clayhanika Reviews

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Fun and true

[9/10 · 17 April 2024]

Saw this movie last weekend. No complaints here. Acting was great and the movie moved at a great pace. Overall I thought the movie was very fun and couldn't believe it was actually a true story. Great Britain needed to do something desperate to get the United States to commit to WW2's European Theater in the worst way and found the guys needed to get the job done. We might be living in a very different world if they failed and Churchill was put out and the appeasement faction got their way. Thankfully, we don't have to live that alternate history because these guys rocked and did what they had to. Don't go see it if watching military men kill nazis bothers you or violence because there is a lot.

All American (2018– )

Started ok then went off rails

[3/10 · 21 August 2021]

I kinda liked the first season setting the whole story up. Season 2 started to get heavy into teen drama but was still pretty watchable. Season 3 just went off the rails. Politics aside, the football part was disappointing. You have a #47 at QB and #83 at DB which is inaccurate. Each position is allowed to wear certain numbers and those weren't it. The play on the field is sloppy even at half speed like the actors are moving. You have an All American WR and All American QB with zero college offers during SR year which is completely unbelievable. Then the show decides to get really divisive with their language. A lot of "us and we" vs "they and them." blm being in the show isn't a bad thing because it's a current issue but it's a constant theme and over the top. So is a made up situation where cops straight up murder someone in their sleep which leads the show to state all cops are bad ("no such thing as just a few bad eggs") and push messages like defund the police even though the show also is big into gang violence that plagues communities. Want to like the show more but over the top portrayals of social issues does not help.

Our Towns (2021)

Refreshingly Optimistic

[10/10 · 14 April 2021]

Well done cinematography and real journalism. America isn't all doom and gloom and big cities and big media.

The Outpost (2019)

Great Depiction

[10/10 · 4 July 2020]

This one was hard to watch as a combat vet. I read the book and knew what was going to happen and it still hit hard. The first part of the film was necessary to show life in Army. Yes the dialogue is not PC and civilians may think the behavior is unprofessional. Those boys were very good at their jobs don't worry. Military humor down range is far from PC and Soldiers do a good job in finding humor in almost anything. The final battle is incredible and watching these Soldiers react and make plans under incredible pressure and chaos is amazing. The acting is great and Scott Eastwood was impressive as Romesha.

Outer Banks (2020– )

Ok then not ok

[6/10 · 21 April 2020]

Started off interesting the first 5 or 6 episodes then went completely off the rails the last few. Common sense was completely suspended in order to move the plot.

I Still Believe (2020)

Solid Movie

[9/10 · 2 April 2020]

Solid movie about life, death and spiritual struggles and awakenings. Jeremy Camp is an incredible singer/songwriter I have enjoyed listening to for years. The supporting cast in this movie is very recognizable from TV and they put in good performances. I thought Britt Robertson was fantastic and KJ did a great job acting but my one nitpick is that he does not sound like Jeremy Camp. Would have been 10/10 if they could have found a good actor who could pull off the sound.

The I-Land (2019)

Pretty bad

[2/10 · 22 October 2019]

Terrible script. Seems like it was written by an untalented high school kid. The actors sounded like they were reading their lines from a crib sheet hidden in their hands. Surprised because there were decent name actors but they all mailed their performances in. It went downhill fast when 2 characters came back and told the others they found an abandoned hotel (never explained) with fresh water and beds. The other characters were completely uninterested and said they could just make their own beds and preferred to live completely unprotected on the beach instead of a hotel...on a desert island. What?!! That was just the beginning of the ridiculousness. Not to mention the makeup and effects came straight from a mail order kit from the 80s. Hard pass on season 2 not that it will get made.

Wheeler (2017)

Not Bad

[9/10 · 8 May 2019]

Stephen Dorff does a pretty good job here. I tend to like him in a variety of roles. I think he is underrated as an actor. I thought the music was pretty good and the story was pretty good. I understand artists toil for years before getting discovered but it's a fictional movie so you have to just sit back, curb the cynicism, and enjoy.

SEAL Team (2017–2024)

Good military representation

[10/10 · 25 April 2019]

Former Army here and I have no problem with the way they represent the military. Pretty good acting and I like the fact that they employ a large number of vets. Some realistic touches like showing them practice and making mistakes and not always being perfect. Of course the K9 is the star.