PrairieCal Reviews

I Came By (2022)

Best Thriller I've Seen in Long Time

[10/10 · 4 November 2023]

Although at first I couldn't identify with the two protagonists, soon this film had me on the edge of my seat. This was everything a thriller should be.

The direction, acting, atmosphere. And script were all top of the line.

After all the garbage that's put out lately this was a very refreshing surprise!

However I'm rather disappointed in Netflix. The first time I saw this it lasted an hour and fifty minutes. I enjoyed it so much I watched it again with my son and believe it or not THREE minutes had been cut out of the beginning of the film. I have tried to watch this again several times and sure enough a highly suspenseful scene is gone from the beginning.

Has anyone else noticed this? Rather disgusting on the part of Netflix I must say.

The Night Clerk (2020)

Why the Low Ratings?

[9/10 · 28 December 2022]

Why the low ratings? No car chases? No explosions?

No one's guts being shot out every five minutes? Nope. Only great suspense, great writing, great directing, and above all great acting ... and all this wrapped up in a sensitive package that gives insight into a condition formerly knows as Asperger Syndrome, now known as Autism Spectrum Disorders. This was a great movie and will live long after most of the crap we see today is gone and forgotten. Highly recommended which you enjoy suspense or thinking.

Tye Sheridan not only gives a great performance but is one of the most promising young actors on the screen today. After seeing "The Night Clerk" you may wish to check out "The Tender Bar," another Sheridan tour de force.

Old (2021)

Truly, A Waste of Time

[2/10 · 20 June 2022]

Another crock from M. Night Shamalamadingdong. Insulting in so many ways. Poor attention to detail. ... (It takes more than a few painted on crows feet to accurately represent aging) More (plot) holes that a sieve. And finally after a film that defies it's own logic comes an ending that almost makes sense. That ending seems akin to an apology. For a writer/directer with so many intriguing ideas why is the execution of these ideas always so pedestrian?

The Lost City (2022)

Jungle Dung Complete with Clichés & Stereotypes

[1/10 · 12 May 2022]

The amazing thing about this film -- despite the fact that it was made at all and that there isn't an original thought or idea throughout -- is that it's rated so highly on .imdb. It's also amazing that the talented actors ever agreed to be in this piece of jungle dung. The writing is terrible, amateurish, the dialogue silly, and the jokes totally unfunny. A total waste of talent.

Makes one wonder how many of the positive reviews were left by paid Paramount employees.

How the West Was Won (1976–1979)

Nit-Picking A Great Western

[10/10 · 26 March 2022]

If you're like me and loved this series you've probably purchased all three seasons on DVD. The first thing to know is that the original TV Movie that started it all, called "The Macahans," should be viewed first. It's on Disc 2 of Season 1, but listed under "Special Features" rather than as an Episode. Episode or not, it should be viewed FIRST. This a a great series but like all Hollywood Westerns there are a few things that readers of history will find not only wrong, but rather comical. For example when they reach Kansas the landscape isn't like Kansas at all, more like the arid plains of Wyoming before you reach the Rockies. They got the farm wagon right. It's actually the type of wagon used on the Oregon Trail, not a Conestoga which were seldom used because they were too heavy to be practical on such along journey. Secondly Oxen are driven by someone walking along side them. They are NOT driven with reins. I began laughing when I saw this. And above all at least four oxen were used, not two. But nit-picking aside I LOVE this series. It's one of the best westerns ever -- for me right up there with "The Searcheers." I think you'll love it too.

Jason Bourne (I) (2016)

Same

[5/10 · 2 March 2022]

Non-stop action fun and mindless drivel. The amazing thing about the Bourne movies is that the same plot is used again and again in all four movies. They're so much fun no one cares. After the first one that plot is rehashed in every sequel. There's little new in any of the sequels and before you begin each new installment you know what you'll see: The CIA is made up of evil bad guys, the same prolonged chase scenes, the same prolonged bloody fight scenes, the same running from the CIA, which changed the names of their evil programs without changing their objectives -- which in each film is to kill Jason Bourne. Enjoy these films for what they are. They're fun. Just don't expect anything new.

Night Hunter (2018)

Great Actors on Thin Ice

[1/10 · 28 February 2022]

Nothing new here. This has all been done better many times before. The clichés, the hackneyed plot, the uneven up and down suspense, the false leads that never pan out.. What a sheer waste of acting talent, in a poor story.

