roguecritic42 Reviews

Get Out (I) (2017)

Disappointing Yawn Fest - But well written script

[6/10 · 27 February 2017]

I had a free movie pass, and I feel like I completely wasted it on this movie. Don't get me wrong; The acting was good, it was an interesting story, good camera work and editing.

But I couldn't stop yawning throughout the movie. I think advertising this as a horror is really a stretch. I guess you could compare it to more of a Alfred Hitchcock horror, as opposed to true horror like Sinister, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Evil Dead, you get the picture.

I'm really surprised at all the 10 star reviews that misled me here at IMDb. This was more of a drama/thriller. If anything the best part of movie was demonstrating how white people trying to not be racist, can still be really racist. The movie is just saturated with dialogue like "I can't be racist, I voted for Obama!" or "I can't be racist, I have a black friend!". While I'm not quoting the movie directly, you get the idea. So the movie scores points for being a good social commentary. But as far as horror movies, this was extremely slow and boring and a very small payoff at the end.

I wish I could rewind my day and see a different movie with my free pass. What a waste.

Doctor Strange (2016)

A movie so good this review is pointless- You need to watch it now!

[10/10 · 3 December 2016]

This was for me the best of all the Marvel movies, and I am a huge marvel fan. They tied this movie in perfectly with the Marvel universe. The special effects were 10/10. I'm really glad they waited to make this movie when the technology of movie CGI was finally good enough to capture the true world of Dr Strange. The special effects at times reminded me of Inception, except this movie made total sense and was 10x better.

The casting was done perfectly. I don't think I've ever watched a movie as visually stunning as this one. It reminded me of seeing Avatar for the first time in 3D. His powers and abilities and story line and character development were incredible. There are so many layers to this movie I look forward to rewatching it many more times over the years.

I was a huge comic book fan as a kid, but never read Dr Strange. After seeing this movie, I think its fair to say he is so far the most powerful of all the Marvel Heroes.

Warcraft (2016)

I'm not a Warcraft game player, but I really enjoyed this movie.

[8/10 · 20 September 2016]

Many of the reviews online say things like "You have to play the games to really appreciate the story". But I have to disagree.

I followed the story quite well without having played any of the games, and found it fascinating with some impressive CGI. I don't think there was any important information I was lacking because I didn't play the games.

I'd compare this to one of the Hobbit movies.

My biggest criticism, would be the CGI was not as well done as I would have liked. It is most noticeable when the movie first begins. But as it progresses, and you realize that half the cast are Orcs, the budget would have been insane to improve the CGI anymore. That being said, it was sufficient to really keep you interested.

It's a great stand-alone story. And the CGI is very well done, despite the fact it could have been a little better (I thought Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, the Hobbit in comparison all had better CGI).

It's a new favorite movie of mine. I'd give it a 10 if the CGI could have been a little better, it's not bad, just not as great as you would hope.

Set in a large scale kingdom with tons of magic, various races of beings in the many kingdoms, and mythological creatures and animals.

Really just a good story with good acting. A serious war story, but also heart warming at many turns (Not so much as Lord of the Rings, but still very good).

ARQ (2016)

Reminiscent of Ground Hog Day or a Small-Set Edge of Tomorrow

[7/10 · 20 September 2016]

This is one of the best new Netflix movies I recommend for SciFi fans that enjoy movies about looping time travel.

The story is about a couple, reliving the same day, over and over again, trying to perfect the day to make everything go right.

One of the things I criticize the movie for was it is based 99% in one small location. This isn't a large-scale set like Edge of Tomorrow or Looper. But despite that criticism, the strong actors, great plot, and evolving characters, leads to a story that keeps you engaged and wanting to see where it all goes.

Movies like Edge of Tomorrow I would rate a 10, but I have to give this a 7 because I like large-scale environments in a story. In contrast, movies like "Devil" manage to keep you interested and captivated even though the whole movie takes place in an elevator.

There are a few brief moments where you get a glimpse of the large scale of this post-apocalypic world they live in, but for the most part, the story is entirely based in one building, where time loops over and over again.

