Film Reviews - what have you seen lately, what did you think?

G8RFAN16

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Nov 20, 2017
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For all you that are looking for stuff with boobs, check out The Duece on HBO. It's set in the early 70's, when the sex industry was starting to shift from prostitutes and pimps to a legitimate porn business that was culturally accepted. Cast is really good. They do a fairly good job of staying accurate to the time period. Lots and lots of T&A.
 

G8RFAN16

Internet Surfing Coach Extraordinaire
Nov 20, 2017
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AMERICAN GODS (STARZ) - The show follows the main character (Shadow Moon). In the first episode, he is released from prison, and he enters back into a world he doesn't understand anymore. On the plane ride from where the prison is, to where his home is, he meets a mysterious man named Mr. Wednesday (played by Ian McShane). Totally alone after the recent death of his wife, Shadow is hired as Mr. Wednesday's assistant/bodyguard. Shadow finds himself in a hidden world where magic is real, where there are gods, and the Old Gods fear irrelevance and the growing power of the New Gods. In a grand plan to combat the threat of the New Gods, Mr. Wednesday attempts to unite all the Old Gods to defend their existence and rebuild the influence that they've lost, leaving Shadow struggling to accept this new world and his place in it. Kind of hard to follow at times (has a tendency to do a lot of flashbacks and stuff), but I like the cast and the story.
 

G8RFAN16

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Nov 20, 2017
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Outcast (Cinemax) - Takes place in Rome, West Virginia. Series follows Kyle Barnes (Almost Famous’ Patrick Fugit) who is living in his childhood home. Kyle Barnes is withdrawn from the outside world for two years, surviving on the assistance provided by his sister Megan (Wrenn Schmidt). But Kyle is dogged by past trauma and past sins, and his reclusiveness comes out of a need to punish himself. Kyle finds out with the help of the town Reverend that he has the ability to remove demons and evil from people by touching them. Also finds out that the town of Rome is being taken over by evil/demons so it becomes a battle of good vs evil. Robert Kirkman (same guy that wrote/created Walking Dead) wrote/created this. Really, really good series, great cast.
 

G8RFAN16

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Nov 20, 2017
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Lost In Space (Netflix) - I am usually one that absolutely hates remakes because the remake never lives up to my expectations. When I saw Netflix was doing a remake of Lost In Space I was hesitant because that show was one of my favorites growing up. I gotta say they did the original tv show justice. A nice family show that is exciting and interesting. Very well done. Can't wait for season 2.
 

Gatordiddy

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Lost In Space (Netflix) - I am usually one that absolutely hates remakes because the remake never lives up to my expectations. When I saw Netflix was doing a remake of Lost In Space I was hesitant because that show was one of my favorites growing up. I gotta say they did the original tv show justice. A nice family show that is exciting and interesting. Very well done. Can't wait for season 2.

Do they still allow Dr. Smith to be alone with the boy?
 

gingerlover

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Sep 20, 2014
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Ocean's 8 - I think everyone knows what this one is about essentially so I will get to my review. It's descent for a filler. I think this franchise suffered after the first one came out and they have all failed to capture what was great about that first one. That being said it's not that bad, if you are willing to accept a few minor plot holes in the heist. The heist itself doesn't take very long and you have to wait for a review later to see everything else going on. The women played their parts well, but I think writing held a few of them back. 6/10
 

TLB

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Jan 6, 2015
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Venom (2018)

Obligatory outting myself as a Marvel fanboy, but honestly, I never got to Venom and didn't know much of the character other than he fought with Spiderman a bit. This is a pretty solid origins story that explains who/what Venom is, how he got here, and why he is staying. The actor who played the human half of Venom (Tom Hardy) plays the roll exceptionally well. He creates a character we care about, someone seeking to right wrongs, while being weak and often creating wrongs of his own. The premise is an alien life form (Venom) is brought to earth with a few other symbiotes in a hope to help man evolve and survive our destruction of earth. They find the symbiotes cannot survive without a human host, but like most transplants it requires a match. Hardy and Venom accidentally become a match that thrives. Throughout the film there is a balance being sought between the two, Venom looking to destroy things and eat people but starting to like Earth and really liking being with Hardy. Eddie Brock (Hardy's character) gains the strength and power Venom provides but tries to corral it with morals and a sense of right and wrong. There is a great chase scene with CGI and a mix between Brock/Venom as they escape bad guys, then a CGI throwdown with the main villian at the end. There's also several decent CGI scenes in between, but never did you feel like it had gone hokey or was poorly or over-done. And, it's not all action. The film does a real solid presentation of Brock's soft side with a girlfriend on-off throughout the film that doesn't come off too peripheral nor as a major plot aspect, just enough to keep him 'human'. Only boobs once, and they are alien (you'll understand if you see it), so nothing to get excited about - and no, they aren't harmed, or even enjoyed. 9yr old liked it (not scared at all, not bored or overly impressed). I'll give it a 7/10, good spend of an afternoon for some guy time.
 

