bethanyldameron Reviews

Obliterated (2023)

The Hangover meets Mission Impossible

[7/10 · 29 December 2023]

Obliterated is what would happen if the Mission Impossible Movies and the Hangover Movies had a baby, raised their child in Florida, then set it to the biggest party college in Nevada. Then, after the child discovered there was no "super spy" degree, said child dropped out of college and got a job at the Las Vegas Tourism department.

Definitely not for everyone. It is raunchy, stupid, full of sex, drugs, and guns, but it also has a surprising amount of heart. The relationships can be very sweet, the characters are fun, and if you can suspend disbelief for the duration of the show, it's a fun ride.

To quote one of my favorite reviewers, "It's trash, but it's my trash."

Renfield (2023)

If this movie is trash, call me Oscar the Grouch

[8/10 · 5 September 2023]

This movie isn't for everyone. It isn't the best Dracula movie ever made, but it's certainly one of the most fun. This movie is to vampire movies what Knights Tale is to historical epics.

Don't go into this expecting ground-breaking cinema. But if you happen to enjoy sitting in the ven diagram where gratuitous violence meets campy humor, you'll probably be very pleased with this film.

Also, gotta give them extra points on internal consistency. Despite how over the top everything was, this movie remained surprisingly consistent with the rules of its universe/magic system.

This movie has a very niche intended audience, but it is absolutely perfect for that audience. They knew what kind of a film they wanted to make and they did that perfectly. And everyone on screen looked like they were having the time of their lives.

And in case anyone was wondering, the movie has a happy ending.

Some people may say it's trash, but ya know what? It's my trash and I love it.

The Full Monty (2023– )

I didn't know how badly I needed this show

[10/10 · 29 June 2023]

It won't be for everyone, but it felt perfect for me.

It's not like the movie and it took a while for me to realize how relevant the title still was despite the fact that there really isn't any stripping in this show - at least not the way you might expect.

The stripping is of facades, expectation, beliefs, assumptions, and that lie we all try and tell that "Everything's fine." It's about human connection. Vulnerability, helplessness, breaking things, trying to fix them, breaking them again, and still trying.

This is probably the most human show I've seen in a long time. There aren't really good characters and bad characters. There's just people, with all the beauty and flaws that come along with that.

I came to love just about every character on the show. I laughed, I cried, I was even scared for them at one rather amusing bird related incident.

This is by far one of my new favorite shows and I am so grateful to everyone who made it happen. Best thing I've seen in a long time.

Destination Wedding (2018)

It felt like watching a really good theater play

[10/10 · 14 October 2018]

The dialogue is amazing! I couldn't look away the whole time. I loved every minute of this. If you're expecting a typical romantic comedy, this isn't that. If you treat it like you're watching a two person play, then you will find it incredibly enjoyable. Love this movie so much!

Bright (I) (2017)

Felt more like a TV show

[7/10 · 23 December 2017]

Good story concept. The pacing made it feel more like it should have been the first episode of a TV show, rather than a movie. I would have liked to see them do more with it, but over all it was pretty good.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi...I really wanted to like it

[7/10 · 16 December 2017]

SPOILER FREE VERSION: I really wanted to like this movie. There are some very good bits in it. I thought they did a nice job adding to the Star Wars lore, but the movie was really gimmicky and heavy handed. A lot of people liked it and I am happy for them. I personally felt it was a bit much. The movie is growing on me a bit, but it did not live up to my expectations.

Disjointed (2017–2018)

Surprisingly deep at moments

[8/10 · 13 November 2017]

A lovely comedy series. Well written, goofy, artsy, and occasionally very deep - especially with the character of Carter. I was initially afraid they were going to have two-dimensional characters, but they did a very good job of making them well rounded. The animation sequences were very enjoyable. Also, the cameo at the end of the last episode was fantastic!

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Not much of a plot, but still fun

[6/10 · 1 November 2017]

The Coen Brother's star-studded film, Hail, Caesar! jumps into the backseat with golden-age Hollywood, but fails to measure up to its inspiration. The plot jumps around a lot, and really seems to just be an excuse for the directors to shoot multiple scenes reminiscent of older films (Ben Hur, The Robe, Anchors Away, Ricky Nelson films, etc.). There are many funny moments, but there is little cohesion to them, and it is easy to get lost. With an all-star cast, including Jonah Hill, George Clooney, Channing Tatum, and Scarlett Johansson, it would've been nice to see more well- rounded characters. Channing Tatum's character seems to have only been included to prove that Channing Tatum can sing. In fact, most of the characters seem to contribute little to the plot at all. All this being said, the movie is fun. It is light hearted and enjoyable. The plot may have more detours than a cross-country drive, but each detour has a charm all its own. Best advice: don't worry about the plot, just enjoy each scene for what it is.

Arrival (II) (2016)

Promising, but lacking

[5/10 · 1 November 2017]

Arrival had a very slow start. The lighting made me want to fall asleep, and the characters bored me. The aliens were, however, fantastic, interesting, and fairly unique compared to most aliens showed in film. Unfortunately, the ending felt anticlimactic. I went in with high expectations and came away disappointed.