sandiegoharry Reviews

Hijack (2023)

In the end, it just fizzes

[5/10 · 10 August 2023]

Spoilers. Sorry.

The story starts interesting and Idris is certainly very watchable actor... but the big question of "what's the big reveal" and "who is this guy, really" just never happen. He does things that a normal man would never do - and in the end, turns out to be "just some guy" and the whole plot revolves around... short selling an airline? It's not letting go of bad guys, it's not ransom for the aircraft - it's short selling. And the passengers do the most irrational things, particularly in light of 9/11. So much makes so little sense that even with Idris, my mind really started drifting, hoping for better writing.

I kept waiting for the "Kezer Suze" moment in the end and it's just... a "The End".

Very frustrating.

The Expanse: Babylon's Ashes (2022) Season 6, Episode 6

What a compressed, half-finished incomplete mess.

[4/10 · 15 January 2022]

I knew this was coming. I really did. Taking a very dense last book and THEN adding a novella (strange dogs) - but shrinking it to six episodes?

Not only are key things left out, but some things are flat-out left unfinished. Why start the "Strange Dogs" story only to leave it unfinished? There is no more Expanse - they are done. There is no "conclusion"!

It looks like the bean counters at Amazon said "the boss needs a new jet - cut it down in half!" - and so they did.

I was very disappointed. It felt like a big "meh".

The Tomorrow War (2021)

Why do aliens always love to eat humans?

[5/10 · 3 July 2021]

Good lord. YET ANOTHER "aliens eat people" flick.

And given the big military focus of the film, they were pretty sketchy on the "real military" details.

Foreshadowing is so heavy handed that you could predict the ending.

I found myself fast forwarding through the aliens fights to see what the real plot was and how it was going to shake out.

It reminded me of alien but without the real tension or weirdness - just monsters trying to eat people. Again. Yawn.

I can see why they opted stream this.

Counterpart (2017–2019)

Brilliant - inventive - challenging - so OF COURSE it gets cancelled.

[10/10 · 24 October 2020]

Exemplary work by the entire cast, with Simmons in particular showing us his genius; This show makes you *pay attention* - you cannot snooze through it, cannot fiddle with your phone while watching - it's not a typical brain-dead TV show, not at all. The "plot" is revealed over the course of the season, mysteries are revealed slowly and it makes a point of keeping you, the viewer, disoriented - which is SO MUCH FUN.

So of course, some imbecile at a network decided it was "too intellectual" or "Too male" - good lord. A huge portion of the show is the shifting love between Howard and Emily - but no, not enough sex or SOMETHING to "attract female viewers" - who decides this stupidity? Who determines that women do not want to be challenged and intrigued by an absolutely fascinating program like this? It's shameful. I just hope that Amazon or Netflix pick it up. There so much more to explore.

The Outpost (2019)

Very real and hard to watch

[9/10 · 14 October 2020]

This movie is not for everybody; The language, the military "shorthand" may leave some folks confused but having spend some time in places like this, I can tell you it is spot on. The way battle is portrayed is, for the most part, is disturbing real - guys you get to know open a door and just get shot dead - no grand heroism, no glory - just sudden (and sometimes not so sudden) death. Which is how real war works. While everyone wants to talk about Eastwood's performance (which was quite good) it was Caleb Jones who got ot me; His last appearance in the film had me sobbing - it was heavy. If you're a vet, see this with someone you're not afraid to cry in front of. Otherwise, see it alone. If you're not, you still might tear up.

Screwball (2018)

A very entertaining, Very intersting documentary

[8/10 · 7 August 2019]

Okay, we all know the story: Baseball and Steroids, part II. Interesting, but not THAT interesting.

How this movie makes this sad / tedious subject fun is the filmmaker's approach: He has real characters being interviewed, and where he cannot? HE uses children to play the roles of adults - and the kids NAIL IT. It keeps a more or less creepy and sad story light, at times is hysterical and makes the whole film seem fresh.

If you are a baseball fan OR a fan of creative fim making, this one is a winner.

Another Life (2019–2021)

Who is the target audience for this mess??

[2/10 · 5 August 2019]

After reading some other reviews, I have to agree: This must be a teen drama. But wait - it's sci fi? Apocolyptic drama? What *is* this show?

For starters, within five minutes of the pilot's beginning, it appears to be 20-something soap opera. Aside from the always watchable Katy Sackhoff, it's a pure cookie-cutter mash-up of beautiful young people with the obligatory overweight "outsider"; Each full of childish anger and angst; When we learn that the uber beautiful dark haired young man with the AGAIN obligatory three-day beard is the former commander of the starship in questions (whaaaaat???) that's when we know exactly what we're in for.

So again - who is the target audience?

