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jruddy43
Reviews
Troop Zero (2019)
Sweet Kids Movie
Sweet movie, probably more for kids than adults. I was expecting it to be LOL funny and it wasn't all the funny, but it did have quirky charm and some really nice messages about being yourself. It has that Sundance indie feel.
Cheer (2020)
Wow, just wow...
This show baffled me, but I could not stop watching it. First three episodes are decent, but the last three are crazy and very engaging, because you just wonder just how bad is it going to get for this team under this irresponsible "leadership." And of course you also want to see if the team will be able to defend their National Title. Part of me wanted them to win, because I was rooting for the kids. But part of me didn't want them to win, because bad behavior (in this case, irresponsible coaching) shouldn't be rewarded. Watch the series yourself to find out what happens, but be prepared to be shocked and dismayed.
The Night Clerk (2020)
Interesting Mystery Featuring a Hero on the Autism Spectrum
This is a slow burn of a film and it's surprisingly pretty well done. The main character is the night clerk at a motel, and he's on the autism spectrum. When he gets embroiled in a murder mystery, you'll feel a lot of tension, because his autism makes it hard for him to communicate.... And he thus becomes suspect #1. A unique mystery/psychological thriller.
Betty White: First Lady of Television (2018)
We all love Betty White!
She's like an American treasure, and this documentary shows exactly why. I wasn't familiar with all of her work that she did in her earlier years. She was a trailblazer. Funny and inspiring!
Stronger (2017)
Worthy Story; A little Lackluster in Execution
The subject matter of this is heartbreaking at times and inspiring at other times - it follows a man who lost his legs in the Boston Marathon bombing - the aftermath, his recovery, and the public perception of it and our societal need to have heroes and how this man copes with that. It was interesting in many ways, but for such an intense story, it often lacked intensity and momentum. I also never fully understood the depth of the relationship between the main character and his girlfriend. The feelings and motivation there felt unclear at times.
Woodstock (2019)
Behind the Scenes of the most famous concert festival
Once the concert stuff starts - WOW. The footage is great. There are a few major artists that didn't get any coverage in this documentary. I wonder if that was a rights issue. That aside, the insider footage of this concert and the concert dwellers and the social and cultural impact it had is fascinating.
Truth or Dare (2018)
Standard teen horror flick
The premise of this is promising in that it has a deep moral dilemma - it feels like it might go beyond standard horror fare. But then the directing style and dialogue take it into that familiar territory of every teen horror flick you've ever seen. If you're a fan of that style, then good. You'll love this. But if you want unique films, this will probably feel like recycled material to you.
The Others (2001)
Creative and Eerie
It's good... mostly. Lol. This movie is a little hard to review because I felt like the setting of the story was great (love period horror), and the performances were great (Nicole Kidman is strong as usual). The story itself has some uniqueness to it, and I appreciate the ending. The reason for my ambivalence is that I watched it in two sittings because I started it late one night. But I wasn't dying to finish it. I sat on it for several days - watching other things in between before I came back to it - so I guess I found it a little slow. Still, it is a good psychological horror film with a period setting.
He's Out There (2018)
Slasher in a secluded location
Your standard typical slasher in a secluded location type of film. Yvonne Strahovski of the Handmaid's Tale is a cut above most actors though, and she makes this film watchable.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)
ABC Family-type Fare
This is a cutesy movie that I think will mostly appeal to pre-teens. I thought the premise the movie was great: A teenage girls' secret (and intended to be private) letters are accidentally mailed to her five crushes!
I was hoping for something more along the lines of The Edge of Seventeen or Easy A where the movie is well-written, funny, but has some depth and edge to it that captures the real angst of being a teen. This, however, is very light TV-movie style fare, like what you would find on ABC Family (or I think it's called FreeForm now). Anyway, if you like the FreeForm style, then I recommend this movie. It was a sweet story with an endearing heroine. I personally just found it a little saccharine and boring.
It Follows (2014)
Original and creepy
What a fun twist on the horror genre! Similar to Night of the Living Dead, the "monsters" in this movie move slowly, very slowly and that is precisely what creates the tension. Even though the story is set in present day, it has a 1980's feel that I love. While it's a horror film with plenty of creepiness and plenty of jump scares, it also has some great metaphors about sex and STD's (if you choose to read into it, but I'm not sure how you can't). The lead actress has something about her that's very appealing and I expect we'll see her in more.
Malevolent (2018)
Starts strong... but then...
This movie is hard to review. It started out with a strong setup - a young woman, her brother, and their 2 friends dupe people into believing that she can cleanse their houses of evil spirits. It's all a hoax, of course. Until it's not... The first 80% of this movie was creepy more than scary with a few good jump scares. But the last 20% was like a gory horror movie. It's like the story didn't quite know what it wanted to be. I never felt fully invested in the characters journeys either but I felt intrigued enough by the story that I stuck around to finish the story (I quit a lot of movies). Others might really enjoy this film, but it didn't quite do it for me.