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Good_Fences
Reviews
How I Met Your Father (2022)
It's pretty bad
If they would've put half as much effort into the writing as they did into making sure it checked all the diversity boxes, maybe the show would be halfway decent. Still, +1 star because Hillary Duff is enjoyable, and +1 more star because it's at least something with a laugh track to trick your brain into being in a positive mood while you scroll Reddit and it plays in the background.
The Informer (2019)
Not good but not bad.
Don't really know what else to say about it. It tries to be a crime drama, but most of it is absolutely absurd, as a lot of people have already pointed out. The thing about a drama is that I'm supposed to be able to empathize with the characters, but I can't do that if they aren't relatable and the plot is just ridiculous. I feel like this movie would've been a lot better if they would've just went the action route with it instead of trying to make it a drama. Also, the ending is just dumb. Every actor in this movie can do better.
Boss Level (2020)
Pleasantly surprised
I expected to find myself getting distracted playing on my phone while this movie was on in the background, but I was engaged the whole time. I really liked it. Not winning the Academy Awards for best pitcher, that's for sure, but it had everything I need. Recommended.
Werewolves Within (2021)
86% on Rotten Tomatoes? Really?
I didn't find anything special about this movie. Tries to be both scary and funny but is neither. I decided to check it out because the trailer looked interesting and it had 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. I like both Sam Richardson and Milana Vayantrub, but, let's be honest - This isn't an "86% of critics are raving" movie. The reason it's sitting at 86% has to do with both of them being the main characters, but nothing to do with the movie itself or their acting ability. We all know what I'm hinting at, so don't make me say it.
Fear of Rain (2021)
Lazy
"The Uninvited" but more upfront with letting you know that some stuff isn't real. It's been done, and it's been done better. Absolutely dreadful ending. It's like the producers showed up in the writers room and said "You have 15 minutes to finish the ending then it's pencils down." Stupid, lazy, poorly written, and unoriginal...but mildly entertaining I suppose so I give it 4 stars instead of 1.
The Resort (2021)
Lol
Easily one of the dumbest movies I've ever seen. They really should've just went all out and cast Paris Hilton or something. It lost me right in the beginning. Find me 2 smoking hot white girls who would rather go exploring an abandoned resort than hang out at the beach in Hawaii. Worst case scenario, it's haunted, and that sucks. Best case scenario, it's not haunted, and you wasted an entire day in Hawaii walking around an abandoned building.
I Am Jane Doe (2017)
Disingenuous
I was quite disturbed by this documentary, and not for the reasons you would think. This documentary is a bait & switch, plain and simple. As someone else stated, it should really be called "the war on Backpage." This is a plaintiff advocacy piece masquerading as an informative documentary on a sensitive topic. The makers of this should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. They basically exploit a serious topic so that they can drive home a narrative on a tangentially related subject, which of course is Backpage.com and prostitution.
This documentary is not about sex trafficking; It is about Backpage.com. That's it. Sex trafficking is just and example used to support their thesis. Every once in a while they will give a brief summary of the story of someone who was a victim of sex trafficking, but that is just to pull at your heartstrings. It's a distraction. If you wanted to make a documentary about Backpage and prostitution, it is possible to do so without logical fallacies, distractions, and a one-sided narrative. This documentary is not fair to backpage or the subject that it is addressing.
I am an engineer who has taken formal training on root cause analysis and corrective action. Backpage is not the problem. It is the intermediary. If you want to address the problem you have to be honest about it. Prostitution is one of the worlds oldest professions, and it isn't going away. Declaring war on it and the vehicles that are used to engage in it will not solve your problem. Banning things like Backpage will serve one purpose - making social justice warriors feel vindicated.
Be careful people. There is a war going on for your mind, and it's easy to find yourself a victim of propaganda if you don't know how to spot logical fallacies. Be vigilant in your quest for information.
God's Not Dead (2014)
You know the chain email about the liberal professor? Yeah, they made a movie out of that
First, let me say that I did actually watch this movie. The only reason I gave it a 1 was because I feel like I need to counteract all of the 10s it is getting from Christians, which it doesn't deserve, even if you look at it from a unbiased perspective. I start every movie with 5 stars and it goes up or down while watching. The acting is terrible (-1 star). The score is corny, and laughable (aka - The ominous music that plays each time the atheist enters the scene)(-1 star). The writing is extremely lazy and predictable(-1 star). It's just....bad. It does have some entertainment value though. As an atheist watching with several others, some of the arguments presented did provoke a conversation afterward (+1 star). For that, I would give it maybe a 3.
Now, that being said, it is impossible to look at the movie from an unbiased perspective because it has a clear agenda. The movie itself is ridiculous. Let me sum it up. I'd give a spoiler warning, but I think everyone knows how this ends before even watching. There are 3 antagonists - The atheist professor, and a liberal blogger that writes attack journalism. They are both portrayed in such a cliché manner (ie: rude, angry, snide, arrogant, incapable of loving anyone, etc) that it would almost be offensive it it weren't over the top comical. They both convert to Christianity in the end. There is a Muslim family, which is portrayed as anti-woman, violent, and intolerant. The Muslim also converts to Christianity. The Chinese exchange student (aka: communist) converts to Christianity. The whole class stands up and proclaims "God is not dead" (Yeah, just like in the chain email).
So, yeah, the characters are one-dimensional, cliché, and almost offensive. Everyone converts to Christianity. I guess the makers of the film don't see the irony in making a movie that is supposed to portray Christians as accepting and friendly while at the same time trashing Muslims, atheist, and liberals.
There are several other ways they could have gone if provoking critical thought where their goal. The professor and student could have shaken hands and agreed to disagree. The Maybe tone down on some of the offensive clichés and stereotypes. Maybe actually present some atheist arguments that will challenge people's way of thinking instead of having the professor stand in the back and make smug remarks. Maybe not have it so the student wins over the entire class (Come on. Really?). This clearly wasn't their goal. It is Christian porn, plain and simple. The people in the theater were clapping like dumb apes whenever the brave Christian scored a point.
Too Long; Didn't Read - Terrible movie even without the whole Christian agenda being shoved down your throat. Sharknado was better. Think about that.
Act of Valor (2012)
Conservative Porn
Let me start by saying that I'm a veteran, and this was complete trash. Nationalistic recruitment propaganda, plain and simple. I'm honestly shocked that there was no part of the move where they try to convince us that Navy SEALs all go to church 9 times per week, participate in the adopt-a-highway, and Boy Scout programs on the weekend. Please. There was nothing real about this movie. People saying that it is realistic need to look up the word cliché in the dictionary. When the LT jumped on the grenade, I honestly laughed. Give me a f-ing break. Also, as others have pointed out, the acting is just horrific. Why would they do that? Scratch that, I know why. Marketing. They know Americans are gullible. The only reason I'm giving it 3 stars, is that, if you ignore the bad acting, propaganda, lies, and nationalism, there are some pretty bad ass firefight scenes.
TL;DR - Nationalist propaganda flick for Republicans to jerk off to. If you want to see a good war flick, watch Saving Private Ryan or Restrepo.