chubley53 Reviews

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

The most underrated and under-appreciated movie of 2014

[9/10 · 23 June 2015]

The Hobbit Trilogy will forever be one of those classic polarizing film trilogies where you either love em' or you hate em'. Were they as good as The Lord of the Rings? Hell NO (and it was unfair for anybody to judge them based on a different trilogy based on better books). Were any of the Hobbit movies unwatchable or boring, though? Definitely not. The first one may have been a little slow in the first 40-50 minutes, but after that it turned into a really good story. The fact that all 3 of them are positive on Rotten Tomatoes proves that they were under-appreciated by many Middle-Earth fans. Some people acted like we should be outside Peter Jackson's house with torches and pitchforks. They weren't THAT bad, and they also weren't Lord of the Rings-award winning-ridiculously awesome either.. They were good, not great. B+ work from Peter & Company.

The Battle of the Five Armies was set up to be the best in the trilogy, but it did fall slightly short of what it could have been. I only had 3 problems with the film (and all 3 are forgivable because what I saw was still epic and satisfying). 1) One of the 5 armies from the book is completely missing from the battle. The orcs fight alongside a large army of wolves in the book, but they chose to just have 2 armies of orcs fighting alongside a handful of trolls, some bats, and maybe a few wolves. I assume the blu-ray extended version might include a lot more wolves/wolf-riders wreaking havoc. 2) Beorn played a HUGE part in turning the tide of battle in the book, but in the movie we only saw like 10 seconds of him fighting. I was hoping to see AT LEAST a minute of him slaying orcs/wolves left and right. 3) Most of the trolls were as large and fearsome as we would expect, but 3 trolls appear at different times in the film and looked about as stupid/cartoonish as they could be. Maybe those trolls were just supposed to be realistically deformed, but they were still distracting to me.

Those 3 minor problems aside, I still think it was a really good film. It started out with one of my favorite chapters from the book ("Fire and Water") and we've been looking forward to that ever since Desolation of Smaug ended with the dragon flying straight to Lake Town. Then we got to see the White Council battling Sauron and his ringwraiths. After that there was some good character development, drama, and lots of action. The actors did a very fine job with their roles (especially Richard Armitage and Martin Freeman), and the visual effects were stunning. Overall, I enjoyed this return to Middle- Earth and I thank Peter & Company for what they've done with the entire Middle-Earth Saga.

Workaholics (2011–2017)

Mother F'ing Wizards NEVER die

[10/10 · 4 June 2013]

Workaholics is definitely the most GNAR show on television right now. Season 3 just ended a few months back, and it was one of the funniest TV seasons that I've seen in years. Unlike many other comedies, Workaholics does not try ANYTHING sentimental (like Modern Family, The Office, etc. which are also good shows) and does not care about audience members 40 and up. You pretty much need to be in your 20s or early 30s to enjoy the humor, and if you do happen to be in that target audience then consider yourself lucky. The show is centered around 3 young men (Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson) who met in college and now live together & work as telemarketers at the same company. Their drug dealer Karl (Kyle Newacheck) is also one of the creators of the show.

Although the title of their comedy would lead you to think they work hard, nothing could be further from the truth. The 3 brajes are huge slackers, and are constantly working on various schemes when they should be working. I remember watching the first few episodes and thinking that the show was okay but should've been much better. Yet the Bash Bros finished the 1st season strong, and have been busting my gut ever since Season 2. Some people (like my sister) watched a few not-so-good episodes and think that Workaholics is mediocre at best. But one rule of thumb that I live by is that you cant really judge a show unless you watch at least 3 episodes AFTER the 1st season. So if you haven't seen much (or any) of the show yet, watch 3 of these episodes: 1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Roommates, 2. Alice Quits, 3. To Kill a Chupacabraj, 4. Old Man Ders, 5. The Business Trip, 6. In Line, 7. Man Up, 8. Heist School, 9. Fat Cuz, 10. Good Mourning

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

A ticking time bomb full of Wildfire

[10/10 · 5 May 2013]

Let me start by saying that there are plenty of good fantasy films and TV shows out there, including the Lord of the Rings, Once Upon a Time, and Your Highness... (that last one was a joke) But HBO's Game of Thrones stands at the top of the mountain when it comes to fantasy stories on the small screen. The sheer size and scope of the world created in A Song of Ice & Fire is beautifully realized in the show, and the set pieces/costumes are very well done. The writers also did a fine job of staying true to the books, while also throwing some unexpected curve balls into the story to keep even the readers on their toes.

