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Reviews
Champions (2023)
Mystified By High Ratings
I actually couldn't finish this movie. It should have been funny and touching, but I found it neither. I did chuckle at a couple of the jokes, but most jokes were just flat...verrry flat. I also found the vulgarity to be totally unnecessary and childish.
Full disclosure. I am retired military and have been known to complete complex sentences using nothing but curse words. This odd injection of cursing is bizarre and unneeded in this story. It's like some 12 year olds wrote this and their parents gave them permission to curse. I just watched the Richard Gere movie Hachi ; it was an excellent film, great story, with no cursing. I guess it could have been more edgy if Joan Allen dropped a couple of f bombs.
I love Woody and think Kaitlan Olsen (sp) is cute and hilarious in other projects, but this one did not do it for me.
The Crown: Queen Victoria Syndrome (2022)
Season 5 is VERRRY Forgetable
I arrived in the UK right about the same time Lord Mountbatten was killed as a member of "the forces" USAF. I left right about the time the Right Honorable Gentleman from Peterborough (Major) took over. When Charles and Diana got married we had to go to work, but we couldn't power up any aircraft. After about 1/2 hour our bosses came out and said we weren't allowed to touch any jets! So we went back to our shop and watched the wedding on TV. And we were 55 miles from London!
I find the whole Charles/Diane thing to be quite boring and "soapy". I loved previous seasons of this show where they dealt with significant historical events that affected the UK and the Crown. Both Charles and Di come off as immature and selfish, unwilling to put service to their country above their pettiness. Anyone who ever served in the military has experience and understands service before self. Don't get me wrong, I liked Diana and felt bad when she died, but this ain't supposed to be the Charles and Diana show. Hopefully they get back on track or they really just need to end this show.
The Good Nurse (2022)
Mediocre But Watchable
Looked to be a great story, but there was just nothing there. The "Angel of Death" thing has been done many times before and much better than this. I've seen Law and Order episodes with more depth.
One of the biggest problems with the story is there is no motive or reason for this guy killing people. No glassy eyed explanation on why he chose the people he did or that he was easing their pain or anything.
All in all the movie is watchable, unlike most of the garbage on Netflix, but it is totally unremarkable. The most disturbing component of this story is how hospitals suspected he was murdering people and just let it go and passed the problem on to the next hospital. And that none of them were held accountable! Quite a distressing thought.
They/Them (2022)
Typical Teenage Summer Camp Slasher Film???
Full disclosure, I am not an ally of the LGBTQ+ crew, but I respect human beings. I don't know what people were expecting from this. It looked like it was going to be a typical slasher film and it was. I'm way too old for these type movies as I was an older teenager when Jason and Mike Myers first started slashing folks up. I wish they had a bit more background on the history of the camp. Kind of alluded to it has been there for decades, but didn't get into that. I was hoping for some clever twist, but the era of clever movies is over I fear. I did expect a bit more with Bacon in it, but I have never considered him A list.
1883 (2021)
1883: Teen Dating On The Prairie (Minor Spoilers)
I was really looking forward to this show and it has some really excellent scenes, BUT...it focuses too much on the daughter and her "dating" activities. It is incomprehensible that the creators of Yellowstone made this twaddle. There are also the obligatory shout outs to wokism, like how the noble red man can stitch trousers better than the evil white man (seriously, they spent quite a bit of time on that).
I loved Yellowstone because there was no wokism, apart from Beth's acting like a bad caricature of a dude. It seems many shows depict "strong women" that way (foul mouthed and talking about their "balls). Hopefully the next season will get back to basics and explain how the Dutton's settled Yellowstone and cowboy stuff. I'll hang in there to see if that happens.
Dunkirk (2017)
Saw It, Don't Need to See It Again
This movie is so uninteresting on many levels. First the two main Brit soldiers are cowards, not anti-heroes, but cowards. Secondly one would think the evacuation involved a handful of aircraft and a couple dozen ships. It was a massive undertaking and nearly lead to the end of one of the oldest established nations on Earth.
I was in the USAF in England for nearly a decade. I was there for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, when the RAF put up a formation of dozens of aircraft (modern and WW 2 era). I have never seen such an impressive display. They were showing their pride in that historic accomplishment. I see NOTHING to be proud of in this mess of a movie.
Private Ryan this is not. This was a wasted opportunity to show the sacrifices made by thousands during an unprecedented event in British history. Too bad.
