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Jessica Erdas (463 KP) rated A Dog's Purpose in Books
May 16, 2018
I had heard a little about this book before I saw that it was being made into a movie. The concept seemed cute and was definitely a good read. I was not prepared for the amount of sadness that I would have while reading and every time Cameron described the aging of the dogs, I found myself petting mine and holding her closer. Well written and easily embraces the view point of a dog from beginning to end and back again. I think all dog lovers should read this but have a tissue handy.
David McK (3207 KP) rated Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) in Movies
Oct 24, 2021
Ok, I get that it's a teen classic.
I get that it's one of John Hughes 1980s movies.
I get that it was Matthew Broderick's break-out role, and that the 4th-wall breaking nature of the movie helped lay the groundwork for 'Deadpool' all those years later.
I DON'T get the appeal of the movie: for me, this was forgettable, with the lead character an annoying jerk (who, admittedly, does have one good line about how life is pretty short) only out for himself, and who pulls his girlfriend and his best friend Cameron along for no reason other than to show off to - he doesn't even have the gumption to check how Cameron is at the tail end of the movie.
I've heard about people saying how it is, essentially, a wish-fulfilment movie. My only wish is that I hadn't wasted my time watching it.
I get that it's one of John Hughes 1980s movies.
I get that it was Matthew Broderick's break-out role, and that the 4th-wall breaking nature of the movie helped lay the groundwork for 'Deadpool' all those years later.
I DON'T get the appeal of the movie: for me, this was forgettable, with the lead character an annoying jerk (who, admittedly, does have one good line about how life is pretty short) only out for himself, and who pulls his girlfriend and his best friend Cameron along for no reason other than to show off to - he doesn't even have the gumption to check how Cameron is at the tail end of the movie.
I've heard about people saying how it is, essentially, a wish-fulfilment movie. My only wish is that I hadn't wasted my time watching it.
An old friend
If you haven't read any of Shayne silvers or Cameron O'Connell where have you been? Seriously though the world that these two have built will absolutely draw you under in such an amazing way. I suggest starting from the beginning with Nate Temple and following him down the rabbit hole.
I'm just so thrilled to have Quinn back and to find out what's been going on in her world since we last heard from her. I will say she did not disappoint and I was just thrilled to spend some time catching up with her. Although, she did have to skip out before finishing her story. I know she will be back to share the rest of her adventures soon.
I'm just so thrilled to have Quinn back and to find out what's been going on in her world since we last heard from her. I will say she did not disappoint and I was just thrilled to spend some time catching up with her. Although, she did have to skip out before finishing her story. I know she will be back to share the rest of her adventures soon.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Knight and Day (2010) in Movies
Apr 13, 2020 (Updated Apr 14, 2020)
The Running of the Bulls
Knight and Day- is a good action, comedy film but its repeating alot of comedy action films, it feels like i have seen or watched this film before/a dozen times. Let me know if you heard of this before.
Two charcters who dont know each other, one is a spy and one is some unknkown. The spy gets into the unknown person life, and now their on the run because the spy betrayed someone or many people before him. The spy is also trying to save/protect a person and valveable that a evil bad guy wants to destory something/the world. Hmm sounds like i watched the before, thats because you have. This is just a repeat of that.
The plot: June Havens (Cameron Diaz) chats up her charming seatmate on a flight out of Kansas, but she doesn't realize that she will soon land in the middle of an international adventure. The fellow passenger, Roy Miller (Tom Cruise), is a covert operative who claims he has been set up to take a fall. Now his reluctant partner, June must dodge bullets in Boston, leap rooftops in Austria and evade bulls in Spain, while she and Roy learn that trust is the most important survival skill.
I like that chemistry between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, its really good and the action and comedy is good. Other than that though its just a repeat of other comedy action films.
Two charcters who dont know each other, one is a spy and one is some unknkown. The spy gets into the unknown person life, and now their on the run because the spy betrayed someone or many people before him. The spy is also trying to save/protect a person and valveable that a evil bad guy wants to destory something/the world. Hmm sounds like i watched the before, thats because you have. This is just a repeat of that.
The plot: June Havens (Cameron Diaz) chats up her charming seatmate on a flight out of Kansas, but she doesn't realize that she will soon land in the middle of an international adventure. The fellow passenger, Roy Miller (Tom Cruise), is a covert operative who claims he has been set up to take a fall. Now his reluctant partner, June must dodge bullets in Boston, leap rooftops in Austria and evade bulls in Spain, while she and Roy learn that trust is the most important survival skill.
