briandernsferd Reviews

Blue Beetle (2023)

Fun... But that's not enough in a 2023 superhero movie

[6/10 · 21 August 2023]

It's all just too similar. Even though this movie is fun, and is generally well done. It feels like DC went from being very original and eventually controversial, to then scared to do anything too daring or bold, and kept everything within the "safe" box. And that's just not going to cut it if you want people to leave the theater with a spark.

I'm honestly surprised and pretty disappointed that DC is still releasing these three movies this year after telling the whole world that they don't matter. Firstly, people aren't going to see them but more importantly in my eyes, people are losing any kind of respect or value in what the brand of DC has to offer.

Moving forward, bring some compelling writing, and serious threat that audiences grab ahold of. Zack Snyder's DCEU wasn't perfect, but it did have that.

Nope (2022)

A very refreshing production in my eyes

[7/10 · 23 July 2023]

Look, this movie is a little weird. But the weirdness makes you laugh a little while you're heart is pounding out of your chest and you're trying to figure out what you're seeing.

There were so many shots in this that I just found myself admiring. The night shots are gorgeous, and there is no shortage of shots of "the thing". And I really appreciated that. I was glued to the screen during those scenes, just wanting to catch another glimpse.

The strangeness is unique, and leaves you not exactly sure of how you feel about the movie, which is exactly why I loved it. A unique thrill that is what movies are all about.

I loved it!

Taxi (I) (2004)

Much more enjoyable than the Reviews Suggest

[6/10 · 10 July 2023]

I had fun with this movie when I was a teenager, and I was sure that rewatching it it would totally suck, especially after seeing the reviews. But people just gotta get over themselves. The bad reviews are either French people that are upset about a parody knock off of their movie, or people who have no appreciation for satire. This is a cheesy comedy and has plenty of good laughs. I love Jimmy Fallons humor, and even though Queen Latifa's story was the campiest part, she had some really funny lines too. If you know and accept what this movie is going into it, then you'll have a good time. And I'm saying this 20 years after it came out.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

How is this so highly rated?

[7/10 · 12 June 2023]

It took James Cameron 14 years to wait for the technology to be good enough to make this, and in those 14 years he couldn't write a better story? There were only brief moments that I cared about, and that was because of acting. There was also the occasional "wow" moment where the animation was incredible, but it wasn't remotely enough to save it. The majority of the acting and the story fall very flat.

Zoe Saldana has earned her place as an actress that I will always admire and appreciate. I always feel her passion in her performances. But I didn't feel a single thing from anyone else. Avatar is just the same thing as Transformers at this point.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Solid Characters and Relationships but a little flat overall

[7/10 · 21 May 2023]

Drax, Mantis and Rocket stood out as favorites this go around for me. But honestly, all of the guardians had pretty enjoyable character arcs. I loved Rockets story, and the horrific journey he's had to confront to becoming a friend and guardian. Mantis' ability to feel other people's feelings, and sympathize with them and strengthen them always makes me tear up a little bit and gives me a lot to feel. And then Drax and his constant humor just brought great balance to the emotions in the movie.

There were two downside to this movie for me. The first and most important was the overall plot. I felt like I kept waiting for the story to start, even though it had. But I never felt engaged in it. Which I think partially related to not remembering why they were in the situation that they were in at the beginning. Which is maybe on me, but also could have been told better in my opinion to not make you have to recall several other movies to know what's going on. I also felt that there was a lot of potential in a villain with an obsessive god complex. Who wants to do something that he isn't capable of and is out of touch with the humanity of his creations and willing to wipe them from existence rather than missing the point of what life is. That's a terrifying concept that I only really felt glimpses of.

And the second downside was all the "silly" characters that were meant to be funny but just felt pretty stupid. Like cosmo and the potential for a dog that has typical dog traits, like being loyal and wanting nothing else but to be appreciated could have been really fun, but the voice and overuse of the "good dog" reference just made it really dumb...

The movie was good. I cried and I laughed and I had a good time. I'm more than ok with going to a movie just for that, and to just have a good time. Once it was over I thought about the first Guardians and how everything in that movie felt like it built towards the next thing. Everything felt driven, exciting and unique, and in my opinion it is genuinely a great movie. Which not every movie can be. With how many of these movies they make, not everything can stand out. And I just don't think I'll think much about this one after watching it.

Arcane (2021– )

Absolutely Incredible!!

[9/10 · 3 December 2022]

Literally the only reason I didn't put a 10 is so people would take me seriously. But there is nothing wrong with this show. In fact EVERYTHING is right.

I admit that I hadn't ever even heard of the game before, although the animation reminds me of the Dishonored games. Haha But I was just scrolling through Netflix and decided to check this out. I've always been obsessed with Sci-Fi and Fantasy, so was pretty excited at the premise of this one. And I'm happy to report that it tickles every single fancy for me! Haha

It feels so big! The music is full of emotion and the story is heartfelt and so well done! It's refreshing to actually feel the stakes of the story as it develops! Anyways, I could not be more pleased with this series! And am really looking forward more in the future!