The acting, the dialogue, the SciFi time travel element of the story were enough to make this a solid and well made movie. I think it will end up being a 1-off independent movie, but if they did make a sequel, I would hope for them to take it large scale like Defiance/Allegiance type movies did.

There is plenty of backstory given in the movie to help you see ARQ 2 could have all those qualities and could be a 9 or 10. But budget- wise, it wasn't something they could afford from this indie flick.

The Purge: Election Year (2016)

The best of the Trilogy - But an amazing stand-alone film

[9/10 · 20 September 2016]

I really loved this movie. I can't wait for it to be released on bluray because I want to add it to my collection.

This movie had so much more story and depth and character development compared to it's predecessors.

Ultimately, it was a genuinely great story that speaks volumes on the depravity of mankind, the injustices in governments that are run by the elite rich, and the oppression of the lower class (all of which are modern topics of debate).

It was beautifully put together, with great acting and a good suspenseful soundtrack. But it also managed to carry the strongest plot out of the trilogy. I liked the way they portrayed the purgers in this movie, because they had the most personality out of all the previous movies, and they demonstrated how evil people really enjoy their work (of purging, especially).

But it also shows how a cast of people from so different backgrounds could work together for a common good, and how our differences mean so little when we stand together for something good and right and just.

Blood Father (2016)

Mel Gibson did it again

[8/10 · 4 September 2016]

I don't think this guy ever made a movie I didn't like.

If it wasn't for him being ostracized by the Hollywood elite, this is a quality film that I would have loved to have watched in theaters.

It reminded me of "Get the Gringo". You when you hear about a movie going straight to DVD, you don't expect much, but this film, like Get the Gringo is a very high quality, well produced, and well written story with great actors.

Mel Gibson is his usual gritty self, like we saw in Ransom, Payback, Get the Gringo, Edge of Darkness, the Patriot, Braveheart, etc, etc.

Gibson plays an ex-con, seeking redemption by helping his long lost daughter survive some consequences of bad decisions she made.

Equals (2015)

Twilight meets Warm Bodies in a SciFi Original - Without any cool supernatural stuff

[6/10 · 4 September 2016]

It's not a great movie, but its better than a lot of what is out right now.

Kristin Stewart plays her stereotypical stoic emotionless character, that we came to love from Twilight.

Nicholas Hoult plays the emotionless lover of Kristin Stewart, and shows the same stoic emotionless character we saw from him in Warm Bodies (where he played a Zombie who falls in love with a living person).

This love story felt a whole lot like the recycles emotions we saw in Warm Bodies and Twilight. Two emotionless characters, timid to touch each other, slowly beginning to show more emotion as the movie progresses.

Nicholas and Kristin don't demonstrate any new acting abilities outside movies we already have seen them in.

It's set in a dystopian future where emotions are outlawed (viewed as a terminal illness). The story plays out in a predictable manner.

The scifi futuristic plot makes a good backdrop for these two actors, who play the same roles they are known for, but its not as interesting as vampires and zombies. It's a descent movie, just not great.

What keeps you watching is wanting to see how it all turns out.

XOXO (2016)

As someone who loves raves - This is a great romantic comedy and movie about the scene.

[10/10 · 29 August 2016]

I'm someone who spent their youth in the rave scene. I've loved movies like Go, Groove, and Midsummers Night Rave.

But now I have a new favorite. A contemporary rave movie that really hits home with the modern day scene, but what is so much more than that, this is genuinely a beautiful romantic comedy, about friendship and love.

There is so much reality to this movie about the spirit of the scene, great acting, superb soundtrack, and a well put together story.

I don't understand the low rating on IMDb, but who cares. If you have the heart of raver, you'll really get this movie. If not, maybe you'll love it too.

I laughed so often during this movie, but what really shows the power of screen writing, was it's ability to bring me to tears at least 5 or 6 times during the story.

What an amazing movie, it's like they got everything right that its predecessors missed (Go, Groove, etc).

I give it 10 out of 10 because I'm a big fan of rom-com, but the set of the movie and soundtrack really throws it over the top to make it an all-time favorite of mine.

