SadDevilExperience Reviews

Class Warfare (2001 TV Movie)

Great premise that leaves a lot to be desired

[5/10 · 14 December 2022]

STRENGTHS: good performance from the lead actress, a few suspenseful moments, one or two twists that I didn't see coming, and a satisfying enough resolution to the central conflict

WEAKNESSES: horrible music, dumb ending, one-dimensional characters, some corny dialogue, some choices that didn't make sense.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This movie feels very dated, like an edgy Disney channel original movie. It's an interesting premise though, but one that I feel could've been executed so much better if the writing was stronger. This is George Finch's only screenwriting credit so I don't know how seasoned of a writer he is as information on him is scarce if not nonexistent. But this film doesn't stand out in any way. It's just okay.

Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun (2020)

I don't know what I watched but I love it!

[10/10 · 15 December 2021]

This was my introduction to the comedy trio from Australia and I'm so happy it was. There was never a dull moment in the six episodes that have been released so far. What I love most about this show is its unpredictability. Every time I thought I knew the direction the episode was going, it does a complete left turn. The structure of the show is so weirdly free. Anything they threw at the wall stuck because it's such an off-the-wall series. They never have to worry about something not making sense because it's not supposed to make sense. Strangely enough, I'm able to follow the story really well. Mark, Broden, and Zach are such stand-out and really likeable characters whose range is immeasurable. A lot of the show looks hilariously cheap, so much so that it adds to the charm this show has. And what brings it all together is everyone commits to the ridiculous bits. They make it all seem so effortless, but I can only imagine the amount of work it takes to do any of what I just saw. After checking out more of their work, I discovered their entire YouTube channel where they do even more silly skits. Even though they have a noticeable style, it's a formula that works. So if absurdist humor isn't your thing, I ask you give it a try. Make yourself at home and embrace yourself for a journey unlike anything you've seen.

Collateral Beauty (2016)

It's not as bad as the critics say, but...

[3/10 · 2 November 2021]

A friend of mine recommended this movie as one of her top 15 favorite movies, so I went in with high expectations and I was left disappointed... somewhat. I did a little bit of research after watching it and saw that it got slammed by critics and I don't think it's all necessarily deserved. However, there were a lot of things in this movie that didn't make sense. It's hard to describe without going into spoilers but it's almost like this movie wants to have a sprinkle of fantasy, but it just doesn't really fit in with the theme of this movie. It also had a pretty dull start that took a little bit to get over. Plus, there was so much crammed into this movie that never really got a chance to be fleshed out, because if it did, the movie would've been much longer than it is now, specifically with the side characters and their personal lives. I think the movie would've been better if it just avoided those altogether, or at least not made them as major of a plot point. All this said, there were some really good moments. The actors were fantastic. Michael Peña really blew me away for the first time. Will Smith was excellent in this. There were some really heartfelt and emotional moments, interesting ideas, and some really good messages. I saw the star-studded cast was nominated for a Razzie for 'Worst Screen Combo.' I disagree. I thought there were some really memorable characters in this and everyone had really good chemistry. My final thoughts: there's so much about this movie that could've been much better but this was by no means an awful film. Yeah, it had a confusing ending and a convoluted story, but it ultimately had a beautiful message.

Fall Nights in China Grove (2020)

A movie with a heart bigger than its budget

[6/10 · 5 September 2021]

One of the many things that I realized about movies no matter the budget is not how high the budget is but how you use your resources. I don't know the budget (I'm assuming it was relatively a little higher than your average low-budget movie) but it's pretty evident a whole ton of effort was put into this. There were some things that could've been fixed. It was kind of strange that the beginning credits rolled twice. Not sure if that was intentional or not. Some of the editing was kind of iffy, like it could've used a little more tweaking and there were one or two continuity errors. The sound could've also used a little more work since it didn't always match the environment. The movie definitely had a bit of a slow pace, but picks up halfway through. All that said, there were some legitimately good bits about this film. The writing is great and had a lot of heartfelt, feel-good moments. Some of the cinematography was creative and there were some pretty decent actors who played some really interesting, well-developed characters. There were even a couple moments that surprised me about the story, stuff that I didn't see coming. It also had a good soundtrack and overall, I felt like this movie had pretty good direction. Basically, everyone brought their A-game. In conclusion, even though this film was a little clumsy, it has a big heart and a compelling story and I would still recommend it to those who want to watch a hidden gem. You just might end up falling in love with Fall Nights in China Grove.

