A_Different_Drummer Reviews (2,228)

Cruel Intentions (2024– )

sara silva steals it

[7/10 · 7 February 2025]

As a more senior reviewer (err... old) who has seen a lot of content come and go, I was not expecting much. It is no secret that the demand for streaming content exceeds supply, and showrunners would remake the evening news if they thought that would catch on. The 1999 film accomplished two interesting things. It left a good impression. And it exhausted the material. Going in cold to this series, I could not imagine why anyone would want a remake or, if they did, how they would improve? I was pleasantly surprised to find that, while this show might not qualify as an improvement, it does provide a breakout role for Sara Silva as CeCe. She is the "glue" that holds everything in place. Silva not only downplays her looks but is the only actor that ... well .. acts. Her constant fluster and eagerness to please harks back to the screwball comedies of the 1940s, and shows genuine talent. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Love Hurts (2025)

may be for you if ...

[6/10 · 6 February 2025]

A one-of-a-kind movie that has some charm but may not be for everyone. This movie is for you if (a) you a fan of Ke Huy Quan, one of more interesting and sympatico character actors in the biz. According to the press kit, he put a lot of prep time into building himself up for this very physical role; or (b) you are curious when a first time director known for mainly stunt work decides to tackle a feature which, coincidentally, contains mainly stunt work; or (c) you are completely OK with a studio releasing a "Valentines" movie which, in any other parallel universe, would have been labelled as a "Kung Fu comedy." Which in fact it is. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Grafted (2024)

good news and bad news

[6/10 · 2 February 2025]

The 1950s, a time when color film was still pricey and beyond the reach of the independent producers, was the decade when horror came into its own. There were no tropes and set pieces because everything was new and fresh. Often the scripts were written on the back of a napkin, and the ending was more about how much money was left in the budget than anything else. The good news is that GRAFTED captures this spirit perfectly, the viewer never knows what is going to happen next. The bad news is that a film should be about more than grabbing attention, it really should have a sense of direction. And this one does not. Nice start, but clearly the budget ran out somewhere along the way. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The Night Agent (2023– )

two very different seasons

[7/10 · 28 January 2025]

Shawn Ryan is one of the best kept secrets in modern media. He is known for ability to find the most outrageous aspects of his characters and magnify them on the small screen, keeping things interesting, keeping things moving, suspending all disbelief. We saw this in the over-the-top series THE SHIELD (would you want those cops protecting you? Really?), and we saw this in S01 of Night Agent, which had a great backstory and solid finale. S02, not so much. S02 is typical of what happens when you have a major hit in S01 and your accountant tells you to roll out S02, even if the script is not quite ready for primetime.

((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Acts of Vengeance (2017)

doesn't get much stranger than this

[7/10 · 26 January 2025]

Most theatre goers would have invested the price of a ticket for this project. In 2017, Antonio B was in his late 50s and his career as a an action star was grinding to a close. (Although he is a great voice actor -- check out PUSS IN BOOTS). Antonio elected to invest his fame and brand in this film, knowing in advance it might be one of his last. Was he right? Was the result worth it? ACTS is a Hollywood hi-concept film, so full of strange twists, improbable coincidences, and generally odd ideas that you would get a headache if you even tried to take it seriously. However, as a wacky ride, a fun romp, and a small piece of film history, it almost works. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Silo: Solo (2024) Season 2, Episode 3

for critics of the far future

[4/10 · 23 January 2025]

For critics and educators of the far future. With the implosion of traditional TV and the (horrible) cable TV model, and the implosion of theatrical releases (a complex process driven by the woke movement, streaming media, and the lack of unique superstars) Hollywood has gone back to what they know best. Which is to hook the viewer to a series and milk it until there is nothing left. This series is one example of many. In fact, the majority of streaming series burn out and are never seen again. That is literally the business model. I picked this episode not merely because S02 is a huge letdown, pacing wise, from S01, because (worse) no one is trying to hide it. I was watching the closeups of Ferguson in the opening scenes, doing my best to simply enjoy the show, but I could not help but notice that the star was in a uniform that was freshly laundered and had recently had the full H&M (hair and makeup) treatment. Even highlights in her hair. According to the script this is someone who just walked through poison, and in earlier scenes she had to swim for her life in dark water. She looked like a supermodel which, ironically, she sort of is. And, as a Producer, she has a right to do H&M before shooting if she wishes. However, as a consumer, we have rights too. And they are being ignored. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Security (I) (2017)

You have to wonder ...

