Freedom060286's Reviews

Gotti (1996 TV Movie)

7/10

19 April 2024

This is an educational and realistic portrayal of one of the leading crime families in America during the past century. By times it seemed a bit hurried, not going into some details of Gotti's life. But overall it covered most of the important facts.

The casting is very good, as usual with HBO movies. Armand Assante does an excellent job of portraying John Gotti, and William Forsythe was the perfect actor to portray Sammy Gravano.

John Gotti's mistake was in giving himself too high a profile, unlike other crime bosses who were wisely more secretive. He went from growing up in poverty to becoming a very wealthy man - however, he went too far in unnecessarily killing several associates, while not really appreciating or being satisfied with how lucky he was.

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In Hell (2003)

6/10

Decent Action Flick, But With Some Flaws

19 April 2024

This movie sets a good pace, it is never dull nor boring with always something happening. However there are some flaws in the screenwriting and direction.

Van Damme although known mainly as an action star is actually a good actor as we see here. The rest of the cast performs competently as well.

There are some negative stereotypes in this movie that are irritating. All of the Russians are portrayed as corrupt and merciless psychopaths. The Black prisoner, although he's killed several people, is made out to be really a good, moral person who was the victim of sexual abuse.

But in spite of the stereotyping, overall it's an entertaining action movie.

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Beowulf & Grendel (2005)

8/10

Very Good Movie, But With Unnecessary Flaws

2 April 2024

This is an interesting movie, nicely directed and never dull. The cast is very good and the locations were wisely chosen.

There are some flaws, however. The portrayal of the Celtic monk, with his frothing at the mouth as he talks, is degrading to Christianity. Would it not have been better to portray the monk as a clean, honorable and decent Christian man? Also, Beowulf is supposed to be a legendary Anglo-Saxon hero, yet the movie has him as a Geat. I have never seen an Anglo-Saxon In Canadian movies and TV series portrayed in a positive way.

Despite those weaknesses, it was still for the most part an enjoyable movie to watch.

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The Day Time Ended (1979)

8/10

Underrated Sci-Fi Thriller

27 March 2024

I enjoyed this one more than most. It was different than anything else I've ever seen.

The special effects were excellent and ahead of their time, considering the movie was made in 1979. The cinematography, especially the last five minutes, was very good as well.

There is plenty of suspense, it's a mystery that gradually unfolds.

It's a movie for the whole family, there are no gross nor vulgar scenes, and no nudity nor immoral behavior.

The acting is very good as well, especially the performance of Natasha Ryan.

I don't understand some of the harsh reviews on here, I've seen a lot of high-budget movies that are much worse.

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Delete (2013)

5/10

Story Okay, But Main Cast Rather Poor

14 January 2024

This could have been a very good sci-fi movie with a larger budget and a better cast. The three main characters - Daniel Gerson, Jesse White and Max Hollis - were played by mediocre actors. None of the three were at all charismatic or charming. The supporting cast was somewhat better.

The basic plot of the movie is interesting enough, and the screenwriting isn't bad. The direction had some imperfections, but I've seen worse.

Overall the movie is not terrible, and keeps one's attention easily enough. But could have been much better with a more capable main cast. It's not one I would recommend, but I would not advise anyone to avoid it.

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Final Days of Planet Earth (2006– )

7/10

Entertaining

22 December 2023

This movie has received some harsh reviews, but it deserves better. It's not perfect, I could nit-pick and point out some flaws, but overall it's an entertaining sci-fi movie.

Most of the cast performed well. The least likable character was the salesman, and perhaps the screenwriter went a little too far in writing his negative dialogue. But everybody else was okay, and all the actors performed well. The lead actor Gil Bellows was perfect for his role.

There was a mystery at the beginning that got my attention and was gradually revealed. The pacing was right, it was neither too fast or too slow.

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Where the Devil Dwells (2016)

5/10

Keeps One's Attention

8 December 2023

This low-budget horror movie does not have any top-notch actors. None of the characters (the main character, the cruel sheriff, the serial killer, or the girl who worships The Butcher) are likable, except for a couple of minor characters like the mailman and the talk-show host.

However, it is well-written and directed, with some frightening scenes and plenty of suspense. Neither the main character nor the viewer know what is real and what is not.

