hrmnrabb Reviews

The Hunt (II) (2020)

Disgraceful Garbage

[1 April 2020]

This movie really is as bad as you been led to believe. Made for the lowest common denominator. Unless you have an IQ lower than your shoe size, you will hate this movie. Honestly, don't waste your time. This isn't even b-movie bad.

Spenser Confidential (2020)

Weak and poorly written

[1 April 2020]

Sorry to say, this movie is a disappointment. It's weak and feels like a made for TV movie with a low budget and barely any thought given to the plot. Why must everything be so simple? The acting was average, the plot was below average, and the action was not existent. It was just the lead character getting beat up and not being clever.

Split (IX) (2016)

Terribly Overrated - it's sadistic, cruel and as entertaining as watching animals suffer

[10 February 2017]

SPOILERS...

I found this movie to be shallow, unfocused and obviously uncomfortable as is its intention. M. Night Shyamalan's alleged return to glory isn't very glorious at all. It certainly is creepy but not in an entertaining way. When the last 30 seconds is the best part of the movie and it's only that way because it references a far better Shyamalan movie than the movie you just endured is a failure. Setting up a future shared Shyamalan universe is intriguing but it relegates this movie to nothing but an extended DVD extra setting up a supervillain for a better movie to come. Massive bonus points for McAvoy's performance. The split personality characters he embodies really are the only reason to endure this movie. It's acting class on a Masters level.

Everything else is sadistic, cruel and as entertaining as watching animals suffer.

Iron Man Three (2013)

Best Movie Of 2013

[10 May 2013]

I don't know what the Oscar best picture allotment number is now-a-days but a film this good SHOULD be given serious consideration for the Best Picture Oscar. Yes, it's past time for a mere "comic book movie" to be taken seriously. I know it's May but the Academy has to recognize this remarkable movie. If LOTR: Return of the King can win, so can this film. The action/fantasy bigotry from the Academy may be at an end.

Honestly, Iron Man 3 is ten times a better all around film than something like District 9 or Life of Pi. When Roger Ebert called for Spider-Man 2 to be nominated for best picture no one listened. Well, times are a changing. Iron Man 3 is the kind of movie that delivers both quality and entertainment. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Robert Downey Jr. nominated again this time for Tony Stark. He deserved the honor back in 2008. Great performances by some of Oscar's old guard (RDJr, Gwenyth, Cheadle, Kingsley) plus an intelligent and thrilling movie with a mix of complex character strife equals gold in my book and most people's book. Hopefully, Oscar gold as well.

The Avengers (2012)

More Than Lives Up To The Hype. Exceptional In Every Way!

[28 April 2012]

As 10/10 as it gets!

What makes Marvel great is that each of their Avenger solo studio films are packed with emotion and draws the audience in with relatable characters. The viewer cares about them and gets invested in to their story and character development. Now, magnify that times ten! Add way better action then we've seen from them in the past and you get the greatest genre work ever put to film with the Avengers. This movie more than lives up to the hype!

I was on the edge of my seat several times during the film and I can't believe how fast over two hours flew by. Avengers is THE best comic adaptation film of all-time, period and end of story. That doesn't take away from past exceptionalism, even past Marvel films themselves but Avengers just delivers beyond what we've seen before from anyone. As good as Spider-Man 2 or TDK were, you really can't compare them because they operate on a smaller canvas and deliver far less notes. After seeing Avengers, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about if you're being honest with yourself and fair to the movie itself.

Safe House (2012)

Danzel Saves What Really Is A Mess

[10 February 2012]

It's an interesting albeit predictable action flick that's nothing special but delivers enough to make it worthwhile. It does feature what has to be the dumbest CIA operatives/handlers ever put on film. What transpires, especially early, will make most viewers say "why in the world didn't they just…" but getting past that means enjoying a film where Denzel Washington perfectly menaces and charms his way through every scene. Put just about anyone else in this role and the film would lose a lot. Ryan Reynolds was good enough and the rest of the stellar supporting cast is absolutely wasted. Again, I found it interesting despite it being three repetitive acts of mindless turns highlighting that the government is pure evil and they apparently keeping hiring the same set of mindless goons who race around guns blazing everywhere with little effect or competence whatsoever. Also, the camera work was AWFUL in terms of the overuse of the shaky cam.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Throw-Back Fun with Heart and Emotion

[31 July 2011]

This remarkable film showed that they really cared enough to ground this film where possible. That's what Marvel does so well. It's what Nolan does well and that's why people call what Nolan did to Batman "Marvelizing" the character. The story and abilities are fantastic and grand but the character and depth add the weight you need to tell a believable yet intelligent tale. That's tough to do when the subject matter is this fantastic and the elements they deal with are so grandiose.

