mikesbikes-58-197771 Reviews

From (2022– )

Great horror/mystery turned soap opera.

[5/10 · 23 April 2024]

Season One: 9 Season Two: 1

From is a unique show that had a ton of potential.

Great premise - Unique idea, Something that the audience can visualize happening to them.

Great story - As stated above, people can relate to a road trip taking them through rundown towns, wondering "what happened here".

Great production - interesting setting, well filmed.

Great characters - Good cast that does a decent job (season 1). A bit two dimensional, with forced emotional responses. (sadly that's all there is in season 2).

Then season 2 came along.

I can't think of another series that went from so good to so bad between the first and second seasons. What happened!? Did they hire a completely different writing crew?

Just a horrible series of stupid decisions, forced drama and ridiculous emotional outbursts.

Poor acting, that could be overlooked in season 1, is overbearing throughout season 2. I don't really blame the actors here, as they've been handed a stinker of a script to deal with.

Endless, boring dialogue just drones on and on. Childlike arguments, reek of forced drama. (Nearly every interaction results in this behavior). It's unwatchable. Nearly every scene is like a sketch at amateur actors improv night.

Just think of any daytime soap that your mom used to watch.

I could go on and on, but I don't want to bore you. Recommendation: Watch season one, and be done with it.

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Not good.

[3/10 · 31 December 2023]

Good premise, horrible execution.

Story: I hope the book was better.

Screenplay: Totally disjointed story telling. No plot holes, as there was no plot. Just one disjointed scene after another. Some were just stupid. The scene where Roberts and Ali go from hating each other to passionately dancing in a millisecond. How did that trope ever make it out of rom-coms to other genres? Such a stupid and forced scene!

Characters: None developed beyond the two dimensional personalities they had upon introduction. Not a single person was likable, or someone worth caring about. Roberts' character was utterly obnoxious. Hawke's character was just an incompetent simp moron. Ali's character had potential, but like the others, never developed. The kids were practically brain dead.

Acting: Great actors, nothing to work with. Again completely two dimensional.

Dialogue: This is the biggest failure of the script. Not a single complete or coherent thought verbalized throughout the entire film. Cheap attempt at creating drama in this non-thriller. Disjointed and boring. Literally gave a great cast nothing to work with. Miscommunication is the only tool the writer/director had in his bag to create any kind of tension.

Cinematography: "Hey, I know! Let's use drones for everything! And if we can't use a drone, turn the frame upside down or sideways"! That sums up this entire film.

FX: Not much to speak of. Seemed like a low budget film.

Sound design: Not bad. The lame dialogue was at least clear, and dynamic range didn't require constant turning volume up or down. That said, the score was horrible.

Overall, this felt like a 1970's made for TV movie that was only produced in hopes of creating a series.

Rapture (II) (2019)

Okay

[6/10 · 18 July 2023]

I'm a fan of apocalyptic and faith films, so I guess I was the target audience.

PREMISE: Good. Standard disaster, apocalypse fare. Noting new here. Good overall, however.

SCREENPLAY: Good. A bit slow. 90% of the film is the second act, which probably accounts for that. Nice to see a faith film that doesn't treat God like Santa-God. ("Just pray and everything is magically fixed"). Could have used some more character development to help the audience bond with them. No plot holes. Story moves forward without any nonsensical side plots or contrived drama. Believable.

ACTING: Very good. Good acting with believable responses to the situation(s). Being a faith film, it's very difficult to present a message without being over the top. The Christian character pulled it off superbly. Not over-bearing while also standing her ground. Dialogue was excellent overall.

DIRECTING: Good. Worked very well within the confines of the budget and script. Got the most out of the actors, story and setting. Hats-off!

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Very good. Well shot, directed and edited. Mostly shot outdoors in the desert. This set the tone very well. Not a whole lot of needless shots. Well done overall.

F/X. Fair. Obviously a low budget film and they knew how to film within those constraints. Only part I questioned was at the end, where they were walking through a town and the abandoned cars were CGI. Odd, since throughout the rest of the film, they used real cars and debris.

Jack Reacher (2012)

What an action film should be.

[8/10 · 13 February 2022]

Purely entertaining. Nuff said.

So nice to see real stunts in a genre polluted by over the top CGI!

Big budget production. Great cast. Great script.

A couple plot holes. But easily overlooked.

Will watch this again!

Mrs. Worthington's Party (2007)

Fabulous Film!

[10/10 · 16 December 2021]

I stumbled across this after watching "It's A Wonderful Life" on Prime. Came up as a recommendation. I'm a fan of Christmas films and Faith/Family film in general.

What a great film, depicting people of faith as they really are! Not a film for those who want to see a sugar coated version of the Christian life, but one that shows struggles faced by all people.

Hats off to David Wall for writing and directing such a compelling Film!

Christmas Lodge (2011 TV Movie)

By the numbers Christmas / Romance film.

[8/10 · 27 November 2021]

Not a standout film in any way. Just very good at what it is.

Sort of like the Toyota Camry of Christmas films.

To the muscle car owner, it's bland and boring. To the Hybrid owner it's just not sophisticated enough.

