MOVIE REVIEW: Friend Request

RELEASE DATE: September 22nd 2017

RUN TIME: 1 Hour 32 Mins

MPAA RATING: R

MY IMDB RATING: 7.5

DIRECTOR: Simon Verhoeven

MAIN CAST: Alycia Debnam-Carey, Philip Koch, Connor Paolo

IMDB Summary:

When a college student unfriends a mysterious girl online, she finds herself fighting a demonic presence that wants to make her lonely by killing her closest friends.

MY REVIEW:

This was my kind of horror movie, a evil presence killing people off one by one. A strong story line easy to follow leading up to a ending that really did not explain everything. While the ending was good, it was not a happy ending which makes for good nightmares when you go to bed at night. I really liked how the story was written with social network interaction but was not the main focus of the story. Or was it? That's for you to decide. Everything blended well together. This movie had chills. While I will not buy it for my DVD collection, I will watch it again someday.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Angel

RELEASE DATE: September 18th 2018

RUN TIME: 1 Hour 54 Minutes

MPAA RATING: TV-MA

MY IMDB RATING: 9

DIRECTOR: Ariel Vromen

MAIN CAST: Hannah Ware, Toby Kebbell, Manwan Kenzari

IMDB Story Line

True story of Ashraf Marwan, who was President Nasser's son-in-law and special adviser and confidant to his successor Anwar Sadat - while simultaneously Israeli Intelligence's most precious asset of the 20th century. Based on NYT bestselling book 'The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel' by Uri Bar-Joseph.

MY REVIEW

This movie covers the history of tensions between Israel and Egypt from the death of Egypt President Gamal Abdel Nasser up to the Yom Kippur War. It's not the slit your throat bang bang your dead movie but it has all the same suspense and tension. I find the movie very factual. But remember, it's based on historical events. So do your own research. The movie does focus on the actions of Anwar Sadat's administration and his personal confidant Ashraf Marman, and his life during that time. Regardless if he was a good or bad guy, it shows he was a human being. It also makes you ask the question where was his loyalties, with Egypt or Israel. I liked the movie and thought it was really good and can diffidently recommend it.    

MOVIE REVIEW: The 3rd Eye

RELEASE DATE:  November 30th 2017 (Indonesia)

RUN TIME: 1 HOUR 47 MINS

MPAA RATING: MA-TV

MY IMDB RATING: 4.5

DIRECTOR:  Rocky Soraya

MAIN CAST: Jessica Mila, Bianca Hello, Denny Sumargo

IMDB Story Line



Alia decides to leave Bangkok and return to Jakarta once after her parents died. She and Abel, her teenage sister, moved into their childhood home away from the city. But Abel, who was often strange and frightened, disliked the house. She said there was something else besides them. Alia and Davin, Alia's boyfriend who accompanied Alia, were ignore everything which Abel said. But Abel's attitude is getting worse. Feel she must to help Abel, Alia intends to take Abel to a psychiatrist. But Abel refuses and she says that she can see those who are already dead because her third eye has been open since childhood. Abel invites Alia to see Mrs. Windu, a psychic who has been always helping Abel. Want to prove all the things that make no sense to this, Alia asked Mrs. Windu to open her third eye. And slowly, Alia began to experience unusual events. She began to see skmething that no one else could see, and the presence of ghosts who asked her help. But them who were appears at Alia's house hurt her. Their energy is so negative that it can harm Alia and Abel. Without any other place for them to stay, they are forced to stay there and ask Mrs. Windu's help. Can Mrs. Windu help them?


MY REVIEW:


On Netflix this movie is called The 3rd Eye, but the Indonesia title is Mata Batin and it was released in the USA in 2018. The movie has several cheap thrills that will make you jump and then becomes a confusing mess of everything. While the special effects where high school student level, the story line was strong in the first half. Then it went down hill. I thought the acting was ok but could have been better. I found a fan review page where people just hated this movie, but I think it's ok for a cheap Halloween scare, but this movie will not be in my movie collection unless it's a gift and then I will be trading it in.


However it's not bad enough to keep me away from the director or the actors in other movies, in my opinion this could have been done much better with the crew it had. I can't say I hated it or liked it because it did entertain me for the 1 hour and 47 minutes. I gave this a weak 4.5 just to be nice, because it was not the worse movie I had ever seen.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Nun

RELEASE DATE: September 7 2018

RUN TIME 1 HOUR 36 MIN

MPAA RATING: R

MY IMDB RATING 8.5

DIRECTOR: Corin Hardy

MAIN CAST: Demian Bichir, Tassa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet

A priest with a haunted past and a novice on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate the death of a young nun in Romania and confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun.

