ed-503-465183 Reviews

Hello Tomorrow! (2023)

If you ever wanted to see more about the world of Fallout before the bombs drop...here you go.

[8/10 · 26 May 2024]

Hello Tomorrow!" is a visually captivating show set in a beautifully crafted retro-futuristic world. The series revolves around selling dreams to desperate people, promising them a better life on the Moon. I could see these salesmen selling Vault memberships for Vault-Tech in Fallout. The premise is intriguing, and the alternate 1950s sci-fi setting adds a unique flavor.

However, while the aesthetics and concept are strong, the story is a bit thin. The mystery surrounding the real estate development keeps you engaged, but not everything Jack (the main character) says is true. As the series unfolds, you'll discover the complexities behind Brightside and its lunar mission.

Overall, "Hello Tomorrow!" balances moody drama with creative visuals, making it worth a watch for fans of sci-fi and character-driven narratives.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

A WWII Superhero Flick with a Familiar Beat

[6/10 · 13 May 2024]

What can I say? It was fun. The cast of actors did a commendable job portraying WWII superheroes who casually kicked Nazi butt. Amidst the action, there's plenty of dry humor-some of it genuinely funny. All the classic tropes are well covered, ticking the boxes for "modern audiences."

However, the script felt predictable. The film adopts the style of "Inglourious Basterds," albeit with a more diluted impact. Surprisingly, despite the high body count, there's minimal blood or gore for an "R"-rated movie.

The runtime stretched a tad long, but not unbearably so. The overall production quality was spot-on; everyone delivered a professional performance. Now, would I recommend shelling out $19.99 to rent this on Prime Video? Well, that's a tough one. Perhaps-if you find yourself bored on an idle Saturday afternoon. Otherwise, I'd suggest waiting for it to hit a streaming service for free. It's entertaining, but not that entertaining.

Arcadian (2024)

It's a solid, enjoyable, low budget, monster movie.

[7/10 · 2 May 2024]

There's not a whole lot of background given as to why the world is the way it is, or what the monsters are, but despite that fact it was still an entertaining monster movie.

It's hard not to draw comparisons to A Quite Place, they both deal with similar, but not identical, plot devices.

Cage did a good job, as did all the actors in the small cast. The script writing and character development were both good, it kept me interested, and I cared about the characters.

One gripe I have is the chose of shaky camera work. I'm not an artist, I'm not sure what the director was trying to accomplish. For me it was a minor distraction.

Land of Bad (2024)

Solid action movie, haven't seen one like this in 10 or 15 years.

[8/10 · 19 February 2024]

No it's not realistic, but it's fun and entertaining, with a whole lot of action and a few feel good moments.

You have to be able to suspend disbelief to enjoy this military action movie, because it's not based anywhere near reality.

Think superhero movie where the superheroes don't have any magical superpowers. It reminds me a lot of the kind of popcorn movies we use to watch back in the 1980s and '90s. Sort of the same vibe you get from movies like Navy Seals, Rambo, Red Dawn, or Die Hard. So if you like this kind of action movie you'll enjoy this one.

The action is fast, and it does a pretty good job keeping you on the edge of your seat. For me, it was a breath of fresh air, a movie made just to entertain. There was no appeal to "modern audiences," no social, identitarian, or political messaging just clean old fashion action movie fun. What can I say, I really enjoyed it.

No Hard Feelings (2023)

Jennifer Lawrence is a ground breaker.

[6/10 · 1 November 2023]

First, she becomes the very first female lead in an action movie in the Hunger Games, now she has become the first female lead in a raunchy comedy. She's awesome.

As to this movie, it's fun. The comedy lands more than it doesn't, and it's entertaining. It's also one hell of a fantasy. An absolutely gorgeous 32 year-old blue collar worker, down on her luck, is willing to put out for a testosterone challenged 19 year old man-child so she can earn ...a Buick. But she's not a sex worker(?)

You get some raunchy moments including J-law full frontal nudity, and for what more could you ask?

It's on Netflix right now (11/23) which is where I watched it. Was it worth the time. Yeah, if you're into this sort of movie, it is worth the time.

60 Days In (2016– )

VERY curated documentary. But the crew, and script writers get a thumbs up.