Willow (2022–2023)

Disney really sucks at making anything better than basic

[6/10 · 1 December 2022]

Why do you have to do this? Why do you take stories like this and write the most useless and annoying script and story. This was made for 10 year olds who don't know any better. The Harry Styles wardrobe of the prince, the angsty teenagers, the weird modern vocabulary and style, the out of place mix of American and British accents, (the horses jumping off an 80 foot cliff into water only to show that the water is only 2 feet deep and they're now walking across it (Yeah that really happened...)). Disney continues to make such uninspired, thoughtless content that is so surface level and frustrating.

Unfortunately, that's kind of the staple of modern blockbuster cinema as it is. But Disney seems to be leading the charge, and it's so disappointing because they have and keep getting rights to material that has so much potential.

How do you take a movie like Willow, that feels mystical but grounded and naturally entertaining and decide to expand that universe...with this? The way that they act so coy and cheeky in the middle of a disaster or tragic moment makes me think of a Disney channel sitcom. Seriously, think about it while you're watching this.

I was so happy to see Warwick Davis reprising his role, and I felt myself wanting to be excited about the idea of Elora Danon being grown up. But you just slapped it in our faces without regard.

Disappointed... again.

Uncharted (2022)

What a disappointment

[5/10 · 18 November 2022]

It's surprising how many times they got me to shake my head at the absolute absurdity of what was going on.

I'm watching this a while after it came out, so thankfully the frustration in the casting and everything has warn off for me. But I've been a huge fan of the games ever since the first one, so this movie's existence is already a let down for me. But it was even worse to hear the classic theme music after the cheap knock off that this movie is. So many cringes, so many thoughtless action pieces. Just very bland. And I honestly didn't even have fun. The jokes weren't funny, the adventure wasn't thrilling. It was just bad.

It's unfortunate, but this is what I expected from this movie. It seems like the standard to get the worst writers and directors to make movies based on video games.

Now I'm just gonna go replay the games.

Black Adam (2022)

I had hoped for a bit more grit, but still a fun time

[7/10 · 23 October 2022]

I hate that I feel inclined to state before a review that I've been a massive DC fan most of my life. But I just want people to know that. That I come from a place where I got really excited for this movie in the last few weeks, even though I'm generally pretty tired of how flat superhero stuff has gotten. While I do admit that most of my recent excitement for this was from the news of Henry Cavill being back as Superman (The best ever), I have been looking forward to this movie ever since the first footage was released.

So I'll start by saying this movie has some of the coolest action. It's cool how creative you can be without holding back on the power in these characters. Moving fast, catching explosives, hucking dudes. It was all pretty freaking satisfying. But for me, that's about all this movie really was. There were tiny hints of some character arch and a liiiittle bit of heart, but this movie is pretty flat, unfortunately.

I did appreciate the JSA characters more than I thought I would. The way they felt like people that try because they need to, and have solid intentions. They felt like heroes. Flawed hero's, which I liked. And I've got to mention that Hawkman was pretty bad-A to me, although a little one dimensional. I liked that he was an established leader. Probably the best scene in this movie for me was when the JSA and Black Adam had a role in saving Amman and his mom as soon as the short window was open.

I also had fun with the sprinkles of humor in this, while sometimes a little on the nose, I liked the laughs.

But man, can we please stop putting so much story around a kid that can't act. I cringed so hard at 90% of the things that he (and his mom) said. That along with the disappointing CG final villain that had absolutely zero substance to him were the biggest downfalls. And they were pretty big.

I went up and down in my rating while watching. To start, it was somewhere around a 7, but I was worried that I was getting a feeling that it was a little surface level. But then the whole middle of the movie was inching closer to an 8, I even found myself thinking "man, this movie is pretty good!". But then, the whole final act happened and it was like a 6 or 6.5 for me. I just couldn't believe they did it. It was so cheap, so rushed and so insignificant. Zero purpose to it. But I do have to wonder if Warner Bros and DC don't care so much about the heart of it anymore. That was Zack Snyder's strength to me was that you felt things from his characters. And these recent DC movies just feel like all they're doing is just enough to get butts in seats. The marvel recipe if you will. If that's true, then I'm afraid I'm pretty fizzled out. But hopefully they can capture more of our emotions and the potential in some of the upcoming films.

I still remember when Charles Roven said about the DCEU "We're focused on making good movies that just happen to be about superheroes". I was stoked about it. Like, we're not just putting pretty lights on the screen, but telling compelling stories. And I believed it for a minute, but I'm not as convinced anymore. And I'm a little sad about it.

