Jeddia Reviews

Quarantine (2008)

A horrifyiing scenario with a great lead.

[10/10 · 6 May 2024]

Jennifer Carpenter deserves an Academy Award for this film... I've seen Oscars given to actors for far less. When she truly begins to panic, you can feel it - you FEEL it. She's absolutely stellar... The premise, scary enough, is brought to fruition at her will... A performance for the ages.

I was terrified and continuously shaken by her scenes toward the end of this film. She delivered the realness of it...Her loss of control and absolute terror runs right up your spine. Nothing like it out there... They call Jamie Lee Curtis the scream queen, but she's got nothing on Jennifer Carpenter. Every terrified breath is felt. Every movement and jitter is yours to feel. She just completely comes to life.

I've never seen the original, and I don't need to. This film delivers. Absolute horror. I salute the director and the cast.. This is a staple in my collection.

The Abyss (1989)

Tour de force..

[10/10 · 1 April 2024]

Not even knowing how this film was made, and the difficulties involved...which most folks won't know...

This was a genuine masterpiece. And how Ed Harris didn't get nominated for an Academy Award is beyond me.

Cameron continued to stay ahead of the game - inventing technology to get what he needed at the time.

Cameron: "Here's what we need." People: "Yeah, that doesn't exist." Cameron: "Well, build it."

A grueling set fraught with danger and uncertainty, leads to a fantastic film that set the bar for decades to come.

Not gonna spoil anything - just watch it.

"Triple pay sounds like a lot...but it ain't"

Nope (2022)

It's massively underrated...

[10/10 · 6 January 2024]

I read reviews about this film and I find myself holding the reviewers in contempt... They're opinions are pedestrian and lack an eye for cinema and story telling...

The humor in this film is spot on - as is the suspense...

Every time the camera aims at the sky, you are filled with anxiety...every time the camera aims at a horse you are filled with sorrow...and every time the camera aims at a person other than O. J. you are filled with a dubious sense of their usefulness...

O. J. keeps it melded together (masterfully portrayed by Daniel Kaluuya...in an amazing display of distanced dismay). He legitimately wants to do well by his recently passed father... The sister clearly wants to profit on what's going on. And the Fry's guy is the unneeded comedic relief...but still good.

This film delivers on all levels. Jordan Peele continues to give us what is needed. And the haters need to go to film school...

9 of 10 stars. And if you disagree, you suck.

The Last of Us (2023– )

I missed them when they were gone...

[9/10 · 6 January 2024]

I'd seen the hype in the headlines about this show. I'm the type to wait for the physical media release (yes, I'm old)... So I avoided spoilers and awaited the 4k release and was not disappointed...

As a film generated from a video game, expectations are usually low - but the headlines said otherwise... Even the special features on the discs show the shot by shot staging of scenes from the game...

They brought this game (that I didn't play) to the screen in full glory - nothing was left to be desired.

And the chemistry between Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal is nothing short of legendary.. When the first season ended - I immediately missed them. Can't wait to see more.

And the cinematography and special effects are spot on...

For All Mankind (2019– )

This gets a 10 for its cleverness...

[10/10 · 5 December 2023]

I was a big fan of 'The Man in the High Castle' on Prime. Thought it was brilliant. I'd heard of this series via Bill Hunt on thedigitalbits.com and thought, well I might as well check it out.

Wasn't disappointed. The showrunner is Ron Moore (See: Battlestar Galactica ('04), Various writing credits for Star Trek: TNG, Outlander. Caprica (underrated) and now this juggernaut...

As an 'alternate-history' series - it delivers. You'll find jarring anomalies that make sense given the context. Intriguing storylines for 'real' people in history and made-up ones... Russia's second cosmonaut to land on the moon was a female - leading to an early uprising in feminist rights. The U. S. had to do one better and put a black woman on the moon... etc.

They use real footage (from our timeline), but do voiceovers to adapt to the show's reality. For example, you'll see a clip of "I Dream of Jeannie" in the background, but she's talking about Russia landing on the moon first...

You'll see footage of Nixon saying things he never said, same goes for several Kennedy's and Ronald Reagan. It works in a magnificent way.

What would've happened if the space-race wasn't essentially abandoned? New technologies advance... politics become something entirely different than what we grew up with...

One day, I hope to meet Ron Moore and shake his hand for the role he played in entertaining me with thoughtful vision. He has a true knack for bringing imagination to the screen in a unique way.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

An incredible sequel to a groundbreaking original..

