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jeffreyoliverrock
Lover of all types of movies, although my preferences lean towards Comedy, Animation, and Horror. My all time favorite film is Empire Records!
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020)
Deserving of a Few Chuckles, but Very Flawed Otherwise
The classic Spongebob quirkiness and randomness is present and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy SOME of the film. The scenes with Keanu Reeves as a tumbleweed were pretty funny, and the scene with Spongebob and Patrick riding in the car with Plankton's robot got a couple laughs out of me. The rest of the film just simply underperforms in delivery.
What annoyed me the most was the court scene, when each character is telling their story about how they met Spongebob. Anyone who's been watching the show since childhood knows that the stories in this scene are wrong. Frankly, I'm surprised the cast agreed to do this scene.
This film was dedicated to Stephen Hillenburg, and after reading about his thoughts on spin-offs, I don't honestly think he would have liked this movie much or at all. I'm sure it has and will entertain the kids at the end of the day, but as a Spongebob fan since 1999 when I was a kid myself, I was shaking my head after this one.
47 Hours (2019)
It's Nothing Amazing, but Far from Terrible
Surprised by the overall rating of this one! I personally thought of it as a "run of the mill" thriller that does a few things a little better than others. Is it scary? Not really, but a little unsettling here and there. Without giving too much away, the phone/television related scenes creeped me out a bit.
Yes, it has flaws, but nothing that kept me from wanting to finish. The acting is okay and I like the dark atmosphere of the film. The concept is kinda commonplace (and I didn't like everything they did with it), but I don't think it's ripping anything off too bad. Worth a watch in my personal opinion.
The Legend of Dog Lady Island (2020)
Low Budget for Sure, But A Few Things to Appreciate
I've lived 30 minutes away from Monroe, Michigan my whole life, and regardless of what you think of the movie, know that Dog Lady Island is a real place with an endless amount of stories. The buildings, sights, and street names in this film are all real.
I give Michael J Alexander mad props for writing, directing, and acting in this film, and I appreciate him bringing light to a local legend, but I would be lying if I said I thought his acting was good. I could ignore that the camera, editing and effects aren't up to Hollywood standards if the acting wasn't so underwhelming. I don't want to speak for all the actors/actresses, because some of them do well (I liked the 1920 scene a lot, and I thought Lilly and Detective Taylor were convincing as characters), but most of the acting in this film feels very insincere, stale, and like it's being read off the page for the first time.
I did think the actual story written was interesting, however there were scenes that seemed to have a lack of script, or repetition in the script that didn't make sense to me. In one scene, there's a point where Detective James says the same line four times in less than a five minute period.
Overall, I appreciate this film, and while I take into consideration that it's independently made, it was hard to look past the awkward acting by about half the cast. A few redeeming moments, but I can't say I see it becoming anything classic. Just my opinion of course.
Human Zoo (2020)
Biggest Letdown Ever
This film could have had potential if they had actually done something with it. I'll admit that the acting was good enough to keep my attention, and I thought the concept of a reality show based on how long you can stay in total isolation might be neat, so I personally think a star for the cast, sets and idea is fair. Other than that, I honestly don't think I've been more sad after watching a movie.
You begin to adapt to these random characters, and wait for something to happen only to get cut off when you're on the edge of your seat. Absolutely nothing gets solved or answered. Odd nitpick here, but I hated that the shot would sometimes randomly switch from the room camera (which is supposed to be the only camera in the room?) to a handheld camera, that just made no sense to me. When the credits role, you just feel bad that you spent 2 hours watching people suffer and deteriorate with no payoff for any character. I get that the movie is trying to put humans in the positions of animals in zoos, and I guess I kind of see a "how do you know the payoff you're waiting for will truly come" conclusion, but if that's the case, make the characters people who selfishly isolate animals or something like that and make it worth their suffering. Or perhaps show the villain having their victory laugh over what they've done. Anything but a random cut to the credits.
I probably would've rated this movie higher if didn't feel so half-finished and sloppy. I feel bad for the actors who actually tried and thought they were going to be in something great. Disappointing is the only word I've got to describe my feelings on it.
Underwater (2020)
If You Have Thalassophobia, This Movie Will Give You the Creeps
A little surprised to see such harsh reviews on this one. Yes, it does have problems, a lot of it has been done before, and the giant monster is basically a deep sea version of the Cloverfield monster. If you're someone with a legitimate fear of deep bodies of water however, I think this movie may hit you a little harder than others.
