Tag: Josh Hamilton

FIRSTBORN (1984)

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Directed By Michael Apted

Written By: Ron Koslow 

Cinematography: Ralf D. Mode

Editor: Arthur Schmidt 

Cast: Peter Weller, Christopher Collet, Teri Garr, Corey Haim, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Gartin, James Harper, Josh Hamilton, J.D. Roth

Because he’s the oldest, Jake has been the man of the house, since his parents divorce. When Mom starts seeing Sam, who always seems to be trying some new way to get rich quick, and declares he’s the man of the house now, Jake puts up with it. Until he discovers Sam’s illegal activities.

Though I’m sure it was gripping when it came out watching this film now it isn’t bad, but it does come across more as an after-school special. That is a little bit more adult than the ones that played at the time. 

Times have changed as in the past films like these could be big dramatic films to make it to the big screen rather than being relegated more to television, movies, fair, or overly melodramatic lifetime movies now.

The film has plenty of great dramatic moments and slowly shows how the dysfunctional situation of this young man whose home is invaded by her mom’s drug-dealing boyfriend and who slowly destroys each member of his mom becoming more and more junkie his striking out in anger and becoming much more reclusive as he never wants to be at home. The young man himself slowly starting to lose his composure and his laid-back mentality. 

it’s fun to see Peter Weller in this role as you can understand his allure and how at first he seems kindhearted,  youthful, and A big talker. Slowly, we see him deflate, and how full of it he is he spends most of his days asleep watching television on their couch while their mother goes out and works. 

We also see her attention when it comes to common responsibilities. Like Cooking and cleaning paying bills on time, and being around. It’s ending is too tidy, but at least it shows or handset what went into all of the character’s decisions where the mother was dating a perfectly nice guy, but met this bad boy who is a little bit more exciting and has all these plans he has and is much better and I believe a bit younger Especially coming on the heels of her ex-husband getting remarried.

That is the only hard part of the film that it takes to believe and completely shows how out of the loop the ex-husband is that he’s always traveling and he calls his sons and cares about them to check up on them. It’s still distant by only phone he never physically comes to check up on them or hears of them and their problems at school. 

For the most part, the film does keep your interest as you want to see where it goes and how bad is it gonna go and in the third act you want to see how is it going to relieve itself? It never goes over the top in the violence or the dramatics, it keeps itself at a low simmer most of the time there’s nothing that really boils over until the end and even then it’s not as over the top as you would expect.

It’s nice to see Peter Weller, in an early dramatic role. The handsome troublesome hustler is just the wrong element in all of this.

Is the film debut of future teen idol, Corey Haim, and even in this role he’s got the dramatic goods and comes across his believable even if it’s a troubled child it’s a troubled child role. Even Robert Downey Jr. has a small role in this film as more of the flamboyant and punk friend of the lead character group.

Christopher Collet stayed in the lead and had a pretty good acting career, though this was one of his rare leading roles, he carried the film quite believably for the time. For a film that took place in a suburban area could call it a team with adult themes, but I guess you could also call it a troubled family film.

Not Too many surprises it’s worth a look looking for a more dramatic, overture, and film that is more hidden film than it is popular as I constantly got this film, confused with the more exploitative film SCREAM FOR HELP. This is more respectable and better made. Of course, for most audiences, there might be a feeling of having been there and done that while watching 

It doesn’t come across as anything special about the film though it’s a solid watch

Grade: C+

REALITY (2023)

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Directed & Based On The Play By: Tina Satter
Written By: Tina Satter & James Paul Dallas 
Cinematography: Paul Yee 
Editor: Ron Dulin And Jennifer Vecchiarello 

Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, Merchant Davis, Benny Elledge

Profiles the arrest of 25-year-old Air Force linguist and NSA contractor Reality Winner for leaking classified information pertaining to Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential election to the press. Adapted from the 2019 stage play, with dialogue pulled directly from Reality Winner’s FBI interview.

This film is expertly executed, but that is the strength of the film. End of itself is the execution of replaying and sticking to the transcripts of what actually happened, and then in their own way, the performers breathe life into the characters in the situation. 

Which from a technical standpoint is amazing but from the audience’s point of view is intriguing, but not necessarily entertaining. Your interest in the film will be in either. How much you already know about the story or how little you know about the story.

As if you don’t know, it does build a cell that you keep wondering where this is leading to and why the FBI agent’s attitude and demeanor are play for one second and then Serious in the next, and every time she tries to make light of the situation or joke around they become severe, but every time she becomes timid then all of a sudden they’re so conversational and willing to joke around.

This started as more of a theatrical piece before being adapted into a feature-length film. It seems that it might be more interesting as a theatrical piece as in the film it cuts in and out of the actual transcript of the movie to pictures of the real-life reality winner in the character. That will take place in essentially one location found and does excel at opening it up so that it doesn’t feel claustrophobic even as they close in on her and see the trap of her and More and More Corners.

It’s more intimate than a documentary could be as it presents the facts and leaves you to come up with your own conclusions. The actors are all excellent and the performances are strong. 

It comes across as simple and quick. Those serious in fact base it feels light. 

Grade: C+

FALSE POSITIVE (2021)

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Directed By: John Lee
Written By: John Lee & Ilana Glazer 
Story By: John Lee & Alissa Nutting 
Cinematography: Pawel Pogorzelski
Editor: Jon Philpot 

Cast: Ilana Glazer, Justin Theroux, Pierce Brosnan, Gretchen Mol, Sophia Bush, Josh Hamilton, Sabina Godecki, Zainab Juh 

As if getting pregnant weren’t complicated enough, Lucy sets out to uncover the unsettling truth about her fertility doctor.

There seemed to be a trend in cinema. Where a film labels itself a horror and tries to sell itself as one but, in reality, it is more a drama with thriller elements that might get violent. So it labels itself something else. 

Whereas once you watch it, it feels like it is selling the audience false goods hoping they will come around, but the films are never quite crafty enough to win the audience over.

Especially when a film is familiar with the story. This one Might be seen as a more modern rethinking of ROSEMARY’S BABY though with a different kind of theme and ending but similar enough. luckily this film carved out enough of its own identity to stand on its own two feet.

The film keeps the audience at arm’s length and feels more clinical throughout, but then wants us to feel and identify with a character we never really got close enough to or learned enough about other than the basics.

The film Also instead of keeping us guessing. Give up answers way too soon. As it tries to keep us guessing still but is more middle ground once it offers up reveals. That in its Own way cheats itself but is understandable that it doesn’t want to copy and paste the whole is it real? Is it all in her head? Cliche 

This is one of those films that was so close to making it through with its Premise but falls short as it nears the finish line. As it gets more interesting the more outrageous it gets. A small before feels safe though at least it feels like it has some things to say 

The film has the bones of a sturdy and good movie but the follow-through unfortunately isn’t as strong. No matter how assured it believes itself to be.

The most memorable character ends up being the nurse played by Gretchen Mol. Who is in the film just enough to intrigue and make you uncomfortable but also the more you learn and see her the more you want to know about her

Creepy but tries to set itself apart from what inspires it by trying to tie in modern issues but leaves them by the wayside when it comes to its third act and explanation though in that sale act then tries to become surreal.

One interesting aspect is brought up as well as the ever-annoying line and blame of mommy brain

This feels like a film where the filmmakers wanted to say something to go along with their thriller. Which works but also feels a bit out of place or too on the nose. It also takes itself seriously while seeming to be entranced with itself that it forgets the audience. As it comes off as smug

Grade: D