djg32514 Reviews

Mohawk (2017)

Rewrite of history

[2/10 · 6 July 2018]

So new country of USA soldiers are portrayed as cruel, stupid and bigoted. One of the Mohawks, a lead, kills 30 USA soldiers singlehandedly egged on by a brit. Soldiers are looking for Mohawk that killed them. So revolutionary war, history, is ignored and rewritten, again. I am sure there where instances where new USA acted in a way I don't condone but these instances where far and few between. I am sick of history rewrites and shaming my country. I have stars for beautiful scenery. Story blech. Acting so so . Historical accuracy? Beyond bad

I Feel Pretty (2018)

Was free and still left early

[1/10 · 20 April 2018]

Sorry I don't have a lot to write but not much to write about. Very boring story poorly executed starring someone I never heard of. I checked and apparently she is a comedian? Okay. Saw no evidence of comedic talent. Not my kind of movie I guess.

Fleabag (2016–2019)

I am shocked! I really enjoyed it!

[9/10 · 5 April 2018]

Not my typical cup of tea. Watched an episode with no intent and before I knew it I was smiling. Then laughing. Phoebe has amazing comedic talent. Even an old guy like me can recognize her talent. Quirky, irreverent, intelligent humor. Not something in abundance here in the states.

The Shape of Water (2017)

Very Disappointing

[4/10 · 3 April 2018]

Well, it does hold the tradition of movies selected for awards that really suck. I went into this expecting a good film but I was disavowed of that notion rapidly. I am not sure what the entertainment industry is trying to accomplish lately other than sanctimonious, social justice crap. This had zero entertainment value for me.

Big fan of Sci-Fi, horror and action genres. Should have known better. I asked around but couldn't find a single acquaintance that watched this and was impressed. Quite a few didn't even watch it all. This isn't a science fiction film. Not a horror film. Not an action film. Whatever one calls it I didn't enjoy it at all. Expected better from del Toro.

Trump: An American Dream (2017)

Old opinions masquerading as news

[4/10 · 31 March 2018]

I watched in the hope of learning the story of this man that stunned many by becoming the U.S. president. Since he and I are about the same age I hoped for something beyond what I already knew. No chance. Actually, I knew more apparently than the folks doing the documentary.

All the so-called insights and revelations are old opinions anyone can research on the internet or old newspapers. I watched as he was called a psycho and a sociopath by several people in his past who had dealings with Trump. Unfortunately I remember the news of the time and insults from these folks don't hold much water. One or two are very questionable sources.

Nothing new. More bias. No secrets. Trump, in my opinion, has done some things I would never do or would be ashamed to do but does that make him an evil sociopath with no values? Not in my mind. Society sure is dumbing down rapidly.

Alien Reign of Man (2017)

Have it a 2 for the CGI

[2/10 · 30 January 2018]

Ok classified as science fiction but more like bad acting, bad writing, incoherent dialog and weak story. Oh, and the so-called arrmor/suits they wear are embarrassing. Each is different made of bits of plastic with no apparent purpose and the females all have pronounced boob coverings. Really juvenile.

From what I could deduce a team, mostly women, go to a distant planet to do ????? Something??? Not really sure since most of the lines are mumbled or at such low volume one can't hear them.

As I said, CGI is fairly good. Like something from a video game but the actors/actresses are just plain terrible. No kidding, really bad.

One of the opening scenes LHu battles a CGI alien with her hair down to her waist no less. No sure what the point of the very long hair was though she is attractive but a super soldier?? Not believable in the least. Neither is the very poorly choreographed battle with CGI alien.

All in all not worth watching. I have to agree with one of the other reviewers this is much like a high school or junior high school film project. Sorry but it is really bad.

Suburra: Blood on Rome (2017–2020)

Must not be same series others watched

[5/10 · 21 January 2018]

First, really terrible acting. Not mediocre but terrible. I have been to Italy several times and my experience was the Italian women are far more attractive than depicted here. Story is lame. All this stylized maneuvering by the mafia, gypsies and Vatican crooks just smells bad.

I guess buys into narrative that religion is corrupt and easily manipulated by greed. Oh, and the Catholic church is so broke they have to sell real estate to pay all the bills from their sex scandals. Hard to make money when every church official is skimming and going to orgies.

I read some of the other reviews and I am at a loss. I guess if you have an agenda and tons of preconceived notions one could buy into the plot but I couldn't. And if you don't speak Italian relying on the closed captions for interpretation is sketchy. All in all a very boring, trite and poorly constructed series.

