indiedavid Reviews

The Retirement Plan (2023)

So, so bad

[2/10 · 30 November 2023]

The cliche missing hard drive, cliche gangsters, horrible acting, directing and the worst script ever produced in history all combine to make she s giant stinking pile of poo. The few story elements that aren't completely predictable are too implausible to accept. I feel so bad for Ashley Greene and Nicholas Cage. I am not sure why or how they got roped into this amateur project but the Director should be relegated to Hallmark films. Imagine a group of twelve-year-olds tried to make a sequel to the horrible Miami Vice movie and they were all Quentin Tarantino fans, this is the film they would come up with.

Succession (2018–2023)

Poorly Written "Yellowstone" Ripoff

[3/10 · 26 September 2023]

I kept hearing about how great this show was so I finally watched two episodes on a flight. What a waste of time. Based on its success, I guess it must appeal strongly to unsophisticated viewers who don't mind cliche caricatures of real people. Likely, the same crowd that would watch Bravo shows. I couldn't help but to laugh at several scenes, most of which involved Kieran Culkin's character. It's not his fault. He is a decent performer but the writing and directing are cringeworthy. I can see exactly what they tried to do. There is literally a parallel character for every Yellowstone player. Dysfunctional family led by a stubborn, aging, unmarried father who tries to keep things together for the sake of the family empire despite being totally intolerable. It's just too unbelievable and implausible for an intelligent viewer.

The Out-Laws (2023)

Complete Ripoff of "The In Laws"

[3/10 · 9 July 2023]

I don't see anybody credited from the original concept film so I can only presume this is a complete unauthorized ripoff. How sad for the original cast and crew who created a great comedy only to have hack writers hijack their idea and diminish it to a Happy Madison/Netflix disaster. Netflix should pull the plug on their Sandler deal. He is spiraling into student film territory. I have seen better writing in filmmaking camps for the underprivileged in the inner city. Devine's character is just an annoying cliche and the rest of the cast are implausible caricatures. Do yourself a favor and watch "The In'Laws" with Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks to see this concept pulled off well.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Worst Film Ever Made

[1/10 · 12 March 2023]

I am wide open to film genres. I love everything from Disney to David Lynch, Kubrick, etc. I have only walked out of two films in my life "Spy Kids 3" and this horrible mess. I stayed longer than I should have, hoping something redeeming would happen but it never did. I haven't even looked up the crew but the writer should be banned from every writing again. And whoever financed this garbage should have a mental stability evaluation. I am completely baffled by the 8/10 rating and Oscar nominations. The Oscars and imdb have zero credibility. After they allowed the host to be assaulted last year, I thought they would make an effort to be more credible but this is obviously some kind of sympathy or white guild nominations.

M3GAN (2022)

So Bad

[3/10 · 31 January 2023]

In an effort to blend several films together (Robot Frank, Chuckie, Ron's Gone Wrong) and pretend to be innovative, the screenwriter became his own worst enemy and failed to navigate several major potholes and failed to define his genre. If he had gone full campy, it would have worked but he chose a Sci-Fi/Tech angle that failed miserably. The characters were unbelievable and so many continuity errors that make it hard for an intellectual to get lost in the story. Strange how a multi-billion dollar tech company has no cameras or IT security in their corporate offices and a CEO who has the emotional maturity of a toddler. I think 15 years olds will probably like it though .

India Sweets and Spices (I) (2021)

Outstanding cultural drama

[8/10 · 23 February 2022]

It would be hard not to enjoy any film that features Sophia Ali. However, beauty aside, this film has substance. Outstanding performances by the entire cast and a dramatic, compelling portrayal of American-Indian communities to which everybody can relate, regardless of our family origin or dynamic. There were some really great lines in this film. My favorite "Our families are full of surprises? Our families are full of SH$T". I laughed out loud on my flight when she said that. Great visuals.

Five More Minutes (2021 TV Movie)

Not bad but full of errors

[5/10 · 25 November 2021]

Story isn't bad but there are so many issues with the geography, military accuracy, etc. I was stationed at Ft. Bragg for nine years and it never snowed once. The film shows deep snow everywhere. If Fayetteville gets 1/4 inch of snow (rarely happens), the whole town shuts down. Fayetteville is not a quaint little village. It is a sprawling city with a metro population of about 600,000 people. Also, one of the characters references that her husband will be stationed at Ft. Bragg for two years. Military orders don't dictate how long you will be at a duty station unless it's for training and your MOS isn't used at the training station which would require a transfer after training. There is no such airport as Durham International. Fayetteville Regional Airport has daily flights with major airlines American and Delta Airlines. I've never heard of anybody flying into RDU (Raleigh-Durham Intl.) and driving the rest of the way.

The Night Clerk (2020)

Makes no sense

[3/10 · 3 November 2021]

Great performances and well made but sooo many plot holes. How would the killer know that the clerk had evidence against him? If he knew he was being recorded, why did he commit a murder on camera? How did he know that the Clerk had been transferred to another hotel? None of it makes any sense.

Squid Game (2021– )

Major let down

[3/10 · 10 October 2021]

I bought into the hype and watched this mess. I am very confused about what people see in it. I can look past the horrible over acting by the VO artists, stale premise and cheap production but the story drags with zero development. I stuck it out until the end and was completely let down. By far, the worst finale of any series in history.

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

I thought it was a parody

[1/10 · 27 September 2021]

This came on while I was working in my hotel room. I seriously thought it was a parody based on another film. How did this ever become popular? Our society is in a major intellectual spiral.