Yea, you are not going to see Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, or whoever the Oscar winners are. So don't confuse my rating with one of those huffy-puffy Oscar award type level movies.

No, instead, this was a movie that hit home for me, and I loved every second of it. My only complaint, is it wasn't long enough.

I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Noah (2014)

One of the most significant spiritual movies of our age

[8/10 · 27 July 2016]

This story of Noah is unique because it draws of various religious traditions: Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

It is not a propaganda piece, but more so, a spiritual story pointing towards a One God and Creator of All mankind. It doesn't draw ONLY from the Old Testament (As most Christians might expect). There are plot points only found in the Quran, The Jewish Apocrypha, and other Jewish literature. The movie draws from all the historic literature about Noah and recreates a more complete story.

There are underlying morals that are based on our various religions, and the movie takes creative artistic liberties to fill in the gaps that engages the audience with a beautiful message of one of the most well known stories in history. It is unique. It is not a cheesy PBS special that is word for word from the Christian Old Testament. No, this story offers so much more. The Jewish and Christian scriptures speak about the Nephilim (the offspring of fallen angels), but we never get a clear picture from literature of what they might have looked like, so this movie dazzles us with an artistic picture of what they could have looked like.

Imagine a saint, that is much like you. As crazy as that sounds, that is the artistic approach this movie emphasizes. A normal man who only stands righteous because of following his heart and conscience and the teaching passed down to him from his father. He was not your stereotypical religious man following a strict code of commands from an ancient book. Instead, Noah is more relatable to the modern living saints that walk among us. They are not perfect people, but truly desire to follow God.

The CGI is amazing, the story is epic, and the movie is beautifully well done to make an old story come to life in a new way. And the list of actors tell you the quality of acting involved in the making of the film.

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

If there ever was a horror movie deserving an Award....

[10/10 · 8 July 2016]

I love all the modern horror movies that are written like Conjuring, Annabelle, Sinister, and Insidious.

When I saw Conjuring 2 getting 7.9 stars on IMDb, I knew it would be a HUGE mistake for me to wait for it to come out on bluray. You usually only get one chance to see movies like this on the big screen.

It's almost unheard of for horror films to get rated that high. Now I know why so many people are loving this film. For me, this surpassed the original. And while it wasn't as scary for me as Insidious 1 or Sinister 1, the story itself is probably the strongest out of them. And there are plenty of great scares, special effects, and a totally original villain.

I'm not a big fan of slow burner horror. In fact, I generally try to avoid them because they are not exciting enough for me. At times during the first 30-40 minutes of this film, I got the feeling it was a slow burner. But as the story progressed, I reflected some more, and it's really not a slow burner. It's just such a well written story, that it creates a perfect balance between hardcore horror and slow burner character and plot development.

As the IMDb rating confirms, this is one horror film that satisfies most horror movie fans.

And If you are the type of person who gets teary eyed at emotionally moving scenes, fortunately for you, you might get a little waterworks going during this film.

This movie, as far as horror genre goes, is just perfect. It really deserves a 10/10. I wish people would stop reserving a 10/10 for some Holy Grail of a movie that will never be made. This folks, is what a 10/10 looks like. Enjoy.

Demolition (2015)

A cool Jake deals with being a widower by destroying things

[9/10 · 25 June 2016]

Jake Gyllenhaal plays a man who has been emotionally destroyed by his wife's death. He follows some friendly advice and decides that taking things apart (literally) will help in his road to recovery.

It's one of those really "heady" movies. "Dark Comedy" might be a way to describe the movie. Jake is often casted in these darker type movies, so if you are a fan, I think you'll enjoy this one as well.

It's not just a movie about a guy who does demolition. In fact, that is a very minor plot point in a complicated twisted and completely coherent and well written plot.

If you enjoyed Jake in Nightcrawler and Donnie Darko, I think this movie will also be very enjoyable for you. It had a similar soundtrack as Nightcrawler (the music is good at helping carry over the emotions of the characters and the direction of the story).

The story is distinctly different from anything like Nightcrawler or Donnie Darko, but it has the same dark feel to it. If you watch it based on the Summary/plot I think you will surprised by the depths and angles this particular story takes you.

