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tomgpohl
Reviews
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
If only it were LONGER...
Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the film. I went into the theater knowing I'd probably need to phish after 3 hours (4 pre-views), but I made it! Just shut off beverages 2 hours prior!
The film was broken down into three, one hour acts; it's everything you've been exposed to when it comes to white men screwing over people of color. If you read the poorly written book, you'll see: An older white dude scamming Osage Indians by deception, which includes falsely being their strongest ally. Yea, King (Robert De Niro) is the "King of Pawhuska."
A very simple murderous plot is way, way, WAY over told of how King orchestrated the murders of particular Osage oil families (mostly women and their children) and his twisted scheme to profit from their trusts.
The Last Thing He Told Me (2023)
Boring!
Man, I was really excited to see this series. I'm a big fan of the novel, and I was convinced this was going to be a solid production. Then it came time to watch. Okay...okay, the first episode was slow, but that's to be expected. The 2nd episode dropped and so did my attention span. "Come on, man," I told myself...lots of shows have a hiccup during their first season.
By the time I watched episode 4, I forgot about Nikolai Coster-Waldau's character and actually thought maybe he quit the show? "No you fool," I said to myself. The book had his character gone. But why was I not feeling it? I'm still not sure. I'll hang with it, but I'm not happy!
The Victim (2019)
Excellent. Smoldering at Times, But a Visual/Audio Success in the End
When I first watched episode 1/season 1, I was a little bit skeptical of what was yet to come. I felt like I was under the spell of another film school graduate with a Red Camera. I have to admit I was wrong. Not about a student with a camera, but a premise with a production company.
Here we go: Casting was impeccable.
Script: "come on. This was not some crap spec stuff.
Production: Framing, stabilization and Rack-Focus was incredibly Excellent!
Post: The magic that occurs at this level definitely shines!! Whether it be Divinci or Adobe Premiere? (It really doesn't matter if the director and producer(s) aren't on meth!
Andor (2022)
Finally a Dark SW Backstory!
I don't know anything about the writers or director of the latest SW "Andor" installment, but I do know I was thoroughly entertained from the moment I was exposed to the Act 1's exposition shots. "For ***-sakes", I thought, FINALLY a dark Star Wars backstory series that actually shows a PG+?-level camera narrative.
I'm not a violence junky, but I I have become so desensitized by Star Wars' aftermarket G-rated gosh/golly shots of storm troopers being blasted and only falling over like a Shakespeare Tragedy Play. No blood, I mean ZERO blood; No dismemberment? Really, a laser blaster wouldn't blow an arm off? I NEED REALITY!
Again, good news has arrived and The "New Zoo Review" production staff have finally produced A "Blade Runner" level production without wrecking the integrity of the original story.
Great Job to the Pre, Prod, and Post teams!
House of the Dragon (2022)
Good Start!
A somewhat impressive start is muddled by lots of blurry and fuzzy shots of obvious CGI scenery that doesn't inspire the viewer much. Overall the first episode is good. However, I don't feel excited to watch more. Not nearly as excited as I was when I watched the first episode of Game of Thrones. My fear is it's too much of a melodrama even though a dragon is seen in the first five minutes of the opener. I had to wait approximately 10 seasons before I saw a dragon in the first GOT. I'll stick with it, but I'll also buy more coffee!
Prey (2022)
Finally, A Feminist Predator Film!
Well shot. Well acted. Sound is phenomenal! Color Grading was perfect! Costumes and makeup are spot on! Sit back...relax. This is a good film! Just enough violence told mostly through the protagonist's eyes.
D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?! (2022)
Get Over It!
Even if DB Cooper survived the jump, he's sitting in an old folks home wearing a diaper.
Everyone claimed to be this guy. Colbert wasted millions looking for a dead guy.
The Terminal List (2022)
Love the Premise-Hate the Execution
Hang in there viewers, this drama (almost melodrama) can't get much worse. However, it does! Why? Only because the writers and producers quickly realized they were holding a "Bim" (Peter Seller's for Bomb); The narrative and annoying Flash-Backs then started to meld into a production that realized it's limits-or better yet, their budget--A "Prime Budget." Still, watch, and be entertained!
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
I Want To Love It...But I Can't
All the ingredients, but no cupcakes. Why did Obi-Wan have to be connected to only Princess Leia? I'm sounding like an Apparatus Theory purist, but certainly more storylines could have been written for OWK.
I suggest you fire the current writers and hire Jon Favreau for help. He may be your only hope!
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Bad...and That's Not Good
Lazy installment of an archaic series that just won't die. It's actually offensive to watch when compared to the original. How can they screw up CGI in 2018? I think Cats had more credibility.
The Batman (2022)
Very Dark Batman. Only Because It's Mostly Shot in the Dark!
Don't get me wrong about this film. While I appreciate the fact it's not filled with pretty actors, it lacks evolution. We get that Bruce Wayne is a rich eccentric that dabbles with hi Tec toys. We get his butler is Alfred. We get his parents we're slain when he was a child. STOP repeating the same narrative! Why does TBM have to wear that ridiculous outfit. He should just wear 5.11 jeans and a t-shirt.
I know I'm sounding anti-comic book, but at some point his character has to change. Just start the film in present day, but for Christ sakes-in some other city or country! I'm sick of Gotham. Nobody cares about Gotham. Even the Brady Bunch went to Hawaii.
One last thing. Turn some lights on! Anything shot in the dark is hiding something. Just ask the Great Ice War scene in Game of Thrones.