Armed Response (2017)

Pretty poorly done

[4/10 · 20 January 2018]

Ok. Our government creates a cyber system called the Temple, and, there are a thirteen of them distributed throughout the globe. Basically an AI without them stating as such. This AI has numerous abilities one of which is as the ultimate lie detector. Couple this with its apparent ability, never truly explained, to extract information from subjects. Complete visual and auditory information. Of course something goes wrong.

One of the Temples is located in the U.S. in an abandoned, modern prison facility. The facility is guarded by a spec ops team. When things go bad the on-site team is eliminated. Enter our cast. Another spec ops team. Ok now I try to be open minded but I grow really weary of Hollywood intersecting diminutive females into the teams. See see the all the time now. So enter Anne Hesche. A very mediocre actress whom we are expected to believe is a highly trained spec ops warrior. Never mind the rest of the team dwarfs her by at least a foot and a hundred pounds, she is put forth as the team bad-ass. Not buying it at all.

Plot has tons of holes bordering on incoherent. Smiles must really need cash after his jail time for tax evasion.

Bad Day for the Cut (2017)

Ireland continues with intelligent entertainment

[8/10 · 20 January 2018]

Another excellent film by the Irish. Seems the Irish, Aussies, kiwis and brits have supplanted the U.S. when it comes to quality films. A quiet Irish farmer living with his mother finds his life overturned by thugs who kill his mother. Just an old woman living a quiet life in the country, but was that all she was? A ruthless female psychopath and pump kills her. Her son, the middle aged farmer finds her. Now he finds himself attacked by two more thugs that try to hang him in his barn. What follows is this quiet, unassuming man pursuing his mother's killers. He leaves a trail of bodies trying to get answers. Aided by a bungling Polish man who seeks his sister's freedom from the clutches of a prostitution ring Donal seeks the answers. Well written and directed. Susan Lynch gives a performance which had me hating her by film's end. Good actress accompanied by other strong performances. Nice to watch a film without Hollywood crap in it.

The Last Post (2017)

Soap Opera

[4/10 · 15 January 2018]

I had hopes this would be a good period piece concerning Great Britain and the middle east in the 60s. Instead what I got was a soap opera. While there were many problems with colonial power and the role Great Britain played depicted here is decadence and arrogance. The writers demonstrated their disdain for the British soldiers of the time. We are expected to believe the SAS was anything but capable, that British soldiers in general are mean crass creatures devoid of character and that wives stationed with their spouses are weak drunkards hoping from bed to bed. They natives are depicted as freedom fighters doing what they must to secure their freedom.

Rubbish. Very little factual history is shown. And, though I thing Essie Davis is a fine actress her role as an independent American reporter is not only unbelievable in the extreme as a period character but her "American accent" has to be the worst lo have encountered in a long time. Really, really glaringly bad.

I have the is a 4 but honestly could have gone lower. I have no fondness for the entertainment industry penchant for rewriting history.

The Punisher (2017–2019)

Another glimpse into the minds of the entertainment elites

[4/10 · 24 November 2017]

OK a few spoilers are coming. I liked the Punisher comics as a child. Liked the movie versions made but this?? Way over the top crap. I know it is a piece of fiction but so many things are depicted which just irritate me. I am a vet, former spec ops and contractor. On that alone I grit my teeth trying to watch this. Vets are evil, twisted psychos. Spec ops personnel are evil, greedy criminals. And contractors?? Is there any form of life lower?? All this is represented in the series.

Add in a 20 something Muslim, female SAC with homeland security in the biggest jurisdiction in the U.S.. Reality is taking a back seat big-time! Like anyone in their early 20s is going to be a SAC! But this is Hollywood's America. Add in her gay partner. Yep very true to life depiction.

Now the disturbed vet that goes violent. Somehow he has access to all kinds of military hardware. Semtex, C-4, MP4 auto, claymore, detonators, etc. Really?? And then in one scene he plants four foot long far breaching strips on a wooden door. Enough to destroy half a block but all it does is blow the door off. Doesn't even damage the door frame. Unbelievable!

Then there is the lead. He is a decent actor but then I made the mistake of reading an interview he did claiming how positively vets felt about his role and the series. BS! Yes, some of the dialogue I can relate to. America and especially the government (politicians and bureaucrats) treat vets terribly. I agree. Hollywood treats us just as badly with a few exceptions.

