Reviews

This is an amazing film. It is so gorgeous to look at, your eyes will just water from the sheer marvel of it all.

It's just incredible what we as human beings can do.

It makes me proud all over again to see what Americans are capable of on a daily basis.

On this soil and high above it.

It's breathtaking and absolutely inspiring.

Your kids could be pilots.

They could be Blue Angels.

This movie gives us all a glimpse of the process of being on this team during the course of a season.

The selection, the training, the briefings, the camaraderie, family life.

And of course, the awe-inspiring formations up close and personal like you've never, ever seen before.

Ever.

See it in IMAX asap.

This is the best documentary of 2024.

This is an hour and a half total, credits and all, so I'll take it. Longtime director has two more chapters of terror of this title due out soon.

There's a mid-credits scene, so don't bolt for the exits straight away.

This beginning chapter does not motivate me to see the next, but I will see it because I love this franchise.

I believe this movie would've fared better with slightly more star wattage with the visiting couple.

Horror movies don't need stars at all but I think it might have helped here.

Harlin is a solid director.

Even horror.

I quite enjoyed his Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.

I did.

More so than this.

Maybe even way more.

You know the story with this one.

But the leads are weak and irritating even as victims.

Doing stupid stuff at inopportune times.

It's an hour and a half.

You don't need any details from me.

I'll be interested to see if anything improves with Chapter 2.

There is great music in this one: Dolly Parton, Styx, The Moody Blues.

Look 'em up, Gen-Y.

Don't be a Stranger.

This movie is better than Night Swim and Imaginary.

It is not better than Abigail.

That's the extent of my in theater horror comparisons.

This movie looks good.

It has a nice budget and it shows on screen.

There's good music.

It's short. Like an hour and a half. Gotta love that these days.

The actors are all young good looking people.

But boy, are they annoying!

And stupid.

But hey, it's a supposed thriller so it goes with the territory, am I right?

But that could just be the oppositional Generation X-er coming out of me.

The dude from Spider-Man is in this.

He's good but his material is not great.

These college kids kickin' it at a vacay rental come across some cards and decide to start messing with them.

Fortunes are read.

Bad things start happening in Beantown (Boston, but it's not, it's Serbia, I checked) mainly people getting butchered in places that would be way, way populated at any hour but not here, here being bridges, dorms, sorority houses, entire college campuses.

Not only are these places not only, unbelievably uninhabited at these times, they're remarkably dimly lit to darn near dark.

Really?

Of course, you're gonna get murdered.

At least the legend gets explained as to why this all is happening but it's all ho-hum by then.

This is far from an instant classic and it's more like, instantly forgettable.

But I'd still rewatch it before ever trying to watch Night Swim or Imaginary again.

But I'd rather play Trivial Pursuit than Tarot anytime.

But that's Gen-X for you.

It's called Boy Kills World, not Boy Meets World. So as not to get those two titles confused. It can happen, until you sit down to watch this one.

It's not going to be confused with any arthouse, fancy cinema fare, either.

There is an audience for this and they will be completely entertained and walk out of this experience totally satisfied.

I'm just not a part of that audience.

It's a decent flick.

Just based on the inspired casting and the look of the whole movie alone, it has to be a six.

But I have to stop there.

If you're well versed in action films that predate, I'd say, 2010, then you've seen this movie before and with better execution and certainly a better, more detailed storyline.

The fight sequences are solid but the rest of it is not.

The protagonist is a deaf mute who's hellbent on revenge.

Only we hear his inner thoughts.

A lot.

He talks so much in voiceover that it gets old super quick and it never stops.

The whole movie.

A quip here.

A deep thought there.

Thoughts on this. Thoughts on that.

He may be kicking major butts but he's a regular chatty Cathy on the inside.

Good grief.

There's still things to love about this movie.

Famke Janssen (Rounders), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) two of my all time crushes.

Love them still and love them both here. Lots.

Yayan Ruhian (The stellar Raid films) and Brett Gelman (The Other Guys, Stranger Things) Love those dudes!

