edjofsanity Reviews

Monkey Man (2024)

And monkeys might fly out of my...

[5/10 · 29 April 2024]

This started out solid. Sort of John Wick revenge story set in India. That's where the similarities end. The fight scenes are shot with shaky cam work - no doubt trying to convey frenetic action - but only serves to convey that this is Patel's first time directing. The characters and story are all in the first 20 minutes. After that it's mindless fill and violence, unless you consider transgender monks as fighting gurus believable. It really is a b movie with some greatly choreographed fight scenes, shot horribly. Do yourself a favor and re-watch The Raid, or any John Wick film instead.

All that being said, I refuse to give up on Dave Patel and look forward to seeing him grow in his craft.

1883 (2021–2022)

Joyful, uplifting, and lighthearted - NOT!

[7/10 · 27 September 2023]

This is the wagon train to hell. Just when you think it can't get any bleaker, it does. Do not watch this if you are depressed or suicidal.

The story revolves around a group of German immigrants traveling to Oregon. It is wonderfully made. The actors make it believable.

The plot is simple but engaging. Faith and Tim McGraw shine in the leads, making the most their real-life marriage to help their married characters come to life. The direction was terrific, catching the scenic Oregon trail beautifully. However, every episode presents a more tragic circumstance than the one before it. Beautiful but sad to the end.

Leverage: Redemption (2021– )

Not the same.

[5/10 · 6 March 2023]

Leverage is one of my favorite tv shows and I was sorry to see it go. When Leverage: Redemption started I was so happy, but now I'm a bit disappointed. The premise is still the same and the change in cast is ok too. Even the stories and plotlines are still creative.

However, they have made it cheesy. The actors now overact in their roles. It makes it unbelievable, and in many cases, unwatchable. It's like a wonderful science class is being taught by kindergarten teachers. Logic replaced with wanna-be laughs. Serious scenarios filled with sugary substance.

It's unfortunate.

Bring back the no-nonsense, overcoming difficult situations, that made the show in the first place. They used to be serious about helping people, now they are serious about hamming it up for the camera and it leaves a bad taste on a tv show delicacy.

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Awful Star Trek, awful sci-fi.

[7/10 · 22 July 2022]

Season 1 was watchable and gave hope for something better. This did not happen. Season 2 stank. The writers should be embarrassed at the story and plotline. I even have a general disregard for the actors now as well. How could they knowingly agree to take part in such a disgraceful and degrading show of their abilities. Skip this and re-watch some of your other favorite Trek shows instead.

Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045 (2020–2022)

Great addition!

[8/10 · 12 June 2022]

Finally, another SAC! I know there are a lot of people who don't like the animation, and I get it. It's not my favorite either. However, the storyline, characters, action and future tech all fit the show's profile. It's so good that I stopped noticing the animation. Give this a chance and you will be entertained - especially if you liked the first 2 SAC seasons (my favorite anime of all time). I hope Netflix can keep this going for a long time.

Drive My Car (2021)

Slow, thoughtful drama.

[6/10 · 26 March 2022]

Drive My Car was well acted and directed. The story was deep and fairly moving. The main character morns the loss of his wife and all the emotions that come with morning a loved one with a checkered past. The driver is dealing with her own loss and emotions. As the main character directs the play, "Uncle Vanya," it forces him to confront his mixed emotions and find peace.

It was good, not great. I definitely would not recommend it for an Oscar, let alone a second viewing. It was too long, too slow and did not provide me with the level of entertainment that other dramas have. But what do I know, I never would have chosen "Nomadland," or "Parsite" either. I think good entertainment should appeal to a broader audience. This is the kind of film students are going to have to watch in art school.

The Batman (2022)

They succeeded in making Batman boring.

[5/10 · 6 March 2022]

I was excited to see this movie. I thought Pattinson could add some new life to the character and the supporting actors were all stellar. They had the right combination to make a great movie. What happened? The story was slow. The scenes were slow. The actors moved and talked slow. The music was even slow. There was no character development to make you care or despise anyone. It was all BLAH. Also, don't stay for the after credit scene because there isn't one. Just a question mark.

I'm ok with a serious take on the Dark Knight but it should still be fun, or exciting, or suspenseful. This movie had NONE of that. They set up the characters for a second feature, hopefully they hire a different director and writers.

Also, there were points in the movie where they sped up Catwoman's actions hoping no one would see it. We did and it looks amateurish and cheap. If a scene isn't working take the time to re-film it.