The complexity, depth, heart, emotion and action are some of the best put together in any film this year. I have to agree with most of the film critics who are praising it and I'm glad it's getting the love at a high percentage. It would've been a shame for it not to be praised by the professionals. It really is professional, throw-back fun with heart and emotion.

Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011)

Good Message but Tedious Movie

[15 April 2011]

When they say "part I" they are not kidding. This film has no resolution and no real payoff at all. While I appreciate the message, it's delivered in two ways... subtly and often times in a very heavy-handed fashion. The bigger government gets the worse that it is for everyone. Unfortunately, the story plays out in a tedious manner. The cast is very good and there's actually great chemistry between the leads. Still, the story requires great concentration and seems to be more message than entertainment. Some implausibility's also hurts the overall effort. If gas prices were really $37 a gallon and the stock market had plunged to under 4000, there would be absolute chaos everywhere. There certainly wouldn't be any place in the world where rich people could go about their business as usual and without security of any kind. I may see part II to see how the story ends but I can't say I care that much if I don't.

Your Highness (2011)

a pure "nothing" film that delivers very little

[11 April 2011]

Mostly a pure "nothing" film that delivers few laughs and really nothing of substance whatsoever. It's not really a comedy and it delivers very low on the adventure front. The lead spends seventy five percent of the film as an unlikable lout that annoys at every turn. While annoyed at that character, the rest of the film is an inoffensive hodge-podge of quirky fluff. This isn't the worst film experience but it certainly delivers no quality either. James Franco was OK to good but his character was written and a straight man or set up man to jokes that were never there or presented at all. Natalie Portman was mostly wasted on this project and that's truly a shame at this point in her career. I didn't hate this movie but I did feel let down because the trailer was funny as could be and, again, this is NOT a comedy.

Source Code (2011)

nonsensical yet entertaining

[5 April 2011]

SPOILERS! The Source Code– The plot and basis for the film are almost completely nonsensical yet, it's interesting and certainly a visual treat. It's an intriguing movie that may not exactly hold up well under scrutiny but it defines its own universe. It's almost as if the film itself knows things may not add up but doesn't care. It's going to tell this story and be entertaining regardless. What exactly is happening doesn't matter, it's the fact that it IS happening.

SPOILER: Anyone else feel bad for Sean Fentress? He's either blown up in one reality or had his mind/soul pushed aside so that Gyllenhaal's Stevens can live happily ever after with the magnificent Michelle Monaghan. Thus, taking advantage of all the groundwork Sean put in to life. How's that relationship going to work? Gyllenhaal's Stevens didn't even know her last name an hour ago.

Letters to God (2010)

STRONG Message and a Very Moving Story

[15 April 2010]

The message of this moving film trumps its over-reliance on sap, its overuse of cheese and its limited production values. What amounts to unrealistic character development is used to tell the true tale of a family and a young man struggling to battle cancer and struggling to comprehend God's role in their lives. The overall message of "finding truth" and illustrating how each of our lives can be a testament (or letter) itself to God is a great analogy. If viewed with an open mind and a hopeful heart, this movie will make you think and will move you to tears. I wish the creators of the film had taken a more realistic approach and used less pure sap to establish the story. I have a feeling that the "golly gee" or "Leave It To Beaver" level of writing will turn some people off. I know they wanted to pay tribute to a brave and courageous soul by portraying him as a pure saint on earth but the story would've packed even more punch had they chosen to go a more level route. Still, the message is strong and the story very moving.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

One of the year's best films.

[29 April 2009]

It's not just that this movie is more filled with eye-popping effects and thrilling action sequences than the trilogy, though that's true. Rather, it's that there's a whole story here. Wolverine starts fast, and springboards from the long-running Marvel Comics series in breath-taking ways. It's a multi-faceted tale with an emotional richness seldom associated with the phrase "summer movie." For good reason, we equate summer movies with empty, flash-bang exercises in computer-generated imagery and mindless action. (I'm sure Transformers 2 will give us plenty of that later in the summer.) But the writers here are as interested in the subtext as they are in the high quality action. There's no denying that mutant super-powers drive this film. This is what state-of-the-art special effects look like: the live-action version of the way comic books appear in your mind. That would be irrelevant, however, without a good story. The movie delivers enough story and skillfully weaves together character, plot and action. This movie and the action are just plain spectacular.

