bdobson Reviews

Imaginary (2024)

A very unexpected and enjoyable horror thriller

[8/10 · 18 March 2024]

I'm generally sure that the movies I watch don't match what most people come here purposly to complain about for attention. When it first stated though, I was right there with you. Cliche character types with a cliche setup and then it started to settle in. Perhaps I should have seen some of the twists coming but I found beyond the poor setup it managed to surprise me from time to time.

The acting is fine and I enjoyed the subtle nature they played with the bear until the over the top finale which kept it from being a higher rating for me. Blumhouse is not putting enough effort into some movies, like Night Swim and more attention into others, such as this whereas they need I think to go back and do more, with less.

The Killer (2023)

Over peoples heads

[10/10 · 13 November 2023]

It appears that the latest from director David Fincher goes over many peoples heads. They don't understand what's going on and without a real big explosion or some nudity become bored. What we're seeing here is a glimpse, not a full look, into the life of a contract killer in such a way that we've never seen before.

If you really listen and pay attention the unraveling of his life as he goes over and over his rules, all of which he breaks in steady succession, is facinating. Yes, the film could possibly have been a little shorter, but in many cases it took the time it needed to make it's point and is amazing.

Found (2023– )

A different take on the usual

[10/10 · 16 October 2023]

Yes, there is an awful lot about Found which is unoriginal and directly taken from other shows or movies. One in particular which I cannot say as it would be a spoiler. However, it's the members of the team and their complex backgrounds which drew me in. These are terribly damaged people who have very clear motivations for being in the line of work they are.

Again, yes, it has some issues with some of the team and their super powers, so to speak, but again I like the characters and the actors enough here to more than overlook it. To those who think it's preachy I am a little puzzled by that. Preachy in the fact that a white girl going missing gets 100x more publicity than a girl of any other color? Reality hurts sometimes but don't call yourself out by calling this preachy.

I'm curious as to, given the true nature of what's going on, revealed at the end of the first episode how they can keep this going long term but I will be interested to watch.

Talk to Me (I) (2022)

The most outstanding horror in a decade

[10/10 · 16 September 2023]

It's disappointing so many people were bored by a films attempt to tell a more layered sorry and perhaps that's why the majority of horror these days are terrible. Anyway, from a pair who only made YouTube videos before we have a deeply unsettling film. It is interesting that it is really about the grief of loss and how the power of the hand exploits this in people to gain a footing.

There is indeed a slow build, which is called character development and when it kicks into high gear (you'll know the scene when you get to it) it never lets up.

Please, please ignore the people with no attention span and give this one a solid try.

Haunted Mansion (2023)

A love letter to ride fans

[10/10 · 30 July 2023]

I've been to Disney Parks many, many times and without a doubt my favourite ride is the Haunted Mansion. Initially I was excited when they did a film back in 2003 with Eddie Murphy but was to different from the ride although my feelings on it have softened over the years.

This version, this version is damn near perfect and the best ride based film since the original Pirates movie. If you are a fan of the ride then this covers ALL the bases, everything you love to see or love to hear. It also has a heck of a lot of heart and powerful performances which I was not expecting. So many of the live action films have been iffy, if not downright manipulative, but this renews my faith.

Brooklyn 45 (2023)

Outstanding version of horror

[10/10 · 29 July 2023]

An incredible piece that appears to have gone way, way over the head of numerous other reviews here. This could very easily have been out of an Agatha Christie novel, were she one to use supernatural elements such as the ones shown here. It is an outstanding piece, in one small slice that showcases the horrors of war and that for some involved, it's never, ever really over.

I'm a sucker for movies which take place primarily on a single location and this room oozes with personality. Everyone in the room has a dirty secret, some the others know about and some they do not.

Give this one a chance, it's NOT your average horror. There are worse things in that room aside from the ghosts.

Insidious: The Red Door (2023)

A very fitting conclusion

[10/10 · 9 July 2023]

Often, as a series progresses, this being the 4th entry, they go bigger whereas with the finale of the Lambert family saga, they go smaller. I thought the 3rd entry, entitled The Last Key was a rather weak entry and did not really expect a final film to wrap everything up. With The Red Door, we have a heartfelt, emotional and yet simple finale.

Grief & the past, that's what this has all come down to. As with real life, you cannot dismiss your past, no matter what happened because it's what makes you who you are. This is why the father character exists in the beginning in such a haze, a significant chunk of his life has been removed from his memory. I think that parents are going to have an extra layer to this movie as the father tries to reconnect with his son and try to understand why he's done the things he can remember.

