bencurrey Reviews

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

Abysmal

[1/10 · 22 January 2022]

No dirt sucker bot. They killed vulture bot way too early. Not nearly enough Duhamel. Why do they have a german character named Dutch when he isn't Dutch?

And worst of all...they killed Ironhide???

But Optimus vs. Worm bot was one of the all time great fights. It goes: Luke v. Vader, Creed v. Rocky, Optimus v. Worm bot in that order.

How I Met Your Father (2022–2023)

Worth a chance

[8/10 · 19 January 2022]

This stellar cast is full of people, aside from Hilary Duff, who you'll look at and go "where do I know them from..." Valentina (Francia Raisa) was in "Grownish" Sid (Suraj Sharma) was in "Life of Pi," and Jesse (Chris Lowell) was in cult-classic "Veronica Mars."

In the old days a show was given a few episodes to find itself. People are writing this off after the pilot as a doomed enterprise. Some are saying it suffers for being too "woke" (or maybe just too representative?) But the first episode pulls off a Herculean feat--bringing Sophie (Duff), Valentina and her new British beau Charlie (Tom Ainsley) into swift contact with Sid, Jesse and his sister Ellen (Tien Tran) and thus establishing the core friend group of the show.

By episode two the dynamic is already starting to coalesce, Charlie plays well as the posh aristocrat trying to "rough it" with "regular American guys," the sentiment of Sophie's quest for love is endearing (if a tad cheesy), and Ellen is hilarious as an offbeat divorcee from smalltown, USA. In short, if for nothing else than the show that inspired it, and the talent its new faces bring, it's worth giving a chance.

P. S. Kim Cattrall is the "mother" in this spin-off, and I for one am very grateful she ditched "And Just Like That" and is instead lending her talents to this much more promising refresh.

The Big Leap (2021)

Schmaltzy but charming

[9/10 · 24 September 2021]

TV's Scott Foley carries a stellar cast that includes vets like Teri Polo (Julia) and Piper Perabo (Paula) along with stars like Ser'Darius Blain (Reggie) and newcomers Raymond Cham Jr. (Justin) and Simone Recasner (Gabby).

The pilot feels like it tried to cram everything the show wanted to be in one episode--a funny yet sometimes sad yet sometimes poignant commentary on the state of the world today and how reality TV exploits the plight of the dispossessed.

But it also makes you laugh. It's characters are painted first with broad strokes, establishing familiar story arcs to immediately invest you in the story. It all seems like a product of an age where data analytics prove a show must grab your attention by x minute and x second to be successful and certain metrics must be met for a pilot to be picked up or a show renewed.

For all of that, I found myself by episode two rooting for some characters, anticipating a delicious downfall for others, and altogether wanting to see where this story led. It isn't the greatest show ever made, but after throwing it on on a whim one Thursday evening I find myself compelled to come back for more.

The Wonder Years (2021–2023)

Great show with lots of promise

[10/10 · 23 September 2021]

As soon as I saw the top review was 2 stars for "shaming white people for horrible deeds..." that claimed it would be 10/10 if it "dropped the political BS" I knew I needed to step in.

This is a great show, and it and any other show in 2021 does not need to apologize for being political. If anything, the show sets up a painful truth (that 1968 and 2021 are unfortunately not so different) and then brings it back down to the personal, the familial, and finds a way to make us laugh. Across the wider backdrop of social issues, 12-year old E. J. is struggling with the universal pangs of adolescence--your childhood crush, living up to your parents expectations, finding out where you fit in.

So if you learn something about the Civil Rights and Black power movement while you're laughing along with the Williams family what's wrong with that? Plus, you have Dulé Hill and Don Cheadle to keep you company and you can't help but enjoy something with those two.

He's All That (2021)

Surprisingly Heartfelt

[9/10 · 29 August 2021]

This follow up to "She's All That" is the perfect example of a movie that has mass appeal despite poor critic reviews. Some may call it bubblegum fair, campy, or derivative, but it avoids the insensitive pitfalls of its predecessor while elevating the story with better chemistry and a kinder spirit.

Tanner Buchanan ("Cobra Kai"), and Addison Rae of Tik Tok fame have a great rapport. Madison Pettis plays well against type as the movie nemesis, and nostalgic appearances by "She's All That" alumni Rachel Leigh Cook and Matthew Lillard round out this great cast-oh and I haven't even mentioned Kourtney Kardashian!

Too many people watch a movie as a critic, but going into it looking for a fun, light time-you won't be disappointed.

Frank of Ireland (2021)

The Brothers Gleeson Shine

[10/10 · 20 April 2021]

A show from the great Domhnall and Brian Gleeson, son of the great Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).

This show made me laugh out loud, on my own, many times. It is rare that that ever happens for me. The cast is fantastic the episodes are quick and quippy and no second is wasted.

Home Economics (2021–2023)

Give it a try

[8/10 · 17 April 2021]

Topher Grace ("That '70s Show") and Jimmy Tatro ("American Vandal") headline a stellar cast that also includes SNL alum Sasheer Zamata.

