sherwoodbandit-1977 Reviews

Crocodile Dundee (1986)

That's a Knife...

[5/10 · 4 June 2024]

Another beloved movie from my childhood that doesn't really hold up. It's like two different films. The first half is seemingly a love letter to the gorgeous landscape of the Australian Outback while the second shows its affection for the greatest city in America. I prefer the quiet trek through the actual jungle to his sojourn to the concrete jungle. Paul Hogan is definitely charming and I understand how this launched him into stardom, but nothing really happens in the film apart from a cool crocodile attack and the fish out of water in the second half. Its short run time keeps it from becoming tedious, but I'm surprised they were able to squeeze two more sequels out of this utilizing approximately the same formula. It's not terrible but much like Dundee's chewed up boat, it doesn't hold a lot of water. I prefer his 1990 film Almost an Angel. It is a much better movie all around.

Deadwood (2004–2006)

Sold Under Sin...

[10/10 · 4 June 2024]

In my opinion Deadwood is one of the best television shows ever made. I was so obsessed with this series that I've made my way to the real town twice where I stayed in the Bullock Hotel and visited the tavern where Wild Bill was shot and where his chair still remains. Deadwood was sadly cut down in its prime to make way for the Rome series which barely made it through two seasons. What a waste. Thankfully, David Milch and HBO heard the fans' outcry and finally made a film for us to watch before the original cast all passed away. The original series had a perfect ensemble cast with Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane leading the way, both of whom are my favorites. They play their roles immaculately. The excellent performances don't end there, and are too numerous to name in this short review though John Hawkes, Robin Weigert and William Sanderson are particularly excellent. I count the writing among the greatest ever put on paper for film with the dialogue often seeming Shakespearean. It is difficult to say whether or not the show would have fallen to ruin had it continued on, but as it is the series is nearly perfect and we will never see its like again.

Don't Look Up (2021)

The Lighter Side of Armageddon...

[7/10 · 27 May 2024]

I've watched this several times and enjoyed it every time. I've always been a fan of "extinction level," story lines and I love that they finally made one that was comedic in nature. Sure, it is full of not so subtle messages and agendas about the direction the creators believe society is headed, but it is well cast and pretty clever most of the time. Leonardo DiCaprio isn't really known for his comedic chops, but it is refreshing to see him go for something light and he rises to the occasion admirably. I know it is blasphemy, but this is probably the most I've liked Meryl Streep as well. Overall, if you turn off your brain and enjoy this for what it is, you will likely have a great time and laugh often.

Perry Mason (2020–2023)

You See Something That Looks Promising, You Work a Vein For All It's Worth...

[7/10 · 27 May 2024]

Another fantastic show cut down in its prime. The cast, writing and production values are all wonderful. The pacing does have a tendency to drag a bit but you almost expect that with a period acting piece. Each season comes with its own flavor of suspense and drama and either could stand on its own. Even though the ratings were strong, and it was a popular show, the budget demands of putting together such an intricate story set in this time period was more than HBO was willing to continue footing the bill for. It's a real shame considering how great Matthew Rhys is in the role and the strong chemistry he developed with Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk. I'm sorry to see it go, but like many series that didn't go the distance it is probably for the best so that it didn't have the chance to deteriorate and become lesser than it was.

Necessary Roughness (1991)

Everybody Missed Their Assignments...

[3/10 · 22 May 2024]

I remember liking this movie a lot when I first watched it in the 90s. However, upon re-watching it, the movie really sucks. It's the same basic formula as every other football film that came out around that time only it doesn't have as good an ensemble cast or a particularly inspiring story. Scott Bakula is usually much better than this and whose bright idea was it to make Hector Elizondo a football coach? I was really hoping for some small spark of what made me like this, but I thought it was all a wash. Another sad example of something that I loved as a kid not holding up years later. Really disappointing.

The Righteous Gemstones (2019– )

If God Be For Us, Who Can Be Against Us...

