arvie88 Reviews

Man vs. Wild (2006–2020)

Former SAS Soldier Shows You How To Survive In The Wild!

[10/10 · 16 October 2008]

First of all, Bear Grylls is a fantastic charismatic person. Besides that he can rely on his experience in the British SAS.

Now, some of you might not realize how hard it is to even come into the SAS. There is a selection process that has no equal in the world. For Example, you have to go to a mountain and they drop you at the beginning and you will have to figure out where the finish is. It will be a mountain that has paths and you will have to walk instead of climbing...but still it is a very tough route. You got a rucksack full of heavy bricks to carry on your back. And you are supposed to reach the 'finish' in a short time frame. And this isn't even the hard part of the selection. There are even tougher things you gotta do. But i will not talk about it, because i want to say a few things about the show now.

The show has got me hooked since i saw the first episode. It isn't fake like some other reviewer dared to say. The only 'fake' thing is that he is accompanied by a camera crew so he is never in real danger. But i don't mind. This way the show is much more professional and how are you supposed to film yourself while you're trying to climb a mountain?

In every episode you will see Bear eat disgusting things. It's like Fear Factor in the wild. And the faces Bear makes while he eats the revolting things, it's great while you're sitting home watching the show with a back of crisps available to you. Bear is funny in his own original way, and it makes the show complete.

EnjoY the show!

Soul Plane (2004)

Like it or don't like it

[7/10 · 24 March 2008]

I like this movie, in fact, i like this movie a lot. It's not trying to be what it's not. It's trying to enjoy whoever is watching it and nothing more. It is not trying to be good, it ain't suppose to be realistic. It's supposed to be fun!

This movie is a 'black movie' but everyone can like it, as long as people are willing to acknowledge that this movie is pure fun. Therefore the movie makes sure there are as many funny moments as possible and the atmosphere throughout the movie is fantastic.

It's not all great, i'll admit that, but i think the current rating of 3.4 is only half of what it truly deserves and that's a rating of 6-7.

If you have seen the movie 'Crank'(with Jason Statham) you know exactly what i mean. That movie isn't supposed to be good, it's supposed to be fun. Crank has a rating that exceeds 7.0 Soul Plane is a movie that fits in the same category.

Like it or don't like it. This movie certainly cheered up my day!

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

3:10 To Yuma, The Western Movies Are Alive Again!

[8/10 · 5 February 2008]

This movie has an unlikely cast, Russel Crowe as the 'bad guy' and Christian Bale as the 'good guy'. In this movie the story is basically about the respect that Ben Wade (the bad guy) initially doesn't have for Dan Evans (the good guy), but later he realises that Dan deserves respect for the things he do.

The movie is overall very well made, the action scenes are believable, there is no flaw, only the accents of the Australian Crowe and the Welshman Bale are reason to believe they aren't real men from the wild wild west.

The conversations in this movie display perfectly the mood of everyone throughout the movie. The movie is currently rated 8.1 and it is in the top 250 and that's thoroughly deserved! Movies like this keep the Western Genre alive.

Revolver (2005)

Revolver, A Piece of Art!

[8/10 · 19 August 2007]

Unlike some reviewer(s) here i don't think the complicated plot is the downside of this movie. True, the story is difficult to follow, but sometimes you will have to see a movie at least twice before you really get it. The first time i saw this movie i thought it was great, although i didn't really understand the story. So yes, if you have seen it for the first time you might say: 'i didn't get it'. But i have seen it for the second time and i know now what everything is all about try it.

Revolver is a rare piece of art...Good acting, great perspective and a great story (once you know it full) now i will not give anything away, see it a second time, pay attention to details and most likely, you will see what i mean.

Crank (2006)

Crank it up!

[8/10 · 5 July 2007]

This movie is one of the best movies of 2006/2007, i can say this because i watched it myself and because of the 7.0 rating it receives now.

I am one of the lucky ones who had the chance to see this movie before it comes out.

The story is simple and therefore the movie doesn't pretend to be what it's not and that's fine, the movie represents everything a GOOD action movie must provide for the viewer; action, (offcourse) acting, (good actors) fighting, (Statham is a accomplished fighter) humor (Statham has certainly humor), unexpected developments and a nice pace overall.

This movie is in my personal top three and i have watched a LOT of movies. Along with the Transporter (1) and Snatch this movie is a classic. (Statham style)

Two and a Half Men (2003–2015)

One of the best sitcoms out there

[9/10 · 5 July 2007]

I would like to tell everyone here that this series is a great series,i have seen every episode at least twice and i am really looking forward to the new season.