MY REVIEW

This movie was part of the Conjuring Series focused on the investigations of  Ed and Lorraine Warren. It did not disappoint. It did have those spine tingling moments. And I am not sure what was more scarier, the ghost or the story behind the nun leading up to the end. They both worked together nicely terrifying.  It did not dwell on special effects till the end. What I mean about that is while there was special effects through out the whole movie, It did not need the big budget movie effects till the end. Too many special effects can kill a horror movie no matter how well written it was. I can not recommend this as a family movie and it has a well deserved R rating. It is really cool how the Conjuring movies blend together but are unique in their own way. It was really great to see this at the theater. I truly enjoyed watching this movie.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Wave

RELEASE DATE: August 28th 2015 (Norway)

RUN TIME: 1 Hour 45 Mins

MPAA RATING: R

MY IMDB RATING: 4

DIRECTOR: Roar Uthanug,

MAIN STARS: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro

IMDB STORY LINE

Although anticipated, no one is really ready when the mountain pass above the scenic, narrow Norwegian fjord Geiranger collapses and creates an 85-meter high violent tsunami. A geologist is one of those caught in the middle of it.

MY REVIEW

I am not sure how to put this into words, but I am going to try. The movie had a lot going for it in special effects and the story line seemed strong, but what killed me was the English translation track from the Norwegian Language of movie. The sound seemed off. The voice acting was horrible.If I could watch it with the original sound track and English subtitles and not English voice track, I think I would have enjoyed it better. But I could not handle the voice track with what was happening in the movie. It matched but was not convincing. I am sure the Norwegian acting was better.

The Disaster itself was awesome and welled played out, Special effects was on target. I believe a R rating was to harsh and could recommend this for family viewing. If I can find a way to watch it with English subtitles I will give it a second chance. Even Japanese Godzilla movies with English voice tracks are better then this.

Netflix Documentary Review: I AM A KILLER

Google summary

Profiling prisoners convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. Recounting the events that led up to their crime, the killers reveal their motivations and how they now view their actions, after time spent on death row.

MY REVIEW

I have watched 10 episodes of this serious, each with a different murderer with his own story. They bring you in and you almost feel compassionate for what they are going through. You feel bad for them, you see clearly their side of the story. You forget why they are there and what terrible crime they have done. No matter how serious the crime you are sad for them.

THEN
 You hear the prosecutors explanation and the victims family and friends side and you feel absolutely guilty that you could ever take the side of a murderer. This series was so well produced and written to bring you in that close and personal to a killer.

Do not expect to be entertained when you watch this series, but expect to be educated in the justice system a little deeper then your prepared to go. The killers description of the crime is not so much brutal as it is scary. This is not a TV fictional crime serious, this is deep. It is possible you might get board. Because they try to be overly smart in why they are the victim instead of the cold dead body in the ground who's life was taken from them.

The killers are very smooth talkers, and manipulative. You believe them line hook and sinker, it's almost like they are your friend down the street. You know this person. He's the guy that you see at the coffee shop everyday. The man at the barber shop or the one that sets on the steps across the street when you walk you kids to school.

And just before the knife goes in your chest you find out who they really are.

NETFLIX Documentary Review: Inside The Criminal Mind

IMDB Summaries

Inside the Criminal Mind- a gripping exploration exposing the psychological machinations and immoral behavior that define the most nefarious criminal types. Every episode of the series delves into the ardent backgrounds of infamous criminal's and with commentary from world leading experts, a cognitive profile is created allowing the audience to not just understand but recognize the psychology that creates the most fearsome types of criminals.
—Jon Loew

Episode 1

Serial Killers

They may appear to be as ordinary as your next-door neighbor. In reality they're far from it. Serial Killers possess an unquenchable thirst for murder, performed with a total lack of remorse. Their names are seared into our collective consciousness as symbols unthinkable terror: Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer. Their heinous deeds are immortalized by their fearsome nicknames, Zodiac Killer, Green River Murderer and the BTK Strangler...Bind, Torture, Kill. For decades criminologists and forensic scientists have searched for keys to unlock the twisted psyche

