MadSpaghetti Reviews

Creed II (2018)

Acting is FLAT and without emotion

[4/10 · 5 March 2023]

I absolutely LOVE all the Rocky movies, flaws and all. I'll watch any of them anytime they're on. The original Creed was OK. Great movie concept. I enjoyed it but not a movie I'll watch again.

Creed 2 falls flat. Great idea with bringing back Drago and that storyline. My issue: the actors do nothing to create any character buy-in. Michael B Jordan looks the part but he is just a terrible actor with no range. Apollo's son fighting Drago's son!!! Holy crap! This should be awesome. But he's just a boring actor and brings no emotion to the character.

Same with the actress that plays his wife. She does nothing to make her character likable and make me want to root for her or for them.

The boxing scenes are so hard to watch. Again, Michael B Jordan looks good for the role but his ability to make me believe he is a boxer is pathetic. He just has no fluidity and looks like a brick wall with gloves. When he's supposed to be "hurt" he just looks like he's constipated or confused, maybe actually both. Even at the end when he visits Apollo's grave and introduces his family to his dad, his emotional connection is non-existent and felt flat.

I didn't expect much out of Drago's son. He delivered exactly what he should have. An unlikable character who is just a mountain of a person.

Stallone is always great as Rocky, even when he's not great as Rocky. I really enjoyed the ending where Drago showed some feelings for his son and made me feel for both of them.

When Rocky showed up at his son's house at the end, predictable but absolutely .awesome. Hit me in the feels.

The only one time that Jordan made his character relatable was when he was in the hospital and Rocky showed up. There was some actual believable emotion in that scene. I want to like the Creed movies but the characters and miscast and I think number 3 is going to be just as bad.

Father Stu (2022)

Story is inspiring but the movie itself could use work

[6/10 · 7 November 2022]

I like this movie. Make no mistake about that part. I like Mark Wahlberg as an actor. Include some other well played roles and an inspirational story and this movie should have been a slam dunk.

However, there were so many times that I could not hear or understand what the actors were saying! I watched this at home on Netflix. I had to replay a lot of scenes to try to figure out what the words were that were being spoken. I had the volume way high and the second there was other sounds in the movie they were ridiculously loud.

It was super distracting and I almost didn't even finish the movie.

Great story, good acting...but I still don't know half of what was said.

Jexi (2019)

Funny and likeable

[8/10 · 23 October 2022]

No expectations for this before I watched it. It was pretty funny and had my laughing at parts throughout the whole movie.

If you are looking for a quick laugh and don't want a movie that you need to think about or dissect then this one is for you.

The stuff that the "phone" says is pretty comical and the timing of the comments and one liners were perfect for the situation.

Not sure why I need to keep writing but since I have to...I'll say that I would have never guess Rose Byrne would have been a good fit for the phone voice but she nailed it.

The movie is predicable but who cares. It was funny and just enjoy it.

The Watcher (2022– )

Waste of Time

[3/10 · 23 October 2022]

I really wanted to like this series but it was garbage. The concept was pretty cool but completely failed to deliver.

I couldn't stand how the family just let every neighbor prance around in the yard and on their property and not do anything about it except the one time with the dumbwaiter. Not just prance around but motherf them in the process. Absurd!

You watch this whole series and then you're left with absolutely no answers. What was the point? I get it that they're trying to make it based on real events which were apparently not solved but cmon! Lies and deception are all fine and dandy but at some point you gotta close some of these plot points.

Just some examples: Did that one guy really own the house at some point or was he an actor? IDK.

Who was the LLC? Was it the real estate lady every time? IDK.

Make a HUGE deal about tunnels that lead to the basement. Where did they go or come from? IDK.

The detective tells citizens to go F themselves and nobody says anything?

The alarm kid sneakily puts a camera in master bedroom without permission? Nobody does anything about it?

Don't even get me started on the letters...so many unanswered issues.

Wife catches the husband lying and watching the new owners at the end and they just leave it right there?

Many many more but it gets redundant after a while.

They didn't even have the decency to give you some ideas that you can play around in your head to make some of your own conclusions.

Night Hunter (2018)

What the heck did I just watch???

[3/10 · 18 January 2022]

The movie idea seems pretty solid enough so why not go ahead and watch it. With a pretty solid cast how bad could it really be?

First off I just couldn't get around Henry Cavill's accent. Sometimes it was there and other times it wasn't. Being set in Minneapolis his accent drove me nuts throughout the movie. However, I like him so moving on.

