stevebesley Reviews

Theaters of War (2022)

I'm shocked, shocked to find that the military cares about its image!

[2/10 · 10 July 2022]

As I began watching this I was amazed at all these folks who seemed surprised and scandalized that the US military would insist on approval and even control over the message of any film that used their hardware and resources. As a film maker you don't have to agree, but then the military will not cooperate and lend you their toys.

How could this possibly be news to anyone? If you don't like the US, or the US military, or US government affairs that's fine. Make whatever movie you like - just without their help. But how naive can you be to expect that the US military will cooperate with your project if they don't like your message?

The Old Man (2022– )

STUPID ending to first episode!

[2/10 · 30 June 2022]

So at the end of the first episode, Dan chase, who is supposed to be something like a retired assassin (we don't know yet for sure) decides to kill the two operatives who are tailing him by killing one with his car, and then trying to find and kill the second with his pistol. His being overpowered by the second operative, then rescued by his dogs makes for great video - but it is STUPID.

Why would he disable his only vehicle taking out one operative by ramming their car with his? He was hiding in the bushes, so why didn't he just shoot both of them and drive away? Or is this supposed to be an example of how his tradecraft skills have grown stale over the years? Were the rest of you giving this such a high score not bothered by this plot point?

I'll keep watching, but I hope it gets better.

Bill Maher: #Adulting (2022 TV Special)

Sad, just sad

[3/10 · 17 April 2022]

Bill starts off by insulting the folks in the audience who are wearing masks, saying that we now have the vaccine, and no one with the vaccine dies. (Tell that to the 2000 fully vaccinated people in Minnesota who have died from Covid.) Then he goes off on Trump - again. Nothing wrong with that, except that he isn't funny, or clever when he does it. He thinks all he has to do is say "Trump" and his audience will laugh. The hour just came across as a mean spirited rant, not clever or insightful observations.

1917 (2019)

So bored we almost walked out many times

[5/10 · 16 January 2020]

This film is the most realistic depiction of the horrors of the trench warfare of WWI that you will ever see. I can't imagine it ever being surpassed. The sets were just amazing. What a shame to waste it all of such a boring and irritating script.

There were just so many plot points that struck us as absurd and unrealistic. The frequent occasions when you found yourself thinking "Well that's stupid" or "That would never happen" kept you from being fully involved with the film. Surely the Generals in command would not have trusted this mission to just two grunts. A squad could travel as quickly as a pair, and would have allowed them to include at least one experienced non-com who could make better choices. And the choices made by the two soldiers were so unbelievable. Like entering the German tunnels as a way to get to their destination. That's just insane. And the recovery of the one who was buried in rubble and the explosion was dramatic, but unrealistic. And once back in the open they come across a farm house and say they need to check if it is abandoned. Why? If your mission is so important just go around it. Then when the German plane crashes into the shed at the farm why would they risk their lives to rescue the pilot? They've been cursing the damn Germans since the tunnel explosion, so it would be more likely for them to run up and shoot the pilot, not rescue him. Then the endless scene with the French girl and the baby. And on and on.

And just a comment about the "one shot" technique. At first it is captivating, and heightens the realism of being in the trench. But after the novelty wears off you find yourself frustrated with the slow pace of the action that is forced upon you by being stuck in real time. A blend of "one shot" and traditional editing would have improved things.

Most people seemed to enjoy it, so you probably will too. But my advice is to wait for the DVD so you can make good use of the fast forward feature.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Could have been SO much better

[3/10 · 23 December 2015]

To start with, this is at least an hour too long. But beyond that, it is relentlessly, needlessly violent - way more violent and gory than it needs to be to tell the story. And the story is pretty good, which makes it a shame that the tone of the flick overshadows everything else. I kept thinking it HAS to get good, right? So I stayed, even though I kept checking my watch and almost walked out many times. It was visually stunning, but soooooooo slow. The exact same story could have been told in 90 minutes, with lots of killing, but less gore, and STILL have kept you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out who the bad guys were.

If you like seeing heads explode, and gallons upon gallons of fake blood, then this is your movie. If you want a good western, rent High Noon.

The Martian (2015)

Terrible ending! (Spoiler alert!)

[5/10 · 11 October 2015]

I LOVED this movie.....right up to the end. But the gimmick with the hatch, and then the Iron Man stunt by the main character were just so unbelievable. Definitely a jumping the shark level of stupid, and not anywhere near as clever or scientific as the rest of the movie. Up to the end I had enjoyed and accepted pretty much everything in the movie. It was a pleasure to watch some science fiction that didn't require me (a scientist for the last 40 years) to suspend disbelief, to not be constantly thinking "THAT couldn't happen". But those final two points at the end ruined it for me. Almost made me wonder if I saw the same movie as everyone else.