[3/10 · 6 October 2023]

Yes, its filmed inside a jail. That's real.

But everything else is about as real as every other reality show on television. If you think this looks scary, depressing, and dirty, just know this is a very watered down version of the reality of jail.

Anyone that has actually been in a large county jail, will tell you it's ten times worse.

This one is well scripted, and managed. You almost feel like it's the real deal. I applaud the camera, lighting and sound crew that captured all the "intense" theatrics, bravo. Obviously all the inmates KNEW they were being filmed. Some of the more intense scenes look like they did it in one take. So the editors need some credit as well.

But it's just a reality show, and like all reality shows it's scripted, curated, and edited. The reality of county lock-up is much, much worse.

Alice in Borderland (2020– )

Violent, brutal, human, and complete. I just binge watched Season 1 and 2.

[8/10 · 27 August 2023]

Usually I don't like to watch streaming series until they've concluded. I've been burned one too many times by cancelations. This series with its two seasons feels complete. I don't think it needs a season 3, despite the fact that they are producing one.

I wasn't a fan of Japanese and South Korean films until they started producing much better stories then American or European productions. The shows I've watched out of Asia are so much better than what I'm seeing come out Western studios. This is one of them.

The script, acting, and production value are superior to what I've seen come out Hollywood over the last decade or so.

With that said, this series is violent and brutal. So, if that's not something you like, I'd pass. But there is also fantastic character development, and great humanity among the brutality.

I'm not (or wasn't) a fan of Japanese or Korean cinema, but this and Squid Games has changed my opinion. These are really great stories, and the production value is top notch.

From: Oh, the Places We'll Go (2022) Season 1, Episode 10

This seems familiar. It's a lot like LOST.

[5/10 · 16 July 2023]

I hope the writers aren't making this up as they go, because at this point that is how it feels to me. I was sucked into LOST the TV show in the '00s, and the story just meandered until they ended it. Lots of questions were unanswered, whole story arcs started only to be abandoned.

I really hope this series has a complete story, and can be finished before it's just dropped. The first 10 episodes were interesting, but there were lots of stupid plot holes.

For example, why didn't they just build the tower on the roof instead of building it on the ground then hosting it to the roof? Why did they set up the radios outside the house instead of inside the house? Why did it take so long to figure out that they didn't need the batteries they could use the mysterious electricity lighting the town. What's the point of the colony vs the town? Is it just to highlight the difference between normal society and neo-Marxism? Why the ceremony to choose?

The problem with series like this in the modern era is will they be able to complete they're story arcs, do they even have a fully fleshed out story to tell? Or, are they just making it up as they go, only to drag it out for as many seasons as they can get orders for, only to conclude it with some unsatisfying conclusion, or none at all.

I have concerns.

It's an interesting play on the LOST theme, I just hope they don't end it the same way.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

A boring corporate production.

[5/10 · 7 July 2023]

They try to squeeze the last drop of profit out of every old franchise. In this one you can feel it. This is a zombie franchise that Disney is forced to ring the register on once again, instead of actually coming up with new ideas.

It felt off tempo from the start. Kind of slow, and maybe a little depressing for those of us who loved the franchise.

The production value was top notch, the acting was good. But it felt like it just had no life left to give. I thought the CGI was fine, and the idea for the story was compelling.

But in the end, it just felt like an end that shouldn't have been produced. I felt jipped. It just wasn't very good.

Bones and All (2022)

Terrible concept and story, good acting and cinematography

[5/10 · 20 December 2022]

This is one of those rare examples of a movie that has good acting and cinematography but also has a terrible repulsive story.

I'm not going to spoil the movie, but lets just say the story is for very specific tastes, and not my cup of tea. With that said I can't complain about the movie's qualities. I thought everyone did a good job. But I probably won't watch it again.

The story is very disturbing and there is gratuitous amounts gore and blood. The only reason I continued to watch is that I had hoped for an explanation for all this, which I never got. I also found the conclusion to the movie as less than satisfying.

One line from the movie sums up all you'll get as an explanation for all of it.

"This is what it is ....whatever it is"

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022– )

It's not Tolkien and it's not good.