Bad Luck Jack (2020)

I like Vivienne's work but I'm not feeling it with this one

[4/10 · 4 January 2021]

From the creator of Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss came this short film about an anthropomorphic puppy who has been cursed with bad luck while his best friend tries to defend him from all the peril that comes his way. On its surface, Vivienne Medrano and her team of equally talented animators and artists put together a visually appealing short paired with decent voice actors and stunning effects. However, there's so much that is left to be desired from this pretty piece of animation. The biggest issue this short suffers from is just that: it's short. The overall cartoon, not counting the credit sequence is ten minutes, not giving the viewers enough time to get to know any of the characters, leading them to come off as one-noted, if they're lucky. We really don't know anything about the characters other than Jack has been cursed with bad luck (but we don't know how or why), Spam is a singer/songwriter, Vanexa is apathetic towards everyone and everything and seems to have almost nothing in common with the otherwise cheerful bunch of friends she hangs out with, Rusty is a bully, Damian is also a bully(?), and Zill and Kayla are... Jack's best friends who sing. Perhaps this is meant to be a pilot to an upcoming series where we'll know more about the characters or there could be more answers in the Zoophobia comic series Medrano created, but on its own, there are so many unanswered questions that are left to Viv's fans' imagination. The writing is also weak for someone whose projects have stellar stories and witty dialogue such as the aforementioned Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss. This almost feels like a rushed first draft. There's also a weird inconsistency with the world the story takes place in where some of the characters are wearing clothes and the others are, presumably, naked. It's never explained. On top of that, the songs were pretty forgettable and accounted for almost half of the ten minute story. The last song felt out of place. I feel like the story could've done well, maybe even better, without it. I don't know what Vivienne's plans are for Bad Luck Jack and their characters going forward but I feel like if she and this short were given a little more time, we could've explored so many of the things we don't know and connected with the colorful cast of characters. Maybe in the future, we will but until then, we're not so lucky.

Kitchen Nightmares (2007–2023)

This is the best reality TV series.

[7/10 · 14 July 2020]

Every episode of Kitchen Nightmares is the same. There's a failing restaurant, and we get an overview of the restaurant and why it's failing. The problems vary from a stubborn chef, a spineless owner, a clueless staff, or some mix of the above, but one thing is common: the food is terrible, but the owners don't seem to believe that. Gordon comes in, sees the restaurant, tries the food (big shock, he doesn't like the food) and he tells the owners that the food is not good, and the owners disagree and insist that their food is good, which leaves Chef Ramsay speechless. Later that night, he observes a terrible dinner service and then later inspects a more than filthy kitchen and Ramsay is furious. After getting the owners on board with change (which takes some time), they relaunch the menu (and most of the time, the decor), and the relaunch is a success, with the exception of a minor hiccup. That is your average Kitchen Nightmares episode........and I love it! There's something hypnotic about watching stubborn people so deep in denial getting yelled at by a decorated chef over how terrible their service and food are. My only concern with this show is how dramatized it is. They seem to focus more on drama between family and coworkers than they do on how a restaurant operates. In addition, some of the exercises Gordon Ramsay does with the owners seemed pointless. There was one episode that took place in a courtroom halfway through and two episodes had the owners boxing their feelings out. Those felt bizarre, like it was purely for theatrics. Other than that, I enjoyed this show. It had a capable formula and even featured some colorful personalities, and it actually made me want start cooking more.

The Vatican Tapes (2015)

Nothing makes sense in this movie!

