bbraddock-49896 Reviews

The Gentlemen (2024)

WITTY FUN

[9/10 · 7 March 2024]

If you like this sort of thing: wild, over the top and sometimes ruthless British blokes with a dark sense of humor, you'll probably watch in one binge sitting.

For myself, I found a lot of new faces, so I didn't know what to expect. The leads are entertaining. Vinnie Jones is a nice addition, as a more laid back, but don't mess with me fellow.

The old English estate setting is great to look at in itself.

Once again, Guy Richie has no problem creating a rich environment, and dialog is cleaver and sharp.

Grab a bottle of wine and enjoy the ride.

Never going to top Lock, Stock, Etc or Snatch, but this is great fun.

Highly recommended.

The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022)

ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY

[5/10 · 10 February 2022]

THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT is yet another missed opportunity for the Star Wars Universe.

Boba Fett has gone soft, and that surely isn't what one was coming to expect from a series that revolves around one of the most prolific bounty hunters in Star Wars.

From the time Fett frees himself from the Sarlac pit, to the end chapter, the show is a mess.

The stories are not very interesting, and they are not put together well either. At times the show looks like a b movie production, and that is shocking for the amount of money I'm sure Disney spent.

They took a character that was mystical and ruthless in Empire Strikes Back, and frankly, Disney has completely destroyed him with this treatment.

The mystery of Fett is gone, and I wish I hadn't seen the story they gave him.

He's no longer a hardened bounty hunter/killer ... he is obsessed with the respect of the people of Mos Eisley.

Give me a break/sigh ... The Sarlac pit escape was embarrassing ... the love for the Sand People was embarrassing ... and finally riding a Rancor in the final episode was, wait for it, embarrassing.

The show is a disappointment on an epic scale. It is bad fan fiction, bad direction, dialogue is like something out of a Saturday morning kids special.

Boba Fett has been ruined by Disney now to ... their circle is almost complete.

Another Star Wars concept is always exciting in the beginning, and then all we get is another broke down space cruiser.

I think I wish they would just stop already.

But if there is more, get off the damn desert planet already and do something fresh and new.

Cry Macho (2021)

TAKE A ROAD TRIP WITH CLINT FOR MAYBE THE LAST TIME

[8/10 · 12 November 2021]

Cry Macho is a good film with heart. Some of the film is off balance, as there could have been more backstory shown better Clint Eastwood's character and Dwight Yoakam's character in the beginning of the film.

I thought to waste the caliber of actor that Dwight is capable of, was a bit of a shame. However, they provide enough of a backstory to understand where the film is off to, and Clint is on his way.

Clint stumbles across some bad dudes on his way to find the child of Dwight Yoakam's character ... the child's mother has issues with drugs and alcohol, and apparently has had enough men to fill half of the Mexican military, that the teenager feels better on the streets. So, when Clint makes the offer for the boy to go back to his rich father's ranch, the boy agrees.

He and Clint go on to learn a few life lessons and make some friends along the way, that become believable.

Not as strong of a film as I wished it would have been, but it was great to take a road trip with Clint for maybe the last time.

Acting was good, not great, but the boy was a likable character. Clint looked better here to me than in THE MULE.

8/10.

Capone (2020)

HAUNTING FILM

[8/10 · 21 February 2021]

A haunting film that's worth a look. Good acting all around. Definitely much better than the 4.something rating that it currently has.

Fatman (2020)

INTERESTING FILM

[8/10 · 1 January 2021]

Great film for the entitled, spoiled class to watch. It just might wake some of them up. The perfect Christmas gift for the ugly years we live in. As for the preforming artists, knockout job by all. I now know Mel Gibson can play any part. One of my favorite films of 2020

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

DEAR, OH DEAR

[5/10 · 5 January 2020]