He's a dark and moody police officer who gets the tough assignments and gets the job done! Right? I guess so. They provide ZERO backstory to explain anything about him. Oh wait, they tell you he's divorced but they make sure you know she hates him but also has an emphatic side later. Again, zero backstory there. He hasn't been a good father since he's so caught up in police work. He later tells her that she caused him to not be able to see the bad guys in the dark! What??? I get the analogy and what he was going for there, but WHAT???

Alexandra Daddario plays the female lead who is a criminal profiler. They hint at some type of history between the two but then just let it drop off. I was thinking they had a relationship which caused the aforementioned divorce but the history or perceived history between them just disappeared.

Ben Kingsley has a cool role but once again they didn't really explain anything about why he turned into one part of a two person wrecking crew on internet predators. His family was killed, but by who and WHY? Who was the girl he was working with and what's her story?

Stanley Tucci plays the police boss who doesn't care what needs to be done as long as the job is done! He even tells Cavill to murder the bad guy at the end! What??? Again, I get what they're trying to do, but WHAT???

Nathan Fillion plays a bit part as a police tech guy with barely any lines and gets killed off in a random bomb in the car trick. It actually made me feel bad for him as an actor. It was weird.

The dude that played the killer was super annoying and I could barely make out what he said most of the time. He was just hard to watch.

I loved the beginning when they find the killer's house and they brought like 5 total police officers there and then Cavill just climbs in thru the window all by himself. C'mon! Now you're just insulting the audience.

There's so much more I could go on about but I'm just piling on at this point.

If you're bored and looking for something to mindlessly watch, it's not horrible.

Project X (2012)

Don't overthink it, just watch and enjoy

[7/10 · 5 January 2022]

I put this on as background noise while I was doing other stuff. It didn't take long before I stopped doing my other stuff and just flat out watched the movie.

No need to over analyze this movie. The beginning was necessary to set up the story and there were certainly flashes of some funny stuff here and there but when the party starts it is nonstop nonsense and craziness until the end.

If you read reviews or watch the trailer before watching the movie then it will turn out to be exactly the movie you are expecting. If you're the one person who doesn't watch a trailer or at least look into a movie for a few seconds before you actually watch it then it's your own fault if you don't like it.

Lots of T&A and drinking and drug use and just obnoxious behavior. You should have expected it and it delivered.

Hold the Dark (2018)

What a pointless mess!

[1/10 · 29 December 2021]

So apparently you need to read the book in order to understand this movie??? That's one of the stupidest things I have every heard about a movie, but it seems like it's true.

There are so many holes, unanswered questions, and pointless parts of this movie that i was compelled to finish it in the hopes that it would makes sense.

Nope!

What was the significance of him being in the military and then getting shot? Nothing.

What was the point of him shooting 2 police officers and the coroner? Not much other than him needing to steal the child's body I guess.

Speaking of the child's body...why did he bury it in a coffin in the snow? Who knows! Then why did he did the coffin back up and drag it out into the wilderness with his wife at the end of the movie? Again, who knows!

Mom killed her son, but why? Who knows! Why did she hide him in the basement? Who knows!

What was the point of the entire police shootout with the dude and the machine gun? Nothing.

Wolves??? Yep they are in the movie. What is the point of them in the movie? Nothing once again.

The husband and wife put these stupid looking masks on at various parts of the movie. Why masks? Who knows! What do the masks mean? Who knows! She puts on a mask, gets naked, climbs in bed with the writer and then...tries to get him to choke her??? What the hell was that?

I wanted to like it but this movie really sucked.

Don't Look Up (2021)

Politics, social media and the spread of misinformation

[7/10 · 26 December 2021]

Interesting movie that takes a big swing at the political elite, without picking one party over the other, and the power of mainstream and social media.

Actors did a great job of portraying the frustrations of having the unpopular information or views and being dismissed by the very people they're trying to help.

It really does a good job and demonstrating how the information, or lack thereof, that is provided to the general public can have a tremendous amount of influence in what the masses believe and follow.

Although the film mocks these ideas (on purpose), it delivers a powerful message that politicians, mainstream media, and social media can control and manipulate information to make the public buy into a specific agenda or concept.

Food for thought.