[3/10 · 16 September 2022]

The characters are terrible. The story and script are awkward. The pacing is slow and boring. The actors all seem miscast, it's like they tried to put the wrong actor in the wrong role.

Galadriel is absolutely horrible. She is the most unlikely and unlikeable character in the series. She is nothing like Tolkien's Galadriel. She is more like Captain Marvel, and it just doesn't fit nor is her character believable even in a fantasy.

It's obvious the writers want to deliver a message, but they do it in an obvious way with no entertainment value. The CGI and special effects aren't what you'd expect at this price point for a series, I would expect much better. There are some good scenes, but there are more than a few examples of terrible effects.

Finally, this is NOT Tolkien. So if you're a Tolkien fan this series is not for you. It most likely just frustrates you. If you're not a Tolkien fan or don't care about the series not sticking to Tolkien canon, I still think if you want a fantasy series you should check out The House of the Dragon on HBO.

Not Okay (2022)

Crazy postmodern crap.

[3/10 · 1 August 2022]

If you want a snapshot of where society is going this is it. Pointless and humorless, self-hating crap. This is where we are. I hope people wake up and realize that this culture leads nowhere. Victimhood, hate, and rage with no redemption or forgiveness. Just destruction.

The Gray Man (2022)

Very solid fun action movie.

[7/10 · 24 July 2022]

I'm not a fan of the genre and I enjoyed it. It was kind of a mix of James Bond, Jason Borne, Mission Impossible, and a Marvel Superhero movie. Believable? Nah, not even a little. Exciting and fun? Hell yeah!

I think it is one of the better movies Netflix has produced.

Crimes of the Future (2022)

You probably shouldn't watch this movie, unless...

[3/10 · 26 June 2022]

...you are into pretentious art house experimental movies. Or you at least pretend to enjoy them because you think it makes you a smart or a serious film person.

This movie is weird and slowly goes nowhere. Think film student with a big budget trying to impress his college pansexual professor.

The acting and production were professional, everyone did their job, so I'm giving it a 3. The practical effects were on par with what you'd see in the 1970s or 80s. So if you're into that sort of thing, you might enjoy seeing latex shaped and moved in strange ways.

I'm not into art house movies, and this one felt like the kind of movie people who smoke French cigarettes and love the smell of their own farts might sit through. Maybe I'm just not smart enough, or deep enough to enjoy something like this. I'm fine with that.

I just enjoy movies that entertain me. This one did not.

YellowBrickRoad (2010)

Strange...but I enjoyed it.

[6/10 · 18 June 2022]

That pretty much sums it up. This film very much reminds of Justin Benson's and Aaron Moorhead's films Resolution (2012) and The Endless (2017). If you 've seen those films and enjoyed them you might enjoy this one as well.

I'd never heard of this movie until 2022 when it showed up on my streaming service. I thought it was a new movie and was kind of surprised when I found out that this one was made back in 2010.

It is one of those movies that isn't going to give you all the answers, so people who like and expect a movie to do that might be a little frustrated once the credits roll. To be honest, I'm kind of one of those people. Which is why I gave it a six.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, and watched it all the way through, I just wanted more of the answers provided.

Should you watch it? I'd say yeah. It's a strange ride but worth it.

Love, Death & Robots (2019– )

As an anthology series it's hit and miss.

[6/10 · 5 June 2022]

Some of the episodes are pretty good. Some aren't so good. But overall if you like anthologies geared towards fantasy, horror, and science fiction this series is OK.

It's a little like the YouTube channels ALTER, Omeleto, and DUST. These YouTube channels post independent filmmakers' content, and offer a lot of short format stories. So if you like Love, Death & Robots you might check them out.

In some of the episodes in Love, Death & Robots the writers lay on the social and political commentary pretty thick. But hey, writers have been doing that for a long time. They also overrepresent women and minorities in their character selection and while I wouldn't say that doing so distracts from the episodes, it's very obvious what they are doing. But again, it's par for the course these days. So it is what it is.

If you're triggered by seeing more minority and female characters, much fewer white males, or don't care for left leaning politics you might find some of the episodes to be turn off. But I say just grin and bear it. Each episode is a self-contained story, and they're all pretty short. So if you stumble on an episode you don't like don't worry the ride isn't long.

