Belvis Bash, a sort of failed Johnny Cash/Elvis type as the name implies has an opportunity to make a difference. To go on a trip to... Afghanistan. If he could just figure out what fourteen hundred hours meant, everything would be looking good. The film really takes a turn when he arrives, and we see worlds clash. It is here that Lex Lovovsky as Bash first shows us that we will sympathize with him as much as we will laugh. He plays the genuine innocence that makes a fish out of water story like this work. The film is every much a coming of age story for the 40ish Bash, as it is a black commentary on the military and our current state of affairs. Recognizeable faces like Corey Feldman, The Iron Shiek and Daniel Baldwin make this fun on another level as well, and the former particularly nails his role as a comedian who's the only one to dig his jokes. Mark Metcalf is also notable as the scene stealing military chief who supervises Bash's mission. Also Noel Britton who is refreshingly charming on screen as Bash's long time friend. You'll love the most awkward production of not quite Les Miserables, the touching moments (largely from Britton), and the journey Bash and his misfits go on (which may or may not involve camels).
Reviews
5 Reviews
Operation: Belvis Bash
(2011)
Walk the Line meets Napoleon Dynamite meets (not coincidentally) Zero Dark Thirty
24 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Ready 2 Die
(2014)
Very well done crime thriller/drama
5 July 2014
The first thing that strikes me about Ready 2 Die is how well director John Azpilicueta utilizes limited resources and makes this feel like it had a much bigger budget than it probably did. The cinematographer in particular places you right in the action, as if you're a character in the film getting pulled through the action. This documentary feel was a smart choice for the story, as it ups the intensity, especially in the action scenes (which include one of the best car chase sequences I've seen in a long time). Not all of the acting is top notch, and there are some sound problems that would prevent this film from landing a perfect score, but there's enough good about it that it ranks as "very good- excellent" and is more than worth the watch.
The Louise Log
(2007– )
An example of why indie entertainment is the future
4 March 2014
The Louise Log, in its bite-sized offerings, perfect for watching a bit at a time on the ride to work, or in a binge, is a well-acted, smartly written and slyly funny short format series.
What separates this series from many like it is that it's not just funny. As you follow along, the characters grow onto you, and their depth is realized from moment to moment. You sympathize with their dilemmas while gleeing at their eccentricities, in a way that shows like Friends used to accomplish. Morgan Hallett's Louise centers the show, and she is quickly likable in the role. Danusia Travino's bizarre Queen Elizabeth is always a highlight. Everett Quinton's Ethelred is both touching and stir-crazy in his performance.
The cinematography grows as the series progresses, but it doesn't matter that the technical elements are not top notch from the start as the format of the show embraces these faults. Director and writer Anne Flournoy is aware of this at every step, and respects her audience enough to honor the performances of the wonderful cast above all else.
What separates this series from many like it is that it's not just funny. As you follow along, the characters grow onto you, and their depth is realized from moment to moment. You sympathize with their dilemmas while gleeing at their eccentricities, in a way that shows like Friends used to accomplish. Morgan Hallett's Louise centers the show, and she is quickly likable in the role. Danusia Travino's bizarre Queen Elizabeth is always a highlight. Everett Quinton's Ethelred is both touching and stir-crazy in his performance.
The cinematography grows as the series progresses, but it doesn't matter that the technical elements are not top notch from the start as the format of the show embraces these faults. Director and writer Anne Flournoy is aware of this at every step, and respects her audience enough to honor the performances of the wonderful cast above all else.
Adrenaline Crew: Verdict Guilty
(2010 Video)
Crazy, and awesome. Take this ride!
30 January 2014
The Adrenaline movies are kind of like Fast & the Furious meets Jackass. They're impossible not to be impressed by. If you've ever dreamed of getting your motorcycle license, you're going to want to after watching this. Stunts that make the stuff in Hollywood, even F&F, seem lame in comparison. And girls that don't come with the hangups, who aren't afraid to show you what they've got.
The Kelley's sheer courage alone make this 4th instalment worth watching, because you know they lived to release the movie so you can watch in awe and wonder how.
The cinematography isn't perfect, but it doesn't need to be. The roughness of it actually improves the experience, because you feel like you're just being brought along for the ride. And what a ride it is.
I think I'm going to be having both nightmares and super action film dreams for a long time.
The Kelley's sheer courage alone make this 4th instalment worth watching, because you know they lived to release the movie so you can watch in awe and wonder how.
The cinematography isn't perfect, but it doesn't need to be. The roughness of it actually improves the experience, because you feel like you're just being brought along for the ride. And what a ride it is.
I think I'm going to be having both nightmares and super action film dreams for a long time.
Ruby and the Dragon
(2013)
A dark and captivating fable
2 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
From the first black and white frame, elegantly shot but slightly off-putting, I knew I was going to like this dramatic fable told through the eyes of a young girl. Young Lea Catherine Thompson has a uniquely captivating voice and eyes that are so big, that the camera is drawn to her. The cinematography is always good and sometimes excellent. Philip Jordan Brooks direction is solid - clearly someone who knows what he was going for, and delivers. Though the film has it's faults - a few flat performances from the supporting cast, a couple of lines of dialogue where the microphone wasn't placed properly, some moments where the black and white could have benefited from a little more paints of light - the overall effect works, and so I forgive them for these imperfections and just go with it. Ultimately the film works, and hits you hard when tragedy unfolds...so it gets a 10.
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