smooth_op_85 Reviews

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

Stellar from beginning to end

[9/10 · 11 February 2024]

I've only watched one scene prior to watching the full film and it was on my mind to watch it again.

Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh play Mother/Daughter whose past is full of trauma and hurt. Add onto it Mom's accused of the murder of the very tough as nails socialite Vera Donovan after years of taking care of her.

The very slow burn feel is well done and crafted. As we go on the journey that is Delores Claiborne, we are wondering how much is true, what really happened?

I love the cinematography where what is present is very drab, and the past is usually in color. The mood and tone of the film is consistent throughout. It is truly a journey of discovery for all of us.

Griselda (2024)

Watered down Griselda Blanco

[3/10 · 10 February 2024]

Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustlin with the Godmother, and another tubi special The Godmother did in 2 hours what this 5 hour limited series couldn't do...make me see exactly why Pablo Escobar feared this woman

Sophia does well here but the project is so bad that we just see a fraction of the terror she wrought. Her faction was so violent that the coroner had rent freezer vans in order to store all the bodies. We never see this and they never really establish the calculating way she operated. We're never truly terrified of her. We know we should be, but it never materializes

I felt like I researched only to be let down by there being no real flavor in this special.

This is a despicably bad adaptation that I can't recommend if you don't care about accuracy irl. This compared to the source material is lackluster.

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness (2018)

In the third installment of Sh.. that would never happen

[1/10 · 3 February 2024]

The biggest reason this movie falls apart is because it is not based in reality and there are likely no cases that even touch this situation. While it does have some nuance and tries to be self-aware, it also throws that out of the window because they are so black and white, this or that.

The main plot is whether or not Pastor Dave's church should be on a public university campus after it's burned down. As the conflict escalates, Pastor David tells a Black Pastor he's tired of being passive and the Black Pastor says "Who do you think you're talking to? I'm a Black Pastor in the Deep South, I can build a whole church with the bricks that have been thrown through my windows." There are sideplots and callbacks that go nowhere and even Newsboys have wore out their welcome by this installment

All in all, it feels like a hollow movie with good bits in there. It iis an improvement over the first two films in some areas like production and limited nuance but overall, it still is a bad film.

I say take it with a grain of salt, it is a GND film after all.

Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story (2023 TV Movie)

Well done film

[7/10 · 27 January 2024]

It was good to see Luke MacFarlane playing against type and doing a great job at it. He also did another film in a similar vein.

Eli Weaver is unhappy in his marriage to his wife Barb, and so is she. However, they can't get out of the marriage without being shunned. So, if Eli is a widower that makes it a lot easier to keep the life he's always known

Eli is played as very charismatic and charming as the real life Weaver must have been. With the help of a secret phone, he is able to run his store in the Amish community and play house with other women. One such woman is Barbara Raber who works as a taxi lady for the community.

Barbara Weaver knows he is being unfaithful and tries to find a way out with her religious community but they fail her too. She must submit to her terrible husband

Raber and Weaver are caught being intimate in his hunting store and later Eli convinces Raber to murder his wife while he's out fishing. She does so and later both are charged with Mrs. Weaver's murder. Weaver and Raber are sentenced 15 and 23 years to life respectively, and eligible for parole in 2024 and 2032.

The film is well done, and you get at sense of how life in this community is even if you haven't watched other docs on closed communities like this one. This one makes me feel like a fly on the wall.

Four Christmases (2008)

Family free for the Holidays...til they weren't

[7/10 · 19 January 2024]

Brad and Kate spend every holiday away from their families by going on vacations. They cover by saying they're inncoulating babies in Burma or helping teach English to Thai children. Fact is, they'd rather be anywhere but with their family (which is what the French version is titled)

We learn of Brad and Kate not wanting to marry, or have kids. But they're headed to Hawaii...until their flight gets cancelled and they have to visit each of their parents houses. Brad's Dad and Mom are separated and Kate's parents are divorced

Along the way they learn a bit about each other including Brad's actual given name is Orlando and despite having a great job and a nice living quarters, he's not well received when he comes home to his poor blue collar family. His brothers Denver and Dallas are amateur wrestlers who forcibly include Orlando/Brad in to the ring.

We also learn that Kate used to be heavier and a pariah in her family and community.

Throughout the day which includes a bounce house and a manger scene, we eagerly await what they view as the next step

I didn't care for the ending at all because I thought it should've ended differently.