So it is with this film, to the action, thriller. . . Fan, it's dull and predictable. To the film snob it's too simple. To the rest of us, it's an entertaining film.

I have to laugh and even question the motives of those who criticize the religious element in this film. Um. . . It's a CHRISTMAS film. . . Duh!

Charming story, well written, directed, acted & produced!

Redcon-1 (2018)

Cut 30 minutes of flashbacks & it'd be a 7

[3/10 · 18 October 2021]

I'm a fan of the genre, so I guess I'm easily entertained.

This film could have been solid zombie flick if they'd removed the endless flashbacks.

STORY - Very good. I won't spell it out as 137 have already done that for you.

SCREENPLAY - Fair. As I stated, this film is full of flashbacks that do nothing to move the story forward. Just seemed like an attempt to draw emotion from the audience. (It failed). Action was good. Dialogue was fair. Had a few "what the heck" moments. Like why didn't they keep their armored vehicles? Or the multiple times infighting and arguing was used as a set-up for the team being ambushed. You can tell the writers never spent a minute in the Military, let alone Elite Units. Lame and lazy writing. A 3rd or 4th draft (maybe by a different writer) could have made this much more crisp, and let the story shine.

DIRECTING - Not bad given the script. A bit too much of the slow motion "music video" overly dramatic stuff.

PRODUCTION - Very good, Cinematography & Sound design was well done. Editing could have left a lot more on the cutting room floor. Sets and Effects were very good. (The mines were underwhelming).

ACTING - Good, given the script. Again, none of the characters acted like any Elite Military I've ever had the pleasure of working with.

Seemed like they were making every attempt possible to draw the audience in at a deep emotional level. Completely unnecessary! It's a freak'n zombie flick!

Sorcerer (1977)

Once upon a time, Hollywood made films like this.

[10/10 · 15 October 2021]

Real actors, playing real people, playing out real action.

No need to add to the reviews already posted, but - You owe it to yourself to see this film!

Thank God it was made in 1976 before action films became loaded with over the top CGI action, where characters are just there to support the FX in the film.

As my headline stated, "At one time Hollywood made films like this". It will never happen again, so watch it! It's a wonderful display of: Story telling, Cinematography, Directing, Acting, REAL stunts.

A fantastic break from the steady stream of comic book super heroes or revenge, kill-fests that dominate the genre today. Sadly, we'll probably never return to big budget epics like this.

Dragon Day (2013)

Good story. Fair execution.

[5/10 · 15 October 2021]

I'm a big fan of this type of film, and while it's no "Panic In Year Zero", it entertained me.

I thought it was very well filmed, and they worked within their budget.

STORY: Excellent. Great premise!

SCREENPLAY: Just okay. Feels like it was filmed off a first draft. Plot holes and a lot of me thinking to myself "No one would do that" or "Why don't they just do this"? More research should have been done on the tech featured. Another 3 or 4 rewrites, and they could ironed a lot of this out.

ACTION: Felt a bit disjointed.

DIALOG: Was clunky, overly emotional or "on the nose".

DIRECTING: Again, just okay. Scenes were well set up and shot. Some weird unnecessary shots here and there. Others you could tell were done in one take.

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Very good. As I said before. Well shot. Great locations. Sound was good. Just needed a little more editing.

ACTING: Was good, given the budget. I couldn't stand the wife, as all she did was overreact. (This is an issue with the script and directing too). She was just so annoying. (When are writers going to realize that 99.9% of women aren't going to complain about 1st world, suburban, domestic issues in the middle of the apocalypse)?

The kid was not as bad, but just as annoying. She was supposed to be 7, but behaved like a 3 year old. (Do writers or directors not have kids of their own).

Overall, not bad. Only found myself looking at my phone a few times.

Big Sky (2020–2023)

A show that requires you to stick a straw up your nose and suck out half your brain to believe.

[2/10 · 8 October 2021]

A show that requires you to stick a straw up your nose and suck out half your brain to believe.

I jumped into this after seeing the teasers on HULU. Thought maybe something like "Twin Peaks" or "Longmire". - Nope! Not quirky like "Twin Peaks" or a superb drama like "Longmire".

After 3 episodes, it's obvious why the two leads lost their previous jobs as cops. The only thing that moves the plot forward are the moronic decisions made by these two.

Pushed through to the end of episode 9, before giving up on it.

Episodes 1- 9 would have been a good single episode of "Law & Order SVU"

2025 - The World enslaved by a Virus (2021)

Cool premise, horribly executed.

[1/10 · 18 September 2021]

Just because your church has some really cool video equipment, doesn't mean you should go into film making.

I don't know where to begin. From the initial "high speed chase" filmed at 20mph, through the end, it's just bad.

So. . .

SCREENPLAY - I like the premise, but that's it. Horrible, disjointed story telling. No plot holes to call out as it's just one big one. Dialogue was robotic with nearly every line "on the nose".

DIRECTING - Nonexistant. I think every scene was done in one take and method was left up to the "actors".