The show has some growing pains to work through, but it has heart. With each episode, the chemistry grows. Even a mega hit like Friends took a few episodes to get off the ground, and I think it is worth it to give this show a long leash.

It also has an interesting concept: in a society where talking about money is taboo it dares to premise the entire show on the tensions produced by class distinctions.

Centering it in a family unit, it shows how even those we are closest to can be alienated by these differences. Ultimately, however, they always come back together.

I know the comedic chops of Topher, Tatro and Zamata, and I like what I've seen so far from the other cast members. That is enough to keep me invested, and excited to see where the show goes next.

WandaVision (2021)

Pulls You Back Into the MCU

[10/10 · 28 February 2021]

I can't speak for everybody, but after "Endgame" I was exhausted. From 2008-19 I watched as this climax was slowly built. When the arc was finally complete, I thought I had had my fill.

But then this show came along, with a weird and ambitious story. More self-contained (literally, there's a force field involved) than other Marvel products, it deals more seriously with the personal life of the hero. Wanda, who has dealt with such trauma in her life, gives us a heartbreaking portrayal of how great power and great grief can manifest.

Every episode pushes you to watch the show from a new perspective. I have never witnessed something quite like it, and I would recommend it to anyone who has lost their heart for Marvel content, or cannot wait to see more.

Cobra Kai (2018–2025)

Brings in Fans Old and New

[9/10 · 28 February 2021]

Somehow, "Cobra Kai" manages to pay ultimate serve to fans of the original movies while also inviting a new audience into this world. Whether you have watched all of the movies or haven't seen a single frame, this show provides something for everyone.

You will quickly forget that these are high school kids in competing Dojos and watch as these teens engage in scraps, scrapes, rumbles and royales that bring down the house. You also get to explore a more nuanced picture of the rivalry that started it all.

I would recommend this show to anyone who wants to see some asses kicked.

American Factory (2019)

Timely Treatment on the Pernicious Effects of Globalization

[10/10 · 21 February 2021]

This movie does right by its subjects, telling it in a 'fly-on-the-wall' style that centers the stories of the employees most deeply affected by changing circumstances.

It does not offer any solutions, but it depicts all the problems. What globalization has wrought for American manufacturing: the lost wages, longer hours, the lack of union support. It forces viewers--and hopefully policy makers--to confront the questions regarding the future of work. As automation and globalization continue to hollow out the once strong working class in America, how will we respond to these changing times?

Nomadland (2020)

Blurring Fact and Fiction

[8/10 · 21 February 2021]

Frances McDormand as Fern blends expertly amongst the real life nomads she is portraying. And the people around her, telling their own stories, deliver authenticity and pathos.

There are moments in this movie where all of the buzzing thoughts in your head, the urge to pick up your phone and scroll idly through social media, are completely eliminated. You feel the majesty of the landscapes, the power of memory and the pain of loss that drives Fern ever onwards.

It's philosophical, introspective, and delivers a timely social message without a soapbox. It is gorgeously shot, and Frances McDormand delivers an incredible performance.

What I Like About You (2002–2006)

An underrated gem

[10/10 · 11 February 2021]

I have loved this show since I was a kid. From the creator of shows like "Drake and Josh," "Zoey 101," and "The Amanda Show" this is a more adult version of those Nickelodeon classics while also creating a spirit entirely it's own. Amanda Bynes shines as always, Jennie Garth proves her chops as a comedian after her 90210 days. Wesley Jonathan, Leslie Grossman and Allison Munn never fail to make you laugh. And of course, there are romances with beautiful women and hunky men. Plus, if anyone is interested in indulging in 2000s nostalgia, this show is chock full of it and then some.

Soul (2020)

Existential Questions Abound

[9/10 · 11 February 2021]

I am not quite sure what the target demographic for this movie is. It almost feels like Pete Docter, Brad Bird and co. started making movies for children in the 90s and kept tackling deeper material as their cohort of fans grew up.

That being said, "Soul" drives at the heart of what it means to live. It holds a mirror up to one of our worst tendencies--assuming what a person does is who they are. The movie shows us what kind of rut that thinking can put us in, and invites us to consider what truly nourishes one's soul. You don't need to be particularly religious or spiritual to find this movie inspiring, and, of course, the animation is stunning.

The Swap (2016 TV Movie)

Surprisingly Deep

[9/10 · 26 January 2021]

My friends and I decided to watch this movie as a Peyton List, Jacob Bertrand palate cleanser after watching them scare the hell out of everyone on "Cobra Kai."

We started with low expectations. In order to get in to this movie you need to get past bad wigs and poor plot devices. Like when the lead characters swap bodies after a simple text exchange.

However, the movie-in its depiction of exaggerated gender stereotypes-finds a way to highlight the absurdity of hyper masculinity and what we can learn from embracing both feminine and masculine. The characters, both suffering from the loss of a parent, find their own voices while embodying the other. One minute you're laughing at bad wigs and the next you're feeling something without even realizing it happened.

As a kid who grew up on 1990s and 2000s DCOMs, it made me happy to see that the movies of today maintain the camp of Disney movies of old, while advancing a socially conscious message for today's generation.