The Dollhouse Murders (1992 TV Movie)

Say "Cheese!" That Best Describes This Film

[1/10 · 27 November 2021]

If you've read "The Dollhouse Murders," skip this one. The acting and directing are terrible. Throughout one is flooded with the feeling you're watching a truly poor TV movie. Your library will have the book. Try it. Whether you are an adult or a child, you'll enjoy it thoroughly as it blends suspense with the gradual awakening, maturing, and personal growth of the protagonist.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Like Fingernails on Blackboard and Water Dripping Turned into a Movie

[1/10 · 19 December 2020]

This film replaces Remains of the Day as the worst film I've ever sat through.

Rebecca (I) (2020)

Raping Alfred Hitchcock

[1/10 · 27 October 2020]

Is nothing scared in the Netflix greed for more money? What's next? A remake of Gone with the Wind? The sad thing is that today's film watchers know so very little about film classics or film history. The one constant they seem to have in common is that they do not like movies which are not in color. So we get this pathetic remake. And like 90% of all remakes it makes one cringe when compared to the original. Skip this rape of a classic and watch the original 1940 masterpiece instead. No, it's not in color. But as you're transfixed by the story, the writing, the acting, and the direction, you might even forget that it's not in splashy technicolor and that the light and shadows in black and white actually add to the mood of the film.

Alone (V) (2020)

For Suspense Fans - Not for the Usual Suspects Who Enjoy Nit-picking

[8/10 · 24 September 2020]

This movie is for fans who really love edge of your seat suspense. Yes, the plot has been used before. Yes, the genre is an old one. Nothing new under the sun in any film. Hitch made at least two of his movies twice, and used the same theme of innocent man pursued by both the police and the bad guys multiple times.

Yet when you add good production values, good writing, good direction, and good acting, even an old plot device becomes new and thoroughly entertaining. And that all rings true in this more than adequate suspense movie. It's doubtful that one could even count the number of films about an innocent woman confronted with acute danger. Yet the suspense here is so strong it all becomes rather new and exciting.

Here, the woman is alone, with only her own wits, determination to survive, and some Hollywood luck to aid her. The only thing I found slightly distracting were the drone or helicopter shots taken from the sky. Since none of the characters are up in the sky to see these views, such camera work tends to mar the suspension of disbelief. Still, if you're a real suspense fan, you'll thoroughly enjoy this movie.

A Kind of Murder (2016)

I Don't Mean to be Nit-picky, BUT ...

[3/10 · 12 October 2019]

This wasn't a great movie to begin with and had only great actors and great acting to even slightly redeem it. Even that couldn't make up for actors being saddled with a slow, draggy script. What I found most annoying was the production design, set decorations, and costumes ... a total mish-mash of various periods. It's not enough to attempt authenticity. A quality production must include set decorations and costumes that actually EVOKE the period. 1960's? You gotta be kidding. Too many cars from the '30's and '40's, dresses that cried 1950's, and men wearing fedoras. Come on! This wasn't a film noir from the 1940's. I would not recommend this. The film was so bad I can't believe I sat through the entire thing. The mish-mash evoking various periods only added insult to injury.

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Make No Mistake -- This is a Chick-Flick

[8/10 · 12 October 2019]

Chick-Flick with a twist. Instead of memory loss as in Fifty First Dates, this time the gimmick is random time travel -- and no annoying Adam Sandler. Time travel with lots of kissing, lots of romance, lots of sentimentality but played for real. As a male I'm rather embarrassed to say that I enjoyed this movie. A quality production in every way with great acting. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fascinating movie that holds one's interest throughout.

Hold the Dark (2018)

More Garbage on Netflix - When Will I learn?

[1/10 · 13 January 2019]

One of those sub-standard films on Netfix and typically frustrating. As bad as it was it held my interest and I stuck with it to the end to find out what happened. The end came at last ... with no resolution, no explanations, and making absolutely no sense. A real pity due to the wasted talent. There was a never ending number of almost non-stop murders which became boring after a bit because any viewer can sense there will be more and more of them with no motivation given. Skip this crock. It's about as satisfying as watching water drip from a leaky faucet.

Peter Rabbit (2018)

A Total Travesty

[1/10 · 24 June 2018]

Like so many these days, evidently the holders of the rights to Beatrix Potter's books believe in "Anything for a buck."