8-Bit Christmas (2021)

Good movie that makes you appreciate things

[7/10 · 6 December 2021]

Watched this with my wife and kids, 11 and 9. They didn't get a lot of the 80's references so there were plenty of times that I was the only one laughing or smiling but I'm ok with that.

Brought back a lot of good memories of those days. Being from the Chicago suburbs it was cool having them name drop a lot of towns even though the movie was obviously not filmed in these areas.

The movie itself is entertaining and the way it ends will hopefully make you think about the relationships your have had with your parents and now have with your kids. Hopefully, whatever you are doing with them now will spark some lifelong memories for them to hold on to.

Don't nickel and dime this movie with nonsense about this that or whatever your issues are. Just enjoy it as a good family flick and enjoy the holidays.

The Tomorrow War (2021)

Chris Pratt miscast or disinterested?

[4/10 · 6 December 2021]

I thought the idea of this movie was pretty solid. I like a good man VS alien movie. It was entertaining enough but I had a hard time getting really into it with Chris Pratt playing the lead. That being said, it was a pretty decent action film which would have grabbed about a 7 or 8 from me.

Not sure what the issue was but it just seemed like he was going through the motions much of the time. It wasn't like that the whole movie but definitely a lot of it which made it hard to be in touch with the character which then made the movie feel a bit off.

The movie made it a point to bring his family and family life to the center of attention multiple times but yet they didn't expand on it very well. When they eventually tried to get into it he seemed to fall flat on the emotional aspects.

I'm sorry...I know it's an action flick first and foremost but when he realizes that the woman is his now grown daughter that should have been HUGE for him. Regardless of how she tried to play it off or not discuss it. My daughter is about the same age and his was in the beginning of the movie and the idea of seeing her as a grown woman AND leading the battle against the aliens just blew my mind. I actually teared up at the thought of it all and how excited I would be to see her and to know all about her but yet NOTHING from the character. I know it's a militaristic environment but so what.

I know it's not the point of the movie but it's a big piece of the overall puzzle. Should have been done way better.

The Outsiders (1983)

The Complete Novel version

[5 December 2021]

This movie came out when I was 10 years old and it's been one of my top 5 movies of all time. Not sure why but I've always enjoyed it and pretty much watch it or parts of it everytime I come across it on TV.

I couldn't believe that there was another version out there with extra footage and I didn't even know about it until late 2021...16 years after it came out. I was so excited to see it that I subscribed to HBO MAX just to watch it.

I think some of the additional footage was fantastic. For over 30 years I had ALWAYS wondered why Ponyboy had a scab on his neck and BAM there it was right in the beginning of the movie. Seeing Johnny's mom in the hospital....what???!!! Holy crap! The extra stuff at the end was interesting but pretty poorly edited that it felt kinda cheesy. It was still cool to watch since I've never seen those parts and I get what they were going for but pretty lame.

However, what in the hell is up with the music!!! It sounded like a damn 70's beach/surfer movie. Absolutely ridiculous! It was so distracting and did not fit the movie at all. There were many times it even drowned out some the important dialog. Unbelievable.

I will NEVER watch this version again. Whoever the idiot was that included that additional music should be ashamed of themselves. One of the most dramatic musical sequences in the original version is when they are about to start the rumble and the camera is spanning the lineup of greasers and then socs arrive. That music was riveting. Instead you have that surfer music again. And when Dallas is running from the cops at the end and calls Darrel and then gets shot....more beach movie music.

Overall, the original is still top 5 for me. This other version was a one and done. I'm glad I watched it but what the hell.

Regardless, stay gold Ponyboy. Stay gold.

Bliss (I) (2021)

Thought provoking

[8/10 · 16 April 2021]

First, for the idiots that are debating which world is real...maybe YOU should stop taking the yellow and blue pills.

Second, for the many people who feel tricked by the trailer and what they thought the movie was supposed to be about...get over it. It wasn't the movie you expected it to be, so what???

It may take people a little while to understand that this movie is about mental illness and substance abuse. Once you realize that, it will be significantly easier to follow along and see the movie for what it really is. It is a thought provoking and different perspective than what we usually see in movies.

Now...was it a great movie? No. What is a bad movie? Also no. I enjoyed the ride that it took me on and the thoughts that ran thru my head for a while afterwards.

Will this movie cause you to change your opinion on mental illness and/or substance abuse? Maybe. Will this movie cause you to change the way you look at people that you see everyday that are struggling with these issues? Maybe. Those answers are up to you. The movie succeeded if it caused you to give any thought to my previous two questions regardless of how you answered them. That is the victory.

