Change Your Image
drake34
Reviews
The Mick (2017)
When she makes the cleaning woman drop acid?
I mean how absurd was that and I loved it. I mean...it was so WEIRD...I honestly...have not laughed so hard since the 1st time I watched Sideways. It was sort of like that. So glad Fox gave this show a chance. Mickey is such a train wreck and she knows it and does not even care. It is so irritating to people and perhaps not as funny to them because they cannot relate. I have had my life turned into HELL from a train wreck before both short and long term. The last one burned her apartment building to the ground BTW. She was...SERIOUSLY so much like this woman...I am almost thinking it is based on her. I love the part where Mickey doses the cleaning woman with acid. I mean...that is so obscure it must have really happened.
Live to Tell (2016)
Excellent...most detailed Special Ops stories.
I love this show...the stories will captivate you. It is amazing how committed these men are...to each other.
SEAL Ethos/Creed
In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation's call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America's finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man.
My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.
My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.
I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.
We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.
I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.
We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me - my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.
We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.
Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.
Low Winter Sun (2013)
Great first episode.
Low Winter Sun's premiere was so intriguing. Shady cops who go too far like the premise of 'To Live and Die In LA'...kind of.
It is 'To Live and Die In Detroit'...I like it so far.
Lenny James may be nominated and maybe even WIN an Emmy for best supporting actor.
Awesome. I love to listen to him. Oh...and Gayle from Breaking Bad played by David Costable is on there too...he is in the Internal Affairs division on Low Winter Sun. I mean...it is dark and evil...so NOT for everyone, but I like what I have seen so far, but only one episode.
I have grown to trust AMC and their programming. Love Breaking Bad...LOVED Rubicon...love Mad Men and based upon those shows...I am more apt to check out new shows. Cannot say that about any other channel, so thank you AMC...again. Giving this show the green light was a good idea.
Inside Amy Schumer (2013)
Amy is the Queen of Self Deprecation
The series features Schumer's take on life, sex, men, women, dating & relationships through scripted scenes, stand-up routines, & woman-on- the-street interviews.
Self deprecating humor is defined where you put yourself down. Sometimes funny, but sometimes overused fishing for compliments or a signal of low self-esteem. Example: "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. My boss told me that was NOT a good look for the office." Amy would read that & LOVE that definition & the example.
I find this show funny because the dating segments usually are a mix between a woman with rock bottom self esteem mixed with some cold & cruel narcissistic dude. I thought several sketches were laugh out loud funny BECAUSE they are so over the top & out of control. What I love about Amy is how she can show painful disappointment with her hilarious but very subtle facial expressions...as people put her down and treat her with zero respect constantly. I am a fan of this show as it is TRULY a fun social commentary on modern dating. What makes me laugh the MOST are the sketches that have the "Hell Date" or "Disaster Date" feel to them. Oh man...at times I am sitting there saying this is my life.
It REALLY has SOME shades of truth to it...how self absorbed our society has become. Then some scripted scenes are so off the wall...like her nightmare sketch...OMG...so hilarious. Blah...blah...blah...I am stuck in Amy's nightmare on a daily basis.
("Blah...blah...blah...Eli Manning...blah...blah...blah...sports...blah...blah...blah...natural birth...blah...blah...blah...")
Modern dating is so depressing that so many people can seriously relate to this show. I love Amy...she is my favorite comedienne...by far now. I first saw her on 'Red Eye' and thought she was great. I am so glad Comedy Central renewed this gem for another season.
Kudos to the writers...great work...great approach. Oh...I neglected to mention I love the guest appearances by some of her comedian friends. Cast has been fantastic so far. I have only seen 1 lame sketch out of 20 too.
So far...19 of 20 sketches made me laugh & that is SO RARE for me nowadays...so I thank you guys for cheering me up for once. I bet Amy has seriously experienced some of these "3 scoops or crazy" people as at times there is no way you can write this stuff...has to be based on real "characters" one of the writers or Amy has had the displeasure of coming across. I meet them too & that is another reason I am a fan. I can totally relate. It is like someone followed me around with a video camera in a day of my life...sad but true...it is totally like this show...on a daily basis, but FOR REAL.