Amazing Stories: Signs of Life (2020)
Better Than 1 and 2 Anayway...Minor Spoilers
Pretty decent story when taken in the whole, but very plodding and uneventful path to get there. Acting was adequate, but many unintentional stereotypes. The young "heroes" had to resort to drug dealing and theft to get what they needed. Is that the only way colored people can get money? Very unwoke. Also had two nit picks...
1. The girl travels from Chicago, IL to Aniston, AL on a bus and back in presumably a few hours? That's a 10 hour straight drive and Greyhound buses do NOT drive express often. My only experience on one from N Florida to Richmond, VA found me STILL in Florida after 16 hours!
2. Defibrillators can be used to fix gunshot wounds and revive people?
Such laziness in writing I cannot tolerate.
Cop Car (2015)
What did I just watch??
I find it hard to understand how this movie is rated so high. The actions of all characters is annoyingly unrealistic. Much time wasted on trivial things. Found myself fast forwarding through several scenes. Are people rating it high because of Bacon? Sorry I just want a good story and this aint it.
Lost in Space (2018)
Just OK..Minor Spoilers
I loved the original 60s show. One of the coolest things was Will Robinson was like a miniature man. He was cool under pressure and an asset to the team. The new Will is nothing like that. He adds little value to the team. I suppose that roll is being filled by Judy in the name of girl power. That's ok but I can't get over how awkward Will's attachment is to the robot. Almost romantic. He seems to have more emotions for the robot than his family. Oh well, season one was pretty good. Season 2 was very weak. Hopefully they get back on track by next season.
1917 (2019)
British Pvt Ryan of sorts...one big flaw...
A very well done movie that is visually stunning. Perfectly depicts the hoplessness and futility of that most unecessary war. Being former military I do have one serious flaw I can't get past.
In the opening Colin Firth says they have aerial photography of German positions. Why then didn't they send an aeroplane (lol brit spelling) to stop the attack? The pilot could have dropped the order... army commander reads it...roll credits. Or could have landed nearby. Aircraft flew slower than cars drive back then, so shouting could have worked to.
Besides that this was a well done film, but not one to watch over and over like Pvt Ryan.
The Aeronauts (2019)
A bit more painful than I anticipated
I knew nothing of this story so I can get over the girl power nonsense. I had trouble with the idiot scientist nearly killing them several times and resorting to physical force to get his way. He acted as if that flight was to be the only one he would ever make. Made no sense. Could have gathered more data on subsequent flights. The Wright Brothers didn't attempt long distance flight on their first attempt!
Peaky Blinders (2013)
Season 5 has jumped the shark
I love this show and was stationed near Birmingham in the 70s and 80s. Still a great show but some critical errors were made in season 5. First Michael Gray constantly bucking Tommy Shelby is very unrealistic as Tommy has killed more men than smallpox!
And Michael's twerp yank wife seriously needs to catch lead poisoning. I am looking forward to both Michael and his yankee bride dying in the next season.
But the silliest thing is the assasination. Tommy tells everyone and his brother about the assasination. Not good OPSEC for a soldier. Of course one of the multitude he told blabs to an enemy and it gets thwarted.
Also the part about breaking his sniper buddy out of a lunatic asylum to make a 100 yard shot on a stationary target does not pass any test of logic.
I must say this was the most poorly written season. Hopefully they atone for this nonsense in the next season.
A Fall from Grace (2020)
Ok Premise, Terrible Execution.
I can deal with B list actors. Everyone has to start somewhere. But I can only suspend reality so much. The defense lawyer, with weeks and weeks of experience, is most annoying. Most incredible is she calls a defense witness and allows that witness to perjure herself, get caught, then the witness destroys the case. She apparently has never watched an episode of Law and Order! Her conduct is ridiculous and just ruins the whole movie. Pure lazy writing. Nice twist at the end though. That gives it a 6 versus a 2.
Jacob's Ladder (2019)
Not bad at all
Not a bad movie at all. I rewatched the original and found it to be unremarkable. I didn't get it 20+ years ago and still don't. Thought this had an interesting twist.
Richard Jewell (2019)
Excellently done movie
Very good depiction of the events surrounding the 1986 bombing in Atlanta. Definitely an inndictment on the media. The 24 hour cable news networks have been a blessing and a curse. Back in the "olden days", news was about 24 minutes which included international, national, local, sports, weather, and cat bites dog stories. Now the news is in the business of reporting what will give them the highest rating instead of primary purpose: keep a free people informed. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this story. Eastwood is the last great director! Acting was top notch. Hauser was outstanding and truly deserves an award.