Change Your Image
prestonm1993
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againReviews
Silent Hill 2 (2001)
I Loved Being Sunderland
So I love horror games and exploration of protagonist sorrow and guilt. This game promises this and more. Survival horror fans can rejoice in the puzzles and combat while story-centric gamers will be happy to find a compelling tale here. I cannot recommend this game enough to people who love psychological thrillers, horror and generation 6 console history.
The central cast of James, Angela, Laura, Mary, Maria and Eddie make up the entirety of our cast (barring the "Born on a Wish" expansion). James' wife Mary seems to have sent him a letter directing him to Silent Hill where he encounters Angela whom is also seeking family. He also meets Eddie, a man with a secret whom seems to have just found his way here by chance. Laura, a little girl, taunts James on her first few interactions and seems to know Mary. Finally there is Maria, the gorgeous doppelganger to Mary who seems to know more than James (and the player) does.
I will not explain what happens next because I want to encourage you to play it for yourself as there is a reason this is considered one of the greatest video games of all time.
65 (2023)
A unique concept to dinosaur films
So I'm going to tell this with as few spoilers as possible.
Our protagonist, Mills, finds himself on Earth 65 million years ago and takes Koa, his only surviving passenger, with him to escape. Time is of the essence here, and dinosaurs prowl about and cause them strife.
I watched this for the dinosaurs (and other archosaurs like pterosaurs & crocodilians) and was even introduced to a few new species. The final threatening reptile is modeled after a Rauisuchian (and apparently during rest screenings was a triceratops). This was my main attraction as I'm not particularly a fan of Adam Driver. I don't dislike him, I just get sick of seeing "rising stars" showing up in several productions in a short period of time.
Don't watch this film for scientific accuracy, watch it for good "B-movie" fun.
Mope (2019)
Good but Horrible
I've never seen a movie that made me feel so empty and sick since "Se7en". This is a good movie, but it's also horrible. What I mean is this movie IS a good film narratively and cinematically, and we'll acted and written. But this movie is horrible as in it's NOT for the faint of heart. It is also not a movie people wishing to enter the adult film industry will want to see. However it is one that those wishing to enter adult entertainment NEED to see.
This is based on a true story about two men who so desperately wanted to make it in the industry, they were willing to take on the most humiliating and debasing jobs within adult entertainment. It's no secret women are routinely objectified and used again and again in this business. However, this film shows the world that men also are treated like a cruel child's playthings.
If you come to this film expecting to laugh, you are sorely mistaken. This is a motion picture that sheds light onto the most dark and disgusting part of the already controversial world of X-rated cinema.
What makes this film worse is that one scene at the end intercuts footage of the film with footage of the real event that took place, reminding us of the horrible truth we are being told.
Money Shot: The Pornhub Story (2023)
A Well-Rounded Documentary
This film shows the good and the bad of websites such as p0rn hub. The freedom it allowed of adult performers to break into the industry, and the unfortunate freedom of unverified users victimizing innocent people who did not want to be a part of it.
You learn of the understaffed moderation department and the unrealistic quota they are required to make. Both sides of the legal arguments on what Mind Geek (P0rn Hub's parent company) has been up to and the anti p0rnography movement TraffickingHub.
This documentary makes it a point to get BOTH sides of this debate, and perspectives of the people who suffer from the poor public image this web site and others like it.
Most importantly it includes the perspectives of both male and female adult performers, who are all caught in the middle of and suffer because of this debate.
We Need to Talk About Cosby (2022)
Nobody is Just One Thing
So I want to preface this by saying I will not be addressing the elephant in the room. The last thing we need is a Caucasian male giving his two cents on a non Caucasian's transgressions.
What I DO WANT to say is I commend Bell's direction with this production. He didn't just talk about Cosby's accomplishments or just his misdeeds, he made both known. In clear detail.
This series shows us the one rule about all people. Nobody is just one thing.
Life Is Strange: True Colors (2021)
Checks all the boxes!
Another entry in the beloved Life is Strange franchise! We have the amazing indie music, lovable cast of characters, a fantastically wild yet relatably grounded storyline. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll love, and you'll be in awe. It's safe to say this one checks all the boxes that make the franchise so great!
Here, we are introduced to Alex Chen, a young woman who went from foster home to foster home all her life since she was 11. She is finally reunited with her older brother after years of attempting to track her down. Tragedy strikes and Alex is determined to investigate.
Reacher (2022)
A Great Reboot and Franchise Potential
I have never read the books, and only saw the first "Jack Reacher" film starring Tom Cruise. A good movie, and I look forward to seeing the sequel. But THIS is the adaptation truer to Lee Childs' vision.