[9/10 · 17 October 2023]

Let's talk about the original Avatar. It came out like 37 years ago - and James Cameron disappeared - presumably working on the sequel and ignoring the 4k releases of his significant blockbusters' 4k releases.... True Lies, The Abyss, Titanic, etc...

Frankly, I was disillusioned - and pissed off How could he ignore some of the greatest films ever released - leaving their fates to 480i resolution... And I've been on a warpath for quite some time...

The world deserved hi-def releases of True Lies, The Abyss & Titanic.

Well apparently they're coming in the coming months...

But let's look at Avatar 2.. in 4k. I've been a 4k enthusiast since the format arrived... I've raved about the quality of Nolan's 'Tenet' - the special effects of Berg's 'Battleship' - the color quality of 'Braveheart' or the incredible video brilliance of the Star Wars sequels...

Cameron's Avatar 2 is a benchmark for the future - stellar visuals...I mean, c'mon... he invented technology to make these movies...

The colors and textures are beyond incredible.... It's the finest 4k disc I own... Nothing short of perfection...

Storywise, it's the same as before - a native population fights for survival against an invader - the parallels drawn to the Native American race are there in spades..

Anyone giving this film less than an 8 have something else going on in their lives - the film delivers on every level...

It brings back Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and CCH Pounder.. It brings back visuals you have *never* seen - and it brings back what's been missing in cinema for a long, long time... something surprising - your love the characters...

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

6 Stars for the visuals, zero for the intelligence...

[6/10 · 22 September 2023]

I loved Gareth Edwards' 2014 'Godzilla', I loved 'Skull Island'. 'King of Monsters' was incredible (including its stellar soundtrack by the great Bear McCreary).

But let's face it - 'Godzilla vs. Kong' is a buffet of stupidity.

Look back to 'Skull Island'. Think of that shot of Kong standing with the setting sun to his back as the helicopters approach him... He's MASSIVE. He's a titan. Dude has to be 800 feet tall. He towers above the treetops and mountains around him...

Yet, in this movie - he can stand on an American-built air-craft carrier...

The visuals are truly astounding, and that's where I give my 6 stars.

Throw in the myriad clichés of computer savvy teenagers, angst-ridden teenagers and oh, more teenagers... As well as the complete wtf plot about the hollow-earth world with a sun...huh?

Now, that said - the battle scenes between Kong and Godzilla are simply incredible. They are demo-quality scenes for any top-notch hi-def movie room - despite the fact that they demonstrate that Kong could never stand on an American made air-craft carrier (WTF!?!).

So, 6 stars...

Justified (2010–2015)

Seth Bullock time travels...

[9/10 · 28 August 2023]

It's a great show - do believe the hype...

The story arc is intriguing, the characters are well-written and overall they deliver on the drama and violence....

It's hard to not be distracted by the immense amount of actors from HBO's 'Deadwood' - don't get me wrong ... they're all incredible: Timothy Olyphant for starters...then there's Jim Beaver, Pruitt Taylor Vance, Stephen Tobolowski, Gerald Mcraney, Brent Sexton...there are more.... but ultimately, if you've seen 'Deadwood' - you see Seth Bullock. And you've seen all of these characters...

Probably accurate that the show-runners were counting on that. Olyphant has a swagger and demeanor that they were looking for - that is... a U. S. Marshall in modern times...

It's surreal watching this show if you've seen 'Deadwood' - you literally have to remind yourself that this isn't the Black Hills in the Dakota Territories...

Givens is Seth Bullock - but he has a cell phone and a car...

Fear the Walking Dead (2015–2023)

Started off great, but the later seasons are so stupid... it cannot be ignored...

[4/10 · 29 July 2023]

The concept of a madman finding nuclear warheads on a beached submarine and setting them off is totally compelling.

But what they do afterwards is a baffling mystery... They wear their homemade suits to protect themselves, or they don't. They leave the contaminated area, or they don't. They basically live Walking Dead lives in a giant irradiated area as if everything was like it was before..except they make a big deal about protective suits, or they don't.

Leave the contaminated area... Hello. The writing in this season is absolutely terrible,,, I had to eject the disc half way through the season and watch something else.. They should've left Texas and gone to maybe Nebraska... it would've tied into World Beyond.

But no. It had to turn into the dumbest storyline ever.

Also, how the hell does a nuclear submarine get beached...?

Triangle (2009)

Just incredible...

[10/10 · 17 September 2022]

Whatever you think this movie is about - you are wrong.

This is a deep spiral into madness that you don't want to miss. Let's say it's Groundhog Day, but in Hell. Melissa George (and her impossibly perfect legs) joins a sailing expedition and, while all the subtle clues are there, you don't understand what's going on until it's way too late. And when you do figure it out, you have your holy crap moment.