My guess is that Katy felt like she needed a gig. As the great Michael Caine once said (paraphrasing) "I didn't much like the script, but I liked the house the script paid for!". I couldn't make it through the entire pilot - and I *love* sci fi and have enjoyed Ms. Sackhoff's work in the past; I hope netflix puts this mess to bed very quickly - and I advise that you, fair reader, not waste your time. Unless you're 20 and really want to see a post-teen drama in space.

Citizen Soldier (2016)

Well crafted, moving and important

[10/10 · 3 December 2016]

I don't give many films, of any sort, a 10 out of 10. For this I will make an exception. This movie is a real inside look at what our leaders today ask of men, in this case a unit from the OK National Guard.

I can attest from first-hand experience that Iraq, the vast majority of burden was put on National Guard units from all over the country. These are not professional soldiers, these are men who volunteered to do what most others would not: Be both a member of society and a warrior. This duality does make for a different type of military unit; Different, but not necessarily less competent. So seeing this Oklahoma Guard unit fighting in the hills of Afghanistan, suffering and losing men on the pointy end of the "GWOT" spear did not shock to me. I know this is what these folks do, I've seen them do it.

What is shocking is how this film was made - it appears that several soldiers had cameras (GoPros?) mounted to their helmets, so very nearly every facet of the "soldier experience" is captured. This includes horseplay, boredom, stress, fear, pain and horror. Seeing young, hard men sobbing with grief over fallen comrades isn't easy, but we, the American voter, sent them there and put them in harms way. We owe it to them to see what the cost of our choices are.

Considering the equipment used, the film quality is amazing and the editing is, to my eye, top notch; The intelligent use of subtitles for dialogue that is hard to comprehend (particularly radio traffic) and the very subtle use of music is well executed. Whoever was involved with this really knew what they were doing.

I'm shocked that I had not heard of this film until it appeared on Amazon, as I am shocked that it isn't reviewed higher on IMDb. I suspect that might be due to how hard this movie is to watch. Seeing a mother bend over the flag-draped casket of her son broke me, and I've seen this stuff first hand. Not everyone likes to cry at the movies, I suppose.

So see this, if you can. It is not an easy thing to watch but I think we owe it these men to at least get a glimpse of what we ask of them.

Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie (2016 TV Movie)

Funnyish, clearly partisan but worth a view

[5/10 · 15 September 2016]

It appears that several Hollywood folks do not love The Donald - big shock. So these folks decide to make a movie that ranges from poking a bit of fun at His Donaldness to outright attacking his character. Again, big shock. So view this knowing that it's a slam on Trump that's amusing and nothing more. I too think that Trump is a buffoon, and I get that this "movie" what whipped up in a real hurry, but a better made, more well thought out effort might have been... well, more entertaining. This movie will likely really please folks who are terrified of Trump, annoy his followers and leave the rest of us with a big "Meh... it was okay".

Ricki and the Flash (2015)

Oh Meryl Oh Meryl

[3/10 · 10 September 2015]

Okay, an actor cannot control the director, the editor, the writer, the DP or casting director – they can only act the best they can. Without doubt, Meryl does just that, as she always does. She does what she does the best she can, never phones it in (unlike her generational male counterpart, Robert De Niro) and she's not afraid to look just *awful* in this role – both tough and risky for a woman, but it simply is not enough. Even the near immortal Meryl cannot carry 90 minutes without support. But I get ahead of myself.

Viewers will go to this movie expecting a tale of a "star" because that's how it's advertised, but that's not what will await them. This is a movie about something with which I have intimate familiarity: The life of a bar-band musician. Anyone who has done it will tell you that It can be fun, it can be mildly rewarding and it *will* give you plenty of good people stories, but there's little glory – and less money. That they cast a top-notch crew of players (including the great Bernie Worrell on key)to get up and pretend to be amateurs is expected – we really don't want to see mediocre musicians in movies – but all they play is tunes we've all heard about 10,000 times. So there we have the bar band, "The Flash" that appears to have one gig and one gig only, at some east-LA quasi dive bar; The rest of the movie is this odd plot less mess about her leaving her family for the glory of the LA music scene and attempting redemption with her daughter (her real daughter, as it happens, who isn't half bad in the role). The film consumes FAR too much time panning across a band of top-notch cats playing '70s radio rock and gives short shrift to dialogue and plot, with the end being some attempt at a feel-good moment - another song - that just seemed… sad to me. Sad and incomplete. I get the feeling that they filmed a great deal of *something* that didn't look very good or just didn't work – so they declared "More Merly on guitar!", slapped it together, sent it to distribution and ran for the hills.

There is one really interesting moment in the movie – not worth and entire sitting, mind you – but interesting, when Mr. Streep lays her head down in Kevin Kline's lap – ala Sophie's Choice – one of those "film geek" moments… So we have that little nod to real past glory – but aside from that, there is not much there for a fan of the great Meryl Streep to enjoy. This is, simply put, not a very good movie. Wait for it on Netflix. And wait for Meryl's next performance, which should, no must, be better.