This is a total travesty and rape of one the best loved characters in Literature. One can't help but wonder if many of the high reviews given this rip off are written by people who've never read the books or even heard of them. And the producers, writers, directors, and animators are guilty of a crime against literature.

Peter has undergone a complete personality transplant and the story is a lame, pure generic 2018 mishmash. What's next? Winnie the Pooh in a car chase movie?

The Conjuring (2013)

The Chimneys The Chimneys For God's Sake The Chimneys

[5/10 · 9 September 2017]

While this movie gets a high rating and holds one's interest, some research should be done on Ed and Lorraine Warren. Their "evidence" has been not only been disputed many times, but shown again and again to be faulty and not really scientific evidence at all. The fact that they were duped by the liars who created the Amityville Horror Hoax shows how lacking their "investigations" really were. So much for "Based on a True Story."

As for the movie, how does one create a film with a $20 Million Dollar budget and have it filled with goofs, continuity errors and faulty sets? Oddly enough I was particularly irritated by the work of Art Director Geoffrey S Grimson and Set Decorator Sophie Neudorfer. With $20 Million to spend couldn't they at least make the chimneys on the outside of the house match the fireplaces on the inside?

Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills (1986 TV Movie)

Great Family Western

[8/10 · 11 August 2017]

If you enjoy family westerns, chances are you'll love this movie. The scenery and acting are great and the story totally engaging.

Although not as great as Louis L'Amour's novel, this is a wonderful family western. I'm not sure why Hollywood thinks they must "improve" on a novel in transferring it to film. Perhaps sometimes they feel a story needs more human interest ... or sometimes the story changes they make could be due to saving money. In any event it's very rare to find a film version that lives up to it's origins. Nevertheless this is a wonderful movie both western fans and families alike will enjoy.

Although filmed in Utah, both the film and the book take place in Wyoming Territory as the repeated references to Fort Bridger testify. It is well worth watching and will be enjoyed by many.

I found this on Youtube and downloaded it free. The sound and picture quality weren't bad at all.

Innocent Sinners (1958)

Mixed Emotions

[5/10 · 8 August 2017]

I've been reading the other reviews of this film and I must admit they made me feel a bit ashamed and embarrassed. Particularly the one that praised the Adler music.

I was familiar with this story from Rummer Godden's book, "An Episode of Sparrows." Truly a wonderful novel illustrating the essence of being human no matter our circumstances. I've loved this book for years and have read it multiple times.

So I was very excited to see the film for the first time. I was certain this would be a classic for me to love as much as I loved the novel. But that was not to be.

I guess we're all different, with different tastes. But I shut if off within five minutes. For me the soundtrack music with it's bouncy tinkling and irritating whistling was like fingernails on a blackboard. It literally made me cringe. I'm going to give this another shot and every time the music starts I'll mute the sound.

Before I Wake (2016)

Frustration !

[8/10 · 27 July 2017]

I went through hell to watch this movie but I don't give up easily. After spending forty-five minutes searching Google for a DVD or Blu-ray I moved on. A brain storm led me Amazon.CA (Amazon in Canada) and sure enough they had it. It seems it's available almost everywhere except the United States. Since the Region Codes are the same for the US and Canada, I ordered it and it arrived today.

I popped it into my computer for a test run and it would not play with Power DVD. It kept telling me I needed to update Power DVD for it to play and of course the "updates" would not work and it still wouldn't play.

Next I took it to a Blu-ray player and after watching at least five hideous previews it finally came on the screen with a small box that said, "Restricted" and would not play. So I hit the "Menu Button" and got it to play – in English – with English Subtitles. I hit the "Menu Button" again, switched it back to the regular version, and presto, it began to play like any normal Blu-ray would.

Immediately this film brought a couple questions to mind. Who the hell thought up the scuzzy drug dealer haircut for Thomas Jane? And, how did this couple afford their lifestyle when neither of them appeared to work or have jobs? If anyone knows how one can do this I'd like to find out.

Other reviewers have covered the plot. I'll just say that for me this film was worth waiting for. It engages the viewer's emotions as well and giving a large dose of suspense. Its ability to transition from grief to supernatural thriller was rather amazing. I'd recommend this to fans of suspense, thrillers, and horror genres and especially to those who love a nice dose of sentimentality mixed in.

Escape in the Fog (1945)

Why Not a Higer Rating?

