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bthigdon - IMDb

bthigdon

IMDb member since February 2019
    Lifetime Total
    50+
    IMDb Member
    5 years

Reviews

I Saw the TV Glow
(2024)

Spoilers: What's the worst thing that could happen to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
That's how I explained what I thought the movie was about to table full of adults. I don't think I'm going to be invited back to brunch. I'm not even sure I understood the movie but if you take it at face value my statement makes some kind of sense. I don't want to expand out of the chance that I may spoil more than i already have. If I'm wrong then this is all jubberish.

I absolutely need to watch this again and probably several more times. Again, if what I believe the movie to be about is true then it's an absolutely terrifying tactic to demoralize and diminish your enemy eventually breaking their spirit and draining their will to fight. Furthermore, if my interpretation is correct than I would love to know the reality of what happened. Who was Mr. Melancholy? What were Isabel and Tara going through in their "real lives" that caused Mr Melancholy to choose their fates to be Isabel as Owen and Tara as Maddie? Were the parents somehow reflective of their worst fears.

Or was Maddie disturbed and gaslighting Owen?

Either way, it made me think and has stayed with me for a few days which is all you can ask from good cinema.

Fear Town, USA
(2014)

Excellent B Horror Movie
This movie knows what it is and doesn't try and be anything else. There's so much going on here, in a rather enjoyably convoluted plot. It embraces and breaks all the established conventions of horror movies and distills it down to this absurd day in the haunted life of a group of kids partying in the woods. It gives us so many antagonists, that the writers become antagonists themselves. But they deliver the goods, especially when a group of girls are haunted by the most disrespectful poltergeist of all time. It's refreshing to see gender swapping applied to horny teens and their quest to crush... well, this review doesn't have spoilers.

Role Play
(2024)

So Boring
This movie reminds me of John Wick but without any of the violence. The script is decent. The acting is fine. Cinematography ok. Score is better than average and provides a nice atmosphere. But without more than a couple quick fights, the movie becomes a chore.

When violence is eventually shown to us it's incredibly contrived and meaningless. The ending was especially disappointing and the writing devolved into a strange, unbelievable rom com. They could've done so much to improve the script and still keep the storyline they've given us. I think had more unbelievable action proceeded this then I could've looked past the nonsense.

Fantastic Four
(2015)

2023
Watch this movie in 2023 and tell me it's bad... it's not a good movie. It's passable but it's way better than any of the recent Marvel or DC movies. It's not even close. Every aspect of the heroes journey, although flawed, is here. You won't find this in modern movies. The protagonist gets their powers and are totally awesome from day 1. There's no struggle and nothing to relate to. Are you listening Disney and Warner Bros? I don't even know who owns DC movies at this point and I certainly don't care. How many more words do I need to write to make this review postable? This is ridiculous.............

The Ringer
(2005)

Classic Farrelly Brothers
I'd seen this movie before and enjoyed it but recently revisited it. I wasn't aware the Farrelly brothers were behind this, but it became very clear after a short while. They handle this type of material as gracefully as you can while still trying to elicit laughs from their audience. The love they have for special needs individuals is quite remarkable. They've brought attention to some rare diseases by employing actors with those disabilities. The actors are always part of the joke and never the butt of it. This is a surprisingly warm hearted movie which is peppered with a savage performance from Brian Cox. The movie wouldn't have worked without him.

Trump vs the Illuminati
(2020)

Who is taking this movie seriously?
The bad reviews are amusing, but not as amusing as this flick. If you can't enjoy this movie for what it is, then you are no fun. If you don't understand that this is funnier with the visuals as is, then you are definitely no fun. There's nothing realistic about this so why would the animations trigger you? If you can't watch this because you fall either hard to the left or hard to the right, then you are 100% no fun. Cancel your Amazon subscription and sign up for the Hallmark channel.

For those who want to have a great time Trump dances around like he's at a Pride parade and karate fights like he's doing Kumite. I didn't even mention alien leader of the Illuminati, Aleister Crowley and his Egyptian god pal Anubis. Give us a sequel.

Jared from Subway: Catching a Monster
(2023)

This was a bad idea...
I turned this on out of curiosity. I know about Jared from Subway but I didn't know the details. I had firmly been in the "Jared is 100% guilty camp" and then this lady in this documentary started talking. Then she starts playing tapes. Every word I hear the less I'm convinced that he's guilty. Not because I know any facts, none have been given in the first episode. I just know that this lady isn't the most reliable person. You keep waiting for him to incriminate himself but then he doesn't. I'm not sure I can keep up with this mess. I'm sure the dude did horrible things but this documentary is a perfect example of the wrong way to present an important story like this.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods
(2023)

This is really boring
I'm halfway through a superhero movie with some decent actors with several gorgeous women and some handsome dudes. Everyone is over 40 and looks incredible. Yet, somehow, this is one of the lamest and sophomoric superhero movies released to this date. There's a few gags for the adults but I've found more relatable material in Animaniacs than this movie. Disney even had something for the adults to chew on, but this film is just churned out with a personality just north of Asperger's.