I have this a four just for plain action sequences but nothing in this is anywhere close to believable not does it in anyway feel like the Punisher comics of old. I read some of the gushing positive reviews. Sad. Not kidding. Really sad.

The View (1997– )

An Up Close View of Stupid

[1/10 · 30 October 2017]

I only watched a few shows and honestly that was a struggle. I did watch way back when Barbara Walters started the show but it bears no resemblance to what is on now. Idiots who decry anyone or anything that doesn't support their world view. Behar is disgusting beyond belief. Whoopi just gives me a headache with her nonsense pronouncements. Thought she was leaving the U.S.? What is certain is that their collective view of things is not shared by a single person I know, male or female. Doesn't stop them or ABC I guess.

Much of what the pontificate about is easily debunked. Their so-called facts aren't. Not sure what the purpose of the View is any longer. At best it may be a propaganda tool for the far left or as public service message showing us all how ridiculous entertainment "pundits" are. What surprises me more than anything is that this show is still in production.

Stranger Things (2016–2025)

Netflix Scores a Homerun

[10/10 · 27 October 2017]

OK to be honest I have been hard on Netflix productions and still find half are just plain pointless drivel and far from entertaining but not so this time. Sure lots of adolescents as the leads but wow are they good! Not a Wynona Ryder fan but she doesn't turn my stomach this time.

A group of kids in Indiana encounter strange happenings with much of the mystery centered around a secretive lab in their small town. Multi-dimensions filled with Lovercraft style horrors invade and this small band of intrepid heroes find themselves in a battle to save mankind. Oops, sorry not pc. Humankind.

Special effects, creature effects, writing, directing, acting all mesh in a cohesive story that entertains. Excellent for entire family. Well done Netflix.

Predestination (I) (2014)

Excellent and Well Thought Out Sci-Fi

[9/10 · 19 October 2017]

I think Australia has supplanted the U.S. in the motion picture industry with actor talent and movie production. This is another example. Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook are exceptional in this film. The film itself is artfully directed, they story is intelligent and surprising.

Dark at times yet wonderfully told story concerning temporal science. Yes, time travel but filled with twists and turns. Sarah Snook who I had no experience with was stunningly good in this role. Enough so that I checked for her other works. She is breathtakingly beautiful to say the least and extremely talented. In this film she plays several roles, both male and female. She does well in both.

I don't get enthusiastic about much any more. A victim of my age and the society I find myself in here in the U.S. I strongly recommend this film to lovers of intelligent science fiction. No futuristic technology and weaponry but for the idea of time travel itself. A real gem in an industry that produces so few.

Cyborg X (2016)

Saw Danny Trejo thought worth a look

[3/10 · 19 October 2017]

OK some OK cgi but some of the worst acting and casting I have seen in a while. Especially all the females. Absolutely terrible. Sadly Mr. Trejo had a fairly minor role.

Typical apocalypse story with a few misfit soldiers lead by a really bizarre colonel portrayed by another terrible actor. Mankind destroyed by an AI gone amok - people really wearing out this storyline. The AI uses cyborg technology to convert some humans to slave soldiers, think Star Trek Borg. Answer to destroy controlling AI- think Terminator. Result not so good.

Female soldiers wearing pushup bras and tight tee shirts with the acting skills of a rock really helps. Sarcasm there folks. Don't waste your time. I can appreciate Trejo collecting a paycheck but that is all I think this movie was for him.

The Answer (III) (2015)

I was pleasantly surprised

[7/10 · 18 October 2017]

OK not a high budget movie starring a pack of Hollywood elites and A-listers but competently directed, written and acted. I wasn't looking for some high and mighty social value. I just wanted to be entertained. And, I was.

Sci-Fi premise is there. Aliens come to earth and remain hidden with a mission to study earth for colonization. The aliens appear as human with some differences. Our main character is the progeny of the union between and alien male and female earthling. Yes story has been done before but it still works. The female lead portrayed by the lovely Alexis Carra is caught up in all this when the aliens start hunting for the hybrid. His background is unknown to him but after 20 years it is revealed and the hunt begins.

Both leads do well. Sorry but Alexis Carra is definitely easy on the eyes and does a good job. Look to the future for more from her. So, all in all, free movie with Amazon prime, and entertainment us there. Better than watching a Meryl Streep movie any day.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

So Underwhelming

[3/10 · 13 October 2017]

So no spoilers from me think this time. The movie is a spoiler on its own. Really, really disappointed. Been a fan since the very first Star Wars in the 70s. I remember standing in line in the summer heat for hours. No way would I have endured five minutes indoors with air conditioning to see this one.