I don't think a movie like this has been done yet. For that, it stands on its own. If you hate Jake, skip this one out, unless you have a thing for movies about widowers. Otherwise, he does an Oscar worthy performance in a well written story.

Hell on Wheels: Two Soldiers (2016) Season 5, Episode 8

Best episode ever written

[10/10 · 16 June 2016]

This was the best episode ever in the entire collection of episodes of the show. I've never seen a TV episode so perfect.

It's comparable to a high budget well written gritty modern western movie.

I think knowing the complete background of both characters really helps to make this episode what it is.

But even if you just watched it as the only episode you ever watch of this entire show, I think it is worthy of a 10/10 rating.

I didn't mind waiting the several months of off-season to have the privilege to watch it. I've rarely seen this kind of quality writing before.

Outsiders (I) (2016–2017)

Interesting evolving plot surrounding a clan of rough and tough hillbillies

[7/10 · 30 May 2016]

I haven't seen a modern day TV show like this before. The show is revolves around a rough and tough hillbilly culture that you might expect exists in the secluded mountains. They even make their own version of moonshine.

It's a solid and interesting story about your stereotypical "We govern ourselves" type hillbilly clan that continues to evolve and progress in a way that keeps you wanting to see what's next.

There are a few episodes where you get a tinge of the "cheesy" factor, so I'm only going to give this 8 out of 10 stars. David Morse plays one of the alpha dogs of the pack. He manages to pull off the role quite decently, but I think they could have casted a better actor for that part and it would have helped eliminate the "cheesy" factor that occasionally taints the plot. He's just not capable of playing the super tough redneck type character you would expect to see in charge of a hillbilly clan in the mountains. Have you ever seen one of those guys? They are frightening looking dudes.

Damien (2016)

Terribly disappointing if you are expecting a supernatural show

[6/10 · 30 May 2016]

I was expecting this series to be true to its name and genre. You would expect supernatural things. I mean the antichrist all grown up. Remember how sadistic that little kid Damien was?

Well unfortunately this show fails to deliver anything worth my time. It's more geared towards a down-to-earth version of the antichrist, very little emphasis on the supernatural. More of a show about morality and it's gray areas. I don't have anything against the casting or acting. It's just the plot is so boring and weak.

It deserves at least a 6/10 because the cast performs their job well and the show is put together well. The issue is the show fails to deliver to its target audience.

Outcast (2016–2017)

Perfect first episode - Robert Kirkman has delivered the goods!

[10/10 · 30 May 2016]

Great first episode. Not a single criticism from me.

It starts off so dark and twisted. The plot is interesting and I look forward to more.

There is a lot of supernatural horror packed into the first episode, so I really look forward to see where this story goes.

It offers The Walking Dead quality TV horror, but with demons instead of zombies.

Good actors, good casting choices so far, interesting location shots, I think we have a winner. A lot of potential for this show. As long as they keep it heavy on the supernatural and effects like they did the first episode, I'm going to stay tuned.

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016)

The least funny seth rogen movie ever made

[6/10 · 20 May 2016]

I'll give this a 6/10 because it's still a solid high budget comedy starring some great talent.

The issue was too many jokes fell flat. The sorority sisters did not say or do anything I can remember laughing at.

The material was really weak. I love absurd random humor (Family Guy or basically any other Seth Rogen film), but some of the randomness in this film just lacked anything I found funny. Even worse, is that some of the randomness used in plot points really made you disconnected from the entire film and not care.

As I watched this film, I remembered how despite the shallow plot of Neighbors, I still loved it and it pulled me in. The fraternity was interesting and funny. In contrast, the sorority of Neighbors 2 lacked any good jokes. The sorority sisters actually managed to pull off something that no actors have ever done in all of history. They were so unfunny, they almost made Seth Rogen not funny.

On the plus side, It's only 90 minutes and I don't remember ever feeling bored or sleepy during the movie or wanting to walk out early. So for that this movie has earned a solid 6/10.

60 Days In (2016– )

Reality television has never been this good!

