jhr2012 Reviews

Nefarious (2023)

Exceptional acting

[8/10 · 18 January 2024]

I'm not a student of acting but watching this movie, you cannot help but notice the superb acting job by Sean Patrick Flanery.. How he was able to remember his lines I will never know. It was amazing. The mannerisms, the facial contortions were equally amazing.

The story itself was riveting. No gun battles, no car chases, no foul language, but it will certainly maintain your attention. It's also quite spooky.

The ending was a bit unexpected. A little preachy for my taste but interesting nonetheless. The addition of Glenn Beck was interesting.

This movie is definitely worth a watch. Give it a chance and appreciate the superb acting.

Reacher (2022– )

First season was ok, but the second.......

[4/10 · 5 January 2024]

The second season has become almost unwatchable. It has become standard TV fare. Think Colombo, Matlock, CSI......crap like that. The plot is obvious as are the good guys and the bad guys. There will eventually be a fleeting love interest for Reacher. There's the police antagonist who eventually becomes friends with Reacher. Very predictable.

Reacher is always getting in fights but never seems to get a scratch or a bruise? He's not even sore the next day after getting shot, stabbed, or clubbed with a tire iron. Amazing.

As others have said, they should have kept the storyline as Reacher working independently. The character is much better as a loner with no close ties.

All in all, this series needs better writing.

Dune (2021)

What a confusing, epic, mess

[2/10 · 16 December 2023]

I invested too much time in this one to give up, but I should have. After about 90 minutes, I found myself fast forwarding to hurry up and get this thing over with. I would stop every so often on a scene that looked interesting, but no, it was still confusing and boring.

The movie is set 8,000 years in the future. Strange that the technology doesn't seem to be as advanced as it should have been. The special effects are good and for the most part it's a visually appealing movie. I found the most interesting thing to be the worms. I would have liked to have seen more of them.

Overall, I found it hard to tell the good guys from the bad. Again, a confusing movie to follow.

I give it a 2 out of 10.

Black Adam (2022)

About what you would expect

[2/10 · 12 December 2023]

A CGI extravaganza starring Dwayne Johnson. I watched this one but I don't really know why. Mainly because of Johnson. His charisma comes through in anything he does.

In this one he stars as Seth Adams. His sidekicks are Pierce Brosnan as the Golden Helmet. Then there's Eagle Man, Smoke Girl, and Nerd Boy. Eagle Man has golden wings and a club, the girl spins around in smoke, and nerd boy becomes a 100 foot nerd. Brosnan can see the future when he dons his super duper golden helmet. It's all very confusing.

I also was confused as to the timing. At times it seemed to be 2600 BC, other times the future, and other times the present. Who knows.

It's a mess and your basic DC Comics good vs evil story.

If you like over the top CGI and Dwayne Johnson you'll probably like this. If not, you won't make it through 20 minutes.

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Worthwhile entertainment

[7/10 · 10 December 2023]

Interesting movie that I think will hold your attention; it held mine. Good cast headed up by Julia Roberts as the skeptical mom that seemingly hates everyone.

Roberts and Hawke rent a luxurious home for a relaxing weekend getaway at the shore.

However a series of strange occurrences take place that has everyone trying to guess what is going on. It seems to be a massive blackout with an unknown cause but may be something more. There is no internet and no TV so there is no way to find out.

The homeowners return to the home that evening and interrupt the vacation wanting to stay until things can be sorted out.

The tension builds as they all try to determine what is going on and what to do next. However, there are few answers. You're left to make your own guess as to what happened, and the fate of the characters. The ending is especially unfulfilling.

Could there be a sequel? Doesn't seem likely.

Lifeforms (2023)

Awful

[1/10 · 6 September 2023]

Caught this one on Tubi and wish I didn't.

I started watching it and got too far in to turn it off, although I should have. The plot is weird and the acting is atrocious.

It tries to be cerebral like a lot of space movies but fails miserably. Also the timeline jumps around. Far too many flashbacks that make no sense.

Lots of questions as well. Who built the spaceship and is responsible for the trip? Why travel to Saturn? What is the purpose of the trip? What's the significance of the astronauts father? What was his mission?

I'm giving this a rating of 1 although 0 would be more appropriate.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Good acting, poor storytelling

[4/10 · 11 August 2023]

Saw this movie today and I must say it is incredibly long and BORING.

I could have used some back story as to what was going on, as the movie jumped right in. Where did Oppenheimer come from? How did he get here? How did he know Einstein?