One of the great things about this film is that virtually no screen time is spent on background character development. Like with last year's Incredible Hulk, the opening credits serve as a cool update and feeder for a basic origin. Even the newer characters that are introduced get very little time devoted to their past and it all works quite well. People in general are smart and can read between the lines, thus negating the necessity for cumbersome background information. Apparently the director figured this out and doesn't "talk down" to his audience even though it's an action film. The pace flows smoothly, with hardly a stutter along the way to break up the story or the action. That's the key. As good as X2 was, Wolverine simply has better action without sacrificing the heart or character development or the emotion that made this franchise the juggernaut that it has turned out to be.

This movie stands on its own, as its own Wolverine. People who've never seen any of the other movies can go and see it and enjoy it. I saw it with two people that have never seen any X-Men stuff and they loved it. One of the year's best.

The Great Buck Howard (2008)

Mediocre and harmless "made for TV" flick

[22 March 2009]

I caught this movie on the right venue, on TV in my house. Harmless, quirky and somewhat interesting, it's simply not silver screen material. The cast does a nice job but even upper level performances can't raise the film above mediocrity. The presentation of Buck Howard's show is clumsy and you never really believe that John Malkovich was performing in character on stage. Off stage, he delivers a nice, offbeat performance. Collin Hanks is starting to become the spitting image of his father, mannerisms and all. Emily Blunt is charming and instantly captivating. She's a big star waiting to explode. Worth seeing for the performances but it never leaves the realm or feel of a made for TV movie.

Push (2009)

haphazard with a flat out dull second act

[22 March 2009]

This film and the abilities represented could've spun off in to literally a hundred different plots and scenarios. Unfortunately, the direction they decided upon is at times confusing and delivers what appears to be a haphazard story. It's like the writers of this film were hold up in separate rooms and tried to be more clever then the guy in writing in the other room. Then, they got together and tried to make it all fit together. The wide superpowers on display are more of a handicap to story then a benefit. "Pushing" thoughts in to people's heads and masking what is perceived makes for intriguing plot possibilities. It seems that this movie is playing it right but they pull back on what appears to be a clever plot twist. This movie isn't half as clever as it thinks. As for the other powers, sniffing psychics and screaming Asians are silly and distracting but telekinetics work well in an action flick. A nice final battle/confrontation helps save the overall rating here.

Hulk Vs. (2009 Video)

A Fun Animated Masterpiece... Hulk VS Wolverine is REMARKABLE

[28 January 2009]

Holy Cow! There's been no other animation, Marvel or otherwise, that I've enjoyed this much. Hulk VS Thor is an excellent feature (even though I think they made Hulk a little too powerful in this storyline because Asgard and Thor himself needed to be depicted as putting up a better fight) but Hulk VS Wolverine is THE best 33 minutes I've ever seen, period. It made me feel like a kid again. Maybe I was a warped kid because I've always clamored for Wolverine to draw blood with his claws like he does in the books and he does so and then some in this gritty animated feature. Including his three greatest villains (Sabretooth, Deathstrike and Omega Red) as well as Deadpool is a masterful stroke. (Deadpool is done right and cracks you up at every turn) All the characters (including the Hulk) have advanced healing factors and this adds to the carnage and destructive fun. Who is the most unstoppable and who will survive this battle royale? It features THE best comic book type battles but strings together enough story to make it believable and powerful. Finally, a comic book brought to life without the need to dumb it down or overly censor the action.

I truly hope that Marvel/Lionsgate makes more animated films exactly like Hulk VS Wolverine. On one of the cool bonus features, one of the makers of these films floated the idea of Avengers VS X-Men. Get on that ASAP and use the exact same format, writers and talent you used to make Hulk VS Wolverine. A genuine THANK YOU goes out to them for crafting together this fun, animated masterpiece. Both my inner child and my adult sensibilities were rewarded by this DVD. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Australia (2008)

Vintage Hollywood Flavor. Thumbs Up!

[2 December 2008]

Once in a while, I love a movie that flashes back to vintage Hollywood and delivers a big sweeping film with just the right amount of cheese and Australia is just such a movie. It's bold, drawn out and down right enjoyable. Both Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman are perfectly cast and deliver exactly what is needed for each of their characters. The story takes a while to get going but delivers enough (especially with beautiful cinematography) to keep you interested. The underlying message of intolerance works quite well. I also love how the movie picks up steam and finishes very strong. The only serious negative about this grand film is the use of the boy as narrator. From the opening scene all I could think about is why did they get Jar Jar Binks to narrate this film? After that thought was allowed to settle, even the boy's mannerisms reminded me of that annoying Star Wars character. Looking past that, I really enjoyed this film.