[10/10 · 13 May 2016]

Come on people, REAL participants PRETENDING to be inmates, at risk of getting killed.

This is truly the best reality TV I have ever watched. I've never seen so many episodes filled with such dramatic tension, as we glued our eyes to the TV wondering what kind of shenanigans the inmates would be up to this week.

What else can I say? The producers and everyone involved in making this show did a superb job. The cameras and mics set up in an inmate population managed to capture all the drama perfectly for a TV audience.

The only thing I had against this show is that you should feel guilty watching it.

I mean these are real innocent participants who enter a prison and could be beaten or killed. I think there is something moral involved with not wanting to watch it for the sake of the safety of innocent people.

But once you get over that hurdle, it is a show of the best entertainment drama.

Update: After watching the finale, we learn what is in store for Season 2 and I already can't wait to start watching again. Best show ever. Thank you Sheriff Jamey Noel. If I ever meet you, it would be an honor to buy you a beer.

Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Film History - Arnold owns the world as the buffest actor ever.

[10/10 · 10 May 2016]

I can't believe all the low ratings here. This movie is a major part of film history.

Arnold is the buffest dude you ever saw, and he totally owns the land, rocking his awesome sword and getting all the hot ladies.

What's not to love? It's a good example of classic 80s action adventure genre. Cheesy, mediocre acting, but for it's fans its really a 10/10.

If you don't get it, it's not lack of quality of the film, it's just your preference differs in movie genres.

So grab your girlfriend, watch the movie in the your underwear, and casually flex. She'll be howling at the moon.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Great movie but really more of the same.

[7/10 · 6 May 2016]

I enjoyed Batman versus Superman so much more than this movie.

This movie just felt terribly unoriginal, boring, and the same old stuff I've seen over and over again.

Nothing interesting about the plot. More of a showcase of all the characters, leaving the dialogue absent of anything intriguing.

Great special effects, it's also fun to see all the new characters interacting. Had a good take on Spider-Man.

Out of all the Marvel movies, this was one of the weaker ones. Better than Ant-Man.

But no where near as interesting as Batman versus Superman.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Perfect Superhero Movie-Everything I hoped for! Bravo!!!

[10/10 · 15 April 2016]

I think "fans" and critics have really destroyed what could have been a great line-up of superhero movies. Now the studio is already re-thinking releasing the Justice League and Wonder Woman on schedule, all thanks to some people who don't know what they are talking about.

This movie was absolutely perfect and thoroughly enjoyable. I don't have one single criticism. I've read the other reviews here, they are sooooo wrong.

For me, this movie was just as good as X-Men Days of Future Past or the two Avengers movies or the two Captain America films.

It is a great cross-over film, awesome character development. No cheesy humor. This movie was more on the darker side like the Man of Steel and Dark Knight trilogy was.

Simply couldn't have been better. I followed every plot point with no problem. It moved from scene to scene with a beautiful flow. Not a boring moment in the movie. According to reviews, other people couldn't follow it? That's just sad.

When I think back to my younger years in the 90's, I loved the original old Star Wars trilogy and the old Indiana Jones movies, even when none of my friends liked them, even when no girl I dated liked them, just because I enjoyed that type of movie.

Same goes here, forget the critics and popular opinion. This movie is a movie for the record books for real superhero movie fans.

Plus, as a very nice bonus there are no awful lame Deadpool type jokes. Its a great serious movie, gave me the chills, loved the special effects. And I was very skeptical of Ben Affleck being able to play Batman because he was never an actor I liked. But I loved the way he played Batman in this movie. He was perfect for the role. Bravo!! I really hope the lame critics and poser fans didn't ruin the plans the movie studio has to follow up with this movie.

Zoolander 2 (2016)

A Sequel That Will Make You Hate the Original!

[4/10 · 12 February 2016]

What a waste of time and money.

You know, I laughed a lot through the movie, but they were weak almost forced laughs. The girl behind me was laughing through the whole thing. But as the movie winded down, I walked out because I just didn't care enough about seeing the ending of the movie. It started to feel painful to have to sit through the whole thing. It has a boring plot. Great actors, comedians and camera-work. Maybe there are people who will like it.