I will probably not watch it again, but I wonder what the writer/director Marc-Andre Samson could create with a bigger budget and a better cast, so I will keep a lookout for future films made by him.

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The Perfect Nanny (2001 TV Movie)

7/10

Excellent Performance

5 December 2023

Warning: Spoilers

Tracy Nelson gives a brilliant performance as the obsessive and murderous young woman who really just wanted to be loved. The rest of the cast such as Dana Barron perform very well too.

The woman is fixated on her romance novels and will stop at nothing to achieve her idealistic goal of marrying a wealthy doctor. The body count goes up throughout the movie, as she kills anyone who gets in her way. Yet by times she in nearly a sympathetic character, because of her innocent expressions and mannerisms, and because she can be very pleasant when she feels she is moving toward her goal.

It's a well-made movie, and definitely worth watching.

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Army of One (2020)

7/10

Entertaining Action Thriller

3 November 2023

Ellen Hollman was great in the Spartacus TV series, and she performs equally well here. The rest of the cast were well-suited for their roles.

I don't understand the negative reviews - this is very entertaining for a low budget movie. I could nit-pick and say they might have changed a few things here and there, but overall this was a fine action thriller. There was never a dull minute from beginning to end, it's very fast-paced without any slow, drawn-out scenes where I felt like fast-forwarding.

I would like to see Ellen Hollman in more movies, she's a quality actress and should be chosen for some higher-budget films.

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The Body (2001)

4/10

Good cast, Mediocre Movie

18 October 2023

Although this movie has an excellent cast, the story leaves a lot to be desired.

Olivia Williams is a fine actress, it's too bad we haven't seen her in more movies. Antonio Banderas is convincing in his role here, as is Derek Jacobi.

But the story makes little sense, and ends up being degrading to the Christian (especially the Roman Catholic) faith, as well as to Islam, as the Muslim characters are stereotyped as fanatical terrorists.

The idea of Jesus Christ being placed in an inner area of a tomb and the resurrection being a hoax is very sacrilegious and offensive to many. Surely the producers could have come up with a better idea for a movie.

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Big Legend (2018)

6/10

Underrated Movie

16 October 2023

This is a low budget movie, yet all the acting is very good and the directing is excellent. I could nit-pick and find a few mistakes here and there, but overall it is very tense and truly frightening by times.

The conversation seemed more realistic than in other films of this type, it's consistent with what one would expect people to say in those situations. The characters such as Eli Verunde are very much like some people I've known here in the Pacific Northwest.

The bigfoot scenes are well-directed, the brief views of the stalking creature add to the suspense and fear.

I'll take a low-budget thriller like this over some of the high-budget overly-predictable films that have been coming out in recent years.

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Good Day for It (2011)

8/10

Quality Crime Thriller

15 October 2023

With an excellent cast, this fine crime thriller was well worth watching. It was very tense by times - the viewer is never sure how it is going to play out toward the end.

It was nice to see the likable Hal Holbrook in one of his last roles. Jason Patrick, who stars in the main role in this one, has been an underrated actor over the years. The actors playing the villains perform well too - it was interesting to see Lance Henriksen in the role of the boss in a criminal gang.

Although it's a modern crime thriller, it's a lot like a good western, with plenty of drama before the showdown near the end. It definitely deserves a better rating and it's a bit sad how few people have seen it.

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Horror Express (1972)

8/10

Quality Sci-Fi Horror Movie

5 October 2023

With a fine cast that includes Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Telly Savalas and the beautiful Silvia Tortosa, this is a quality sci-fi horror flick.

It's a bit more complex than similar old sci-fi horror flicks, with several peripheral characters such as the lady spy Natasha, the count, the priest, Miss Jones, Yevtuchenko and Vorkin.

The train with it's vast cold Siberian background helps to create a feeling of isolation and horror.

There is never a dull moment, no slow scenes where a viewer wants to fast-forward the video. Although it's somewhat predictable, there are several twists and surprises along the way, such as the entrance of the Cossack Capt. Kazan.

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The Killers Next Door (2021)

7/10

Deserves a Better Rating

2 October 2023

This is an entertaining thriller with a competently-written screenplay and some very good character development. David Pridemore gives a frighteningly realistic performance as the impulsive and dangerous psychopath.

