Sign up
Search
Advanced search settings

Search only in certain items:

Search results
All
Content (8)
People
Apps
Books
Orbs
Movies
Music
Podcasts
Shows
Tabletop Games
Tech
TV
Video Games
YouTube Channels
Videos
40x40

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Extract (2009) in Movies

Aug 9, 2019  
Extract (2009)
Extract (2009)
2009 | Comedy
7
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
While some might argue potty mouth humor is a constant from Mike Judge, the man behind “Office Space” and “King of the Hill”, I always seem to be curious when he takes on a new project. Judge’s latest film “Extract” combines his classic comedy style with a slightly more mature kind of humor.

A small company, Reynold’s Extract, is about to be bought out much to the joy of the depressed and sexually frustrated owner, Joel Reynold (Jason Bateman). Joel, tired of working long days with disgruntled employees, would love nothing more than returning to a simpler life at home with his wife, Suzie (Kristen Wiig). When the factories irresponsible employees accidently injure long time worker, Step, the deal begins to go south.

The sudden appearance of attractive new employee, Cindy (Mila Kunis) who has the eye of both frustrated Joel and recently damaged employee, Step, further complicates the situation. As does Reynold’s best friend, Dean (Ben Affleck), the local bartender filled with creative ideas on “bettering” Joel’s situation.

As the film progressed I keep wondering is the movie really funny or is Jason Bateman just so entertaining that it doesn’t matter. The honest truth is probably a little of both. With that said I did laugh, mostly at the blatant delivery by the aforementioned Bateman and at the scattered comedic moments derived from the unexpected nature of the film, it is not everyday you encounter a movie about an flavor extract company.

The eclectic cast of actors, from various avenues of fame, works seamlessly together. The most unexpected acting choice is Ben Affleck as Dean a role that could have filled by any number of lesser celebrities, possibly Rob Schneider.

Still the plot is unique and the story varies greatly from Judge’s traditional support of the working class. In “Extract” the protagonist is the boss man, not an underpaid employee.

A delightful little flick about working, neighbors, and other relationships, “Extract” is a creative yet diluted tale
  
40x40

Steven Sklansky (231 KP) rated The Bad Batch (2016) in Movies

Apr 15, 2018  
The Bad Batch (2016)
The Bad Batch (2016)
2016 | Drama
3
5.3 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Being in the wasteland is just as boring as this movie
I thought with a cast like Keanu, Jim Carey, and Jason Momoa this might have been a decent movie. I was so wrong. The movie started out so gruesome that I thought we were going to get a mad max type of movie. I slowly went down hill from there.

This movie is about a girl that joins the bad batch, a group of people that are sentenced to Texas. Ouch, talk about the perfect prison. This new wasteland, as far as I can tell is divided into 2 groups. Cannibals and Stoners. With the only plot being get a little girl back to here father there was not much else going on.

It seems like the whole movie was just setting up these 2 worlds that really didn't make much sense. Although The Comfort was definitely a better place to live, they really didn't say how they pick the people that can stay there. They are boarded up by shipping containers which leads me to believe they want to keep bad people out, but then again they are all "bad". So maybe the really bad. They just seemed to not care who came and went.

I think the only good thing in the movie was Jim Carrey. Funny enough he didn't even have a spoken line, I didn't even recognize him.

Eating people and getting high could not save this move. Like I always say, I don't want to hold anyone back from seeing a movie because of me. If you like it let me know why. And as always enjoy the show.
  
40x40

Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated The Burning (1981) in Movies