Buried (2010)

Great concept and great execution

[9/10 · 3 January 2021]

Ryan Reynolds knocked it out of the park with this one. I could feel the panic and desperation right along side of him.

The ending where you thought they found him but turns out they were at the site of another buried American was like getting sucker punched....HARD....in the nuts!

I wanted to reach thru his cell phone and strangle the company guy when they pulled that nonsense about having terminated his employment that morning so that they didn't have to pay out any death benefits or accept responsibility. I was absolutely furious!

I can't believe I didn't watch this until the end of 2020! Great job, great movie.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)

Made you think it was real, didn't it?

[7/10 · 3 January 2021]

They did a really nice job making this look like a true story documentary. Good work on making the news footage look like real stuff from back then.

You can tell that some of the bit part characters aren't really law enforcement during their "interviews". If that didn't make you realize this isn't real then some of the found footage should have done it for you. The serial killer could have sold his part much much better.

The framing of the police officer and then the suddenly found evidence that would exonerate him just after his death sentence is carried out was a little hokey for me but added a little extra to the story.

Even still, it was an interesting movie and really had the ability to fool some people as evidenced by some of the reviews. I've been watching some of the Amazon Prime thrillers and horror movies and this one was worth watching.

Just remember....ITS FAKE!

He's Out There (2018)

Decent movie to watch if nothing else is on.

[6/10 · 3 January 2021]

It has some creepy moments that were unexpected. The addition of the allergic reaction and breathing issues or whatever was happening to the younger daughter actually gave their escape a little sense of urgency. It also helped to amp up the suspense level a bit, especially if you are a parent to a younger child.

I guessed wrong on the masked man but I now realize the directors made me guess wrong on purpose, so that was nice.

Yvonne is stunning even when she's being hunted down so you have that too. Lots of reviews bashing the kids as whiners. Not at all. You people are idiots. Would you rather they just sit there expressionless and quiet? They were pretty realistic especially how the older one kept looking after the younger one.

In the end, the motive was really weak and didn't make much sense. Whatever was happening on the roof here and there was really vague and likely just to make you think the bad guy was up there. Mom must be the toughest chick around to get out of that trunk. But so what. It was an entertaining film when I couldn't find anything else I felt like watching.

Don't Listen (2020)

Gave me the chills more than once

[8/10 · 22 December 2020]

I absolutely LOVE scary movies and horror films. This one actually gave me the chills a few times and had me talking to the TV.

Start off with a death of a young child, throw in some strange voices as well as the voice of the child calling for help to mom and dad, mix it up with some ghosts and some jump scares, sprinkle it with some folklore and you've got a pretty decent movie.

The acting is not so great and there are some plot holes but so what! Remove your brain for a little bit, stop pretending to be a movie critic, and enjoy a pretty good movie that should hopefully give you the chills too!

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

Could have been GREAT but was good instead

[7/10 · 25 October 2020]

I really liked this movie. I felt for the main character and was genuinely happy to see him doing his thing.

However, I felt that there were some parts of the overall story that were left untold that should have been explained better.

The plastic bag over the head thing...the film give you a glimpse of why he does that to himself but a few extra minutes could have really nailed it home.

The decision to use a ball peen hammer is another one...there are glimpses of why he chose that as his weapon but a few more minutes of the story behind what happened when he was younger would have been great to have. Was that his dad? How did he and his mom escape that attack? Was it a one time thing or was is an on-going thing?

Lastly, they make him ex-military and then give him some damaged body parts, specifically his shoulder. They make it a point to have him moving that shoulder around multiple times during movie. What was the story behind it?

The runtime is short so adding another 10 minutes to tell some of the back story would have made this movie into a 9.

8 Days (2014)

Very important issue in a very subpar film

[5/10 · 25 October 2020]

Sex trafficking is an extremely important issue that deserves to be brought to the forefront of societal focus and concern. This film deserves credit for trying to do that. However, the acting and dialog was pretty bad which takes away from the importance of the issue.

In order to get people out of their comfort zone and discuss things that make them uneasy you need to get the issue to the table in the first place. When the reviews, like this one, mention how bad the actual film is then we are diverting our attention off the topic and on to the film itself.

However, it is better to have a bad movie about the perils of sex trafficking than to have no movie about sex trafficking. At least we are all here talking about it and that's a start.