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Reviews
Cash Out (2024)
The second half drags down this heist film.
There are several points where Cash Out failed for me. To explain that I will have to separate the film into two halves. In part one during the initial heist, Travolta and the cast bring off their roles very well. Each of the characters plays their part with understated humour and panache. The set is stylish and in the fashion of some of the great heist films it fulfills and leaves you wanting more. I would rate that a solid seven stars.
Where Cash Out fails for me is setting up the group for the failure leading into the film's second half. The further characterizations and character development needed to set up this part of the film are ignored. Perhaps budget restraints and a weak written plot are at fault. In any event, there is not enough focus given to the love affair between the two many characters. Why is a master thief, and an FBI undercover agent so deeply in love? How did the relationship develop? What was the imperative that made their love so strong? Alongside this is what was going on with the less talented brother that he needed to get his brother out of his slump.
I found the direction, and editing to be weak in several areas. There are scenes that for Travolta were obviously difficult, scenes where several characters had to contort to get through several walls. These scenes were clumsily set up and filmed. Yes, it was dark, and it would have been a perfect moment for a character double to show athletic prowess. Travolta may have been slightly miscast for the part. His age, and the fact he appears somewhat overweight, and out of shape to bring off this part of the film seem somewhat implausible. There are also parts of the film where a closeup of Travolta continues too long and just seems awkward.
To give Travolta his due, his acting chops for much of the film were on point.
As well as these plot black holes many smaller plot holes weaken the story; too many to list. Then there is the final scene where the lovers are reunited. It's too abrupt with no suspense, and no setup. It just doesn't work. I would rate part two as no higher than three stars.
UFO Cowboys (2023)
Contrived, and Faked. They should be embarrassed.
Watching this video I feel like either I need to lose intelligence to understand what they are doing, because every time they say we should not be out here at night, then the next scene is the next night, and of course they are out there by night. Is it because viewers will have an atavistic fear of what they can't see? Well they certainly dramatize the hell out of that with video that flashes from one scene to another, with lights flashing, and low frequency and high frequency sound effects worked into the sound track. Of course they are also doing that in the day time shoots, with limited camera angles and cuts from one chase scene to the next to get adrenaline worked up. If they were trying like heck to dramatizing nonsense so no-one could make heads or tails of what is happening then they achieved that, "With Bells On". They should be embarrassed.
Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (2024)
I liked the first show, but they need to tone down the platitudes.
I liked the first show, but they need to tone down the platitudes. The two main characters are interesting, but they are a little too intensely focused on delivering clever repartee instead of solid police work. A few too many cliches. There is one point where the two detectives are walking at a break neck speed across the plaza at city hall speaking to what is supposed to be someone in the Crown Attorneys Office. Are they trying to suggest the C. A. is a D. A.? It feels off. Are they also trying to quickly set the series scene with recognized landmarks? The scene would have been better in an office with more dialogue, where they could introduce other characters. Instead they chose the quick fix that was entirely without context.
The series first episode gets off to a lukewarm start, but it seems to have possible potential. That is if the writers can avoid some of the platitudes, and numerous cliches, and if the producers can restrain their rush to introduce a new series without letting characters, and stories drive the series. Do they have a tiny budget, or are the producers too inexperienced; I guess time will tell.
The UFO Movie They Don't Want You to See (2023)
Its a rather obviously a Hit Piece
The director, and producer make way to much of how they use the latest science, and technology to investigate the facts. How they will use fact based science to investigate the claims that UFO's exist and we are being visited by Alien visitors. They picked a narrator with a face and a voice that you want to trust. They cherry pick some of the leading cases that seem to point towards being visited. Instead of being unbiased they seem to have an agenda towards discrediting each of those cases. All their efforts seem to be proving they don't exist, rather then examine just the facts. They have so called scientists who claim its impossible for visitors to travel interstellar distances to visit. Everything they claim that is impossible may be possible, we just don't know.
To me that makes it an absolute that they have agenda, while doing everything but back flips to claim they don't.
James Fox, Dr. Steven Greer, many Pilots, many Astronauts, several American Governors, many Congressmen and women, many military personnel, police chiefs, citizens of a huge range of creditable backgrounds have testified to being Eye Witness's.
Why do companies like Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Raytheon, and many others have technology that appears to be many decades ahead of other technology?