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Too much CG. Not enough "there" there.

[6/10 · 2 March 2015]

I am a fan of Team Wachowski, I have enjoyed their movies in the past and really, really hoped to enjoy this a great deal. Sadly, it appears that they have gone back to the over-the-top indulgence that wrecked the Martix sequels - too much "stuff" and not enough writing. I liked the cast, I liked the plot and even liked the characters, though they were a little bit over-the-top... but I was on board until I thought I was going to have a seizure from all the bright CG nonsense. Really, since when has vast/massive GC made a movie good if it doesn't serve a plot?

Rent it. Netflix it. TV it - but don't buy it/see it in a theater. They, the Wachowskis, can do better - force them to do so by voting with your money.

The Drop (2014)

A fine movie - if you are patient

[8/10 · 4 October 2014]

I am a Tom Hardy fan - he seems to pick very good scripts and this is a fine example; This movie is about tension and atmosphere, things that clearly draws Mr. Hardy to any given piece of work. Nice, tight cast with James Gandolfini (A bit sad seeing him - such a fine screen presence he was) along with the haunting Noomi Rapace - but this is a Tom Hardy showcase. I am increasingly of the mind to that Tom is the new Robert DeNiro in his prime - subtle, intense but not quite brooding, broad, just... flat out a pleasure to watch work. I remember him from his small role in Band of Brothers and even then, you could tell there was something there. If you are looking for a caper movie with car chases, explosions, nudity, this is NOT it. If you want to enjoy fine direction, camera work, acting and some brilliant "small" acting, this is a good choice. ENJOY!

Battle Los Angeles (2011)

Yes, this movie is not good.

[3/10 · 29 September 2014]

Yes, it should just be a TV movie on SciFi... but it was distracting enough for 3 stars. Yes, the plot was straight from the 1950s, predictable and dull - but that's not what got to me: This movie appeared to be trying to target children by the way it was written and yet had *graphic* violence. Here's something that I know: Marines drop the F word every other sentence. AT LEAST. It's part of their culture. They cuss like crazy, it's just what they do. The Marines in this movie appear to have come straight from bible camp; Okay - that's appropriate for a *kid's movie*. Not a movie where folks are being blown to ribbons by alien weapons. Oh, and since when is a FOB referred to, over and over, a "Forward Operating Base"??? Yes, that IS what FOB stands for but I assure you, no one uses the term... so again, this movie was made for kids who wouldn't know an M-4 from mighty mouse - yet it was violent has heck. WHAT WAS THE DIRECTOR THINKING? What was an otherwise likable actor like Eckhart thinking? This movie was a *fail* - but nice to have on while you are folding your socks, I guess. So three stars.

The Sapphires (2012)

An excellent date movie with a bit of substance

[8/10 · 8 April 2013]

I am a musician who loves soul and a sucker for war movies, so this movie would have to be pretty bad for me to dislike it. Was it perfect? No, far from it - but parts were darned near. That the only face on the screen I knew was one I quite like (Chris O'Dowd) and the lead female (Deborah Mailman) ate the camera up - a refreshing thing to see an unconventional beauty do. Without giving overmuch away, the good: The back story is heartbreaking, the Vietnam bits looked great, the main actors were excellent. The bad: Some of the performances seemed a bit canned, the lead singer sounded like a '90s pop star (with even some auto-tuner) and not everyone on camera was much of an actor - but it's an indie film, so I'm willing to forgive.

If you enjoyed The Commitments, know you some 'Nam films, know something about Australia & the sad treatment of the Aboriginal people and you like old soul music, you'll like this movie. It struck me as nearly a perfect date movie for folks willing to think just a bit, with things for guys and gals alike.

Battle of the Bulge (1965)

Hollywood version of the largest single ground battle in US history

[5/10 · 28 October 2010]

I have seen this movie several times, and I must say: If there was every a WWII movie that needs to be re-made, this is it. The period effects range from mediocre to awful; The historical accuracy is non-existent and the plot line is a gross oversimplification. Perhaps this would better suited to being made into a cable mini-series, ala Band of Brothers. Henry Fonda does a credible job with incredible role, that of the only man in the US army who has sorted out Hitler's plan to take Antwerp and sue for peace with the West. There are so many good actors in this movie and yet in this case, the parts ARE greater than the sum of their whole. The ending, with the crazed Nazi tanker rushing to his doom is very nearly too much to take (again, another waste of a great actor, the great Robert Shaw).

That all said, it's an entertaining little bit of bang and crash and as such cannot be utterly dismissed. But make no mistake, this is not history or even an attempt at history. It is more like a Western but with Nazi's rather than face-painted Indians.