[7/10 · 23 January 2025]

What the world is coming to when Antonio B., one of the few remaining macho A-listers, cannot get a proper job and has to take minimum wage as a mall cop. That's not precisely the arc here, but it is uncomfortably close. You can be assured that, when the production team put this project together, they were not aiming for a mediocre review on IMDb, but you can't always get want you want. Production values are top notch, script cannot decide whether this is a sitcom or an actioner, and yes indeed Antonio is the only thing that keeps attention. He holds the camera like glue and makes the film more fun than it actually is. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Out There (2025– )

ambition would be the key here

[7/10 · 22 January 2025]

To this reviewer this is a series about ambition. The protagonist, well defined by Martin Clunes, aspires to live his life as those before him have, a farmer in farm country, raising a family, and making an honest dollar. His ambitions are challenged however by the local lads, who have an entirely different business in mind; by his own son, who is not finding the respect he needs in farming; and by the job of farming itself, which had somehow failed to keep pace with the realities of the modern world we live in. Meanwhile, all those ambitions are in turn challenged by the producers at BBC who (like their counterparts across the pond) are lately obsessed with the challenge of taking a project that would have worked best as a one-of feature, and morphing it into a multi-year series. Which it most definitely is not. But a multi-year series has a much higher payout, doesn't it? ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Singing in My Sleep (2024)

The best thing to be said about..

[6/10 · 18 January 2025]

... writer/Director Nick Wilson's film about a charismatic young girl with "daddy issues" is that it is completely unpretentious for a low-budget indie. That is, many films of this kind try to be what they are not, and in the process inflict self-harm. Singing In My Sleep never once makes this error, and is all the better for it. The best thing that can be said about the performance of Jessica Belkin is that occasionally -- but not always -- it brings to mind the early work of Angelina Jolie -- when she starred in films that inevitably seemed less compelling than she was. The irony being that Belkin, to move her career forward, is competing not with strangers, but with herself. It will be tricky to overcome her TikTok persona as a hot bikini model, but with time and effort she might just pull it off. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Flow (2024)

wow

[10/10 · 15 January 2025]

Electric. Riveting. Unforgettable. Astonishing. Mesmerizing. No dialog. No humans. No famous voice actors. More proof that when the end of the world comes, you are better off hoofing it with another species. The movements of the animals are incredible. Cat owners in particular will recognize every nuance of motion. Going on my list of best films of all time. 90 mins of pure magic. The many awards were completely justified. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The Fire Inside (2024)

not really a boxing movie

[7/10 · 8 January 2025]

Cards on the table. The only way viewers are going to connect with this excellent film, and enjoy it, is by understanding this is not a sports movie, and it is absolutely not "about" boxing. This film had a troubled history, and it shows. Stars came and left. One studio dropped it and another picked it up. The name was changed. There were delays. The big takeaway is that, after all is said and done, the boxing scenes, the ins and outs of the sport, became an afterthought. This is a film about personal growth, ambition, reality, and making the hard choices. And, it succeeds nicely in that category. But a boxing film? Not really. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

We Were Dangerous (2024)

checks all the right boxes

[7/10 · 7 January 2025]

To engage an audience while exploring the evils of the past is not an easy task, but this film does a nice job. This reviewer, over many reviews, has suggested that the era we live in now is much much darker than most of us can perceive. Historians of the future looking back at the present will use a sharper lens and see things we of the present missed. Faced with such a challenge, WE WERE DANGEROUS chooses to entertain rather than educate. The ensemble cast works a treat and holds the attention. No gratuitously morbid scenes. Just a hint here and there. At one point Matron notes that, just a few years back (from the 50s), the girls might have been lobotomized. Point taken. Well done. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024)

very different and very well done

[6/10 · 7 January 2025]