Yes, the jump scares are excessive. Truth be told though, if it were myself down there in the depths, I would jump if a harmless fish swam by my face. When you're that far under, everything is scary, and I think that's what the movie was trying to emphasise. I also admit there are a few scenes that are slow and the camera is set on something difficult to see, or when it gets eerily quiet and you're almost counting on a jump scare. However, there was one specific angle where one of the wendigo-like creature charged at the camera in a spiral motion, and even though it made me jump, I still said "Okay, that was pretty cool".
And since I've already spoiled a bit, I was not expecting that punch in the final minutes. I know I probably wasn't supposed to find it so funny, but I couldn't help but laugh at it.
I genuinely enjoyed the sets and surroundings of this film. I thought Kristen Stewart did a great job, the other actors did fine as well. Conceptually it's a pretty basic survival story, and while elements of this film have been done before, I still think they come together nicely to make a pretty neat film. At least worth a watch in my opinion.
1917 (2019)
An Authentic and Unique War Experience
This is a film that anyone who appreciates great cinematography should see! I suspect this movie will run with classic war films like Full Metal Jacket and Saving Private Ryan for years to come! You get a front row seat into the soldiers experience of World War I in a super unique single-clip view, giving the element you're walking along with the characters as it all unfolds.
Top notch effects! Impressively massive and beautiful sets! The entire cast is fantastic, and this film made a fan of George McKay and Dean-Charles Chapman out of me.
The only critique I really have for it is that I wish they would have gone a little more in depth with the main characters. I felt like there may have been missed opportunities for that in some of the longer walking shots.
While the film certainly has it's emotional moments, it's not quite the emotional power house of other war films (to me that is). This film mostly captures the environment and drama of WWI. The noises, the miserable conditions, and just how much soldiers experienced in only a movie-lengthed period of time.
I'd recommend anyone looking for adventure to check out 1917! Watch it on the biggest screen with best sound system you have access to!
Gretel & Hansel (2020)
Wow! That Was Boring.
Excited as I was to see this movie, I was pretty disappointed. The movie is very beautifully shot and the sets are gorgeous, but take out all the super slow character movement and long shots of the sets, and this movie would be about 20-30 minutes in length. I'm all for films with minimal, or even no dialogue, but something worth seeing has to be on screen to make it work. Beautiful as the sets are, they aren't really enough to hold interest by themselves or just with a character walking through them.
I thought the last 10 minutes or so of the film had some interesting moments, but for most part, I yawned. Although the characters are pretty bland, I will say that I think Sophia Lillis and Sam Leakey acted well, and Holda the Witch was a creepy character played well by Alice Krige. I was going to give the movie a 3, but decided on a 4 because it actually has an ending. Other than the visuals, very little to see here. Disappointing, because this film had potential.
The Perfection (2018)
Predictable, but Still Kinda Interesting
A dark Psychological Thriller with an interesting concept, and some pretty intense moments. But overall, I can't say there was a lot I "didn't see coming"
The scenes where the performers were punished for their mistakes was when I was most unsettled, and the Anton character gave me the creeps. For portions of the film, Charlotte as a character gave me an unsettling feeling as well. That said, the acting is awesome and the sets are pretty (especially the performance room). A couple of gory scenes were graphic enough, and the effects were believable enough, to cause me and my girlfriend to turn our heads (which is a good thing as long as it's not overdone, and I think this film is tolerable in that sense).
The scene in the trailer of Lizzie getting sick is one of the highlights of the movie, but I can't say I wasn't guessing that Charlotte was behind it early on. I also can't say I wasn't expecting them to fight Anton together. At least this film has a decent ending, a seemingly rare occurrence these days.
It's certainly no award-winner, but I think The Perfection is neat ride for what is it, and one of the better Thrillers that popped on NetFlix.
Hereditary (2018)
Daringly Disturbing, Uncomfortable and Terrifying All in the Right Way
I watched this film with my girlfriend about six months ago, and with almost every Horror movie we've seen since, we usually conclude "not as bad as Hereditary" now. While it's not too hard to get a cringe or a jump out of me in such a film, it's rare that I actually feel uncomfortable. This film was different.
This movie is super bold, and puts you right in the front seat of it's most disturbing elements! During the first super graphic scene, we had to pause the movie because it actually made us feel ill. This film is sometimes terrifying simply in the way the characters react. With that, all the acting this film is great, but I think Toni Collette's performance is stellar. Everything from her interactions with the family, to her facial expressions, to her chilling cries and screams, Annie was responsible for at least half of the waves of terror that hit me throughout the film.