And I totally get Bill Skarsgard trying TJ distance himself from It, and rip himself up for this role.

But as good as this movie looks, and everybody in here is good in their parts.

It's just not a great movie.

It could be great with better writing and less voiceover.

There are far superior movies out there about vengeance.

Boy not only Kills World, he kills this movie.

Oddly enough, as I consumed this film, it reminded me of a few female driven action movies of the last thirty years or so: Tank Girl, Aeon Flux, and Ultraviolet.

I won't even bother to explain it but it just does.

There is an end scene of some substance that's worth sticking around for.

I was totally shocked to see this title in Tubi. It looked like it had to be connected to the cult classic from 1998. And of course, it is!

Then I began to worry that maybe it would be a cheap rip off, a money grab. Like maybe one of those gazillion American Pie: Band Camp movies, that I've never seen.

But it's not. It is so not that.

This movie is well made.

It has money behind it and it looks like it.

Universal backed this project.

It's got a young, energetic cast unknown to most just as the original did over a quarter of a century ago.

Yikes.

Has it been that long, already?

This movie brings it altogether.

The youth of today.

The humor.

And it properly honors the legacy of the original, which is one of the 90's great comedy movies.

Harland Williams is in this. So is Rachel True!

Dare I say, this movie is an upgrade?

It looks cooler.

It has great music.

Why wasn't this put into theaters?

This cast was cast properly and they came ready to play these roles.

This movie will not let down fans of the first film.

Here's an unlikely comparison but just as Top Gun: Maverick didn't disappoint its longtime fans.

This movie does the same.

Either way, the fans will be flying high! (Oh!!) This movie's format and storyline also is quite similar to its source material.

These Mary Jane enthusiasts in this movie are still on a mission.

To disclose said mission would be a violation of a spoiler alert.

I won't do it.

But it's a solid endeavor and entertaining to watch all the way through.

It's a motivated mission.

With excellent cameos.

And lots of laugh out loud.

A bunch of colorful characters that command this small screen.

Why didn't this play in theaters?

This could've played in theaters.

It's so well made, so creative.

This should've played in theaters.

And it's on Tubi?

Tubi.

But I do love Tubi!

This is a fun movie. Like the first film, it's going to be rewatchable, it's going to be a fave for a lot of people.

Only thing is, no Dave Chapelle, no Guillermo Diaz, no Jim Breuer.

But their presence is felt much the same.

This new movie is a smooth ride, and an enjoyable experience.

It has everything you want from a story continuation standpoint, that is coming from something you love and know quite well.

It won't let you down.

It'll only make you feel high.

From the jump, I knew that this one was going to be hard to follow. The look of it all, the setting, the wardrobe, the exterior, the actors themselves, and then, worst of all, their acting.

It's just all bad and not at all right.

None of it seems normal.

Certainly not believable.

In film, we have to believe.

Buy in.

Even in horror movies.

Especially in horror movies.

I knew that though a mere hour and a half, from the start, with the way this was going, it was going to be a long, long, loooong haul.

A fantastic three hour epic can seem like a viral clip.

A bad, short movie like this can seemingly go on for centuries.

One day I'll want this 90 minutes and five seconds back.

All of it.

So, an oddly-dressed family with perfectly combed hair looking freshly-showered living out of an outdated RV on vacation during a quite chilly time of year (you can see their breath in conversation) as they picnic outside, is encountered by, yikes, two guys in an old truck speaking with southern accents (but of course!) These two guys speak and say things nobody would ever say, ever to strangers, much less a family, and the patriarch in turn reacts how no one would ever react.

Later, they meet again, and more of this awkward interaction continues but this time one of the inexplicably, physically dirty rednecks has a shotgun and they're blocking the road.

Why?

Because this is stupid and it's doing what's been done before but this time, worse, and again, totally not believable.

But, you won't believe this, more bad decisions occur.

And we're not even fifteen minutes in.

