tedster_98 Reviews

Falling Down (1993)

excellent excellent movie

[9/10 · 19 January 2024]

I watched this film again after several years and rediscovered how great it was. It shows a very real depiction of psychological breakdown and how society really throws a lot of crap on people - particularly white males. A man losing his job, losing his marriage, being alienated from his kid, having to live with his elderly mother, then getting stuck in traffic, getting jumped by gang-bangers, dealing with a racist and rip off asian store owner guy, dealing with constant bums and vagrants, a neo nazi, two sodomites, and several other scummy characters of various sorts. The film shows all the paradoxes of how a terrible society can be and how it really cause a man to snap - when he is robbed of absolutely everything near and precious to him and then insulted and attacked by the worst elements of society. Then to have all of the worst elements shoved and forced upon you. It's a very believable film and as a viewer I had great empathy for the character of Bill - having gone through much of the same crap myself in life - though not in the extremes as depicted in the film. Every character was real and believable in the film. A+ a nearly perfect film.

The Ranch (2016–2020)

decent show with some serious issues

[6/10 · 11 January 2024]

I liked the show. I actually binged watched it over 3 days when I was sick and laid up at home. The characters were well developed, the general story was good and the characters were likable. That being said, the entire series for me, as a Catholic, were also extremely offensive. 1. The constant abuse and mockery of my religion. Characters mockingly drinking sacramental wine (by an obvious Jewish actor) or even worse the consecrated blood of Christ. 2. Characters claiming to be Catholic yet only going to church once a year. 3. Characters participating in an abortion attempt which is a grave evil 4. Characters constantly fornicating yet claiming to be Catholic 5. Characters divorcing then trying to remarry with a "priest" outside a mass and outdoors - this is forbidden on so many levels. A priest cannot marry a divorced person nor can he marry outside a church without a mass.

Every time thing like this happened during the show, I wanted to shut it off, but the characters overall were too likable even with these serious problems. The characters were believable with marriage problems, drug addictions, relationship issues etc...

Overall - a decent show, but the mockery of my religion came close to me making it a deal-breaker.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

snoozefest

[2/10 · 5 November 2023]

Incredibly boring movie. After 2 hours - shortly after the halfway point, I shut it off. The characters are very dull, the plot is extremely slow to develop, and the characters are quite boring. How this movie got more stars from most is beyond me. I seldom stop watching films in the middle, but this one was one of them. The indians are displayed as stupid and unintelligent, the whites as all crooked and conniving and it was a stereotypical whites were all bad, and all the indians were taken advantage of politically correct film. While certainly there was much exploitation of natives, hardly anything is ever said today about the atrocities natives did to whites or even to each other. This film failed to even develop those reasonable questions. It was an extremely boring film, and I love watching westerns. This wasn't one of them. Skip it.

Time Hustler (2022)

ultra low budget Brazilian production

[3/10 · 30 October 2023]

I watched this out of morbid curiosity on Netflix. I had never seen a Brazilian production before, so I was thinking -well "It can't all be that bad." Immediately I realized this was like the cheesy Bollywood or Fillipino soap operas my wife watches on the Indian and Fillipino channels. It was bad. The costumes were laughingly clownish -even given when given leeway due to foreign differences. The acting was always over the top, and the jokes got very stale. The set appeared to be only in one locale. I watched all but the last episode with the last episode playing in the background while I was occupied with something else. I didn't miss anything. The entire series could have been done in one sitting like a Bollywood production. The exaggerated expressions and acting, the rank amateur actors (were they even actors?), the clown costumes, and excessively silly dialog made this comedy more of a children's show than anything else. Unfortunately this wasn't for children as there were some very adult jokes. Pass unless you're foreign clown comedies.

Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (1983 TV Movie)

laughably bad movie

[3/10 · 12 October 2023]

This movie has so many flaws and technical goofs it's hard to keep track. Bad dialogue, bad technical, cheesy graphics, and actors with gaps in their teeth so big you could fly the airplane through.