I like that chemistry between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, its really good and the action and comedy is good. Other than that though its just a repeat of other comedy action films.
Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated Truth or Dare (2013) in Movies
Aug 24, 2017
Plot (3 more)
Awesome Special Effects
A great indie horror film
Ryan Kiser rocks!!!
Gory, disturbing and a helluva good time
I waited five years to see this movie, and it was totally worth it.
Jessica Cameron co-wrote and directed a worth wile addition to the horror genre.
It's hard to believe this was her first stab at directing. Pardon the pun folks, but stab is exactly what happens in this movie.
I had never heard of Ryan Kiser before this film, but he portrays an obsessed fan with psychotic gusto only equivalent to that of veteran horror actors.
Cameron, Dorff and the rest of the cast envelop them selves in their characters so much, and the camera work is so simple that it makes the disgusting game of Truth or Dare seem realistic and unstaged.
After reading the reviews for this splatterfest I can see how some people who are not horror hounds would be repulsed by this movie.
Myself, I brought an open mind and honestly didn't expect what I saw. But as a horror fanatic and self proclaimed horror movie GOD, I am in love with the concept of this film.
It brought obsession to a new height. It makes the viewer see that people can become so enthralled in other people's lives, that they can become obsessed with what they view.
Jessica Cameron deserves the spoils she received for her debut movie.
In this writers opinion this movie is the beginning of an amazing career for her as both a writer and director.
Big Studios take notice. This indie Queen is coming at you all with her nails out. I hope this is the first of many movie from her disturbed mind.
Buy this film people... Support the horror underground. You won't be disappointed.
Here's a link to the Amazon page where you can purchase this movie. Support indie film people...
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01N963DXN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503580613&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=truth+or+dare&dpPl=1&dpID=51tSWEEbQ7L&ref=plSrch
Jessica Cameron co-wrote and directed a worth wile addition to the horror genre.
It's hard to believe this was her first stab at directing. Pardon the pun folks, but stab is exactly what happens in this movie.
I had never heard of Ryan Kiser before this film, but he portrays an obsessed fan with psychotic gusto only equivalent to that of veteran horror actors.
Cameron, Dorff and the rest of the cast envelop them selves in their characters so much, and the camera work is so simple that it makes the disgusting game of Truth or Dare seem realistic and unstaged.
After reading the reviews for this splatterfest I can see how some people who are not horror hounds would be repulsed by this movie.
Myself, I brought an open mind and honestly didn't expect what I saw. But as a horror fanatic and self proclaimed horror movie GOD, I am in love with the concept of this film.
It brought obsession to a new height. It makes the viewer see that people can become so enthralled in other people's lives, that they can become obsessed with what they view.
Jessica Cameron deserves the spoils she received for her debut movie.
In this writers opinion this movie is the beginning of an amazing career for her as both a writer and director.
Big Studios take notice. This indie Queen is coming at you all with her nails out. I hope this is the first of many movie from her disturbed mind.
Buy this film people... Support the horror underground. You won't be disappointed.
Here's a link to the Amazon page where you can purchase this movie. Support indie film people...
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01N963DXN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503580613&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=truth+or+dare&dpPl=1&dpID=51tSWEEbQ7L&ref=plSrch
Merissa (11731 KP) rated Lady of Thorns (Two Thrones #3) in Books
Dec 13, 2017
Lady of Thorns (Two Thrones #3) by Nicola M. Cameron
Lady of Thorns is the third book in the Two Thrones series, and we focus on two characters we met in the previous book. Amelie and Alain are about as opposite as you can get - noble-born and street rat who has worked hard and got himself a career. However, their births play no part as the sparks fly between these two. They are evenly matched in intelligence, wit, and humour. And then, through Amelie's courage, they find out they are matched in other areas too. With the Harvest Ball coming up, her mother to contend with, and a husband to find, Amelie is happy to take her chances whilst she can. And of course, it doesn't hurt to have a Queen as your best friend!