Cowboy Bebop (2021)

Could have been excellent and I hope to see more.

[6/10 · 29 November 2021]

I love the original Cowboy Bebop anime. The style, the music, and the story was fantastic. This live action rendition was very well done, capturing a lot of the fun of the anime. However, it did have two huge flaws that kept its rating lower than should be. The first, and biggest, were the backstories. The backstories slow down the program. They were tedious, and uninteresting, and added nothing good to the program. Sticking with the bounty hunter aspect would've brought the shows rating up to a nine. If this show gets a second season it should be much better now that the backstory is out of the way. The only other thing that could've been improved was the language. The original Anime was for PG viewers. Including all the extra foul language only serves to dumb the showdown and keep me from letting my kids watch. I hope the writers I think this through if there's a second season.

All in all it's worth a watch, you just might want to keep the fast forward button handy for the slow backstory parts.

F9: The Fast Saga (2021)

Why do I watch this crud?!!!

[3/10 · 10 August 2021]

The writing, plotline, drama, and script are all garbage! I just sat through that part to see the action. I'm always hoping the action is going to fun-over-the-top popcorn fair, however, each F&F movie that comes out makes the action so ridiculous that it becomes unenjoyable as well. Just stupid. If I'm talking movies with someone and they "loves' these movies: I instantly know I'm talking to a moron. Why do I keep torturing myself when a new one comes out? I must be crazy because I'm expecting different results.

WandaVision (2021)

This can't decide what it wants to be.

[5/10 · 27 February 2021]

WandaVision plays most of the time in a sit-com world comprised of sit-coms throughout the history of television. The idea is to show what it would be like to have Wanda and Vision as the leads in favorite sit-coms over the decades. This idea intrigued me to no end. I couldn't wait for the show to begin. Then it began and I couldn't wait for it to be over. Sit-coms are supposed to be funny and heartwarming and clever - this has none of that. The comedy is stale, the story is slow and the supporting characters have no significance whatsoever.

The interesting part of the show is the outside "real" world where they are trying to figure out what is going on but even these characters need work. As a Marvel show this is lacking any superhero qualities. As a funny show it is stale with no laughs. As a sci-fi show it is interesting for a few minutes an episode.

Maybe it will get better - I hope so.

Revision: After watching all shows my rating of 5 does not change. If they had started the show at episode 9 it would have been far more interesting. This is a shame since I have loved everything Marvel has put out before this.

It (I) (2017)

Meh...

[5/10 · 12 September 2017]

I saw the new "It" today. I read the book years ago. I also saw the made for TV miniseries. While this movie was not bad, it certainly was not very entertaining either.

The story is a balance between the experience the children have in defeating evil and what happens 27 years later when the evil comes back and they have to decide if they will fight it again as adults. Some of the best parts of the story are derived from comparing the characters in their childhood years to their adult years.

This movie had none of that. It only dealt with the children, obviously banking on a second feature. Because of this, all the charm of the movie was lost. It felt like a second rate "Stranger Things." Even the made for TV version was better. I am so glad I only paid matinée price, but even that was too much. The best part of this movie was the clown, Pennywise. Very creepy but not good enough to save this feature. Wait for video.

Hardcore Henry (2015)

I'd rather play the game...

[6/10 · 11 April 2016]

The Hardcore Henry trailer promises a new cinematic experience; something to be experienced; best action movie you'll ever see." While the movie did offer some fun in those areas, there is nothing new here. My biggest concern going in was that the first person camera would wreck the movie and give me a headache. Not to worry! The way this was filmed did indeed put you into the action in such a way that kept you looking at the screen instead of away from it. Let's just cut to the core: The story is a typical, predictable action plot. The characters bring nothing exceptional to the screen. The main villain has some amazing powers that you are forced to accept because they are never explained. The best parts of this movie are the action/gore scenes. So over the top that it was often fun.

With that being said: If you like stupid, over the top action movies, you'll like this - but save a few bucks and go to the matinée, or better yet, play a good video game on an HD TV. For everyone else, stay home and watch the first Die Hard for you fill of fun.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)

Fantastic movie about a troubling incident.

