ianduke-32034 Reviews

Saints Row (2006 Video Game)

Poor execution

[6/10 · 6 March 2024]

I am sure it was good for what is was back then, but it has major flaws in my opinion. First off, some of the obstacles in the main challenge are hard to the point where it becomes ridiculous, let alone challenging. There's nothing wrong with challenging, but I shouldn't be the one to drive AND shoot at the same time while trying to destroy a truck carrying a trailer of cars. Then again, maybe that's why they save the hardest for last. I just think that compared to the third game, the challenges, though doable, were not always fair. My skepticism could also be from the fact that I played the 3rd game first, so I know a damn good game when I see one when it comes to the Saints franchise.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Wonderful, but maybe not a movie

[8/10 · 3 August 2023]

Nolan's newest film is both well-acted and well shot. I believe those are the movie's best aspects so I'll get to why I don't think it stands out among his best films. Though there is nothing wrong with dialogue carrying the plot, film is still meant to be a visual medium. When I found out that this film was based on a book, "American Prometheus", I was not shocked. This film just went too far with the dialogue and I feel like they didn't have to add every element from the novel into this movie. It just made it too long and too hard to follow. Again, well-acted with a fantastic cast and the social and political commentary was brilliant, but I felt it went too far with the back-and-forth between characters.

Scream VI (2023)

Perhaps that best we can hope for

[10/10 · 12 March 2023]

Over one year ago, I saw Scream (2022) and I enjoyed it. However, it was forgettable to the point where I couldn't remember the names of the two female leads, the killers, or the rest of the new cast. I will not forget a thing from this. I will not spoil anything but I can tell you it's worth buying a ticket to see. Looking back, I wouldn't feel as strong as the last one compared to Scream VI. For one thing, the action and suspense factors were on point and I was highly anxious to see the climax. What is even more amazing is how the creators made a new storyline with the franchise and they managed to nail it without Wes Craven. I have a newfound love for these characters and I'm pleased with the delivery.

Halloween Ends (2022)

Very mixed

[6/10 · 15 October 2022]

This film probably undelivered on many ends. Personally, I came for the climax. I was quite pleased with the end, but all this extra material with the Shape and his soul carrying on to another body wasn't going to/shouldn't be explored any further. It makes the beginning more interesting, but still not want I wanted. Perhaps it was a way to add on enough story to make a full-length movie. The extra plot line with Corey reminds me of the goofy, supernatural elements added in Halloween 4, 5, & 6. Neither story seems to understand when it is appropriate to end a storyline. Thankfully, this film did end on a fun note and I give it some credit for that.

It's not a good movie. Halloween Ends at least delivered on what I assume most people want- the kills. In this, it's mainly another guy and the granddaughter is very oblivious to his inner psycho, even as he drops hints. It's just another movie that didn't need to be made, but someone had to see it.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Best movie of 1931/1932

[10/10 · 15 October 2022]

This has to be my favorite Pre-Code horror movie, with Dracula being a close second. Fredric March's portrayal or both of the title characters is wonderful. He does great at playing a romantic, a mad scientist, and an evil being all at once. What is also ambitious are some of the special effects, using lighting for example to highlight the transformation. Miriam Hopkins seductive portrayal is also useful in outlining the Ore-Code restrictions that were heavily ignored at the time. Full frontal nudity was hidden, but we know what we saw. Movie adaptations are meant to do something the book did not and this movie offers much more, in my opinion.

American Psycho (2000)

Is this the perfect movie?

[10/10 · 3 September 2022]

For one thing, I love watching Christian Bale. I also love the theme of it being a psychological thriller. I love how it dives in the mind of the type of person who most people think lives a perfect life. It adds humanity to a tiny group of people in this world who honestly have little to no character outside of greed materialism. It takes those traits and adds to it with the central character who plays a investment banker/serial killer. Obviously it's bad to kill people, but you have to feel for Bale given what he has to go through. Born rich and unable to fulfill his spiritual needs because he is surrounded by reminders of a life that doesn't make him happy. He wants to fit in but the rest of his coworkers hold some sort of resentment to him to some degree. Everyone has that one part of their subconscious that wants to let it all out and go crazy. This film exploits that and that's why it is so unique in its message.