And then there's a twist., And it gets the stupid to a whole 'nother ridiculous and grotesque level.

It's cute for a minute, but just a minute.

Then it's back to dumb and even dumber.

Who writes this stuff?

This seems real to you?

Oh, and there's even a lengthy musical interlude.

Yay.

I love a recital injected into the midst of all my horror movies!

You have to ask at some point in some movies, why?

Why is this happening?

Or, as in here, why is any of this happening?

Why are the characters doing what they are doing?

And in this movie, it just doesn't make any sense.

Any of it.

There is a beautiful love scene. A love scene? I know. But it is, and that is the only reason this garbage movie gets rated as high as it does.

This movie wants to be clever but it's not for all the reasons that I mentioned.

Aside from the amazing make out session there is nothing here except frustration and boredom.

This is one of the worst, if not the worst streaming films of 2024.

Take the high road. Live the high life. Don't waste your time and stay away from these Lowlifes.

This movie has it all.

All star ensemble cast.

Ambience.

Mood.

Tons of humor.

Good writing.

Great action.

Little downtime.

Believable acting done by very likable actors In unbelievably awesome situations.

Melissa Barrera. Wow. What a siren!

She looks fantastic in her every role that I've seen but maybe never more so than here.

O. M. G.!

Her, in every single scene.

She is a star. Take my money from here on out whatever she's in.

Dan Stevens.

A true actor.

Loved him in Downton Abbey. Loved him most recently in the new Kong x Godzilla.

He kills it here as well. Just spectacular.

Alisha Weir as the title character. Simply stupendous.

Kathryn Newton. Kevin Durand. Always great.

Angus Cloud, you will be missed. Here, leaving us all wanting more.

This is just a great, fun movie with something for everybody.

Laughs. Anticipation. Interesting scenes and scenarios. It even adds a few new things to the vampire story.

The temperature may be rising outside but inside the theater, it'll feel like Fall is already here.

"Men" is one of the worst movies I have ever seen in the theater in my entire existence.

Honestly, if I had caught on soon enough, that is, before buying a ticket to this, I would've returned it or went and sat in something else. Anything else.

This is supposed to be the U. S. at war with itself. But it never truly, totally feels like it.

I guess this is arthouse warfare.

Whatever this is, it never feels widespread.

It feels like pockets of uprising or squabbles any of which could be completely obliterated and put down within one unseen drone strike from miles and miles away.

Done.

End of movie.

This is like paintball cosplay and the hipster baristas are somehow, someway inexplicably winning this thing.

Even if they smoke their cloves just a wee bit close to those gas cans if you ask me.

And they execute unarmed prisoners of war who have surrendered but somebody who has the word Press scrawled in sharpie on their car door is utterly off limits to any danger. Occupants of said vehicle included.

Look, if this is the end of times, the end of the country, the end of democracy, then show it.

Be real about it.

What's so civil about war anyway?

Skip this, and watch a far superior end of our days film, The Road (2009).

It's one of the most terrifyingly realistic films you'll ever see on the subject.

This here, this is comic con.

It hurts me to write this. It hurts me to rate this like this. But dang it, this was the end. This was it. They could've done better. They should've done better.

This great show went the way of so many others, especially since, where that last episode grounds one out to first as opposed to knocking it out of the proverbial park.

I love Northern Exppsure.

I still do.

But this, for the last episode ever, is just frostbitten.

It's awful.

Did they know this would be it?

I'm assuming they did.

And this is the best they could come up with?

Similar to what Seinfeld would pull in its series finale a few years later, pile everybody they can into that last show?

And then Janine Turner, who I'm more convinced than ever here in 2024, is one of the most beautiful women ever in the entire history of television.

Wow.

A total newfound appreciation for her and her character, Maggie.

Just total one hundred percent yowza every episode she appears in.

And yet, in this final episode she doesn't even show up until about the last ten to fifteen minutes?

What?... What?

How?

Why?

And now she and Chris Stevens are in love? Now?

