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AntonyCrowley
Reviews
The Blackwell Ghost 8 (2024)
The Illusion Disintegrates With Each Installment
The first few movies were really quite good, and though you knew it was fiction, it incorporated enough real-life stuff and was filmed in a style that created an illusion of it being a documentary rather than a scripted movie.
The illusion has weakened with each instalment (I'd say from 1-4 are good, 5 is mediocre at best, and each one after that gets worse and worse), with number 7 getting to the point of being barely watchable - badly keyed green screens, "in the moment" reaction shots that were very obviously set up from the camera position (and the poor chroma keying), and "effects" that are far from special, e.g. He fires a pistol where the muzzle flash is very obviously added on in post, there's no recoil, the action doesn't cycle, and no cartridge is ejected. It's just starting to feel lazy at this point. It feels like something cooked up by a group of amateurs in an internet forum.
Despite this, I'd say these movies are all worth watching the first 4, and if you want to understand why you needn't bother after that point, watch the 5th instalment. The 7th was really bad, the 8th is somehow worse. Any doubt that this was a movie as opposed to a documentary is completely destroyed. If you've watched the other 7, you may feel as though you may as well watch this one, I'd recommend using your time more productively, perhaps by putting wooden toothpicks under your toenails and kicking a wall as hard as you can.
At this point I feel like I've started watching a TV show, and it's a few seasons in, and it's got really terrible, but I keep watching anyway because I've sunk so much into watching up to this point. It's really a shame, because I found the first few movies to be captivating and enjoyable. Now it just feels like content on YouTube generated by a user with no experience in script writing, directing, or maintaining a cohesive and compelling plot.
I think I've reached a breaking point, and I won't be watching Blackwell Ghost 9 if and when it comes out. Sometimes, you just have to cut bait and admit to yourself that you're wasting time on something that's no longer entertaining or enjoyable in any way.
The Blackwell Ghost 7 (2022)
A Letdown of the Story
I enjoyed all of the previous titles in this series. In the beginning, it really felt like it could have been a documentary, but as it kept going, the immersive reality of the series has been on the downslope. This is the point in the series at which there is no longer any question that this is scripted and not a real documentary. The natural feel of previous versions is lost, and you're left with the feeling that you're watching a very mediocre and completely scripted horror film. Shots that are supposed to be in an environment look like they're clearly shot on green screen, the police officer enlisting the help of Clay moves from unlikely in the previous titles to completely unbelieveable. The antagonist becomes unbelievable, obviously trying to get caught, stopping a hair's width short of leaving a map of his location with a full confession saying "I did all of the bad stuff, find me where X marks the spot on this map". Clearly he intends to make another movie in this franchaise, and while I really hope that the next installment fixes some of the mistakes made in this one, as things stand, I feel like he's gone from pushing his luck with milking this for sequels to clearly crossing the line. This title lacks the scares of previous installments, but foremost breaks the illusion that he established in previous films that make this believeable as a documentary. He's clearly running out of good ideas for the franchaise, and poorly done green screens in what's supposed to be real life, clunky acting with even clunkier dialog leaves this as the movie that even for fans of the series that he should have stopped before making. I'm undecided on whether he should try and get it back on the rails with the next movie, or whether he should just cut his losses at this point.
The Big Bang Theory (2007)
Hands down the worst thing ever committed to film.
I don't get it. Some people obviously think it's really good. I can only surmise that they must be victims of some kind of brain injury and are just mesmerized by the colours.
Here's a synopsis of every single episode:
Girl walks into apartment
"Hi guys!'
30 seconds of laugh track.
Nerd guy 1: "Star Wars!"
2 mins of laugh track.
Nerd guy 2: "Video games!"
12 minutes of laugh track.
Nerd guy 3: "You can tell we're nerds because we wear dumb t-shirts and have stupid haircuts and constantly reference retro geek culture without context and for no reason.
7 minutes of laugh track.
Girl: "Wow, I guess you guys really are nerds"
30 seconds of laugh track.
Roll credits.
This is literally the entire show. If you watch and enjoy this show it might be time to start seriously considering self harm.
Behind the Bullet (2019)
Trying to preach common sense to Americans
I'll begin by saying that I have owned and do own guns, including handguns, shotguns, assault rifles, and long range sniper/hunting rifles. As a Canadian I cherish my privilege to own these guns, but in order to receive the permit, I had to take classes to prove that I could safely and responsibly handle and store guns, and that I understood the comparatively restrictive laws around them. I can hunt with non-restricted weapons, but restricted weapons which include handguns, AR-15s, and any rifle with a barrel length of less than 18.5". I had to undergo a criminal background check, and pass a fairly intense psychological evaluation to get a permit, especially with the restricted permit, as I believe it should be.
