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roblesharhold
Reviews
Solid Rock Trust (2022)
Solid as a rock!
Talk about carrying an entire film on your shoulders?! Not many directors/writers will allow a female lead to drive a film and entrust the success of the film on her performance alone. But man, did she deliver! I've never seen this actress before, but the range and the choices she makes really deliver a powerful performance in Solid Rock Trust. It's nearly impossible to make a film based in one location, and never seeing, only hearing, the other actors. But coupled with the fast paced story, an amazing actor, and camera angles that keep you vested, this film really pulls it off. I found myself pulling for the actors off screen, and feeling heartbroken for our lead. I have no idea how she kept it all together, and never missed a beat. It is very suspenseful, and you will find yourself emotionally connecting to people you never even see! At times, the music is cut, in exchange for a stillness and you find yourself on the edge just waiting for the next call. I would have loved to see what this team could do with a bigger budget!! Would they still make the same choices? Or would we have seen the other actors and locations? Great job the the cast and crew.
The Berlin Bride (2019)
Simply brilliant!
He got me. As I was watching the Berlin Bride, I was convinced I had stumbled upon a lost gem from the 70's. I was 100% sold. The brilliance of director Michael Bartlett and his team beams throughout the entire film, not letting one ounce of the directors vision falter.
It took complete dedication to pull off such a feat, and I am simply in awe of what they accomplished. I almost feel they did too good a job. I felt I was stuck somewhere between an old Twilight Zone episode (Marsha...Marsha), and Lars and the Real girl. I'm not one to give spoilers, so just know this is brilliant filmmaking! Watch this film, you will be so impressed with all involved!
Sweet Sunshine (2020)
This is better than most network television films!
Holy cow!! The music for this film is AMAZING!! This film could play tomorrow on any country music channel or Hallmark Channel. It's so good! There is an extreme amount of talent all around this film. The story fades in and out of sadness and triumphs. But whoever was sound designer on this project knocked it out of the park. If you are looking for a feel good, family film...here it is!
American Mafia: The Rise and Fall of Organized Crime in Las Vegas (2021)
Absolutely FASCINATING!!
I am a lover of documentaries, and I watch a lot of them. I must admit, this is not a topic I would normally be interested in. But this is SO WELL DONE! I was immediately drawn in by the amount of footage and photos that were collected. The narrator was great, but my favorite was Michael Green and his delivery of the history and knowledge. I really am impressed with this entire documentary. This should be bought by the history Channel, I think it needs a broader audience. So we'll done!
Demon Fighter (2022)
Watch till the end!
Holy cow, some good stuff going on here! For an Indie film, there is some incredible production value here! The make up department hit a home run!! Great camera work and acting. But you have to hang on to the last second for the ending! Watch!
Myth (2020)
Warning! Cliffhanger!
Ok, so without giving away too much here, I totally got fooled. There are some great twists and turns in this film. I love when you think you are traveling down a road with a film, and suddenly you realize it's a completely different road all together! Very strong acting and direction here to pull this off. I recommend!
PPP Loan Gone (2022)
Smart!
The simple fact that the brilliant mind of a small indie filmmaker had this idea for this movie, and Hollywood with all their money and talent didn't...shows a lot about Hollywood. All they are doing is making the same films over and over. These filmmakers looked around, noticed what was going on, AND HAD ENOUGH SENSE TO WRITE IT DOWN!!! They may not have a studio budget, but they had a GREAT concept, pulled together their talents, and made an incredibly original film. Yes, there are a few nods here and there, but all films do that. Hats off to the team for pulling this off! One last thing...cousin should not have taken the wrap!!!
La Inevitable Muerte del Cangrejo (2022)
Can't believe this is an Indie film
I'm not sure what happened here, if this film did not apply to the right festivals or what. But any HUGE distributor or studio should have grabbed this film and marketed the hell out if it. It's better than 80% of the stuff that is made by studios. This was grit and hard work at its best! See this film, it looks good,acted great and all around an great piece of work! Not gonna give spoilers away, you can watch the trailer and get an idea of the film.
Carving a Life (2017)
Love the pacing of this film!!
It's so hard to tell a love story on film, and to tell it well. For most filmmakers you have to show montages of time passing and change the dialogue to mention how much time has passed to emphasize the length of the rationship. This film starts straight of out the gate and never stops! The pacing is awesome, and as an audience member you are never bored with "establishing relationships". The director does a great job in letting the story unfold for us, and not spoon feeding the audience. Lovely camera work, and good acting. Well done!