So I understand Disney bought the franchise and it shows. Disney took an epic sci-fi series and made it less than mediocre and no more than a cliché for the pc lovers at Disney. Oh the special effects are there for sure. After all George Lucas's company handled that part of things but the rest?? Very little to attract the fan of the series.

No one with the force, no Jedi nada. Just very boring script and barely watchable acting. For me watching it was painful. Being stubborn and because I spent money to see it persisted to the end. Argh

So for this old fan - nothing to get excited about. I did notice it went right to Netflix which should tell you something. Perhaps as a standalone film with no Star Wars connection rated against other sci-fi films of the year I would have rated it higher, if for the special effects alone. But trying to tie is to the success of the Star Wars series and throwing a two hundred million dollar budget at it?? Sorry not for me.

Death in Paradise (2011– )

Excellent Murder Mystery Series

[9/10 · 12 October 2017]

The U.K. and the BBC have done it again. Excellent writing, interesting and intelligent mysteries, plot twists, outstanding actors and guest appearances coupled with a beautiful locale. A small Caribbean island, a British protectorate, coupled with a small police team. Doesn't take long before the characters draw you in.

Each episode involves each murder beginning with the very first. They island's small police detachment is led by a U.K. DI or detective inspector. Thus it begins. The murder of the original DI is the first to undergo investigation. A new U.K. inspector us brought in from the London MET. A quirky, stodgy, characterized version of a man. Suit and tie every episode which involves the poor man in suffering the Caribbean heat. He solves the murder which sets the format for the series. A murder, the investigation, the in the 'm sat 10-15 minutes a gathering of all the suspects in one location for the reveal of the murderer. Did I mention the lead DI is also brilliant?

What follows over the course of the series is a very intelligently written murder investigation with the very talented actors playing the police team. Interject some more talented actors as guests and you find an entertaining and addictive series.

OK reveal. After two seasons our intrepid DI is himself murdered. I admit at first I was disappointed but, big but, his replacement from the U.K. is just a quirky and brilliant but much more outgoing and endearingly clumsy. It works. Really well.

With the lack of very little original or intelligent offerings here in the U.S. the Brits step up. I am almost embarrassed by the quality or lack there of of our network shows here. It seems as our Hollywood elites enjoy success financially they are more interested in telling us mere mortals how to think and live because it us common knowledge American actors and entertainment industry personnel are the smartest people on the planet. Not!! Sorry but I am so sick of American actors moralizing to the rest of us. Thank you U.K. and BBC for continuing to offer quality entertainment.

Last Cab to Darwin (2015)

Another Gem of a Film from Australia

[9/10 · 4 October 2017]

I have never met an Australian I didn't like. I have a soft spot in my heart for the country and its people. Seems more and more the Australian film industry has been creating true gems when it comes to movies. Wonderful actors too. This film is another example. A simple man in a small town drives a taxi. He knows everyone in town and they know him. He learns the surgery he had to remove his cancer was unsuccessful and is rapidly spreading. Prognosis. Two to three months. He learns that euthanasia has been made legal in the Northern territory with a doctor in Darwin being an advocate. Darwin is 3,000 kilometers by car so our intrepid Aussie decides to drive his cab to Darwin. Thus begins his journey through the Australian outback. The scenery alone makes the film worth watching. Couldn't help my heart feeling for the gentleman. Wish my country made movies with half as much heart and honesty. As an old guy myself with health issues I sympathized. Well worth watching.

Okkupert (2015–2020)

Acting Pretty Good - Story Pure Far Left Garbage

[2/10 · 3 October 2017]

Wow! I am amazed at how many reviewers cited this as insightful, realistic and a vision of our future? I am not sure what version of reality they are living but the entire premise for this series is unbelievable in the extreme. Russia takes over Norway with the consent of the EU? Seriously?? If, as many said, this is a vision of our future then this series makes a strong case for ending the EU. The U.S. is energy independent and no longer relies on fossil fuels. While I will admit that may be possible someday and certainly a worthwhile goal, the idea that it occurs in the time frame depicted here is obscenely absurd. I can say acting was good. Writing terrible. Not my cup of tea at all and really not much more than a propaganda piece for the EU elites and far left progressives.

