jbrbsmom Reviews

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Evil Dead Rise and then fall flat on their face and stay down.

[2/10 · 21 December 2023]

One big bloody non sensical gore fest. They took a low budget movie that did fairly well, and added in expensive special effects and probably something like 7 million gallons of fake blood. No plot. No character development. What person picks up a book with teeth and decides to read it out loud? Just so many head slapping moments I would rate this higher as a comedy.

I miss the ridiculous humor a a man attacking himself with his own hand. The creativity of being assaulted by tree roots. NONE of that is here. Just people doing really stupid things to make their own situation worse and everyone getting doused with blood and violence and gore. Not to mention that the main promo photo looks like it was blatantly ripped off from the movie Smile.

Nothing new, nothing original, nothing here to see folks.

The Sound (2017)

All potential wasted into a snoozer

[2/10 · 21 December 2023]

The movie pace is so slow that even the characters appear bored, slack jawed and sullen, reciting lines deadpan and woodenly. The plot was interesting , but never developed past the point of endless potential wasted.

The idea that sound waves of varying intensity cause ghostly hallucinations hooked me. The movie produced little expounding on that theory, other than to show a cheap computer app that recorded the presence of sound waves. Do the sound waves cause hallucinations or go ghosts produce sound waves? Who knows. Never explored. Just watching boring sound waves with no evidence or anything to suggest any more depth to the question. Kept wondering when it would develop beyond, but it never does.

Obviously low budget. The neatness, lack of rats or anything that would suggest the underground was a huge detriment. What abandoned subway is regularly swept and dusted and what normal person would lay their head on the floor of an abandoned subway? The setting felt more like a few empty truck trailers connected together and poorly spray painted with an attempt at lame graffiti.

Long minutes of staring at one characters dead pan face ( said character is also in such a poor quality wig you want to put a leash on it and take it for a walk and then straighten it out correctly back on her head) interrupted by a second of poor dialogue that you miss if you sneeze....or blink.

Great to put on in the background as you clean the house, but don't actually sit and pay attention because you will be sorely disappointed and left wanting your 93 minutes back.

The Pope's Exorcist (2023)

Snore fest that lost interest

[4/10 · 16 September 2023]

And just how can an exorcism movie be a snore fest? It was a challenge for them, with all the high budget pyrotechnics, but they managed. More money should have been spent on some of the dime store demon make up...I have seen better masks in elementary school Halloween parades.

Even Russell Crowe couldn't save this one, and it doesn't seem he tried all that hard. He looks depressed rather than scared throughout most of the movie.

I guessed the ending while the beginning credits were still rolling and was highly disappointed to be completely correct. Not even an intriguing plot twist...was that because they fear audiences are just too slow to follow anything but the most basic of overused of plots or even the writers are just done with this dull demonic exorcism themes that revolves around a lot of bad over dubbed vocals and people spewing huge amounts of vomitis everywhere.

I truly stopped even caring what was happening and was glad the movie finally ended which, I hope, was NOT the ended aftereffect that was being attempted.

There are also more plot holes than a fishing net and the inconsistencies will finally have you wanting it over.

Go watch the Exorcist instead.

We Need to Do Something (2021)

Do something other than watch this

[1/10 · 9 June 2023]

Where to start.....people stuck in a bathroom...where the usual door opens inward...better construction of this house would have saved us the total boredom of this movie.

If you enjoy movies that seem shot on a cellphone in someone's mother's bathroom with a script done by five year old, you found your movie.

I was wildly anticipating what they were going to ultimately do, but the entire movie they did NOTHING.

Even in fast forward, nothing moves or happens. There were so many ways to make this interesting and intriguing, but, ultimately, you feel like you are there, trapped in a bathroom with a sullen snarky teenager, a nut job, a child and a woman and none of them can act. Watching paint dry far exceeds this film.