[8/10 · 26 April 2017]

I'm surprised this film hasn't received a higher rating. Maybe old folks need to think back to when they were kids and rode their bikes downtown on Saturday afternoon to watch a string of second run "B" pictures at the cheap theater.

Or perhaps some caught this in later decades when these old films were shown on TV late night on weekends. In any event, enjoy this for what it is. Don't expect Shakespeare and you won't be disappointed. As a typical WWII film this one will keep you entertained. As a bonus, Nina Foch has never looked lovelier.

My son and I have never called these WWII Spy Thrillers, Propaganda Films, or whatever. To us they've always been and always will be, "Nazi Scum" Movies. We've amassed a large collection. This is one of them ... and one of our favorites. It reeks of the surrealistic cheapie back lot films that seem both unreal and real simultaneously.

Aladdin (1992)

What's Not to Love?

[10/10 · 21 April 2017]

Excellent Animation, Fantastic songs, and score, incredible story! One of Disney's best! Robin Williams is a high light, all the voices are right on, and the story is great!

But why does no one seem to mention this was based on and inspired by a 1940 Live Action Technicolor Blockbuster called "The Thief of Bagdad?" If they'd given credit where credit it due, one wouldn't be left with the nagging feeling that this masterpiece is somehow a bit of a rip-off.

Insidious (I) (2010)

Not Scary. How can you be scared of a movie so dark you can't see it?

[1/10 · 25 March 2017]

What a waste of time. Dark, gloomy, predictable. It gave me eye-strain just trying to see what was going on. Obviously most of this was filmed in the dark.

So many great scary movies around, why do people settle for tripe like this? Have they seen so few movies they don't know the difference between a good movie and a bad one?

Lin Shaye's performance was the only redeeming thing this crock had to offer. She's one great actress.

Insidious was so slow moving in the beginning it was difficult to become interested. But I stuck with it hoping something would happen. You should stick with it too so you can become as disgusted with this time-waster as I was.

Young Pioneers (1976 TV Movie)

Some Background

[8/10 · 26 February 2017]

In 1933 Rose Wilder Lane published a book called "Let the Hurricane Roar," which was also published as a serial in The Saturday Evening Post. This was a fictionalized adult novel about her maternal grandparents, Charles and Caroline Wilder. Roughly forty years later the title was changed to "Young Pioneers," with the names of the characters changed as well. That title, "Young Pioneers" is the only relationship that book has to this film.

In 1938 Rose published a novel called "Free Land," about David and Mary (whom he often called Molly) Beaton. It is "Free Land" on which this film is based. As with all films, much has been changed from the novel. But both the novel and the film will be enjoyable for fans of the Wilder family and the Little House Books. This film accurately portrays the struggles Dakota homesteaders faced in the late 19th century, yet is a great family film and will be enjoyed by adults as well as children.

La La Land (2016)

Talentless, Dull, Ridiculous and Pathetic

[1/10 · 4 February 2017]

Words fail me. I can only assume that the lovers of this film have little past experience watching quality musicals, romances, or comedies. Who the hell thought this mess up? What were they sniffing?

The scene where the two stars suddenly fly into the stratosphere in a movie theater was laughable, silly, and ridiculous. Our movie night with friends turned into groans and unintended laughter at its stupidity. To add insult to injury, the split second cuts from scene to scene added an amateurish touch to the whole affair. After an hour, we couldn't take anymore and shut it off in disgust. If you want misery, get a root canal instead. It would be much easier to endure.

It's sad that a whole generation of movie goers will accept this garbage as a good movie. Obviously they've never seen very many "good" movies.

But look on the bright side. Seventh grade girls will really love this crock.

Death Valley Days: No Place for a Lady (1965) Season 14, Episode 7

Another Historical Episode about Real People

[24 January 2017]

Death Valley Days was famous for bringing real stories about real people of the old west to the television screen. This episode is about the famous western frontiersman, William Bent (listed erroneously by IMDb as William Burt), Samuel Magoffin, and his wife Susan.

Susan, a pampered and spoiled young lady from the east, seemed determined to bring her eastern ways west with her, no matter how impractical they might be.

As the story unfolds all the characters seem to grow in wisdom. It's unfortunate that IMDb makes it so very difficult to correct errors in its listings. Perhaps more and more people will complain about the user-unfriendly and cumbersome process involved in correcting errors.

You can read more about William Bent and Susan and Samuel Magoffin on Wikipedia.