This was the first Star Wars film I didn't rush to see ... and after seeing, I wish I wouldn't have. It's the characters and the stories ... I get SO DISGUSTED when I read about racism, sexism, whatever ... the problem with the film isn't the fact that Rey is the main character, it's the horrible writing. We have three films and if they spliced all together, it wouldn't make a coherent film. Rushed, bad fan fiction at best. The emperor returning was just bad fan service ... can you honestly tell me the writers couldn't think of a better way to drive the saga ... oh yeah, I'll tell you why, they killed Snoke in the second film ... bad writing. The most pointless character in the film may be Finn ... all he did the whole film was try to stop Rey from being Rey ... and she doesn't even acknowledge him ... he is just ignored, force pushed, what the hell ever ... Poe is the new Han Solo, or so I guess we are to embrace that ... Mr. Spice runner. Godsakes... This film is just a train wreck on so many levels ... if it wasn't for the special effects, it wouldn't even deserve a 5 star rating. I found myself crying at the end, cause they ruined everything ... now, if you are force sensitive, you can do anything ... heal a friend, call your mom long distance, or ... shoot lightening out of your hands and disrupt the entire fleet of rebels. Bad writing! Lando's return was sadly wasted, as was Hans, as was just about everyone that returned. Great to see Wedge back for .6 seconds ... dumb, cameos, no storytelling, Did I mention dumb? What a waste of time, energy, waiting, wondering ... I dream better Star Wars fiction at night. Goodbye Star Wars, I have spoken.... The rise of stupid fan fiction ... damn....

The Irishman (2019)

Grossly Overhyped

[5/10 · 2 December 2019]

If your one of those people thinking about getting Netflix just so you can see this dinosaur, please don't. Watching Robert DeNero in this film is almost sad. He plays the part of a guy in his prime, but the CGI face doesn't work. It looks animated at times and his body moves like a very old man ... even for DeNero's age of mid 70's. The grocery sceen where DeNero beats up the store owner is just embarrassing to watch. Joe Pesci comes out of retirement for this one and shines. He has a stare that burns a hole through you. Al Pacino as the flamboyant Jimmy Hoffa works well. Harvey's Keitel in a small mob boss roll is solid too. But the editing is not together ... the movis drags ... and the fellas in the film unfortunately are just too old to pull this off convincingly. It's too bad this wasn't made 25 years ago, it would have probably worked. Grossly overhyped epic that is passed its prime, in more than one way. Would never waste 3.5 hrs watching again. If your hoping for the next Goodfellas, you've come to the wrong place.

The Mandalorian (2019– )

NOT A GREAT START

[6/10 · 13 November 2019]

As a diehard Star Wars fan and my favorite movie of the franchise being, The Empire Strikes Back, I was super excited at the look of the previews and the tone they were setting. After watching the first episode last night, disappointed by the fact they could have delivered so much more of an opening act. I can't believe this is a 200 million dollar production. The makeup on the alien in the opening sequence was poor. The rehashed sounds, down to the exact same alien dialect in Return of the Jedi, felt like such a redundant, rehash. I do like to hear some of the same sounds effects, they bring back great memories from when I watched these films as a kid, but damn ... come up with something new. The scene where the Mando rides the, whatever the hell that thing was, is almost as bad as watching Anakin ride that, whatever the hell that thing was, in Attack of the Clones. Just cringeworthy, bad. Then, it gets good, they bring in a bad ass IG battle droid, that is just breathtaking to watch on screen. I've been waiting to see a IG droid in action since 1980, and, wait for it ... they kill off the character at the end of the damn first episode. Can somebody at Disney, or on this planet, write something better than mediocre fan fiction. It appears not.

Rambo: Last Blood (2019)

Stallone really knows how to rip your heart out

[10/10 · 20 September 2019]