The story in 'Two and a half Men' is one that is really easy to follow, Alan has his own problems with Judith, Marriage and alimony, Charlie is getting paid a lot for doing very little, so it's funny to see how laid back Charlie is and how stressed and compulsive Alan can be.

Overall, a rating of 9 stars is entirely justified, because there is actually a story to tell here and because all the actors, including the kid Jake (who is sometimes very funny) do their job very well, it is a real treat to watch. see it for yourself and you will be hooked forever!

Fire Down Below (1997)

People Just Don't Know What's Good.

[7/10 · 9 April 2007]

Many of the people here just don't know that this is a good movie. The storyline is decent, the acting is decent and Seagal is great. I think he is very funny in this movie. Instead of watching the movie you could better watch all the Seagal remarks and the expressions on his face.

The movie is decent, there is a storyline that seems plausible, Seagal is convincing enough in his role and the movie has some good parts, like Seagal playing on the guitar.

Remarks like:

'I should be scared now'?

He is a very funny guy if you just pay attention, from Seagal you can't expect great movies, only great moves...

Under Siege (1992)

I'm just a ordinary cook...

[8/10 · 7 July 2006]

This is one of my favourite Steven Seagal movies, in this one he really has a sense of humour and that's a rare thing to see.

The movie is truly a classic, a good story, a good cast and some excellent lines from Casey Ryback. (Steven Seagal) Mr. Seagal stays always very cool under all circumstances and because he likes to destruct things, he is always fun to watch.

Now he has to take on almost almost 30 men who have captured the ship, he is a ex-seal and a explosive expert, he is trained for these conditions.

The movie has a great mix of action and humour...especially with Ryback's comments on everything...

I give it a 8 out of 10 rating.

Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Another good partnership!

[8/10 · 28 May 2006]

I saw this movie yesterday and i really enjoyed it very much. Tucker and Chan are good actors who can really make a partnership work. There are a lot of funny moments in the movie, and there isn't a boring bit in it, Rush hour was good, but i think one is just as good.

I also like the bloopers on the end, the movie has a good storyline and it is nice to see everything as it turns out to be. Jackie Chan is a actor who can play various characters, and he provided the perfect motivation for Chris Tucker, who also was terrific in this movie.

I hope there will be a Rush Hour 3, because such a good idea must have 3 movies to give it all they have, you can replace Tucker with Martin Lawrence, that would be even better.

I give it a 8 out of 10 rating.

Renegade (1992–1997)

A Very Cool Series!

[8/10 · 9 May 2006]

'Renegade' belongs to the classic series, a original story that is well carried out by fine actors who really are fit to do so, Reno Raines/ aka Vince Black is a great character, always looking for justice with his own unique style...

This series really represents something, it's a pity it's so hard to come by these days, it's certainly under-valued, it's actually a great series, but the most people doesn't realize that.

Over here in The Netherlands 'Renegade' was on TV for only a short while, but it has appealed many people here...

There is only one thing i don't like about this series, Reno's deep voice is getting one-sided after some time if you mix it with that overdone good and bad talk of him (example):'Yeah, but we must get the bastard, i can't allow that he gets away with this, we must stop him' (really deep voice)

But that's the only thing i can think of, besides that, it's a real cool series, the way he escapes again and again and the way he figures things out and takes matters into his own hands, is great too watch.

Renegade has good stories, but all of them fit into the overall story. the action is well worth watching, if there was a 'Renegade' Box that i could buy here i would buy it instantly.

I give it a 8 out of 10 star rating for it and that is entirely justified, no matter what others say...

M*A*S*H (1972–1983)

Television History

[9/10 · 18 April 2006]

This series lasted an amazing 11 years, the Korean war (that is the main theme of the series) lasted only 3 years, so you can imagine how popular this series was and still is.

The cast was top-notch, Alan Alda who played the main character 'Hawkeye' accepted the role only hours before filming and he was the star of the cast, alongside Wayne Rogers, Loretta Swit, Mclean Stevenson, Larry Linville, Jamie Farr, Gary Burghoff (who played 'Radar' also in the film) and the replacements that arrived later in the series. (David Ogden Stiers, Harry Morgan and Mike Farrel) and Edwar Winter, who featured in some episodes.

The characters were very different, Frank Burns and Maj.Houlihan were army fanatics, then there was Klinger, a psycho who wanted to get out of the army by wearing woman's clothes and pretending to be crazy. 'Hawkeye, 'Trapper' and 'BJ' were top-notch surgeons, who tried to cope with the whole situation the best they could and with some humor.

Henry Blake was a leader but actually he wasn't a leader, but just 'one of the guys' from a Poker game to a lecture, everyone loved Henry for the way he was. Col. Potter was a regular commander who was a skilled leader with good humor.

