indiefan77 Reviews

S.O.L. (I) (2011)

These Guys have gotten better!

[10/10 · 12 March 2011]

Having caught their first film, "The Truth About Average Guys", at the 2009 Trail Dance Film Festival I was very pleased to hear that Ken Gayton and Jason Schaver had a film playing at this year's festival.

First off, the film is about a down on his luck comedian named Zach (played by Schaver), who after getting beat up by a heckler and dumped by his girlfriend has a chance encounter with a couple old friends from high school (Gayton & Adam Breske) and winds up being the wheelman for a bank robbery in which a beautiful Hollywood starlet is taken hostage.

The film is extremely low budget, but I was so focused on the story, acting, and characters that I hardly even noticed. I was immediately sucked in and before I knew it the film was over. The casting in the film was incredible. Even the smaller roles were great. Adam Breske was hilarious as "Michael" (one of the robbers). Bethany Carol was really good as Zach's girlfriend. Jon Biver was hilarious in the two scenes he was in as the sarcastic slacker motel clerk. Honestly though, the whole cast was amazing considering how low the budget was.

This film won't change the world, but it will make you laugh for 82 minutes. I would love to see what these guys could do with an actual budget!

The Twenty (2009)

How he get $500k to make this film?

[2/10 · 21 December 2009]

I watched this film in Michigan this past March and I must say I was really looking forward to seeing this film based off the synopsis. I thought it sounded really cool and just couldn't wait to see the film.

That being said, I was very disappointed in it. The storyline ended up being pretty lame, the acting was decent, but b/c the story was so lame it didn't really matter. The film was long and boring I just couldn't wait for it to end.

I think Chopper Burnet is a pretty cool guy. He seemed to know a lot about the industry and I found him to be a very likable guy, however, this movie just left me scratching my head as to how he got this thing financed. I heard the budget was $500k.

Rockabilly Baby (2009)

thought this would be much better than it was :(

[1/10 · 21 December 2009]

While watching this movie I felt like I was watching a play. I later found out that it was based off a play. To me, it should have stayed a play.

I thought the lead actor was solid, but pretty much everyone else in the movie was overracting. I'm not from the south, but I am pretty sure that most people from that region don't speak that way, or at least I've never heard them speak that way.

90% of this film is 2-3 actors arguing in a dressing room. It felt so small. There were hardly any concert scenes, and even they felt small. During the entire film I just kept thinking to myself "my God are they ever going to leave that damn dressing room!!!" And the plot was a little ridiculous. The main character is on the brink of hitting it big and his sister wants him to come home to take care of his "mama". Not sure why she can't continue to do it. And if they need money then why not let the guy make it big and send money home to his ailing mama. But of course they never think of that b/c then this movie would be 5 minutes long instead of an hour and a half.

I just didn't see any reason for this play to be turned into a movie.

Chasing the White Dragon (2008)

Hard to like a movie when you dislike every character in the film

[2/10 · 21 December 2009]

I had heard this film had won a lot of awards and was curious to see what all the fuss was about.

Well, I'm still curious b/c I thought this movie was awful. I absolutely hated every character in this movie. I wanted them all to die, and most (if not all of them) did. All the characters in the film were trash and like I stated above it is so hard to get into a movie when you dislike all the characters.

I haven't had a lot of experience in the world of drugs, so maybe I just don't relate to this film b/c I don't see this sort of thing in my day to day activities, but still, even in the movie world, this film was pretty awful and I just don't see what all the fuss was about.

The Hangover (2009)

Saw it in theaters (twice) will buy DVD soon!!!

[10/10 · 19 December 2009]

Judging from the trailer I thought this film would be pretty funny. I was wrong. It was HILARIOUS. I have never laughed so hard in a theater, never heard other people laugh so hard in the theater. There was almost so much laughter that I actually wished people would be quiet because I knew we were missing more jokes while waiting for the laughter from the previous joke to die down.

The part with the masturbating baby was ridiculously funny, and the face the baby was making was just priceless. I'm pretty much to the point where I think Zach Galifianakis can do no wrong. I saw his "Comedy Central Presents" several years ago and was hooked. I am so glad he's doing as well as he is.

Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, and Ken Jeong were all great in this film. I love the fact that none of these guys are "superstars" yet could still carry this film beautifully. This just goes to show you that Hollywood should be focusing on stories instead of "star power".

Step Brothers (2008)

Didn't like it at first, but each time I've watched it it's really grown on me

[10/10 · 19 December 2009]

Personally, I think Talladega Nights is the funniest movie Will Ferrell has ever done so pretty much everything since then has been a slight disappointment (Blades Of Glory, Semi-Pro) and honestly, the first time I watched Stepbrothers I was a little disappointed.

But a few months later I popped it in and watched it again and for some reason it was just really funny to me the second time around. It completely grew on me. I think the plot is hilarious, two guys in their 40's still never growing up and still living at home. And I can't think of any better comedy team than Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly to play these parts.

I'm probably going to watch this again tonight. It just gets better every time.