The Mummy (1932)

Lugosi would've been a better mummy

[7/10 · 1 September 2022]

I have a lot of admiration for this being probably the first mummy movie. It had to have been a new concept which may not have been considered by viewers fit in the horror genre. As far as good things go, the actors portrayal of their characters are great. The beginning and end are the best parts, and that says a lot about how I felt about the rest. Given the fact that this was a year after Frankenstein was released, I would have liked to see Frankenstein do much of the same as he did in his first horror role. I haven't seen the rest of the Mummy sequels, but I do know they fit more into the slasher genre. I can't help thinking I would've like to see Karloff more in the bandaged outfit, and thinking about what could've been makes me disappointed. That shouldn't suggest I don't like Karloff's acting though. It's amazing.

Behind the Mask (1932)

Karloff is a sidekick?

[7/10 · 27 August 2022]

If you go into this movie expecting Karloff to steal the show, you might feel disappointed. Before horror, gangster and crime dramas were his main genre. My favorite was the Criminal Code with respect to Karloff's appearance. In this movie, he isn't the main villain or even a show-stealer. The main villain is actually played by someone who is known as a hero in Universal Monster Movies, Edward Van Sloan. To me, that helped save the movie for obscurity.

It's interesting to note that studios tried to cash in on the movie with the notion that people would see it because of Karloff's casting. This must've been underwhelming though. This film was interesting plot-wise, but it would have done nothing for the famed actor's career had it been shot prior to Frankenstein.

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

Another damsel

[8/10 · 27 August 2022]

Bela Lugosi really helped this movie, in my opinion. Even though having such a named helped, he still tries his best and he made a great performance out of it. It may not be his best performance, but he did great with what he was given. The other characters were great too. My only complaint by now is the damsel on distress cliche. The plot flows nicely and you have to root for the hero to rescue his love before he's too late. It's a bit like Dracula (1931) in that sense. Perhaps it was still relatively new to film back the, but never the idea. If you stumble across an old horror movie made by Universal, it's definitely worth checking out.

Bad Girl (1931)

Honestly, it's wonderful

[10/10 · 24 August 2022]

The two protagonists are fun, cute, and totally compatible. They can be awkward at times, but maybe their quirks are what central to their character. The story is driven by not just lovey dialogue, but a rising conflict that you only hope results in the best. I didn't find the acting very cheesy but actually quite genuine. That's just my opinion, but I don't get the feeling that the setting was as cheesy as a lot of people make romance movies out to be. That's why I really like it.

The Public Enemy (1931)

I just wanted more

[8/10 · 24 August 2022]

I'm not going to say this film was just okay. It was great, but compared to other gangster films, like Little Caesar, it doesn't hold up as much. Crime dramas have become a personal favorite of mine, but this movie doesn't have as much conflict as I would have enjoyed. Like most films, it is fast-paced and doesn't show Cagney's gradual rise to power appropriately. He does one job, gets rich, then goes down, resulting in an anti-climactic ending.

The Criminal Code (1930)

Cult classic among prison films

[8/10 · 17 August 2022]

There are films like Shawshank and Green Mile which combine as two of the best prison films ever made, and then there is this. It's hard not to talk about without mentioning how it jumpstarted Boris Karloff's career as an iconic Hollywood film actor.

The movie itself is acted very well and I love how it uses the central character, the prisoner, to convey what hard time does to the human psyche.

Elvis (2022)

Elvis is more than what I used to think of him

[10/10 · 17 August 2022]

The movie serves more than one purpose to me.

1) It dives deep into the personality of the most popular solo artist of all time. It shows that he is talented beyond how he dances. A few years ago, I would have thought that a chunk of his talent came from his good looks and dancing on stage. When I saw his final performance singing "Unchained Melody", that's what really got me to appreciate him as an artist.

Who doesn't enjoy a good biopic though.

2) It portrays what influenced him to sing the genres he likes and that is black culture. They are responsible for manufacturing rap and hip-hop into mainstream music genres. Whether you like that or not, they continue to grow. The same goes for Rock n' Roll and the Blues. I think it's important to point out their cultural influence given the fact that I never heard of Little Richard until I heard of his passing.

I don't have a biography or documentary that can debunk anything it may need to, but the movie does it's job in providing historical anecdotes to make a great drama.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Amazing! This is why sequels exist

[9/10 · 13 August 2022]

I loved this film, plain and simple. I give it a 9 due to what I honestly consider are a little petty. First of all, they give little to no detail as to who the villains are. I assume they're the Russians because of the snowy background.