For one, it's easier to adapt a book into a series with multiple episodes than a film of rarely more than two hour length. So there is plenty of room for each episode to build on the details of the world.
For another, and more importantly, this version of Jack Reacher looks the part. Tom Cruise is a man of athletic but still average physique and famously short. Alan Ritchson really looks the part. He is muscular and tall. He also brings that likeable energy that Tom Cruise sometimes doesn't have.
I look forward to the following seasons I hope that they will produce.
Velvet Assassin (2009)
A Female Spy Game
There aren't many games out there to showcase a badass woman. This game really does that. It also has a good soundtrack and environmental design with a unique voice cast showcasing an English-speaking protagonist amongst a bunch of German-speaking enemies. If you want to live out the life of a female spy, this game allows you to do just that.
Le pacte des loups (2001)
The Breasts of Gevaudan
So my interest in this film was initially just because I knew it was about the beast of Gevudan and it was portrayed as a lion in body armor. Then I found out Zero from John Wick 3 was in it as well as the beauty that is Monica Bellucci, and that she bares all.
Jokes and puns aside, this film is a great blend of historical fiction, horror, action and even romance. It's got something for everyone and odds are you will have a good time watching it.
Copper Mountain (1983)
I didn't last 15 minutes
I got this movie for Christmas one year, it should be known that I'm a huge fan of Jim Carrey. Thing is, I started this movie and I couldn't finish it. As soon as Jim Carrey was about to get behind a microphone I told myself "I can't do it". I couldn't finish the remaining 45 minutes of the movie.
I'm sorry Jim Carrey, I'm sorry Robin Thicke (his father, Alan Thicke, co-stars). I appreciate what this movie means to Carrey and Thicke's careers. But I just couldn't do it.
I'm sure this film has fans. I'm sure there's an audience for this film. I regrettably just am not one.
Resident Evil Village (2021)
What an amazing time!
This game was horrifying and fun all at the same time! It sadly will be the last we see of the Winters family as undisclosable plot events occur. You will see familiar faces in new ways. The resident evil/biohazard weirdness fans have come to know and love is very much present here.
Lost Love (2019)
Quite good for a story
I know nobody watches these for a plot. But I saw the showtime edit, which makes it into a softcore film by omitting and cropping explicit content within scenes. Impressive performances all around, too. Not just the sex scenes, but also the dramatic ones. There's also a plot twist that if you aren't paying attention to, you won't realize it happened. Quite an accomplishment for a pornographic title.
Spec Ops: The Line (2012)
This Game WILL Mess With You
This game is a great masterpiece. Yes, it's gameplay itself is generic and there are other games that made better use of the mechanics available in this game, as well as other games that explore the middle eastern backdrop and themes such as revenge and "war is hell". In fact, you could find a technically better game with all these attributes in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
But what does this game have that Metal Gear doesn't? While Kojima-san is generally one to explore these themes, he does so in a way that makes a game more digestible for the masses. Walt Williams and Richard Pearsey instead took this story's darkness and violence to new levels, and went even further. They take the darkness of the situation and make it even worse for the player. The player is captivated and pushed to keep going further into this rabbit hole.
The decisions made by the player are not done mid-cutscene like Alpha Protocol or Mass Effect will have you do. They are instead made in fully interactive gameplay. Occasionally, if you take too long the choice may be instead made for you. Never are those decisions made for you made for the better, just so you know. Although, to be fair, no decision is actually better than another. They are, almost always, a matter of equally rotten apples and oranges, but they still affect you and the world around you in different ways.
The way I played this game was a single 6 hour session, meaning I essentially went through everything the Delta team went through. No breaks, no rest. Just constantly progressing. This story was partially spoiled for me, specifically the "white phosphorus" and "the twist" scenes. That being said I still was thoroughly engrossed in this story and even knowing about two of the biggest twists in the game, I still felt EVERYTHING Martin Walker (and by extension Adams and Lugo) felt. I hurt with these men. I went through hell with them.
Without spoiling the story, there is an overarching theme about how Walker didn't have a choice. In a way, this is true. While the game plays this off as the protagonist not having any other options, I don't see it as his doing. I see it as more the player's fault than anyone else. That Walker would have been better off without the player's input. The same can also be said about the player being a victim of Walker's forced perspective and the plater being left no choice but to go with his words. The player and Walker both want the same thing, to be a hero. And because it throws the player for a loop, this game messes with you.
The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)
Top Notch Sequel
If you enjoyed the first one, odds are you'll enjoy this one. As seen in the cast list, everyone returns for one more laugh and scream. A betrayal sets off a chain of events that bring Cole and a new companion together in a fight for their lives and a heartwarming conclusion that perfectly ends this duology.