TLB

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Snowpiercer (2013)

I'll start with the cast - Chris Evans (Capt America) as our central character, Ed Harris and John Hurt as the primary figures leading the two factions, then a second tier of actors nearly all of whom you will recognize. So, you start with potential. Plot is that earth has gone into another ice age based on man's efforts to combat global warming and screwing it up. The only people alive on the planet are folks on a train that continiously circles the globe, making water from the snow it collects as it goes around the tracks. The train has cars dedicated to various functions needed for survival, but more importantly, it is set up in a class structure with the tail section full of vagrant deplorables who have revolted a few times but never succeeded in taking over the train. This time, Evans is leading the revolt, a reluctant leader in front of a rag tag group of vagrant-ish folks. They stop and break some Korean security expert out of the jail car to help them get through the doors from one car to the next, but the Korean (and his daughter) are addicts for the current drug de jour made from chemical explosives residue. Hurt is the kindly old man advising Evans and others in the back on survival, Harris is the antagonist who built and runs the train (though we only see him in the closing scenes). Most of the movie is about Evans discovering the slight elevation in class upon advancing to each new car section, interspersed with fight scenes and some on-train propaganda aimed at keeping the citizens under control.

The good - the cast, and some of the imagery (both in the cars, and with the train travelling a snow covered wasteland). The bad - no boobs, poor characters (you can see acting talent stifled or wasted in a lot of scenes), and the Korean who becomes pivotal in the closing scenes has a translating device that is rarely used (can't hear/understand it when it is used, and somehow he always understands everyone's english while only in the last scene does it appear Evans understands his Korean). The ugly - over the top caste system without a lot of explanation (upper class cars show 24/7 luxury and parties that can't possibly be sustained, tail section shown in poverty that is unwarranted given what else is on the train). Harris, in the closing scenes, trying to explain to Evans why the train runs the way it does for the survival of all, which really doesn't hold much water.

Really, I never heard of this in theaters despite the cast. It is apparent why - it sucks. Top to bottom, or should I say 'back of the train to the front' it thoroughly sucks. This isn't B quality, as the production is clearly A quality, but it just.isn't.good. 2/10.
 

gingerlover

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Snowpiercer (2013)

I'll start with the cast - Chris Evans (Capt America) as our central character, Ed Harris and John Hurt as the primary figures leading the two factions, then a second tier of actors nearly all of whom you will recognize. So, you start with potential. Plot is that earth has gone into another ice age based on man's efforts to combat global warming and screwing it up. The only people alive on the planet are folks on a train that continiously circles the globe, making water from the snow it collects as it goes around the tracks. The train has cars dedicated to various functions needed for survival, but more importantly, it is set up in a class structure with the tail section full of vagrant deplorables who have revolted a few times but never succeeded in taking over the train. This time, Evans is leading the revolt, a reluctant leader in front of a rag tag group of vagrant-ish folks. They stop and break some Korean security expert out of the jail car to help them get through the doors from one car to the next, but the Korean (and his daughter) are addicts for the current drug de jour made from chemical explosives residue. Hurt is the kindly old man advising Evans and others in the back on survival, Harris is the antagonist who built and runs the train (though we only see him in the closing scenes). Most of the movie is about Evans discovering the slight elevation in class upon advancing to each new car section, interspersed with fight scenes and some on-train propaganda aimed at keeping the citizens under control.

