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Dying-Atheist
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Victor's Last Class (2016)
Self involved and manipulative.
I really don't see the point of this. I guess it is to draw out the pity party? I just found Victor to be somewhat pathetic, not in any way, heroic. Eventually, he painted himself into a corner, sadly everyone bought into the bravado, and my belief is he thought he would be "saved" in the end.
I have known a few people who have committed suicide, some seemly without warning, others are drawn out for a while, begging for help, but getting none that seemed to help.
I have also known others that received help and have moved on, even people that were terminally ill and in pain.
I live in a "Death with Dignity" state. I am terminally ill and have a prescription to end my life when it becomes unbearable. Everyone has their own point where that happens, I guess. A grand exit is essential to some people, I think. I was not impressed with Victor's attempt.
Black Christmas (1974)
Outstanding and an original!
I don't know how I have missed this gem over the years! Wait I do know, it was made in 1974, in Canada. Hollywood thought it was king, and like the US car industry, had given up trying. (We all know Hollywood.)
Firstly, if someone wants to make a mid 1970s nostalgia film, and you're in charge of set decoration, or wardrobe, this is a great film to study. No over the top trends, just spot on real sets and costuming.
Secondly, I don't think I have ever seen so many real firsts in one film. Everything eventually shows up in Hollywood years later. Really amazing when you see so many franchise ideas packed into a single film.
I found the casting interesting also. Lots of folks you'll recognize for sure.
What you will not see is a lot of special effects blood and gore, but you will get an earful of profanity that may offend folks with what I call a "PC ear." So be forewarned. The UK release had the censor remove most of it BTW.
I think this is a must see classic!
The Laundromat (2019)
Guess who doesn't want you to see this movie?
A little bit of virtue signaling here, but if these folks don't speak the truth, who will?
I found the film better than I'd imagined. It has a refreshing style for sure and maybe watched by a lot of folks who need the truth put forth to be in this entertaining format. The title of the movie was not an attractive lure, though for me, and I almost passed watching it.
So who will not want you to watch this film? The twenty-first-century versions of those who have ruled all the human peasant and slave populations of the world since Homo Sapiens evolved. The same people who are employed by those at the top. They want to keep you under their feet. The "worker bees" that write the nasty reviews.
Stevie (2002)
I would have given it 8 stars, except for it is all about the director.
Wow, an amazingly screwed up family, steeped in West Virginia backwoods Christianity, of course. Meet a bed-wetting liberal who makes everything worse.
Ya know what is really the most disgusting part of this film, James the former "Big Brother."
Where it becomes most apparent, is after buying Stevie off with an expensive boom-box at Super Store. Then guess what? He finally gets the balls to tell Stevie he felt guilty for dumping him. Great timing there, James.
Then, good old James brings Stevie and his girlfriend up to Chicago, and they end up staying with his girlfriends BFF from high school, who had been horribly abused. And this was OKAY for James and the documentary crew to allow this? Go figure.
Guess who spent cash for all the "fun" then dropped Stevie off for nights at Tanya's house, good move James. Then they have another "talk" after the big fun pay-offs, buying him off.
Guess what, Judy and James are just full of crap.
So now, James and Judy are just using Stevie once again for the documentary and my guess, for Judy's new practice as a "SUPER" councilor.
I wonder who got to keep any money from this project? Ever notice James gives "lip service" to not doing right by Stevie, what a load of CRAP!
Then we get the rah-rah Pentecostal Church meeting, then back to being taught by the Aryan Brotherhood Praise god. UNBELIEVABLE!
The biggest jerk in the film and the most screwed up is James, the director, and worst Big Brother on the planet.
King Jack (2015)
Unrealistic tripe
A couple of good bits, but really just one of those movies that becomes more unreal as it goes along its typical, tiresome path.
Deprived kid, depressive surroundings, unrealistic characters, oh sure it happens, but give me a break. I know areas and neighborhood can be tough, been there done that. But you know what isn't real? People don't get beat up, and hours later, they are miraculously wandering around beating other people up.
At least TRY to make it real. It's not 1930, I have sen what a couple good punches to the face does to a guy. I know that being kicked the the ribs really hard, feels like, a couple of groans putting a shirt on, then off for a pleasant bike ride, doesn't happen.
I had family that grew up poor and in the projects, you have good people and a few really bad folks. None of the scenarios in this film work. Writers need to be able to tell a good story not just make everyone look like a criminal or a thug.
The Dirt (2019)
When you wanna look good...
Well, this is basically what happens when people write a "tell all" book, and don't really tell all, then it's made into a movie, that tells even less.
I guess it should be expected. If you want to believe your own fantasy, about being cutting edge, meaner than, sexier than, more tragic than any other band, you get to make a movie like this.
At the very beginning, maybe, there was a hint of truth, but that fades rapidly. If your a die hard M. Crue fan, it will be like the retelling of any myth, it will just ring oh so true I'm sure. Sadly believing in old gods, doesn't really make them any more real.
If a roadie wants to tell the story, now that is when you hit upon the realities of the band. I'm looking forward to that film.
You Were Never Really Here (2017)
Remarkable movie, amazing performance!
What an amazing jewel! This has to be one of the best crime thrillers I've ever seen.
The plot was amazing, even though before I'd seen the movie I was very worried it would quickly digress to the typical Hollywood reliance on gruesome shock value and a misuse of a purulent visualization young girls. There was none of that.
Violence was there for sure, but it was dealt with in a much more Hitchcock directorial way. Kudos to the director, who did not rely on the typical blood and gore. Also, it was obvious what the young girls must have been going through, none of us needs to visualize any of it to know it was horrible, especially survivors of abuse.