At first, I didn't know what to think of this film. I was so disturbed by it that I almost regretted watching it, but yet, I was impressed and couldn't stop thinking about it. Sort of like a really good haunted house.
Since I'm now comparing this film to how terrifying others are, I can't deny that it's one of the best Horror film I've seen in a long time. I considered rating it higher, but the reason I give it an 8:
- I think the film is too long. Not just the general runtime, but I feel like it could have had about 5-10 minutes less of long shots, especially with sustained emphasis on the disturbing imagery. I understand the film is supposed to be shocking and detailed, but sometimes it was just a little much for me personally.
- Sorry, but I didn't like the ending. I get it, it was just a let down to me.
- I think I would only ever watch this film again to see a reaction from someone else who hasn't yet. ;)
Any fan of Horror films that hasn't seen Hereditary yet definitely should. Like it or not, I think it will be pretty hard to forget about, and I doubt you'll ever see anything else quite like it.
Color Out of Space (2019)
Really Wanted to Like It More
I haven't read the H.P. Lovecraft short story this film is based off yet, but I was definitely intrigued by it's trailer. The sets and effects in this film are gorgeous, and I would even say it's one of the most beautiful films I've seen as far as setting. Story wise, I thought the movie started out well, but towards the end it started to get strange and confusing to the point where it was almost frustrating. When the film ended, I wasn't sure if the conclusion I got was correct.
I wasn't expecting this film to be as disturbing as it was, but to it's credit, it did legitimately make me uncomfortable (in the way it was supposed to). If such disturbing imagery is your thing, I think the film does a decent job in that aspect. The acting is good for the most part, although I thought Nicholas Cage went a little overboard at times, and I was confused as to what to think of Cage's character, especially in the last 30 minutes of the film.
I kinda feel bad after reading all the positive reviews, but I sincerely just didn't grasp the film that well. I'd like to read the story and see if it will maybe connect some things better. For what it is as a movie, I think Color Out of Space has some very neat, also unsettling things during in it's run. Just the visuals alone were worth the watch for me, but as a whole, it was sort of a head-scratcher. Just my opinion of course. I certainly understand why Sci-Fi/Horror lovers enjoyed this film.
The Intruder (2019)
It's Okay... But It's Been Done Before
I like Dennis Quaid and his character gave me the creeps in this film. The sets are decent and the remaining actors play their parts well. However, the plot twist in this movie annoyed me. It's basically the exact same twist as The Intruders starring Miranda Cosgrove. The film is predictable in it's story line and it's attempts to jump scare. I don't want to say it's a "bad" film, because it does have some cool moments (I thought the scene with the chandelier was kinda neat), but positively, "just okay" is about the best I can do. A few highlights, but ultimately, a forgettable film in my opinion.
Playing with Fire (2019)
Underestimated It
John Cena and Keegan Michael-Key in a PG Nickelodeon film. Of course, I skipped this one at the theater because I didn't expect much more than a bunch of funny and talented actors putting on a clean face for a cliché family film. Looking at the reviews, it seems that's what most people got out of it as well. Personally, while it's definitely a movie steered to entertain younger kids, I'm 26 years old and a few scenes caused me to laugh as hard as some of my favorite R-rated comedies.
It's not really a "fire-fighting" movie, and the story itself is cheesy. But for what is, I surprisingly had a fun time watching this film! I liked most of the characters, but my favorite was Mark (Keegan Michael-Key), I thought he was hilarious. The kids play their parts well, although I would have liked to have seen a little more detail to Will and Zoey as characters.
Again, Playing with Fire is mostly for the kids to enjoy, but if you're also an adult who can put yourself in younger shoes and can get a laugh out of slapstick humor, bathroom jokes, and buff men doing children activities, you might have fun with it too.
The Turning (2020)
Some Interesting Moments, But Disappointed Overall
Been seeing this film advertised like crazy and I thought it would be worth seeing on the big screen. Personally, the film was interesting enough to keep my attention, but the end result was so confusing, and felt so unfinished.
I can definitely give credit to the cast. I was able to feel for the main character Kate (Mackenzie Davis) and the struggles she has to go through thoughtout, although I think the scenes where she's just wandering about get excessive. Miles is my favorite part of the film, Finn Wolfhard does a great job at a more intimidating and chilling role. I also have a feeling young Brooklynn Prince, who plays Flora, has a bright career as an actress ahead of her. Mrs. Grose is played well by Barbara Marten, but her character is really bland, I didn't know what to think of her during the film or after it.