Fireproof (2008)

A Pleasant Surprise... Powerful, Emotional and Complex

[6 October 2008]

I finally got around to seeing it and it's one of the true surprises of the year. I was expecting a ham-fisted, cheesy movie filled with Bible thumping and clichés. What I got was a deeply complex and emotional movie that delivers texture and layers that I found to be emotional and moving. The religious overtones are strong but not used in an abusive or over-the-top manner. This story feels real and grounded, filled with true angst and characters that are easy to identify with. The message and journey depicted are indeed inspiring and both are well worth exploring. Kirk Cameron delivers a surprisingly strong performance. The production value and the supporting cast are obviously amateur but, after a while, you look past that and are drawn deeply in to the story. A slow start where that amateur flavor seems strong soon fades quickly and the movie really finishes strong. A pleasant surprise to say the least that I recommend for the married or unmarried alike.

What I don't recommend is anyone see it that's easily offended by outward displays of faith. The religious aspect is strong but played in the right way, IMO. The film actually manages to be personal without being preachy. It shows what works for certain characters and even takes the time to explain why they feel the way they do. Take it or leave it for what it's worth.

An American Carol (2008)

Wonderfully illustrates mindless liberal agendas

[5 October 2008]

An American Carol is an entertaining movie on many levels. I found it to be humorous and extremely poignant. The last take off on Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" that was this funny and this entertaining was Bill Murray's Scrooged. Kevin Farley (yes, Chris' brother) is amazing as rotund, anti-American film maker Michael Malone. This film perfectly lampoons and wonderfully illustrates mindless liberal agendas across the board. It's even emotional and moving at times. The amazing cast includes many cameos (Leslie Nielsen, Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammar, James Woods, etc.) and many outstanding performances. Almost every scene delivers either something silly, flat out funny or something to think about. If this movie doesn't make you think and cherish America then your mind is already closed, what there is of it.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

The Most Enjoyable Film of the Decade

[24 April 2007]

The good news is that this blockbuster is exceptional. It's easily the best of the trilogy and, for my money, the most enjoyable film of the decade.

The comic-book-inspired franchise has always been about the search for balance; ironically, balance is was exactly what the first two movies lacked, with the seriously good cast continually upstaged by the special effects.

This time round, thanks to an inventive script, all the elements are in sync. The plot gives New York photographer Peter Parker aka Spider-Man three foes to contend with - four, if you count his battle with himself, which is brought on by an alien landing and subsequently turns his suit jet-black.

His love life is also a mess. He keeps trying, and failing, to propose to Mary Jane, who is suffering a career setback and does not appreciate the arrival of sweet blonde, Gwen Stacy.

The villains are well-rounded, with Flint Marko a joy to behold. Actor Thomas Haden Church has a great, Depression era face and his transformation into The Sandman is spectacularly beautiful - the creature is like a Henry Moore sculpture.

Meanwhile, Peter, Mary Jane and their rich friend Harry Osborn convince as fragile, ambitious twenty-somethings trying to make it in the big city. All the encounters are emotionally intense. They're also full of humor. "Where do they get these guys?" says Spidey, tipping out sand from his boots.

Spider-Man 3 is worth taking seriously, because it's so hell-bent on having fun and it won't be beat in the movie of the year race.

-C. O'Sullivan

Alone in the Dark (2005)

The Race Is OVER .... Worst Movie of 2005

[8 February 2005]

We have an early winner! There's NO WAY that there can be any movie released in 2005 that is worse then this. It's "Hudson Hawk" bad. Tara Reid has got to be the absolute worst actress employed today. Just awful. I rarely write reviews but I had to rush to the nearest computer to save people from this Piece O' Crap!!!! People were walking out of the movie left and right... Mainly Left!!! I have never seen this happen before. If you go see this movie you are an idiot and if you actually enjoy it you need to be shot.

I'm now embarrassed to say that I saw this movie first day it came out. I was excited and was enthused after watching the previews. The movie started bad. You know it's an awful film when the opening intro (ALA Star Wars) is dumb and the guy doing the voice over has a lisp. Stay away from this God awful movie whatever you do.