I would give it a recommendation if you're looking to diversify your Christmas movies. It's fun, has a great message and the performances are solid.

Unaccompanied Minors (2006)

Fun, underrated and often overlooked Christmas film

[6/10 · 19 January 2024]

I discovered this one around the time it came out. I liked it, I'm pretty sure someone said:

"What if we took The Breakfast Club and put it in an airport at Christmas?"' And Warner Brothers decided to greenlight it

Not to say that the film is bad. It's not, but it's not particularly good. It has the holiday fun, but the adults are buffoons while the child actors are a contradiction of acting older with their emotional trauma but juvenile with their antics. They ARE kids but it feels contrived.

Characters Spencer and Kathy, Donna and Charlie followed by Grace and Beef (who goes on his own Harpo Marx adventure, though he speaks sparingly. Beef has good comedic timing) I did feel as if those characters actually bonded well and the chemistry between all of them suggests that they had fun working on it.

The adults are a bit cartoonish, you have one character, the Father of Spencer and Kathy who uses a biodiesel fuel car that predictably doesn't react well to the diesel he gets from a gas station

If you want a feel good story, fun cartoonish gags and family fun this is definitely a good contender. It might make you roll your eyes a little bit when it comes to the "action" but it serves its purpose.

Somewhat predictable, a good ride, and all around a fun movie to pass the time.

A Chestnut Family Christmas (2021 TV Movie)

Predictable.yet elevated

[8/10 · 24 December 2023]

We've seen enough of these movies to predict what will happen. Nina is a live in cook to a wealthy family that's moving soon. Jayson and Kyle seemed to be the golden sons who turned into a basketball player and Lawyer respectively

When Kyle can't host Christmas again this year, he and his daughter Rogue and brother Jayson come to "Nina's" while Malcom pretends to be her fiancè. Why? Because she said it in a family call and has to hold the line.

As the film progresses and everything unravels we see the family start to strip away and build new relationships based on the truth. It's a charming tale and a fun romp through the holidays. I really enjoyed it and would recommend.

The Bobby DeBarge Story (2019 TV Movie)

I wanted to like this

[5/10 · 19 June 2023]

I gave it a 5 because it's not good, but it's not terrible.

I did learn alot about the family, but it seemed that all Bobby's character did was argue about his Dad, and then when he went to see his siblings all that existed was arguments.

I'm sure there were a lot of movies about families that have had good relationships go down the drain but this one just seemed like I was watching more than one movie.

I do agree with the wigs criticism...what is it about these movie with bad wigs...who is he Tyler Perry?!

Anyway, the actor who played Bobby was pretty good. I feel like this was a late draft that was rushed into production and maybe they rewrote it more while filming.

I think the great Bobby Debarge needs a better deal. This movie seemed straighforward but still lacking.

Sunday Morning Rapture (2017)

The level of mind numbingness it took me to watch this movie is staggering

[2/10 · 27 May 2023]

I don't know what got me to watching this movie, but I have to say that even though it's production value was low, it was less than 15 minutes into the movie before I knew it was going to be bad

1. Too many characters--I don't care about any of these characters. I thought it might follow two or three people as they get ready for church and someone is inevitably left behind

2. Dialogue is terrible--I've known church folk but it sounds like they had AI listen to people in church and regurgitate it without feeling

3. It feels long--the reason it feels long is because you're not really invested in any of the characters in the film and you're just waiting for the Rapture

4. It's sudden ending--I thought that we were going to watch people struggle with their faith after the Rapture, but the church scene at the end is the way people picture hell in the Bible. Anguish without the flames. The clothes are left there and when you cut to the "news" it's obviously green screen and actors

5. Timing of the Rapture--Apparently the Rapture is supposed to happen instantaneously but one anchor is Raptured while reporting ON the Rapture.

Also, there are only two characters that are connected to each other. I would've liked to see something connecting them

Such as

The pregnant woman underwater with her bills and the woman who just lost a child talking on the phone and trying to reassure her that it's hard but she also knows how it is to have a miscarriage then encourage her to go to church and say "I also wish MY HUSBAND would go with me" then have him say "I gotta work Sundays to pay these BILLS"

Just an example to tie the characters together.

Anyway, watch at your own peril and if you play a drinking game, watch it first so you know what keywords or tropes to avoid.