Great script and execution. George carries the lead well, as the audience is stuck with her only - you don't get to know anything more than she does. And as she finds out, you are as mortified as she is.

Overall, an incredible horror/sci-fi films. Highly recommended.

The Batman (2022)

Dark and fierce...

[10/10 · 17 September 2022]

Don't believe any negative reviews on this. They're likely from uncultured simpletons.

Pattinson kills it as the caped crusader. You 'get it' more than you 'got it' in any of the previous incarnations. It's sad and it's poignant and it's brutal. Hat off to Mr. Reeves.

Shout out to Paul Dano as the Riddler - completely awesome. And a huge shout-out to Colin Farrell as 'Penguin' - he was absolutely amazing as always (see: The Lobster if you haven't already).

The overall tone and pacing of this film is remarkable. There is incredible chemistry between Pattinson and Kravitz. And Jeffrey Wright nails it as Gordon.

Cannot wait to see a sequel.

Dexter (2006–2013)

Those who truly love this show, relate in some way...

[10/10 · 8 February 2022]

The writing is incredible, the casting is beyond reproach. Great cinematography. Great direction...

But honestly, if you love Dexter...then you have your own demons. This story, this character...swings hard at the audience's vices. Are you an alcoholic? A junkie? Sex Addict? Perhaps you have a sociopathic need to collect stamps? Dexter is a parallel you... His actions and his reasoning are that of an addict.

Every step of the way, I fully understood him and his reasoning. I'm an addict. Booze, sex, video games, TV, movies, books, work, collecting, smoking, music...everything I've ever loved in my life - I've gone too far, too extreme...too much. "Tonight's the night."

Dexter is an amalgamation for Americans with insatiable appetites - we just want more of what we love. We are not concerned with the cost, we'll fix that later... We just want more. Always.

Brilliant show. Brilliant cast. Brilliant writing.

The Stand (2020–2021)

Poor choice of narrative, but great cast.

[7/10 · 23 October 2021]

As a massive fan of the source material, I was really looking forward to this adaptation. CBS All Access has hit a home run with the Star Trek property, and I thought - wow, they are going to kill it with 'The Stand'.

When the first mini-series was developed in the 90's, it was decent - but it lacked the terror and gore and language of the book. Well, they brought back the gore and language with this one - but there was no terror or urgency...just meandering storytelling. They should not have done the flashback/flashforward nonsense. It frustrated readers of the book, and likely spoiled things for first-timers.

And there was definitely not enough of each character's journeys across the country. That's what made the book special and what made you love the characters. I felt nothing for these people in this adaptation.

This was a missed opportunity.

Yellowstone (2018– )

A solid drama with influences that are all over the palce...

[9/10 · 15 March 2020]

Yellowstone is a solidly written drama - great characters, well-crafted - that draws it's tone from a few different modern-day masterpieces.

It has the feel and cinematography of Longmire, the plotting and grim outlook of The Sopranos, and the dramatic dynamics of shows like 'Dynasty' or any of the other network dramas similar to that.

Much respect must go to Costner and Cole Hauser - these guys bring it 100%.

I did not expect to get drawn in to this show like I did. It's well worth your time.

Long Shot (2019)

The right balance.

[10/10 · 1 October 2019]

Seth Rogen's films can be so over the top with the vulgarity (which I'm a fan of) and the base humor (which I'm also a fan of). But this film strikes a great balance between that and Theron's ability to deliver, virtually, everything to the role.

Their chemistry is undeniable. The humor of the script is spot-on. And the story hits home (for Americans, at least...).

Give this one a shot if you are even the slightest fan of either star.

I was pleasantly surprised by how moved and entertained this movie made me feel.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Don't believe the haters...

[10/10 · 28 December 2018]

So many negative reviews here about 'legacy', 'lens-flares', or 'canon'...

Judge for yourself.

"Discovery" is exactly what it's supposed to be - a modern Star Trek series. And it's pretty freaking great. Fantastic production, intriguing storyline, new characters that are thematically conflicted - in a context that modern audiences can understand.

If I had a complaint, it's that the characters' thinking is what you'd expect from characters in a sequel to the TNG universe, not a prequel. While we completely understand it as an audience, it makes less sense when you back up and think about the timeline.

Other than that, this is a great series thus far. There's only so much fake-leaning-from-a-direct-hit we can watch... Give "Discovery" a shot. If you aren't a high-nosed Star Trek snob, you're likely to love it. And see it on Blu-Ray if you can, they put some cash into the effects - and it shows. Well worth it.