[2/10 · 27 June 2020]

While I won't go as far as to say this is one of the worst movies I've seen in recent years, it's certainly one of the stupidest. Frankly, this movie feels like it would serve better at a haunted house attraction where story isn't one of their top priorities. Not only is the premise forgettable, but the story itself is littered with plot holes, unanswered questions, corny dialogue, and hollow characters. Nothing is ever explained in this movie, and the creators know this. They don't even try to make an excuse for some of the events that happen. A lot of the conflict feels forced, so much so that I had to re-watch some parts to see if I missed anything because I thought I wasn't paying attention, but I was and they just left some parts out. There were a lot of obvious set-ups for cheap jump-scares. The pacing in this movie is non-existent, since it keeps bouncing from timeline to timeline. If you want to do that, at least be organized about it (a good example I would use is the first season of 'How to Get Away With Murder'). Not only does the movie lack in story, but it lacks in style. The camerawork is so shaky, it looks like parts were filmed during an earthquake. The coloring looks cheap (although, the majority of the movie looks cheap). Honestly, the best technical aspects were the CGI. It's not great by any means, but at least the people in that department were trying, and for a production where no one is trying other than some of the actors, I'll take what I can get. And if I'm cherishing that, then you know this movie is not worth watching. Even with the few good scenes in this film (I thought the actual exorcism was the best scene), there's not much going for it and you'd be praying on a miracle to find anything outstanding in this.

Yours are Mine (2018)

Small team. Larger-than-life story.

[7/10 · 27 May 2020]

With as many awards and nominations this short has, I'm surprised I'm the first one to be giving this a review. I really thought this would've had a lot more attention. You can tell a lot of hard work and passion was put into this project, and it certainly paid off for the director/writer/producer/lead and her crew of only women. To start off, the writing is by far the strongest component. It offers a lot of heart-wrenching moments in less than eight minutes with two grounded characters that felt honest and real. The conflict the two main characters shared left me on the edge of my seat. The second strongest component (a very close second) is the editing. Even with this simple story, the editors gave us a glimpse into the mind of the main character giving her a lot of depth which I thought was a neat addition. The performances were also pretty good. The two leads had an interesting chemistry that had a natural progression. There aren't many flaws I noticed with this film. My only issues were that one of the moments midway felt like forced conflict but thank goodness it was only one moment. I also felt like some of the shots were a little bland in color, but not all of them. Some had a clear tone that they gave off, but I didn't feel that was the case for all of them. Finally, I was a little unclear with the ending at first. After re-watching it a couple times, I think I understand it better now, but I wonder if someone only decided to watch this once, would they feel the same? Perhaps it's to be left up to interpretation. These are only minor flaws far outweighed by the major strengths. I would still recommend anyone who has eight minutes to spare to watch Yours Are Mine and give this the attention it deserves!

Survive the Night (2020)

I don't know who was more bored: me or Bruce Willis.

[3/10 · 23 May 2020]

Where do you go from Die Hard, The Sixth Sense, Pulp Fiction, Armageddon and other classics? In the case of Bruce Willis, the answer is down a steady stream of dull action movies that add nothing new to the genre and are blander than bread that only get blander. "Survive the Night" is unfortunately next in line of Bruce Willis movies that will be forgotten about within the next month, if it's lucky. And it seems Bruce Willis knows this, because he was bored throughout the whole movie and it was obvious. Bruce Willis wasn't as big a part of this movie as he was hyped up to be. My biggest problem with this movie is the pacing. It's all over the place. We keep seeing the same things happen over and over again. It's like the movie is stuck in a time warp. You just wish they'd move onto the next scene. On top of that, the movie became so predictable that you could guess the next plot of events a few scenes ahead. However, I couldn't have predicted some of the stupid choices the characters make (but I'll get to that in a bit). Everything is explained in such a vague way that you can't really connect with the characters. They always play the game of "talking about something the audience doesn't know about" so much that it gets annoying. The action scenes are either too static or too disorienting. The color of the cinematography was unpleasant to look at. Everything mostly looked dirty. So many choices the characters make don't make sense (a couple I could understand but that isn't the majority). Without spoiling, let's just say you see an obvious choice the characters should make and for some reason, they don't go for that obvious choice. It's so infuriating, you'll find yourself shouting "Why!?" at your screen. Some of the nighttime shots look like they were shot in the daytime, and not even the recoloring could change that. The continuity was weird in this movie. It almost feels like the film editing was rushed. The only saving grace was that at least a few of the actors had some decent performances and looked like they were trying but those people's characters weren't really fleshed out. We know almost nothing about them. Overall, I'm sure they weren't aiming for any kind of award, but it's like they didn't even make the attempt. Not even the movie title sounds interesting. I was hoping for a slight amount of effort, and that seems to be all I got: slight. This movie may have survived the night, but it won't survive the test of time.