Prey (I) (2022)

A entertaining return to form

[10/10 · 5 August 2022]

Reading some of these reviews makes me afraid for the future of humanity. It also shows that despite being so many films in the series they don't get that the Predators hunt for sport. For example, you could hunt deer with rocket launcher and win early, but where's the sport in that? Where's the honor?

For all the kids (I'm refusing to believe any are adults because that would be to sad to contemplate) that keep using woke (while having no idea what it means clearly) just need to stop using the Internet.

A bit of trivia the director first, for me appeared MANY years ago on a video podcast called "The Totally Rad Show".

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022– )

Return to the old format

[10/10 · 8 May 2022]

Rarely is there a series with so much bitterness and entitlement as Star Trek with it's legion of toxic fandom. In the past few years we've had an amazing series Star Trek Discovery and now we get an old school format series with characters introduced (in their current form) from Star Trek Discovery.

Classic fans know all about Christopher Pike and with this series we actually get to see his adventures. Unlike Discovery and Picard, however, this is a episodic series so each episode (minus any 2 parters) have a beginning, middle and end like The Next Generation had.

It's like having The Next Generation back with seriously updated visuals. For all those going on, and on about the wokeness of the series. Grow up. Stop watching television and please go away. It's tiresome, it's lame and you dismiss any intelligence you might have by stammering on about it.

Halo (2022– )

Garbage

[1/10 · 13 April 2022]

If you like the game, do not watch this. If you're not into the whole woke future, do not watch this. If you like well written sci-fi and not generic space maries, do not watch this.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

A return to form

[10/10 · 19 February 2022]

For all of those upset about the woke aspect of the film... Did you even watch the movie? It fairly, and openly condemmed those people as cattle for leatherface to slaugther. It's hilarious to me that that is a reason it wasn't liked. Gory as hell and it gets Leatherface better than any sequel has.

Dune (2021)

The definitive person of the novel, at last

[10/10 · 9 November 2021]

Director Denis Villeneuve seems to have been born to direct possibly the definitive edition of Drank Herberts Dune. Unlike the 1984 version by legendary director David Lynch, who has all by disowned the movie as he did not have the final cut. He's spoken at length that the movie which appeared on screen is not the movie he wanted to make and considers it to be a failure.

Villeneuve appears to have been given more control here and best of all the story has been split into 2 parts instead of trying to cram so much material into a single film.

And what a gorgeous film it is to witness. If you've seen any of Villeneuve's previous films like Arrival and Bladerunner 2049, you know he has a flair for the visual. Dune is more than 2 hours long but it sure as heck did not feel that long to me. I oftentimes check my phone during a film and find I didn't touch it even once here. I was glued to the visuals, to the calm performances from masters like Rebecca Ferguson (Mission Impossible films), Oscar Isaac (Star Wars, etc), Jason Momoa (Aquaman, Game of Thrones), Stellan Skarsgård (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Josh Brolin (Old Boy, Dead Pool 2) and Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men).

I watched this on television in 4K but a part of me wishes I had made it back to a theatre, which is really where I think it would be to appreciate this film. Hopefully, it won't take too long to get part 2 out and conclude this epic story.

Halloween Kills (2021)

The Empire Strikes Back of Halloween

[10/10 · 15 October 2021]

I'm generally baffled by the lower scores. This is exactly the Halloween follow up that I wanted and the film delivers on all fronts. Michael is an other worldly precence here, human no more. Curtis is amazing and I hope to see more of her character in the next movie.

Werewolves Within (2021)

A Must See Horror Comedy

[9/10 · 4 October 2021]

First off I love a good horror comedy and Werewolves Within is just that. Then you throw in some Clue / Murder Mystery stuff and I was even happier. Ignore the negative reviews, give it a chance and I think you'll end up liking it a lot.

Batwoman (2019–2022)

A great addition to the CW

[10/10 · 14 October 2019]

The ratings on this show do not reflect reality and I suspect the majority of which have not even actually seen the show. Ruby Rose is great as teh character and it has some rocky parts but, what, a few episdoes have aired only. Give it some time and don't fall into all the hate surrounding it.