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Wanted: More Background To This Story
**Caution...Spoiler Alert**
Although I loved the raid at the end, I was disappointed in Kathryn Bigelow's effort but I understand perhaps she limited the scope for some very good reasons. Playing 9/11 audio with a blank screen in the beginning is fine, but SHOW the entire complexity of efforts to make this a more comprehensive story.
I also thought Ms. Bigelow could develop the Maya character...just a bit more about her...more like 'The Hurt Locker'.
I REALLY wanted to see the frustration build for 10 solid years...the near misses.
Start from the very beginning and slow it down. Start from the Clinton Administration...9/11...the Bush Administration...the Obama Administration. Complete the picture.
After the Africa bombings in 1998 American warships fired seventy-nine Tomahawk cruise missiles into Afghanistan and Sudan. In Afghanistan, the attack failed to hit its main targets—bin Laden, Zawahiri, and the other Al Qaeda leaders. Show this. We almost had him pinned down in Tora Bora...led to a massive bombing campaign. They had him cornered at one point. Show this.
The near misses would have put the viewer(s) on the edge of their seat(s)...and made this a 10 star rating...easily. If it took 4 hours to tell this story...I would be willing to watch every single minute of it.
The Other Guys (2010)
Desk Pop! Allen!!
Some of this movie made me laugh so hard. Will Ferrell and Marky Mark should do another movie together...great chemistry. Sure the plot was a bit off, but who cares? If you want to watch a stupid fun movie that gets "Step Brothers type" out of control and outright WEIRD...you will enjoy this one. The Christineth scene and desk pop scenes are just so obscure and fun. Oh...and I love when Marky Mark comes over for dinner. OMG...I laughed so hard and I really appreciate a good laugh right now. My life is not the best and just one laugh makes my night after a long and bad day of work...so thank you Will and Marky Mark!! It is not a serious movie...it is off the wall comedy. Oh and great to see Michael Keaton in this too!
The Bucket List (2007)
So Well Written.
**Spoiler Alert.
Great performances. Depressing subject matter. The trailer/preview made it look kind of silly...why they show the car racing scene in the trailer is way beyond me...so I was hesitant to rent this one.
As it turned out...the trailer did NOT do this gem of a film justice. The movie is very serious and almost a bit enlightening. So...I loved this movie.
Great idea for 2 people to go around the world and do what they always wanted to do.
However...to be clear...like the 'Shawshank Redemption' the conversations are what makes the film. Some great writing and Rob Reiner...excellent as always. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are so much fun to listen to and I am so glad to have seen them on the screen together. Very well thought out conversations so kudos to the writing staff. Sure some scenes are disturbing and hard to watch in the hospital...especially if you have a loved one who has or is dealing with cancer, but after they get out...it is all about deep conversations that may lead the viewers into their own deep conversations.
Depressing yes, but not goofy like the preview or trailer was...it was so much more than that.
Jungle Gold (2012)
Shark Sandwich...
**Spoiler Alert!! Just a 2 word review...&%#* sandwich. I have to put in at least 10 words, so I could not do what I wanted to do after watching the last episode. This show is so silly. Are people really this naive? Would any sane American person with a bulls eye on their forehead go to Ghana to mine for gold? Would any sane person HONESTLY expect to leave Ghana with bricks of gold in hand 'without incident'? Actually this show is so bad...I am not going to waste any more of my time typing up a review.
Just a 1 word SUMMATION...
FAKE.
Ghost Adventures (2008)
Zak PLEASE turn the lights on & lose the ghost box!!
Zak Bagans, Nick Groff, and Aaron Goodwin are the kind of guys I would hang out with. LOVE this show...never miss an episode (I am sober for almost 10 years now), so I never hit up the bars anymore. My only problem with the show and shows like this one? PUT THE LIGHTS ON...AND LOSE THE GHOST BOX. OMG...the ghost box is the most annoying noisy useless thing. Paranormal eye witnesses DO NOT see apparitions in the dark. Put the lights on and film in higher quality. There is no reason to have these three tripping over chairs and debris peeping at some tiny LCD screen. Think about it...you will be able to capture better footage and it will be just as scary.
Seriously...the night vision looks like crap and there is NO proof that it has to be dark during an investigation. NONE.
I love the history and documentary pieces.