Episode 2

Kidnapping

Their names made international headlines for their cruel and sadistic acts. Kidnappers who abducted young women, imprisoned them for months, years or even decades and subjected them to rape and torture - sometimes even fathering children with their captives. Psychologists and profilers struggle to understand the motives and mindset behind these horrendous, long-term abductions. Ariel Castro captured and sexually abused three young women for a decade. Phillip Garrido took Jaycee Dugard when she was just 11 and imprisoned her for 18 years, fathering two daughters with her

Episode 3

Death Cult Leaders

They are some of the most terrifying and tragic events of the 20th century - tales ending in horrific scenes of massacre, murder, sexual abuse and mass suicide. These are catastrophes caused by psychopathic Cult Leaders and their maniacal teachings. Charles Manson and his demonic family slaying seven innocent victims, including a woman who was 8 months pregnant. Jim Jones and his infamous poison potion killing over 900 followers, a third of them children. David Koresh responsible for horrible sexual abuse and the fiery death of more that 80 people at least 20 of them

Episode 4

Crime Lords

They are some of the most powerful business executives on the planet, described as, "part CEO, part terrorist and part rock star." Crime Lords control powerful organizations that generate unimaginable wealth. But their fortunes aren't created through clever corporate strategy. Their businesses are built on gambling, drugs, intimidation, fear and murder. Their tactics are heartless, their methods are cruel and their psychology is pure evil. Al Capone, John Gotti, Pablo Escobar and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. They are the cunning and ruthless leaders of syndicates,

MY REVIEW

This was like watching your favorite crime movie with the exception, this was real. They broke down each famous criminal and the crime they committed. It was watching the history of criminals all the way back to Al Capone. It's not that you went inside the criminals mind but you heard the opinions of medical professional give medical explanations of why people do bad things and why they act out fantasies or become what the are. These range from a imbalance in the brain to sexual abuse or  Parental/adult abuse. Bottom line is all this criminals had a passion to big something bigger then they where no matter who stood in the way with out and any reguard for the written laws of the land or the authority of law enforcement.

TV Shows I am Watching

Instead of watching movies I have been watching Netflix and CBS All Access.

Here is a list of Shows and Documentaries I plan to watch and review on my Blog.

Now watching on Netflix

Inside the Criminal Mind

IMDB Description

Inside the Criminal Mind- a gripping exploration exposing the psychological machinations and immoral behavior that define the most nefarious criminal types. Every episode of the series delves into the ardent backgrounds of infamous criminal's and with commentary from world leading experts, a cognitive profile is created allowing the audience to not just understand but recognize the psychology that creates the most fearsome types of criminals.

—Jon Loew

I AM A KILLER

Will Be Watching Soon

CBS All Access

One Dollar

Set in a small rust-belt town in post-recession America, a one-dollar bill changing hands connects a group of strangers involved in a shocking multiple murder.

Strange Angel

A rocket scientist in 1940s Los Angeles is secretly the disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley.

My blog writings will be slower, but sometimes you need to watch a whole season in order to give a complete review

TV SHOW REVIEW: Star Trek Discovery

When They announced the show I was very skeptical and refused to give it a chance because you had to subscribe to CBS ALL ACCESS, but over the past year after selective advertising and several blog post and reviews of the show, I decided to pay for the subscription service and really enjoy the series.

It was not so much a new adventure every week as it was the continuing the story. I really enjoyed Jason Isaacs playing the his role and I don't want to give to much away , but by the end of the season he really showed his true colors. If you have watched his roles in The Patriot and the Harry Potter movies you will know what I mean. Jason played Captain Gabriel Lorca and it has a real twist by the end of the series.

Sonequa Martin-Green plays Micheal Burnham, before STD, she played Sasha Williams on The Walking Dead. She plays such a strong character on STD that I forget she was ever on TWD, and TWD is my favorite show.

The only thing I don't like in the show is the look of the Klingons, they look to intense however, I am in the minority in that opinion. But there is many other great characters in this show, and they have great important roles in the series.

I really like how they blend this in to the Star Trek History that we all know and love. It is it's own show and has it's own identity, but very much part of the Star Trek family. I am really looking forward to season 2 in 2019, and speaking of Star Trek I am looking forward to Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Captain Picard in a new Star Trek series. Will he be retired captain or serving in another role?