High Tension (2003)

Slick

[9/10 · 8 September 2009]

High Tension is well-directed, well-shot, and contains a good bit of tension (see what I did there..?). It's a pleasure to look at and the main actress is excellent as she carries much of the weight of the film's nearly dialogue-less bulk.

Also, the music is excellent (both the scoring and the planted songs - yay for Muse.

I advise watching it in French with English subtitles on. The dubbing isn't horrible, but distracting nonetheless...and half of the movie remains subtitled even when watching the dubbed version - so why bother? I give it 9/10 for a great leading actress, excellent direction, and excellent music.

30 Days of Night (2007)

Very good

[9/10 · 16 November 2008]

30 Days of Night returns something to the screen that we haven't seen enough of in more recent vampire films - old world type vampires. I enjoy just about any decently made movie in the genre, but it seems that too many vampire movies nowadays contain the "Neo-Vamps". That is, vampires who are well cultured, well manicured, and even perhaps suffer from too much conscience. They all know martial arts, dance to techno, and are invariably clad in S&M leather and/or trenchcoats (not that I'd mind a visit from Kate Beckinsale...thank you very much). But vampires nowadays are more like the Immortals from Highlander - only with fangs.

30 Days throws a dozen or so old-world, savage vampires into a small Alaskan town in the one month during the year that they have no sun. It's an excellent premise, and the movie does not fail to take advantage of it. The cast is very good, the sets are excellent, and the gore is just right. Also worth a mention is the cinematography - specifically the overhead shot of the town's streets during the full siege of the creatures.

I don't dislike Underworld or the "Buffyverse" as some of the purists out there do, but there's much to be said about the sideways evolution of recent vampire films/shows. 30 Days of Night is a solid reminder of how horrifying a vampire movie can be. 9 out of 10 stars from me.

The Invasion (I) (2007)

A pleasant surprise (after all the reviews)

[9/10 · 14 November 2008]

This premise has been done over and over and over again in the last six decades and we, as an audience, never really tire of it. When this movie, its predecessor(s), or any derivation thereof is the subject of conversation, much is always made of the subtext of the story - communism, fundamentalism, etc. That's fine. We get it.

Then, of course, there's the face-value horror of an alien infection or invasion. That premise has been done over and over again in the genre as well. Why? Well, because it's just plain scary.

But honestly, what's genuinely frightening to me in these films is the big picture that rests comfortably behind all the blatant horror and the subconscious fear of the loss of individuality. That big picture shows us what sci-fi has taught us many times in many films... Utopia cannot exist without the loss of our souls. "To imagine a world where this was not so, where every crisis did not result in new atrocities, where every newspaper is not full of war and violence." It's the dream of many to see such a world. But the character in this film sums it up when he caps it off with, "Well, this is to imagine a world where human beings cease to be human." These films tell us that we're doomed to be who we are - forever. Otherwise, to hope for vast, sweeping change is to hope for sheer horrors beyond our imagining...or maybe we *have* already imagined it.

I gave The Invasion 9 out of 10 due to its rushed ending and its lack of the "Body Snatcher Screech". Opening reviews of this film were way off as far as I'm concerned. Well worth my two hours.

VH1 Storytellers (1996– )

The Billy Idol show is awesome

[10/10 · 4 April 2008]

You don't even have to be a huge fan of the guy to enjoy this disc. Billy Idol clearly loves what he does and energy just pours out of him. All of his big hits are presented here; including fantastic acoustic versions of White Wedding and Rebel Yell.

I've always like Billy Idol, but watching this DVD really intensified my respect for him (and his guitarist). He's the rare, real deal. Too few of today's "stars" represent rock with any respectable amount truth and motive. He just plain *likes* to rock. And you gotta love it.

10 out of 10. Almost deserves an 11 for the White Wedding and Dancing With Myself segments.

The Mist (2007)

Raises the bar for King adaptations

[10/10 · 23 November 2007]

One of King's most famous short stories is brought to the screen with all of its terror and humanity intact. Darabont, known for the dramas - Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile - has now raised the bar for adapting King's horror stories to the big screen.

The Mist is about two kinds of terror - that of the supernatural and that of the human capacity for primal regression in the face of ultimate fear. A group of small town folks trapped in a local food-mart when the mist rolls in try to survive. The terror outside, in the mist, becomes only one of the problems they face as those trapped inside turn to "leaders" who believe differently about what is happening. The result is an obvious homage to "Lord of the Flies", but suits its purpose in the horrifying landscape King creates.

