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dannyolivercampbell
Reviews
Ballers (2015)
Good show
I honestly think this is a good show. I know it's on HBO and shows like True Detective and Game of Thrones have writing, directing and acting that are all on point and set at such a high level. So everyone expects almost perfection from an HBO show. Let me just say that this show is a good show and better than most shows on the air right now. It's not quite on the level of production as the best HBO shows. But I would say it's a higher quality show than Entourage, which was also an HBO show.
The driving force of the show is Dwayne Johnson. And it seems like he was always just out of reach of greatness and his true potential. But he gives a strong performance in this show. Probably the best acting he has done. Although he gave good performances in Pain and Gain, and Snitch (even if the movies themselves weren't the best). Some of his other roles have been just okay or decent. But he definitely is in a new level of acting for this role.
It's a good mix of drama and comedy. I really like the intensely serious shows on HBO, but it's nice to have something a little lighter, but not be a joke either. It has a good balance. This show does feel more like a showtime or starz show than HBO. But I'm not going to deduct points from it just because it's on HBO instead of another channel. It's a good show, regardless of where or how I watch it.
Defiance (2013)
Give this show a chance
At first I thought the show was okay. Not terrible but certainly not great. I will admit the first couple episodes are a little rough but I saw potential in the show so I kept watching. The show starts coming together nicely after the first couple episodes. They start introducing backstories for the characters and the actors start really getting into their roles.
Yes some of the effects don't look great, but part of the show's budget is being put towards the video game with the same name (and also takes place in the same world). The video game is not great and I honestly think they should just focus on the show and use their whole budget strictly for the show itself. But some of the bad special effects aside, the world can look beautiful and sometimes the special effects can look really good.
A half a dozen episodes in now, the show just gets better and better. I feel like it has a lot of momentum now and is only growing stronger as time passes. It is a sci-fi show, but there is a lot of human elements to it. It's more about relationships and friendships then flashy cgi. Overall I find this show entertaining and if you gave up after the first 2 episodes, try watching episodes 3-6, and then if the show still isn't appealing, at least you tried.
Haven (2010)
Give this show a chance
Haven is a kind of show you can't put a label on, part mystery, part drama, part comedy and other elements thrown in. It's slightly low budget but it's one of the most charming and endearing shows you will ever see.
I will admit that while I enjoyed the first season and it kept my interest, the show was good but had not hit greatness. Season 2 was amazing though and everyone was really into their characters and the overall story had become more interesting and intense.
The show is filmed in Nova Scotia, Canada but takes place storywise in Maine (they are both on the east coast and look very similar). Something about the location makes this show even more endearing, it feels fresh on the coast and makes for very pretty scenery that adds to the whole atmosphere of the show.
Each episode has it's own mini story but the whole series has a continual story going on as well and the mix is blended very well and don't take away from each other. The characters are very likable and it's just a solid show.
Haywire (2011)
An honest review
A lot of people are just voting 1 for this film without any just cause other then they don't want to like this film. I believe this film has flaws but as a whole, is a very unique and special experience. When I watched this film, it was not like any film that I had seen before, from the camera angles, sound choices, etc. I felt some of the sound choices were strange but it went with the whole flow of the movie. This movie is NOT a standard action movie but more like watching art. There were few fight scenes but the fight scenes that are in the movie have a raw feeling to them and are extremely well choreographed. They are believable because the main character's hand to hand fights are all one on one with the exception of one fight in which she is fighting two people. But it is believable because she gets a surprise attack on the two people. The other fights, she is fighting people her size except for one fight, in which she was getting her ass handed to her until someone else joined in and helped her.
I think people were either expecting an ACTION action movie or a Oscar worthy drama but this movie is neither. It has a very surreal feeling and it can be slow but it has a very real feeling to it as well and is more like an experience then a movie. The fight scenes alone are worth the price of admission, and seeing the birth of a legitimate female action star. Was her acting stellar? No but it was pretty good, especially for someone who has never acted before. She can only improve from here.