Jun 21, 2017  
The Burning (1981)
The Burning (1981)
1981 | Horror
10
8.5 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Amazing SFX by Tom Savini (2 more)
One of the best camp slashers
A great killer before the likes of Jason, Myers and Freddy
Welcome to Camp... Oh who gives a shit... Let's get on with the killing
This has got to be one of my favorite and top 5 first watch in a relationship films of all time.
Not for the squeamish at all. The Burning has some of the best post CGI kill effects... And personally I love practical effects, nothing destroys a good beheading like digitized blood flying around out of sync with the body dropping.
Effects Master Tom Savini was fresh off the original Friday the 13th when he landed this flick.
A few years into the past the kids of a summer camp decide to pull a prank on the asshole caretaker involving a skull all dolled up with maggots, worms and burning eyes for effect. They sneak it into his dilapidated cabin, where he is sleeping off a drunk, and proceed to bang on his windows shaking him awake and scaring the hell out of hum. In his flailing fear he knocks the skull onto a pile of blankets and his hanging curtains and the whole place goes up in flames... As does he... His name is Cropsey... And he is engulfed in fire. The kids run like hell to get away as Cropsey flies out the door, rolls down a hill and ends up in the lake. Now I'm no doctor, never claim to be and certainly have never played one on tv, but in my imagination dirty lake water and freshly burnt skin do not a good combination make.
We skip ahead a few years and Cropsey is released from the hospital and goes into the downtown core of wherever the hell he is, searching for something. Wearing a trenchcoat and an old fedora over his scars. He picks up a hooker and goes to her place. She gets him to take off his clothes and recoils in horror. He grabs a pair of scissors and exacts revenge.
Without giving more away. You can see where this is going. A slash and gash festival unlike anything is about to follow. Starring a few familiar faces such as Seinfeld's Jason Alexander, Short Circut's Fisher Stevens and a young Holly Hunter in what I imagine was their first big breaks in film. This movie offers the viewer a glimpse of things to come in the slasher sub-genre of horror.
It's worth it alone of the scene in the canoe... What is that you may ask... Watch The damned movie and find out...lol
  
40x40

Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated Happy Death Day (2017) in Movies

Oct 23, 2017 (Updated Jan 11, 2019)  
Happy Death Day (2017)
Happy Death Day (2017)
2017 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
8
6.9 (82 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Weird, workable idea (0 more)
Funnier than a horror film and bloodier than a comedy
Have you ever just wanted to watch someone die??? Over and over and over and over again???
Well... This movie gives you the opportunity to watch an annoying sorority girl get slaughtered time and time again.
Mind you, she does lighten up a little bit as she dies again and again... Eventually streaking theough a full quad on campus because she just knows she's going to croak.
Overall, this movie is fun. A little silly, but it's horror... Its supposed to be silly...ish... But not too silly like Saturday the 14th and Student Bodies from the 80's... Which i recommend if you want to fall into a deep sleep... Happy Death Day is a vicious little horror film... That has the ability to make you belly laugh so hard it can hurt.
The sequel... Happy Death Day 2 U comes out on Febuary 14th of this year(2019). And i am already trying to get tickets...
In closing just let me add that I am not a huge fan of the newer horror film. If you've read my reviews you know that I hate the fact that everything Netflix comes out with horror wise, with the exceptions of 1922 and The Haunting of Hill House, is complete garbage. But Jason Blum knows good horror. He is a seriously deranged individual who completely gets what horror fans want... He's had his hands in some of the finest. The Purge series, Insidious series.
I only hope he gets his hands on the rights for Friday the 13th and finally does it some justice.
So Happy Death Day.... Give er. Ita worth it.
(1)   
40x40

Erika (17789 KP) rated Wrath of Man (2021) in Movies

May 23, 2021 (Updated May 23, 2021)  
Wrath of Man (2021)
Wrath of Man (2021)
2021 | Action, Thriller
7
7.2 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Guy Ritchie’s newest film, Wrath of Man, is based upon a French film called le Convoyeur, or ‘Cash Truck’. It’s one of the first ‘big’ films that’s only been released in theaters here in the US.
The film was broken into chapters, with different timelines. The opening scene is a violent armored truck robbery, which set an interesting fast-paced tone right off the bat. For me, that pace didn’t stick.
Jason Statham’s character, Hill, or ‘H’ is introduced on his first day working at the same armored truck company a few months later. It’s obvious that Hill isn’t really his name, as he delays his response, and everything is not as it seems. He forms a bond, or something resembling a bond on the surface, with ‘Bullet’, who is his trainer and eventual partner. All the cash truck drivers had very odd nicknames, like Josh Hartnett’s character’s nickname was ‘Boy Sweat’. I don’t believe whatever inside joke it was referring to was ever explained. Of course, per usual, witty banter ensues, which was just kind of gross and crass. Apparently, all the other people in the theater, dudes, thought it was hilarious and it got some laughs. Of course, there was the obligatory ‘Mary Poppins’ comment concerning H’s English accent. I don’t understand why this keeps getting used, the only quip I have ever heard in real life by an American towards someone with an English accent is ‘Masterpiece Theater’.
The pace, as I said, slowed down, until the end of this ‘chapter’, when H stops his armored truck from being robbed by Post Malone. After he takes out all these robbers, he becomes a hero at the company. After a subsequent robbery, all H did was reveal his face, and bam, everyone scatters. Which was really kind of odd. I would have rather watched H tear through them like he did the first batch of robbers, but ok. Bullet then recites the jazzed-up title of this chapter, ‘He’s a dark {expletive] spirit’.
In the subsequent chapters, it becomes clear as to who H is, why the robbery at the beginning was featured, and who ends up being the rat.
Statham’s character in this film was the meanest and most ruthless character he’s ever played. Though, I’m pretty sure the movie could have used a lot more of his wrath. The other characters, portrayed by the likes of Hartnett, Holt McCallany, Andy Garcia, Rob Delany, Eddie Marsan, and Scott Eastwood, didn’t particularly stand out to me.
Overall, I was entertained during the film, I left feeling ambivalent. I think that it just wasn’t enough, maybe there needed to be more violence and more wrath. It almost needed to be more extreme, because in the end, it was neither here nor there.
(2)   
40x40