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Lazy writing

[5/10 · 27 September 2021]

A quality screenwriter could have made the great premise more plausible and seamless. There are just too many plot holes to overlook for an intelligent person to enjoy the film. For example, in the end, there is absolutely no way that dozens of police officers would rush to the wedding and arrest the groom. The investigation would take months or years. They had no idea that a crime had even occurred but they arrest him for murder of a specific person who they didn't even know was dead. The main character was also inconsistent. You cannot be a sociopath one day and caring the next day. The mind does not work that way.

WandaVision (2021)

Worst series of all time

[1/10 · 19 September 2021]

I was excited to see this show since I love Elizabeth Olsen and the concept sounded great. I barely made it through the first episode but decided it had to get better. It didnt. I pulled the plug mid-way through Episode 3.

Tin Star: Homecoming (2020) Season 3, Episode 1

No season three

[2/10 · 15 September 2021]

Im giving this show the same amount of stars than seasons that they have released in the US. What a joke.

Val (I) (2021)

Fascinating and Heartbreaking

[10/10 · 8 August 2021]

I was blown away by this film. My perception of Val Kilmer has always been that he was just a pretty boy Hollywood leading man. This film exposes Val as a family man of substance who would probably have preferred Broadway to Hollywood and chose New Mexico over Los Angeles. A man whose artistic confidence and desire to be great came off as arrogance, leading many to the perception that I had of him. Val has reached a very difficult time in his life and he does not hold back about his regrets and struggles. Val Kilmer is truly a fascinating man and I feel grateful for the opportunity to learn about the man behind so many brilliant performances.

Virgin River (2019– )

Jumped the Shark in Season 3

[5/10 · 2 June 2021]

I loved this show for two seasons (although the major flaws in the military references and scenes made me cringe) but season 3 is a disaster. So many jump cuts and soap opera level story issues. I used to work in trauma. When a person is shot point blank and loses so much blood that they code and undergo subsequent emergency surgery, they are not managing a community barbecue three weeks later like nothing happened. That type of trauma takes 6-8 months of healing and rehabilitation. Also, their surgical wound would not be a 1/2 inch circular scar. There have also been 8-10 completely implausible or unexplained story issues in the first three episodes so I am abandoning the show. Such a shame.

Rust Creek (2018)

Well done

[8/10 · 24 April 2021]

Very impressive on every level. I never heard of any of the cast or filmmakers but the film was well written, well directed and most of all, well acted. A pleasant surprise.

Wander (I) (2020)

Great Title

[3/10 · 20 April 2021]

Wander is a very appropriate title because my mind wandered many times during the film. I have lost all respect for Aaron Eckhart. If he read the script and then accepted the role, he should be institutionalized. I've read better script submissions from teenagers.

Coming 2 America (2021)

Loved It

[8/10 · 18 March 2021]

I don't understand the hate for this film. Don't listen to the fools who make references like "not as good as the original". They lack the intellectual or creative capacity to compartmentalize different forms of art. Nothing in the world is ever as good the second time you experience it. Coming 2 America stands on its own as a hilarious, visually stimulating (even better than the original) and entertaining film.

Beauty and the Beast: A Latter-Day Tale (2007)

Top 5 worst films of all time

[1/10 · 16 March 2021]

I wasn't sure if this was a parody or not for the first few minutes. I gave it about 15 minutes and had to bail out. I cannot believe this film wasn't shut down after the Producers watched the dailies from the first few days.

Wildlike (2014)

Brilliant

[9/10 · 15 March 2021]

Some films are made to entertain, some are made for financial gain and some are made as works of art. "Wildlike" falls into the latter category. Writer/Director Frank Hall Green manages to weave a very layered and complex story with subtle but effective character development. The two main characters always remain in the foreground, never getting lost in the contrasting beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. The film tackles very difficult topics with insights that reveal some new perspectives to outsiders who have not experienced the traumas of losing a spouse or being sexualized at a very young age. This film was a pleasant surprise for me and I very grateful I found it.

Bliss (I) (2021)

Brilliant

[8/10 · 14 March 2021]

This is an alternate reality film from the perspective of a drug addict. It takes a certain type of mind to be able to immerse yourself into this kind of film and stay engaged with the story so I understand some of the negative reviews. From my perspective, it was an incredible insight into the mind of a drug addict. A world I have never known but I am grateful for this film for helping me understand that universe.

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

Makes no sense

[3/10 · 16 November 2020]

I had to turn it off after 15 minutes. None of the story made sense.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

Better than the original

[9/10 · 24 October 2020]

Disregard the negative reviews. They are all from Republicans or uptight prudes (also Republicans). There is nothing in the trailer or Cohen's history that leads you to believe that this is a wholesome family film. It is exactly what we come to expect from Cohen's brilliant docu-comedies, a sophomoric and hilarious satire on the many flaws of American society and he has a LOT of material to work with.

Fargo (2014–2024)

Season 2 Falls Apart

[5/10 · 4 October 2020]

We absolutely loved season 1. However, season two is full of plot holes and poorly developed characters. The writing is laughable. The whole storyline hinges on a small town couple being fugitives but they didn't even commit a crime. At most, the wife would be charged with a low level misdemeanor but nothing that would justify a multiple state manhunt. We are skipping through the rest of the season in hopes that season 3 is better.

Aloha (I) (2015)

Couldn't be worse

[1/10 · 25 August 2020]

What a contrived load of crap. Literally everything was wrong with this film, starting with a horrible script, bad casting, bad directing and zero authenticity of military protocol.