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Reviews
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Lighten up people, this was a fun movie!
Man, i don't know what people are complaining about. This was a great swashbuckling adventure movie. The plot was actually pretty solid, the performances were great and the action scenes were a blast. It was a solid 2.5 hours but I never once felt bored or wondered how much longer it was going on.
Now I'll admit, the last act was a bit far fetched but come on, you've always had to suspend disbelief a bit for the Indiana Jones movies and this one was no different. But it was really no moreso than angels killing anyone who looked into the ark of the covenant or the voodoo in Temple of Doom.
All in all, I'd say this movie sits right in the middle of the Indiana Jones series for me. Raiders of course is one of the great adventure movies of all time. And Last Crusade is a solid #2. I actually preferred this one over TOD and it was a huge step above the steaming bag of manure that was Crystal Skull. Temper your expectations and enjoy this new installation of Indiana Jones for the ride that it is.
The Batman (2022)
Moody thriller; long but rewarding
Long but very worthwhile. The storyline was excellent, the dialogue not overly cheesy like in most superhero movies, and the overall feel was very dark and bleak as it should be in a Batman movie. It's very much a noir style crime drama. Not action-packed, but definitely enough to keep you from getting bored. The acting performances were nothing special, but very solid overall, although I honestly thought Paul Dano as the Riddler was a little over the top. But Pattinson gets a thumbs up as the new Batman.
Overall The Dark Knight is still by far the best Batman movie for me, but this is a strong contender for second place.
News of the World (2020)
A great movie because the performances make it so
The plot itself was very simple; dare I say, even.... pedestrian? It really didn't take any risks. If you were to describe the whole thing to someone else, it would take maybe 3 or 4 sentences. And it was fairly predictable how the whole thing was going to unfold.
So why an 8/10, you ask? Because Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel made me believe it. Their naturalness in, not just acting their roles, but BEING their roles simply drew me in and kept my attention the whole way through. Hanks is obviously brilliant at his craft and this film was no exception. In fact, I was even more impressed than usual. With a single understated look, he could convey simple yet complex thoughts like reluctance, pity, confusion, conflict, and resignation in no more than a second or two. And the young Miss Zengel by his side was stunning in portraying her character's development, while never speaking more than a word or two of English. The chemistry of the two was a joy to watch as the unlikely friendship unfolded over the course of the film.
So definitely give this movie a chance. It doesn't break down any barriers, but it will definitely keep your attention and make you feel good doing it.
Brian Regan: On the Rocks (2021)
His best in quite a while
I've been a fan of Brian for about 20 years now. But honestly, I thought his last couple efforts were pretty subpar. Lots of overly corny dad-type jokes. This one however was much more clever. No dad jokes, more personal stories poking fun at his own OCD & social anxiety and observations about the crazy world we live in. My wife and I laughed out loud throughout. I Walked on the Moon will always be my favorite of his specials, but I consider this one on par with Standing Up and The Epitome of Hyperbole.
And as always, he kept it G-rated, which is hard to find in the comic scene today. Highly recommended!
The Last Dance (2020)
Absolutely epic
Amazing player. Amazing team. Amazing story. Amazingly told. This documentary was fantastic. Back in the day, I rooted against the Bulls & Jordan really hard. But looking back, you have to admire them and what they accomplished. They will forever be looked at as a sports legend. The Last Dance focuses on the 1997-98 season; the final year of their dynasty, and what led them to that point.
The format of the show was executed incredibly well. Each episode deals with a portion of 1998 along with an aspect of the Bulls team starting when Jordan was drafted. There's an episode where Pippen was the focus, one where Rodman was the focus, one where Jordan's first retirement and baseball venture was the focus etc. Each episode gives just an incredibly interesting perspective on the challenges they had to overcome to get where they were, and I developed a whole new respect for them. Just as an example, I never understood why Jordan, at the height of his career, and with his drive, would choose to leave the game at only 30 years old. Having seen The Last Dance, I'm honestly surprised he made it as long as he did.
If you're a fan of sports, especially basketball, The Last Dance is an absolute must-watch. You'll get to relive one of the most incredible dynasties in sports history, and the quality of the filmmaking will have you feeling all the emotions right along with them. Enjoy!
August Rush (2007)
Really wanted to like it
I really did. And I really just didn't like it. At all. I appreciated the acting performances but that was about it. The premise sounded promising; being a musician myself, I thought I would love a movie about a child musical prodigy.
But here's the problem. As a musician, what was in the movie simply doesn't happen. Someone can't beat the strings of a guitar one time, re-tune the guitar, and then start playing beautiful music in a way nobody ever had before. It left the stratosphere of believability. It was to the point that I was irritated watching it unfold.
Ok, as some say, "but it's meant to be kind of a fairy tale!"
I like a good fairy tale. I do. I liked the Wizard of Oz. One of my all time favorites is a modern fairy tale, Tim Burton's Big Fish. But August Rush was not presented as such. It was presented as though we are expected to believe it. The presentation of such a story in that way just didn't work for me.
And sorry to blow the ending (hence the spoiler alert) but a boy playing music does not magically somehow call his estranged parents to be with him. It is such a bizarre concept, in a realistically presented movie that it really left me shaking my head and wishing I had just watched something else.
So if you're a musician, please skip it. You'll undoubtedly hate it. If you require any semblance of believability whatsoever in a plot if a movie, skip it. You won't like it either. But it's rating us in the mid 7's right now. So apparently a lot of people do.
I really don't know who those people are.
The Last Sharknado: It's About Time (2018)
Literally the most absurd, over the top lunacy I've ever seen
It is what it is. It's absurdity for the sake of absurdity. And after 5 Sharknado movies, it has to be more than just the same sharknados. so they really went all out. And I literally don't think I've ever seen a stupid movie go this far; fighting sharknados in various periods of history.
In the first half hour you'll see dinosaurs, a drag queen sorceress in the Middle Ages, Dee Snyder from Twisted Sister playing an old west sherif, and Ben Franklin saying the phrase "to infinity and beyond!"
So if that's too over the top for you, try something else. Personally, I was thoroughly entertained and had several sincere belly laughs throughout.
Ryan Hamilton: Happy Face (2017)
Highly enjoyable
Very good Netflix special. Ryan Hamilton has an observational style in the same vein as Jerry Seinfeld albeit with quite a quirkiness about him. He has a likeable persona and very good delivery while tackling the tough edgy subjects (heh-heh) like Idaho, Disney World, and hot air balloons.
And I will say it's also refreshing to find a rare comedian that doesn't feel the need to use constant foul language or vulgar subject matter. He doesn't come off as a goofy "family" comic per se, but feel free to watch it with the kids around. I hope to see more from him!