Resident Evil 3 (2020)
You Will Have a Blast
I just beat my PS4 copy yesterday after 2 play sessions. I thought this was an amazing game. Perfect? No. I still have a preference over the original. Just like Resident Evil 2's remake last year. Seeing Jill Valentine again was amazing and I can't wait to see her again in any future games they might include her in. Seeing Nemesis again in disturbing detail was also great. It's a shame he didn't have more random encounters. But it feels like he had more screen time here than in the original. That being said, Nemesis was treated like an individual character in the original game. Here, he's treated as a creature. Not a bad thing, just different. Nicholai Genovaef is well done as a villain with more screen time and Carlos Olivera is a fun change of pace. Tyrell is given more screen time and made a real person rather than one dimension cameo. In fact, all the characters are revamped and made into real people. Only Jill and Carlos felt authentic in the original while everyone gets updated in this version.
Please treat yourself to getting this game. Whether you are a long time fan or never played Resident Evil/Biohazard before, you will have a blast.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
This was a Triumph
Well, after years of anticipation I FINALLY got to see it! I've been hyped to see the Sonic movie since before the release of the first trailer. It was hilarious, fast-paced, and action packed. Sonic was my childhood favorite superhero, and he is fighting a villain played by Jim Carrey - one of my biggest acting heroes of all time.
The special effects were superb, the acting was great, and the director was doing his job well. Those do not always come together so well.
We are given an origin story of how Sonic got from Mobius to Earth. The film also provides some back history on Dr. Ivo Robotnik's upbringing and his occupation. The story essentially paints Sonic a fugitive on the run from Robotnik and the government.
He is aided by Tom (a cop who Sonic nicknames the "donut lord") and his wife Maddie (who Sonic calls "pretzel lady") in his search for golden rings, which allow for travel in Sonic's world.
The chemistry between James Marsden's Tom and Ben Schwartz's Sonic as budding buddies is so fun to watch. The same can be said for Sonic and Jim Carrey's Robotnik as foes.
Longtime and newcoming fans of Sonic will love all of the subtle and not so subtle references to past games. And baby Sonic is undeniably cute. Just saying.
Sonic the Hedgehog as a gaming franchise has had a number of ups and downs with each game, but as a film, this was a triumph.
I cannot wait for the sequel.
Hannibal (2001)
The Masterclass Actors Need
Without spoiling the story in this introduction, I will simply state that what makes the Anthony Hopkins trilogy of Hannibal Lector films so great is that there are always a minimum of two villains. The first being the titular Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lector. The second being a "Villain of the Week". Silence of the Lambs featured "Buffalo Bill" as the second (but not necessarily secondary) antagonist, and Red Dragon features the "Tooth Fairy" in the same role. This is what I always admire about the "Hannibal Lector" franchise. This film also has a strong, compitent female lead filling in very tough shoes.
Anthony Hopkins, of course, reprises Dr. Hannibal Lector. But Jodie Foster was not able to return to the role, so Julianne Moore fills in the role and brings her own unique portrayal that is not necessarily a drastic difference beyond the realm of human possibility. 10 years have changed FBI Agent Clarice Starling
as have the casting department, but it works. Paul Krendler returns from a cameo in the first film into a trouble-making foil to Clarice, this time portrayed by Ray Liotta. Joining the cast in the role of the aforementioned "second villain" is Gary Oldman's chilling portrayal of Mason Verger, a former pedophile who became Dr. Lector's only surviving victim... surviving with a horrible disfigurement and broken neck which left him paralyzed from the neck down.
The film opens with Mason Verger buying information on the loose Lector, and a botched raid lead by Clarice. This raid leads Verg er to contact her in the hopes of leading Lector back to America, so the Dr. can face his (Verger's) horrible vengeance while Lector seeks to "come back (to the) public life".
Ravenswood (2017)
Redeeming Points? Executive Meddling leads to crappy star
It's not Superbad, Be Cool or Copper Mountain. So there is one redeeming factor, that it is no abomination like these three.
Hot actresses. Seriously, this movie has some babes.
How it could have been better: Nudity, More Violence and firing Adam Horner
Adam Horner's performance as Carl is the worst I have ever seen, and I watch a lot of amateur films and Steaven Seagal movies. Even the original voice actors of Resident Evil didn't suck this bad. No wonder he needs his mommy to help him get in a movie. It astounds me he somehow has (at the time of writing this) 15 film roles to call his own. That's one more than Shane Savage (14), 5 times as many as starlet Madaline Marie Dona (3), 9 more than Isabel Dickson (6), 13 times more than the very talented Josie Waller. Only Ashley Fitzgerald comes close with a total of 10 roles, though some are actually episodes of series, so she may technically have equal or greater experience. Hell, he didn't even play a remotely redeemable character! Cheated on his sweet fiancé more than once, including the events during the film, and his character is a skeptical ass until he finally gets what he deserved - killed (and his actor, no longer being seen in the rest of the movie).