'Radar' was the company Clerk who knew when Choppers were coming and he knew what someone needed before they asked him for it.

Charles was someone from the upper class who slowly became part of the M*A*S*H outfit.

Col. Flagg; a great psycho who saw a conspiracy when there wasn't one.

It is difficult to tell what M*A*S*H is all about, there are so many episodes, but the main thing is that people try to cope with difficult circumstances and they try to make the best out of it.

There is humor and drama portrayed in the whole series, there are classic episodes, like 'The Interview', 'Life Time', 'Abbysinia Henry' and the last episode 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen' that had the best TV viewers rating in history. But also some funny episodes, like The Joker Is Wild...

Bad Day on the Block (1997)

Great Psycho movie

[7/10 · 13 April 2006]

I have seen this movie for the first time last night and i thought Charlie Sheen was frightening as the psycho next door neighbor.

While all the performances here were okay, I thought the film could have used a stronger script in the second half of the film. I just wish the ending confrontation between Charlie and Mare Winningham had been longer.

There were truly some original parts in this movie and i think this movie is a classic in it's own way.

Not great, because of the second part of the movie, but overall i give it a 7 out of 10 star rating...

Blackadder the Third (1987)

Edmund Blackadder, A Butler's Tale

[9/10 · 31 March 2006]

I think 'Blackadder the Third' is the best one of the series.

Actuelly all the episodes are funny, personally i really like the episode with the 'French invasion', but the one with the superstitious actors, in 'MACBETH' is also really funny, the way Rowan keeps playing on with them is really (English) Humor at the highest level.

Actors: 'Never say that again, always call it the Scottish Play; Blackadder: Oh, So you want me to say the Scottish Play? Actors: YES Blackadder: Rather than MACBETH...!

I am a big fan of Rowan and i have the majority of his work, but i think he did the series of Blackadder especially good.

I Hope Rowan is going to continue his great style, but i think we can count on him, because he is already working on a Bean 2 Movie, that will be out this year, i can't wait...

I Give this 3rd Blackadder a 9 out of 10 Rating.

New Gladiators (1973)

good

[7/10 · 22 February 2006]

Elvis Made this movie and it isn't great but it combines the important things and it is really something else if you compare it to other movies of the sort.

Finally it became available after lying 30 in a truck, and i think the effort of bringing it available was the right choice, Elvis would wanted it and it is something rare.

I give it a 7 out of 10 rating because it isn't great but it is nice in it's own way and because Elvis made this movie possible it is a rare movie with original things in it. Good enough for me and i think that the majority of the critics agrees with me on this.

Rat Race (2001)

Nice Movie

[7/10 · 7 February 2006]

This movie is really entertaining, of course the various characters are all well chosen and the story is well worked out. Rowan Atkinson always give a movie something more and he did it this time with his character.

The Barbie museum is also funny and the movie is fun to watch for the most part.

The story does take unexpected turns and it is fun to see how Rowan Atkinson does his magic again with his character.

Not a very good movie, but it is fun to watch, therefore I give it a 7 out of 10 star rating.

I think this movie is original and well worked out.

Hard to Kill (1990)

Good Movie

[8/10 · 27 January 2006]

I think Steven Seagal did a good job in this film. Although i don't consider him to be one of the greatest actors of this time, i do think he has some nice humor in this movie.

He lacks the skills of a great actor, but he is very confident in his fighting skills that he uses in his movies and in this film it is clearly to see.

When he is in a store (at the beginning of the film) some thieves come in and rob the shop owner, then Storm (Seagal) takes them down except one, the one is confident he can hurt Storm real good, Seagal takes his gun away, goes on his knees and asks the thief to kill him, when the thief approaches he strikes.

He has some nice touches to it, also in other movies, this movie, is like all Seagal movies, not too long and it contains a lot of action. The story is well done, and i give it a 8 out of 10 star rating.

3000 Miles to Graceland (2001)

A Very Original Movie

[8/10 · 26 January 2006]

This movie is really original and it contains nice humor and the whole movie is well worth watching, the Elvis things are well worked into it and the action is also like it should be, the movie also has a great ending.

You can see that the actors (thoroughly) enjoyed making this movie, Kurt Russel and the others did a good job., i like this film very much and i give it a 8 out of 10 rating, i think it's a great movie that has the right ingredients.

They all stayed cool, and because everything has a original twist to it, the whole movie is very enjoyable.

This movie is really different than most of the other movies.

The Ring (2002)

The beginning and the ending of the film is good ,but the rest very boring...