They've known each other for years, and in the beginning he was irresistible to all women and they've never been involved before, not even prior to Fleishman's arrival in Cicely?

There is nothing in the show's history to lead us to believe there's ever been anything there between those two. Ever. As unlikely as that is to believe in reality.

But in this last season, the latter half, this feels rushed and totally fake.

Trying to add some emotional investment for viewers as the show sparks out and fades away.

This last episode is so bizarre.

It focuses on probably two of my least favorite characters in the entire series.

Teri Polo as the new doctor's wife and Officer Semansky played by Diane Delano.

I don't mind the actresses but I've never been a huge fan of their characters in Northern Exposure.

I watched this episode twice days apart just to make sure I disliked it as much as I did.

Yep, I did.

Just as bad going down a second time.

Holling, John Cullum, stomping around, grunting like some moose in heat. Barely saying a word. Acting like some animal.

It's just dumb.

And totally out of character.

And I love John Cullum.

I think he was great as Holling all along.

But this was a stupid way to send him out.

And speaking of being out of character, just an episode or two before this, Elaine Miles, as Marilyn is teaching some class, and she's yelling over people and barking orders.

She of so little words? So soft spoken, now hollering and telling others what to do?

No.

It's just sad how this show had to end this way.

Still, it was a great show.

Barry Corbin as Maurice. Darren E. Burrows as Ed.

Both excellent throughout, both legends.

I hear or have read producer David Chase is to blame. He took over in 1993 and ran it into the ground after that.

He, of course, had success with The Sopranos but I heard that series' finale was a massive disappointment also.

I never saw the end of that show, but I did see the movie prequel, The Many Saints of Newark in the theater and can attest to how weak and dissatisfying that whole experience was.

He produced that too.

Anyway, it feels weird to judge a thirty-year old show so harshly on its last episode.

The entire show is a 9.5.

The remaining shows after Rob Morrow's departure keep it from a total ten and sheer perfection.

It's still one of the best shows of all time.

I get it. You're thinking, man, I'm kinda getting tired of seeing all these Kong/Godzilla monster movies.

We sure are jaded.

Are you not entertained?

Do yourself a solid and get yourself to your closest, most favorite cinema as soon as possible.

Pay your admission. Get your ticket. Sit down and get ready to be blown away.

This is non-stop action.

And it's funny. Laugh out loud funny.

Good music too: Loverboy, Golden Earring, KISS, etc.

Oh, yeah. And there's gigantic beasts beating each other into a pulp.

There's that too.

And it is aaaawwwwesome!

The humans are great in this as well.

Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Bryan Tyree Henry.

All excellent.

If you're thinking, what else could they possible do with Kong, or Godzilla?

Go see this.

Because they do alot with those two.

And others.

A whole lot.

Best action movie this year.

It won't even be close.

Oh, you know there's going to be those, a great many out there who are going to get all giddy about anything Ghostbuster-ish.

Ooh, look!!

There's Slimer!!

Wow-ee!!

There's the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man!!

Again.

Sure, it's great to see these things again.

And again.

And again.

As a Gen-Xer I adore the aforementioned things.

I really do.

And I understand giving service to the longtime fans and all, but at some point you have to move on.

There's obviously some attempt to do that here with all of these kids stepping into the suits.

But they don't have it.

The kids don't have it.

There's no grittiness, no real flaws, no chinks in the armor. No taking an "L" from this group.

It reads like your typical 2000's young adult lit.

The kids from Stand By Me. Boyz N The Hood. Even It.

They'd be Far Better Ghostbusters.

I know. I know. Finn Wolfhsrd was in It.

But this is about the writing and not just the actors.

And this sucker here is cgi'd to the teeth.

And there's no scares here.

None.

What's that?

Ice?

Yikes!

The villain or monster or whatever is nothing. There's nothing to it.

Certainly not fear or nothing fearful.

It'll be interesting to see where this goes or if it goes.

You can't keep throwing references back to the 1980's.

Easter eggs are best left with the bunny at some point.