It was wonderful returning to this world. It is easy to read, and the characters are all superb. It is smoothly written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I found. I would have loved to have heard more about Matthias and Danae, but then I am greedy where they are concerned. All in all, this book was thoroughly enjoyable, and completely un-put-downable. Palace of Scoundrels is still my favourite so far, but Lady of Thorns is absolutely recommended in every way.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
It was wonderful returning to this world. It is easy to read, and the characters are all superb. It is smoothly written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I found. I would have loved to have heard more about Matthias and Danae, but then I am greedy where they are concerned. All in all, this book was thoroughly enjoyable, and completely un-put-downable. Palace of Scoundrels is still my favourite so far, but Lady of Thorns is absolutely recommended in every way.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Debbiereadsbook (1092 KP) rated Austin (Learning to Love #4) by Con Riley in Books
Jun 2, 2022
emotional, but beautifully written!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 4 in the Learning To Love series but can be read as a stand-alone. I do, however, recommend all three books before this: Charles, Sol and Luke, but especially Luke. Austin pops up a lot in that book and I think you need to see that side of him, before you get to this side, you know?
And two very different sides to Austin they are, too! But once you get into his mind, and you see why he is like that, you can understand. Because Austin is in a lot of pain about something, and that something takes time to come out, the whole story isn't made clear til right near, so you are left putting a picture together of the clues, and the one I made was so very wrong.
But Dom, too, is in some pain, just a very different sort. And Austin helps him in ways he never knew he needed. Not just with Maisie, his daughter, but with his heart too.
I loved Dom, and Austin, both together and apart. Austin does some serious soul searching here and he makes amends with some people (not saying who though!) He has his "light bulb" moment right near the end, though, and really does his best to return home, or rather, home comes to him.
It's heavy on the emotions, this one, but light on the smexy times, and I loved that.
Again, only Austin has a say. I would have, ordinarily, said I needed to hear from Dom, but Dom has a lot to say, without words, and I heard him just fine. That's not to say I didn't WANT to hear from Dom, because I'm greedy, just that I felt I didn't NEED to hear from him, you know?
We caught up with Charles and Luke and Sol, and also with Sol's nephew Cameron. I think Cameron's part here was very much needed for both him and Austin, given their history. And the gift giving thing was awesome!
But, as much as I loved Austin and Dom, I have to say I think little Maisie stole the show here! She loved Austin Russell right from the start, it took her daddy time to catch her up!
Emotional, but wonderfully written and told.
5 stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 4 in the Learning To Love series but can be read as a stand-alone. I do, however, recommend all three books before this: Charles, Sol and Luke, but especially Luke. Austin pops up a lot in that book and I think you need to see that side of him, before you get to this side, you know?
And two very different sides to Austin they are, too! But once you get into his mind, and you see why he is like that, you can understand. Because Austin is in a lot of pain about something, and that something takes time to come out, the whole story isn't made clear til right near, so you are left putting a picture together of the clues, and the one I made was so very wrong.
But Dom, too, is in some pain, just a very different sort. And Austin helps him in ways he never knew he needed. Not just with Maisie, his daughter, but with his heart too.
I loved Dom, and Austin, both together and apart. Austin does some serious soul searching here and he makes amends with some people (not saying who though!) He has his "light bulb" moment right near the end, though, and really does his best to return home, or rather, home comes to him.
It's heavy on the emotions, this one, but light on the smexy times, and I loved that.
Again, only Austin has a say. I would have, ordinarily, said I needed to hear from Dom, but Dom has a lot to say, without words, and I heard him just fine. That's not to say I didn't WANT to hear from Dom, because I'm greedy, just that I felt I didn't NEED to hear from him, you know?
We caught up with Charles and Luke and Sol, and also with Sol's nephew Cameron. I think Cameron's part here was very much needed for both him and Austin, given their history. And the gift giving thing was awesome!
But, as much as I loved Austin and Dom, I have to say I think little Maisie stole the show here! She loved Austin Russell right from the start, it took her daddy time to catch her up!
Emotional, but wonderfully written and told.
5 stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Don’t let the “big anime eyes” or unusual title fool you into thinking this will be a lame film. Yes, this movie is based off a manga you’ve probably never heard of. Yes, it is easy to dismiss this film as something that will bomb like last year’s Mortal Engines. But if you place your faith in director Robert Rodriguez and writer/producer James Cameron, you will be treated to a surprisingly solid narrative and fast paced visual spectacle that is worth the price of admission to view in the theater.
The biggest praise I can give to Alita: Battle Angel is that the visually stunning world they create on screen feels “lived in” and real. I found it easy to accept and understand the rules of that world they built and explained throughout film. And while we are not given a full history of their world, we are given enough explanation to understand how or why something existed in their world. This gives us the opportunity to focus on the story of “self-discovery” that Alita ultimately is.
