jmclaughlin90 Reviews

Dude Bro Party Massacre III (2015)

One of the best comedies of this decade.

[10/10 · 12 July 2015]

I enjoy many online entertainers. From The Cinema Snob to Red Letter Media, there's a lot of people who make great content online. One of my favorites is 5 Second Films. They are a group of people based in Los Angeles who make short films that are only five seconds long. They had a new film every weekday for five years and during the fifth year, they launched a Kickstarter to make a feature length film called Dude Bro Party Massacre III, based on one of their short films. They needed $200,000 and they got $240,000. So they got to make their dream project and just a little over two years after the Kickstarter was launched, it's finally out.

I've been a fan of 5 Second Films since 2011, when I discovered them through Patton Oswalt on twitter. I immediately loved their bizarre, twisted and sometimes dark sense of humor. I'm really impressed how funny their shorts can be in just 5 seconds. So to see what they can do with a feature film is very exciting. Dude Bro Party Massacre III is a tribute to 80s slasher flicks that many of the 5SF members loved when they were teenagers. The reason they decided to make the third film in the series is because that's usually the film in this genre where things get really bizarre and insane. The nonexistent first two films are recapped in the first five minutes of this movie. After Brock (Alec Owen) is killed by Motherface (Olivia Taylor Durdley), his twin brother Brent (Owen, again) must investigate his murder and gain the trust of the Delta Bi Theta fraternity that Brock was a part of. After the Deltas' senior prank goes horribly wrong, they must stay at the Old Sorority House by the lake. A plan is then set in motion by the police chief (Patton Oswalt), who is also a cult member, for Motherface to murder the Deltas.

Not only does this movie prove that 5 Second Films is absolutely capable of making full length movies, but I think they've made a comedy that puts many modern Hollywood comedies to shame. This film had me in tears twice, both times involving Brian Firenzi's Officer Sminkle, and provided lots of other great laughs throughout the whole film. 5 Second Films used every bit of their Kickstarter funds wisely and have crafted one of the best comedies of this decade so far. The direction, the writing, the acting, the practical effects, etc., it's all great. The humor is so detailed and well written, that there may have been some jokes or visual gags I may have missed. The film is full of insanely weird twists that are all hilarious. There's a line early on in the film that is funny on its own, but when it actually has payoff at the end, it's kind of genius. This is a fantastic tribute to 80s slasher movies as well. The practical gore effects are excellent and the movie does a perfect job of capturing that 80s horror movie feel. I enjoy that this movie has the gender reversal where the boys are sexually objectified and terrorized instead of the girls.

The level of detail is fantastic. What they were able to do in their shorts, is amplified in this movie. The movie is made to look like it was a midnight movie recorded off a VCR and is the single remaining copy of the film. The movie has brief commercial breaks that are little short films of their own. They're very funny and don't interrupt the flow of the actual feature.

The cast is great. Alec Owen is a great lead as Brent. The Delta Bi members are all very funny and they bring a distinct personality to each of their characters. Paul Prado, in particular as Turbeaux, steals a lot of the scenes he's in. The character I enjoyed the most was Officer Sminkle played by 5 Second Films creator, Brian Firenzi. Like I mentioned earlier, there were scenes with him that had me in tears, I was laughing so hard. He and his girlfriend, Maria Del Carmen, share their scenes together and they play off of each other very well. She plays Sminkle's partner and she covers up her English accent very well. Olivia Taylor Durdley is really good as Motherface. She's kind of a typical killer, but she plays it well. Kelsey Gunn is also really funny as one of the Delta Bi member's girlfriend, Samantha.There are some great cameos as well. Patton Oswalt is great as the chief, Greg Sestero and Andrew WK play Delta Bi members and even Larry King shows up in the opening recap.

Dude Bro Party Massacre III is one of my favorite comedies of this decade. 5 Second Films has proved that they can make feature length films with the amount of detail and care that they've put into this film. If you enjoy bizarre, twisted humor and fun throwbacks to 80s slasher movies, then I highly recommend this film.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The Dark Knight Rises is the film event of the year

[4/10 · 20 July 2012]

This review is spoiler free.

There are so few films that conclude a story right. The very few I can think of are The Return of the King, Toy Story 3, Back to the Future Part 3, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Return of the Jedi. I am very glad to add The Dark Knight Rises to the list. The reason the final Harry Potter film is not on that list, is because after watching both parts of the final film in a row, they feel uneven when viewed together and the second part grows weak after multiple viewings. The Dark Knight Rises is what the final Potter should have been like.