Jury Duty (2023– )

Hysterically funny, completely original, the most fun I have had watching TV in a LONG time

[10/10 · 8 June 2023]

Just duty, as seen through the eyes of a regular person....who is unknowingly the only non actor in court.....I really do not want to give anything away, other than to say that this is the most original, witty, well-acted show I that I have seen in a long time. I can actually imagine the writers sitting in a real court house watching real people and exaggerating their weirdness only a tad to make this comedic show. There have been times I had to pause the show and just catch my breath from laughing.

There is a wonderful combination of visual humor, slapstick humor, raunchy humor, improv humor sarcasm, prat falls and silliness to keep you entertained and looking for more. Please let there be a season 2!

I'm Totally Fine (2022)

Enjoyable and relatable

[7/10 · 4 February 2023]

This movie is more darkly comic than stand up comic. Go into it expecting that and you will enjoy it much more.

It is a slightly new take on the theme of dealing with the loss of a loved one. Also, do not see it as a serious sci-fi and try to explain it from a realistic scientific perspective...it almost seems a side plot that one of the characters is an alien...

While there are probably a thousand life time movies that try to do this theme, None will measure up to this.

The acting of both female roles is superb. The grieving friend is such a complex believable realistic character that at times, I wanted to reach in and hug her and at other times I wanted to jump on the couch playing air guitar with her. The alien monotone robotic delivery was fabulous and perfectly funny in all the right places, adding a nice dimension on an old theme.

Bottom line.... I am usually not a fan of this type of movie but found myself enjoyably entertained and thoroughly appreciating the final message of the movie. I definitely recommend.

So Help Me Todd (2022–2024)

Slapstick version of the good wife

[1/10 · 23 October 2022]

Meh. Truly has the feel of what " The Good Fight" or " The Good Wife" would be like if done on Saturday Night Live. Even reference Alicia Florrick to try to give itself some connection, which feels oddly out of place. I am not quite sure what to make of it. Some of the ridiculousness is just so over the top and the characters feel overdone and then in other moments the comedy is a little darker and there are attempts at reality over ridiculousness and that incongruity is awkward.

As if it trying to put a new spin on another cookie cutter lawyer show....... there is a lot of talent in the cast....but the dialogue and plot is really written for a third grader, so it didn't make the grade.

Speak No Evil (2022)

Creepy and too prolonged

[3/10 · 12 October 2022]

I like ambience horror. The setting, mood and tone are all creepy and disturbing.

This would have made an excellent short film. For a full length movie, there are so many plot holes and unrealistic stupidity of many of the characters as to make it a frustrating watch.

Personally, I am tired of random maniac movies that just show evil people behaving badly, but no backstory to explain their horrendous actions.

How is it that the bad people seem to have uncanny superpowers and the good people are portrayed as so vacuously idiotic that you are glad they die?

The last quote of the movie is particularly memorable and does leave you thinking...I just wish the movie didn't take so long to get there.

Uncharted (2022)

Not very original

[3/10 · 25 August 2022]

So many movies of this genre are SOOO much better that this one is actually sort of dull and forgettable. Even Mark and Tom cannot save it.

When I hear of a lost treasure movie, I think Davinci code or National Treasure....something with plot and intrigue and some semblance of historical fact, mystery and puzzle. This is more like a bunch of hapless con artists with great physiques suddenly are masters at everything and you just cannot fathom HOW they know what they know or any kind of believability to the already lame plot. There is not intrigue, no great puzzle and I kept thinking if this treasure was so easily found by these people, how on earth did the rest of the intelligent world miss it?

Typical of Netflix movies, there is hype, lists of long drawn out action scenes that are so implausible as to be ludicrous and dull and the movie ends abruptly without explaining anything, ever.

There was so much potential, but even ten minutes into the movie, you quickly realize there is no historical accuracy, no logic, and no real tangible intelligence. Just almost two hours of stunt doubles jumping out of helicopters in driving off airplanes. Ho hum . I guess if you want to see a lot of jumbled together action scenes trying to be turned into a movie, you found your gem.

I gave it one extra star for seeing Tom Holland half naked throughout because he is a beautiful man, but that alone does not a movie make!