Each episode has intriguing dialogue, deceptive plots, and most episodes have some top-notch action scenes. Season 2, Episode 9 is particularly thrilling, and the Battle of Blackwater Bay will not disappoint fans who have stuck with the show to see its epic climax. But the thing that I like best about this series is that all the events feel like they are leading toward an explosion of action. This ticking time bomb started with the reappearance of the White Walkers, and came to another huge turning point at the end of Season 1 with the birth of Daenerys Targaryen's dragons. Eventually a war starts tearing apart the realm, and most of the characters have no knowledge of the White Walkers, the Targaryen uprising, or the vast army of wildlings marching South on the Wall.

Season 3 is now underway, and they have shown 5 episodes so far. The War of Five Kings is really starting to heat up, and all of the major characters are taking big leaps as the story goes along. A Storm of Swords (the third book) is the only one I've read so far, but I must admit it was one of the best page-turning, action packed books I've ever read. The last 3 or 4 episodes of this season will be epic, and the show will only continue to grow in popularity after season 3 is over. So grab some popcorn and a Big Gulp, because Winter is Coming!

Spartacus (2010–2013)

epic fight scenes, amazing plot twists, and new drama around every corner

[10/10 · 20 January 2013]

Spartacus is probably the best action/drama show currently on television. I had my doubts when i started watching the first season. But after i finished episode 5 and saw Spartacus' epic battle with Theokoles, I couldn't get enough of the show. Yet it isn't just the action that is so intriguing. Each character has their own motives and deceptions, and the plot twists are piled on so thick you never really know whats going to happen next. The story of Spartacus (which is based on an incredible true story) starts out from very humble beginnings, and grows until Spartacus is not only a God of the Arena; he also becomes the most feared enemy in all of Rome. He is betrayed countless times, and the viewer is made to really feel his pain and eventually want blood and vengeance just as much as he does. After the first season's huge success, the show and its fans suffered a very tragic loss in the untimely death of Andy Whitfield. I didn't think the show could go on, since Andy played Spartacus so masterfully that any other actor would pale in comparison. But Liam McIntyre came into the 2nd season and did a very admirable job. Both seasons (and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena) were very well written and acted, and I can't wait to see the final season- Spartacus: War of the Damned

NFL Road Tested: The Cleveland Browns (2012– )

good show about young football team with potential

[10/10 · 2 January 2013]

The Travel Channel's NFL Road Tested: The Cleveland Browns gives the audience an insightful look into the entire business of running a professional football team. The documentary-style show mainly follows the daily lives of the players and coaches, but it also shows some of the behind-the-scenes jobs of the Browns' employees and also the upper management. Unlike the HBO show Hard Knocks (which usually focuses on a team that is already good), the travel channel decided to film a very young Browns team that has been struggling the last few years but appears to be on the rise. They may have been the youngest team in the NFL this year, but most of their games were very competitive. Road Tested was able to capture the suspense of their close games, and feature some of their great victories, including the win against their hated rival (The Steelers). Overall it was a good show and did a nice job of showing the work-lives, as well as the family-lives, of the Cleveland Browns and their staff.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005– )

Like wine in a can, this show has actually gotten better over time

[10/10 · 16 November 2012]

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is by far one of the best and most creative comedy shows currently on television. The cast is a Seinfeld-esque group of great comedians, and seasons 7 and 8 (the current one) have been the funniest in the series. Danny Devito brings a hilarious character to the table, and Charlie Day is starting to become big television/movie star. Rob McElhenny is the creator of the show, and has proved he is willing to go to EXTREME lengths in order provide a show fans can always count on for laughs (he gained about 50 or 60 pounds before season 7 to add some different jokes for his character). Siblings Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) round out the well matched cast, and the show is expected to last for at least another 2-3 seasons.

Mash Up (2011 TV Movie)

Unique premise, good comedians

[10/10 · 16 October 2012]

Mash Up, like many comedy-based shows that have come before it, is just beginning to scratch the surface of its potential in the first season. A lot of shows like Seinfeld and the Office were not very funny at first, but after some time they became very popular. I'm not saying that Mash Up is going to be as successful as Seinfeld, but I do think that it will get better as time goes on.

So far, we have seen a unique combination of stand-up comedy and skits that have been pretty funny for the most part. The unique part about the show is that the stand-up comedy and skits happen simultaneously, and the jokes are more hit than miss. Host T.J. Miller is pretty likable and engaging, and the other comedians have done a fine job so far. The retro-video game theme is also kinda cool for anybody who is into video games.