allenandginter Reviews

Malum (2023)

Not going to compare it to other movies..never got that

[4/10 · 15 November 2023]

1st Horror movie that was MEANT to be Horror and startle you, that I've watched this year.

It wasn't bad. The story is a bit trope, but what isn't these days? It's been done and will be done again, so no reason in traveling down there like others seem intent on doing.

It's a movie.

I found it sort of eerie. I think the plot devices were well done like the Prostitute scene. I think people over look how these drive a story forward by giving you just a bit more to think about and pull you along with the story. That change in that scene had the entire narrative alter and it was smartly done.

The ending was predictable, but what isn't now? The cinematography was surprisingly good for a low budget film and aside from some minor OVER-ACTING.....the acting was mostly solid.

There was only 1 thing that bugged me, and it bugs me a lot and does across any movie, regardless of the genre, and that is TIME PROGRESSION. The officer is 24-26. Her daddy died when she was 6. That makes 18-20 years from his death to her being at the station. That makes it 2002 when he died. So they want to convince me that a podunk police station has a USB 2.0 in 2022, when even the NYPD and EVERY OTHER STATE agency was still using CD and the BULK were still converting from floppy to CDR..yet "middle of nowhere" has a USB 2.0, a PC with a mobo that supports and can access USB 2.0..a $150.00 stick, AND FIGURED OUT...how to put 1 gig worth of video formatting on a 256mb USB drive...because 256 was the largest they had in 2002, well, till 2006. Yah, it gets in my craw. It's like seeing a Pirate movie and a guy is wearing a modern watch. It's WORSE though...because this movie is supposed to be about the fantastical, the mystical, the luciferin, and yet the most EVIL and outlandish, UNBELIVABLE THING IN IT...is the USB 2.0 mistake.

GOD!

Ok, rant off

It;'s worth a watch. Just don't go in expecting someone to have rewritten cinema like some of these other reviewers clearly did. If you want a shiver, watch it. If you want your SO to scream, watch it. It has enough "Creep" and SURPRISE to make any skittish person squeal.

Cell (I) (2016)

I liked it

[6/10 · 16 June 2016]

THis movie seems to be a book readers, sad panda cry-fest. Of the other 51 reviews, all with 3 stars or lower whine about the book.

Having NOT read the book, I enjoyed the movie. Not sure what the deal with Raggedy was, but other than that it was a good flick.

I would class it as a thriller more than a horror.

Cusack reminds me of Luke Goss in that a bad movie can be made better just by his appearance. Let's not forget Samuel L.

I would recommend this movie to those whom have NOT read the book as IMDb is already too cluttered with fanboy /crys

I will now have to read the book :)

The Call Up (2016)

Far too many shill accounts on IMDb to consider reviews honest on new movies

[3/10 · 25 May 2016]

Well, I knew it was a long shot that a movie with under 20 reviews ( It has 29 at the writing of this) was an honest review. Friends of cast,cast, employees of production companies, etc. I get it though. A falsely inflated review get's you to spend that cash only to be face palming 2 hours later. The Cinematography was solid. No back yard iPhone movie here. The intro CGI was done well. The CGI in the movie was BAD...the acting was worse. Thee were 2 people whom could act, the others...just were bad. Right down to the final, badly written and poorly acted, scene The plot was as transparent as glass with nothing "Surprising" in the entire movie. In my day we would have called it a "Straight to video" movie. IMO, this should have been a straight to youtube movie.

Brutal (2014)

I was unfortunate

[2/10 · 20 May 2016]

I was unfortunate to be suckered in by the shill rating above of a 7.2 that is now a 7 and should be a solid 3 in the weeks to come.

It is a sad state of affairs when a horrid film is pushed, as a favor to friends of cast, writers, producers, etc in order to dupe people who will STILL find the rating false and the movie pure crap

This is sort of like how elections run, I suppose. People claim a thing, tell you it is great then when you are exposed to it yourself you realize it was one big lie

So

Bad acting

HORRID effects

POOR writing

Silly combat

...and, again, a shilled rating that does not reflect the true trash this piece is

Midnight Special (2016)

The book would have been better...were one written

[4/10 · 21 April 2016]

I had high hopes based on the cast. I have always been a fan of the thought that a good actor can make a bad movie great. This movie was either the exception to that or proof that such a view is limited in scope

Without going into detail, the movie leaves far too much up to assumption or "What do you think was meant/happened" and I am not speaking of the ending. There are 3 parts of the movie where you are to assume the intent/feeling of the character based on a nod or a look. Children lack the ability to act with intensity. When you character is supposed to be a child with greater understanding than those around him, but fails to give emotional queues based on his age...well, a lot can be left hanging.