[10/10 · 22 May 2024]

This is surely one of the greatest comedies of the last thirty years. Danny McBride really struck gold with this clever idea. It is very rare that a show comes along that can make me laugh out loud often, and all three seasons succeeded in accomplishing that easily. The first season was so good that I was terrified the next two would be lesser, but they were all great! McBride's writing is fantastic and the supporting cast is immaculate. The rotating door of guest stars have also been carefully selected and each of them excel at their various roles throughout the series. It is difficult to choose any standout in this outstanding ensemble cast, but a slight edge goes to Edi Patterson's Judy. She is a brilliant comedian and thoroughly embraced the unhinged nature of her character. I'm thrilled to hear there will be a fourth season and I can't wait for it to come out!

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

Partnerships are Delicate, Sometimes They End Violently...

[7/10 · 20 May 2024]

I'm quite surprised this didn't do better. It is great fun! The only thing I can think is that it arrived too late after the Jack Ryan boom of the 90s. Kenneth Branagh has always been a great director and one of the few that I enjoy when they cast themselves in their own movies. He is excellent both onscreen and off and was the perfect choice for this. Chris Pine was equally a fantastic choice to continue the Jack Ryan legacy...so much better than Ben Affleck in the role. I even liked him better than Harrison Ford which suggests that he is the correct age that Clancy envisioned and even more sad that this didn't take off because I would have enjoyed seeing where he would take the character. It never bothered me in the least that this wasn't based on any source material. The script is sharp and exciting and they executed the story perfectly. I'm sad that this is the end of my Jack Ryan journey until I'm ready to check out the television show.

The Sum of All Fears (2002)

Words Have a Habit of Being Turned into Policy...

[4/10 · 19 May 2024]

As I've been making my way back through the Jack Ryan movies, this is easily the weakest. This gives me a bit of satisfaction since I've been reading about what a pain in the ass Tom Clancy was in the previous installments and he was directly involved with this one as a writer and producer. I even heard that he was adamantly against it because of that experience. His moral fiber only held together long enough for them to drive a dump truck full of money up to his door. Only then did he feel comfortable signing on. The film suffers from a paper thin plot, mediocre characters and a conflict that feels played out. The Russians?! It has a lot of good actors in it, but none of them give memorable performances and other than the cool nuclear explosion nothing really happens and the film is forgettable. Pretty sure they hung the entire movie on that nuclear bomb anyway. This is in no way the first time an author interfering with an adaptation made it worse, but it is certainly one of the best examples. Nothing could have saved this short of them bringing back the team from Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. I hope Clancy learned a valuable lesson about leaving the creatives alone to do their work when what they are doing is beloved by everyone but him.

Clear and Present Danger (1994)

Success is Not Measured by Personal Gain...

[8/10 · 19 May 2024]

I enjoyed Patriot Games quite a bit, but Clear and Present Danger is where this creative team really hit its stride. By bringing back a large portion of the same crew, it was obvious that everyone was comfortable with each other and it shines through in the storytelling. It certainly helps that the subject matter is a lot more compelling than its predecessor. Not to say that Patriot Games didn't have an interesting story, this one was just better. It is really unfortunate that Tom Clancy pitched such a fit about P. G. because I feel like this team could have kept right on making Jack Ryan films and they would have got better and better each time. I'm sure his displeasure soured everyone on the experience and made it more trouble than it was worth. Who cares that Harrison Ford was older than the guy in the book? He is fantastic in these movies and achieved a depth for the character that younger versions like Ben Affleck and Chris Pine couldn't hope to tap into...and I like both of those actors. It is sad when authors don't understand that, after a certain amount of time, the story doesn't just belong to them but to all of us that enjoyed reading them. It's a shame that we didn't get more of these, but the two we did will always be classics.

Patriot Games (1992)

A Conscience is the Price of Morality...