You Are Not My Mother (2021)

Plodding and slow but decent

[4/10 · 22 August 2022]

The movie goes in several different directions, dealing with mental illness and bullying and family drama. There are MANY long lingering scenes on the main actress's deadpan face that seemed to drag out the movie. Would have preferred less dramatic monotonous pauses and more explanation into the folklore behind what was going on. Found myself disappointed in the end, where so much could have been explained. A cryptic ending can work, but didn't here. Think it missed the mark on detailing the folklore, which would have made this a MUCH more interesting movie.

I had trouble with the main character's ( the daughter) unrealistic and muffled and muted responses to what was going on around her. Is ANY teenage girl THAT deadpan and wooden?

Housebound (2014)

What a fun movie! worth a watch!

[9/10 · 15 August 2022]

Has a little bit of everything...horror, humor, family drama and some jump scares. Thoroughly enjoyed it! To imagine this was made on a tiny budget....absolutely worth the watch! Characters are fun and quirky and well acted and it was quite entertaining!

Hatching (2022)

Different and weird

[5/10 · 12 August 2022]

This is a weird little movie that plays a bit like a cross between a podcast and a movie. There is constant voice-over narration that I found distracting and somewhat annoying.

The acting is quite good and purposely somewhat wooden in scenes.

The story is convoluted and you have to really think about what the movie is saying.

The family portrayed is overly dysfunctional to the point of unbelievable and I found that detracted from the story line a bit.

The movie has an abrupt ending that left me dissatisfied and wondering what I just watched.

However, it is unique and different and entertaining.

Evil (2019–2024)

First season is the best, but it keeps up well

[9/10 · 4 August 2022]

Probably my favorite show on television right now. Different. Thought provoking. Well written. Unusual, well thought out characters. Creepy. Dark.

The acting is truly superb, bringing the characters to three dimensional and believable heights.

Some of the dialogue is campy and cheesy and a bit predictably inane, but for the most part it works beautifully.

The first season is better as it focuses on plot and varying storylines that are intriguing, mystifying and well thought out. As the seasons progress, it does deteriorate a little in the quality of the plot as it becomes a more outlandish tale delving into the individual characters and leaving the delightfully rich new plot lines behind. ( I think of how highly successful the X FILES was until it went too into inane conspiracy theories and am finding a bit of that here, in the latest season)

In this show, the "supernatural" is presented through the eyes of a priest, a scientist and a psychologist and their conflicts and viewpoints are so exceptionally presented as to make it a highly enjoyable watch. Thank you for finally putting out some thought provoking television!

The Sea Beast (2022)

Very good watch

[9/10 · 4 August 2022]

Right up there with Disney and to a lesser extent, Pixar. Beautiful scenery. Fun plot. Lots for adults as well as children. Nice story. Well executed. Buried under the tons of other crap on Netflix and I think that has been to its detriment. Were it on any platform BUT Netflix, it would be a highly successful movie.

While it may be a bit predictable, it is still thrilling and worth a see because it it so well presented.

NCIS: Hawai'i (2021–2024)

Watchable but barely.

[2/10 · 4 August 2022]

What made the original NCIS so great in the beginning was the PLOT. Twists, turns, suspense , intrigue and great acting. What you find here is none of that. The characters are so flat and childlike that you wonder how they ever made it to be anything other than baggers at a local supermarket, because actual NCIS agents would hopefully have more common sense and intellect... There is mostly filler in this show...endless chase scenes, gun violence, running after people, that finally you realize there is no plot. Nothing substantial or believable or watchable really. Bring back intellect into these supposed crime thriller shows or just stop making them.

Slasher (2016–2023)

Fun gory mess. Watch it for what it is and you will like.

[6/10 · 4 August 2022]

This is supposed to be a horror thriller slasher anthology with blood and guts abound. Take it for exactly that and you will enjoy watching gallons of blood splash out of characters you really enjoy seeing splattered about. The acting isn't supposed to be great and the plot is supposed to be secondary and sort of non sensical. If you are expecting more, you will be disappointed, but if you are looking for a few hours to kill with some comedy/horror bloodbath, you found your show.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Sensational special effects in a ho-hum movie

[2/10 · 4 August 2022]

For those that cannot get enough of the scenery and special effects thrill of Jurassic fever, this is for you. If you want plot, skip it. The same plot, rehashed to the point of annoyance. Even the special effects are recycled. Zero actual plot and most of the acting is done by stunt doubles as it is nothing more than special effect upon special effect with occasional jibberish dialogue. Enough already. Please stop.

