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danburkhart
Reviews
Spirited (2022)
Instant Christmas classic!
From the very beginning this movie put a fresh twist on a classic Christmas tale. The leads Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds were so good, they can sing and dance and act. They brought comedy in droves and yet they both brought a great heart to this film as well. Octavia is Octavia, by that I mean, she brings her A game always. The twists were good and the mix of bring classic story to a modern movie is great too. Yes this movie is predictable in certain scenes, all movies are as well. People who dislike this movie, have an agenda to discredit it for other reasons than enjoying a holiday movie. Watch it with your family and see for yourself. I'm not a huge musical fan but the songs and dance are pretty spaced out, with a fair bit of acting in between each number. The Elf joke by will Ferrell at the party was hilarious!
Family Game Fight (2021)
I love this couple!
These two hosts are so adorable and interact in the best ways. It's great to see a couple that truly love each other and are positively portrayed on television. The games are fun to watch and my wife and I enjoy playing along.
Runaways (2017)
Interesting enough to keep your attention...for alittle
Season one started out so good, but season two and three failed, reason being...the characters never grew or learned from experiences. Their character flaws seemed to regress with each episode. Every time someone made a mistake the rest of the crew lashes out on them. No one balances the overreaction dynamic. Chase keeps the abuse train rolling by going for a girl who verbally abuses him every episode. Nico stays brooding and hostile towards her parents though they try to help her several times. Gert stays hostile and sarcastic towards males and to get parents even though both try to help her. And season three Alex is left behind in the first few episodes while no one even attempted to find him in the dark place. Yet his character was the only one who tried to bring them together again in season one. Characters can be flawed...in fact great characters usually are. But to not grow from experiences or show proper emotion in given situations (ie all the teens were extremely rude to the great magician in the dark place, even though he wanted to help them...typical spoiled behavior...yet they lived on their own and fought against evil forces) no growth for characters doesn't make for flawed characters it makes for a flawed show with much better potential then what is has already shown. Why do the males in this show get made to look stupid and annoying by the females. Female empowerment should be shown, but with a purpose and direction. This show makes it hard to cheer for the runaways, I'm more of fan of the parents...yet their supposed to be supervillains. Cloak and dagger was a better marvel show. Of course all the Netflix marvel shows are top tier. DC has done a much better job with flawed character shows with the likes of umbrella academy, Titans, and doom patrol.
Christmas Break-In (2018)
School Alone
They should call this movie school alone. Three bumbling robbers...even a rip-off of the robbers from home alone "the ice cream truck bandits". Two parents who are negligent...how far do they work from where their daughter goes to school??? A loner who has a hidden talent and has a heart towards the lead child in distress. The bandits have two bags full of what seems like change...wowsers, they stole a hundred bucks in dimes and nickels! Even the dialogue is sad and terrible. I am giving this five stars anyway bc Danny Glover deserves better than this. For the sequel to this the girl goes to visit her brother in college at NYU and gets lost on campus...they'll call it school alone 2: lost in New York...University. 😂
Assimilate (2019)
Good parts, overall needed work
Movie was enough to keep my attention, had moments of promise for sure. Actors we're good for their roles, intro was good...but their were major character flaws throughout that hindered the movie.
Zach should have been the one to step forward as the main protagonist to lobby for Joey staying with them at the house after Kayla's mom is assumed still living. Instead they gave it to his best friend.
Then he should have seen Joey running out of building at Firehouse and yelled to get in vehicle. They left the little boy to survive an alien invasion while their entire plan was to download a video in a near by town....then once the creature leaves the vehicle they get out of running vehicle to chase creature???
In the barn scene, they leave Kayla to find Zach's mom for what reason??? Oh I get it...plot holes. Not to be trollish but that is the only reason certain foolish choices were made in film. To get characters to the next place they had to go. And Cams character having to reach through window to hoard off one of thirty aliens, just to be swolled up in the crowd... ridiculous.
And have more dialogue in places where it's slow that helps audience relate or build a relationship with characters...you have two teenage boys going to check on an extremely attractive older woman...she asks them to come to her bedroom...not one comment from either character about that??? After they discuss her attractiveness earlier in movie...just seems like a lost opportunity to add some realism to that moment. I felt no connection to any of the characters except for many Kayla bc she at least wanted to save her brother....but she should have fought harder in certain moments for his safety...she seems to give up after a hug from Zach outside house or a glimmer of hope knowing she just saved him momentarily from the child's bite center.