Joaquin Phoenix is a very remarkable actor and pulls off an Oscar performance. Every movie I see him in, my admiration grows exponentially.
Set design, cinematography, score, direction and acting, this movie has it all and it never fails!
A must see!
Breach (2007)
Definite problems but overall good.
I understand why Hollywood needs to build tension into a plot line, but sometimes they just need to give it a rest especially if it is based on a true story.
Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I had trouble believe the ineptitude of Agent O'Neill, (Ryan Philippe,) one minute then his amazing abilities even though he was not yet an FBI agent. Come on, really? I am sure there was some "close calls" but I really didn't believe any of them written into the script.
Here is a an tip for Ryan, if your playing a character with Jesuit School training, practice the Sign of the cross, before the clapboard. Pretty obvious you didn't have a clue. I'm not Catholic, but I saw the big fumbling around right off the bat brother.
I thought Chris Cooper was just amazing in the role of Robert Hanson! Fantastically believable. I am sure the script may have embellished the role a bit, but if that were true, Coopers portrayal more than made up for it. There was undercurrent of stress and it came through with amazing skill.
I also like Laura Linney, (Agent Kate Burroughs.) I loved her tough agent in charge role and how she acted it out flawlessly, but why does every strong woman in every Hollywood movie need to be alone and unhappy? You couldn't even give her a pet? Really?
Dropped from 7 stars to 6 stars due to the last two lines of the very last scene. Seemed like it was gratuitous. Again, Hollywood reaching.
The Fountain (2006)
Was this supposed to be profound?
It was not. I found it pretentious and boring. Long scenes full of nothingness. The acting was sub-par and the script? The script, was not science fiction but a bizarre new reincarnation age plot tied together with a mad scientist plot. Neither of which were done well.
I was hoping the main protagonist would just die about three minutes in, but no, I wasn't that lucky. How would anyone with have a brain think this film was deep?
If the pace of the movie, or the terrible plot doesn't get to you, that means the sound track put you to sleep 4 minutes into the movie.
Avoid at all cost, unless you're into silly reincarnation-ism, with bizarre new age/Krishna imagery.
Aside: My guess is Hugh Jackman fans just give 10 Stars to any movie he's in.
The Last House on the Left (2009)
Sexual violence issue. Without this big flaw, 8 stars.
Gone are the days this kind of sexual violence is acceptable. I would have given this a solid 8 stars if it had not been for this big flaw. but, if you are a serious reviewer, you don't focus on only one thing.
As for the rest of the grizzle horror bit and suspense aspect, it was just fine. Of course certain aspects of this part of the plot actually had flaws also, but what horror genre doesn't? I mean, think of a single horror movie that you haven't yelled at the screen, "don't run into the, (fill in the blank,) are you a moron?"
As for the acting, all seemed just fine to me. I think the stand-out actor in my opinion was Justin, played by Spencer Treat Clark.
It definitely should be an NC-17 rated movie
Monster Pies (2013)
Hated the title, but I get it now.
It took me a while to decide on a star rating for this film and here is the main reason; Seems like the writer wanted to cover too much ground. So, what you get is too many truncated story lines.
Although the two main characters, Mike, actor Tristan Barr, and William, played by Lucas Linehan, were well fleshed out, Other characters that seemed to have viable subplots, seem to just disappear.
Lee Galea the Writer/Director, (this may be the problem,) had a good topic, L/G/B/T/Q+ teen love, their, (this is not a grammar error BTW, but the new non-binary acceptable first person,) concept needed a three hour movie.
This is a very minor point, but the title. Since we all know how important marketing is, Monster Pies was a turn-off, sorry. I completely understood after watching the film, but when you have a limited market share to begin with, everything counts.
The biggest positive for me is that the main protagonists looked like they could be teenagers, and real teenagers. Other castings decisions seem to be somewhat forced at times. That does not mean they were not fantastic, e.g. the band, but was it like fulfilling a quota? This is part of the problem with non-developed sub-plots more than anything.
Also, my last point. It did actually make me tear up. So there ya go. A teen romance with main characters that I bought into.
Make the Yuletide Gay (2009)
Barely six stars, for one glaring reason.
Overall I am not too impressed with Christmas movies, they tend to be too, sickly sweet.
Since I'm a gay man, and had a free subscription to a gay video channel, I thought I would blow caution to the wind and view the movie.
I actually did like it more than six stars but for one just horrific casting, the father Sven, played by Derek Long. What shall I say about this performance? Hmm, maybe that Derek should find a fall back career? I think that's enough.
Otherwise, I thought the other actors were just fine. Anya the mother played by Kelly Keaton was fabulous I thought. Her comic timing was wonderful, and she pulls of the intensely upper Midwestern accent flawlessly. Either she's a native, or she has an amazing ear.
Now this might seem a strange focus for a review right? Well if you watch the movie, you'll quickly understand why it is important.
The other college male protagonists were great also, attractive and knew their craft obviously.
The strangest part of the movie was the inclusion of Gates McFadden as Martha, the mother of Thomas, the "out" gay college boyfriend. Her scenes we fine, she is a skilled actress oh course, but she had such a small part in the film. Makes you wonder about her motivation for being involved in this project.
If you are looking for a bit of a different Christmas themed movie, check it out and let me know what you think with a thumbs up of my review.
Cheers.
Mark (aka The Dying Atheist)
P.S. If I were to give this an (MPAA) film rating, it would be PG-13