You are not allowed to use guns for home defence in Canada, which I don't entirely agree with, but if someone breaks into my home and I feel that my family is in danger, I wouldn't hesitate to use a gun, the safety of my loved ones being my primary concern, and potentially going to prison being a secondary concern - a problem for later.
I also spend a lot of time in the UK, where there's essentially no guns (farmers can get single or double barrel shotguns, no pump action, and that's about it), and things are way out of whack here. There was a case a few years ago where a man came home to find his wife and kids tied up and being tortured, the assailant tried to stab him, and he fought back and killed the guy. People were picketing this guy's house, calling him a murderer, and asserting that the home invader who was in all likelihood going to kill everyone a good man and the victim. He was exonerated in court, but had to put up with tons of harassment and threats. That's just plain wrong in my book.
Anyway, as I outlined, I'm pro gun, but only for the right people. Criminal record? No guns. Domestic abuser? No guns. Psychologically unstable/bad temper? No guns. It should be a privilege, not a right. The whole second amendment argument is utter hogwash. Like you're going to fight off a tyrannical government with an AR-15 when they can just drone strike you. I think a lot of it is still rooted in racism, just as it always has been in the USA. White folks are scared of black people. You see those "Oath Keepers" showing up to political events with loaded AR-15s. I wonder how long that would last if the Black Panthers showed up to those events armed in that way.
Unfortunately, it seems that the biggest abuser of firearms is the police force. They're not trained in de-escalation, they're trained that everyone is out to get them, and they'd best shoot first, which is why particularly unarmed young black men are being murdered by the police, who enjoy special .protections to be free of consequence. It's not JUST black folks either, the video of the cop unloading 5 or 6 rounds of 5.56 from his AR into a white teenage kid who's unarmed, had nothing to do with the police call, and was cooperating fully on the ground. He was trying to follow instructions but nervousness made him twitch a bit and that was it for him. Even before he gets shot, you can hear in the cops voice that he's just itching for any excuse to murder him. The police force need to be de-militarized and disarmed until they can prove that they can use firearms responsibly within the course of their duties, shooting someone only as a last resort, not unloading entire magazines into unarmed civilians because they're scared children.
Hostage (2005)
The best movie for both action and drama so far this year.
I was fortunate enough to obtain tickets to an advance screening of this film, which I had never heard of. That being the case, and given that the last Bruce Willis film that I saw was the weak-at-best Tears of the Sun, I went in with no expectations whatsoever.
The opening titles were original and very well done, setting the tone for the film and making me think that maybe bringing the valium wouldn't be necessary. The film was well paced, holding my somewhat shameful attention span throughout. The acting was superb, with Ben Foster stealing the show and ending up as the true star of the film for me - a definite step up from his role in The Punisher. Every time I felt that the plot was going to go down a cliché and predictable route, I was surprised, right up until the ending of the film, which had every bit as much tension and drama as the rest of the film, which is something of a departure from what I've come to expect from big budget Hollywood productions.
This film is every bit worth the ever more outrageous price of a movie ticket, though since it was a preview screening, I was thankfully spared the usual torrent of "Director's cut" cola commercials, which I don't think I will ever be comfortable with - advertising is there to fund media which does not have another generous supply of revenue, and if I'm paying $12 to see a film, I really don't see why I should be subjected to commercials.
Rant aside, see this film, I find it hard to picture the kind of person that it would disappoint, at least as someone I could take seriously. I know that I'll want to see it again, and it will be making its way to my DVD collection when it finally goes retail.
The Trailer Park Boys Christmas Special (2004)
A Superb Prequel
This is a must see for any fan of the Trailer Park Boys. Of course, I may be a little biased, as I love what is in my opinion, the only truly great show produced locally, but this prequel was entertaining from start to finish. It was particularly amusing to see J Roc before he became "leader of the Roc Pile", and how his decline into rapper culture came about. There's plenty of laughs, and if you're a fan of the series, you will appreciate the humour (though I understand that it's not for everyone).
When I first saw this, I was under the misunderstanding that this was the original movie on which the series was based, as the plot, era etc all seemed to fit, but the fact that it was written after gave the writers the benefit of foresight, and many amusing plot devices to tie into "future" episodes, and explain the way many things are. I still have yet to see the original movie, but if it's half as good as this, it will be well worth watching.