As far as the film itself, I'm still wondering nearly 24 hours after watching what it was trying to do. I love that the film takes place in the 90's, and the sets look really nice, but what a strange ride this film goes on. When the credits began to role, a number of people (including myself) threw their hands up at the screen, exclaiming "what"? Not only is it difficult to follow, the film isn't very scary. It's more of a Thriller that relies on jump scares to technically make it a "Horror". I guess maybe if you have a fear of spiders, you might get a scare, but otherwise, disturbed is about all you'll be.
I can also give credit for a couple of scenes involving the gate to the house. I wouldn't call them scary, but definitely intense, and I was able to feel for the characters involved.
A few decent things about The Turning, but as a whole, I didn't know where it was going and it ended before I could figure it out. It's like an album with only one or two good songs on it. Kinda disappointing. Perhaps the book has more answers?
Uncut Gems (2019)
Adam Sandler at His Best in Intense Crime Drama
Saw this film yesterday and I still can't stop thinking about it. Going for spoiler-free, but I will say that I wish more movies began and ended like this one. The entire film has moments that get pretty intense, but for the first and last 5 minutes, eyes bulged open, jaw on the floor, and I walked out of the theater feeling like I'd just left the circus or something.
Adam Sandler is a cinematic legend best known for making us laugh. Several of Sandler's comedic classics are still some of my all-time favorite films. However, like the handful of other dramatic roles he took on, Sandler is on top of his game, and this film puts a bright light on his talents as an actor that can make us laugh and cry. The remaining cast surrounding Sandler really sell the anger, frustration and even pity for the actions of Howard Ratner, and you sometimes wonder who you should truly be rooting for.
I overheard a couple leaving the theater say it was hard to follow at times, and I understand. It is a longer film with a lot of information to remember about super chaotic situations, so it's easy to miss something. As someone with sensory issues, I also understand the people talking about the characters shouting and talking over each other a lot. I too found a few brief moments I was saying in my head "okay, lets move on now", but I think scenes that appear later make up for it.
Given some of the films Sandler's been apart of in recent years, it's nice to see him in a film with some effort again. This is also the first Safdie Brothers film I've seen and I applaud them and the crew around them. I think Uncut Gems is definitely worth checking out, and I'm looking forward to seeing it again.
Boar (2017)
Suprisingly Not Bad
There was one copy of this film at the video store, and in that case, there's usually about a 50/50 chance of the film being good. Being as the opening logos included Universal Studios, I was given a little confidence, and in the end, I liked it just enough to put it in my "worth a watch" collection.
Yes, the effects are pretty cheesy, and I understand the backlash, but for what it is, I personally thought it was decent. I thought most of the acting was good, a different sort of story, and there were a couple of graphic moments that caused me to veer my eyes away from the screen. I loved the sound effects on the actual boar, even if it doesn't look very convincing at times, I certainly thought it sounded mean. I also wasn't really expecting the film to be funny, but I actually legitimately laughed quite a bit.
No masterpiece or anything, it definitely could have been better, but could have been worse. If you're into movies evolving around oversized demonic animals, you might get a kick out of it. I wouldn't recommend it if gore makes you uncomfortable, but otherwise, not too bad.
The Dead Don't Die (2019)
A Pretty Weak Film
I was expecting this film to be similar to Zombieland, it was more like Mars Attacks with zombies. This film is very slow, I found it to be boring at times. I'll give the film credit for it's fourth wall humor, but that's all that got a good laugh out of me. I liked the sort of "anti-fracking" message it's going for, it's just not delivered very well. There isn't very much zombie action, and when there is, the effects aren't very good. I guess the acting is fine, but there's so little to every character, and most of the stars in the film only have a handful of lines, so it's hard to say. I've seen this film twice now, and the second time I was making jokes about how Bill Murray just looks bored out of his mind. If a super slow paced zombie movie sounds interesting, you might get a kick out of this, but in my opinion, it's a weak film.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Different Experience Than The Shining, But Still Worth Watching
While I don't consider it a masterpiece, I did enjoy the classic Kubrick rendition of The Shining, and I understand why it has the fan base it does. Seeing the trailer for Doctor Sleep and discovering Ewan McGregor was playing an adult Danny Torrance, I thought the concept might be interesting.