[9/10 · 26 January 2016]

I was worried when I saw Michael Bay's name attached to this movie. One thing this story did not need was his tendency to glamorize and pontificate. After seeing this movie I can honestly say that I'm glad he was in charge. The directing helped the viewer to identify with what the soldiers were dealing with: not knowing what locals to trust; trying to obey superiors but wanting to save American lives. John Krasinski does a great job as soldier who is realizing the importance of his family. His underrated performance brings the heart to this movie. I was also worried that Bay would turn this story into some political message - he did not. This movie was about the soldiers' dilemma and how they saved American lives.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars Done Right

[8/10 · 20 December 2015]

I thoroughly enjoyed Episode IV, loved Episode V, thought that Episode VI was enjoyable but too "kiddy." I consider episodes I, II, III worthy distractions at best. With the announcement of Episode VII a flicker of hope began to burn. Could JJ and Disney re-ignite what has been considered a world-wide cultural phenomena? Could new characters be introduced that engaged our hearts with emotion and excitement as Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy, Darth and the Droids did? I am writing this to tell you THE FIRE HAS BEEN RE-IGNITED! The Force Awakens has managed to re- kindle the fire of Star Wars. The new characters draw the viewer in and make you care about what happens to them (something Ep. 1-3 failed to do). The connection to the familiar old characters didn't feel forced and made it fun. I can't wait to see Episode VIII! I need to see it! I did not think I would feel that way about Star Wars again. V and V are still my favs, but VII has proved to be the awakening we've been looking for.

Spectre (I) (2015)

Spectre is little more than a shadow of good 007.

[8/10 · 9 November 2015]

I love James Bond. I love Daniel Craig as 007. This movie was neither the best or worst of that team up and left me wishing it was better. Don't get me wrong, the action scenes were great; the casting superb; the story and writing were even well thought out. What wasn't thought out were the scenes in-between the action. No character or plotdevelopment - just boring. The audience was not engaged in the story. The movie dragged on and on. I welcomed the ending in stead of wanting more. That is not a good place to be for such a solid franchise. Hopefully the next installment will have more substance than a spectre.

The Martian (2015)

The Martian Has Landed

[9/10 · 7 October 2015]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie going in. Matt Damon is pretty hit and miss for me and I was afraid of a preachy message from Scott (like so many sci-fi movies do). To my great surprise I, I loved this movie! The story was compelling, the characters believable and the "leave no man behind" message is very positive. Matt Damon's performance shines and watching him deal with overwhelming problems is enough to inspire anyone to not give up. Of course much of the science was not believable - it's a movie - but as a story element it all worked terrifically. I recommended this movie for everyone teen and above. It has some language issues (so would I if I was left struggling alone on Mars). This movie just topped my list for 2015.

America's Got Talent (2006– )

The only variety show left in America.

[8/10 · 30 July 2015]

I've read all the other reviews and agree with the most of the good and bad said about this show. The judges are obviously used for two reasons only: to draw out the time and try to help us connect emotionally. It's always a hit or miss. Often they just sound like they enjoy hearing the sound of their own voices. But they are worth their weight in pontificating syllables. The talent here is definitely varied. The other shows in this vein are all about singing or dancing only and that has gotten quite stale.

This show has talent of all varieties, and some you've never even imagined before. You never know if you are going to be assaulted with someone's idea of greatness or if you will be treated to something spectacular yet unassuming. This show has more "great" moments than those other shows combined, just check out some of the YouTube highlights. I highly recommend this show and hope that it can spark a return of variety shows such as The Carol Burnett Show and The Dean Martin Show. (I've seen them in reruns!)

Tomorrowland (2015)

Fun for the whole family.

[8/10 · 26 May 2015]

The future is looking for people who have hope in mankind's desire for peace and adventure! Great acting and story line make this movie a pleasure for any age over 7. Mr. Cloony and company deliver strong performances and the action keeps the movie moving and the moviegoer hanging on. Not only that, but it's fun too. I also enjoyed the way the flashbacks were presented to the audience and the great special effects throughout. As the credits rolled, the theater patrons clapped and everyone had a smile on their face. I am still scratching my head over the time travel elements themselves, however, it did not take anything away from the fun being delivered.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Delivers exactly what was promised!

[8/10 · 19 May 2015]

I loved all the trailers for this movie. In fact, they were so good I was beginning to suspect that the actual film was going to sub-par. Boy was I wrong. This movie hit every button promised in the trailer. Stunts, over the top action, choreographed car chases and a small but engaging story line. (Let's face it, if you were going for a heart- wrenching, deeply moving story about a misunderstood man ------THIS AIN'T IT!) This is cars, Max, cars, Furiosa, cars, explosions, women who can stand up to bad men, cars and a killer storm thrown in. Even Mel Gibson would be approving this upgrade. While it is rated R, it's on the tame side of R. And that DOES NOT mean you can take your kids. It's still R. Be the responsible parent and enjoy this with your friends now, with your kids when they are 18. I plan on seeing it a second time with some more friends.