Make a sequel...but do it right. Proper character assignments, correct dialogue in situations, ample time letting us in on these characters and add some humor for levity to balance out the horror. Hell, have Andi get Danny McBride to write in some notes for the next one, he did cowrite Halloween. I have this score a higher score than it deserved, but it is bc the actors deserved better than what the final product became.
The I-Land (2019)
The I-Land fails period
This show has moments of interesting sci fi. The last ten minutes of the show for example was like a bad budget movie on sify channel. But the overall direction and writing is laughable at best. To have kate bosworth play a character named "kc" whose name is just a nickname from the staff for "killing children". Then have her throw herself on Brody, a rapist...and with no visual evidence from the camera we are supposed to believe he rapes her later in that same scene. It makes no sense. The plot is it's a simulation where you can die in real life if you die in it. Then you have a bunch of characters, none of which of particularly likeable to the audience. You have a cannibal whom apparently you never meet or see that is thrown in for a reference and later a joke by the warden. The dialogue was boring and reminded me of soap opera from the 80s. The cinematography was good, visual effects we're good, which made the fact that the shows writing and direction being so terrible less ironic...I thought it was maybe a spoof. I really hope no one wastes their time on this show. You have good shows being cancelled like The OA to make room for epic misses like this one.
Questions I asked throughout the show...if you have a run down resort with clean water and beds why do you keep going back to the side of the beach to stay?
Why did the show reveal the fact of it all being a simulation in episode three?
Bonnie and Clyde were laughable additions, why?
The direction of the characters after it being a simulation was almost non existent. What was the reason they all still refused to work together rather than separate and loafe in their own seperate areas?
The dialogue was terrible from the beginning. Why make KC such a dispicable character fr the first two minutes and yet until the end she was still unwilling to listen or be friendly to anyone.
Did Brody die because he was a rapist or because he suggested the group vaguely vote again for the twenteth time in two episodes?
Why did the pervert straggler leave the two flirting to go back to camp....how did he heal so quickly from shark bites? This show was so terrible....some would say it was a Texas sized helping of Terrible!
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
One of the best movies of 2019
First off Shia has always been a great actor in my opinion. He did a stellar job portraying heart and depth. Dakota Johnson did a wonderful job in her role. She has such a great softness and tenderness to any role she does. Zak was such a refreshing breathe of fresh air. I hope he has a bright future in acting for future roles. Thomas Haden Church and Bruce Dern were great veteran actors whom added amazing performances throughout the film at needed times. Jon Berthnal was a great choice for a big brother for Shia. Jake the Snake was a cool cameo performance. Writing was brilliant and direction of the characters and storyline...great film all around! Worth your time to enjoy and a great pallet cleanse from movies that are consumed with violence, gruetious sex scenes, and uncompelling storylines. You will truly enjoy this movie and with only a bit over 90 minutes running time it's not exhausting to sit through.
Overcomer (2019)
Best film I have seen in years!
Alex Kendrick and his brother have come a long way in film making, writing, directing, and for Alex even acting. I teared up more than my wife in this movie. The theater was sold out and it should have been. The salvation message is clear and what a blessing to see that in a film, even "Christian movies" seem to often miss on this opportunity. The girl who played Hannah, Aryn, is going to be a star. She did a marvelous job. The actor who played Thomas, Cameron, was incredible and his speech about "who are you?" gave me chills. He was so genuine in his acting style and authentic. Alex's wife in the film, Shari, was very sweet and had warmth and kindness even in her looks and little ticks. Ben, who played Alex's son, brought moments of real unity to the scenes with his family and with Hannah. I loved this movie and will highly recommend it to everyone I know.
Favorite scenes were the "who are you" speech from Thomas. Aryn speech about who Hannah had me cheering and tearing up at the same time. The entire last race had me in tears as well. I loved so much of this movie, this movie was an excellent portrayal of forgiveness and love. I thank God for the Kendrick brothers and what they have allowed God to do in their lives.
Breakthrough (2019)
Excellent Faith Affirming Film
This is the amazing true story of John Smith. Chrissy Metz played her role as the strong Christian mother of faith perfectly. Topher Grace surprised me with his ability to come past sarcastic quips and open up as a pastor trying to gain favor with his congregation. Mike Coltier was stellar as a rescue worker who must struggle with his own views of faith. Josh Lucas played the father role, it was great acting all around throughout the entire cast. This movie will have you tearing up several times. Highly recommend this movie to all!