Escape the Field (2022)

What a waste of time.

[2/10 · 11 May 2022]

I don't think they had a screenplay for this one. Someone pitched an idea to the right person and got a green light to film this idea.

After watching this film, I expected the film to answer the mystery it set up, but it didn't. It just meandered, and the ending was very unsatisfying. It wasn't deep, didn't suspend my disbelief. It wasn't particularly scary, I never cared about any of the characters, and their dialogue was painfully awkward.

There isn't anything good I can say about the film, except I watched it until the credits rolled and wish I hadn't.

The Bubble (2022)

I appreciate it for trying make us laugh at the bubble that is Hollywood. It just missed the mark.

[4/10 · 8 April 2022]

It made fun of the celebrity class, the entertainment industry, and the covid overreaction/hyper reaction we just all went through, and it made me smile at times. But it was too long and not that funny of a story.

Maybe if they'd shortened it by a half-hour and had a tight story, but it didn't work for me.

No harm, no foul, I had time to kill. But if you don't, I wouldn't waste time on this.

I gave it 4 stars because I like a lot of actors in it, and I appreciate the message they were trying to deliver.

Death on the Nile (2022)

The 1978 movie was closer to the real deal.

[4/10 · 27 March 2022]

The 2022 version isn't terrible. But it is obvious that the producers wanted to produce a woke version of Agatha Christie's work of fiction. So they set about checking all the modern identitarian boxes in this story set in the 1930s. It's awkward and distracts from the plot.

Other than that, it's a decent movie. But I'd save the money and look around on the streaming services for the film released in 1978. It had better actors, was more faithful to Agatha Christie's original story, and had no identitarian wokeness.

No Exit (I) (2022)

No Exit for the average.

[4/10 · 26 February 2022]

The acting was ok, and the story was a typical Hollywood action thriller. I usually judge this kind of movie by how well they entertain me and suspend my disbelief at their ridiculous action. This one started out well, but went down from there.

I thought the first act did a good job establishing a plausible premise, setting things up, and fleshing out the characters. It was a strong seven at this point. It drew me in and got me interested.

Then the second act happened. Typical Hollywood tropes revealed themselves, and the character's actions and reactions started to go off the rails of believability. They didn't make sense. I fell out of disbelief, and the second act fell to five.

By the end of the third act, I was more than a little disappointed. It felt like it stretched on too long, tried to do too many twists and turns, and just compounded a lot of the problems with the story in the second act. It was a disappointing three.

I'm giving this one a five, you could do worse, but except for its the premise and the first act, this one underperformed. Do I regret watching it, no. But it's not one I'd revisit.

As to the people who have complained about the clean-cut black man making one racist comment in the second act, I found that refreshing. For once, it wasn't a clean-cut white guy making a racist comment.

The acting and production were well done. The story and script just left me disappointed.

A Return to Salem's Lot (1987)

If you've stumbled upon this movie, and never heard of it before, there is a reason for that.

[2/10 · 16 February 2022]

This is not a sequel written by Stephen King. This screenplay was written by Larry Cohen.

Other than being set in a town named Salem's Lot and including vampires, it shares almost nothing with the original book or even its 1979 movie adaptation.

It's so bad it's almost good. ...almost. The story, script, practical effects, and acting are just awful. It's like a made-for-TV movie, except with lots of profanity and a little nudity. The made-for-TV feel might have something to do with Larry Cohan writing a script for a TV series to follow up the 1979 made-for-TV movie Salem's Lot. I guess he added the profanity and nudity to his original TV script idea.

It's just bad.

Moonfall (2022)

OMG they thought there would be a sequel to this movie.

[1/10 · 8 February 2022]

This is a science fiction/action movie for people with an IQ below 80. If you thought 1998's Armageddon was dumb, meet dumber.

I've no idea this was possible, but here you go. Someone actually spent money on this thing, and I actually watched it. I wish I hadn't. You really shouldn't either. This isn't even worth wasting time watching it when it comes to streaming services. It's really that bad.

The Matrix Resurrections (I) (2021)

It was ok.