A reasonable man would wonder why Dr. Steven Greer presented evidence to so many US Presidents about the question of UFO visitors? Why did the Pentagon admit UFO's exist? Why does Congress talk about the hidden closed loop skifs, and black projects that no one, even US Presidents can investigate without a need to know? Why did an x-director of the CIA become murdered, (Drowned) on the eve an announcement, and reveal about UFO's with Dr. Steven Greer?
The number of facts that show we are being visited is overwhelming. Instead of being brainwashed that Black is White, maybe the question is what they have to hide, and who is hiding it?
Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021)
Usually this series has fewer cliches then the other two series.
Usually Law & Order Organized Crimes is the best of the three Law and Order series. Generally speaking the writing, and acting is often much better. Speaking of episode three for this season, what police officer when under fire catches a shot victim, when both the victim and himself are under fire by an active shooter. It really didn't fit the situation. There is easily an interval of two or three seconds where he has an opportunity to take the bad guy down and spends his time catching the victim, allowing the bad guy to escape who he wings in the leg with a very awkward angle snap shot, as he escapes. Bad directing, and bad script writing, bad editing, and a horrible situational setting. Then the bad guy gets the drop on him, and again at an awkward angle, knocks him off the roof with a snap shot where where he lies seconds later in a huge pool of blood after falling twenty feet. Then of course there is the obligatory scene of the rescued child's father in the hospital where he poses with a quivering lip when he looks gratefully at detective Stabler. At that point I lost most of the interest that I gained in the first two episodes in this season. I really hope this series doesn't fall into the toilet with the other two series, Law and Order, and Law and Order Special Victims Unit.
Reacher (2022)
The stories are "Over the Top, take no prisoners kind of good".
Casting among other things are an essential part of a good story, and when that is right, and all the other things fall in place we have something special. All of those "Pieces" are present. I love the music, the writing, the cast, the directing, the acting, and the stories. The music in the series starts with pieces by some of the greatest "Immortal Blues Masters". The music fits the story so well, you know it was crafted and matched to the stories by a master of the art. Alan Ritchson was an inspired and brilliantly lucky find, and completely and utterly suits the part, like he was made for it. The cast is amazing, all talented, and also well directed! The stories are "Over the Top, take no prisoners kind of good". I hope we can look forward to many more seasons of this masterpiece. If so it will be one good thing in what has come to be a somewhat disappointing world.
Monsieur Spade (2024)
Filling the shoes of greatness is one of the toughest tasks in the film world
The writers, director, producers, lighting, and photography people seemingly obviously know nothing about film noir, or the Maltese Falcon. Missing entirely Bogies character Sam Spade's toughness, bitterness, and razor sharp one liners. Is this merely the search to look for what was deemed great in the past in a fruitless search to cash in on that greatness? I believe that Clive Owen was miscast in the part of the "Great Detective" entirely missing the characterization of that part. Filling the shoes of greatness is one of the toughest tasks in the film world, and while I appreciate efforts in that direction, it's worse then sad when the mark is so badly missed.
The Collective (2023)
Why was Don Johnson a part of this, I expect better of him?
The action was amateurish at best, poor planning for sequences, bad camera angles, and foolish actions on the parts of the agents. The young man in the beginning training sequence walked through it like he was playing a video game. Maybe the producers thought that was what kids would like; I have no idea why. The dialogue was really unsuitable. I walked out of the theatre after the first ten minutes; what a disappointing production! Twenty twenty four is off to a terrible start if this is the quality of productions we can look ahead to. The acting was atrocious, the film editing terrible, the sets were as cheap as they could possibly find. With all this going against it in the first few minutes, there was no way I could stay.
The Bricklayer (2023)
The director used every "bloody" cliche in the book
The film is still running through my mind. While I enjoyed the film, the director used every bloody cliche in the book. Setting scenes to give the viewers a comparison impression between James Bond, and The Bricklayer. You might almost thinking they were trying to create a "Brand" so that there could be future Bricklayer films. Transparent hopes of more, when the film has so many flaws may be doomed to disappointment. Many of the scenes also had actors either posing for the scene, or either looking at the camera, or every other way except at the camera. Some of them near broke their necks avoiding looking at the camera, even when they were in very abnormal postures. The film editing was sloppy, even when a better edit would have avoided revealing the more obvious flaws.
Silent Night (2023)
This is not up to John Woo's talent, and left me very dissatisfied.