At first I thought this was a movie based off an Alistair MacLean book. The plot was very formulaic. But the goofs just coming and coming, from nothing happening from rapid depressurization, to people not floating in zero gravity, to C02 sickness not being accurately portrayed among others. There were so many ridiculous items shown that were scientifically impossible or inaccurate that it was cringeworthy. That being said, it is a 70s / early 80s disaster movie. You get to see the poofy hair, the big rim glasses, and preppy outfits. That adds to the laughs.

Enjoy the movie for what it is... a low budget comedy.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

horribly bad boring movie

[2/10 · 15 September 2023]

I decided to rewatch this movie recently because when I was a kid, my parents, particularly my mother raved about this film. I tried to watch it but kept finding myself fast forwarding through it. The wedding scene was atrociously long, the dreary and shithole scenery of Pittsburghian steel towns was depressing, and the characters were incredibly boring. Dialog was often hard to hear and the scenes never really developed the characters or seem to go anywhere. Finally half way through I shut it off. It was sheer misery to watch. I think it was about the time another juvenile high school like scene where one guy is pissing on the side of the road and his buddies start to drive off. I have no idea why my parents liked this film other than the religious orthodox scenes at the beginning. As for myself, it was a terrible movie and and horrible war movie. I've seen plenty of good war movies and this one isn't one of them. Do yourself a favor and skip it. How on earth it was nominated for oscars, beats me.

Valhalla Rising (2009)

Boring

[3/10 · 5 December 2010]

I tried to watch the whole film. I couldn't. It seemed interesting at first with the wide shots and the cerebral (lack of dialog) images. I thought the plot would pick up - it didn't. I thought the flashbacks would make sense - they didn't. The movie just went nowhere and finally became too boring to stand another minute past "from hell".

There was virtually no character development. There was no explanation of why things were. Sorry. This movie is a waste of time. Skip it. I would like to say it had potential, but it didn't.

It would have been more interesting if the characters actually had wound up in the Holy Land. Instead we're just watching a bunch of characters die a very slow death throughout the entire film. Boring.

The Hurt Locker (2008)

good cinema, grossly inaccurate.

[4/10 · 16 November 2010]

I am a two-time Iraq veteran. While the scenery and photography of the film were wonderful, the inaccuracies of Army life were just too much to ignore. Alcohol on the FOB (Forward Operating Base), running outside the wire (perimeter) at night then checking back into a checkpoint with no repercussions (either on or off the FOB)..... Taking off the bomb suit during an operation, EOD guys knowing sniper and infantry tactics, running around doing infantry tactics without commo gear, the showers were too nice on the FOBs, flying in choppers without battle gear on, an Army shrink going off the FOB (be for real!)....the inaccuracies with explosives etc etc etc.... the list goes on ad naseum.....

I liked the film in the beginning, but it kept getting slower and slower and slower. Then the errors of the film regarding Army life were too gross and if the script writers did a little bit of homework, they could have made this film really good.... as it stands, it is mediocre. This movie had so much potential, but it was a real let-down.

The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Terrible

[2/10 · 3 August 2008]

First, I found the film offensive. The overt slams on the Catholic church and Republicans were not only not funny, but they were unnecessary and were detractive. Now ignorant people who no nothing of the Catholic faith will continue to erroneously believe that all priests are pedophiles when in fact less than 1% (even smaller than the general population) were involved in such activity. From the very beginning I was turned off. I found myself actually falling asleep in the movie. The plot was convoluted and underdeveloped with little emphasis on the Frankenstein doctor or any background explanation. The main characters were bland and the script was forced. I really couldn't find much positive about the film and the religious slam made it worse.

So much more could have been done with this film - and they left out aliens - something you expect from an x-files show.

