DAMIEN RILEY, world musician and performer

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  • Man Up (2015) – Now Streaming on NETFLIX!

    This film is NOW STREAMING on Netflix! It’s part of my current series:

    Please read my review to see what I think of the film. Then if you can, RT the post, and leave me a comment before you go. Thanks in advance.

    Title: Man Up
    Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
    MPAA Rating: R
    Year: 2015
    Director: Ben Palmer. Known for: “The In Betweeners.”
    Top Billed Cast: Simon Pegg, known well for “Shaun of the Dead” and many more films, Lake Bell, known for “In a World,” and Olivia Williams, known for “An Education” and “The Sixth Sense.”
    Brief Synopsis: Jack makes plans with an online dating interest to meet in person. Plans are fuddled and a different girl, Nancy, impersonates the online dating woman in the rendezvous. What results is the comedy and drama of the film.
    My Word to the Wise: Simon Pegg has become synonymous with award-worthy British humor. There’s enough of that along with romantic comedy that at times, despite questionable casting chemistry, does actually work. This is a fun date movie to be sure but don’t expect something amazing.

    The rest of this review may contain spoilers.

    Simon Pegg has become a powerful presence in films. I found myself questioning if a character played by Lake Bell would in real life have interest a character played by the lead actor. We come to find that despite her youthful age and vivacity, Lake Bell’s character is in fact a bit dishonest and as a result unlikeable. The question in my mind was whether this goofy big brother-type could be the love interest of the girl.

    There’s a lot of romantic comedy material in this: the all night bar hop, the visiting the parents, etc. For that reason, it had my wife interested. I’d say the ast 1/3 disappointed me. It didn’t wrap up the way it started. Still, no rom com films have perfect plots, we just need them to snuggle and such. This one’s definitely a good snuggle film. Because the writing as a bit unfocused, especially at the end, it lost posts with me as a romantic comedy. As a drama, I’d say it fails substantially more. Dramas have to seem real, rom coms don’t.

  • Sing Street (2016) encore review

    MY teens were in the fat of the 80’s, really check this out: in 1980 I was 10 and 1990 I was of course, well you can add. Sing Street is streaming on Netflix and you should go enjoy that thing for all it’s worth! I completely urge you to. It’s about a boy about my age through the 80’s who wants a chick so he makes a freakin’ band! That was my 80’s as well. Sing street is like this and more ungodly great stuff. Ah, to be 16 again.

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    You can check this film out today on Netflix. It’s a story of a young lad in Ireland who finds himself changed schools and at a violent religious school (That’s a funny modifier right? Actually many people I know and have spoken with through the years would tell you it’s fitting). At any rate, the boy meets a girl a little older than him and decides to get her attention through forming a band.

    I had a similar time of it in High School. Paul Flippowitz, a friend in my English class, came to me saying he knew Brad and Lance were starting a band. Of course I saw this as my chance to throw down on tape all the guitar I had created through the years so I jumpred at the opportunity. I was 16. I don’t have any before photos but here’s our reunion a few years ago.

    The character in Sing Street is a singer and somewhat of a writer. He has a pal he collaborates with that I think any songwriter has while going through those 10-20 years.

    There is struggle, there is triumph, there is 80’s music. Duran Duran music is in it! Along with many other 80’s musicians. I do wonder why they chose to put Joe Jackson music in it. “Stepping Out” is probably the worst hit of the 80’s in my opinion.

    FINAL THOUGHTS
    Positive, amazing people I read and know in private life love this film as much as I do. Even some really negative shitty people have told me this film is amazing. Give it a try! I’ll remind you it’s on Netflix.

    Now, let’s talk. Comments as a form are alive and well with celebrities and boring famous bloggers everywhere. Since I am fairly close to being boring and famous with my words, help me out and increase the comments PLEASE. I am on the verge of paying people to comment here, I am not joking.

    11/10 j/k 10/10

  • Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

    The 80’s has some simple movies that made for some really good memories. This horror film is like that only it’s more like a Pee Wee Herman film than a Back to the Future.