The entire cast of previously unknown actors and actresses especially Sean Carmichael and Rosanna Jimenez performed very well, and were perfect for their roles.

This movie proves you don't need a big budget to create a good crime thriller, what is needed is a well-written story and a capable director to bring it to life.

The movie can be watched for free on YouTube, I recommend that people give it a try.

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Dead Before Dawn (1993 TV Movie)

7/10

Good Movie, Despite Some Historical Inaccuracies

25 September 2023

This movie pretty much follows the sequence of events leading up to the arrest and conviction of Robert Edelman for hiring someone to murder his wife.

However there are some inaccuracies. The actor playing Edelman looked nothing like him, although the character of the man was in line with the way he was said to be - high strung, aggressive, easily angered and disrespectful toward others.

The background events leading up to the divorce are not mentioned in the movie. The couple had agreed to not have children when they married because they were of different religious beliefs. However, after a decade the wife converted to Edelman's religion, and then they had two children. But after three years, she returned to her parents Baptist faith, and this infuriated Edelman.

But much of the movie was accurate, especially the parts with the private investigator hired by Edelman. Young even looked a lot like the actor playing him.

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Encounter (II) (2018)

8/10

Best Movie I've Seen in Awhile

20 September 2023

There is nothing wrong with this movie - it's much better written than most I've been watching lately. The acting is actually very good, and all the members of the cast were ideal for their roles.

It's different than most sci-fi films, there was more thought put into the writing and the characters for all their imperfections are believable. The music is very good too, and fits the situations perfectly. Props to Paul Salamoff, amazing that he could create something this good in his directorial debut.

I really don't understand why some people have given this a bad rating and are writing such harsh reviews. Perhaps they are youngsters who wanted a high-budget but shallow and predictable superhero action movie.

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Darkness (2002)

3/10

Good Cast Wasted On A Terrible Movie

19 September 2023

Although I realize there is a certain kind of person who would enjoy this kind of movie, most people would not. When it comes to sheer fear, it delivers. But the story is terrible and doesn't really make much sense.

The story begins like this: 40 years ago a house in Spain was built for a cult who worshipped the "Dark" (which is pure evil) in which they were to sacrifice their own 7 children to this "Dark" by cutting their throats. However, one child of the seven was not killed, and went to America with his mother. He returns to the house with his wife and two children 40 years later.

Anna Paquin performs very well, as do Iain Glen and most of the others, but their talents are wasted on the pointless nonsensical story.

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Alien Trespass (2009)

8/10

Fun to Watch

18 September 2023

This was an entertaining movie with an excellent cast, with Eric McCormack and Jenni Baird performing very well. The story is similar to several old sci-fi movies from the late 1950s.

Sci-fi movies in the modern era have become too serious and are often bleak and negative. It was refreshing to watch a 21st century movie in modern sharp HD but with the old, good-natured movie style of the 1950s. The details of the period are quite impressive - the clothing, vehicles, and locations in the movie are all accurate.

There are none of the long dull periods we often see in movies where nothing happens - in this one, the pace is just right, neither too slow of too fast.

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Hostile (I) (2017)

4/10

Good Actress, But The Movie Is Not So Good

17 September 2023

The story is too negative from beginning to end. There is no explanation as to what happened with the apocalypse, we see gruesome, awkward creatures that don't seem to be at all intelligent and just want to kill and eat humans.

That the main character is a foul-mouthed junkie prostitute has the effect of decreasing the sympathy the viewer has for her plight. Her negative attitude toward others leaves a lot to be desired. At first she seems strong and capable, killing a creature in an early scene, but then she gets into an accident caused by her poor concentration.

But Brittany Ashworth is a very good actress, I hope she gets into more positive roles in better movies in the future.

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Black Mountain Side (2014)

3/10

Many Things Wrong With This Movie

16 September 2023

To begin with, the setting is not a sub-Arctic environment, but rather a cypress woods in Southwestern British Columbia. Why not film it in an environment that fits the story, Yukon, Northern BC or Northern Alberta? They were talking about the cold, but the snow was melting a bit suggesting a temperature close to 0°C.