CINEMATOGRAPHY - They had good equipment. . . (The latest iPhones) Which are actually quite amazing in their video capabilities. But: Scenes were poorly staged. Action (when they weren't just sitting around, droning on and on) was awful. Sound was muddy and flat. Obvious that there was minimal if any editing or post.

ACTING - Not only did the church provide the equipment, but the cast as well. Non-actors, with a bad script and no direction equates to this film.

ACTION/FX - What little there was, was bad. (See my initial comment).

That said, I like the premise, just would like to see it done right.

Out of Time (V) (2021)

Not bad.

[6/10 · 18 September 2021]

STORY - Unique and intriguing science fiction.

SCREENPLAY - Good story telling. Few plot holes that raised question marks, but no show stoppers. Well written with budget in mind. Dialogue was just okay if not a bit cluncky, especially the aliens.

DIRECTING - Very good. The story flowed at a good pace. Scenes were well established. No real continuity issues.

CINEMATOGRAPHY - Visuals were up to cinematic standards. Sound was less than optimal, (most notable at the beginning, but you get used to it).

ACTING - Actors were good given the dialogue they had to work with. However, as noted the sound was a bit muddy.

ACTION/FX - Very good. They knew their budget and stayed within its limitations.

Very entertaining film, overall!

The Fare (I) (2018)

I will return to this film.

[10/10 · 17 September 2021]

Intelligent, thoughtful, emotional, fascinating!

Great film. Highly recommend it!

Coherence (2013)

Could have been a 10

[7/10 · 17 September 2021]

This story has an excellent premise. Well thought out and intriguing.

Sadly, it fell apart in the acting and dialogue. A group of adults just irrationally pouting, complaining, arguing and otherwise being utterly annoying. It's like a borderline personality disorder convention.

(Side note: At what point will screenwriters understand that 99.999999999% of women will NOT stop in the middle of a stressful, tense, dangerous situation to have a conversation about relationships?)

The solution is simple: Had it been written and cast as a slumber party of 12 - 13 year olds, the behavior would have been believable.

Tears of the Sun (2003)

First half 10. Second half 2

[6/10 · 6 September 2021]

First half of this film was excellent. Not sure what happened in the second half, (maybe a different screenwriter or entirely different script?)

It all gets stupid after they discover the tracking device.

Why didn't they take the trucks from the village and put some miles and time between themselves and the pursuing army?

Then, they suddenly forget effective tactics and fight like morons throughout the final half.

Pretty much ruined a potentially good film.

The Losers (I) (2010)

Mindless entertainment - Or - "How to pack every cliche of the action genre into one script".

[6/10 · 6 August 2021]

My headline says it all. I like action films as much as anyone else.

Story - Good

Script - Cliche filled to the point of being a parody.

Cinematography - Good

Acting - Good

This could have rated a solid 8 had it not been for issues noted.

Scorched (I) (2003)

Great, fun & funny!

[8/10 · 31 July 2021]

I've watched this film a number of times and always enjoy it. The story is very well paced, complemented by a top-shelf cast delivering crisp dialogue. The comedy is well delivered, ranging from subtle to slapstick.

Just a great film!

Dark Disciple (2016)

Slow but interesting.

[6/10 · 31 July 2021]

Can't really add much to the reviews already posted, so I'll break it down:

STORY - Unique and intriguing Crime Drama/Horror.

SCREENPLAY - This film has very little dialogue and what is there has very little continuity. Action and scene structure adds to the disjointed feel.

DIRECTING - This where it gets weird. LOTS of random shots separated by "fade to black". Many of which do nothing to move the story forward. Comes across as an art project as opposed to a feature film.

CINEMATOGRAPHY - This is where this film shines. Beautiful scenes, great locations. Fix the issues noted above to make the most of this.

ACTING - Actors were okay given the dialogue they had to work with. However, the sound was odd and monotone. Sounded almost like voice-over in an anime. This didn't help with the delivery of the few lines they had. Hence, they come across as wooden.

ACTION/FX - Very good (when there is some) and well choreographed, but you have to wait for the final 15 minutes to really see any of it.

All that said, it kept my interest enough that I watched through the end.

Alien Conquest (2021)

Odd blend of good and bad, (mostly bad).

[1/10 · 30 July 2021]

Pretty much another ambitious attempt to make a high budget film on a very low budget.

All the other reviews cover most of the issues, so I won't repeat. I'll just add my two cents.

CGI was a mixed bag. Initially, I was impressed. But that went away with the ground combat scenes. Just awful!

I honestly believe they were pulled from a video game. Maybe "World of Tanks". The give away was one scene that showed obvious game play of a WWII battle on the Eastern front between the Red Army and the Wehrmacht. Then it jumps to a more modern scene with US equipment.

Actually everything and everyone representing the military was wrong in this film. Hmmmm. . . Maybe hire a veteran as an adviser??? There are only a few million of us.

As I said, all the other problems have been covered.

No Escape (I) (2015)

Great idea, but turned it off.

[2/10 · 6 March 2021]

Great story - Check

Great cast - Check

Great - cinematography - Check

Great location - Check

But I couldn't take another: - "THEN, KID DOES SOMETHING STUPID" - as a plot moving tool.

While the premise of the story was great, that is such a lazy method of writing.