Darabont handles the saturating sense of dread and despair with a deftness that has been embarrassingly absent in nearly all of the previous attempts to bring King's stories to film. What's absent in The Mist are the standard clichés, thin characters, and inexplicable human behavior that are prevalent in most horror films.

The script is nearly indistinguishable from the source material save for very small details, some minor modern updates (cell phones), and an added ending (the short story lacked any real ending). It works on every level for both the fans of King and those who are new.

10 out of 10. Way to go Frank!

Jericho (2006–2008)

Excellent series, and a win for fans

[9/10 · 13 October 2007]

In the minds of just about every human being on the planet, nuclear apocalypse reigns supreme on the list of horrifying "End of the World" scenarios. Jericho takes that premise and turns it slightly sideways by showing us a small town in Kansas where the initial, obvious effects of nuclear war wouldn't quite reach (far away from blast centers, far enough away that fallout was minimal, etc.).

What the show does with impressive bravado is paint the audience a picture of how secondary considerations would become the focus in this kind of event. Amidst the everyday problems of a small town community (politics, rivalries, relationships, etc.), we see them struggling with basic needs such as food supply, power for heat, and most frighteningly - information.

The town is cut off from all sources of information - as is the audience, as a result. This allows the viewer to feel more immersed in the situation. The writers do a really great job at keeping "omnipotence" away for the audience - leaving the viewer intrigued and begging for any kind of consolation to ease their mind. In turn, we are quick to empathize with the characters and feel more invested in how things will turn out.

The show is smart, entertaining, and has a lot of heart. It was canceled after its first 22 episodes, until fans buried CBS offices in New York with over 20 tons of nuts in protest. CBS was gracious enough to reconsider and order 7 more episodes of the series. Keep watching so we can get more!

Silent Hill (2006)

Beautiful and nicely directed, but the script lacks a bit

[8/10 · 24 August 2006]

I've never played the game(s), so I won't draw any comparisons.

The film was visually stunning. Watching it, you are thrust into the atmosphere - not just a spectator, but almost a participant. Bravo to the set designers and cinematographer(s).

What bothered me most was the bulk of the dialogue. It teetered badly at times. An unimaginably evil demon should never use the word "got". The best dialogue was given to Alice Krige's character (and what a treat it is to watch her work, by the way - always a fan).

All in all, a decent movie. But it definitely fell short of what it could have been. Given the source of the material (a game), it could've been much worse.

Salem's Lot (2004)

One of the few exceptions - and just barely at that

[7/10 · 6 May 2006]

King's material so rarely makes it to the screen properly. I've all but given up hope on seeing anything from him in the theater or on television that is worth watching.

He's a master of horror, drama, and suspense. A writer that our grandchildren will likely study in school; as we've studied so many classics in different genres. But when our grandchildren take those college-level classic literature courses, I do hope they leave out the details on the screen-adaptations of such "classics" as Pet Semetary or Maximum Overdrive or Christine...

That said, there are a few gems that stick out - in the horror genre. I'm not going to debate the merits of Shawshank or The Green Mile or Stand By Me. We all know that those are ... different.

The Stand was butchered. They had the right idea, at least - not to try to tell the story in 2 hours. But they were on the right track. The Storm of the Century was decent. But that was written specifically for television.

Which brings us to my point - Salem's Lot. A great book. A good original film (given the era...not so great anymore). And now, this new version. Fans of King decry just about anything that taints their memory of the original work. Me, I'm just happy to see it done decently after so many disappointments. This new version is pretty good. There are plenty of changes ("updates") to the story and characters - and the fans have whined incessantly about it. But they were necessary to avoid anachronistic cheese and to help the viewer relate better to the characters. The story is well-paced and it actually looks really good. There is a notable lack of campy filler and the usual dung that litters the majority of King's past films/series.

All in all, I give it 7 out of 10. Well worth the watch.

13 Conversations About One Thing (2001)

Understated point, but good

[7/10 · 23 November 2005]

Watching this film feels very natural. That is a credit to the cast and the writer. You can't, for even a second, not believe these people are real and walking around the real world at any given moment. Alan Arkin was outstanding as usual.

I just felt that the tiny bit of closure - or a better word, redemption - that these characters stumbled onto, was too understated. I also felt that perhaps that was the intention of the film-makers to begin with. But I think in the end, it took away from the film as a whole. Maybe it's because we're conditioned to want larger, more dramatic pay-off. I'm not sure.

Still a good film, 7 out of 10.