All in all. This movie was a fun time! I liked the portrayal of the character and powers, I would've liked a richer color pallet and a more compelling story, and I think a better director and some better writing would've gone a long way. But in no way did I regret the viewing.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Cheap and Uninspired

[5/10 · 12 June 2022]

This is the most disappointing series I've watched in a long time, and it's a shame since this story could have been a super cool tie in to the other movies. The script is made even worse by the acting. Like, it's really bad. And can we please stop making things in 4K? It cheapens it for me, because it looks filmed. Honestly, "cheap" is the best way to describe this show.

Disney's really getting to me lately. They own the box office and have insane amounts of money with Marvel and Star Wars and everything else, and just keep pumping out remakes and garbage like this. Personally, I already hate how many shows they're making, because it grossly over-saturates the content. But if they're going to make it, they should at least have all the resources to do far better than this. The fact that groups of executives and creators watched this and thought it was good enough to release is just crazy.

I miss the old days, where it was harder to make something quality, so you actually had to try. I'm ready for more inspired & ORIGINAL movies and shows again.

Ad Astra (2019)

Not-so-realistic "Realistic space movie"

[6/10 · 3 December 2021]

I remember the filmmakers saying this was the most realistic space movie yet. And while I can see that in the sound and physics, the behaviors feel very far from realistic to me.

There are just too many scenes that make you slightly uncomfortable at the bizarre nature of them. The rabid man eating baboon, being inside the shuttle blast chamber during blast off, but mostly the astronaut crew that responds in completely illogical fashion to Roy showing up in the shuttle. Never mind any procedures that depend on us during this take off, never mind any common sense to not shoot a freaking gun in an airtight container floating through space, never mind any common sense whatsoever. We're just gonna go ahead and kill ourselves in response to someone we know isn't a threat.

It's disappointing, this was one of my most anticipated movies when it was coming out. I even tweeted promotions for it because it was struggling to be released. But I couldn't have been more disappointed in the final product. Now that my expectations are zip, I can find myself watching it on tv and appreciating the pace and graphics... and the final monologue does get me in the feels a bit, but that's it for me.

Dune (2021)

Only problem for me was sound

[8/10 · 1 November 2021]

I absolutely loved this movie. I was worried it would feel too CGI or soundstage, but that wasn't a problem.

This was such a cool story and the moments where Paul realizes his capabilities give me goosebumps every time. It's just so cool to watch the story unravel AS Paul is discovering and understanding things.

My only problem was the sound. I first watched it in theaters and I think my theaters speakers may have had issues, but the music and sounds hugely drowned out a lot of the dialogue. Next I watched it on HBO and even then needed to put subtitles on to catch some of the scenes where they're whispering or talking quietly. A little refinement in that blend would be appreciated for the next one. Otherwise, I'm a very big fan of Denis adaption so far.

No Time to Die (2021)

Excellent Action and some Heart too

[7/10 · 9 October 2021]

As an avid moviegoer, this was my first theater experience since Covid, and I'm glad it was this one. The action felt kinda next level to me, very very well executed with camera work, explosions, choreography, etc. That alone had me glad to be back in a theater seat again!

But really, this one didn't miss too many beats for me. I felt the stakes. I cared about the character, and it felt like a seamless way to recap Daniel Craigs 007 journey while also telling it's own story. There are definitely some nitpicks, but I felt the exhaustion of the character and I also felt the beauty of the good things he has and wants to have as a contrast to that. I was invested in Bond's journey and really felt the conclusion.

Basically, I felt a lot in this movie. I personally really enjoyed seeing the bit softer side to Daniel Craigs Bond, and while it wasn't perfect I'm sticking it at number 3 in my fav Daniel Craig 007's. 👌🏼

The Suicide Squad (2021)

I liked it, but the R rating went too far for me

[7/10 · 8 August 2021]

I'm sure I'm the minority here and I know you're all gonna jump down my throat. But I did really enjoy the overall theme with the humor and dark themes combined. It works so well and I think that was a really great approach. I was laughing and entertained throughout. And can I just say Harley Quin and Peacemaker absolutely nailed it in this.

But while the R rating makes sense for a DEGREE of violence, I think Nudity, regular F-bombs and intense gore have no business in a comic book movie. It didn't need those extremes to convey the reality nor entertainment of villains teaming up, but so many filmmakers that get the R rating go way overboard just because they can.

I'm a huge movie lover. There are so many movies that are better for being rated R. Because it's R to enhance the story. But I must admit I'm a fan of PG-13 blockbusters too. Going to a movie to have a good time. And I'm not really a fan of the direction we're going where we're taking books that we read as kids and making them into hard R movies.