Rosa Salazar motion capture performance of Alita is excellent. Not only in movement but in emotionally delivery. You get the real sense of discovery with this amazing world that Alita is being exposed to. Additionally, as she begins to become more self-aware of who she is, you can understand the emotion and she struggles with love, trust and obligation. Furthermore, from a technical standpoint, by the end of the movie, I was not thinking of Alita being something that is motion captured and instead just accepted her as part of this onscreen world they delivered. This is really something that becomes make or break with this film for some people and it’s easy to dismiss it based on the trailers. However in context of the film, it works and does a good job drawing you in.
In addition to Alita, we are given strong performances from the ensemble cast of characters in the film. Christoph Waltz play’s Alita surrogate father Dr. Dyson Ido, Keean Johnson as the street smart and resourceful Hugo, Mahershala Ali as the gangster type gate keeper Vector, Jennifer Connelly as the morally ambiguous goal focused scientist and Ed Skrein as the cocky bounty hunter. Each of these characters play their roles well and help usher in the different levels of the society they live in. Perhaps the once complaint I have of this film is that the pacing of this film is so fast that we miss an opportunity to obtain a bit more backstory from some of these characters. It is not a big loss, but it makes you wonder if this film would have been better served as a 10 episode Netflix series or something of that nature.
In the end, I found myself enjoying this film more than I expected I would. Is it a perfect film? No. Nor does it invoke emotionally deep existential thought that the manga it is based on provides. But it does tell a sold story of self-discovery in a visually stunning and fully realized world. It is fun, fast paced and something that should be seen in the theaters. And if possible, do yourself a favor and watch it in 3D. This film has some of the best 3D effects since Avatar. The 3D doesn’t feel like an afterthought or gimmicky, but instead works to enhance the on screen world.
The biggest praise I can give to Alita: Battle Angel is that the visually stunning world they create on screen feels “lived in” and real. I found it easy to accept and understand the rules of that world they built and explained throughout film. And while we are not given a full history of their world, we are given enough explanation to understand how or why something existed in their world. This gives us the opportunity to focus on the story of “self-discovery” that Alita ultimately is.
Rosa Salazar motion capture performance of Alita is excellent. Not only in movement but in emotionally delivery. You get the real sense of discovery with this amazing world that Alita is being exposed to. Additionally, as she begins to become more self-aware of who she is, you can understand the emotion and she struggles with love, trust and obligation. Furthermore, from a technical standpoint, by the end of the movie, I was not thinking of Alita being something that is motion captured and instead just accepted her as part of this onscreen world they delivered. This is really something that becomes make or break with this film for some people and it’s easy to dismiss it based on the trailers. However in context of the film, it works and does a good job drawing you in.
In addition to Alita, we are given strong performances from the ensemble cast of characters in the film. Christoph Waltz play’s Alita surrogate father Dr. Dyson Ido, Keean Johnson as the street smart and resourceful Hugo, Mahershala Ali as the gangster type gate keeper Vector, Jennifer Connelly as the morally ambiguous goal focused scientist and Ed Skrein as the cocky bounty hunter. Each of these characters play their roles well and help usher in the different levels of the society they live in. Perhaps the once complaint I have of this film is that the pacing of this film is so fast that we miss an opportunity to obtain a bit more backstory from some of these characters. It is not a big loss, but it makes you wonder if this film would have been better served as a 10 episode Netflix series or something of that nature.
In the end, I found myself enjoying this film more than I expected I would. Is it a perfect film? No. Nor does it invoke emotionally deep existential thought that the manga it is based on provides. But it does tell a sold story of self-discovery in a visually stunning and fully realized world. It is fun, fast paced and something that should be seen in the theaters. And if possible, do yourself a favor and watch it in 3D. This film has some of the best 3D effects since Avatar. The 3D doesn’t feel like an afterthought or gimmicky, but instead works to enhance the on screen world.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
First off, a disclaimer: I have not read the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting; nor do I have any kids of my own. That being said….
This film shows you five different stories that are not all connected, but they do intersect each other’s paths several times. The stories follow different scenarios that you can expect when you, as a couple, are expecting a baby. These five stories are the easy pregnancy, the difficult on the woman’s body pregnancy, the difficult on the relationship pregnancy, the miscarriage and the adoption.