[7/10 · 19 May 2024]

Hollywood in the 1990s was obsessed with the IRA. It seems like there were countless projects during that decade that focused on the political war that plagued Ireland. Patriot Games kicks off the decade long fixation on the subject matter with some style. Featuring Harrison Ford's first go 'round as Jack Ryan and everyone's favorite 90s villain Sean Bean, the movie is much more entertaining and engaging than The Hunt for Red October. I do tend to enjoy Alec Baldwin, but there's no question that Harrison Ford is a major upgrade...no matter how butt hurt it made Baldwin. It can occasionally get sluggish but I think that is Clancy's story more than the people who were adapting it. Those stories aren't meant to be action films anyway. They are more psychological thrillers and in that manner Patriot Games excels greatly!

The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Some Things in Here Don't React Well to Bullets...

[6/10 · 18 May 2024]

I remember really enjoying this when I was younger, but watching it for the first time in decades, I found it slow paced and kind of boring. It is possible that because it came out so close to the Cold War, that it was a much more prominent subject at the time and the stakes were higher watching it. The movie is full of A-list stars from the time period. Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin's performances are good, and it is fun to see Sam Neill take on an entirely different role than we are accustomed to seeing him take on...I had forgotten he was in it at all. The Hunt for Red October is more dramatic acting piece than an action movie, so don't allow the Tom Clancy / John McTiernan factor to lure you into thinking you are about to see a high octane war film. Personally I think the Harrison Ford "Jack Ryan" outings were much more interesting and better executed.

Angels in America (2003)

We Won't Die Secret Deaths Anymore...

[6/10 · 18 May 2024]

I really wanted to love this. It has all the makings of an amazing adaptation of a revered play. My entire life has revolved around the stage so you would think I was its target audience. It does everything right and yet I couldn't seem to care. There is plenty to love. The acting performances are all wonderful with a special nod to Mary Louis Parker, who steals the show, and Patrick Wilson who I always love. Of course they aren't the only ones to shine. Emma Thompson and Meryl Streep show direct evidence of why they are considered Gods of the industry with their prolific doubling...and tripling. Most of the time Hollywood stars are only selling their personas, not legitimate acting; however, by having to tackle so many different characters it becomes more obvious exactly how talented these two legends are. Al Pacino chews the scenery like you would expect and Jeffrey Wright has always been good. The only thing I can come up with as to why I didn't like this as much as I should of is Kushner himself. I believe he has an over bloated sense of himself that comes glaring through on the page. It is easy to tell there was no one on the planet who thought the writing was more groundbreaking than Kushner. The subject matter is incredibly important to tackle but it is obvious that Kushner believed he was changing the world with this and that makes it hollow and contrived. I will always celebrate this material for what it brought to the theatre community, but the sluggish pacing and self-centered nature of the storytelling will likely prevent me from revisiting it.

Barry (2018–2023)

Am I Evil?

[6/10 · 16 May 2024]

Throughout the first two seasons of the series, it is very easy to see why Barry was so popular. It is sharp, clever, funny, and has a very focused story. It knew exactly what it wanted to be and where to go. Unfortunately, as focused as the first two seasons were, seasons 3 & 4 went the polar opposite direction. The series turned into a ship without a rudder as it blindly stumbled from one scenario to the next. The fantastic humor that had previously been one of the best parts of the writing melted away as it began to take itself too seriously and turned into a stylistic drama that proved the writers were in over their heads. Seasons 3 & 4 are still compelling television, but they were almost a completely different show. Their decision to pull a "Breaking Bad," and jump into the future for the last season failed miserably as it became clear they were more interested in killing everyone off than delivering a satisfying conclusion. I'm not sure I would have cared to finish the series once I saw where it was going if it weren't for the half hour run time of the episodes. This made it much easier to power through to the end without wasting too much of my time. The smartest move they made was putting the show out of its misery so that its legacy wasn't tainted beyond repair. Sadly, it doesn't matter how strongly you come out of the gate if you fail to stick the landing. This show is living proof that it is much harder to fully realize a fantastic idea for a series and sustain it for multiple seasons. They should have consulted Jenji Kohan who, in my opinion, is the Queen of squandering great television ideas. Watching her example could have saved them a lot of time and heartache.

Blue Beetle (2023)

Host Overreacting...