A very non-traditional Chinese action film, very Italian in terms of plot and story. Vendetta, inter-generational revenge, odd friendships, these are common themes in many European films but not what you expect in a film about Triads and gangs. The production values are flawless and top notch. The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed. It is a simple story, well told, that holds the attention. Builds empathy. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The Order (I) (2024)

saying the quiet part out loud

[7/10 · 29 December 2024]

The movie is above-average, the writing sharp, it holds interest, and Law, who has been absent from the big screen for some considerable time, gives a performance which reminds us why he was a Hollywood breadwinner for so many years. But the real secret to the film is how comfortable it feels. Even though dealing with a terrible topic, and terrible people, for many older film-goers it is a strange pleasure to encounter a movie based on old and recognizable themes, a movie where you do not need to take a sensitivity course, or learn a pronoun table, just to understand who is doing what to whom. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The Brand New Testament (2015)

An impossible review...

[6/10 · 29 December 2024]

... for an impossible movie. I tracked down this film because its creator was the artist behind Mr. Nobody 2009, one of the most brilliant (but flawed) films I have seen. This was hard to find, and there is a reason for that. It is insane. An adjective not often used to describe a movie, but appropriate nonetheless. Past the halfway point, there is a scene where Catherine Deneuve, once considered one of the most beautiful people on the planet, is discovred in bed with a large gorilla. And quite nonchalent about it. As is the gorilla. This film's observations on The Deity make Kevin Smith's Dogma seem so conservative it might have been crowd-funded by a faith-based organization. It is well produced, we expected that, and parts are interesting, yes, but overall the effect is strange, almost alien. Sometimes even the best of creators do the wrong films for the right reasons. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009)

top production values ... but

[7/10 · 25 December 2024]

The problem is that this is not really a trilogy, although it tries. If you want a true trilogy, go to LORD OF THE RINGS or BOURNE. The first entry is free-standing, that is, it is excellent on its own. Which is why Hollywood copied it. This film only works if you consider it joined at the hip to the second entry. In other words, this movie only works for the viewer, is entertaining, only if considered as the climax of parts 2 and 3, ie, a 5 hour film. Which is a lot of time for a weakish payoff. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Joy of Horses (2024)

heralding a new generation of "targeted" movies?

[4/10 · 15 December 2024]

The movie itself? -- all the tell-tales of a low-budget indie. That is, overlapping credits (writer/director same person); static, overly-lit scenes; unknown actors; static dialog; static editing; no emotional punch; fails the Ebert Watch Test. The marketing? -- another story entirely. Heralds a new generation of "targeted" movies that come out of the box with their own built-in set of "influencer reviews." This film, which has already been picked up by one of the newer "free" streaming services, magically appeared on IMDb with stellar ratings of the same rarified air as STAR WARS or GODFATHER. And, astonishingly, some two dozen user reviews supporting those ratings. However, if you sort those early reviews by "PROLIFIC REVIEWER," you immediately see that virtually all the early entries were generated by reviewers who, coincidentally, starting contributing to the IMDb only this year, in 2024. Serious film fans need to take a moment to understand this new phenomenon and adjust their "film radar" accordingly. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Mr. Nobody (2009)

magnificently flawed

[9/10 · 14 December 2024]

Saw the directors cut, the version where the director finally gets to share his true vision. And that was the problem. In this film creator Jaco Van Dormael presents a feast of sight and sound which I have seldom seem imitated or duplicated in my many reviews here. He is also one of the few living directors who learned from Leone the powerful impact of closeups, which are used extensively here. On the downside, in the 2 and 1/2 hour version we see a creator who has fully lost control of his creation and its pacing. The title of the film, the idea of a Mr. Nobody who is not immortal, is completely overwhelmed by the overlong story. And there is considerable irony in the fact that the film marks a high point for both Director and star, two individuals for whom Hollywood was never as welcoming as they had hoped. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Dexter: Original Sin (2024– )

missing that special vibe

[6/10 · 13 December 2024]