Onward (I) (2020)

For a movie that goes against the obvious...

[5/10 · 6 May 2020]

I tried to really like this movie, and for its credit, it's not a bad movie per se. It's just a mix of good and bad. In typical Pixar fasion, they delivered us beautiful animation once again that produced some pretty images. Additionally, the voice acting was decent. Some were better than others. I actually didn't know Octavia Spencer was in this movie until after I watched the movie so that was a nice surprise. The movie also sets up a nice atmosphere to get the young ones reeled in. However, in spite of all this, this movie's biggest flaws were the overused clichés and the predictable story line. Watching this movie, I was easily able to guess the next few lines or even the next flew plot points. Also, in typical Disney fashion, we have a dead parent cliché, although this time we at least have the opportunity to bring him back. Heck, a whole adventure is made out of this, so that's an interesting addition, even if we have seen the "race against time" bit in several other films. On top of that, some of the jokes felt recycled, like I heard them in other Disney Pixar movies. Another problem this movie has is that, because everything felt overused, there aren't any interesting characters in this movie. It was hard for me to engage in them because I've seen characters like this before. The only thing I haven't seen (but I'm sure is out there in several films) is the brother-duo shtick. I especially didn't really like the punk pixie characters. They were too annoying for me. Finally, the ending left much to be desired. I won't spoil it for you, but all the movie felt like a build-up to another redundant message we've seen over and over again. It left me very disappointed. In conclusion, Onward has many areas in which it is lacking, especially when it comes to story, but from an artistic and performance perspective, it was good. It's an overall passable movie for younger audiences with a quest they'll find enjoyable.

Joker (I) (2019)

A Movie That Will Stand the Test of Time

[9/10 · 28 April 2020]

Beautiful? Groundbreaking? Strange? Provocative? Honestly, this movie is really what you make it. Personally, I loved this movie, and it's probably one of the best movies I've seen in recent years. I've seen several people discuss the issues they had with this movie, and while I can see why those issues would deduct points, these minor flaws didn't really make me dislike this movie in any way, but that may be because I'm not a big superhero movies guy. I wouldn't be able to tell you if I'm Team Marvel or Team DC. So, as somewhat of a stranger to these kinds of movies, I really enjoyed it. It has a sense of relatability that strikes a chord in some moviegoers with a man beaten down by society and life. It's rather strange, isn't it? We've seen characters like this for decades now, all the way back to Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman," heck, all the way back to Hamlet (although neither Willy nor Hamlet do the crazy things Arthur Fleck does) and yet we fall for it each time, and this movie uses that to its advantage. The score for this movie was amazing. Every piece of music served the scene very well. The actors, especially Joaquin Phoenix, were fantastic, even though I wanted some of the side characters to have a little more depth. The cinematography was colorful and nice to look at. The writing was pretty good, and it offered some satisfying moments in the movie. More importantly, the dialogue has reached a status where it's become so iconic, it's quotable now, which is another strength this movie has: its memorability. Now, all that said, there were a couple down falls. I could've done without tie-ins with Bruce Wayne. As I said before, some of the side characters weren't really fleshed out. Other than that, I really enjoyed this movie and I would definitely watch it again.