This is not up to John Woo's talent. I found the material entirely like a one-trick pony. All rage, and sadness, verging on insanity, without any real character development, or pathos. There is nothing in the lead character's story that allows the audience to sympathize with him, other than the loss of his son. There are no positive events to draw us into the story. Instead, we are faced with an ever-increasing level of horror, rage, and madness. Woo has been known to give violence an almost ballet type of choreography (Bullet time slow motion) but that is not what we are seeing here. With the rage of the main character, we are faced with depression, rage, and madness which causes an ever-increasing degree of violence that continues to the very end of the film. This film should have ratings of extreme violence attached. While I watched the entire film I was left with a deep feeling of disatisfaction when it was over. It almost feels like the film was only part of a story.
NCIS: Sydney (2023)
Completely Amateurish Production
From every aspect this is a waste of time. Not a single bit of dialogue comes across as convincing; instead its either completely wooden, over the top, or uses a lame substitute for humour. Such bad casting, acting and direction almost seems as if someone was actively sabotaging the production. Each of the scenes is clumsy and poorly directed, and acted. This is bad on so many levels I see no hope that this will ever improve enough to even become so-so. The aspect of law enforcement, and military investigation is so bad it's not even beyond the level of a bad joke.
Do yourself a favour and give this one a miss.
Coastal Defenders (2023)
Are these guys so broke they can't afford the right tools for their jobs?
While I was enjoying the series, during episode two, I was thinking are these guys pros? Here they were cutting a tire underwater wrapped around the blade of a Tug's propellor with a kitchen knife, then they went to a drill on day three. I was immediately thinking about when they could first examine the job, why are they not using an air-powered saber saw or an air-powered rotatory disc saw with a diamond blade? The knife wouldn't cut because the rubber was under compression. The answer is to put it under tension with their crane and that solves that issue. Sometimes solving complex problems is to break the problem into stages. It seems like they need training in problem-solving. If they do underwater salvage, and repair, where are their proper tools? After two days of fruitless work, they come to use something like a saber saw. Is it a lack of imagination, or are they padding the job? Wow, I am stunned.
The Monkey King (2023)
This is an awful adaptation of those folk tales.
The Monkey King was one of my childhood heroes always rebelling against the powers that be. He was the hero that rebelled against Heaven. Those powers that tried to make him less then he could be. His boundless spirit kept him involved in many adventures. Each showcased his boundlessly adventuress , never give up type of spirit. This is not Sun Wukong's Journey To the West.
This is an awful adaptation of those folk tales. A raucous soundtrack, weirdly distorted, overly intense graphics, and a somewhat cruelly distorted story lens takes away from that heroic tale. To my viewpoint there is little to empathize with in this story.
Tom Swift (2022)
It seemed as if all the producers and director were concerned with was creating and showcasing Bling, and Wokeism.
I was a huge fan of the Tom Swift books when I was a child, and read many of them in the 1950s. To see the huge disrespect that was done by the creators of this abominable series to those books was a big disappointment. The original novels were an exploration of where technology could take us if properly harnessed. From the bottom of the seas to Space, and the planets, solving hunger, poverty, and pollution. All done in great adventures, creating all sorts of wonders while solving mysteries while exploring the hidden places in the world.
It seemed as if all the producers and director were concerned with was creating and showcasing Bling, and Wokeism. All a spiritless spectacle, with no substance, and no heart.
This series was terrible, instead of the lead being a young adventurous nerdy genius, what they gave us was an ultrarich, gay black male, who seemed to care nothing for people, and was extremely self-centered and driven. All the trappings of the super wealthy, supercars, mansions, and beautiful people obsessed with wealth, and power, bear no resemblance to those Tom Swift Adventures. Not more than a few moments into the show when there was a not-very-subtle gay sex scene between Tom and his gay Paramore. At that point after choking in disbelief, I turned off the video and put it in the garbage where it belonged. That just isn't the kind of adventure I am interested in!!!
The Spencer Sisters (2023)
Brainless fluff with no real mystery or suspence.
I really love a good mystery. Regrettably that has nothing to do with this series. In the first few minutes we see Darby, a police woman who apprehends criminal after criminal, when the misogynistic detective who is criminally brain dead dismisses her observation that will lead to a quick apprehension, complains to her boss about her failure to follow a senseless order. She quits in frustration and heads home to find her scummy boyfriend trying to hide another woman in the closet. Leaving this bad relationship, and bad job she heads to her last resort, her somewhat narcissistic writer mother. A few moments later she is trying to help her good friend who's paper was dismissed for plagiarism. This brainless drivel continues for another eternity, and showcases almost every cliche possible in this setting.