Second, it may have taken a bit much from the original. I know it was probably meant to pay homage, but other than the opening theme and montage, I didn't love seeing all that again. The final mission with Maverick and Goose's son probably adds a perfect amount to disparity that I do still call it- it's own movie.

Nope (2022)

What was that???

[6/10 · 27 July 2022]

Look, it's not a bad movie. I'd say it was good at best. But it takes too long to get into, the exposition is boring, but the climax was pretty neat. I don't think this movie will even be considered for any mainstream awards. If you want to watch a great modern alien movie, see Super 8.

Scarface (1983)

This movie's legacy is ongoing

[10/10 · 26 July 2022]

Not only is it wonderfully acted, scored, and paced but the thing that sticks to me the most is that it CLEARLY was the inspiration for the early Grand Theft Auto Games. Those, of course, led to the 5th installment that continues to remain one of the greatest video games of all time after nearly a decade. It's like playing a game but with enough story that a movie should convey.

I don't know about inspiration for the video game company FOR SURE, but it makes perfect sense.

The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022)

Sticking to the show

[6/10 · 18 July 2022]

Not bad. First off, no musical numbers! Mainly, a lot of the secondary characters I love are casted aside and I felt a lot of the humor was not as funny or enjoyable compared to the show. On the other hand, there are some good laughs and the animation in beautiful. I just wished I could've laughed more.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Not getting any better

[5/10 · 8 July 2022]

I can appreciate a lot about these movies. I won't say it's not worth seeing, but it's certainly not the greatest one yet. No worse than the second though, so that must say something. Overall, it takes after the third movie with silly jokes and rushes too much that I can't take everything in at once.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Can't be perfect, but a must-watch

[9/10 · 22 June 2022]

When you continue to add more and more to the mythology, there will be more plot points and that's my main issue. Beyond that, I think it does a great job at giving fans like me what they want. People are always going to complain, but at the same time, they'll find a way to love it. This series brings the cast back together and gives fans all the more reason to love Star Wars.

Top Gun (1986)

80s fun

[8/10 · 30 May 2022]

If the flight scenes weren't so scattered and shaky, I'd give it a 10. I suppose it's probably the movement that has to correspond with the action and how the planes are flying, but it loses me every time. People say it's suppose to make the audience feel like they're flying, but I don't feel that way. It's a great movie and any 80s lover and moviegoer needs to see it before seeing the new film this year.

Now that I think about it, this romance between Cruise and McGillis adds literally nothing. Boring as hell and useless. Just an excuse for women to fawn over a good-looking Tom Cruise.

tick, tick... BOOM! (2021)

Simple thumbs up

[10/10 · 1 January 2022]

I honestly think a lot of negative reviews came from people who didn't even want to enjoy this. It's a movie about the creative process and it being based on a true story makes is even better. I don't know enough about the protagonist's real life of the play prior to watching this, but I didn't even have to look up what this movie was suppose to be. People like me who've never heard of the show this movie was named after had just watched a film that perfectly portrays what it was meant to be, and that's an on-screen adaptation!

Night Nurse (1931)

Provocative and fun

[10/10 · 10 September 2021]

This is without a doubt one of my favorite films produced that year. Barbara Stanwyck may be my favorite actress of the pre-code era. The performance she gives along with the well-told plot makes it more suspenseful and fun to watch.

Cimarron (1931)

Can't really see the reason for an Oscar

[8/10 · 2 September 2021]

I liked this movie. Or should I say, I'm glad I saw it. The production value is great and the acting is good too, but this is one of those old movies where I can't help but think how so many movies did things better. Then again, I'm not the biggest spaghetti westerns fan. My main worry is that the fact that it's two hours because of scenes that drag too long in my opinion.

Little Caesar (1931)

Wonderful legacy

[9/10 · 27 August 2021]

This film was very influential in helping popularize the gangster genre through later films such as those directed by Martin Scorsese. I love Robinson's portrayal of this "Al Capone" type villain and again, the novelty of this film in 1930/31 in what makes it the most special in my opinion. I give it a 9 because I can't help but know that more films from this genre would be even better.

The Guilty Generation (1931)

Surprisingly great

[9/10 · 19 August 2021]

The fact that Boris Karloff co-stars is not why I'd recommend this movie. In fact, he probably has no more than 5 minutes of screen time if I were to guess. However, the characters are wonderful and easy to dissect and the romance mixed with gang wars make for a entertaining classic.