I add the above on the fact that several parts are " fill it in yourself" parts relating to several characters. Less time spent with concept development and more actually put into the plot would have seen a far better film.

In the end you are left with a "That's it?" feeling. I am unsure where the 7+ star ratings and higher come from and I can only assume they are people who enjoyed the acting of Edgerton, Shannon and Driver. Dunst may as well have been listed as a drawn out cameo for what she contributed to the story

The movie, to me, is no different than a bad night's sleep. You would have liked more but will deal with what you have and try to make it to the next night.

I gave it a 4 based on how much it lacked, how incomplete it feels and while I did like the special effects, I still find the movie one of those "Pick it up at Red Box" flicks.

The Aliens (2016)

Fanboi reviews are useless

[3/10 · 15 March 2016]

As I read the other reviews it became CRYSTAL CLEAR these are Fanbois either of cast members or a crew member, trying to fluff the ratings and generate interest. Now, I was lulled into a complacent position by a tag-line...like a foolish lemming "FROM THE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT YOU THE MISFITS!" Well yah...the PRODUCTION COMPANY ARE the people who brought you the TV show. But Howard Overman brought us the Misfits. THis is like saying " From the people who brought you BATMAN! THE DARK KNIGHT" It's ARTHUR ! Staring Russell Brand"

I mean, Yes Warner Brothers DID pay for Batman, but I ASSURE YOU just as Peter Baynham most certainly did NOT bring you the Darknight,Fintan Ryan did NOT bring you the Misfits.

So, to say a production company's tag-line is sufficient to toss out there to cover as credibility for a...poorly written British "Comedy"/Fantasy that has the ear marks of being about as interesting, as the story progresses, as Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos ..WHICH, I might add, has the most auspicious reputation of being the ONLY SHOW to be canceled AS IT WAS AIRING..

Now, I am an American I am REALLY fond of British TV and more so, Drama/Humor. The Misfits brought the damned ODDEST combination of writing and story line I have ever encountered. It was like an idiots view of how the fantastic Four got it's powers...and it was amazing.

So, I REALLY enjoyed the Mifits, well, nearly all of the episodes. To see this show lumped in with the same level of "off the wall:" genius and then seeing Episode 1 and 2, I feel like I have been misled and to a degree that will have me watching for this production companies "Claims" in the future with much more scrutiny.

A show is only as good as it's writer. A writer's work is only as good as it's actors. if you have both of those, you can still make a hit with the worst production company on the planet....which the Misfits prove, in relation to the CLAIMS directed towards The Aliens

If you came under the same pretense as I did ,do not be surprised when you have that WTF stance in your mind as to try and bridge similarities between the 1 shows...because you cannot.

I think the show needs an overhaul on the written end ASAP or it will not make it past mid season. I think the "characteristic" parts of the show are a true mark of how poor the writing is...Pardon me while I smoke some hair and push out me 30hz note to see aliens crapping their pants....sheer stupidity I will give it to episode 3, then I may as well watch my dog chase his tail as it has a better direction and plot than this show

The Diabolical (2015)

Slow start, BIG middle...flat finish

[4/10 · 24 February 2016]

The middle is where it get's interesting. You find yourself with a "Feeling" about what is going on. There are small clues that begin to tie in and if you are a cerebral movie goer then by 3/4 of the way you have everything figured out.

I liked where it was going. I predicted who was who and expected the proverbial catch-22.

Then the movie went south. In the last 45 seconds the movie undid all that it had built up. Interesting writing, good acting and then a plot that fell flat on it's own face.

It's hard to give a movie a good rating, even if 76% was done well. We all remember the bad things about people before the good and a movie is not much different.

I am unsure if the writer just ran out of ideas or did not like how limp it would have been if ended 3 minutes earlier. Sure it would have been a bit of a "Yawn" but it would have been a 5. No, let's add that final scene and drag it down to a 4 or 3.

So, be warned. What you think is the end, is not. What is left as a "Ah, that is why" comes up as a well.....they can't do that now moment.