August Rush (2007)

cheesy, horrible acting, and full of clichés

[3/10 · 19 March 2008]

I saw this one on an airline trip and I am glad I didn't waste $4 renting it. It had horrible acting, over-cliché'd roles (gotta have the token ghetto black kids and a baptist church), an undeveloped plot (little filler to explain the boy's childhood or how he got his gift), and an overbearing, repetitive musical score. In addition, the one night stand between Rush's parents seemed SO implausible. (especially since both were sober.) This was a sugary sweet, chick flick done VERY poorly. Even external characters were badly acted. Robin William's character was unrealistic and not menacing enough. Heck, this one was stolen right out of oliver twist. The child placement agency didn't really seem to be too active in looking for the missing Rush....

overall it was very, very mildly entertaining, but don't waste your $ on a rental. Wait until it is released for TV.

In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (2007)

terrible, but entertaining

[3/10 · 19 January 2008]

I saw this in the theater because it looked interesting, but I was disappointed. Terrible acting, terrible plot, terrible editing. It was basically just a rehashed made for TV fantasy that wound up in the movie theater. The plot line was like a super condensed version of lord of the rings without the magic, story, and allegories. The film starts and leaves the viewers wondering and doesn't explain the plot well. The editing is VERY choppy and amateurish. The actors looked bored and unexcited. The krugs were basically ORCs stolen from Lord of the Rings.

I should have waited until it was dollar night. But for a couple of hours, it did fill some time. Overall grade - D

Employee of the Month (2006)

funny very entertaining and enjoyable

[8/10 · 30 May 2007]

This is a movie I truly enjoyed. I think that people who didn't enjoy it were looking for something that the movie wasn't supposed to present. This is a caricature movie- it is expected to be exaggerated. I watched this movie 3 times now and each time I found it amusing. What really made this movie work for me was that it was original. While there have been "workplace" movies like Office Space, this is the first I have seen about a big-box store. The story line was simple, the sexuality was kept to a minimum making it worth taking kids, and each character was one that we could all relate to. We have all had a slacker, a jerk, a bombshell, and "the guys" for fellow employees at work. Take this movie for what it is, and enjoy your popcorn with it.

Superman Returns (2006)

terrible. Sucked all around.

[3/10 · 29 May 2007]

The only character in this film that was even somewhat interesting was Lex Luthor played by Kevin Spacey. The crystal island was cheesy, the special effects lame, the plot line was horrible, and the characters were wooden. The number of inconsistencies between characters was too numerous but I will outline a few. 1. Superman can do superthings, regular people cannot. Perhaps superman can survive supersonic speeds but Lois cannot. 2. The crystal island is made of kryptonite, how on earth could superman lift it! 3. Lex Luthor is too smart to be stranded on a small island with a dumb broad. 4. Don't mix 1940s technology with modern technology - it doesn't work. While the daily planet would work fine in a 1940s comic book, cell phones would not work in reverse in terms of plot lines. 5. Superman is supposed to be morally straight - why on earth would he have an illegitimate kid. 6. Superman fights for TRUTH, JUSTICE, and the American WAY - obviously the director's communist leanings show forth with a glaring omission - it was a real insult and hurt the movie badly.

Terrible film overall. I am glad I did not pay to watch this crap.

Stomp the Yard (2007)

terrible

[1/10 · 25 May 2007]

Possibly one of the worst movies I have seen in a while. The plot had no substance, was undeveloped, and could have made the stronger story line of love between two college kids more plausible. Instead, what we got was a terrible B movie about black fraternity dancers that really emphasized stereotypes. Seriously, at many points in the film, I though I was watching tribal dance re-enactors. I had to skip through most of the dance sequences as not only were they insulting to most persons of dignity, but they also insulted the African-American race. I was disappointed that a traditionally black school would allow such a pathetic exploitation of their own people on their own grounds. There could have been so much more positive story lines added to the film. Instead what we got was a rotten dance movie, that glamorized the phoniness of the fraternity system on college campi. Really- just HOW many frat boys land a big $ job when they graduate through from school? I'll be willing to bet most forget who their brothers were within a few years. This was another stereotypical insult.