The Swap (2016 TV Movie)

Surprisingly Deep

[9/10 · 24 January 2021]

The body swap genre has been done to death (including a twist on Freaky Friday that involved a serial killer), but "The Swap" manages to find something fresh in a stale device.

You'll start out a skeptic. As bad wigs and poor plot devices abound. Indeed, the pair switch bodies thanks to a text exchange that goes something like "I wish I had your body" and BOOM.

But if you stick around, you'll see a movie with surprising depth. In its overt depictions of gender stereotypes, it seeks to deconstruct reductive binaries that leave us all in worse shape. It shows how two kids deal with the trauma of lost parents, without sacrificing any of the laughs.

As a guy who grew up on 1990s and 2000s DCOMs, it warms my heart to know that this is the type of content kids are exposed to. With all of the same camp and a more defined conscious, "The Swap" is a story worth watching.

Survive the Night (2020)

What would you do to survive the night?

[9/10 · 11 July 2020]

There are few directors in the game today who know how to weave a yarn like Matt Eskandari. Much like the two outlaw brothers speeding along the highways after their most recent heist, Eskandari goes 0 to 60 without sacrificing any nuance or plot, fitting 90 minutes of taut action on the head of a pin while your head spins with each new revelation, each heart stopping altercation.

The movie opens on a downtrodden Chad Michael Murray, he's recently lost his private practice after a wrongful death lawsuit drove him out of business. He's working at a rural clinic-his wife, father and child all having lost faith in him.

Little does he know he's unwittingly on a collision course with these brothers. After a robbery gone wrong at a local convenience store, Mathias is struck by a bullet in the leg. Knowing they're on the wrong side of the law, they seek out a doctor under special circumstances.

Leaving the clinic, Chad is followed home and ambushed upon arrival. The brothers lay siege upon the house and demand treatment.

I won't spoil the next phase of the film. There are so many layers to this thriller. Familial bonds stretched and strained, the distances one is willing to go for love. The ambiguities of good and evil, light and dark, how necessity and circumstance dictate so much more than we're willing to admit. Eskandari doesn't just serve you a classic, edge-of-your-seat joyride, he plumbs the deepest depths of the human experience, turning a mirror on his audience and forcing them to ask the deeper questions. What would you do for a dying loved one, how do you rebuild yourself after tragedy, and can you put aside your fears to survive the night?

12 Feet Deep (2017)

Eskandari Works His Magic

[9/10 · 19 January 2020]

"12 Feet Deep: Two Sisters Trapped" displays an emotional depth and creativity rarely seen in a film. Much like the old saying, "he has more talent in his little finger than you do in your whole body", Matt Eskandari does more within the confines of a single olympic sized swimming pool than most writer/directors can achieve crossing oceans. Both physically and existentially trapped, the two sisters are seemingly drawn into this nightmare by cosmic forces--made to endure this hardship together to work out their demons.

And just when you're settling in to the Sorkin-esque dialogue, the natural back and forth that turns into haunting soliloquy at the drop of a hat, a third character is introduced.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The girls finally think they've found their saving grace when the janitor--Clara--enters the pool to clean. However, soon enough the pair realize that the down on her luck janitor isn't so keen to see them freed before getting something out of the deal. The last 40 minutes are a taut and masterfully woven journey wherein the downtrodden Clara grapples with the unfairness of the world while delivering some unfairness of her own. The three tussle back and forth before a crisis of conscious urges Clara to free them--only for her to find that she cannot draw back the pool cover and rescue the girls. I won't say any more, because I would not want to deprive the audience of what some may soon consider the most edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting, anxiety inducing ends to a movie in some time. As my friend and I watched the final twenty minutes of the film, we both rejoiced and cursed "ESKANDARI" for the way he played with our emotions in those final moments.

Sorkin meets Kubrick meets Spielberg meets Perry. Someday Eskandari will be a household name that other viewers will curse and praise in equal measure. All I can say for now is, I'll have trouble sleeping tonight pondering the bigger question of 12 Feet Deep, and coming down from the exhilaration I felt watching this movie.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

it was amazing

[10/10 · 15 July 2011]

This movie was amazing, the experience was quite indescribable. Seeing the last two hours of the biggest part of my childhood was painful but the quality of the movie helped ease the pain. It was remarkably well done David Yates was certainly a great pick for this movie and he was light years ahead of Cuaron and Columbus. Although the movie changed some of the original parts, such as the Grey Lady knowing the location of the Diadem instead of Harry figuring it out or the fact that Percy didn't make his grand apology and that they didn't show Fred's death (there are a few more but I don't want to bore you). But I let all these things slide because in the grand picture everything came together seamlessly. The acting was much better, all of the actors matured and had greatly improved (Daniel Radcliffe especially, he's come a long way from the crying scene at the end of the fourth movie.) Best of all they did the book justice and did the scenes just as I had hoped, I thought the scene of Snape's memories was fantastic. All in all this movie was a spectacular end to a spectacular series and a great send off for the Harry Potter franchise.