Everyone acts fantastic in this film. I thought Ewan McGregor built a very nice character. If I had imagined how Danny might have turned out after the first film ended, I don't think I would have predicted it much different. There are a few intense moments with the villains (Primarily Rose the Hat and Snakebite Andi) that made me absolutely hate them (which is a good thing). I think the things they do in the film would make anyone want them to see a terrible fate.
I found myself smiling at the call-backs to the classic movie, and when Danny returns to the Overlook Hotel. It's been a while since I've said to myself "Oh wow, there it is" that many times at a film. I will say there are a couple scenes at the Overlook that feel like they were written in to make the fan base happy rather than be part of the story, but nothing that drags on too long.
As far as it being a scary film, you may jump a few times, and some scenes are a little disturbing, but by Stephen King standards, it's more of a suspense film.
An advantage I'll give this film over The Shining is that even though the film is two and a half hours, it doesn't get boring. Not that The Shining was boring, but it is a very slow film. Stanley Kubrick loved to throw in very long shots in his films, and while I personally think they worked sometimes, other times they were excessive, and in The Shining, they were excessive to me.
I think this film is at least worth a watch whether you're a fan of the Kubrick film or not, because it's sort of it's own film in a way. It shows enough of the classic film to have a connection, but also has a story different enough and good enough to hold it's own.
The Lion King (2019)
It Looks Nice... That's About It
It's hard to say what my "all-time favorite" Disney movie is, but the original Lion King would undoubtedly be in my Top 5, likely even Top 3, and I'm sure many others could say the same. That said, I had high expectations, but tried to keep an open mind.
The classic opening scene with the song "Circle of Life" is almost shot for shot exactly, but in live-action animation form, and I did think it was cool seeing it this way. Although, while the song is sung well by Lindiwe Mkhize, something felt very off about the mix. The vocals overpowered the music and made it hard to hear at times (I found this annoying in the other songs as well).
As we start to get further into the film and through a bit of dialogue, I'm already starting to feel a little disappointed in the voice acting. I hate to say it, because I love James Earl Jones, but his performance is so weak in this film. Some might say it's because he's older now and can't project like he used to, but that didn't feel like the problem. The original Mufasa is a highly respected king that you wouldn't dare mess with, but he was also a likable character and knew how to have fun. This Mufasa is kinda boring, he just has a "yeah, whatever" tone about him. It feels like Jones isn't even giving half the effort and emotion of the original. The remaining characters do okay, but still feel kinda bland.
"Just Can't Wait to Be King" was performed fine, but again with the mix. I think it could have gone without the extended Zazu commentary. I was waiting to see the big animal choir get twisted up and Zazu getting squashed at the end, or something exciting like that, but instead the song just ended on a long shot and faded to the next scene...
Another positive I'll give about this movie is the Hyenas. I actually got a little spooked by the close up Hyena shots, they at least look intimidating to me.
One of the most cringing scenes to me was when the song "Be Prepared" appears. This is my favorite song in the original film, and an important song and segment of the original. The song is done so poorly in this film, I asked my friend to pause the movie and play the original song before continuing. Less than half of the song is in the film, and it's more spoken than sung. A drunk guy at karaoke could have done better. Huge disappointment.
Mufasa's death scene is more downs than ups. I will say positively that the stampede shots were pretty cool. But I'm sorry, it just did not hit me when Simba approaches his dead father, the emotion is just not there to me. No tears from Simba or any of the other lions. Mufasa's death in this film feels like "well, that scene's out of the way".
Timon and Pumbaa have their moments in the film, but I still prefer Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as them. I was not at all a fan of this films rendition of "Hakuna Matata".
As far as Donald Glover as Simba... Sorry, but not impressed. I have no problem with him singing as Simba, as he does have a good voice. Acting wise, it sounds like he's reading for a high school play or something his whole role, it just feels boring.
Okay, here's one thing I can say this film has that I wish the original did. I liked that they extended "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". In the original, Timon and Pumbaa are seen singing a short portion of the song acapella. In this film, they get through a couple verses and have some music behind it.
That said, some of the films other extensions I thought were unnecessary, like the mouse walking and the lock of hair in the wind that goes on for like two minutes. Scenes clearly meant for filler that could have had more important scenes in their place.
"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is performed okay, but it bugs me that it's bright daylight during the scene.