I'd like to see a fresh films sans all the shoutouts.

A Ghostbusters with this cast and no connection to any previous edition.

What would that look like?

New ghosts. New sidekicks. Maybe a location outside of NYC, that firehouse and getting around in Ecto-1.

How about something genuinely funny but scary too.

Hollywood, if you're not going to be daringly creative anymore and you're going to continually go back to these forty and fifty year old properties, at least make it fresh, invigorating and exciting.

Make it challenging.

And it's okay if it's only an hour and a half.

I actually liked this movie alright. It's just not more than a six and a half and the whole time I kept thinking how it could be better.

Maybe they should just go all in with the 2020's kids now.

Who you gonna text?

Okay. Bear with me here.

If you love "horror" movies where a child all by her lonesome descends stairs into a dark and dirty cellar where creepy noises emanate from, why, oh who cares if no kid would ever do this in like, ever.

If you get creeped out by a Swifty taking a selfie and in the background of that photo, yikes! Lookout! There's some old lady neighbor photobombing, and she's got to be at least in her sixties!

Terrifying!

The acting and writing are tiresome and totally unbelievable. Not only do they not seem like a family, they don't even seem like they know each other at all.

And lastly, if sitting in on child psychology sessions is your bag, get ready to fill that bag full with this film.

This movie should be Teddy Ruxspin spinning out of control.

That's what we're all here for.

But it's not. And never is.

The entire movies plods along at a 3 until the end.

The end is just okay.

Influences of the art of M. C. Escher and much better 1990's horror flicks.

And Betty Buckley. She's always great. But here there's no eight, and she's just not enough.

Not to save this.

That makes this movie a tad more bearable at 4 stars.

I just finished binging the first two glorious seasons of this fantastic show and I loved every single second of it. And I still have never, ever watched not one minute of Letterkenny. I have no idea what that is or what that is about.

I say all that to say that this show stands on its own and viewers need no help, no study guide, no Cliffs Notes.

Just maybe a book on Québécois translations or something.

I kid. But the rat-a-tat-tat dialogue in this quick series is one of its finest pleasures.

Speaking of fine pleasures.

All the gorgeous babes here are aplenty.

No need to speak French Canadian when there's international beauty entertaining every other of your sense.

By the second episode of the first season, I was body-checked into the boards.

This is one of the funniest tv shows uncontestedly in the last fifteen years.

At least.

Way more hilarious than any movie this last decade or more so too.

You don't even need to have a strong knowledge of the sport of hockey, nor even much of an affinity for it to enjoy this show at full capacity.

Do you like short episodes of approximately twenty minutes?

Do you like to laugh? Alot?

Do you like stunningly amazing women?

Then get to know Shoresy.

I guess I'll go find out what this Letterkenny is?

I love space thrillers. I love international intrigue, and also double-triple-quadruple crossing movies going every which way it's like your head is spinning in the clouds, or for what I was hoping in this case, way, way above them.

But here not so much.

Instead of blasting off, this film stayed completely and utterly grounded.

It's twenty minutes before it even goes scorched Earth on us.

It's talky-talk time until then.

And I'm good with riveting dialogue building a good, solid story.

But this is not that.

In either Russian or English.

It's blah, blah, blah no matter the language.

And once the Earth is finally set ablaze (don't act like you're not there for it), there's a slow, boring, solo space walk outside the space station, and the most ridiculous small talk takes place between an astronaut and crew member.

The planet is a literal dumpster fire in the background this whole time and we have to hear about relationships and whatnot between these two.

Living through the spaceman in this scene on his walk outside the I. S. S., I just wanted to rip my helmet off and go flailing into the darkness.

But this is not the worst movie of 2024. No, so far that title belongs to a haunted in-ground pool.

Night Swim.

But this movie just doesn't have it.

It feels like a Roland Emmerich film.

But it's definitely not.

I actually quite liked Moonfall (2022).

This doesn't even come close to that.

It doesn't have enough booster power to thrust you into the stratosphere.