Tin Star (2017–2020)

I Wanted to Like This

[5/10 · 1 October 2017]

First episode was interesting. I was hopeful. Tim Roth is a good actor. Okay it starting to get dodgy for me with green intersections (police drives electric car) and the main protagonist is a Canadian oil company building a refinery to process far sands. I was willing to let that go as long as every episode didn't get preachy with the same propaganda as all the network shows and CNN but. The killer for me was the character of the daughter. Very mediocre actress and I am being kind but the character she portrays is unbelievably know-it-all and stupid at the same time. The family moved to rural Alberta leaving the environs of London to escape the problems there. Tim Roth, the police chief now, is a recovering alcoholic. Not sure how we are supposed to understand how he passed a background check but oh well. Bad guys, also from England, show up in town. The chief and his family are ambushed at a gas station, which oddly has. No one working there, and the chief fills his gas tank. When he gets back in the car a masked gunman comes out of nowhere and targets the chief. He ducks and the gunman who is about 10 feet away misses and doesn't take a second shot. Okay the chief ducked but why would a professional hit man only fire the one shot? Makes no sense. And, by the way, the shot instantly kills the 5 year old son and somehow a bone fragment from the son's sound hit the wife nearly killing her and puts her in a coma??? Unbelievable as this seems now we get to the daughter. The preachy, know-it-all locks up all the booze so dad won't drink ending his three years of sobriety then she drinks it!! While being guarded by a policeman in the hotel for her protection she sneaks out?? For what purpose? Oh yeah because as drunk as she is she wants to go find her father because he may be drinking. Now we are subjected to the time line jumping back and forth throughout the next episode making one's head spin trying to follow the plot and the point. We learn the daughter had seen one of the bad guys at the house, found his cigarette butt and after all that has happened she retrieves the cigarette butt and keeps it but tells no one, not even her father the chief of police. Again makes zero sense. So Tim Roth, fine actor. Directing so-so, writing terrible. Like I said I wanted to like it. I really did but I lost interest fast by the midway of episode three. Real shame.

Kill Switch (I) (2017)

Feels like a first person shooter video game

[5/10 · 28 September 2017]

Actually the premise is pretty good. Special effects, cgi first rate but acting, especially the female lead - terrible. Impression I got was similar to a YouTube video shot with a GoPro. Jerky, not very illuminating and really distracting. The idea of an echo universe "created" but devoid of all life is interesting I guess, but surprise, it is a duplicate including all the bad actors. Oh and script! Did I mention dialog was really lame?? And "scientific" explanation for how the universe works supposedly by a world-renowned physicist was so lame a first physics major would know better. Story would have been better without the pseudo science explanation, well commercial really. All in all, even as a sci-fi fan I had a hard time watching this. If one has nothing better to do I suppose one could kill 2 hours but think I would rather play online poker lol.

Dark Side of Heaven (2008)

Wow This was really bad

[1/10 · 25 September 2017]

I have Amazon prime fire so I tend to watch lots of streaming entertainment because all that is on TV sucks. I saw the rating of 5.3, which often means decent to good. Not so in this case. Four main characters, four terrible actors and I mean really bad. A story that is so convoluted and pointless one can't help but wonder why anyone would fund it. Oh wait! Probably cost next to nothing since it looks like it was shot at the local community center. Supposed to be a huge spaceship. Not even barely credible. Directing is terrible, acting terrible, story terrible, you get my point. I watch tons of sci-fi but I would classify this as plain garbage not sci-fi. I have to be honest. I didn't watch the entire movie. I couldn't. Lasted maybe 10 minutes which was 9 too many.

Outlaws and Angels (2016)

Expected better big disappointment

[2/10 · 15 September 2017]

Saw Like Wilson, Ben Browser and expected at least a decent western. Instead I tried to watch as lines were mumbled, acting was terrible and plot was crap. Sad. Violence by idiots. Clint has a pretty daughter and she can act but this was a poor vehicle for her. I lost interest rapidly. Luke Wilson and Ben Browser must really be hard pressed for work. Read some reviews that gave this a 9-10 ) even comparing it to Pecinpah's work. What an insult. Crap. Pure crap.

Who Needs Enemies (2013)

Another solid British gangster film

[8/10 · 13 September 2017]

Most movies made in the U.S. nowadays are pretty low brow and seem to cater to Hollywood elites and their sophomoric sensibilities. Not so with the British and Australian film industry. Solid story, characters are well defined, actors are top notch though not widely known. The weaving of the story in chapters works well. I have been a fan of the British gangster films for quite sometime now. Pistols are held and fired as pistols, violence is in your face when it needs to be and subtle when it adds to the story. Nothing gratuitous about it. Good direction as well. If you are fan of the genre this is a little known gem.