The good - the cast, and some of the imagery (both in the cars, and with the train travelling a snow covered wasteland). The bad - no boobs, poor characters (you can see acting talent stifled or wasted in a lot of scenes), and the Korean who becomes pivotal in the closing scenes has a translating device that is rarely used (can't hear/understand it when it is used, and somehow he always understands everyone's english while only in the last scene does it appear Evans understands his Korean). The ugly - over the top caste system without a lot of explanation (upper class cars show 24/7 luxury and parties that can't possibly be sustained, tail section shown in poverty that is unwarranted given what else is on the train). Harris, in the closing scenes, trying to explain to Evans why the train runs the way it does for the survival of all, which really doesn't hold much water.

Really, I never heard of this in theaters despite the cast. It is apparent why - it sucks. Top to bottom, or should I say 'back of the train to the front' it thoroughly sucks. This isn't B quality, as the production is clearly A quality, but it just.isn't.good. 2/10.

I wasn’t a big fan either. This was one of those Indy buzz movies a few years ago that got a lot of hype but ultimately sucked as usual.
 

Detroitgator

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Jul 15, 2014
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Snowpiercer (2013)

I'll start with the cast - Chris Evans (Capt America) as our central character, Ed Harris and John Hurt as the primary figures leading the two factions, then a second tier of actors nearly all of whom you will recognize. So, you start with potential. Plot is that earth has gone into another ice age based on man's efforts to combat global warming and screwing it up. The only people alive on the planet are folks on a train that continiously circles the globe, making water from the snow it collects as it goes around the tracks. The train has cars dedicated to various functions needed for survival, but more importantly, it is set up in a class structure with the tail section full of vagrant deplorables who have revolted a few times but never succeeded in taking over the train. This time, Evans is leading the revolt, a reluctant leader in front of a rag tag group of vagrant-ish folks. They stop and break some Korean security expert out of the jail car to help them get through the doors from one car to the next, but the Korean (and his daughter) are addicts for the current drug de jour made from chemical explosives residue. Hurt is the kindly old man advising Evans and others in the back on survival, Harris is the antagonist who built and runs the train (though we only see him in the closing scenes). Most of the movie is about Evans discovering the slight elevation in class upon advancing to each new car section, interspersed with fight scenes and some on-train propaganda aimed at keeping the citizens under control.

The good - the cast, and some of the imagery (both in the cars, and with the train travelling a snow covered wasteland). The bad - no boobs, poor characters (you can see acting talent stifled or wasted in a lot of scenes), and the Korean who becomes pivotal in the closing scenes has a translating device that is rarely used (can't hear/understand it when it is used, and somehow he always understands everyone's english while only in the last scene does it appear Evans understands his Korean). The ugly - over the top caste system without a lot of explanation (upper class cars show 24/7 luxury and parties that can't possibly be sustained, tail section shown in poverty that is unwarranted given what else is on the train). Harris, in the closing scenes, trying to explain to Evans why the train runs the way it does for the survival of all, which really doesn't hold much water.

Really, I never heard of this in theaters despite the cast. It is apparent why - it sucks. Top to bottom, or should I say 'back of the train to the front' it thoroughly sucks. This isn't B quality, as the production is clearly A quality, but it just.isn't.good. 2/10.
WHAT POWERS THE F*CKING TRAIN?!?!!?!? ;)
 

gingerlover

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Smallfoot - as we get ready for the hurricane the family went to the movies to get out if the house. This is the movie about the Yeti that discovers humans. Basically he gets banished for saying he saw something and brings the human back. You then get into ancient teachings about how mean humans are and stuff and then learning to coexist peacefully.

It’s got its moments, but my 6 year old was cracking up a good bit from all the getting hurt humor. It’s a solid family movie. No where as good as something Pixar makes but not a waste of money either. Kids will give 7/10. Adults 6/10
 

G8RFAN16

Internet Surfing Coach Extraordinaire
Nov 20, 2017
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Do they still allow Dr. Smith to be alone with the boy?
They do....but there is a twist with this Lost In Space as opposed to the original in terms of Dr. Smith.....Dr. Smith isn't really Dr. Smith. It's a woman, who kills the real Dr. Smith and takes his identity, changes the picture, personal info, to make it legit and so to everyone she seems ok. Kind of a cool twist they threw in, in regards to original characters.
 