Again, I liked the movie, but probably would've loved it without all the "extra". ✌🏼

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

An epic that we need more of

[8/10 · 10 May 2021]

The fact that this has a 6.7 rating is absolutely beyond me! Literally the only thing anyone can complain about with this movie is that it's too fantastical, or it doesn't stay grounded to the original "myth". 🙄 Or maybe the Game of Thrones fanatics that wanted more violence or nudity.

The cast is absolutely perfect, it has such powerful storytelling, and it's so much fun! I hate that every time we get a quality fantasy, people just don't appreciate it. I love all movies, but the Fantasy Adventure flicks always have a special place for me. Aside from the obvious like Lord of the Rings & Harry Potter; Some of my all time favs are Stardust, The Mummy & Clash of the Titans. And then this one was right up there with them. And we were supposed to get multiple sequels and that was the most excited I'd been about upcoming movies in a while, yet the narrow viewpoints of of the majority erased those chances. Now we get the repetitive garbage of generic summer action films like Hobbs and Shaw, and we'll just stick with Marvels all too common formula. Don't get me wrong I enjoy those, but why can't we handle more imagination and stepping outside of the box sometimes? After all, that variety is what makes the movies so great.

If anyone with a say in production is listening, we need more like this! Please!

Hubie Halloween (2020)

I hoped it would be better, but loved the atmosphere

[5/10 · 9 October 2020]

It's really too bad this one wasn't better. I was fine with most of the dumb jokes (not all of them though) and Adam Sandler's accent was very hard to understand. But what I really loved was the atmosphere. I love having some good fun Halloween movies to watch like "Casper" and "The Adams Family". I really liked the feel of this movie and the idea that it had some "spooky" elements but was labeled as a family comedy. We need more comedy/family/spooky Halloween movies.

So while this one didn't really deliver, I really hope we'll just try to build on it.

Uncharted: Live Action Fan Film (2018 Video)

Why Tom Holland when the movie could be THIS!!?

[9/10 · 11 August 2020]

Nathan Fillion is Nathan Drake in the flesh! He was born for this role. Ever since I fell in love with the Uncharted games I've wanted an adventure movie like that with a character as likable as Drake, and my first choice was Fillion. I was amazed that they then did this short and got really excited that they'd make an actual movie as a result. To my sorrow, they're rolling out a take on Uncharted with Tom Holland instead.... He may do a good job, but the movie won't be anything like it could have been.

American Ultra (2015)

Just have fun

[7/10 · 27 July 2020]

I had a great time with this movie. Jesse Eisenbergs character is really likable and and laid back, even in the face of explosions and gunshots. It's not An Oscar worthy movie, but it is what it is. A fun action movie.

The World's Fastest Indian (2005)

I don't rate this lightly

[8/10 · 3 July 2020]

I don't really believe in giving 10's, but this movie did it all for me. Keep in mind that this is my favorite style of movie.

It follows a man who has only ever known hard work and being a good person. A man who doesn't see color or cultural differences, and doesn't seem to worry about politics or anything of the sort, he just sees people for who they are as he journeys around the world in an effort to follow his dream of breaking the land speed record.

Anthony Hopkins is so good in this. He feels like someone I'd actually know or have interacted with. He shows relatable anger and frustration in his face when people try to take life away from him, and he gives a little chuckle at amusing things here and there, including mildly inappropriate things. Haha But he doesn't worry about trivial things. When something goes wrong, you find a way to fix it and if you can't fix it, you say hi to a stranger and chances are they can help you out or point you in the direction of people who can.

This movie always leaves me happier and wanting to make the best of life.

The Last of Us: Part II (2020 Video Game)

1/10 is ridiculous, but so is 10/10.... I'm disappointed :(

[6/10 · 28 June 2020]

Yes I finished it. Yes it had its moments. And yes I got the message about violence. But I'm so dang bummed.

Giving this a 1/10 is ridiculous, but so is giving it a 10/10, which I think the first game absolutely was! That said, I'm very disappointed. I give this like a 6.7 because 7 feels too high.

This game was just a mess. I didn't feel like it was motivated by the story, but was motivated by what messages it wanted to convey. Those messages are good and important, but because of that priority, I thought the story suffered.

Honestly, my biggest complaint is with the timeline stuff. When the story feels like it's coming to its climax, you start playing as the person you hate... for like 8 hours straight!! Meanwhile jumping between time periods and places, all of which genuinely made me angry and confused, because I didn't care about it! Granted, by the end of the game I did start caring, about her and about her story, but it felt ruined by the way it was told and by the time that I spent disliking her.

The final act is quite good and is definitely the best part of the game. But I wish that we had felt more of those story points earlier in the game, instead of telling the story in reverse, because early on you don't really understand what Ellie is motivated by. You just feel anger, and sadness and confusion for basically the whole game.

So play the game, and I hope you enjoy it. Naughty Dog, I assume you're planning another one, if so, please focus on Ellie's story and tell it a bit coherently.

Love, A "Last of Us" fanatic