The film has a stellar lineup for the cast. Cameron Diaz (There’s Something About Mary, Bad Teacher) plays celebrity Jules who is on a Dancing-with-the-Stars-esque show, who ends up in a relationship with her dance partner Evan, played by Matthew Morrison (Glee, Music and Lyrics). Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri, The Hunger Games) is Wendy, the owner of a baby store and author of a baby’s book who has been desperately trying to get pregnant with her husband Gary played by Ben Falcone (Bridesmaids). Anna Kendrick (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Up In The Air) is Rosie, the owner of a food truck who has a one-night stand with high school crush Marco, played by Chace Crawford (The Covenant, Gossip Girl). Jennifer Lopez (American Idol, Out of Sight) is Holly, a photographer who is attempting to go the Brangelina route by adopting a baby from Ethiopia with her husband Alex, played by Rodrigo Santoro (300, I Love You Phillip Morris). Lastly, we have Skyler who is portrayed by Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It, Battleship). She is a stay-at-home wife married to retired NASCAR driver Ramsey, who is played by Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow, Vantage Point).
Aside from the main cast, there is also a great supporting cast with the likes of Chris Rock (Grown Ups, Death At A Funeral), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), Thomas Lennon (Reno 911, I Love You, Man), Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids) and many more.
Based on the trailers for What to Expect When You’re Expecting, the movie looked to be a very promising comedy. I am sad to say, I was very disappointed. The trailers make it look like “The Dudes Group” is a main focus of the story, but it is only a reprieve from the main story lines. This is a shame because for me, “The Dudes Group” had the funniest moments in the movie. The rest of the film, while heart-warming at moments, seemed to lack any real attempt to make a connection with the audience. To me, the relationships just seemed unreal.
This is not to say that there are not those out there who will not enjoy the film. The ladies behind me in the theatre seemed to be laughing the whole time, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I once heard my editor (Gareth Von Kallenbach) say that this was a great idea, but it may have been better presented as a TV show. I have to say that I agree whole-heartedly. It would have made a great weekly sitcom, probably with the series centered on “The Dudes Group” (as I said, funniest moments in the movies). But it looks like there may be something along these lines on the horizon any way with the upcoming NBC comedy: Guys With Kids.
This film shows you five different stories that are not all connected, but they do intersect each other’s paths several times. The stories follow different scenarios that you can expect when you, as a couple, are expecting a baby. These five stories are the easy pregnancy, the difficult on the woman’s body pregnancy, the difficult on the relationship pregnancy, the miscarriage and the adoption.
The film has a stellar lineup for the cast. Cameron Diaz (There’s Something About Mary, Bad Teacher) plays celebrity Jules who is on a Dancing-with-the-Stars-esque show, who ends up in a relationship with her dance partner Evan, played by Matthew Morrison (Glee, Music and Lyrics). Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri, The Hunger Games) is Wendy, the owner of a baby store and author of a baby’s book who has been desperately trying to get pregnant with her husband Gary played by Ben Falcone (Bridesmaids). Anna Kendrick (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Up In The Air) is Rosie, the owner of a food truck who has a one-night stand with high school crush Marco, played by Chace Crawford (The Covenant, Gossip Girl). Jennifer Lopez (American Idol, Out of Sight) is Holly, a photographer who is attempting to go the Brangelina route by adopting a baby from Ethiopia with her husband Alex, played by Rodrigo Santoro (300, I Love You Phillip Morris). Lastly, we have Skyler who is portrayed by Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It, Battleship). She is a stay-at-home wife married to retired NASCAR driver Ramsey, who is played by Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow, Vantage Point).
Aside from the main cast, there is also a great supporting cast with the likes of Chris Rock (Grown Ups, Death At A Funeral), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), Thomas Lennon (Reno 911, I Love You, Man), Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids) and many more.
Based on the trailers for What to Expect When You’re Expecting, the movie looked to be a very promising comedy. I am sad to say, I was very disappointed. The trailers make it look like “The Dudes Group” is a main focus of the story, but it is only a reprieve from the main story lines. This is a shame because for me, “The Dudes Group” had the funniest moments in the movie. The rest of the film, while heart-warming at moments, seemed to lack any real attempt to make a connection with the audience. To me, the relationships just seemed unreal.