What could have been an average film was turned into a terrible one with definite reverse-discrimination underpinnings, horrible acting, Neanderthal dancing, and downright unfunny blaxploitation .

What a Girl Wants (2003)

Good little romantic teen romp. fun to watch

[8/10 · 12 May 2007]

A nice little teen romantic romp in England. While definitely a chick-flick, it is quite enjoyable to guys as well. A good little American teenager who never knew her real dad, goes to England only to find out he is a noble about to be married to a gold digger. The girl's real mom left her noble father before she was born as she felt her relationship with a noble would never work out. This little yank works her way into the nobleman's house and charms everyone. Good scenery and good laughs against the stuck-uppishness of upper-crust society life. It's pretty much a Cinderella story, but I found it quite amusing and pleasant to watch. 2 thumbs up from me.

The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007)

terrible. Original far better

[2/10 · 13 April 2007]

Not even remotely interesting. About 3/4 through the film, I quit and turned it off. First, it was totally unrealistic regarding the military. Females in the infantry, Sergeants being addressed as sir, and abuses like having the one private stand on 1 leg are not longer tolerated in the Army. The female soldiers were portrayed as weak and pathetic. The Sergeant looked more like a stereotypical moron jar-head than an army sergeant. weak very weak.

The monster sequences were just one jump scene to another. Highly repetitive and after awhile it just didn't work anymore. Monster make-up was poor.

The original movie at least explained the cannibals. If you like really bad B movies, pick this one up at the 99 cent rack.

This one was a real stinker.

Die Hard 2 (1990)

another goof

[7/10 · 30 March 2007]

Having lived in the DC area for more than 20 years, it almost never snows before mid - January and only once have I seen a dusting around Christmas time. Snow is usually very light and a blizzard averages about once every 10 years.

Also airport corps at Reagan national don't have NY accents.....I thought this was amusing. I even worked at Reagan national for quite some time so I am very familiar with aiport equipment and procedures. Baggage handling machines are 100% electrical and there would be no steam vents or pipes. This was also amusing, but I understand it was added for dramatic effect.

Though most of the film was around Dulles, the basic ideas are the same.

The rest of the film definitely had a DC feel to it and was much better than the first Die Hard movie.

Friday Night Lights (2004)

OK, but some serious issues

[5/10 · 13 January 2007]

Good story - could have developed more around characters. The sexual activities portrayed with the teenagers really detracted from a film, and further sent a statement with viewers that this was OK activity. Not enough was developed about the history or legacy of the school and why should the viewer care about the school in the first place. Having lived in El Paso for 7 years which is a Texas stones throw from Odessa - I could understand the boredom and desolation. A lot of the film centered around Boobie Miles yet the anti-climax was grossly undeveloped and left the viewers really wondering what happened to him and the other players after the final game and before graduation. Another example is the player with the sick mother. A lot of the film explains his concern for leaving her to join the world, yet the viewer is let down when nothing is done to explain what happens in the future. This was supposed to be a football and real-life reality movie yet too much was focused on football and not enough on the life. It was a cheap American Graffiti style ending. Overall a good film, but not great.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Excellent

[9/10 · 5 January 2007]

Esxcellent film. Very moving and really explained the Rwandan tragedy of which I was completely ignorant. As a westerner, the crisis in Rwanada was largely ignored by the press The film truly showed the goodness that one man can bring during times of complete evil and suffering. Much better than Schindler's list, more real and succinct. The drama was really felt. Some of the other characters could have been developed a little more, but that perhaps would have made for a longer film. In addition a little more historical background may have been more appropriate for foreigners like myself who didn't quite understand the crisis at the beginning of the film. -such an footnote would have be more helpful. Although there was some, more could have been added. I enjoyed this film and highly recommend it. Definitely Oscar material.