    Killer Klowns from Outer Space

    “Aliens who look like clowns come from outer space and terrorize a small town.” -IMDB

    Cast

    Grant Cramer Mike Tobacco
    Suzanne Snyder Debbie Stone
    John Allen Nelson Dave Hanson
    John Vernon Curtis Mooney

    Directed by

    Stephen Chiodo

    Written by

    Charles Chiodo, Stephen Chiodo

    Other Info

    Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
    PG-13
    Fri 27 May 1988 UTC
    88min
    IMDB Rating: 6.1

    The effects are just silly. Still, they had a particular charm and allure to them. Through a random series of events, we find out that clowns have laded from outer space and they are looking to recolonize their planet by placing people into cotton candy cocoons. You shuld be in a weird mood before you watch this film. It’s not a traditional horror. Rather, it’s more goofy, silly, twisted humor.

    FINAL THOUGHTS
    I have to be careful recommending this film because it’s not a traditional horror. The clowns indeed kill people but they are so goofy in the things they do, they’re not scary in the slightest. I understand this film has made money off of action figures and other movie related products. It didn’t do well at the box office. Sine 1988 when it was made it has gathered a following of cult-like movie people, If you have a goofy sense of humor, check this film out and then leave me your thoughts in a comment. I would love to start a dialog about this film.

    7/10

  • The Midnight Meat Train – Now Streaming on Netflix

    I want to get the word out about this horror/gore/mystery flick streaming on Netflix. This is a “preview” of the film. The short duration is 4min 50sec


  • The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

    Rarely have I seen such art attributed to a violent serial killer. I’m surprised to say the film still drew me in and put me in that indefinable trance one can sometimes feel from horror. This killer has tools and moves he wields like deathly musical instruments as he kills on the midnight train.

    The Midnight Meat Train

    The Midnight Meat Train

    “A photographer’s obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer who stalks late night commuters, ultimately butchering them in the most gruesome ways imaginable.” -IMDB

    Cast

    Vinnie Jones Mahogany
    Bradley Cooper Leon
    Leslie Bibb Maya
    Brooke Shields Susan Hoff

    Directed by

    Ryûhei Kitamura

    Written by

    Jeff Buhler, Clive Barker

    Other Info

    Horror, Mystery
    R
    Thu 07 Aug 2008 UTC
    100min
    IMDB Rating: 6.1

    I like this director, Ryûhei Kitamura if for no other reason than that he was born the same year as me. He has a long history of Japanese horror and mystery films. I have seen none of them. I wonder if any of his past films have as much blood and violent gore as this one does.

    Bradley Cooper is the biggest name in this film. He’ a struggling and idealistic photographer. His wife introduces him to a big name and that’s when the film starts to chug down the tracks. It’s a ride you’ll not soon forget. Another big name in this is Brooke Shields.

    Here’s a no spoiler summary: There is a killer that stalks a certain train every night. He kills people on the train in unthinkable ways. It’s all filmed i a sort of Matrix strobe/slow motion way so you can really take in the eyeballs popping out and the entrails spilling onto the floor. This may be one of the bloodiest ones I’ve seen. It’s good though. Bradley Cooper inadvertently photographs the killer and seeks to destroy him. The results are not what he had expected.

    This was a bloody film and certainly not one to watch with your kids. It is however streaming on Netflix so that makes it easy to get for many people. It’s a good revenge horror. The only problem I had with it was the way they dealt with the conflict in the last quarter, See what you think and leave me a comment. A dialogue is the best part of blogging for me.

    FINAL THOUGHTS
    I thought the music and cinematography made this more of a “killer’s opera” than a slice and dice film. It was amazing to look at when the killing was at bay and even the killing had a certain order to the chaos. It drew me in. I was interested why this man did these horrible things. In my opinion, the answer is only partly given. I would recommend this to fans of the serial killer and gore genre. All else, run for the train exit.

    6/10

  • Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – Podcast Review

    Check out my non -podcast movie review. Only 7mins 30sec long. (I try to keep ’em short). I beg your comments if you have 1-2 minutes please. 2 way communication is my real goal here with all this.

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