Only a production that pays no homage to real mysteries, and is produced by bean counters eager to produce quick fluff for what is a modern brainless woke market can get involved in a production like this. There is NO suspense or mystery here, just Fluff.
Chicago P.D. (2014)
I can't believe I didn't know about this series.
I can't believe I didn't know about this series. I've been a fan of good drama, and police/law enforcement series, with the occasional mystery to spice things up. This show pairs excellent writing, with very good acting and as well as solid dramatic stories without ever being phony or far fetched. I seldom see police procedural drama's that at some point don't fail on the level of common sense, or tactical considerations. The acting is based on solid character creation, and direction. I very much admire this level of talent, and wish all the company involved much success. At the moment I'm headed back to the den to binge another couple of episodes.
East New York (2022)
Nothing like Hill Street Blues, and is overly contrived without substance.
I started off liking this show, but now I am starting to go off of it.
In spite of some reviewers saying this is like Hill Street Blues this show is nothing like it at all. Hill Street Blues was a gritty police drama with serious crimes, and action. It had an ensemble cast, which again is nothing like this. Why do catchy tunes, 1/2 second camera shots, tricky and weird camera angles that make you want to hurl, and obviously trying to be trendy plot wise with the current not quite woke attitudes about social justice. I guess I see this as overly contrived, with no real substance.
There are too many ridiculous camera angles that add zero to the show. I was just watching episode 14, and when they start showing sideways scenes, and blurry out of focus gimmicky camera shots, I am out. My enjoyment just went down big time, and I am not sure how much longer I can bring myself to watch what was a cop show, and now is just trying to be cute, and popular. To me story is number one, two, and everything. Add in good acting, and a little bit of suspense and they would be well on their way to a hit show. But as it is..... Not so much.
The Weapon (2023)
I have many other criticisms but why bother the film is just worth it.
This is such a mess, it looks so low budget, and the script is very weak. There is a good performance by Cuba Gooding Jr. But the editing of his dialogue scenes are quite weak. As for the acting of the rest of it, other then the immortal Bruce Dern's scene is so abysmal its hard to watch. The fight/action scenes are poorly choreographed, and camera angles are so clumsy its obviously not realistic. Telling a story like this takes quite a bit of setting up, character history is vital. Yet here this about 4 minutes of history, which has no real connection other then clumsy flashbacks. Trying to make a film like this usually takes multiple rewrites to get the dialogue to flow. This looks like they rushed through it in a few days, or weeks.
I have many other criticisms but why bother the film is just worth it.
Poker Face (2023)
from production, to sets, to dialogue, to acting, to directing its not worth its cheap budget.
I found the series incredibly annoying on many levels. First of all from my impressions of the script and dialogue which was inane, as it presented characters in ways which were unbelievable. When the abusive, and violent husband of one character started throwing furniture around, and screaming abuse towards his wife on the Casino floor, he does so for a minute, and is escorted away by one or two security people. Acting that way he would have been swarmed. Suffice it say without revealing spoilers, there are also other situations that don't ring true.
Talk about low budget sets... The Main character lives in a wreck of a cheap trailer in the desert beside her neighbour who is a sketchy old man who speaks weirdly, and wears an Elvis wig. No panoramic shots of the setting, and in every case I noticed throughout the first episode, each shot is done as cheaply as possible. Even inside the Casino, which is what is supposed to set the story up.
I listened to the show with headphones on, to make this video more intimate. Let me tell you, you don't want Charlies trailer park, uneducated whiny voice inside your head. Just don't.
From every angle I think of the show, from production, to sets, to dialogue, to acting, to directing its not worth its cheap budget.
Black Warrant (2022)
Barely earns a "B" rating, somewhat miscast, clumsy dialogue.
Black Warrant has some fairly decent acting, with Jeff Fahey taking the best acting spot in this film. His acting is pretty much spot on. I completely disagree with Tom Berenger being cast in the lead role as a government hitman coming out of retirement to do one last job; its not as if his acting is not up to the task, it is. How ever his age is entirely against him. The role calls for someone fit and athletic, and Berenger is anything but. In an early scene Berenger reaches down to pull up the flooring of his yacht where his weapons are in hiding. You can almost hear the arthritic creaking of his joints as he feebly reaches for his weapons. You can note where the director cut the scene to avoid showing this unsuitability. Then there are the action scenes, what there are of them that is. Although there are a few, he is just not convincing in the role which calls for a fit athletic man, who even when older would still be fit to perform his sniping tasks. A sniper needs to be fit, and incredibly disciplined to hold motionless for hours, and to have the precision needed to take the shot, and ex-fill the location. Berenger looks barely fit enough to swing a golf club.