Archive 81 (2022)

Typical Netflix show that starts great and ends ridiculously

[3/10 · 4 August 2022]

This could have been a much better 90 minute movie. There is such excellent build up and suspense, only to be ended predictably and ridiculously. What a waste of several hours watching.

I wish Netflix would just stop trying to make filler shows that extend into long, well thought out plot twisted thrillers that end as tho the writers just got bored and moved on to other projects. I guessed the ending way back in the first episode ( really, it was that bad) and was so disappointed to find I was right!

True shame because there was just so much potential and fabulous acting.

Ths followed true to what I have come to call the disappointment of all Netflix series and I do believe it will be the last one I watch. The final episode is so off par with the rest and just so exceedingly bad and disappointing. The end is so over used and over done that it actually ruined the entire series, sort of making a mockery of itself and the viewer.

Umma (2022)

Great for about an hour than shut it off

[4/10 · 4 August 2022]

Started out great with a dark plot, excellent acting and a lot of twists. Deep dark look into the psychological effects of a tortured childhood. Completely goes off the rails at the end trying to tie everything up into a neat, happy and completely illogical and frustratingly stupid ending. So disappointing when it had such a great start.

Come As You Are (2019)

Fabulous movie...funny and heart felt

[9/10 · 22 April 2022]

I loved this movie! I laughed, I cried and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I found myself drawn in and immersed

The storyline is something that you don't see everyday and it put disabled people in the spotlight in all the best of ways! I only wish they had been able to use differently abled actors, but that might really have been difficult.

The acting was fabulous and very believable. I felt as though I could relate and understand the characters even though there wasn't a lot of time for back stories and deep character histories.

There was probably a lot of glossing over some of the real struggles, like day to day activities like eating and bathing, that was faced, but you didn't need to see that to get the beautiful point of the movie and those things were left understood.

I came away from this movie feeling as though I had been entertained as well as given a new perspective on life. I didn't want it to end! Probably the best movie I have seen in years.

Choose or Die (2022)

Meh.

[4/10 · 19 April 2022]

Weird little movie that ran about 30 minutes longer than it should have. Tried very hard to be dark humor, witty, creative, sarcastic, horrific, grotesque and obscure as if people would watch it several times looking for deeper meaning and reasons to call it a cult classic. Missed the mark, but it had its moments, which made it mostly watchable.

I have to say though, maybe Brits should stick to being Brits and let the Americans make their own horror movies about themselves.... American horror film making is overly abundant and not in a good way....we really do not need other countries mimicking the worst parts of it!

Character interaction was bizarre and awkward and the script writing left one to wonder if the writers ever had any actual human interaction. Ever.

Then again, nobody watches B movie slasher flicks for the dialogue or the character development.

There is almost too much grotesque going on. First movie I cringed watching and that wasn't in a good way. Really sort of disturbing themes, but again, nothing worse than a man that burned kids hacking you to pieces in your dreams or an escaped psychopath murdering party going college kids...

I am never a fan of a budget gore fest that tries to have a moral compass in the end, finding myself being depressed that the fun was taken out of my horror flick for a Lifetime Movie moment. Why shred up umpteen people in a bloody massacre of spewing blood and snapping sinew and then try to make me go for a tissue? AWKWARD.

Not the type of movie you would watch twice, but you may actually make it through one viewing without too many regrets.

Silent Witness (1996– )

Thoroughly enjoyable and bingeable

[10/10 · 7 April 2022]

Extremely well done and gets better every year.

I am currently on season 14 and very glad to have found this mystery/csi forensic thriller. Much prefer the British style of building the plot as opposed to the American counterparts that rely heavily on car chases sex and shoot outs.

While the show does glamorize the life of pathologists and CSI, it also weaves a good thriller/mystery into each episode and does a decent job at keeping tru to medical believability.