Knives Out (2019)

A Lesson in Advertising

[8/10 · 24 March 2020]

Never have I ever been so caught by surprise by a movie that I thought would be above average at best. I went into this movie thinking it was going to be a typical 'whodunit' Clue-styled movie, but there was so much more! All the ads I saw hinted at that. Almost a quarter way into the movie, it turned out to be anything but. Every time I thought I knew the direction this movie was going in, I ended up being wrong. That's at the epicenter of the movie: the surprises. They always have a good set up and the punchline is satisfying. The dialogue was a little cheesy but for the most part, it was well-written and the characters were all very interesting. I could've done without the politics in this movie, but I can forgive it because it at least had some clever commentary and there was the occasional political joke that landed. In addition, the cinematography is colorful and had some creative shots. I especially enjoyed the last frame, as if to destroy any uncertainty the viewers have about where everyone goes from here. The actors were also great in this movie, and how could it not be with an all-star cast? I will say, it was very interesting to see Daniel Craig pull off a Frank Underwood kind of accent. I almost half expected him to start talking to us about his deep and inner thoughts. But like I said before, this movie really made me reconsider the way movies advertise: because they didn't give away the big reveal(s), it made the movie all the more enjoyable. Far too often, I watch movie trailers that basically reveal the entire plot, including the twist. What's the fun in that? Knives Out was advertised in a way that not only the twists would be fresh, but that the comedy would be fresh because I got quite a few laughs out of this. Overall, I definitely recommend this movie for its sharp humor and cutting story (puns intended).

The Lion King (2019)

As a movie, bad. As a remake, really bad!

[1/10 · 20 July 2019]

I've been trying to give these Disney remakes an honest shot. I wasn't a fan of the Beauty and the Beast remake, The Jungle Book remake, or the Aladdin remake, so I was worried going into this movie because I was originally super stoked for this. My girlfriend told me to go in with an open mind, as if it was a brand new movie. I told her I would, and I did. To say I was beyond disappointed would be the understatement of the year.

As a movie on its own, the performances were hardly convincing. Simba and Nala had no chemistry. The music was pretty forgettable, as I can't even remember how the bigger numbers sounded. The animals had very blank expressions on their faces most of the time so I could barely tell how they were really feeling. Also, I had a hard time telling the difference between most of the lions. They all looked identical. Basically, this felt long and painful to sit through.

As a remake of the original Lion King, wow! This was terrible! They had a pretty good cast lined up, but none of them really did a spectacular job in this movie. Some of them I thought could at least partially save this movie (I was personally excited to see Donald Glover, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key, Beyoncé and James Earl Jones in this) but they all really let me down. It felt like the soul and joy was taken out in place for impressive visual effects. The original Lion King was alive and animated, but this one felt dead and dumbed-down. It's like they tried to copy the original without realizing what made it special in the first place. They even took out a couple crucial scenes (I won't say which ones but if you grew up with the original Lion King like I did, you'll know).

Overall, I'm not going to watch another Disney live action remake after this one. I refuse to have any more of my money go towards these awful live-action remakes. Everything that was fun in the original Lion King was sucked right out, just like with the other three remakes I saw, which leads me to believe that the other remakes (those out and those soon to be out) will be just the same.

Rams (2015)

A visual story with more images than words

[8/10 · 11 July 2019]

This is really an intriguing movie to watch. It's refreshing to see a movie that doesn't rely solely on narration or dialogue to tell their story and get their points across, and that's its biggest strength: this film is visually captivating. It tells a story more with what it shows you than what it tells you. It has a slow pace, but that's so the viewer can really soak in the environment, which I feel is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you get a good feel for what's going on in every sense, but at the same time, this is done in so many moments where the characters aren't doing much that I actually got a little bored halfway through the movie. Despite this, I ventured on giving it a fair chance. It's interesting during the first half but then it gets really interesting during the second half because that's when the pace starts to pick up more. The cinematography is excellent! There are some really powerful images produced in this movie, especially at the end. Those I felt hit home the most! I also want to give props to the editors because this didn't feel like it was edited like a typical film. They could've easily done jump cuts every few seconds throughout the entire movie, but they didn't, and that actually let the story breathe more. Fantastic work to the editors! Finally, the characters felt real. I find it hard to believe that these two brothers haven't spoken for as long as they have with their unresolved differences, but the movie portrays this in such a believable fashion. Coupled in with spectacular performances from the two leads, the characters felt all the more genuine. Overall, Hrútar (Rams), slow as it is, gives you a great piece of cinema to watch, and if you're patient with this movie, it will deliver you a story you won't forget any time soon.