I found it difficult to keep up with the characters. People came and went and I wasn't sure who was who. It didn't help that the sound in the theater was set very loud so it was difficult to understand everything that was said. I could sure use captions on a movie like this.

I get the feeling this one will be better the second time around, after you have had a chance to do a bit of research.

Risen (2021)

Boring

[1/10 · 1 June 2023]

This movie had potential but it is unbelievably slow and boring. Then there is the main character who is a screwed up alcoholic that is totally unappealing. She has no personality and is ugly to boot. She's basically comatose for the entire movie and we never understand why?

The rest of the characters are stupid and just going through the motions. Basically you're waiting the entire movie for something to happen but it never does. No good special effects, just a bunch of boring, nonsensical flashbacks. There is a bit of a twist at the end but by then, you'll find yourself just wishing this crap would end and that you could get this two hours back.

I did notice that a description of the movie said that a meteor landed in Australia but the movie indicates Pennsylvania???

Old People (2022)

As boring as it gets

[1/10 · 14 May 2023]

This movie is stupid and incredibly boring. A bunch of disgusting old people flipping out for no reason.

In between, it's a bunch of useless boring dialog accompanied by a somber musical score. There's very little character development, and what little there is doesn't add to the movie. You really don't care about the characters at all.

I still don't understand who is who and more importantly, I don't really care. I give it one star.

Lately, Netflix has been very disappointing. There is very little new stuff and what little there is, is boring stuff like this movie. I think it's time to cancel my subscription.

Tubi is better.

Beneath the Trees (2019)

Boring

[1/10 · 17 April 2023]

I made it through an hour of this movie but couldn't take it anymore. It was sooooo long and nothing happened. And I mean NOTHING.

To make matters worse, the boyfriend Jay was the worst. The guy lacked any personality, and was quite mean to his girlfriend Sarah. His cousin Julia was another weirdo. No personality and very rude. Any normal woman would have run as far and as fast as she could from these creeps. Why Sarah was with a guy like Jay was a mystery.

Anyway, maybe the end of the movie was worth the wait, but I doubt it. I just couldn't take it anymore.

If you have 90 minutes to waste, go for it. I'd rather watch paint dry.

Desperate Waters (2019)

Nice scenery

[2/10 · 21 March 2023]

I like movies that are set on the water. This was set on a very nice sail boat sailing from California to Hawaii.

The main character is a bit of a weenie in my opinion. He's a wealthy physician whose wife of 37 years has recently passed. His grown children have recommended that he take this sailing trip as a way to clear his head and get some time to himself. However he needs help and puts an ad out for a couple of people to assist with the trip. That's where the other two characters come into play; a young couple Mike and Karen.

Mike, who is a bit of a hot head, says he has sailing experience, while Karen has none. The three get along fine to begin with, but the relationship sours as the trip continues.

As I mentioned the doctor is a mild mannered weenie. Mike is a hot head prone to jealousy, and Karen is basically eye candy. You can probably guess what happens.

At best I give this 2 stars for the setting.

Contracted (2013)

Holy cow!

[2/10 · 10 January 2023]

I don't know what to say other than...... no. This is an odd movie. Once you start watching you'll probably stick with it to find out what happens, been when it's over, you'll wish you hadn't.

There are a lot of unanswered questions the least of which is what exactly is happening to the young woman. She's definitely got something more than an STD.

The other thing is why is she and others so oblivious to what's happening to her. Any normal person would be in the emergency room at the first sign of some of the things she was experiencing. And in her advanced stage people around her would run away at the mere sight of her.

They certainly wouldn't kiss her!

Emily the Criminal (2022)

A pleasant surprise

[8/10 · 15 December 2022]

I didn't know quite what to expect with this movie, but it quickly drew me in.

Both the story and the acting are superb. The heroine is one tough no nonsense cookie. She can't seem to catch a break, always running into unscrupulous types, but she stands her ground and doesn't take any crap. She really wanted to pursue her career but it became increasingly evident that she needed some other way to pay her bills.

There are some mildly violent parts, but what I really liked was that there were no guns! I hope this is a trend in Hollywood. Making a good action/drama movie without guns. The lack of guns did not detract from the movie in any way.

All in all, a very good movie well worth your time.

Occupants (2015)

Interesting movie

[8/10 · 30 November 2022]

What is it with all these reviews where people are looking for some deep meaning behind every movie? Why can't you just enjoy them for the entertainment value they offer?

Case in point is this movie, which is actually titled Alterverse. The premise is interesting. It may not be based in scientific fact, but who cares? The idea of an alternate universe is intriguing.