Then there is Cam Gigadet, who just doesn't have the acting chops for this role. Lots of clumsy dialogue through out the film, lowers the quality of the film, which to me barely earns a "B" rating.
Beyond the Spectrum - Humanoids (2022)
Makes a mockery of any serious investigation of the subject.
The poor editing, and the somewhat disdainful air of the film takes away from the subject. I saw nothing here that was not presented better elsewhere with better footage.
From the subliminal sound effects, underneath the main sound track I took it to mean it was a worthless waste of time, and money. Creepy sound effects of burbling noises, was that meant to suggest sinister alien voices? There is also an eerie series of musical notes that suggests a horror film. This kind of film makes a mockery of any serious investigation of the subject, while on the surface it seems to somewhat in sympathy with the subject.
Law & Order (1990)
Producers, writers, and director create drivel to give us the "Warm Fuzzies"
Season 22, episode one. This episode doesn't make a lot of sense to me. First of all, a Russian Oligarch who was responsible for ordering a murder, and act of terror was witnessed by a young woman, who was taken to the protection of a safe house by the NYPD. Exiting the house on the way to trial, a hit team taking advantage of the protection details attitude of being on a Sunday stroll, with absolutely no tactical awareness, with gazes firmly on either the ground or the pretty sky, were ambushed. Wow such laziness by the production, writers, and director. A few weeks later, after the Oligarch it turned to a witness, he in turn is ambushed, while his protection detail looks blankly at the side of their transportation. They absolutely could not cover any angles of approach and the so called protection detail could not have been worse unless they were paid off. Result: Oligarch dead on the ground, bad guys Scott free.
At the end of the show, the writers with absolute contempt for the audience, wrote into the script how the system was imperfect, and no one liked it, but that did not mean life was not worth living. At the moment I am overwhelmed by the "Warm Fuzzies", no wait maybe that is contempt and sarcasm.
Il ragazzo invisibile (2014)
Oh wow, look at all the fake reviews
First off, this film is a turkey. I started hearing gobbling sounds way before thanksgiving. All jokes aside about bad film, one of the first signs of a bogus review is when the reviewer gushes about the director, story, acting without details. Perhaps the first sign of this is an extraordinary high review, usually above 8. The only films that deserve this kind of high score are typically works of art. Does this film meet those criteria? Then after seeing the flood of high reviews, (Usually shortly after its release) Its usually pretty easy to see the signs of manipulated review scores. Of course the directors and staff of such a production are deserving of nothing but scorn.
The story was terrible, the translation clumsy, as well as the acting often seemed to be mismatched to what was the story was about. Truthfully was unable to force myself to watch the entire film, as I started to feel it was a waste of time.
Karen Pirie (2022)
If you are looking for a sleeping pill, look no further.
Others have commented on the poor sound levels, and that's true, but my focus is whether there are strong and interesting characters, along with a good a solid story. I have to say I am un-impressed. The story seemed to be contrived, choosing to start with a woman's podcast chastising the police for failing to properly investigate a 25 year old murder simply because the victim was a woman who was perhaps a bit too sexually active, and thus what occurred was a consequence of her own actions. I would have preferred seeing new evidence, perhaps a body, a confession, or a similar case coming to light to kick start a new investigation. Instead the concept for the investigation seems too light, and more then a little bit "Too Woke" for my taste. That and the initial wishy washy dialogue, and acting just put me to sleep. It feels contrived and doesn't convince me of a worth while mystery. Where have all the good murder mysteries gone? Certainly not here.
Confess, Fletch (2022)
The gags were trite, old, and sadly lacking any spark of humour or originality.
While watching the film I was thinking to myself that non of the humour was working. The gags were trite, old, and sadly lacking any spark of humour or originality. The only original bit was Fletch's compulsive baring of his feet, and obnoxiously inflicting said feet at the drop of a shoe. The plot was boring, and the villain came off as slightly repulsive, without even a hint of menace. Only due to wanting to see the entire film to review it was I able to stay in my seat while being thoroughly UN-entertained. Otherwise, I would have walked out, and asked for a refund. Save your money, and watch Chevy Chase's take on the Fletch character for an original, and weirdly funny film with lots of classic slapstick.