The Office (2005–2013)

Organic Comedy At Its Finest

[9/10 · 26 June 2019]

I'm always on the hunt for comedies without a laugh track. Every time I'm grounded into the world of the comedy, the laugh track takes me out of it. And, for some reason, the laugh track is more prevalent in bad comedies. So, you can imagine how happy I was when I found The Office, an incredibly funny show without a laugh track. There's so much this show did right. The characters were grounded, likable, and even matured throughout the show. More importantly, they were unforgettable. Easily, they were the best part of the whole series, and that says a lot when there's so much more to enjoy about The Office. The writing was witty, the comedy was organic, the performances were great, the camerawork was fantastic and cleverly shot, and what I personally appreciate about it the most is this feels like something that could happen in an actual office. I'm a sucker for realism, and even though there are some absurd elements to the story, the fact that it's all presented in such a believable style really makes it stick out all the more. The reason I only give this nine stars is because the last seasons could've been stronger, since one character (who I will not name so as to not spoil the series) left during the show, and his replacements couldn't fill in that missing piece that was needed to make it feel whole again. That's not to say it was bad by any means (at least I didn't find it bad) but it can't compare to the first seasons that came before them. Despite this, The Office has delivered some of the funniest and most iconic scenes in comedy and in the whole mockumentary sub-genre. It's a show that made an impact on people and left them wanting more. This is one series that will never be forgotten!

The Buzz (I) (2017– )

This won an Emmy!?!?

[2/10 · 17 June 2019]

I was only able to find the first three episodes, but if the others are as bad as the first three were, I think it's a blessing in disguise that I couldn't find the others. Just about everything was bad. The writing was terrible. Most of the jokes were not funny. This is especially true with the recurring jokes they tried to make funny, but they just came off as forced. Some of the jokes didn't even make sense. Out of all the jokes that were made (in the episodes I saw at least), 3% of them even made me smirk, and only one actually succeeded in making me laugh. The acting wasn't good either, but I'm not sure if I can blame the actors for that. I think they at least tried their absolute best. I don't know if it was the direction they were given or the bad writing that tripped them up, but whatever the reason, they just didn't sell me on their performances. Also, the characters they played were absolutely annoying. None of them were likable. They either came across as rude or stupid. Or both. The camerawork was shaky sometimes, which was really distracting (though I don't mind being distracted from this). The only redeeming qualities are the few jokes that did work and the set looked really nice. Great job to the set designers! And look. I understand this was done by a college, so these people are learning in their respective areas, and they seem to be enjoying what they do. There's some good potential for these people, and I really do hope they move onto amazing projects. And I also hope the episodes I haven't seen have since improved. But based off what I saw, would I recommend this show to anyone? No. I wouldn't.

House Guest Massacre (2013)

Not as good as everyone claims it to be

[1/10 · 29 June 2015]

I found out about this movie looking at Alex Vincent's IMDb page. The movie, at a first glance, looked interesting and I decided to watch it. I looked everywhere for it and I was only able to find it on Amazon. So, I decided to rent it for a little while...and I was really disappointed.

The acting was incredibly bland. They sounded like they were reading the script for the first time. The reveal of the killer was rather predictable. The writing was at best below mediocre. Some of the sound effects were incredibly cheap (I know, the movie's budget is cheap but still...) During one of the murder scenes where someone gets kicked, the kicking sounded like two books were being smashed together.

Looking at all of these reviews, I only found one person who agreed with me on Amazon. It seems like we're the only people who hate this.

Don't bother with this movie.