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Martin-E-Brannan
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Reviews
Keane (2004)
Damien Lewis is phenomenal
Damien Lewis puts on a master class in acting as a man fractured by a continuing search for his lost daughter. He searches day by day for her long after her disappearance. Homeless, he subsists on what he can afford from day jobs as he hunts for her without any real hope.
He meets other day travelers along the way, including a geographical bachelorette and her daughter, played by Abigail Breslin, who gives him a slight reprieve from his fruitless quest.
This quest has taken a toll on Keane's mind and we see him as he is dissembling into the madness that the years of fruitless searching have wrought.
Pumpkinhead (1988)
Stan Winston
The art of Stan Winston alone earns this movie a 10. Everything else is gravy. The man who gave us the practical effects that makes The Thing, Alien and Aliens still scary as hell forty years later, puts on a tour de force performance in this story that begins in mid-twentieth century mid-America.
A family, hunkered down in their farmhouse. Ma and Pa in the sitting room. Junior in his bedroom, the covers pulled up tight to his neck. No one is resting. There's something terrible, unspoken and unspeakable lurking in the wind outside among the fields of corn.
A man, alone, running, tripping, staggering, passes an ominous scarecrow. He makes it to the farmhouse. He begs to be let in. Ma implores Pa. The stranger wonders aloud, what kind of Christians would leave them out with it?
With what?
Will he be saved? And from what? Don't hear, dear reader, all will be revealed in practical gory detail. And in time. No spoilers here.
Piranha 3DD (2012)
Underrated and Misunderstood
Never intended to be taken seriously, this parody of the genre brings the laughs early and keeps them coming. Never taking itself, it's setting, or its stars seriously, it succeeds at what it sets out to do. Nothing is sacred here. The acting is delightfully earnest. The cameo from Christopher Lloyd as a Doc Brown knockoff marine biologist holdover from the previous movie, itself a tongue in cheek remake of the original, is good fun. But it's David Hasselhof as himself who really steals the show. I had a great time watching this silly movie. If you go into it expecting it to be the camp story it is, you'll have a great time, too.
I'm Not Here (2017)
J.K. Simmons and Sebastian Stan are Phenomenal
Maybe because I'm a man of a certain age finding myself alone and estranged from every woman I've ever loved, but I felt every minute of this film. While I understand the criticism that it's pace is too slow, that's just how sorrow and regret for one's missteps, mistakes, high crimes, and misdemeanors plays out at this stage of life. This film is not for those impatient many who need action and adventure at a hare's pace. Instead, it's for us erstwhile hares who napped too long thinking there would always be more time. Those of us who find our days too short. Those nearer to death than to youth. Those realizing too late that life is a marathon, not a sprint and hope like hell for a second wind.
Queen of the Amazons (1946)
Unintentionally funny romp
Enjoyable in an unintentionally funny sort of way. The action is so silly, one wonders if there was ever a time it was considered exciting. The acting is ... wooden, but this just adds to the unintentional humor. If you're looking for a classic, this ain't it, but there are worse ways to waste an hour.
Mosquito State (2020)
Beautifully made
On aesthetics and soundtrack alone this movie gets an 8 from me. This is one of the most stunningly cinematic films I've seen and the soundtrack is beautiful. Add to that the stellar acting and sound editing and I was in near sensory overload. The story, an apparent metaphor for stock, housing, and commodity trading gamed beyond the limits of technology to control (leading to the crash of 2008) is impenetrable on a single viewing, but it's not necessary to "get it" in order to marvel at this visual and aural feast.
Superhost (2021)
Good slasher fun
I don't know what people are complaining about. This is what B movie horror movies should be. A handful of characters. A creepy atmosphere. Stabby mayhem. Not everything has to be Silence of the Lambs or Get Out. Relax, have some fun and roll with it.
Jolt (2021)
Good Fun
I admit that any movie where Kate Beckinsale is kicking ass is my kind of movie. As long as you're up for a fast-paced action movie and don't let yourself get tied up in the occasional plot hole, you can have a lot of fun with this flick. Beckinsale has great chemistry with the supporting good guy cast and their interactions create some smiles, if not laughs. If you're looking for War and Peace or The English Patient, don't bother clicking play. If you have ninety minutes to spare on mindless shenanigans, play on.