Best part of the show is when Zak proved that Nick is a cheater on the golf course.
In all seriousness. I bet these 3 guys are the ones to once again capture real apparition footage.
I am sure it can be staged, but I like the show because of Zak Bagans, Nick Groff, and Aaron Goodwin...they seem like good people and they are fun to listen to. People like these 3 guys.
How can you NOT love Aaron's laugh.
Breaking Bad (2008)
This IS Cinema Quality TV. Period.
Cinema quality sophisticated thriller with a twist... a deep character examination. Walter White is a fascinating character dealing with constant internal conflict. I do admit that this show is NOT for everyone. It is harsh, violent, but 20% of the time it is LOL funny (in a dark sort of way) too. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul...both amazing performances and are the superstars that make the show well worth watching. Jonathon Banks, Giancarlo Espinoza and Bob Odenkirk are the best supporting actors...maybe of all time. The writing is barely ever predictable. Amazing that for 5 seasons in a row...each episode actually improves. So...over the years...this show has reached uncharted territory for television.
My favorite episodes? 'Full Measures', 'Half Measures' 'Dead Freight', 'Ozmandias', 'Felinas', 'Seven Thirty Seven' and 'The Fly'. Too many more to mention, but those are noteworthy to say the least.episodes included some of the best work that I have seen on ANY screen. Vince Gilligan and his writing staff will take you on a roller coaster ride. Finally...it was something to look forward to on TV. I hope reality TV is finished because of this show. You buy the DVD set and you get 62+ hours of entertainment on just about the same level of 'Goodfellas' or 'Pulp Fiction' or 'Scarface'. I love Sunday nights and I love how I am on the edge of my seat...almost feel like I have to tell myself it is NOT real...it is a TV show. Latest season intrigued me as it deals with high tech crime. This show will blow your mind. It is so much fun and I am so thankful a good friend told me to check it out.
Paranormal Witness (2011)
Finally a show REALLY scares me.
Finally a show scares me. Nothing better than intently listening to a good ghost story. I loved that since I was a little kid. After searching and searching through lame EVP sessions and TOTALLY staged reality show nonsense...I found this gem Paranormal Witness. I mean...hair standing up on the back of your neck type stuff. I LOVE watching personal accounts of the unexplained...but the special effects and recreations are some new and innovative and scary images well worth checking out. 3 of the 10 episodes I have watched were kind of lame. But seriously...7 of 10 episodes got me SPOOKED which NEVER happens to me. You will see what I mean on June 5th, 2013 as the new season begins. I seriously have not been scared watching something since I watched Halloween in the movie theater long, long ago. Thanks Sy Fy for saying YES to this project. It is so well done...the actors always look so much like the real people too and that is amazing casting...but the effects are fantastic. Kudos to the crew...way to find good stories and get as many witnesses as possible. The Travis Walton episode was better than the movie...'Fire in the Sky'. It was amazing. The movie theater in Utah also scared the hell out of me.
Independence Day (1996)
"Overrated Hype" Era of Cinema.
Kudos for awesome effects, but I was left to ask myself is this movie supposed to be funny or is it serious?
It was SO disappointing...it started out so great and was a flaw festival after the first 10 minutes.
This would be fun if you were on mushrooms. Without question...this very movie started the "overrated hype" era of cinema. All special effects and a laughable plot. Not one actor is proud of their performance in this movie, either. Pathetic waste of time. This film began a long run of total disappointment. I am sure people who loved it demanded their friend go run out and see it or rent it.
I am willing to wager...no matter what they told you to your face...in every single case...your friend never listened to your opinion again.
This movie opened the flood gates to the rest of the over hyped, overrated and over advertised garbage flooding TV screens and theaters today.
The great dead film makers of the past rolled over in their graves at least 3 times after this disaster of a movie came out.
Tough Love (2009)
Finally a Reality Show With Substance.
I am a guy and I find this show seriously compelling. I cannot even believe I learned so much watching this show. In fact...boy oh boy...I seriously wish Steve could speak to a friend of mine. Man...I should send her to the show. She needs Steve's coaching...big time. I would like to see a professional psychologist assist Steve as I think some women on the show...not all of them and not generalizing here, but some of them have such major deep seeded psychological issues. Some of them are so traumatized they are even beyond Steve's coaching. I am sure people get annoyed with some of the drama queens on this show. I would have to admit this show is not really for men, but you would be very surprised that some buddies of mine actually watch this show too.