I loved the first movie, laughed really hard throughout and enjoyed it until the ending. But this movie made it so I don't think I can even watch the original anymore.

The 5th Wave (2016)

Sci-Fi Plot - Good Fx - But really a YA Lovestory

[6/10 · 26 January 2016]

I usually don't agree with IMDb average user ratings, but 6/10 is right on in this case.

If you expecting this movie to be like District 9, Battle Los Angeles, or Skyline, you will be slightly disappointed.

While there are some really amazing top SciFi effects in this movie and some great disaster scenes that make it worthwhile, once the effects are over, you'll start to realize you are watching a young adult love story with Chloe Grace Moretz and some other guy.

Don't get me wrong, they are good actors, but I mean, this movie could have scored much higher if they minimized that part of the plot.

Some Kind of Hate (2015)

Some Kind of Hate..For Other Reviewers

[7/10 · 11 January 2016]

It sickens me to see how poorly people rate horror movies these days. I once belonged to a group of horror movie fans, but now I am alone.

Don't get me wrong. I hate B-movies. I hate the majority of Redbox horror movies that most people have not heard of. But this movie is truly something good and special, and to see it thrown in the gutter by people who I would have trusted as my horror loving peers, has disappointed me.

I remember seeing "It follows" a couple years back and I thought it rocked. It was a throw back to 80s horror that I really appreciated it. So I did some google searches looking for the next "It Follows". That is when I came across my first internet review of Some Kind of Hate.

When I watched it, I was not disappointed. I guess you could call this film a cult horror classic, since it is apparent from other reviews, that a very unique clique of people will appreciate this film for what it offers.

From storyline, to acting, to environment, to just the feel and soundtrack and nature of the film, I really enjoyed it. If I was looking at these IMDb reviews, I would never have given it a chance.

The plot and dialogue is simple, but interesting. One of the main characters is victim is extreme bullying. Karma takes spiritual form and comes back with a vengeance. It's not filled with the gore and special effects throughout the movie you might see in most horror movies that make it to the big screen, but its got story and heart. For the record, I would give it 1 star less than It Follows. But this still is a good movie, worthy of re-watching over the years.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Only Tarantino Can Keep You Watching a 3 Hour Movie!

[9/10 · 1 January 2016]

When we sat in the theater, the mood was kind of the same with everyone in the audience... "Here we go, we better get comfortable because we're going to be in here for over 3 hours together."

There are so many movies out there where after watching them for 30 minutes you're either falling asleep or want to leave. But not this movie. Nope, Tarantino is pure genius when it comes to dialogue. This was a brilliant and entertaining film all the way through. Every member of the audience laughed during the jokes, and I felt was entertained as I was. A great movie with great dialogue, perfect casting of thoroughly professional actors come together for the perfect mix of gritty western suspense.

If you like movies like Reservoir Dogs, and you like a good gritty western, I think you will thoroughly enjoy the movie.

The Night Before (II) (2015)

Another Hilarious Seth Rogan Film! And a Christmas one! Amazing!

[10/10 · 20 November 2015]

Another hilariously funny Seth Rogan film. I love all the movies this guy makes. This one was special and funny in its own way, but still filled with the classic adult and drug oriented humor that Seth is known for.

The movie is filled with great cameos and a great cast all around, but even Miley Cyrus is in this film and while I don't ever listen to her music and have never seen her perform, I have to say she did a brief acting job that was excellent and really added to the fun of the movie. I hope to see her in more movies in the future, because I loved the part they gave her in this movie. But also there were some other great comedian cameos that you are probably used to seeing in other Rogan movies.

But it's more than that. It's also a heartwarming movie that has some sentimental story telling that just might make you a little misty eyed. Its a great story about three life long friends really growing up in their own ways.

This is the first time this year I have finally felt the Christmas spirit and I loved it. 10 out of 10 comedy. Thank you to the entire writing cast that is involved with these Rogan movies because you guys don't disappoint, and if anything, this is probably one of his best movies to date.