I. S. S.: Intentional Sleep Study.

Ahhh. The 1970's. Jaws. The Bigfoot craze. All combined and maximized here on a minimum budget and placed on broadcast television (as it would and should be), a feature-length film for as many Americans to see as possible.

Back then, the only streams you might see on tv, were in the scenery of a Grizzly Adams episode.

Here now, in January of 2024, the weather outside was frightful, so as I thankfully still had power, I decided to venture out into this adventure to match the mood.

And match it, this film did.

Oh sure, it looks all fuzzy now because it was shot so long ago, but that's part of its charm.

It has a short run time and that was part of its draw for me as well.

Yvette Mimieux looking sexy and slender in a ski suit?

Yes, please!

I've been in love with her since one of my all-time favorite films, The Black Hole (1979).

Which also brings to mind, the fact that this is a television movie really has nothing to do with how terrifying a movie like this could be.

One of the scariest films ever made is a television movie: Salem's Lot (1979).

Starring the sadly, recently departed David Soul 1/4/24. Rest In Peace.

And directed by none other than Tobe Hooper, the horror master himself.

1979 must've been quite a year for television movies.

Because another of my all time favorite movies, All Quiet on the Western Front (1979) starring Richard Thomas and Ernest Borgnine is another.

Wow, 1979. Wow.

But this movie is not so Wow.

But it's still entertaining in its cheese and its camp.

It's like Jaws on many levels.

Monster problems on a resort during its peak time of year.

Here it's the Winter Festival (oh no!) Not much in the way of creature visibility throughout.

Outdoor recreation and those who enjoy these activities are placed in obvious peril.

What's different, is I like how the screen turns red at some cliffhanger moment before what I'm sure would've been a commercial break.

This isn't even a decent snowy scary movie. It's not The Thing (1982) or 30 Days of Night (2007).

If those are double black diamonds on the mountains, then this is the greenest of the greens.

But it's still fun.

And there's lovely old footage of Crested Butte, Colorado where this was filmed, and I myself took to those slopes about a decade later in the equally glorious decade of the 1980's.

Will you be scared watching this?

No.

Will you be entertained in different ways?

Yes.

Make something hot to drink and watch this go beast mode long before it was a thing.

There is so much to like about this movie.

It's got Minnie Driver in it. She's been driving a path to my heart for, yikes, thirty years now.

Josh Hutcherson is a villain. And a darn good one.

He's likable, funny, stupid and despicable all at once and it is lovely to see.

He takes full advantage of his role and the audience in full reaps the benefits.

This movie has cinematic testosterone with a capital T squeezed right from the glorious 1980's and butt-kicking with a capital B.

They pair together rather nicely as they often do.

The kills are plenty and plenty creative.

Director David Ayer doing what he always does best.

And Jeremy Irons stepping in and classing up the joint.

This is a most welcome original theatrical release for January.

It's not a comic book movie or a Star Wars movie.

It's not a reboot, sequel or prequel.

It's Jason Statham doing Jason Statham things.

And it is a blast to watch on the big screen.

I also highly recommend another Beekeeper film, Ulee's Gold (1997) starring Peter Fonda. It too, is quite buzz worthy.

I genuinely, typically enjoy these first of the year horror releases in the theater. I have for the last several years.

So, what better way to start 2024 on a chilly and wet early January day than to venture into the warm darkness of my local cinema for this annual occurrence?

This is usually a rather satisfying trip.

Not this time.

My fingers are all pruny, I smell like chlorine but this movie is not a horror film.

Far from it.

Night Swim?

More like daytime drama.

Yes, it's PG-13, but that means nothing when it comes to scares.

The best mess with your mind.

Nope. Not here. It keeps you safe on the shallow end.

With floaties on.

The dad doesn't even look like a former athlete, much less a major leaguer.

Stuff like that bugs me.

I know he's sick but he looks more like a banjo player than one of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Jam band maybe but not a ball player.

Not believable.