The Rafiki character in this film is as boring as Mufasa to me. In fact, one of his best scenes, one of the most important scenes (if not, the most important scene to the original) was totally skipped! The scene where Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick and tells him it's in the past so why does it matter? The past can hurt, but you can either run from it or learn from it... That scene is not in the movie... Why? Simba decides to go back home after hearing (not seeing, the ghost never appears in the clouds) Mufasa and just realizes on his own what he has to. Another big disappointment.
While I thought the dialogue during the intense ending was underwhelming, I will positively say that I thought the fight scene, visually, looked pretty cool.
In conclusion, I personally think this rendition of The Lion King is nothing compared to the classic, not even close. The film is visually pleasing, and it is kinda neat to see Pride Rock and areas of the classic movie in a more real-life setting, but that's all you really get out of it. It could have been done without re-recording the music and voices. The acting isn't that great, the songs aren't mixed well and sometimes not performed well, important stuff was left out, what was changed was filled in with... filler. Whatever "fresh and new" idea Disney was trying to bring here besides appearance, I didn't catch it. My stars are for the animation crew on this one.
Judy (2019)
Great Performances and Scenery, but Feels Unfinished
I'll say first and foremost that Renee Zellweger does an amazing job! As well as the other actors/actresses. The sets are nice, and it does capture the time period very well. I will say also that this movie was different than what I was expecting. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it always depends on how so.
Okay, now, I am (presently) 26 years old, my father wasn't even born when Judy was around. I discovered her, like most kids, through the Wizard of Oz, and learned about her career as I got older. I am not a Judy Garland expert by any means (Judy's the only one who truly could be anyway), but I was interested in her story enough to read about and watch documentaries on her, and of course, to see this movie.
The movie mostly takes place in the late 60's during one of Judy's last tours, and occasionally goes back to her as a child. I liked that they showed how strict and cruel the movie companies were to her, and how important it was for their actors to be "perfect". I also thought the chemistry with young Judy and Mickey Rooney was nice. As an adult, the struggles she faced being in debt and still turning to the drugs were portrayed nicely. But everything Judy did in between her child years and this run of shows is almost totally skipped.
Very little is mentioned about other movies besides the Wizard of Oz, nothing is mentioned about Judy's albums, or the TV show she had for a short time. I liked that Judy befriends a gay couple in the film, but her being an icon in the gay community still felt a little missed. While Judy's family and kids are talked about, they don't have a lot of screen time, at least not as much as I would have thought. I don't recall her sisters being in the movie at all. The film seems to only show Judy at her most troubling time, and misses what she achieved as an actress, a singer, a mother, and a woman.
I think what bothered me most was when the song "Over the Rainbow" appears. The song isn't even performed in it's entirety... or entirely by Judy.
And I'll just say it, I thought the way it ended was terrible, it felt so unfinished. I'm not saying it should have followed to her death, but I definitely wish it would have carried on five or ten more minutes to bring a little closure to events that happened a few scenes before the end.
Overall, I think it could have been done better, but I suppose it could have been worse. My stars are for the cast on this one. Just my opinion of course.
Rock Dog (2016)
Fun and Inspiring
As a Rock musician, I find the concept of any film portraying an aspiring musician chasing their dream intriguing. I went and saw this film at the theater, and I must say I was not disappointed.
The animation may be a bit on the simplistic side compared to most animated films, but the characters are cute, fun, and most of them are likable in one way or another. Of course, the concept of the film itself has been done before, but I feel like this movie does it in a relatively original way, especially with the antagonists making the story a little more interesting.
There are several humorous moments, but the film doesn't completely revolve around humor. There are several heartwarming moments. A few moments you'll feel disappointed or empathetic towards the characters, and overall, if you can get into the film, I think it's a great balance of emotions. And I love "Glorious", the song that plays at the end.
The only critical thing I have to say about it is that it felt a little unfinished. Not in a sense that there were unanswered questions or anything, but I felt like the ending was a bit rushed, and when it was over, I found myself wishing there was more.
I love the message this movie sends and how it portrays the power of music. I also admire that this movie is honest in the sense that there are a lot people in this world that aren't going to be nice to you and try to downplay your dream. This is a story that shows you can beat the bad guys with music, and "if you work hard enough and you want it bad enough, dreams do come true" - Mark Wahlberg, Rockstar
One thing's for sure, if I had saw this movie as a kid, it would have inspired me (Heck, in a way, it did at 23 years old, lol), and I hope it's able to inspire at least a few young music lovers with the same dream as Bodi.