This is not to say that there are not those out there who will not enjoy the film. The ladies behind me in the theatre seemed to be laughing the whole time, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I once heard my editor (Gareth Von Kallenbach) say that this was a great idea, but it may have been better presented as a TV show. I have to say that I agree whole-heartedly. It would have made a great weekly sitcom, probably with the series centered on “The Dudes Group” (as I said, funniest moments in the movies). But it looks like there may be something along these lines on the horizon any way with the upcoming NBC comedy: Guys With Kids.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Groupers (2019) in Movies
Sep 26, 2019
Greetings & Salutations Fellow Movie Fanatics!
It’s not often I see a film that is so good in my opinion, I actually look forward to writing about it and letting you folks know what’s what. In all honesty though, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m the last person to see it. Quite frankly, I’m surprised that I have not heard or read anything about this movie already. How they managed to put everything together and create a film like this where the runtime is just a 1 hour and 49 minutes is beyond my comprehension. Yes, I said JUST and 1 and 49 minutes. Now that might seem a tad long on the tooth as far as movies go but once you watch it, I think you’ll understand my perception of it. I don’t think my review will do the movie justice but I want to tell you folks about in the hopes that you’ll immediately seek out a means of watching it.
‘Groupers’ is a dramatic comedy film written/directed by Anderson Cowan and stars Nicole Dambro, Jesse Pudles, Cameron Duckett, Peter Mayer-Klepchick, Max Reed III, Brian Loakimedes, Terrance Wentz, Travis Stanberry, Marqus Bobesich, Edward Jackson, Kaleb Rich-Harris, Mike Carano, Robin S. Roth, Laurence Scott Murphy, and Travis Lee Elder.
Orin (Pudles) is a high school student who is dealing with what has become unfortunately an all too common occurrence in schools and colleges today. He is a young person who faces ridicule and bullying because he is gay. The source of the majority of this harassment are two of his fellow students, best friends Brad (Mayer-Klepchick) and Dylan (Duckett). Fast forward to a night when Brad and Dylan decide roll with their over-inflated egos make the rounds at a bar or two and engage in some underage drinking and attempt to impress a fellow female patron or two. Just as the two jocks are beginning to get plastered they’re approached by Meg (Dambro). It doesn’t take much convincing at this point, Meg invites them to come with her and somehow they manage to follow her out of the back of the bar where they are more or less thrown into the back of a van (they pretty much threw themselves in the van). Already this is turning into something that sound like a ‘scary urban legend kind of movie’ right? Not even fully grasping the situation they’re in, Brad and Dylan get psyched up at the supposed prospect of engaging in unnatural activities when fumes engulf the inside of the van and the two jocks are knocked out cold. Several hours later, Brad and Dylan regain consciousness to find themselves restrained at the bottom of an empty pool. Meg, the girl from the bar, is actually a grad student and explains that the two of them are now part of a social experiment and implies that their lives depend on participating in the experiment regardless of the results. What follows is a downward spiral of lies, revenge, more than one close call with death, and an unforeseen series unforeseen guests that turn the tables on the participants in the experiment but each other as well.
The as the film progresses, it becomes vendetta driven. The seriously comedic aspects don’t start until at least a third of the way in unless you count the idiotic behavior of Brad and Dylan. At that point, the humor is driven by the unforeseen circumstances that Meg could not possibly have anticipated nor would anyone who appeared to prepare for this so thoroughly. The fact is the experiment should have progressed as she planned regardless of the outcome. All in all, this is one of the best films I’ve seen all year. I’d actually go so far as to say it’s in the top 5 and will remain there I can guarantee that. The film is similar to that of movies like ‘Pulp Fiction’ in the sense that it progresses backwards in relation to certain events and then jumps back into the present. It is NOT difficult to follow though. The premise of the film is one of the most original I’ve seen in a while. Note how the cast managed to make such an awesome film considering most of it takes place in a derelict house with an empty pool. Nothing is overshadowed in the film either. You have a movie that manages to encompass serious subject matter one minute and the next minute you can’t help but laugh and again neither overshadows the other. The cast? Absolutely awesome! They should be absolutely proud of this film and what they’ve accomplished with it. They should certainly consider ‘getting the band back together’ for other projects too. I’d go so far as to say the film deserves a theater release for sure. Nicole Dambro ‘Meg’ is most certainly a talent movie viewers should look out for. Her character’s presence commands such attention from the other characters while she herself commands the attention of the audience. The film has drugs and alcohol plus questionable dialogue and language plus some nudity so definitely NOT one for young folks. As I mention earlier, it’s a bit long on the tooth timewise at 1 hour and 49 minutes but it’s SO worth it. Just make sure you get drinks and snacks prior to the movie. I’m going to go ahead and rate this one 5 out of 5 stars. Give some real thought to seeing ‘Groupers’ . Trust me on this one
It’s not often I see a film that is so good in my opinion, I actually look forward to writing about it and letting you folks know what’s what. In all honesty though, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m the last person to see it. Quite frankly, I’m surprised that I have not heard or read anything about this movie already. How they managed to put everything together and create a film like this where the runtime is just a 1 hour and 49 minutes is beyond my comprehension. Yes, I said JUST and 1 and 49 minutes. Now that might seem a tad long on the tooth as far as movies go but once you watch it, I think you’ll understand my perception of it. I don’t think my review will do the movie justice but I want to tell you folks about in the hopes that you’ll immediately seek out a means of watching it.