The first film had a charm that was akin to the Goonies or another kid movie from the past that everyone can enjoy. This is for mindless consumers.

The Mother
(2023)

Oof
This was horrible. It's a mix of about four movies you've seen before. The acting is terrible. The script is recycled garbage. The cinematography is a joke... I've never seen blurred shots from an ancillary characters POV before. It doesn't make any sense when the main character is in the same room. Who's perspective is it DOP? The amount of exposition, especially in the beginning, is ridiculous. I don't even know what to say positive. JLo still looks great but she's looked great in less serious movies and I've really enjoyed her performance. Still, she was better than Joseph Finnes. He was terrible in this. I cannot recommend anyone watching this unless you're bored out of your kind and have seen everything else.

Bupkis
(2023)

This show has to lose 90% of its viewers in the first two minutes
Love a comedian that digs a hole on purpose only to have the audience in his palm by the end of the performance. This ain't for everybody but if you can handle the first two minutes, then you're going to see a very nice story about a family. Peter is guy with acknowledged mental health issues and he's laying it all out there for you. It's surreal and bittersweet.

Edie Falco deserves Emmy recognition and hazard pay. I could see the pain on her face. Thank god that's all that was on her face.

By the way, didn't anybody else see the similarity between the Davidson's kitchen and the Soprano's kitchen? Maybe it was my brain experiencing some weird bias.

Mrs. Davis
(2023)

Incredible Christian Metaphor
Not many people are going to get this show. Son will even be offended. I was raised Catholic and what I'm seeing is an incredibly respectful and epic story, much like you'd see in the Bible.

The connections this show makes between modern society and the foundations of Christianity is some of the most accessible religious content I've seen on tv. Folks this ain't subtle but you can miss the metaphors if you're not paying attention.

Arthur C Clarke said "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." To many there's not a difference between religion and magic. Magic, religion and technology literally drive this story and I can't wait to see where this goes.

The acting should be commended as well. Betty Gilpin is so natural and confident. She really should be starring in more Hollywood action movies.

I wish I could say more but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. This show deserves a look, even if you loved LOST and still feel disappointed.

The Mandalorian
(2019)

Its a kids show
Star Wars has always been about selling toys. It was when I was a kid and again when I grew up and the prequels came out. When the sequels came about, it was clear that these movies were for kids too (although clearly more real world politics made its way in). Now with Disney+ nothing has changed, well at least with the corporate model. But I changed. I got older and the new stuff doesn't have the same nostalgia the originals once did. I can be happy with three Star Wars movies and I'll go back and watch those over and over. If I need supplemental material, there's hundreds of Star Wars books that I could read that are much better quality than we've been given. It sucks that corporations take Gen X money for granted and listen to folks on Twitter who don't even pay for their content. But I think this era of a Star Wars is coming to an end. It wouldn't surprise me if Disney sells it within the next decade.

Mayfair Witches
(2023)

Never read the books and have no dog in this fight
This show is really boring. Alexandra Daddario is a world class beauty and she's a competent actress but the character is lifeless. Maybe there's a point in that, but there doesn't seem to be anything likable about her character. Her intentions are good but she's impulsive and self sabotaging. It wasn't long before I lost interest. I'll let the season play out and if I hear good things I'll come back. Really disappointed because this should've been a sure thing. Charming actress, witches are badass, awesome location and all from the mind of Anne Rice. Seems like it should've been a lot sexier too. What happened?

Hellraiser
(2022)

Bravo!
Now that's how you reboot a franchise. Hellraiser has always been hit or miss. The subsequent sequels never really complimented each other and after the third film, they've been arguably unwatchable. Even the appearances by Adam Scott and Katherine Wynnick aren't enough to bring you back for a second viewing of the sequels. The first three movies remain a lot of fun if lacking in enough of the Cenobites.

Hellraiser 2022 seeks to change the narrative and make the Cenobites as much as a main character as our "heroine" is. Jaime Clayton is perfectly cast as Pinhead and the performance is just as disturbing as Doug Bradley's. The additional Cenobites all are reminiscent of their former iterations but I must say that the skin design is truly inspired and a great way to evolve the character design.