The Power of the Dog (2021)
The Power of Ambien
I kept hearing about this movie, so I poured a cup of tea and watched... and watched ... and watched. I enjoyed the cinematography and acting, but I was completely bored.
False Positive (2021)
Trojan XXL Ribbed, Please!
I found this film to be incredibly entertaining. It's shot very well. Sound is good. Acting is good. Creepiness is great!
Pierce Brosnan's character just wanted to spread his "007 Gene" throughout the world. Okay, a bit implausible, but I think some real life doctor actually has done this.
Bottom line: One of Hulu's better films. Just don't watch if you're trying to get pregnant!
The Betrayed (2008)
Not -a-Good-Movie
You'll have to suspend disbelief in just about everything you know about in connection to the way things really work in order to remotely accept this film. (Spoiler Alert: Her husband is a scumbag!)
Why? The premise completely reduces police officers as untraceable dummies that roam around without any oversight and support of any kind. An assumption that website technology is rarely understood by normal people. (My 8-year-old could break this film's online code)
The Executive Summary that got this ridiculous script green-lighted should have been the "Treatment" for a better film. In short-It was so unbelievable that I couldn't continue watching without hitting the FF button. In short of my short: it was stupid!
BTW: The cop at the end was so completely unbelievable that I can't even write this review without smashing something!
Enjoy-just smoke a bowl first!
Peace-and-Love.
Under Suspicion (2000)
On The Nose!
I knew Hackman wasn't the killer after the first 5 minutes! While I appreciate the effort, the ending was very predictable! I did enjoy the suspect and witness accounts including Morgan Freeman. That was nicely done.
Oldboy (2013)
Completely Implausible and Stupid, But....Entertaining!
A psychotic weirdo with an English accent employs about 600 brain dead minions to run his personal incarceration business (I'm trying to avoid a spoiler). Lord F-head has fun with inmate Joe (Brolin) and one of the Full House twins. After 20 years of incarceration Joe is mysteriously released. However, none of the characters have aged. The whole scenario could have been shutdown with a 911 call, but the police are never seen in this absurd production.
Lots of fights scenes with balsa wood and Jackie Chan flunkies complete this stupid film. Who directed this moronic mess? Oh...
Scream (2022)
Killer!
How did they get Courtney Cox's mother in this film? She looks just like CC, except much older. This production is amazing! I can't wait to see it again...
Wolves at the Door (2016)
Friends Don't Let Friends Make a Bad Film
My only question about the premise and plot is: Why? Based on the Manson Murders? Why base it on the Tate/ Bianchi murders? Why not make a film about it? Lots of questions, but this film is just another wannabe Manson massacre-except it is terrible.
The Maid's Room (2013)
Last Girl - Not!
First of all, if I was Mr. Crawford, I would have placed Mrs. Crawford under the sod and made way for the "new" Mrs. Drina Crawford! If you're going to be a psycho, you might as well go big.
Anyway, yea this movie was okay. It was shot pretty well, except for the night shots towards the end where Director Walker called for the scenes to be shot in almost complete darkness. The acting was good. Bill Camp (Mr. Crawford) was good, as was Paula Garcés. Sound was good, but writer Walker needed more suspense in his script. Once Drina was dead, I became very disinterested in the film. By the way, municipal police departments don't give a rats arse about a witness or victim's immigration status, so that portion of the story was really stupid.
Overall, a good Peloton ride film!
The Book of Boba Fett (2021)
A Disappointment-So Far
Man, I really wanted to love this new Star Wars installment. I let the first episode go as a creative development-you know...cook the "Treatment" awhile longer. I'm still waiting after a weird train robbery in episode 2.
I want to see technology! Not Sand People! I want to see something outside of Tatooine! Please, no more CHUD sand creatures either. I want to see X-Wings, hints about zero-gravity technology-just get off that boring planet!
Dark Was the Night (2014)
WOW! That Was Really Bad!
At first, the film seemed like it might be good, but it's so horrible made, I was immediately sucked out of the film. I think the director tried too hard.
Radioflash (2019)
Here's a Flash: "Skip This Movie!"
It seemed like 3 premises in one movie: Dystopian causing event. Survival Plan, followed by the "The Hills have Eyes." This movie gave me a headache. When the main character is held hostage by the Clampets, I kept checking if I was still watching the same film. Stupid movie.
Alone (2020)
Excellent! Get Ready to Scream at your TV!
An excellent thriller that'll make you yell out loud at your screen. Well acted and shot. Sound design was also very good. I really enjoyed this film.
You Belong to Me (2021)
The Script Needs Flex Seal!
Lots of holes in a script that was void of desperately needed prose necessary to produce any logical suspense. Instead, a really disgusting looking hatchet faced weirdo with an English accent is introduced that seems to outsmart Affleck's character. I'm not even sure if Casey Affleck was in the same room when this was film was shot.
Dr. Fanning's voice seemed oddly dubbed as if she didn't speak English. Okay...I'm not complaining. The cinematography and sound department did an outstanding job, but the Weird English guy (James) just kept wrecking the film.
Bottom line: Bad script. Bad casting. Okay film.
The Marksman (2021)
Pretty...Pretty...Good!
Another Neeson vs. The world movie that is entertaining and implausible, but fun to watch. A reused script from "Taken" with a few changes that delivers the Neeson formula. I'm not complaining-I'm a huge fan! I don't know why they called it "The Marksman?" He hardly uses his rifle in the film.