Steve is an outstanding person. Sure he is harsh sometimes, but this is a boot camp not a bridal shower. I think Steve should be featured in way, way more segments on all the morning talk shows and afternoon shows could use a segment with Steve. Maybe a book and a book tour or promotion? His insight into the entire dating scene? So many of us single people love hearing his advice and perspective. Men can learn from this show...but single women? Forget about it. This show should be mandatory if you have trouble finding that special someone. If you seriously listen and learn you can gain free knowledge and that is awesome. Wonder why you are still single? Watch this show and you will find out why within 2 episodes. Great job, Steve...great concept. Original reality show with way more substance than most of them...and I sincerely appreciate a good show. Bravo.
The Millionaire Matchmaker (2008)
Post Traumatic Matchmaker Syndrome.
There are great ideas that get shut down on a daily basis in Hollywood. Then...Bravo and other channels give the green light to shows like this one. The Millionaire's Club is the exclusive matchmaking service where ONLY financially successful men meet exceptionally beautiful and intelligent women. Patti Stanger personifies the evil within parts of the fortunate 1% of our society. A dark place...where empathy and sympathy do not exist. People are suffering out there...the unemployment numbers are scary. People who worked hard their entire lives are screwed. This show just rubs it in their faces and it is sickening. Patti is mean spirited, snotty, self absorbed, arrogant and superficial. In these times...airing this show is just plain obnoxious. All this arrogance with matchmaker success rate of lower than 20%. The rest of us would get laid off, fired, let go. Bravo renews her show 4 times.
Patti honestly said Courtney Cox should see her marriage "as a business deal." Talk about clueless...almost to the level of a sociopath.
I have seen her make a jerk out of herself on several nationally syndicated TV talk shows (who were dumb enough to ask her on), and they never asked her back. Five seasons of this show? Really? The producers giving this show the nod for the first time should be charged with aggravated stupidity. She probably turned on the charm and laughs about what suckers Bravo's executive producers are on a daily basis...because that is how she is. Period. Do not watch this show unless you want to throw your television set out the window. Saying yes to this show clearly demonstrates why Bravo is a ratings failure. Joel McHale from 'The Soup' exposed her lousy attitude a few times. Once he even pointed at Patti Stanger's face on the screen and simply replied..."YOU ARE HORRIBLE". I agree with Joel. OMG...she is really good at humiliating people. OMG...what a talent. Bravo, Bravo.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
None More Funny.
The question is: how much more funny can Spinal Tap be? And the answer is none. None more funny. 'This Is Spinal Tap' is a 'rockumentary', if you will, was directed by Rob Reiner. Much of this film was ad-libbed, and several dozen hours of footage were shot before Reiner edited it down to the released film. The first time you watch the film, you will not notice everything. By the second or third time, you start to notice how some of the characters burst out laughing, and struggle to get back into character. In my opinion, it was the funniest movie ever made. Reiner appears as Marty DiBergi, the maker of the documentary, and films the band's 'Smell The Glove' North American tour. The film mocks the arrogance, ignorance, sexist, stupidity, and egotistical nature of heavy metal bands trying to sound smarter than they really are. The album review scene was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life. The made-up Spinal Tap album covers were pure comedic brilliance. As it turns out, many of the band' mishaps actually occurred to real-life bands, which makes it even funnier, so there is a sense of truth to the film. The film notes early on that Spinal Tap "One of England's Loudest Bands" have had a succession of drummers, all of whom have died under odd circumstances, one in a "bizarre gardening accident". (Since the film's release, Toto's drummer Jeff Porcaro actually died in a gardening-related accident.) Another of Spinal Tap's drummers "choked on vomit", specifically someone else's vomit (several musicians have died after choking on their own vomit, notably guitarist Jimi Hendrix, drummer John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, and Bon Scott, the original singer of AC/DC); and one drummer seems to have fallen prey to spontaneous human combustion. This run on drummers was a nod towards several bands; both John Bonham and Keith Moon had died years before, while Judas Priest were, for a variety of reasons, on their seventh drummer at the time of the film's release. However, the main inspiration for the running joke is the supposed curse on keyboard players for the Grateful Dead. Black Sabbath had a cross stage production design that was done in inches rather than feet, parodied by the Stonehenge monument in the film. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers got completely lost on the way to the stage. The lyrics to Spinal Tap's songs are probably some of the funniest things ever written to date. All fans are in agreement that 'Spinal Tap Mark III' should be made, and everyone is in anticipation for it. If I were to write the screenplay
it would probably look something like this:
MARTIN DI BERGI: Let's talk about some of your more recent reviews for a bit. The review of 'The Number Of The Geek': "Most of the songs fall well below the mediocre territory. None will be hits. The title track, 'The Number Of The Geek', for example, meanders pointlessly through a snooze-fest chorus that encourages track skipping. Tap is an average band with below average songs. I don't see where this album has any true market or future. It is a candidate for the worst release of 2006."