I usually try not to get too excited for a film. In this day and age, a movie theater is mostly full of disappointment. But this was different. I am a Batman fanatic. I always loved him as a kid and Batman Begins opened up a whole new world for me to dwell in. He is my favorite fictional hero of all time. So after four years of waiting for this, I am so happy that this truly is the ending this series deserved.

I am not going to reveal plot details. Like most of Christopher Nolan's films, the less you know going in, the better. Like Nolan's other films, the cast is fantastic. Christian Bale gives his best performance of the series as Bruce Wayne and Batman. Michael Caine returns as Alfred, who will break your heart in one scene. Gary Oldman is still great as Commissioner Gordon, who has had an excellent character arc in this series. The new characters are all awesome. Tom Hardy as Bane is one of the best villain performances I've seen in a long time. His master plan made my jaw drop. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays John Blake, one of the few good cops left in Gotham. Marion Cotillard does well as supporting character, Miranda Tate. She is not given a lot of screen time, but she is definitely not a throw away character. My favorite of the newcomers is Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. She is perfect in this role. I thought she really did the character justice and I think she's the best on screen Catwoman yet.

The technical aspects of the film are flawless, like the previous two films. The cinematography is incredible. If you can, see this film in IMAX. There is about an hour of the film in the format and it looks stunning. The action is spectacular and never overdone. The visual effects are truly incredible. I am so glad that Christopher Nolan prefers practical effects over CGI. The opening sequence is perhaps one of the most exciting stunts ever put on film. And the fact that they really did it, is amazing. Hans Zimmer's score is beautiful and really adds that extra level of excitement to the film. Even though James Newton Howard doesn't contribute to the score for this film, Zimmer has proved to be a really talented composer.

I think Christopher Nolan made the right choice to tell his Batman story in three parts. Looking back on the first two films after seeing this, it really is a solid beginning, middle and end. After seeing the Dark Knight, as much as I wanted to see a finale to the story, I was so unsure of how they could possibly end these films right. Luckily, Nolan is one of the best directors today and he has certainly given us an ending of epic proportions. It's the best film series since The Lord of the Rings. The Dark Knight Rises is not just another summer movie. It is an event and you should definitely take part in it. I doubt we will see anything this spectacular in film for a long time.

Drive (I) (2011)

The Best Film of 2011

[10/10 · 19 September 2011]

Drive is one of those rare gems that is pretty much indescribable. It's hard to identify what type of film this is. It isn't really an action film or a drama. What I can determine is that it's a character driven film that is unlike anything else that has been released this year.

The film stars Ryan Gosling as a man only known as the Driver. He has a job as a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver. He gives each person on a deal five minutes and if they are a second too late, he's gone and they are on their own. The opening of the film is quite impressive as it draws you in and shows how much of a professional the Driver can be. He's very much a loner, but he seems to have a pretty good relationship with Shannon (played by Bryan Cranston), the owner of the mechanic shop he works at. The Driver soon meets Irene (Carey Mulligan), his neighbor who lives down the hall in his apartment building. She lives with her son and her husband is in prison, who is going to be released soon. When he gets out, it turns out that he owes some money to some criminals and he asks the Driver to assist him with the deal. Things go wrong and from there, Drive has you in its grip for the rest of the film. It's a slow burn film that can be calm and then, bam, it can turn on you in a second.

The performances are stellar. Gosling is fantastic as the Driver. He plays it calm and cool, with sudden bursts of violence when protecting the people he cares about. He doesn't have a lot of dialogue, but he pulls it off so well. I'm not really a fan of Gosling, but he was really impressive in this. Mulligan does well with the small screen time she's given. Cranston is just as great as he is on Breaking Bad. But the one performance that really stands out from the supporting cast is Albert Brooks. He plays Bernie Rose, a crime boss who you really don't want to be on the bad side of. He's quite calm for most of the film, but when he gets violent, it's absolutely brutal. I'm sure he will be getting plenty of attention come award season. He's phenomenal.

Nicholas Winding Refn does wonders directing this film. He does it with such elegance in each shot. I definitely need to see some of his earlier films. The cinematography is beautiful. The score is great, sounding like something you would hear in an 80s film. It's the first soundtrack I have wanted to go out and buy since Inception. It sounds great.