Sugar Highs (2022– )

A Decent Show So far (On Episode 6)

[6/10 · 5 April 2023]

Every 20 something has been there: The rent's due and you're working umpteen jobs that don't pay anywhere near your part of the rent

Unlike a sitcom or TV show, the lengths you go to pay the rent doesn't magically resolve itself in 22 minutes (30 including commercials)

We follow Tad, Bud and Mickey who all have to get lots of cash in a short amount of time and turn to Sugar Daddies. Bud at one point has two of them, Tad wonders if he can do gay for pay and same with Mickey (who seems bi).

I feel like it's just so rushed that I can't truly get to enjoy the situations and see how they resolve them wihtout it spilling its guts 10 minutes later

As I said I'm on Episode 6 but there appears to be 12. If it's only 6, then it ended abruptly and I hope some more are released.

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023)

WTF?!

[1/10 · 4 February 2023]

The only good part about this movie was the beginning where they explained how they went feral

No Rabbit, No Tigger, or Roo...honestly, I was hoping for something that would've been a gritty telling of what happens after Christopher Robin had to leave

What we GOT was a forgettable slasher that didn't even care for logic, characters that are worse than the movie tropes and I didn't care for any of them at all. They were just...bland and I didn't care about them when they died

The film is dark as in it's barely visible. Some films did it better but this one is so dark I can't see what's happening half the time. The kills are...meh, I just feel like these are human versions of turkeys with no survival instinct

Whoever decided this was a good idea needs to be fired.

North and South, Book I (1985)

Really Good Historical Fiction

[8/10 · 27 December 2022]

North and South covers two men on opposing ends of the Civil War. Starting in 1842 and ending in 1861 when Abraham Lincoln (Hal Holbrook) takes office, it shows a lot of bumps in the road along the way

Virgilia Hazard (later Grady) played by Kiristie Alley helping Garrison Grady (Gerog Stanford Brown) escape James Huntoon, she later takes part in the raid in Harpers Ferry with John Brown (Johnny Cash)

Orry Main (Patrick Swayze) and George Hazard (James Read) fight over the fate of an escaped slave when George is attempting to catch a freight train back to Pennsylvania.

Orry and George also deal with fallout over the fact that in a way, they both continue different forms of slavery, one legal, the other monetary (Irish immigrants living in shacks on Hazard Steel Land) with the illusion of freedom

The role of women: Virgilia and Madeline Fabray, as well as Ashton are put forth as differing degrees of feminist. Hear me out.

While Ashton uses her body to get ahead, N&S is about institutions and people within it whether it is West Point, Slavery, or society as a whole. She fights for herself "from the inside" worming her way into information

Virgilia takes on the outside, hard confrontation approach. She is part of Philadelphia's Abolitionist Society and chides Orry when he comes to visit. She will not be silenced

Madeline is someone who was cultured and has her own opinions, but is an example of people who have the foundation to stand strong on their own, but continually knocked down by Justin (David Carradine) and societal expectations. She still finds small ways to fight for herself and keep her independence, while still constrained by society

While I'm aware that some of the Southern chivalry and charm are dramatic, I don't buy for a minute that Mount Royal didn't whip slaves. It was the institution that was the problem if a slave hadn't been whipped at all.

Swayze and Read really shine in their roles, and the saga is quite good. I feel like a great level of care had been taken to really tap into the times and really make it palatable for the viewers, so a bit of history has been stretched or fudged.

I feel that overall, it's been a great capsule of pre Civil War historical fiction and honestly, it's not all that different from today with a myriad of issues. I would recommend it highly.

Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)

Wonderful celebration and extension of the original

[8/10 · 3 October 2022]

I went into this film thinking "Oh great, they're going to do a sequel" and I wasn't too keen on it. I saw through the years Hocus Pocus had become really big with Winifred, Sarah and Mary (they gave a nod to that in the film) cosplay popping up a lot.

I enjoyed the sisters, it felt like they really nailed how the Sandersons were as young women. I absolutely loved how they ended up doing justice to it and extending the folklore

The modern characters of Becca, Izzy and Cassie, Gilbert as well was fun to watch. Gilbert's part in the story was okay but I liked how Becca and Izzy were throughout the film. I know many of us can relate to a friend changing quickly once they have a bf/gf.

I enjoyed the fun and antics of the Sandersons, but I missed some of the slapstick we found in the first one.

