Obdurate
Celluloid Junkie
Member Since: 26 Jul 2008
Location: Canada
Age: 40
Bio: Most of my "full reviews" will really just be a few random notes of things I want to remember about movies. Anything 51 and up is a recommendation, meaning you aren't wasting your time seeing it. Anything between 51-79 ranges from mediocre to very good. Anything 80+ is what I call a "Great Movie" and it's a must-see and is awesome to various degrees. Anything that's a 50 is something that I'm a fence sitter on (meaning I'm too useless to actually be able to make up my god damn mind) so it could go either way. 49 and under means you should avoid. Under 10 means I was probably raped by the movie or, at the very least, fondled. Despite the effort I've put into explaining my rating system, numbers are a gut feeling so I might actually like a movie I rated 75 more than an 85, I just really can't be bothered to go back and constantly re-do my ratings.
Recent Ratings
Check out Obdurate's...
Diablo (2025) - Rated 12 Sep 2025
"Came out of nowhere for me. Didn't expect much at all. Has a legitimately threatening, skilled villain (even if the "have you given yourself a gift today?" bit is corny), which leads to some really fun action sequences not just between him and Adkins, but him and other people. And there's some heart here too. As noted by others, acting can be a little wonky, but I'm pretty easy to satisfy when it comes to action movies."
Splitsville (2025) - Rated 10 Sep 2025
"One of the funnier movies I've seen this year. Some of the jokes and reoccurring gags got me. There are certain moments where Splitsville accomplishes things that other comedies try but fail at. The main four all have good chemistry. Absolutely chaotic at times both narratively and in how it's shot (the occasional long takes really cement it). And though it ends like a romance movie is expected to, I enjoyed how it got there and wanted it to happen."
Honey Don't! (2025) - Rated 09 Sep 2025
"This is a really good cast, though Plaza feels a little underused. Evans is great as a criminal priest. Day is kind of amusing. But really, the main reason I enjoy this so much is because of Qualley's stoic, sassy lesbian private investigator. She's good the right look and delivery to make this all work. The story itself is a lot of fun in how it's messy and leads you to places that aren't so predicable. Plus, it's trashy in a good way with violence, sex and nudity."
The Threesome (2025) - Rated 07 Sep 2025
"Let it be known that my love for Deutch likely propels me to enjoy this more than I otherwise would have. With that said, I was invested in the story because up until a certain point, it wasn't always clear it was going. And Cruz was incredibly sympathetic, though that might be in part because she has a naturally sympathetic face. Good premise for a rom/sadcom, and it tackles heavy themes. I think it cheaps out a little bit at the end but I guess that's to live up to audience desires."
Highest 2 Lowest (2025) - Rated 05 Sep 2025
"I feel like I'm missing something. I love Denzel, and his performance was great as expected. There are other good performances too. There are some scenes I like. But damn does this ever feel inconsequential. There's a moral dilemma here but it doesn't feel like anything. There are weird Lee directorial indulgences that come across as silly (I've had this problem with him before). But the worst offender is the music because most of the time it undercuts whatever drama there COULD be."
She Rides Shotgun (2025) - Rated 03 Sep 2025
"A movie like this needs the two leads to be strong and have good chemistry, and fortunately Heger and Egerton are up to the task. Heger's more impressive, given her age, but this might be the best I've seen Egerton as well. This is gritty most of the time, but there are a few moments where it gets a little over the top and sort of silly, but it always brings it back. It's really just a solid, emotional flick all around, even if it doesn't do anything new."
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) - Rated 02 Sep 2025
"I don't think I absolutely hate this, despite the fact that I should. I've seen much worse. But it has no atmosphere and no scares. Writing that goes from serviceable (to be fair, it mostly stays in this lane, or at least somewhat serviceable) to downright disastrous. Attempts to tie in previous characters and play on legacy, but it mostly fails. I like seeing legacy characters too, but damn, this was lazy. I had hopes for this one."
The Thursday Murder Club (2025) - Rated 01 Sep 2025
"As others noted, a cozy murder mystery. Hard to hate it, honestly, because it does accomplish that. Easy viewing when you want to watch something decent but not too heady. With that said, what hurts is that this could have been so much more, because the script feels like a waste for essentially 4 movie legends. They really are a perfect group, with great chemistry, and had they been given more to work with, this could have been a great movie."
Oh, Hi! (2025) - Rated 28 Aug 2025
"Very easy to like, probably impossible to love. Gordon's a lot of fun to watch, and her chemistry with Lerman is strong. The beginning bit actually feels like a real relationship, which makes the first twist emotionally hurt a bit. But I agree with the other two reviews here, it does think you're stupid. I mean, an important turn is telegraphed in such a way that it's impossible to miss, and that makes the resolution less impactful. But hey, I enjoyed myself a fair bit, flaws and all."
Sovereign (2025) - Rated 27 Aug 2025
"A movie that offers two distinct commentaries, and does so with tension and intelligence. Shot well. Also has some good musical choices. An ominous, haunting atmosphere creeps up like extremism often does, until we're left with the aftermath. While I have nothing outwardly negative to say about the movie, I don't love it, but I did certainly enjoy it. Completely solid on all fronts. Might age really well with me so I may end up having to revisit this score."