The Impact Factor (2022)
Brave film for a first time filmmaker!
There is a lot of great things to talk about in this film. First timer Ken McArthur uses his proven life skills creede to cary over into the theme of this film. All of us realizing that we have an impact in this world, no matter how small, or if we can see it. It's a great effort for a first time filmmaker to make an almost two hour film with such heavy topics as drugs, crooked politicians, and the seedy undertakings on the dark side of law enforcement. There are some beautiful shots of Philadelphia, and one very brave shot using a green screen. I won't spoil it here, but major props for even attempting this on a first time film! There are some good performances as well, but hands down Michael Everett Johnson steals the movie every time he enters the screen. I found myself anticipating his character throughout the film!
The Other Side of Darkness (2022)
Beautifully shot film!
I see some of these reviews on here and they actually make me a little angry. This is an Indie film, and it towers above a lot of Indie films out there. The camera work, the drone shots, and the cinematography is beautiful! The sound engineering is almost flawless and as the film progresses, the film gets better and better and better. Sometimes, when you make a film that looks so professional, people mistake you for a studio film. Sometimes, people just don't get it. 8/10 for me, I can see the quality in the film!
AVA: A Twist in the Road (2021)
Glad someone is not afraid to tell stories about us older folks!
I can't tell you how excited I am to see someone out there willing to write and direct a story about us older folks! Although it's a sad story, it is one that needs to be told. Too many times we find ourselves later in life unprepared for life's twists. Ava found herself, and she picked herself up by her bootstraps and proved to herself she could do this on her own. Bravo!
Kin Dread (2021)
Awesome Indie Thriller!!!!
Wow! All I can say is this is a great film! I simply could not believe I was watching an Indie film as it had all the looks and feel of a studio film! I was shocked by the twists and turns the film takes, and for me...I love a good roller-coaster!! Can't wait to see what this team comes up with again!
The Black Book (2021)
Gets better and better and better...
This is an Indie film, and I watch a lot of them. IT'S far above the quality of most indie films. At first I was taken back to my childhood as it reminded me of Amazing Stories. But that quickly ended when the violent images of the second story came to screen. This is a collection of stories from folk takes to modern day internet Horrors. The individual stories are great, and I would recommend this to other indie thriller fans.
Bluff (2022)
Wow...just wow!
Ok, so I do not want to spoil this but I want to tell you everything at the same time. This is the kind of film you are so excited that you found first, so you can tell all your friends they must watch it! Then, when they do, you all sit around and discuss everything and see if each of you caught everything. It's SO SO SO GOOD!!! The story is heartbreaking, and I simply can't say enough about the acting! These guys are amazing, they all need recognition for their performances. Bravo to the director and crew!
The Outrider (2019)
A wild ride to the end!
This is the perfect film example of passion! The perfect example of hard work and determination. These guys who are all still learning their crafts, actually made a feature length film, that is available for all of us to see. Creating art is NOT EASY. But getting on a keyboard and attacking someone who put their blood sweat and tears into something they love, is. Watch this film, and learn their names, cause they are coming back with bigger and better films! Cause the one thing you can't rate is their determination. Great job on your first release! Now go make more.
Deine Farbe (2019)
Simply amazing!
I simply can not believe this was a first time filmmaker. I am blown away! This film is beautifully told and brilliantly acted. This story ripped my heart out, and I found myself in just a puddle of mush watching it. I have not been that stirred by emotion in a film in a long time. The direction is perfect and I can't wait to see the future unfold for this young director. Get to know her name, cause the future is bright for her.
Normandy Is My Name (2015)
Fun times!
So, I watched this film with my son and it was a very unique experience. While he thought it was hilarious, I could see the influences of so many other films! There were times I saw flashes of every movie from my childhood: Better Off Dead, 16 Candles, Ferris Buehler's Day Off,Breakfast Club, Pretty In Pink, and lots of Weird Science! Now I want to show my son some of the classics from my childhood and see if he can make the same connections. My son now wants to invite all his friends over to watch this together. Cue the Long Duck Dong "gong"!
Weekend Healer (2020)
Seriously, so good!
