arcs, with plenty of suspense and action. You will care about none of these characters nor get much suspense and meaningful action.
The dialogue, action, and suspense in the first two seasons was impeccable with the third season having plenty of solid moments. The dialogue and plot in this season leads to no where, and most of it consists of woke racial diatribes that greatly encourages you to start browsing your phone. It's hard to believe this season was actually written by Noah Hawley. Who would be so willing to taint their own legacy with this travesty of a script?
It's a shame that we've come to this point in television history. TV shows are declining in quality and it's because of the mob and identity politics. Congrats to the woke mob! You took a great show and turned it into a dumpster fire because that's what you do. Dark times indeed my fellow movie & tv show enthusiasts.