David ST. HUBBINS Is average better than mediocre?
DEREK SMALLS Average is way better than mediocre. It's even better than medieval.
MARTIN DI BERGI The review you had on 'Surgeon Killer': "Surprisingly, the album is on track to only sell between 100,000 and 200,000 copies in its first week. What isn't surprising is that the album is complete crap."
MARTIN DI BERGI Regarding
'Vanilla Platypus And The Poop Flavored Coffee": "This album is a full sided lobotomy of old style Disney tunes. Why are Spinal Tap's CD sales plummeting year after year? It's not because iTunes is so much better; it's because some of the album titles were so retarded we were ashamed to be overheard asking for them."
Goodfellas (1990)
Goodfellas Blazes A Path For Other Films To Follow.
'Goodfellas' blazes a path for other films to follow. This 1990 crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the book 'Wiseguy' by Nicholas Pileggi, tells the true story of Henry Hill. The film follows the rise and fall of three gangsters, spanning three decades. In my opinion, I believe Martin Scorsese's finest work to date. When I am at home, flipping through the channels, there are only a few select repeats that I could not pass up. 'Goodfellas' is one of them. There is simply no other movie that covers the gangster underworld in a more fun and interesting way. When there is a young director working very hard on a film, deep down they are aspiring to accomplish what this film brings to the table. 'Goodfellas' elicits every human aspect of life: there is laughter, fear, anxiety, happiness, sadness, and violence. Although these guys were not the nicest of people, Scorsese somehow or another
gets the viewer to not only identify with the characters, but understand them, and ultimately to like them. The score, cinematography, editing, and performances will never be duplicated. 'Goodfellas' will remain as one of the finest films ever made. Martin Scorsese is a living legend whose attention to detail sets the bar so high for young filmmakers, it may seem impossible and simply unattainable. This film is a brilliant classic that will be ranked in everyone's top ten for decades to come. Drake Dietrick
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
To Live and Die In L.A.
'To Live and Die In L.A.' was in a double feature when I first saw the film. I was absolutely on the edge of my seat the entire movie. This film should be recognized as the first feature length film that had no clear definition of good or evil. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are woven together comprising of a series of funny, bizarre and uncalled-for incidents. The car scene chase was so realistic, and has never been duplicated. The casting for this project should rank as one of the best in discovery of all time. Each cast member went on to huge careers, marking once again the pure brilliance of William Friedken and his staff. I felt that a sequel was coming, as the ending took such a completely unexpected turn. The soundtrack and musical scores were both as perfect as possible. It was the first 'Pulp Fiction'-type movie, and should be a priority purchase for those fans out there that love cops and robbers-type psychological thrillers. I have been searching for a film with the same shocking genre ever since, and nothing even compares to this absolute classic. The gritty and completely intense performances of William DeFoe, William Peterson and John Pankau should have been nominated and recognized by the Academy. I challenge anyone to find more believable performances for the time it was done. No doubt this film would receive a four star rating from me. The editing, cinematography, and camera work were also top-notch. The best thing about this shocking and compelling story is that is based on true events detailed in the amazing novel by Gerald Petievich. This has been my favorite movie for a long, long time. If I ever wanted to see a sequel, it would be 'To Live and Die In L.A. Part 2'. I wanted to see his young partner take over, and continue. I always wondered what happened after the end of the film...in real life. Drake Dietrick