[3/10 · 11 May 2024]

I went in with an open mind hoping to enjoy this, but sadly it's just not a very good movie. The script is awful which directly affects the performances. It didn't matter whether the actors were good or not because the writing was so bad that it made their job an impossible task. I really enjoyed Xolo Maridueña in Cobra Kai and he does what he can, but much like the rest of the cast the horrible dialogue is just too much for him to overcome. The only actor who is able to maintain some semblance of dignity (ironically) is George Lopez. The writers knew exactly what they wanted to do with Rudy and his character was the best written in the film. It is obvious that Susan Sarandon is having a good time playing a cartoon villain but she had a lot more success playing an actual cartoon villain in Enchanted. Here she is just over-the-top in a movie that can't decide whether it wants to be superhero or reality based. Overall, I can see why this did so poorly and that no one saw it. I wish I hadn't.

The Iron Claw (2023)

Tonight, I Walk With My Brothers...

[7/10 · 11 May 2024]

This is a true American tragedy. It always amazes me when people complain about historical inaccuracies in biopics. The emphasis has always been on dramatizing events to make the movie more entertaining, which is the whole point. While some of The Iron Claw's timelines may not match up, and the Dad was supposedly not that harsh, there is very little sensationalism in their interpretation of Von Erich curse. It is sort of astonishing to think about the fact that five of the six brothers died prematurely. Less surprising were the three suicides when you consider the toll that professional wrestling often takes on its stars through the grueling schedule, drug abuse and injuries. I've spent the majority of my life following it and there are too many stories like that to count. The Iron Claw does a solid job of bringing the sport to life through some of the most famous stars in history. It is very sad and often hard to watch but it's also an important lesson for the audience to take away about the true cost of such entertainment. Zac Efron is fantastic, and while there isn't that much for Jeremy Allen White to do, I have loved him since Shameless, so I think he's great in everything. Fresh off of Mindhunter, Holt McCallany turns in another excellent performance as the overbearing patriarch as well. I will echo a few other reviews that I've read and say that the one terrible performance in the film was Aaron Dean Eisenberg. Not sure how he got the job of playing Ric Flair, but he wasn't anywhere close to capturing that legend. This is a great film, but I would recommend that you make sure you are in the right mindset when you sit down for it. It can be very depressing.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Apes Together, Strong...

[7/10 · 10 May 2024]

I am a sucker for these movies. I loved the original series and I believe the updated trilogy are some of the best films to come out over the last decade plus. They ended the Caesar saga beautifully, so it was only natural that they would begin telling different stories from there. I really enjoyed the jump forward in time. Hopefully there will come a time when we catch up with the Charlton Heston story in the future. They teased it in "Rise," so I can't wait for them to come around to it. While "Kingdom," isn't as amazing as the first three, it is still really well-crafted and I had a great time watching it. The characters were really well developed, and I thoroughly enjoyed that they didn't make the humans out to be the definitive heroes in the end. Much like the themes discussed in the previous films there is a blurry line and both ape and human can be evil. As long as they keep making these, I will keep throwing my money at them.

His Dark Materials (2019–2022)

To The Mind That is Still, The Whole Universe Surrenders...

[6/10 · 9 May 2024]

This was one of the hardest film or television shows to rate for me. On paper it should be a homerun. It is well crafted, true to the source material and the production values are excellent. They made the wise decision to turn each season into the individual novel from the series and this gave them a perfect opportunity to load the show with as much material from the books as possible. Perhaps because I was younger when I read the trilogy, I had a fondness for the novels that didn't translate to the screen as an older person. I found the series difficult to stay engaged with, and the pacing slow. My mind wandered often. Like so many things from childhood it is possible that it just doesn't translate to adulthood because I've lost a bit of the whimsy I had when I first opened the book. I recognize all of the series' triumphs and believe they made an excellent adaptation of the novels, I just couldn't seem to care.

Great Expectations (1998)

There Either is or is Not a Way Things Are...