Ex Machina (2014)

Good movie.

[6/10 · 19 May 2015]

Great acting. Great script. Great special effects. Great story. After watching the trailer a few times I thought I knew what the twist would be, and I was surprised to find out that I was wrong. Also, the actors are so good that they make the "rich playboy scientist creates the world's first AI" story believable.

But the pacing was just too slow for me. I even went in to the movie expecting it to be a more cerebral experience. Still, the movie dragged on. It seemed like they were repeating scenes just so they could keep the ominous mood throughout. I enjoyed it, and chances are good that you will too, but I won't be watching it a second time.

Furious 7 (2015)

Screen Action Saves the Day

[6/10 · 8 April 2015]

The gang's seventh installment gives you all the action and fast cars that you have come to expect from the franchise. The fact that you have to leave half your IQ at the door should come as no surprise either.

The script and plot had me wincing in my seat on several occasions but I decided to wait and see if the action sequences would make up for it...again. They did (barely). Here's an idea: reserve .01% of the money used on cgi and put it towards a decent screenwriter and story collaborator. I think everyone who likes fast cars and/or a good action thriller should be insulted at how stupid the producers of this movie think we are. End on a positive note: loved the Paul Walker farewell.

Run All Night (2015)

Neeson In Fine Form

[6/10 · 24 March 2015]

NEESON IN FINE FORM

What happens when an ex-mobster hit-man's son is the target of his ex- mob boss? Liam Neeson of course! This movie has everything you would expect a Neeson action/revenge movie to have. The biggest plus is the cast of great actors. The biggest minus is that you will have the entire movie figured out in the first ten minutes. If you are looking for something new, look elsewhere. My Verdict: wait for a matinée or DVD unless your testosterone levels are severely low. I love action Neeson, but I'm beginning to miss him in the rolls that made him famous: Schindler's List; Les Miserable; etc.

Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins (2012)

Great movie, that it is!

[9/10 · 22 October 2014]

If you are a fan of the manga or the anime, this movie will put a smile on your face. If you have never heard of Kenshin before but love action and swordplay, this fun movie will not let you down.

Being a fan of the manga and the anime myself I was very skeptical of this film. The potential for it to be another overly cheesy, cartoonish live action movie was in the extreme. Thank goodness I was extremely wrong. What a joy it was to see this done right. The characters were presented in ways that were easily recognizable with the actors giving them just the right amount of charm. The action scenes were exciting: camera work and lighting superb. Plus, they didn't resort to showing the same punch or slash over and over within the fight (which is so overdone in Japanese cinema!) Can't wait for more!

Outlander (2014– )

I wanted to like this...

[2/10 · 22 October 2014]

I have read the first 3 books (are there more?) of the series (the third one was a chore to get through). What got off to a slow start kept me interested with the inclusion of time travel, burly men I wanted to believe I could become and a decent love story of two souls from different times - literally.

This is exactly what the TV series portrays, only much worse. The narration of the episodes comes off like an audio book. The main character is not portrayed as strong as the character in the book. But worst of all, they have totally embraced the love story in sickly, saccharined camp. It's all very hard to digest. I couldn't help but notice almost all of the "good" reviews are from women. That should be a pretty good indication for your decision to watch this show or not. If you are still interested in this show I would recommend that you save yourself hours of mind-numbing soapbox drama and just watch Bravehart again.

The Equalizer (2014)

Nothing new to see here...

[5/10 · 30 September 2014]

Denzel stars as a man with a hidden past that includes many specialized and dangerous skills. The prostitute he befriends is beaten up by the Russian mob. All he really wanted to do was to encourage her to read classic literature, instead he's ready to take down the mob single-handed.

It really seemed like the movie was supposed to star Liam Neesom (might of been better too).

Same story as hundreds of other movies, just ramp up the violence. Same Denzel: how many times do we have to see him squint his eyes and look with serious hatred, then suck on his bottom lip. It was great in Glory, but come on man, learn some new facial and vocal expressions already. He is the same in every movie. Which only made this worse.

I suppose it's a decent action movie for a matinée or a rental, just don't make it your first choice.