As a bonus is Briana White. She is an absolute doll (the blonde version). Smart and attractive, a winning combination.

Alterverse is an interesting movie I enjoyed and I think you will as well. Ignore the bad reviews. They are reading way too much into it.

God Forbid (2022)

Both interesting and disgusting

[9/10 · 5 November 2022]

The story itself is hard to believe. To think that someone in the public eye is stupid enough to do something that is so sleazy is shocking. Here the Falwell's have this persona of being straight laced ultra religious people, and set high moral standards for students at the university, yet they secretly engage in all sorts of sleazy activities. Disgusting.

As an aside, reading some of the negative reviews by Trump supporters I had to laugh. Many said that the second half of the movie tried to make trump and the republicans look bad. LOL! Trump does a pretty darn good job of that all by himself. Lighten up people.

Nightride (2021)

Great scenery

[3/10 · 19 September 2022]

NOT!

It's basically a one man show filmed in the front seat of his car. A car with extremely dirty windows.

He calls people non stop. Family, partners, dealers, you name it. It's non stop phones ringing!

It's complicated by the characters accents. You'll definitely need to watch this with captions on.

Knowing absolutely zero about drug culture and the associated lifestyle, I have no idea what he's talking about when he's arranging his deals. I find it very hard to follow, yet I found myself wanting to know how the story ends.

It's different for sure but I cannot rate this one any higher than a three.

Caught Inside (2010)

Pretty good

[6/10 · 15 September 2022]

Predictable but good nonetheless. The 600 character minimum for this review is a bit much. I'm not one to comment on the creative aspects of the movie, just the entertainment value.

I watched this on Prime which doesn't offer captions. As a result, because of the thick accents I could only understand about 10% of what was said. Might as well have been in Chinese.

The male passengers other than the crazy guy were massive pussies. They had numerous chances to put a stop to the nonsense but didn't. The ladies were much more assertive.

The scenery was great, but I could have done without the fish market scenes at the beginning. Very disgusting.

Assailant (2022)

Entertaining

[7/10 · 1 September 2022]

Predictable but entertaining. You pretty much know what's going to happen, but you find yourself wondering exactly how.

Casper VanDiem was good as the villain. The couple had a strange love/hate relationship. The husband was pretty much a whimp. But he took a licking and kept on ticking, I'll give him that.

Pretty stupid as well. The first time they met Michael should have been a clue to get as far away from him as possible! You'll see what I mean.

Also, as is usual in this type of movie, if you get the upper hand on the bad guy take him out!

All in all, it was worth a watch. Nice scenery as well.

Backcountry (I) (2014)

Intense

[8/10 · 24 August 2022]

You have a pretty good idea what's going to happen going in to this movie. But the way it unfolds is quite riveting.

There is an attack scene that is quite gruesome and cringeworthy.

All in all, it's quite good and should hold your attention.

Asteroid (2021)

Are comedies supposed to be funny?

[1/10 · 23 August 2022]

I thought so, but this movie challenges that rule.

What a mess. I have not laughed once. Not even close. The actors are cardboard and seem to be reading their lines for the first time.

Don't waste your time with this. You don't even get to see an asteroid!

You Should Have Left (2020)

I liked it!

[8/10 · 22 August 2022]

I typically like any movie with Kevin Bacon and this is no exception. I also like the thought that a 64 year old man could snag a 37 year attractive woman.

Kevin did a great job and the movie keeps you guessing. Worth a watch.

They/Them (2022)

Worth a watch

[7/10 · 22 August 2022]

Just take it for what it is; a movie.

Don't try to read more into it than is necessary. It's a bunch of kids at a camp. If you do that, it's another slasher movie, and a fair one at that.

Hunter Hunter (2020)

Wow

[8/10 · 19 August 2022]

What a ride.

Not at all what I expected. I had a pretty good idea what was up all along regarding the wolf, but I was still surprised as to how this ended.

Stay with this one till the end.

Hatching (2022)

Creepy

[1/10 · 10 August 2022]

I watched this on Hulu. Incredibly annoying in that there is an audio description that you cannot turn off! I've never seen this feature on a movie. Just give me captions. I don't need some clown telling me the story !

Other countries should leave movie making to America.

Boon (2022)

Barely watchable

[1/10 · 6 August 2022]

The story is weak and the acting is ridiculously bad. Neal McDonough's character has the charisma of a snail. The stupid hat adds nothing. The fake blood is the wrong color, and action scenes are not very well done.

All in all, if the choice is between this movie and watching paint dry, it's a toss up as to which you choose.