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drsworm
Reviews
Hesher (2010)
Superbly acted chaos.
The sub-50 critics rating on here is a travesty. I pencil it in closer to 7.7/7.8 range and I could go even higher based on the acting performances alone. It's a chaotic thrill ride with no interest in landing in the territory of generic. It's honest, heartfelt, and at times a bit perplexing with what the movie tries to make you believe. However, it succeeds much more than it falters. JGL is a powerhouse (no surprise here), the kid is an absolute force, Wilson holds his own, and Portman delivers what I've come to expect, aka nothing short of spot on. The Grandma also gives a memorable performance and ends up inspiring a breakthrough of sorts at the end. The action will surprise you, the tragic circumstances will eat at you long after the runtime, and the message will hopefully empower you to maybe add a touch of Hesher in your own life (in small, careful doses I STRONGLY suggest). My only regret is just now seeing Hesher in 2019... A hidden gem, no doubt.
Murder Mystery (2019)
6.3 if that were an option
This one is essentially Game Night, but about 75% as good. Relatively played out premise, predictable storyline, and not really ever "laugh out loud" funny. However, the action sequences were surprisingly entertaining, the cast was game, and the chemistry between Jen and Adam was natural and ultimately probably saved the movie (much like Just Go With It). Overall, not a complete waste of time, but something I doubt I'll watch again unless it's suggested by someone who hasn't seen it. It's also important to note that it was a good three or four strides beyond pretty much everything Sandler has done with Netflix. This one never really felt "corny" and that is honestly a huge compliment.
Brightburn (2019)
Essentially a Superman gone bad origin story.
As mentioned above, it's essentially a "what if" version of Superman. From a different planet, super strength, red laser beams from his eyes, etc. It's definitely a slow burn in the first 1/3 of the movie with some establishing scenes, but not revealing too much. Aka building suspense. However, it becomes clear what he's capable of and the remainder of his rampages are relatively predictable once the evil surfaces. Some classic Gunn gore thrown in there for the shock factor. Pretty clever for the most part and certainly cringeworthy. It's part super villain movie, part horror flick, blending the two together with moderate success. Unfortunately, it doesn't really master either of the two, just sort of hangs out in the middle. Acting is solid throughout and the dialogue rarely comes across as corny. It felt authentic considering their circumstances. The ending was quite a cliffhanger leaving plenty of room for a sequel starring other super villains along with him. Nice moment of humor with Rooker making an appearance as the doomsday broadcaster. Almost forgot to mention there were some clever choices with the camera angles and a variety of shots mixed in to make it a bit more interesting and visually unique. All in all, I'd send off a 7.2 recommendation. Not a waste of money seeing it at the theater, but nothing that will leave you mesmerized once it ends. There are certainly worse ways to have spent $12.
The After Party (2018)
Better than expected, seriously...
Seizures aren't a joke? News flash: the entire world is a joke. Get off of your artificial high horse and call this for what it is. A running gag the internet 100% would have had a field day with had this really happened. So just shut up. You're not earning brownie points for pretending to care... ANYWAY. The acting by Kyle was genuine, believable, and honestly pretty damn solid. Verses were solid too. Nothing incredibly groundbreaking, but well-delivered and more than worth hearing. Movie seemed choppy as a whole and there were some loose ends that just kind of faded away, but they weren't going for an Oscar here, folks. A few awkward moments/acting were a bit cringeworthy (even said so in the script), but overall a decent film with some epic cameos. If you have a free hour and a half to spend, there are MUCH worse ways. Wouldn't mind seeing Kyle take on some more roles.