Throughout the years, the main characters have changed. The original Professor Ryan ( first few years) are fantastic in their own right and Kept steady intrigue at the reality and believability of the main characters life throughout the show.

In future seasons, Prof Ryan leaves and a team of pathologists now does the same job. While they are fully developed characters, there is a sense that no longer could one team of people possibly be having this interesting of a career and, while you enjoy their characters and they hold fast to their personalities, the realism that this could all actually occur in one area in a short time frame sensation is gone. While that doesn't diminish the writing and acting and drama and watchability of the show, it just takes on a different sort of feel.

If you are a fan of the grittiness and sarcastic humor style of the early seasons of the America show Law and Order, you will probably highly enjoy this show as well.

The dialogue is well written and the characters so well developed that you feel you understand their motivations and can sometimes anticipate their next action, even if you thoroughly disagree with what they are about to do! There is a lot revealed about the beauty of humanity and the simplicity of friendship interwoven in with dark themes of human brutality, corruptness and violence.

As the seasons go, the DIs investigating the cases become more prominent and are given quite colorful and enjoyable characters, really adding a nice dimension to each episode.

The cases go from interesting to humorous, gut-wrenching to morally twisting and you find yourself eagerly anticipating the next episode.

I hope I find the next 8 seasons as enjoyable!

Aftermath (IV) (2021)

Seriously!?!??

[2/10 · 3 April 2022]

I just cannot watch a movie where the audience is assumed to be a moron and that is what this movie does. Too many plot holes!

I have to spoil this one here, so if you have not seen it, don't read on.

After all the tension and build up, we are to believe that in this spacious open floor plan home, there is a killer living in the walls? Not only did the couple miss this but the audience, too? No! No! No!

Thoroughly not plausible! This killer that cannot comb his hair nor find a toothbrush deodorant body spray or a decent t shirt somehow goes out and gets syringes, rare poisons, food, whips, chains and locks? This smelly guy hides bodies in this house that nobody notices? This is not a CASTLE is it a regular house!

Why? What did I watch? Nothing came together or made any sense. It was like the first half of the movie, with tension and a plot, ran out of budget and a group of third graders came in and just finished off the story with whatever came to mind and in ten minutes the whole movie just got finished up.

This kind of crap should just get scrapped right away instead of finished. Maybe they should have thrown in a satanic velociraptor in the attic just for complete idiocy.... I mean, why not. It had deteriorated to that point anyway.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

Goosebumps type horror well done

[7/10 · 2 April 2022]

I was quite pleasantly surprised by this film. It is an anthology type horror woven together nicely in good storyline. While I would put it more with a teen thriller, there is a lot to be enjoyed by the adult audience as well.

The plot is a new variation on the old theme of Halloween night and a haunted house with a ghost that needs vindication. There is intrigue, mystery, gore, some violence and bloodshed and some comedy. Nice mix.

The acting is quite good, the dialogue much better than average for the genre. While it may not win awards for complexity and character development, it is quite entertaining and creative and fun.

This is not a scary edge of your seat thriller that will leave you terrified and wanting the lights on. If you are a fan of Goosebumps or Stranger Things or Creepshow type, you might find you really enjoy this!

The Rental (2020)

Disappointing and slow.

[3/10 · 2 April 2022]

What happens when four thoroughly unlikeable people rent a house from a psychopath?

Who cares.

The problem with this movie is you seriously do not care because you really just do not like any of the characters at all. They are shallow, self centered underdeveloped semi- moronic people that cannot carry on a conversation to save their own lives. Who writes this trash?

You root for the killer, alas, the killer is also just another big plot hole without any real development. Best supporting role goes to the dog, who disappears without a trace and nobody cares but the audience.

Truly a pointless movie. I had hopes that somehow something would tie together and save this. Nope.

The acting is truly awkward.

Positives? Nice scenery. I see where it was TRYING. There is build up. There is suspense and some tense moments. Some creep factor. But, nothing you can sink your teeth into and no real substance. Another one of those movies that had twenty minutes of potential and over an hour of wasted time and film.