[7/10 · 6 May 2024]

Beautifully shot by Alfonso Cuarón, the 1998 adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel is haunting, sharp and very well executed. There are times when it can be difficult to watch without becoming genuinely emotional...whether that emotion is anger or sadness. That is the true mark of fantastic storytelling in my book. Dickens' story translates very well to modern day and the casting was perfect for the time in which it was released. Ethan Hawke has always been excellent, and Gwyneth Paltrow was riding a huge wave of success from Shakespeare in Love two years prior. She was the "it" girl of the time which made her the ideal casting choice for Estella. The secondary characters in the movie are almost all recognizable and very appropriate for being a product of the 90s. In so many ways, this is a tragic love story. Despite its pseudo "happy" resolution, the tragic nature of their relationship and how broken they are at the end makes the final dialogue about everything being in the past almost unbelievable. I hadn't seen it in years, and it affected me way more as a grown man then it did when I saw it as a young adult. I suppose that goes to show how much aging can put things into perspective. It's a beautiful movie with a great director and cast that probably doesn't get the credit it deserves over a quarter of a century later.

A Quiet Place (2018)

Hush...

[7/10 · 6 May 2024]

Just finished watching this for the very first time and it was excellent. The movie wastes no time getting right to it and leaves little Easter eggs for the audience to figure how we arrived at this point. This was a very intelligent idea by the writers so that they didn't have to spend a large quantity of time on the back story. That makes the film nice and svelte with an hour and a half run time of great suspense and a cast that is so good that they don't even really need the dialogue. Overall, this was a very fresh idea for both the sci-fi and horror genre, and it is easy to see why everyone loved it, and why it has spawned its own universe with multiple films. Starting the first sequel right away!

The Fall Guy (2024)

I Had to Do Some Jason Bourne S**t...

[7/10 · 5 May 2024]

I had a lot of fun watching this movie. Let's face it, we as a society take ourselves way too seriously these days, and it was refreshing to see a film that didn't. It knew what it wanted to be and executed it perfectly. It has a great cast, clever writing, excellent action sequences, and the humor used throughout really helps the silly nature of the plot. The television series was certainly part of my childhood, and while this is loosely based on that, they definitely go their own way. Ryan Gosling is one of the hottest stars on the planet at the moment and the creative team takes full advantage of their beloved star. I always enjoy Emily Blunt and her chemistry with Gosling is perfect! I was sorry to see that it wasn't performing well at the box office early on, but I could easily see this getting turned into a franchise if it takes off. Even if that doesn't happen, it is a great standalone movie and you will definitely have a blast with it if you don't take your film watching too seriously.

The King's Speech (2010)

Did I Stutter?

[5/10 · 5 May 2024]

I will echo what a few of the other reviews on here have said. The performances are solid but that is sort of where my enjoyment began and ended. This movie isn't particularly interesting and when you consider that Tom Hooper was the director, it becomes much clearer why. The butcher of Les Miz and the man solely responsible for making a mockery of Cats (cough), somehow continues to be entrusted with art pieces to the detriment of all ticket buyers. The pacing is slow and though the film isn't particularly long, it felt like it was. Colin Firth does a fantastic job, but I believe that Geoffrey Rush is the unsung hero here, employing what I call the "Rain Man" effect. Dustin Hoffman received all the accolades for his portrayal of the autistic brother in that movie, but I would venture to say that Tom Cruise had the more difficult assignment playing the straight man next to a far more flamboyant role. The same is true of Rush in The King's Speech. Firth has the more dynamic character and he deserves the praise he received, but it is Geoffrey Rush's calm and steadfast Logue that holds this story together. Helena Bonham Carter is always good, but I don't see anything exceptional in this role that warranted an Academy Award nomination. Overall, I would say that it was a slow year for the Academy if this is what passed for a Best Picture in 2010.

Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014)

Kingdoms Rise, Kingdoms Fall...