Am I saying the movie would be better without him? Well, in my opinion yes, but it's not like it would help it's video quality or production value.
A Perfect Christmas (2016)
A Sentimental Story For All Ages
With a Christmas film, you want it to be something for the whole family. While this movie is centered around a newlywed couple and family struggles, it still retains a "G" rating while being enjoyable for adults as well. The cast is lead by Susie Abromeit and Dillon Casey as Mr. and Mrs. Faber. The two are hiding something from one another. Cynthia is pregnant while Steve is fired. The very beginning establishes they are the type of people to plan things ahead, financially and otherwise. They have their entire lives planned to a "t" as to when they have accomplished certain milestones including promotions and children. Naturally, this is too soon for Cynthia to become pregnant and Steve getting fired clearly planned to advance to partner with the firm he was working with. Meanwhile, Patricia (Steve's mother) seems to have a large influence on Cynthia's decisions. She appears to be a tough and domineering woman with a judgmental persona. There are three major disasters caused by Cynthia: she forgets to pack an important suitcase (filled with sweaters for the whole family Patricia knitted herself), cancelled a reservation for her hotel room (as well as one for her brother-in-law), and finally she hits her with a large snowball. Steve's boss offers him his job back and offers to help him reach his goal faster if Steve will just do the one job Steve would not do. This job involved taking down a small business-a restaurant run by a man Steve knows to be a good person, who happens to be against the interests of one of his employers' best clients. Soon, almost all of the family finds their way into the Faber household - Steve's brother (and his wife & kids) and Mother as well as Cynthia's father and sister. Behind their backs, the family informs one another of Cynthia and Steve's secrets. Steve told his brother, who relayed this to the others as Patricia simply knew by seeing Cynthia's behavior. Eventually, Steve and Cynthia break their news to one another and (like most family films, especially holiday ones) they all live happily ever after.
Mammoth: Titan of the Ice Age (2010)
BBC's Shows Perfected.
This is what I wrote on Amazon after making the best DVD purchase.
The film is educational and cinematic! We see the world through the eyes of the Mammoth. Mamu is the name of the protagonist, a female mammoth, and we witness her struggle against: climate, Woolly Rhinoceros, Eurasian Cave Lions, (misplaced) "Sabre-toothed Tigers" and humans.
Note: The "Sabre-toothed Tigers" appear to be Smilodon, but are anatomically more similar to Machairodus. In addition, Machairodus was extinct by the time this film takes place, and Smilodon never lived in Korea or Siberia. But they are more formidable-looking than Homotherium, a descendant of Machairodus which lived worldwide during the Ice Age and had shorter teeth (but were famous for Mammoth killing, wheras Smilodon wasn't).
The Last Dragon (2004)
"Edutainment"
Just watch this, before the controversial Mermaid Documentaries, Animal Planet made a convincing Dragon documentary featuring Tyrannosaurus rex and Chinese Tigers being second the the reptilian fire-breathing serpents and still falling short against their battle with mankind. We see a supposed discovery of a dead Dragon in Romania among the Carpathian Mountains. The dragons may be a lie, but the rest of the aspects of Biology, Zoology, Evolution, Ecology, and Paleontology are accurately used in the description of a mythological beast as they challenge our beliefs in the beasts. Look for someone who hasn't seen or heard of this film, then see their face change as they watch it. You, too may feel this way. Even knowing the story was only that, I was convinced and started looking through dragon stories for any connections as well as searching though different animals for cases of convergent evolution. I especially recommend that you show this to kids, as they will certainly be fascinated and start to wonder.
More convincing (and even more true) than a Politician's speeches, take your friends and family into the Last Dragon's World, and experience this fantasy made real.
Monsters We Met (2003)
Two Different Shows, Two Different Votes
This was a co-production between BBC and Animal Planet, and so there are two versions of this show, one was released on Animal Planet in the US under the title "Land of Lost Monsters". As for the UK version, it is known as "Monsters We Met". BBC released the UK version was released in three episodes (as demonstrated on IMDb) and the US version aired as one special. William Hootkins brings the US audiences' thrills to life with his energetic quality coupled with a couple of humorous one-liners while Ian Holm brings the UK into the darkest parts of human history and shows us the disgusting atrocities human settlers have done to the foreign lands we traveled. The programs both show us how early humans dealt with traveling for the first time through Australia, North America, and New Zealand as well as the unique megafauna of each part of the world. The films are also accompanied with awesome footage from BBC's "Walking with Beasts", "Walking with Cavemen", "Wild New World"/"Prehistoric America". The US Version incorporates more footage from these shows than the UK version does. The animals in North America are re-created with the same computer models from "Wild New World" ("Prehistoric America") along with animatronics interacting with live animals.