I thought it was a fitting sequel, and the end was phenomenal. Excellent celebration of sisterhood and just a stellar film.

It's Pat: The Movie (1994)

Some SNL Sketches should stay sketches

[1/10 · 26 September 2022]

I remember watching it on TV when I was a kid and thinking "i wonder what Pat's sex is" and after I found out that Julia Sweeney played Pat I was pretty much like "Okay"

This film is just not funny. I don't know how someone thought that this was a great film idea. Someone was really high when they thought of this

The Kyle character is just awful, and the way the film unfolds is really just a hodge podge. It feels like they threw in mini sketches and tried to make it a movie

If you want to see what a fever dream is like, that's this film. It really is something that you should probably see when you are doing dishes or house work.

Six: The Mark Unleashed (2004)

Largely Forgettable

[3/10 · 11 September 2022]

I remember this because I saw it about 18 years ago when I was highly religious. It will validate your religious beliefs if you hold the same, but it will be utterly ridiculous if you don't

The look is modern enough, and feels contemporary but of course the ham fistedness of all the Christian films pointing you toward its conclusion is really apparent

The performances are...meh...some hit the mark and some miss, but overall as it is largely forgettable and the only black guy in the film ends up dying...not all that keen on that part but hey...white Evangelical Jesus

At the end one guy takes the mark as a cautionary tale blah blah blah, but all in all there are many movies I remember so many years later and the only reason I remembered it is because it popped up on a Youtube playlist of Bad Christian Movies...so there's that.

Virtuosity (1995)

Hollywood Action with a TV Movie like feel

[7/10 · 4 September 2022]

Though I enjoyed the film, I remember having watched it much earlier yet only remembering one scene in it. That's how forgettable it was for me until I did a rewatch

Crowe and Washington's acting as well as the woman that plays Madison form the core of the film, yet I feel that the movie got so caught up in the zeitgeist about computers that it failed to really have anything original about it. Most films have implausible plots but it's supposed to be possible given the reality of the Universe it's set in.

This one, somewhat gives it but also fails. With a nod to VR and not knowing where we are, we only find out something toward the end that makes it feel like a lazily executed twist.

Crowe does very well as Sid 6.7, Washington is very good in it and I wouldn't look at it further than a fun romp through dated material that thought it was being edgy.

I give it 7 for the action scenes, some philosophical stuff it touches on, and how the pacing was actually pretty good. I liked this movie more than I didn't.

Lottery Ticket (I) (2010)

Passable and Enjoyable but not high art

[5/10 · 17 August 2022]

Shad Moss plays a young man that found out he's won the lottery, buuuuut there's a catch...he has to survive 3 days with everytone knowing that he has it. It's 4th of July weekend.

This reminds me of a movie where the characters and the neighborhood take on a life of their own. The neighborhood is just a character as the people

I liked watching Kevin and Benny, I felt like they were brothers, always there for each other

While there is a tonal shift toward the end of the movie in a scene that doesn't fit, it does have an impact on the story.

All in all, turn your brain off and enjoy this light hearted romp through a 4th of July weekend.

RoboCop (2014)

Terrible remake

[3/10 · 20 July 2022]

So, I decided to give the movie the benefit of the doubt, but it was short-lived.

Murphy: I didn't care about him, even when he got blowed up

Michael Keaton: No sense of subtlety or well meaning or being a nuanced character

Everything in this "remake" is ham fisted and reminds me more of Robocop 2. It grossed twice its budget but I'm sure it was a dud because of all the hype money they spent

Think of it as done by someone that never watched the movie, didn't give a flip about the characters or to make a great film. It was a simple cash grab, or an attempt to keep the copyright.

The Lovebirds (2020)

Fun movie

[9/10 · 29 March 2022]

I remembered a little bit from this movie and I love Issa Rae and Kumali Nanjiani in this, they play a believable couple that are having issues in their relationship. The story starts pretty early and is is standard fare for a mistaken identity, comical farce as they investigate what the H they just witnessed

If you want a fun romp, not entirely mindless but entertaining story this is a great one to look into.

Cheaper by the Dozen (2022)

Wholesome family comedy

[7/10 · 26 March 2022]

The few people that deride the film for being "woke" sure aren't warm to the fact that there are brown people in this one and frankly, it makes me sick

This was a fun comedy while being a little syrupy had a light tone, good message (even in it seemed shoehorned in a little) and wonderful performances.