Detroitgator

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Eastern Promises - an independent movie with a really great cast (Naomi Watts, Vigo Mortensen, and an old guy that was born in East Prussia and is great in these roles... he was also in The International that also had Watts in it). Takes place in London and starts with a 14 year old Russian girl walking into a pharmacy looking for help. She collapses on the floor obviously hemorrhaging from her womb. Watts is a midwife at the hospital and the girl dies, but the baby survives. In her purse is her diary, but it's written in Russian. Watts "steals" the diary in order to try and find out the girl's NOK so she can try to get the baby to them instead of the baby going into the foster system. Yes, this stealing of the diary and lack of police investigation is a big plot hole, but it happens right at the beginning so you can overlook it. Watt's character is half-Russian, so she takes the diary to her uncle who can translate it. Inside the diary was a business card for a Russian restaurant and she also goes there to try to find out information. After reading a bit of the diary, the uncle warns Watts to drop the subject. But it's too late, she's already in with the Russian restaurant owner (played by the real life East Prussian guy). What you start to realize is that the movie isn't really about Watts' character, it's about Vigo's character, "the driver" (or at least his character would be the main one in a book). I won't say anything else because there are several very well done, plot twists, one huge one. I've mentioned several times that I am sucker for movies about flawed characters seeking redemption, and this one surprised me on that front. It's really well done, and really well acted by all the actors. I give it a 8 out of 10. Oh, there is a boob scene, and while the girl is very pretty, you'd be a sick f*ck to be aroused by the scene.
Just watched it again, there is a clever little giveaway to the plot twist that you’d never pick up on just watching it through once.

They also focus on Russian prison tattoos in the movie, but never talk about the tattoo on Viggo’s back or the significance of Orthodox Church spires and the crosses on them as they relate to prison tattoos
 

TLB

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They also focus on Russian prison tattoos in the movie, but never talk about the tattoo on Viggo’s back or the significance of Orthodox Church spires and the crosses on them as they relate to prison tattoos

Care to enlighten us?
 

gingerlover

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Venom (2018)

Obligatory outting myself as a Marvel fanboy, but honestly, I never got to Venom and didn't know much of the character other than he fought with Spiderman a bit. This is a pretty solid origins story that explains who/what Venom is, how he got here, and why he is staying. The actor who played the human half of Venom (Tom Hardy) plays the roll exceptionally well. He creates a character we care about, someone seeking to right wrongs, while being weak and often creating wrongs of his own. The premise is an alien life form (Venom) is brought to earth with a few other symbiotes in a hope to help man evolve and survive our destruction of earth. They find the symbiotes cannot survive without a human host, but like most transplants it requires a match. Hardy and Venom accidentally become a match that thrives. Throughout the film there is a balance being sought between the two, Venom looking to destroy things and eat people but starting to like Earth and really liking being with Hardy. Eddie Brock (Hardy's character) gains the strength and power Venom provides but tries to corral it with morals and a sense of right and wrong. There is a great chase scene with CGI and a mix between Brock/Venom as they escape bad guys, then a CGI throwdown with the main villian at the end. There's also several decent CGI scenes in between, but never did you feel like it had gone hokey or was poorly or over-done. And, it's not all action. The film does a real solid presentation of Brock's soft side with a girlfriend on-off throughout the film that doesn't come off too peripheral nor as a major plot aspect, just enough to keep him 'human'. Only boobs once, and they are alien (you'll understand if you see it), so nothing to get excited about - and no, they aren't harmed, or even enjoyed. 9yr old liked it (not scared at all, not bored or overly impressed). I'll give it a 7/10, good spend of an afternoon for some guy time.

Saw this tonight and was better than expected. Obviously a new origin with Spider-Man not around but kept it as close as possible. They hinted at his past in New York as well. The best parts of the movie is definitely Eddie and venom trying to learn to coexist. Those made me chuckle a little. The fights were cool and the story easy to follow. I am looking forward to where the next one goes (end credit scene). I agree 7/10
 

-THE DUDE-

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Boss Baby or as the kiddo says baby show...every day...sometimes twice if my daughter starts throwing a tantrum.
 

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