pkryder-1 Reviews

Crawl (I) (2019)

Exciting, Riveting, Tense, But Not Very Realistic

[8/10 · 22 July 2019]

Crawl is a fun summer popcorn movie which will keep you on the edge of your seat, but ...

Alligators are generally NOT highly aggressive toward humans and they do NOT like fast-moving water. During a hurricane, they would certainly NOT go on a feeding frenzy.

One scene that I found just INCREDIBLY ridiculous is when Haley carefully moves to the area where the gators are to get her cell phone, and then IMMEDIATELY TRIES TO CALL 911 instead of getting back to the safer area and THEN making the call. I mean, how utterly STUPID was that?

Also, can helicopters safely operate in a category 5 hurricane?

Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)

Not Too Bad, But Confusing

[6/10 · 22 July 2019]

This movie is pretty exciting in it's second half, but the first half is just awful and really drags. The kids will like it because it deals with kid issues such as teen love, but I found this all INCREDIBLY boring. Jacob Batalon, as Ned Leeds, has got to be the most annoying character I have seen in a movie in a long time. When he got shot with that dart, I was really hoping it would contain poison. Be sure to stick around all the way through the end credits for an interesting "final-final" scene!!

The Delta Force (1986)

Stereotypical Americans vs. Bad Guys Nonsense

[2/10 · 13 April 2019]

The Delta Force is about as stereotypical as it can get. Wonderful, brave, patriotic Americans vs. the evil, conniving, hateful Arabs.

The first half of the film, focusing on the hijacking of the airliner, actually is not too bad and the actress who plays the stewardess really stands out and adds a real touch of humanity to the film. And George Kennedy as a priest is also in fine form.

The movie really takes a turn for the worse, though, in the second half when the Delta Force, led by an aging Lee Marvin (62 at the time, but looked about 75, and it is comical that someone in this condition would be part of an elite commando unit) and Chuck Norris on his motorcycle (which seems to have an ENDLESS supply of missiles) show up on the scene and proceed to rack up an incredible body count of terrorists while almost NONE of the hostages or commandos gets killed or even injured!!! In fact, the whole second half of this film seems like little more than an episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger", and it culminates in Chuck using his karate skills to beat the s--t out of the main terrorist guy.

If you have nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon, I guess it is watchable, but I cannot say much more for it than that.

Soul Surfer (2011)

This is Hawaii, right? So why are all the people in the movie Caucasian?

[5/10 · 10 June 2017]

Soul Surfer is a feel-good inspirational movie.

But there are virtually NO Hawaiian-descent people in the film at all!! Last time I was in Hawaii, I sure remember seeing lots of Hawaiians!

And another thing: WHY are virtually ALL of the females in this film blonde? The only non-blonde female (excluding background people) was that mean brunette girl in the surfing competitions.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Gadot breathtaking, but why do the Germans speak English ??

[7/10 · 4 June 2017]

Wonder Woman is a good movie. Gal Gadot is incredibly stunning and steals the show in the title role.

But for heavens sake, WHY do the German military personnel speak English in this movie?

And don't you just LOVE Chris Pine's British accent? As in ... NONE at all, despite the fact that he is playing a British officer!!

Joe Kidd (1972)

Eastwood and Duvall in the Owens Valley

[6/10 · 9 January 2012]

"Joe Kidd" is not a great western. It does have some good acting, most notably from Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall. It supposedly takes place in New Mexico, but anyone who has been in the area of Lone Pine, CA in the Owens Valley will recognize the landmarks; there are a number of scenes in which Mt. Whitney can clearly be seen in the background.

The plot is largely secondary here; the film is essentially about a corrupt bunch of white landowners who use a crooked sheriff and court system to keep the Mexicans from land that is rightfully theirs, and the Mexicans' struggle to get their land back by any means necessary.

This film is worth a look if you have nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon. Lovely Stella Garcia is simply delicious as one of the Mexicans fighting for their land rights; seeing her strut her stuff around in this flick makes an otherwise-boring movie quite watchable, sort of like Raquel Welch in "100 Rifles".

The Black Orchid (1958)

Entertaining And Gripping, And A Good Early Film For Ina Balin

[8/10 · 3 April 2010]

"The Black Orchid" is about a widow (Sophia Loren) of a murdered mobster, who finds new love in the widower who lives next door, played with great verve and humor by the always-good Tony Quinn.

The Quinn character's barely-grown up daughter (Ina Balin) lives with him and she strongly disapproves of him getting involved with a gangster's widow, even going so far as to lock herself in her room for days on end in protest.

This was one of the lovely Balin's earliest screen roles, and I thought that she was very good and convincing. Even in scenes with gorgeous Sophia Loren, Ina's beauty and radiance were absolutely intoxicating!!

The film also has many comedic moments, including the trip that Quinn and Loren's characters take to the boarding school where her son is attending.

The end of the film, in which the two women settle their differences and make breakfast together, is very heartwarming and downright charming.

Now, how would you like to have had Sophia Loren and Ina Balin prepare breakfast for YOU ??!!!

Hook (1991)

Pretty Good But Dragged In Middle

[7/10 · 29 March 2010]

I enjoyed "Hook" a lot; Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts really stood out in this film.

My only complaint is that there was too much silly playing between the lost boys and Peter in the middle of the film, and I feel that this became rather monotonous. I would have liked to see more interaction between Peter Pan and Captain Hook, and also more screen time for the Captain Hook character generally.

Also, Neverland is supposed to have pirates and Indians in it, and there WERE a LOT of pirates. But I never once saw an Indian.

Maggie Smith was a fine actress and it is always great to see her on screen.

I thought that the end of the film, with the old man flying out of the house, was kind of nutty and really unnecessary, a la the all-too literal ending of "Cocoon", in which the senior citizens are shown flying away in an alien spaceship.

My problems with this movie, though, are minor, and I generally consider this a very good fantasy film for kids and adults--at least those of us who never quite grew up--alike.

The Living Daylights (1987)

Dalton the Best Bond

[8/10 · 28 December 2006]

I like Timothy Dalton best of all the actors who have played James Bond, because he is the only one to act like a real human being--with real human attributes and real human frailties. Connery and Brosnan are too uncaring and cold, and Moore was such a clown, particularly in the last 2 or 3 of his films. Lazenby was probably underrated but not in the part for enough films to get a real gage on. (I have not yet had the opportunity to see the new film with Daniel Craig, so I cannot comment on him now.) But Dalton acts like a real person in the part. Though some might consider this a detriment to the role of 007, it makes his 2 films at least somewhat more plausible than all of the others and his touch of humanity is quite refreshing, in my view.

The villains are not the strongest in this film, but it has the best love story since "On Her Majesty's Secret Service".

Maryam d'Abo is a terrific, heart-melting leading lady; I rank her right up there with Izabella Scorupco from "Goldeneye" as the 2 best bond women ever.

And the recurring role of Walter Gotell as General Gogol is always welcome.

All in all a great show.