Change Your Image
KEBuckley-X
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Nefarious (2023)
An entertaining and thought provoking movie which confronts world views and creeps you out.
I didn't look at my watch once during this movie. Which is rare. Most movies don't hold my attention, and my mind either wanders, or I stop the movie if possible and try to finish it later. But Nefarious was so well written, so well directed, and phenomenally acted, I was always in.
Having already read the book of which this movie serves as a prequel, I was wondering how its premise was going to be adapted into a movie. The story is basic, and contains predictable plot points, but also some surprises. But due to the intelligent dialogue, and stellar acting from Sean Patrick Flanery and Jordan Belfi, the few moments of predictability aren't a deficit in the slightest.
This movie confronts societal issues and world views. And it does it effectively. My two teens who saw it with me were very talkative afterwards, not only about the stellar acting, but mostly about the world issues brought up by the two main characters. No movie has ever prompted discussions like this between me and my kids. It was both entertaining and thought provoking.
Although it is dark in tone, I don't feel it deserved the R rating. No blood or gore, only three mild swears, no nudity or sexual innuendos.
I want to see it again. And soon. I will absolutely buy it on blu-ray when available.
The Good Doctor: The Good Lawyer (2023)
Eager for the new series
I rarely consume entertainment news, so I may have missed something already announced, but a few scenes into this episode, it felt like a pilot for a new series. I'm writing with that assumption. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong
As an episode of The Good Doctor, it was just an average episode. Some good moments with Shaun connecting with Joni and building trust with her, but beyond that, there wasn't much Good Doctor present.
However, the episode did hold my attention the entire time. I don't recall seeing anything with Kennedy McMann before, but she immediately had a recognizable appeal to her in Joni's personality. Her character was immediately likable for me. Kennedy did a great job of portraying a deeply flawed but caring and passionate lawyer. And just in the first scene with Joni, I was hoping she would become a recurring character. A few scenes later, and I thought "this is a pilot for a spin-off."
The closing argument given by Joni was a bit drippy with cheese (how many times have audiences heard the "we're all different but don't judge each other for it" speech), and there were moments of predictability (Felicity Huffman was obviously going to be Joni's Glassman), but Kennedy McMann shined and made Joni likable and relatable for me. And I'm looking forward to watching her new series on ABC. I'm hoping for a fall 2023 debut.
So, let's get back to the good doctor next episode.
A Tale of Two Guns (2022)
Please, budget more for better sound mix and ADR
Yikes..
I have no idea if this movie has a good plot.
The sound is horrible. Horrible. Within the first few minutes, the sound mix goes from stereo, to mono, and then back to stereo. Background noises, like saloon noise, suddenly cuts off without leaving the scene. I stopped watching midway when the only sound in one scene was the wireless mic on an actor riding a horse, and all you hear is the mic rubbing against his costume with every bounce of the horse. Then, when he gets off the horse... holy crap, nothing but unintentional mic noise and mic scraping.
Few things in movies annoy me more than dialogue which is obvious ADR, but sometimes ADR is necessary. This movie demonstrates this need, hundreds of times. I don't think any ADR took place at all.
This whole movie seems like just a rough cut prior to proper sound mixing. Even if you like the actors and the genre, don't waste your time. Watch and old western on the Grit tv network instead.