‘Groupers’ is a dramatic comedy film written/directed by Anderson Cowan and stars Nicole Dambro, Jesse Pudles, Cameron Duckett, Peter Mayer-Klepchick, Max Reed III, Brian Loakimedes, Terrance Wentz, Travis Stanberry, Marqus Bobesich, Edward Jackson, Kaleb Rich-Harris, Mike Carano, Robin S. Roth, Laurence Scott Murphy, and Travis Lee Elder.
Orin (Pudles) is a high school student who is dealing with what has become unfortunately an all too common occurrence in schools and colleges today. He is a young person who faces ridicule and bullying because he is gay. The source of the majority of this harassment are two of his fellow students, best friends Brad (Mayer-Klepchick) and Dylan (Duckett). Fast forward to a night when Brad and Dylan decide roll with their over-inflated egos make the rounds at a bar or two and engage in some underage drinking and attempt to impress a fellow female patron or two. Just as the two jocks are beginning to get plastered they’re approached by Meg (Dambro). It doesn’t take much convincing at this point, Meg invites them to come with her and somehow they manage to follow her out of the back of the bar where they are more or less thrown into the back of a van (they pretty much threw themselves in the van). Already this is turning into something that sound like a ‘scary urban legend kind of movie’ right? Not even fully grasping the situation they’re in, Brad and Dylan get psyched up at the supposed prospect of engaging in unnatural activities when fumes engulf the inside of the van and the two jocks are knocked out cold. Several hours later, Brad and Dylan regain consciousness to find themselves restrained at the bottom of an empty pool. Meg, the girl from the bar, is actually a grad student and explains that the two of them are now part of a social experiment and implies that their lives depend on participating in the experiment regardless of the results. What follows is a downward spiral of lies, revenge, more than one close call with death, and an unforeseen series unforeseen guests that turn the tables on the participants in the experiment but each other as well.
The as the film progresses, it becomes vendetta driven. The seriously comedic aspects don’t start until at least a third of the way in unless you count the idiotic behavior of Brad and Dylan. At that point, the humor is driven by the unforeseen circumstances that Meg could not possibly have anticipated nor would anyone who appeared to prepare for this so thoroughly. The fact is the experiment should have progressed as she planned regardless of the outcome. All in all, this is one of the best films I’ve seen all year. I’d actually go so far as to say it’s in the top 5 and will remain there I can guarantee that. The film is similar to that of movies like ‘Pulp Fiction’ in the sense that it progresses backwards in relation to certain events and then jumps back into the present. It is NOT difficult to follow though. The premise of the film is one of the most original I’ve seen in a while. Note how the cast managed to make such an awesome film considering most of it takes place in a derelict house with an empty pool. Nothing is overshadowed in the film either. You have a movie that manages to encompass serious subject matter one minute and the next minute you can’t help but laugh and again neither overshadows the other. The cast? Absolutely awesome! They should be absolutely proud of this film and what they’ve accomplished with it. They should certainly consider ‘getting the band back together’ for other projects too. I’d go so far as to say the film deserves a theater release for sure. Nicole Dambro ‘Meg’ is most certainly a talent movie viewers should look out for. Her character’s presence commands such attention from the other characters while she herself commands the attention of the audience. The film has drugs and alcohol plus questionable dialogue and language plus some nudity so definitely NOT one for young folks. As I mention earlier, it’s a bit long on the tooth timewise at 1 hour and 49 minutes but it’s SO worth it. Just make sure you get drinks and snacks prior to the movie. I’m going to go ahead and rate this one 5 out of 5 stars. Give some real thought to seeing ‘Groupers’ . Trust me on this one