Do not do anything until this is out on netflix or Amazon. Seriously, the ending was so flat in what is closed then opened then changed that you will be mad if you even find it at Redbox and pay .99 :)

Heroes Reborn (2015–2016)

Take it or leave it

[5/10 · 24 February 2016]

What to say really.

If you saw Heroes, you will want to see this simply because you grew with the other characters and wish to see the show continue.

That said...Think of Terminator 2,3,4

This show was best left as an "OMG I HOPE IT HAPPENS!!!" Fan fantasy idea. It starts off slow, they try to "mix it up" and leave MASSIVE holes for a show that took PAINSTAKING EFFORTS to fill in backstories in it's initial release. Why is Matt Parkman now a bad guy ? Well, let's give 30 seconds of dialog and let that suffice

The powers have gone down hill....I CAN CONTROL A DARK...THING!!! It can hold people and....umm.....stop other powers, kill electricity,etc,etc.....LOOK! I am mist.....Look, I am invisible...Look I can blah,blah,blah. I mean, I look back at Heroes and I remember the kid Claire had a thing for that could breath under water...SILLY power for that show, but the writers took time to make it interesting, useful and then killed the guy :)

The writing suffered. I am assuming at least 5 people either could not be afforded or wanted nothing to do with it. I mean, Sylar this, Sylar that, but no Sylar. Claire this, Claire that, OH, She died ! No, she is missing, Wait...she will be in the next season...that is cancelled.

They started off much the same way, opening the door for a plethora of episodes, but then that whole virtual end just went into the realm of some pretty bad writing REALLY FAST!

Now, if you say Heroes and feel that it was SO GOOD you have to watch Heroes Reborn, be ready for a let down. The last 3 episodes were a "Sheesh, I have to watch them just in-case" scenario. I was no longer looking forward to watching it.

So, be warned :)

The Demolisher (2015)

The ONLY saving grace is the cinematography....

[3/10 · 16 February 2016]

Where to start......

Some minor spoilers included.

Unusual story-line, as if a teenager came up with it or someone young. LOT of violence and often a tad unrealistic. Continuity issues abound with an inability to tie story A in with story B.

Ry Barrett needs some acting classes or not speak. He is the entire "B" end of this movie. The action was almost believable until you see a slip of a girl get the better of him...even though he can APPARENTLY teleport as that is the only way to explain the cut scenes from him to her, with him catching up to her.

The man can beat down a 280lb 6'4 man, but struggles with a partially crippled 24 year old.

Then you hit the cinematography. It was dead on ! Syfy should hire the camera crew for it's crap-tastic films as anything else would have made this a "yawner" regardless of the OVER THE TOP violence that was the way the "rage" was written

SO !

if you wish to view a movie, done in a world where cellphones only exist during the day, mad men can cover hundreds of yards in a blink, chasing hurt female runners who figure abandoning a baby and not calling the police is an A-OK! idea while the DEMOLISHER! clearly use an untold psychic skill to locate and chase prey for hours, THEN Add in a scene with a pervy, poorly acted, mechanic because story lines are for the peasants, then THIS is the movie for you !

I think someone discovered the term "Avant Garde" and started writing and this was what came out and it FAILED.

1 star for the movie, but a 3 because of the cinematography. I would not recommend this to someone I disliked

Howl (I) (2015)

Is it over yet ?

[2/10 · 19 October 2015]

I allowed the initial reviews to influence my decisions. I should have known better.

It seems , more often than not, initial reviews are from fans,friends or cast members rather than people that simply found the movie, watched it and enjoyed/disliked a show.

This show was poorly scripted as far as I see it. The humor was flat and dry, the acting was not even on par with these people's past shows. I have always thought an actor makes the part, not the other way around, but what I saw here were decent actors acting WORSE than in previous roles. Maybe it is a British thing, I dunno.

It is WELL WORTH a .99 rental in order to make fun of, but not to sit and enjoy or be frightened. It will work just as well as an inexpensive sedative....