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Bullet to the Head (2013) in Movies

Aug 7, 2019  
Bullet to the Head (2013)
Bullet to the Head (2013)
2013 | Action, Mystery
7
6.2 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Action icon Sylvester Stallone follows up his smash hit “The Expendables 2” with a turn as a New Orleans hitman on a mission of revenge in “Bullet to the Head”. Produced by Walter Hill, who brought us such classics as the “Alien” series and directed films such as “Red Heat” and “48 Hours”, his signature style is evident throughout.

Stallone plays James Bonomo, a.k.a. Jimmy Bobo, a thug with a long rap sheet and few friends. After celebrating a successful contract hit, his partner is brutally killed and an attempt is made on Jimmy’s life as well. Suspecting that they’d been setup, James reluctantly meets with a D.C. detective named Taylor Kwon (Sung Kang), who is in town to investigate the murder of his former partner. Fate forces the duo to work with one another despite Kwon’s by-the-book nature and utter disdain for James and his choice of profession. The two soon uncover a large conspiracy that threatens not only their lives but the cities very powerful and elite, making the duo the prime targets for those who will stop at nothing.

Despite having a fairly formulaic plot, the film works very well, thanks in large part to the cast. The two leads work very well with one another, and the fine supporting work by Jason Momoa and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje really set the tone. The action in the film is intense and at times brutal but does not seem gratuitous, making it clear that the characters live in a violent world where accepting death is second nature to the urge to kill.

Stallone gives a very physical performance as the world weary James and you can tell that he went all out for the films action sequences despite the toll his body had to take. The film is based on the graphic novel “Du Plomb dans la Tête” and captures the elements of a classic film noir, with the action of a buddy cop film without pandering to many of the genre stereotypes.

While I enjoyed Schwarzenegger’s “The Last Stand” a bit more, I was very surprised at how enjoyable the film was after being underwhelmed by the trailer. In the end, if you’re a fan of Stallone, and love a good action film, then this is one you will not want to miss.
  
40x40

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Funny People (2009) in Movies

Aug 9, 2019  
Funny People (2009)
Funny People (2009)
2009 | Comedy, Drama
6
6.6 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
We all have our favorite Adam Sandler movies. There are the fans of The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates and there’s the loyal camp who can quote Happy Gilmore or Big Daddy verbatim. You hear the name Adam Sandler’s and you think goofy, lovable guy. Dependably funny and quotable, from the mid-90’s on, he was the go-to comedian when we looked for an easy laugh. Of late, with the growing list of popular movies under his belt, when you think goofy, lovable funny guy, another name comes up: Seth Rogan. In “Funny People” you get them both.

Sandler plays George Simmons, a popular comedian who’s diagnosed with a fatal disease. Playing a comedian is hardly a stretch for Sandler, but for one whose dramatic turns can be counted on one hand, he plays the stricken man who’s suddenly face to face with his immortality quite convincingly. Rogan is Ira Wright, a desperate young comic who’s still vying for stage time at the local comedy club. George, perhaps recognizing a bit of himself or seeing a glimmer of comedic genius in Ira after catching his act, hires Ira to write for him.