[6/10 · 24 December 2021]

I have to say most of the good acting was done by the younger actors. I thought it felt like the old cast mailed it in for a paycheck.

Was it great ....ah, no. I thought The Matrix (1999) was great, this was not anywhere near that. The Matrix Resurrection does not cover any new ground, there aren't an new ideas presented, and no real surprises.

Was it fun, yeah, kinda. Did it add anything new to the story? No, but I enjoyed the ride.

Santa Inc. (2021)

I wish I could give it no stars.

[1/10 · 11 December 2021]

A Christmas show for people that hate Christmas, with a heavy dose of what is wrong with western civilization today.

I normally give a lot of latitude to comedies, but this one the messaging is so clear I can't ignore it, and it's not funny.

This would appeal to non-traditional folks who don't like Christmas. Maybe people who take the week of Christmas to head to Miami in order to escape it.

Silent Night (I) (2021)

Seeking a laugh for the end of the world, and failing. (Movie Synopsis: So major spoilers)

[6/10 · 25 November 2021]

This movie felt like another of Keira Knightley's films, "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World," except it was much less funny. This film never made me laugh, or even smile. It has some awkward quirky moments where the writer attempts humor, but misses the mark.

The basic premise is the government has announced that the world is ending, and they've handed out "exit pills" (suicide pills) to the population so that they don't needlessly suffer. Except for illegal aliens and the homeless. Because according to the film, "they don't count." Ironically, as you'll later find out, this might mean the meek shall indeed inherit the Earth.

In the first act you find out that the end comes from an environmental disaster that has created a toxic cloud moving across the globe that kills people by liquifying their organs. They really don't even try to touch on the science about what caused it, but it is said in the dialogue that humanity has polluted the world to the point that "the world spews it all back us." To avoid an agonizing death, the government is actively promoting that everyone should take the exit pill.

Old college friends gather at a country estate for one last Christmas party before the toxic clouds arrive, and they take their government-provided "exit pills" to avoid dying said horrible death. This part of the movie was a little like a millennial version of the 1983 movie "The Big Chill." Which also had old college friends from the boomer generation gather for a weekend reunion.

There is an interracial lesbian couple, an interracial heterosexual couple, and two white heterosexual couples with kids, kids who drop a lot of F-bombs.

The second act they all drink, dance, play games, reminisce and tell each other awkward and inappropriate secrets about their past. I sense that the writer wanted some of this to be funny but in my opinion really missed the mark.

We learn that one of the characters is pregnant and doesn't want to take the pill because she doesn't want to kill her baby.

One of the other couple's sons also doesn't want to take the pill because he wants to survive, and questions the government's narrative. This uncertainty regarding the narrative's validity is shared by several other characters. Maybe the government and scientists are lying, maybe they are just mistaken.

At the start of the third act the son who proclaims he isn't going to take the pill runs off, he finds a car by the side of the road with a family in it that have all taken the exit pill and are dead. The boy begins to scream as one of the toxic dust devils blows in exposing him to the toxin. His father picks him up and takes him back to the house, where he announces it's time to take the pills. There are some more awkward quirky moments which follow.

In the end, they all take the pill except the youngest son, who they believe is dead from exposure to the mysterious toxic cloud. He is unconscious and has bled from his eyes, nose, mouth and ears. .

The final scene we see it is morning. The cloud is gone, and it's bright snowy morning. We then get a cinematic survey confirming that everyone has indeed committed suicide-even the young pregnant woman who didn't want to kill her unborn child finally gave in to her boyfriend's insistence that they "go together." The lesbian has stabbed to death her lover because her lover vomited up the exit pill, the scene shows them both dead on the kitchen floor.

The final shot is on the face of the young boy who earlier we assumed had died and thus didn't take the pill. He opens his eyes. Confirming that he has survived. The government lied or was wrong. Then the credits roll.

Filming for this movie wrapped before the COVID lockdowns. Which I think is a strange coincidence because it lightly touched on several themes that we're all dealing with today. Should you blindly trust the media and authorities?

I'm not sure how I'd categorize this film. It's not a serious piece of fiction. It most certainly wasn't a comedy, and it wasn't much of a horror movie either. With that said, I kind of enjoyed it because of the actors.