I love diversity casting because 90% of the world isn't white, but that's how many roles seem to be in Hollywood. I mean, FRIENDS only had TWO black people despite taking place in NYC and let's face it...they painted Living Single white for that show!

Zach Braff & Gabrielle Union shine as the Bakers, and I liked the explanation about the family and the family dynamics, the child actors were great and I wish I could have spent more time with some of them. It's a wholesome and carefree while not shying away from issues of race and doesn't make a big deal about disability.

I loved that the ex husband and ex wife were still part of the kids lives and that their relationships weren't antagonistic. It felt like a very loving family that experienced life and were still close

I highly recommend the film, and I love it. Great casting, excellent performances, wonderful chemistry.

Homewrecker (2009)

Let down my low expectations

[4/10 · 25 February 2022]

I didn't believe it was any worse than I thought it could be, boy was I wrong. It was terrible, it's about an actor recast on a hit show trying to make a name for himself once again. This time he stays with two producers Derek and Colin that had something to do with his exit. After a stint in prison, he makes good way to the producers' house and pretends to be an expected houseguest.

What ensues is bed hopping, a tape and a lot of messy drama.

Then the film tries to bring it home with honesty and friendship but it's just flat. There is no point to this, and it's undone consistently by melodrama and subpar acting.

It's not going to win any Awards or anything, but it's something to watch and make fun of.

What She Wants for Christmas (2012)

Cute holiday fare

[9/10 · 27 December 2021]

Ten year-old Abigail (Brianna Dufrene) wants something special for Christmas, and when she doesn't get what she wants, what do you do? Kidnap Santa by tying him up in Christmas lights

Brianna does well in this movie and I like what she brings to the role. Of course, what she wants for Christmas is simple to her, but not so simple when it comes down to what it entails. Of course, anything is simple with movie magic

It tackles the topic of divorce and a workaholic parent, and frankly I would suggest that if yoou watch this with a child who has been impacted by divorce, to make them see that not all of them get back together.

It's a cute, enjoyable holiday movie that screams of being made for TV.

A Valentine's Match (2020 TV Movie)

Cute, Standard Hallmark Fare

[5/10 · 25 December 2021]

Standard Right Wing Hallmark, no interracial couples, your Average woman that works too much goes to a small town to get in touch with her roots and reconnects w a former flame through their meddling mothers

It was a cute offering and Luke McFarlane is a great leading man. It was alright in the "paint by numbers" thing they do.

So, WOman works too much and has a boyfriend I thought was her gay friend. She goes back home to meet Zack (Luke) their parents make them spend time together with the help of the ony black couple in town. Then they start liking eachother when they have to put together an auction. They excel at it. They fall in love. Zach didn't want her to not follow her dreams. Blahbity blah blah blah

They smooch and they live happily ever after because it's Valentine's Day. The END!

You see one Hallmark Movie you've seen them all.

The Amazing Race (2001– )

Seasons are hit and miss

[8/10 · 25 December 2021]

All in all, I would start with Season 1, 5 and 31. 28 and 29 were good too

So, it really depends on what season you're watching. Some are good, some are aweful (Season 26 Blind Date twist for example as well as Family Edition of Season 8)

At times there is a team that makes it worth watching, but other teams are bleh like Season 9. BJ asnd Tyler and Eric and Jeremy were the best part of the season and bluntly the bulk of airtime was for BJ and Tyler because they were awesome

Sometimes the season will fall flat depending on what you like. So take each season with a grain of salt. Casting may be ON like in Season 31 or OFF like in Season 4 which is forgetable but only stands out because the first gay couple won it

Watch each season, see what you like and discard the rest. Binge it, watch it on PLUTOTV online or Google search it. Season 6 was tough to watch because of an abusive husband.

The Amazing Race Canada (2013– )

Great Adaptation

[8/10 · 25 December 2021]

I really enjoy this show. I have been mostly to Ontario and haven't seen much of The Western half. I enjoyed the One Way (making a team stickk with one specific detour) and the different challenges, where they have to do simulations that emergency staff have to do (like plugging up leaks in a boat or returning a pulse to a flatlined patient)

While it can still be as dramatic, it is a great way to see Canada,

If you'd like to see the beauty that is Canada, this is your show. They DO go to other countries, but I like that they stay in Canada for the most part.