Ira goes from writer and personal assistant/confidante to opening act as he helps George deal with his illness. He encourages the veteran comedian to reconnect with his compatriots in the business, opening the film to a parade of old faces from the stand-up circuit. George’s reflections on his life eventually lead him back to a lost love, Laura, played by Leslie Mann. Amidst the funny, laugh-out-loud scenes, are some believably tender moments, not just between Mann and Sandler but also, oddly enough, Sandler and Rogan.

Directing the comedic duo is writer/director Judd Apatow, who gave Rogan that growing list of successful movies after first casting him in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Sandler could certainly use some of Apatow’s Midas-like touch after his recent string of marginal films. With a strong supporting cast of Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman who play Ira’s roommates Leo and Mark and Eric Bana, Laura’s husband, the movie is in turns hilarious and puzzling. The strong storyline of a veteran comedian taking a novice comic under his wings gets lost when George pursues a second chance with an unhappily married Laura. What could’ve been a touching passing of the torch tale is confused by an annoying love triangle. When the movie returns its focus to George and Ira, it’s saved, just barely, by the fact that we’re still watching two of comedy’s goofy, lovable funny guys.
  
40x40

Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Booksmart (2019) in Movies

Sep 28, 2021  
Booksmart (2019)
Booksmart (2019)
2019 | Comedy
9
7.8 (26 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
A raunchy but extremely funny teen-sex comedy.
A panda’s eye view of teenage life.
I tend to struggle to find a really good comedy to add to my top 10 of the year. Last year it was “Game Night” that made my list. One that is definitely heading there this year is “Booksmart”.

A retread on a well-travelled tyre.
The coming of age school comedy has been rehashed multiple times. These include films as varied as “Napoleon Dynamite”, “Superbad”, “Easy A”, “Mean Girls”, “Never Been Kissed” and “10 Things I Hate About You”. In tone, “Booksmart” is probably closest to “Superbad”, but it manages – under the direction of actress Olivia Wilde, in her debut feature – to establish a quirky likeability all of its own. An instant classic in the making.

Not for the prudish.
The story concerns two BFF’s – Molly (Beanie Feldstein, sister of Jonah Hill) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever). They have both spent their young lives trying to score A’s at school in lieu of all other distractions. On the eve of their graduation, Molly realises that this was not a binary option. Her school companions have managed to get all of the success without any of the self-sacrifice! She calls “Malala”! And the duo proceed on a drink and drug-fuelled night to catch up on all the school social life they have missed out on!

Part of this catching up includes sex, and with Amy as a naive wannabe lesbian, in awe of tom-boy skateboarder Ryan (Victoria Ruesga), coming out has never seemed so painful.

I first saw this on a plane and guffawed so much that I went out to buy the DVD for a family viewing. Watching it again though, it is really very, very rude. If you were to categorize it, I think “sex comedy” would be a primary tag. A clumsy but realistic scene between Amy and the “hot girl” Hope (Diana Silvers… who really is) is excruciatingly hard to watch. This can therefore prove an uncomfortable co-watch for ‘young folks’ who – despite all the obvious evidence! – assume their parents / in-laws have done nothing in the past other than hold hands!! 🙂

In a great ensemble cast, Kaitlyn Dever is a revelation.
Kaitlyn Dever has cut her teeth with supporting roles on a few B-grade movies this year including “Beautiful Boy” and “The Front Runner“. But here she takes centre stage and is an absolute revelation as the sexually bemused teen. While Beanie Feldstein has the more obvious comic lead role, it is Dever who continually grabbed my attention with her acting skills. This young lady is added to my “one to watch” list.

This is not to decry the rest of the cast. For this is a great ensemble performance from a pretty unknown cast. The only familiar faces are Lisa Kudrow and Jason Sudeikis, but they only have bit parts.

The only role that didn’t quite work for me was that of the kooky drugged out hippie Gigi (Billie Lourd). It was all a bit too over-the-top for me in a movie that didn’t really need that sort of manic angle. (However, this did set up a Marwen-style drug scene that made me snort… with laughter).

As a comedy, will this by the whole you think it is?
I think this will prove to be a firm young person’s favourite for many years to come. Whether you will find it funny or not will probably depend on the setting of your ‘crudometer’ and your resilience to bad language on screen.

For me, personally, I am clearly still 17 on the inside! I loved it. Not only do I think it a good comedy. It is also a feel-good movie about best friends; a coming of age lesbian adventure; and a film that treats the multi-coloured spectrum of modern sexual variety as something entirely normal and to be celebrated.