But none of this is.

Why is this happening? How is this happening? What makes this water so wicked?

The explanations given make your eyes hurt more from rolling than anything chlorine could ever do.

It's hard to believe this early, but sink or swim and this sucker sinks like a stone right to the bottom.

One of the Worst Films Released in Theaters in 2024.

There's no lifeguard on duty. You assume your own risk going to see this one.

Oh! There is a killer song on the soundtrack by a band called Harmonica Lewinski. So, at least there's that.

As far as 2023 action sequels go, this movie far exceeds the accomplishments of entertaining the masses on a much grander scale.

If you liked the first Aquaman film, you'll like this one as much if not maybe even more so.

Is this the greatest movie ever made?

No, of course not. It's not even the best DC movie by any stretch.

Is it decent enough entertainment for these holidays?

Sure.

Is it fast food and not fine dining?

Absolutely.

But the long runtime is one of this film's flaws for sure.

Could've easily shaved a half hour off this flounder.

As you watch, you will see so many scenes that remind you of so many other movies, good and bad: Star Wars Episodes I-III, and VII-IX, Avatar, even Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

I know, not exactly awesome, but believe it or not, it's not horrible. It passes the time.

Jason Mamoa still has his charisma. And Amber Heard, despite everything else, is still absolutely gorgeous on the biggest of screens.

Don't just stick a toe in, or dangle your feet in the water.

Go ahead, dive on in head first.

The water is fine.

This is one of the greatest wrestling movies ever made. Certainly the greatest true wrestling story ever made.

This is one of the greatest sports movies ever made.

But you need to know nothing about wrestling nor of this famous wrestling family to absorb the absolute impact that this movie will have on you inside the theater.

This carries the same weight, pound for pound, as the fabulous Elvis movie did a year or so ago.

This movie also magnificently captures that wonderful and amazing era of life before the internet and social media.

Where real feats of strength, endurance and physical athleticism had to be either witnessed in person and seen with one's own eyes, or on some small screen somewhere.

Legends were made inside a ring in tiny arenas and gymnasiums on this country's soil. And their images were then plastered on paper in magazines that covered the racks at the local drug store or grocery store.

And it was every bit as influential as anything that one could possibly find on their phones today.

This is an unbelievable and incredible tale.

Everyone should know the Von Erichs.

They will after seeing this.

How have I never heard of this movie? I don't even remember it at all ever playing in theaters or anything. And it has three of my favorite all-time actors in it. How did I miss this?

I don't know, but I totally did.

I love this movie.

It's totally a new favorite.

An easy watch.

Funny. Well-written and with great humor.

Not to mention, beautifully shot with stunning exteriors and amazing birds.

Just amazing.

This movie will make you want to be a birder, to take up and actively engage in birdwatching.

It's so peaceful. A magnificent hobby, or for these characters, an obsession.

And one could see totally why.

This movie makes you appreciate it all.

With lovely tunes by Coldplay, Guster, and Iron & Wine among others.

And then there's two of my all-time lovelies of lovelies in Rashida Jones and Rosamund Pike looking as incredible as ever here.

A different type of birdwatching there but still gorgeous just the same.

And the movie is funny too.

It just has it all.

Like in a nest.

This is a movie you'll want to own and add to your physical collection like a hardback book on your shelf.

It's just that fantastic and worthy of your owing it.

Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black.

It's a wonderful story about friendship and brotherhood and a common interest in the feathered winged ones that fly above us.

And I absolutely loved it.

I'd get a hotel or motel. I'd send regrets for my "unexpected" absence but in no way whatsoever would I ever want to spend a minute of my free time, especially during the most wonderful time of the year with these pompous, insufferable, ridiculously unlikeable and unrealistic jerks that make up this entire brood here.

Ugh. Just miserable this lot.

Oh, but oh so tolerant otherwise.

Eye roll.

It's like the writer-director of this movie just put together a bunch of northeastern types and spewed out some dialogue and awkward situations for us all to uncomfortably witness.