Children of the Corn: The Gathering (1996 Video)

The best of the sequels

[3 September 2001]

Deciding that there should be a comment here that explains slightly more if a movie "sucks" or not, which is not much of an opinion. While none of these films with the exception of the first film are masterful, this is the best of the sequels. It has more of a supernatural element than some of the others but still manages to keep things moving and even a little suspenseful. This fourth installment also has a very high rating on the gore scale as well with some rather gruesome killings. If you have not yet seen this one but have others in the series it is worth the time. However, all said, it is for hard core genre fans only.

The Green Mile (1999)

One of the best films ever produced

[10/10 · 22 July 2001]

The measure of a great film I find is how well you can remember it in a few months time. If it is truly great you should be able to run through it in your mind like you were back in the theater viewing it for the first time. Other films may be great, but they can fade from ones mind as soon as you get in your car and drive on home. "The Green Mile" is a film that is as vividly with me now as it was the day it came out. I have seen it four times and it gets me emotionally each and every time with as much power as it did the first time. I may not be a religious man at all but the themes in this film, what it is really about beneath ths surface are very important.

The dialogue is some of the best I have heard in ages spoken by a cast that has not a single bad performance. Top among them are Tom Hanks and the exceptional Michael Clarke Duncan. More or less the movie could have been put into shambles by not having the right person in the part. They needed to do the impossible and find the perfect John Coffey, and in the end they did. Duncan is amazing and now perhaps he can stop his former roles of playing bodyguards and bouncers. Next of course is Tom Hanks, who it is almost a waste of words to say that he was great because that is always the case. He lets the role envelope him here and becomes Paul Edgecomb with all his heart. I highly recommend renting the DVD of this film and watching the mini documentary on the film entitled "Walking The Mile", it is worth the time.

Soulmates (1992)

A brilliant expression of pointlessness

[1/10 · 7 June 2001]

Now I am all for cheese and in fact I rented this film full well knowing that I was not going to be seeing anything of high art. However there is a dramatic difference between a film that is so awful it is good and a film that is just plain awful. If perhaps the film itself had not taken itself seriously it may have worked better as black comedy. Instead the events on screen seem to be done with no humor while the music (some of which sounding carnival in nature) is anything but serious. So if they were indeed attempting humor they did manage it but not in the way they may have been intending.

Acting wise the film is a wash as well but for nudity buffs this is one of the first films in a while not to shy away that aspect of the genre.

So if you have a hankering for self abuse you may in the end enjoy it enough for a few minor kicks.

Under Suspicion (2000)

One of the best of 2000

[4 February 2001]

Somehow I missed this one, somehow it slipped past my radar and I only came upon it tonight. Some of the reviews here baffle me because I think that the point of what went on was over their heads, but to each their own. The power of suggestion is dangerous thing sometimes. My only complaint is I would have liked to have known more about a few things, but that is all. It was a nearly perfect film. This is a film for those of us out there who crave good performances and dialogue.

Sacrifice (2000 TV Movie)

Strange, but not terrible...

[5/10 · 21 January 2001]

I almost missed this movie in the list of Michael Madsens features as I just found it in the new release section today at the video store. This is strange as it is a film that was made in 1999. I like Madsen and he does to a slight degree make this laughably terrible film a little better. I am not one typically for pointing out plot holes but there were so many in this film it is impossible not to. Possibly a good film to rent simply because of the cheese factor.

Bookem Woodbine is terrible, simply terrible giving a worse performance than anything else he has done so far. Which is not saying a whole lot I guess. All in all if you are a Madsen fan then there may be enough in this one to interest you. If not then I recommend giving it a quick pass and finding something else.

Altered States (1980)

A very interesting film

[17 December 2000]

After reading through many of the comments so far on this film I think that a few of them missed the point entirely. This is an easy film to sit back and think of it on a level that "this is what I would do and what I would think and they are not going by that so they must be wrong". The problem with this is that person on the screen isnt you and what they are doing (if they were real) makes perfect sense to them.

* possible spoilers *

The jumps in time make perfect sense if you grasp them fast enough and they point out many aspects of Hurt's character. He is to absorbed by his work to even notice that time goes by and as someone else has said here I wonder if he even realized himself that all that time had gone by. He was a strange man, a very, very strange man and he acted like that so I do not see why some critics here have held him up to what they would have acted like. It is not a movie that could be made in these days because it would be considered to slow.

It is not a perfect film but one worth watching for the questions that will be rattling about your brain for days afterwords.

A fun note here: Check for a very young John Larroquette during the film where they are looking at some x-rays.