Reviewers of the future looking back on our time will no doubt wonder how a series about a serial killer -- literally, someone who feels compelled to kill, over and over -- could have become such a hit? The answer, I suggest, was the cast. Michael Hall and Jennifer Carpenter had chemistry. They carried the show. They made it interesting. Under this lens, we see that DEXTER NEW BLOOD only had half the "magic" going for it. And DEXTER ORIGINAL SIN only has a disembodied voice. This new series tries hard but doesn't deliver. This reviewer will wait for DEXTER RESURRECTION to see what is next. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024)

Finally -- a holiday movie that works

[7/10 · 12 December 2024]

Over the decades, our society has gone from MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (on my IMDb list of best films) to many dozens of meet-cute pseudo romcoms that pretend to be X-mas films, and are forgotten as soon as the closing credits roll. Most if not all replete with suspicious Canadian accents. Finally, we have a film which is not original but on-point, interesting, well-written, well-acted, and impactful. They should all be like this. They won't. But they should. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Last Known Location (2024)

unusual - very very unusual

[6/10 · 6 December 2024]

A very unusual movie and tricky to review. The script reads like it should fit in the "torture porn" genre -- a strangely popular film theme in 2024 -- but no, it doesn't. On diggimg deeper, we realize that is because the script was written by one of the three female leads. Which is also unusual. It is clearly a low-budget indie, yet it runs for almost two hours, a length usually reserved for Hollywood blockbusters. Unusual. For most of its run-length, it can't seem to decide if it wants to be a police procedural, or a character study of women in jeopardy. Because of this indecision, it ultimately fails at both. Yet the production values are excellent and it does hold the attention. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The Shield: Carte Blanche (2003) Season 2, Episode 4

remember NOT A COMEDY

[9/10 · 6 December 2024]

Don't know about you, but this reviewer had to keep reminding himself that this was not a comedy. Such is the genius of Shawn Ryan that Vic playing a "corrupt cop" had a number of punch lines which had me rolling on the floor. You can literally teach this stuff in film class, but writers who master such a level of craft will always be few and far between. This show punches far above its weight. Just gets better. Wow. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Weekend in Taipei (2024)

are u not entertained?

[7/10 · 4 December 2024]

Sometimes I think expectations run too high for these films. To be clear, Besson is not just any creator, he has directed and written some of the top international hits of the last 4 decades. He is an industry legend. He is also 65 years old, and will not be doing this forever. So enjoy his work while you can. For this film, the premise may seem flimsy, almost comedic, but the cinematography is perfect and the action scenes are top rank. Are you not entertained? ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Fisk (2021– )

Flanagan works hard...

[7/10 · 3 December 2024]

The evolution of comedy is interesting. As the late George Carlin noted, all the royal courts of all the great countries would have had some sort of jester or foole. That comedy was not prepared material, but rather spontaneous interaction. A century ago in the days of Vaudeville, we had the one-liner comics, the setup and the punch line. By the middle of the last century, jokes had evolved into sitcoms, not funny by themselves but with a funny core premise. FISK is an exponent of this, a funny situation with dry, subtle, exchanges that tickle the funnybone. Flanagan works hard ... to make it work. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Dune: Prophecy (2024– )

as perfect an opener as you might wish

[8/10 · 2 December 2024]

To be frank, DUNE remains one of the greatest books of all time but this reviewer, being of a certain age, has seen so many versions of it, over many decades, that my head spins. It is refreshing beyond words to finally have a new version, a prequel from Herbert's son, that adds new characters. The opener is as good as one might hope for, with not a hair out of place. Watson commands her role, as she always does, and it nice to see Femmel once more playing a part with some gravitas to it. Should attract new fans to an old classic. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))