I have not seen any other film this year that has even come close to this level of satisfaction and excitement. This is a rare film that is just so great and it really sticks with you. As soon as the credits rolled, I knew this was something special that I had just seen. Thank goodness the usual schlock of summer movies has come to an end. Drive kicks off the fall movie season and it brings us the best film of the year thus far.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

A Grand Finale Indeed

[5/10 · 15 July 2011]

It's been almost ten years since the first Harry Potter film came out and now the series comes to a close. And what a fantastic and satisfying conclusion it is. It just about ranks up there with cinematic finales like The Return of the King and Toy Story 3.

The film is definitely the most intense of the series. There's a lot at stake. The wizards of Hogwarts are making a final stand together knowing that they may even be killed. There are many losses, some more tragic than others, but there's also much triumph and courage. The battle of Hogwarts is a real spectacle to watch. And it's a good thing the action isn't overdone. It never really has been in these films, which is good to see in a blockbuster this big. It still sticks to the story and doesn't let the action overlap it. The visual effects seem to have improved over each film. And the cinematography is excellent with the dark and gloomy tones.

The performances are as good as ever. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are at their finest in this. They handle the emotional scenes greatly. It's been a pleasure to see these three grow into such fine actors and I sure hope they all have great careers ahead of them. The scene where Harry goes into the Forbidden Forrest to confront Voldemort is probably Radcliffe's finest moment in the entire series. Grint and Watson share their first kiss and their reactions after are priceless. Many of the characters have their own shining moments. Maggie Smith has some great scenes including one where she brings the school's army of stone knights to life. Another character that gets more time to shine is Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom. He has a very heroic part in the battle and it's good to see this character finally grow out of his clumsy stage and become a hero. Michael Gambon makes a nice appearance as Dumbledore as well. There are two performances that shine the most though. First Ralph Fiennes is more menacing than ever as Voldemort. Since pieces of his soul are being destroyed, he's pretty angry and will kill anyone he can. Usually Fiennes hasn't gotten a ton of screen time, but this is his film to dominate. He has achieved the status as one of the great cinematic villains. The scene where he and his army step up to the ruins of Hogwarts, telling the students to join him or they will die, is one of his best. Then there's Alan Rickman as my favorite character, Severus Snape. He's been fantastic in every film, but this is the one where we finally see the man he truly is and Rickman plays it excellently. It gives him a great send off.

So here we are. Ten years and eight films later the grand Harry Potter series comes to a close. Is it the epic finale we've all been waiting for? It sure was for me. Being someone who hasn't read the books, I think they've done a great job at telling a good story. I'm sure those who have read the books will find something to nitpick, but looking at these just as films alone, they've made something pretty legendary and I feel proud to have grown up with them and to be part of this wonderful experience. This is a series that will be remembered for a very long time and it very much deserves that. I will truly miss it.

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011)

My favorite film of the year so far

[10/10 · 26 June 2011]

Ever since middle school, I have been a huge fan of Conan O'Brien. I would only watch his show on Fridays or over school breaks because if I got caught being up so late, I'd get in trouble. But when he started on The Tonight Show, I stayed up late and watched it anyways no matter the day. So I was watching every night as the battle for The Tonight Show unfolded and, like many, I gave all of my support to him. So after leaving the Tonight Show, he planned a 32-city live tour, which is what the film focuses on.

The tour moments are fun, especially the backstage bits. During the Radio City Music Hall show, we see Conan, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert backstage preparing their skit a mere 9 minutes before they go on stage and perform it. We really see the creativity that went into this tour and they pulled it off nicely. There are moments after the shows where he complains about not wanting to meet fans, but he does it anyways. He definitely shows much appreciation for them and all of their support.

We get to see a darker side of Conan in the film. At one point, he teases Jack McBrayer, calling him a hick and even making up a song on the spot that's very dark, yet I found myself laughing. Who wouldn't be able to go into a darker place after losing one of the biggest television shows of all time? Honestly the film made me love Conan even more. Even though he does act somewhat mean at times, his amazing team still sticks with him. He has such a wonderful group of people supporting him. There are some really nice moments of him with long time friend and sidekick, Andy Richter. You can really tell that they will always be there for each other. Also I have to give credit to Sona Movsesian, Conan's assistant, who handles him well at some pretty rough times.

I think documentaries about entertainers are always great to see. You get to see much more of them than you do on TV or on stage. This is one of the best I've ever seen and I'm not just saying this because I'm a Conan fanatic, but this film is very well made. We get to see moments of Conan that we normally don't get to and it's fascinating to watch. The film gets dark at times, but for the most part, it's hilarious. The film is a must see for Conan fans and it's the year's absolute best film. I don't think there will be a more honest, funny and entertaining film this year. Go Team Coco.