My perfect 10 rating goes to the English version for: it's wonderful soundtrack, it's talented narrator, thorough exploration of each new land, and the compelling and even more chilling message it tells its viewers. That we have destroyed our own world, and the animals that reside and once resided within. It then goes to show how once humans ran out of resources, how they turned on one another for claim of the scares necessities. And while it mainly claims that people destroyed the world, it shows a few glimmers of positive outlooks on the Maori and Native Americans after they saw the error of their ways.
I give a 6 goes to the American version because it still had the same footage, stats of some of the major beasts, a gripping narrator, footage from BBC's "Walking with Prehistoric Beasts", chronological presentation of each part of the world, and a few great soundtracks, but it was an insult to me as an American. It ends without the serious dread and truth of humanity's monstrosity and shows some irrelevant footage of a space shuttle being launched, and never directly faults people as the causes of the extinctions.
Both versions are hard to find, but greatly entertaining and educational. But if you watch one, you should watch the other. It's also compelling to see the same film from both perspectives of the two film companies who made this happen.
The Lost World (1925)
An Amazing Piece of Monster-Movie History and a Time Capsule of the scientists of the Early 1900s understanding of Dinosaurs
I wrote this at age 19, and I am 20 now that I am re-posting it.
Here is my review of it:
This film was quite interesting. I was impressed with the use of footage of humans and the stop-motion dinosaurs. However, there are many things that I need to mention. In elementary school, I was en expert in modern biology and prehistoric life. I, like everyone else, also understand basic geography. In the note of basic geography and modern biology, I noticed that the film is set in South America, yet African chimpanzees make several appearances. I also should mention that the main characters are British, but the characters occasionally use Southern American grammar. Now, the subject of prehistoric creatures, which dominate this film. The antagonist of the film is not the Tyrannosaurus Rex, as most dinosaur films they usually are. Neither is the Allosaurus, which appears the most throughout this film. Instead, a "long-neck" is the greatest villain. This Brontosaurus, (now known as an Apatosaurus) is wounded in a fight with an Allosaurus, and almost dies. Still alive, the heroes take it to London, but this "leaf eater" viciously attacks the town and swims away. The T-Rex is shown being able to use it's arms to catch prey. However, this isn't possible because it's arm's only have 2 fingers and are the size of an average man's arm. The T-Rex and Allosaurids are shown standing vertically, when they really would have stood horizontally. Knowing all of this by age 9, I found this film to be utterly hilarious being 10 years older (now). Without this film, there would have never been the beautiful 2005 version of King Kong. The Bronto/Apatosaurus is comparable to the great ape and his captivity in New York. I still enjoyed this historic piece of film. Possibly due to all of these excessive inaccuracies. The 1925 version of "The Lost World" is a film that should never go missing from our classic monster film library.
Attack of the Sabretooth (2005)
Watched it for the Wildlife
I simply watched this movie because I enjoyed "Sabretooth" (2002) and Smilodon is one of my favorite animals. I even bought the both of them together before watching them. The film shows a group of college students touring an island with an upcoming attraction. Pretty much a zoo with live resurrected animals (Jurassic Park, anyone?). The attraction of Primeval Park is that there is a pair of actual Smilodon, animals that went extinct the very beginning of the Holocene era. But (like every other sci-fi film ever made), things go wrong and the cats are on the loose because of the bunch of meddling kids and their inquisitive minds. So the animation of the Statue was sub-par, I still enjoyed watching this film as it captured the awesomeness of the saber-toothed cat.
Killing Season (2013)
The High-point of 2 Superstar's Careers
The best roles of John Travolta and Robert De Niro's careers,and I know that is a bold statement. This film shows there is no good and evil between soldiers, it is the entire concept of war who is the true embodiment of evil. These two characters were simply put on opposite sides of the same mud where blood was shed. Clearly it stayed with American soldier Benjamin (De Niro) & Serbian Terrorist Emil (Travolta). This film is an absolute must-see for action fans, suspense thrill-seekers, and fans of these talented actors. You genuinely care about both of the individuals, and see the truth in combat. The best of which our modern cinema can produce cannot be ignored.