It's not funny or entertaining at any point ever.

Who does that?

Who says that?

It's just not believable and certainly not fun family holiday frolic time.

I'm just glad that several of the actors that I enjoy and respect in this movie were able to go on from this and do other films later on where their reputations were recovered for me.

Send a fruitcake to this clan and stay as far away as possible.

This film is not horrible. I expected way, way worse. I still remember the horrible reviews even from way back when this movie was released.

Ben Affleck is an actor that through the years I have always had this inclination to want to strongly dislike and certainly disapprove of in the very least.

But he just won't allow me to do it. Not a hundred percent of the time, anyway.

He's too good in other roles in other movies.

I just can't!

Hollywoodland, Gone Girl, heck, even The Boiler Room.

He's fantastic.

But here?

Not so much.

But it's not entirely his fault here, either.

Also sad to see all of the other actors involved here, slumming it.

Namely Applegate, Gandolfini, and O'Hara.

Totally wasted talent.

And I don't care how ridiculously obnoxious Affleck's character is?

With all that power and money, I find it difficult to comprehend that he'd be completely alone on the holidays.

Even if the company he keeps is superficial there's just no way a dude with all that would ever be alone unless it was by choice.

And it'll drive you crazy because for the most part of this movie you will constantly ask yourself where is his real family?

Why would they not be in contact? At least some of them? Like, they wouldn't support their son's ascent to that level?

So, are they estranged? Deceased? What happened and why?

But you will have to wait to find all of this out and wait way too long you will.

And the host family?

Why the distaste for the holidays? The unwillingness to really celebrate it or acknowledge it?

Especially for the starting offer of $250K?

I can't think of anyone who wouldn't turn their place into The North Pole for a few days for that kind of payout.

And Applegate's character seems to sweet and well balanced to be a product of this family the way they are portrayed.

With the right script this could've been so much better.

Though not a total waste of time, this is far from a Christmas holiday classic.

For a good portion of this movie, it all just seems so unbelievable and not really in a good way. There is too much to be questioned or challenged in the first half or so of this film.

Like Charlize Theron.

A young, stunning, jaw-dropping even when dressed down and plain as here, Theron's character writing prisoners because she is oh so lonely and unattached, we're supposed to just go along for this ride and believe that?

Well, no way! I can't!

I can believe in aliens and other dimensions in movies, but Charlize Theron or a character that looks like her being desperately single, I just can't buy into.

The movie is okay. It passes the time. The who switcheroo of Affleck's character with his cellmate is also not believable though still more believable than Theron's supposed non-existent dating life here.

But in the end it puts itself together more properly and raises its score a tad.

Could this have been a more classic holiday caper?

Yes.

Instead it just adequately passes the time.

This movie was released in 2012 but it might as well have been released in 1972, it has been so long since movies like this were made for theatrical release.

Okay, it might not have been as long but it certainly seems as long.

This is a gritty, neo-noir thriller set in The Big Easy of New Orleans and elsewhere.

Even its' title is gritty.

Contraband.

Who doesn't want to venture into a world with that title.

Most people that the only contraband that they smuggle is store-bought candy into the movie theater for their own personal consumption, that's who.

I'm just saying.

But the story here is riveting enough.

It is well-acted and has a well-rounded, stellar cast.

Just be careful who you trust when you're running that whole Milk Duds operation you got going on there.

Well, this just isn't very good. Oh, it's better than other movies and certainly not the worst movie ever made, but this isn't a top notch thriller or mystery. It's not some incredible military conspiracy film.

No, it's not.

Regardless of a hit or miss director and an otherwise stellar cast.

It's just not good.

Not riveting. In the least.

Connie Nielsen, gorgeous and stunning as she always is, also stuns here with one of the worst southern accents ever on film.

Sorry. But it's true.

It's also supposed to be Panama during hurricane season but I can clearly see the actors' breath in several scenes.

The ending here makes the movie.

It's not a bad ending at all.

But the movie is pretty basic until then.