[5/10 · 26 January 2006]

I think this film is really strange. The first 30 minutes of the film i was laughing because it was so funny, especially those pictures, really hilarious.

I have watched the Chinese version and the first 30 minutes of the film i really thought it was a comedy, the stupid language, the pictures and so on...

The following 30 minutes were very boring and i almost fell asleep. The end however was good and it finally looked like a horror movie, the girl that came out of the well and walked in to the chamber trough the telly, really good.

I must give it a 5 out of 10 star rating, the beginning and the end of the movie is good, the middle rubbish and it is only at the end a bit of a horror movie and the first 30 minutes comedy.

Platoon (1986)

Really Good

[9/10 · 2 August 2005]

This film is made by someone who saw the misery in Vietnam with his own eyes.

With Oliver Stone own experience he showed many people around the world with this film how life as a US soldier was like in these days.

I think this film is a good example about the behaviour of the US in the Vietnam War.

The film showed how some ordinary people can turn into monsters, this is especially the case with Bunny, but also other soldiers are losing themselves. The film gives a small version of the scandal at My Lai.

The scene where Elias gets killed is heartbreaking.

The cast is really well chosen and Charlie Cheen and the rest play all very convincing.

Batman Begins (2005)

Refreshing!

[9/10 · 2 August 2005]

This film is a whole lot different than the other Batman films.

I was never a fan of Batman films, but my friends told me that this film is really good, so i decided to go to the cinema and watch it myself.

I was surprised by the difference between this film and the previous Batman films i watched.

The film has a really good story, The fights are great, the Bat-gadgets are all there, the car (tank) is amazing, the plot is thorough and exciting and there is some nice humor throughout the film that make it that i have enjoyed the film very much.

I am really looking forward to see the new Batman film in the future.

Maverick (1994)

Really Entertainment

[8/10 · 2 August 2005]

I Recently saw this film for the second time and the film is really amusing.

Mel Gibson plays his roll terrific and the film has a great number of unexpected developments.

The film is really enjoyable and i think the nomination for the Oscar is justified.

I think that the majority of people agree with me on this and that this film has become a classic over the years.

The story is surprising and unexpected developments,the action and humor make it that this film has become such a great popularity.

Man on the Moon (1999)

Jim Carrey Oscarwinning Good!

[9/10 · 30 July 2005]

The Reason that i Give this film a 10 Star Rating is that i have seen the original Andy Kaufman and if you compare it to Jim Carrey in 'Man On The Moon' you can see actually no difference.

I Must say that Jim Carrey really fit in this character, he is a exceptional comedian and for this role he was the perfect one.

You can see that it takes him little effort to act as Andy Kaufman, and what's also great to see is that Jim Carrey looks a bit Like Andy, so when you think about all that the film is already great because Jim Carrey plays the roll of Andy Kaufman! The next thing that i think is so good about this film is that the film shows all the important shows of Andy.

The end of the film is also well chosen, because nobody really knows if he faked his death.

Like the other reviewer mentioned it is sad that it must take fifteen years after Andy's death before a film about his live is made.

Jim Carrey play's excellent in this film and maybe they wanted to wait until Carrey was available to play in this film.

Blue Streak (1999)

Very Good Movie

[9/10 · 27 July 2005]

This film deserved a high rating, because this is simply the funniest film around in my view.

The story is original and not like any other films, and the main reason i like this film so much is the great display of Martin Lawrence.

He really plays his character convincing, First he is a criminal and a heist goes badly, but he manages to hide his stolen diamond in a building under construction, with a neat trick to fool a fellow criminal.

He (Miles)is discovered by the police and taken to jail.

A time later he is released and then the real fun starts, he gets strait to the building where he hid the diamond.

When he arrives the building is turned into a police station.

Then he disguises himself as a pizza deliverer and makes his way into the police station and discovers you need a security pass to get into the building.

A good friend of him made fake documents for him so that he can infiltrate the police station to get the diamond back.

He is quickly situated as a detective and because of his criminal experience he solves case after case and he gets promoted.

Eventually he gets the diamond, but it is discovered when he reaches the border of Mexico, and he gets away with it, a happy end...

National Treasure (2004)

Very Good Film

[8/10 · 25 July 2005]

This Film is really breathtakingly good, it is a very creative film with a lot of stunts and surprising plots.

It has a very good story and Nicholas Cage really plays his character very good.

The things that they have to do to resolve the puzzle, and the inventive it looks, i can only admire it.

The film contains all the ingredients that a good film needs.

The Story is based on a example of the conspiracy theories.

The part i liked the most is the part in a museum when a little boy works for them to contain important information under the noses of the enemy.

A very good film, i give it a 8 out of 10 rating.