[8/10 · 3 May 2024]

I just finished watching this series for the first time and I was sorry to see it end. It is incredibly well crafted. The sets, costumes, soundtrack and performances are all excellent. Like most shows of this nature, each season presents a new problem or "boss" for Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson to overcome in order to advance himself further during Prohibition America. At the end of the second season there was a brief moment when I thought the series had lost something by killing off a very important character. I felt the same during Ned Stark's Game of Thrones storyline for obvious reasons. Much like that show, I was proven wrong and the series found new and interesting ways to captivate me throughout the five seasons. The creator and writers all did a wonderful job of weaving the fake narrative into actual events that took place during the time period and they chose the perfect actors to portray the most famous gangsters that have ever lived. If I had to nitpick anything, I would say that it was clear they didn't know what direction they wanted to go with Michael Shannon's Agent Van Alden and as a result they ended up squandering arguably the best actor in the series. Some of the mischief he got into was intriguing but overall the character had no clear direction throughout the series. In my opinion, the best performances of the show in an ensemble of great actors belong to Shea Whigham as Eli Thompson and Jack Huston as Richard Harrow. They built incredibly nuanced characters and each was given a satisfying conclusion. Boardwalk Empire is excellent, and while I understand why some people have complained about the slow pacing, for a history person like me, I found it to be enthralling and a lot of fun.

Fantastic Four (2015)

There is Risk, There is Sacrifice, and There are Consequences...

[4/10 · 16 April 2024]

It's just not very good. Nothing really happens in the movie. They made the cardinal mistake of using the ENTIRE film as an origin story. Their worst fumbling of the ball was how they handled Doctor Doom. They don't bring him into the mix until there is only half an hour left in the movie. That forced them to manufacture a world ending scenario in about thirty seconds. His character design is horrible too. I didn't hate the casting all that much, though I am partial to the 2005 cast. They at least seemed to be having fun. This cast focused too heavily on being dark and brooding and so you never really care if they team up. It also seemed like they knew it wouldn't really work because they didn't leave anything open for a sequel. They killed off one of Marvel's greatest villains with relative ease and didn't even really leave any room for him to return...not even an end of credits blurb. Also, the dialogue about them choosing a name at the end of the movie is God awful! I'm not surprised this tanked so badly with fans of the comic and I'm super skeptical given the current state of the MCU that Feige will be able to redeem them. Do yourself a favor and check out the 2005 film. The sequel isn't that great but the first movie is so much more fun.

Legally Blonde (2001)

First Impressions Are Not Always Correct...

[7/10 · 16 April 2024]

I'm a huge Reese Witherspoon fan! Her performance in Walk the Line is one of the best ever put on film in my opinion. I've never really watched Legally Blonde the movie before now. I've seen the musical and didn't care much for it. Like most musicals that have been adapted from films, the movie is always better and that is very much true of Legally Blonde. This could have easily been a puff piece, but with Witherspoon in the lead, Elle Woods is loveable and you spend the entirety of the movie rooting for her success in every endeavor. It has an excellent supporting cast that all do exactly what they should to support the story and keep it from turning into bubblegum pop. If I have a complaint about the story it is how quickly Elle gets thrust into the trial as a lawyer. In a film that is mostly centered in truth, this plot point is completely out in left field. The movie is short enough that they could have afforded to build up to that a bit more. That minor faux pas aside, Legally Blonde is a good movie that makes the most out of its outstanding star.

Kingpin (1996)

She Said Handsome, Not Handless...

[5/10 · 16 April 2024]

Who would have predicted that Randy Quaid would be at his most tame in a Farrelly Brothers movie? As a slapstick comedy, Kingpin is definitely one of their weaker efforts. It fares much better as a heartfelt buddy movie. There are still some belly laugh moments, but nothing anywhere near on the level of Dumb and Dumber or There's Something About Mary. The film feels like it is in a tug-of-war with its own nature. It was like they couldn't give over to making it a warm movie about a developing friendship without throwing in some lame over the top gags. They tried to force it and were unable to find a common middle ground. It's not a terrible movie by any stretch of the imagination, it just isn't funny enough to compete with their other comedies and isn't warm enough to separate itself into new ground. Definitely not a movie that most will want to watch more than once.