I would think demonic forces would attack our most vulnerable so the main characters story resonated more than Kristy's original story. Drug addiction seems like the perfect bridge between the Cenobites and their victims. These aren't sinners, per se, but people in circumstances that make them easily targeted. So it makes one wonder if this dimension is truly Hell or some universe or reality where living beings behave like this?

Looking forward to seeing this film again and adding it to the annual Halloween viewing list.

The Munsters
(2022)

I gave it a 5 because...
It sucks 50% of the time and is pretty cool the other 50% of the time. I've never seen a movie succeed in so many ways yet fail in so many ways. The monster make up is top notch and that means a lot to me in this age of CGI. I think Rob Zombie would've gotten away with a lot more of this campiness if he went with a black and white print. The movie is too crisp for color and would look amazing in monochrome. The Dutch angles look weird in color. For a musician, the sound is among the worst I've ever heard in film. The score has The Room vibes. The acting is amateur. I'm probably rating it too high but the lack of CGI gives it some bonus points.

Gentlemen Broncos
(2009)

Low Concept High Brow Comedy
You'll either love this movie or hate it. I loved Napoleon Dynamite and I found this film to be pretty damn satisfying. If you like to read, you'll like this movie. Soundtrack is awesome and there is a post credit scene.

The Terminal List
(2022)

It's like an AI wrote this
Everything about this is off. I don't get the authentic feel other movies from Saving Private Ryan to 13 Hours. It feels forced and inauthentic. I like Chris Pratt, but I've seen CBS TV shows more authentic than this.

Chaos Walking
(2021)

Great premise ruined by awful screenplay
It's obvious that the writers and producers wanted to wrap this puppy up and ended up meddling with a good story. I've never read the book but I guarantee the characters don't come off as poorly as they do here. The Preacher character was laughable exposition when he could've been the best character in the story. Hollywood really screwed this up.

The Hunt
(2020)

Conservatives should love this
I never understood why this movie was pulled due to rumors that it was punching down on conservatives and people from the south. To the contrary, it savages liberals in some pretty interesting ways but doesn't throw the baby out with the bath water. Its not mean spirited and most of the captives really don't profess any sort of ideology other than "I need to get the hell out of here". It's very clever in its vilification of social media and a pretty good action movie. Betty Gilpin is badass in this.

Everything Everywhere All at Once
(2022)

Thank You
This is how you make a film. I'm sure I have the same take as thousands of other folks so I won't even bother. If you have a heart and a brain, this movie is for you. It really excels in its transitions from verse to verse. I was never confused or had to do 4D chess to figure out the story, and it's not a simple story. Writing, cinematography, choreography, editing, acting and directing work harmoniously to curate a beautiful, moving film about the IRS and a bagel.

Moon Knight
(2022)

Oh boy...
The execution of this show is garbage. I'm very familiar with the character and while the costume is perfect the way they executed everything else is terrible. Oscar Issac's nebbish choice is beyond cliche. And "the voice in his head" sounded like Tom Hardy came in to redo his Venom voice overs. It's Khonshu an Egyptian God, not Keith David. Maybe it'll get better, but anyone giving this high marks is ignorant to Marvel comics.

Dune: Part One
(2021)

I tried twice...
I love Denis Villenueve and Greig Fraser. I usually can overlook a lot if the cinematography is compelling enough. This film looks absolutely gorgeous. I imagine the last hour and a half look just as good as the beginning. I wish I could make it through this film but it's far from hard sci fi. In fact, it's more fantasy than sci fi. You have to buy into a lot of elements that are so unrealistic and unexplained to the viewer that you are at a disadvantage if you haven't read the books or seen the original (also unwatchable).

Moon Knight
(2022)

Oh boy...
The execution of this show is garbage. I'm very familiar with the character and while the costume is perfect the way they executed everything else is terrible. Oscar Issac's nebbish choice is beyond cliche. And "the voice in his head" sounded like Tom Hardy came in to redo his Venom voice overs. It's Khonshu an Egyptian God, not Keith David. Maybe it'll get better, but anyone giving this high marks is ignorant to Marvel comics.

Game of Thrones
(2011)

Benioff and Weiss could still be working...
Books are great and so were the first seven seasons. The fact that they rushed through the series was a career ended for them. I won't be buying the rest of the books because the end of the story was completely underwhelming. Doesn't matter what George R R Martin writes at this point.

Home Team
(2022)

For real?
This movie is fantastic. I wanted to hate it but it's awesome. I don't know how much more vulnerable you can be as a public person with a scandal in their background. It's awesome.

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