Growing up watching the Rambo movies in the 80's many times over, I was excited when Rambo returned in 2008. It was a very emotional movie, with Rambo angrier and more brutal than ever. With the box office success of that film, I've patiently waited for the 5th installment, and here it finally is. I decided last minute to go see this thing on it's opening night... the theater was nearly 70 percent full. Everyone in anticipation for what will probably be the last chapter in the John Rambo saga. It's a different Rambo film... no police pushing Rambo out of town. No Russians or Vietnamese to tangle with. This Rambo really, really just wants to live a clam life that perhaps he always wanted. The guy is even on medication to help him stay cool, but, there is the evil in the darkness that wishes to torment an already tormented soul, and that soul is John Rambo. He seems really content with his new life with his adopted family. He has a beautiful young girl in his life, who calls him Uncle John lovingly. In all honesty, I wouldn't have minded a complete film on the relationship building of the people that are in his life. Just John on the farm with his family. Raising the young girl and seeing her grow into a young lady that will soon be off to college. Rambo is very proud of her, and protecting, but she has a demon in her past too, and it's her father that has left her and moved back to Mexico. As with most children that have been abandoned by their paternal parents, she yearns to see her father and ask him the one question that eats her alive. "Why did you leave my mother and I?" A question she soon regrets she ever traveled all the way to Mexico to ask her father. In doing so, she has betrayed her families trust, but Rambo loves her and becomes hell bent to save her from the cartels. Without giving too much away, when Rambo finally sees her again to save her, it is bittersweet. He has invested his last ten years into this young girl and to see what happens to her, (and in real life) happens to so many human trafficking victims with pull the tears and your heart strings. When you wipe away the tears, you find a completely unhinged Rambo that takes out the bad guys with a rage like no other. Bare hand bashing, hammers used to break skulls, shotgun blasts, decapitations, knives to just about every part of the human body you can imagine. How the hell Stallone keeps the action sequences so fresh after nearly 40 years is beyond me. Is there moments of redundancy in the film, yes, but not overly... and as an action film, a complete 10. Go for a blood bath of ecstacy and get ready to hold on for one hell of an action packed ride.

Get Carter (2000)

Underrated, slow burner

[8/10 · 1 May 2019]

This film has been destroyed by the SO-CALLED critics. This is a good film, from the feeling, acting, music score... it's a slow-burning, film noir revenge thriller. Mickey Rourke shines and Stallone is great as the old-fashioned, train traveling anti-hero. This film was released in the (hate Stallone) era and it's a damn shame. If you like revenge films, in a dark fashion, with a great score, this is your movie. I remember Payback, with Mel Gibson released around this time and it's a great companion film, although very different. Stallone fans, film noir fans have a good time with this one. It misses the cue at times, but delivers when it counts. 4/5 stars... 8/10

Dumbo (2019)

BEAUTIFUL FILM, TOUCHING TALE

[10/10 · 20 April 2019]

This film is getting unfairly butchered by critics and many others. My family and I came out of the movie feeling we watched one of the best films we'd seen in many years, and one of Tim Burton's best in many years. It will pull on your heartstrings. The opening acts of the mother's love for her baby elephant, baby Jumbo, who becomes (Dumbo) from being laughed at for his big ears. The final separation his mother will bring a tear to your eye. The acting is solid, Danny Devito is wonderful. Eva Green shines as Dumbos high-flying acrobat partner. And It was fun to watch Michael Keaton as the over-the-top, power-hungry amusement park owner, who goes into a mad doctor rage by the end of the film. As with all Burton's films, it has his dark side and it fits appropriately. It's a beautiful picture, and meant to be seen on the big screen. If you've had reservations about seeing the movie because of all the so-called critics... don't. See it on the big screen while you still can. But there a some very sad moments in the film, which as I wrote earlier, will pull on your heartstrings. Both young and old alike. 5 stars 10/10

Death Kiss (2018)

Death Kiss, a great throwback/hommage to Bronson and Death Wish

[8/10 · 3 October 2018]

Death Kiss stars the Charles Bronson lookalike, Robert Kovacs, a.k.a. Bronzi, and you can see why he's been given the nickname. He not only has the look, but the mannerisms of Bronson, which make the film work. I found myself smiling while watching Kovacs roam the mean streets, with the 80's style score accompanying him. He's out looking for trouble, and he certainly finds plenty of it...thugs, drug dealers and pedophiles, and he doesn't mind taking out the trash. Lots of blood to go round and plenty of action that will please a fan of the 80's stlye Bronson films like Death Wish and The Evil that Men do. There are some minor distractions in the film that I'm not even going to list, because based on budget and how much the director contributed to this film, as far as directing and providing the score, I think those involved did a solid job of bringing back something to life that will certainly please. Bronzi, Baldwin, Tyson and the small part by Stormi Maya were standouts to me. Dive in to this film expecting lots of blood, mayhem and of course...fun.