Some of the acting was rather poor. There were a couple of cast members such as Shane Twerdun who performed well, but some of the other actors were mumbling rather than speaking distinctly. It was obvious they were inexperienced.

The story was not carefully written, it was rather inconsistent with the parts not connecting very well. It could have been half-decent movie with a more carefully-written, consistent story - that's something that does not require a large budget.

I don't like to give a low-budget movie a harsh review, but this one was not enjoyable to watch.

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Gorilla at Large (1954)

8/10

Great Cast, Entertaining Movie

14 September 2023

With Raymond Burr, Lee J Cobb, Lee Marvin, Cameron Mitchell and a young and beautiful Anne Bancroft, this movie has a great cast. And it was thoroughly entertaining, with a bit of humor here and there with the gorilla's behavior and the Marvin character.

It's a crime mystery that has some interesting twists along the way. Things are not always as they seem at first. The setting in a circus provided a good background and made several characters more interesting.

Some members of the cast such as Burr, Marvin and Bancroft were not well-known to the general public at the time, but later went on to achieve fame.

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Toxic Skies (2008)

7/10

Underrated Movie

13 September 2023

This movie is better than the rating indicates. Anne Heche has been inconsistent in some other movies, but puts in a very good performance in this one.

The story is believable. The untrustworthy behavior of the government officials and military officers reminded me of some of the better episodes of The X-Files TV Series.

The direction is competent, I did not notice any serious flaws. It seems that most people haven't seen it, as we can tell by the relatively low number of ratings on IMDB.

Since this movie is now available on YouTube in 1080p HD for free, I recommend that people give it a try. I think most will not be disappointed.

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Blow Out (1981)

7/10

Much Better Than Blow-Up

9 September 2023

This is a top notch crime thriller, nicely directed by Brian De Palma. John Travolta and Nancy Allen were perfect for their roles, and John Lithgow is very convincing as the killer.

Very often, remakes are inferior to the original. However this one is much better than the 1966s movie Blow-Up. There is a lot of suspense throughout, and it's not predictable like so many crime thrillers.

I held off watching this one for a long time, even though I had the video in my collection, because I hated the original movie Blow-Up, which was dull and had poorly-written dialogue. However, the screenwriting in this one was very good.

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They Came from Beyond Space (1967)

7/10

Entertaining 1960s Sci-Fi Movie

5 September 2023

The movie is similar to several movies made in later years, yet parts of it are unique.

The cast is very good - some capable British actors we haven't seen in many movies, such as Zia Mohyeddin, Jennifer Jayne and Michael Gough, as well as the American Robert Hutton in the lead role.

One interesting aspect of this film making it different from most others is that the aliens were neither benevolent nor evil, but were just trying to create the means to travel back to their home planet.

Some reviewers have evidently taken this movie very seriously and have been harshly critical, but I think it was intended to be light entertainment, and it succeeds in being just that.

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Eagle's Wing (1979)

5/10

A Rather Dull Western

1 September 2023

Warning: Spoilers

Despite having a very good cast, this is a rather dull western movie with some parts frustrating to watch because of poor decisions made by Pike. The ending is rather unsatisfying - would it not have been more fitting for Pike, once he realized he could not regain the horse, to at least try to help the young Irish woman?

Obviously the very liberal English writer was very strongly pro-Indian. The main Indian character was portrayed as a very clever man who succeeded in all his encounters, while the Martin Sheen character was portrayed as an incompetent bumbler who, despite being brave and determined, lost a series of encounters with the Indians - for example, losing his partner played by Harvey Keitel along with some horses and supplies during the first encounter. The Mexicans were likewise portrayed in a rather negative way.

There were some plot holes along the way - for example, Pike has no horse after he loses Eagle's Wing, but then somehow has another horse, later lets that horse go free, but again later somehow has the horse. Pike has two guns, yet when he encounters White Bull who is shooting arrows at him, makes no attempt to use the smaller one - did the director forget showing the smaller gun in a previous scene? And it showed poor research when, in an early scene, a nocturnal Antrostomus bird species is heard singing in the daytime.

On the positive side, the cast (Sam Waterston, Caroline Langrishe, Martin Sheen, and Harvey Keitel) performed very well and the filming locations were well-chosen.

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