Circle (II) (2015)

I found it flat

[4/10 · 16 October 2015]

It holds you, pulls you into it and has you rooting for people. The problem was simple, to be honest. The ending was so flaccid, based on the build up, it leaves you thinking "Come on.." I was surprised , based on how the film ended, at the level of acting in this movie.That was the shining point when you factor in the ending or the lack of context and content. It was nice to see "Rita" after her demise in Dexter, finding a roll and playing it well :) If it had a bit more context, content or a bit more story, I think it would have been a terrific movie. Instead it went down the pseudo- cerebral path and fell on it's face. I Would not recommend this to anyone unless it was a .99 rental at a red-box simply because it is missing the delivery that comes after the build up

Deep Web (2015)

The Deep Propaganda....and the Mis-titled movie

[3/10 · 11 June 2015]

1st, let me start off by saying this is NOT a movie focusing on the Dark Web. This movie focuses on Ross Ulbricht and his trail and conviction.

The movie title is meant to imply it covers the content of the web, aspects and issues...It scratches some of the "manifesto" concepts of the web and freedoms and that is about it.

The movie goes to extreme lengths to color Ross as a victimized patriot, exercising what he feels is freedom and marginalizes the other effects. It plays off the Silk Road as a way for drugs to be sold without violence and mentions decriminalization several times.

What it does not mention is the numbers behind the claims. I find it highly improbable that your average heroin addict can tell you what bitcoin is, much less grasp the idea that 1 coin has a value of $230.00 per coin. The fact that the prices on the Silk Road were at the top end seems like it was simply a way for white and blue collar people to obtain drugs without risk of violence, more than the poppycock the movie tries to smear and portray as a universal truth.

The movie also tries to place doubt of guilt on Ross by CONSTANTLY quoting the defenses concerns over the location of the Silk Road serves and the movie REPEATEDLY tries to convince you this information was never submitted in writing or court...which is a lie and nothing more. What they SHOULD say is we disagree with what was STATED IN COURT as the method of which the servers location, via IP, was obtained, which they do, but not in the movie.

This is simply a pro-Ross Ulbricht movie, meant to swing opinions prior to the appeals process as far as I can tell. It is rife with misinformation, lies and falsehoods, under the guise, again, of safe drug transactions, freedom and the right of anonymity.

My suggestion is simple. Anytime a claim is made, concerning the legal end of Ulbricht's situation, to research that claim. All...and I mean ALL of the documents from the court proceedings are EASILY obtained online. There are claims against the Federal government and they may be valid, but to say that the Feds never said WHY and HOW is misleading with an intent to convey the theme that a law was broken to catch a law breaker.

The show is done well, camera work is flawless, it is the method of delivery of the content I have issues with. I would think any person who's focus is truth, would also have issue with the manipulation used in this "Documentary"

Chappie (2015)

Biased Critics

[7/10 · 13 May 2015]

The movie took Frankenstein to a WHOLE new concept level.

They took it from the child to adult, through crisis of conscious to morality learning and application.

Shartlo made the character live, period. The writing was not terrible, but not amazing. The story line, per the substory, was bland. The main story was great.

I think my issue is that critics have no clue. The focus on a movie's short comings, finding things to critique rather than giving it an unbiased once through, then a 2nd view for review

I suppose that is why critics have it at a 4.1 and normal people, such as you and I, have it at a 7.2

Critics just have no clue. I understand Ninja and Yolandi..were NOT the best choices for support characters and Yolandi's voice is....like nails on chalk board and Ninja's over-acting makes you want to face palm at times, HOWEVER, that seems to be what critics are focusing on. Those 2 and the sub story.

That's too bad, really. The movie was great and well worth the watch and rewatch.

I gave it an 7 BECAUSE of the 3 issues mentioned above. Poor sub plot, over acting and a voice to stab your eyes out over. The other positive 7 aspects comes from the writing as well as the acting on Sharllto, the main story line progression and the fact the movie was not rushed, where any other directed would have tried to cram more in.

It surpasses Avengers 2 in entertainment.

Strange Magic (2015)

The MOVIE was nice, the music......painful to endure

[4/10 · 11 May 2015]

I have to put this as a middle of the road movie.

I liked the graphics and the characters. They were rendered well and the characters were well done. The issue was the "take the song and make it yours!" type of music.

Now, I have no issue with altering music to fit a need, but this was...horrid. The music was the only real downfall for me. Granted the entire movie was predictable from beginning till mid-credit scene, still, it is meant for a younger crowd. However, I cannot stress enough, that the music was awfully done. Good songs hammered into peppy puke. It was like watching a good actor stuck in a bad role where the music was concerned.