So...I am sitting here blown away by what I just watched. That was one of the MOST NATURALLY written dialogue films I have ever watched. It was as if we had copied word for word conversations we eavesdroped on. Writing dialogue is tough, and these guys did it brilliantly. But not to be overshadowed by the AMAZING performances of the actors. Sometimes, you don't need a 10 million dollar budget, super heros and big names to tell a great story. Glad I stumbled upon this one! It's a great watch.
Dirty Beautiful (2015)
Loved it!
How in the world did this film not win Sundance or some other big festival? This is brilliant writing and the acting is crazy good! I can't believe this film is from 2015 and I am just now finding it. But I am thrilled I did. It's amazing on so many levels, I can't wait to see what else the director has. I laughed out loud in the first half hour, some great moments here. Then I found myself vested in their relationship of the two characters and was a little angry at the two of them. That's exactly what I want in a film, something that makes me feel emotions for the characters. Well done! Now I need to see what other films the director/writer has.
Sideworld: Haunted Forests of England (2022)
SOOOOO GOOD!
******SPOLIER ALERT******* Do not keep reading if you do not want anything spoiled! Wow...this is such a good documentry! From the hounds of hell to something in the water that is drowning people, it mixes folklore with modern day murders and mysteries. There is nothing better than when a storyteller gives you the history AND the modern day tellings of events allowing you to link them in your own mind. I found myself feeling like I was sitting around a campfire getting these great stories, and now I am afraid to go back inside my tent. It's one of those films you want all your friends to see so you can all talk about it later. And furthermore, I will never step foot into Epping Forrest! Well done!
Horror in the High Desert (2021)
I love a good story!
As an avid watcher of 48 hours, dateline and unsolved mysteries, I can promise you will enjoy the ride on this train. I watched the trailer and immediately went to watch the film, I had to see what happened to this guy. I'm not gonna give anything away, but this is just great storytelling! I love it when a writer takes you down one road, and suddenly you realize, you're on a different road. Watch it and enjoy it, you will be glad you did!
The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater (2020)
Finally, someone gets back to real storytelling!
Sometimes you don't need to be a superhero with a cape and a billion dollar budget to have a great film. Sometimes, you can have a great story, great performances and you are taken for 120 minutes to another place and time for an amazing adventure. This film strips down the ridiculousness of Hollywood flashes and bangs and sfx, and shows how a group of talented people can pull together and make one hell of a film. The only distraction is the beauty of our leading lady, played Lorrisa Julianus. Seriously, she is not staying on the Indie scene very long. I see major motion pictures calling her up, if they have not already. I won't give away any spoilers, but there is mystery, illegal activity, crooked politicians, HUMOR, underground fighting and topped off with a touching love story. It's hard for a film to cary this much content, but they pull it off well! I hope they can make more films, cause some of us just enjoy a good story without gimmicks and tricks to fill those sears in the theater. Great performances, great story, great film! I'd watch again.
The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater (2020)
Finally, someone gets back to real storytelling!
Sometimes you don't need to be a superhero with a cape and a billion dollar budget to have a great film. Sometimes, you can have a great story, great performances and you are taken for 120 minutes to another place and time for an amazing adventure. This film strips down the ridiculousness of Hollywood flashes and bangs and sfx, and shows how a group of talented people can pull together and make one hell of a film. The only distraction is the beauty of our leading lady, played Lorrisa Julianus. Seriously, she is not staying on the Indie scene very long. I see major motion pictures calling her up, if they have not already. I won't give away any spoilers, but there is mystery, illegal activity, crooked politicians, HUMOR, underground fighting and topped off with a touching love story. It's hard for a film to cary this much content, but they pull it off well! I hope they can make more films, cause some of us just enjoy a good story without gimmicks and tricks to fill those sears in the theater. Great performances, great story, great film! I'd watch again.
They Reach (2020)
THIS IS THE THROWBACK YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!!!!
Take a walk down memory lane with this one! Finally, a horror film that genuinly takes us back to our childhoods in a way that just makes you smile from ear to ear! It's about a young girl that accidently releases an entity into her already tragic life and it sets it's eyes on her family and friends. She has to use her brain, and her best friends to defeat the evils that lurk and dare I say...REACH out to get them! For an Indie film, this movie has PUNCH! Great story, great nostalgia and a POWERFUL young cast! These kids really carry the film. It has the perfect balance of jump scares, blood and HUMOR! It gives a salute to classic films with a preist, the symbols, possessions, talismans, creatures and of course...a portal to another dark place! Grab some popcorn, this is a fun one!