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- CreatorMax LandisStarsSamuel BarnettElijah WoodHannah MarksHolistic detective Dirk Gently investigates cases involving the supernatural.Everything's connected
I did not expect much from this show, considering the fact that it is a BBC America production, not BBC UK, and because of tons of negative reviews on the web.
When I start a show, I usually watch one or sometimes two episodes a day. The first season of this one I watched in one breath. I didn't even pause it for the bathroom or making coffee. Eight episodes of 40 minutes each felt like one bit longer movie.
The second season, of ten episodes, is done differently and is not as original and hypnotically addictive as the first, but its witty fairytale style quickly won me over.
Ignore fans of Douglas Adams who bash this show for not being faithful to original novels. It is not faithful, that's a fact, but it does not make it a bad show. On the contrary. Adams is tricky for screen adaptation. I don't think anyone has succeeded yet. He's too impossible and abstract. "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" is just roughly Adams, but it's great in every way.
Any attempt of concise retelling is pointless, because this show is one big puzzle, a labyrinth that perplexes more and more and twists happen every few minutes. "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is much more specific and linear, but I dare you to explain what it is about briefly and that it makes any sense.
If you liked "Misfits," "Happy," "Preacher," "Good Omens," or the new "Doctor Who", and if you like Douglas Adams, but you're not an obsessed fanatic, this is a perfect show for you. But if you expect a verbatim adaptation of the books or if you like linear stories, better skip it.
9/10 - StarsAlfred HitchcockHarry TylerLillian O'MalleySeries of unrelated short stories covering elements of crime, horror, drama, and comedy about people of different backgrounds committing murders, suicides, thefts, and other sorts of crime caused by certain motivations, perceived or not.Quick entertainment
The series consists of 268 twenty-five-minute episodes, divided into seven seasons, that were aired from 1955 to 1962. Each episode is a separate short film and not in any way related, except for the genre. Some of the episodes were directed by Hitchcock himself, others signed by many other writers and directors, but they are all mysterious crime dramas in the style of Hitchcock. Their level varies greatly, from boring and naively predictable, to really quality thrillers, whereby the good ones must really be acknowledged, because it is very difficult to develop a quality story in this genre in just 25 minutes. In my opinion, this is not a series for binge-watching, but I advise you to download around ten episodes at the time and use them on occasions when you really want to watch something but you are short with time. I dragged on the first two seasons for about two years.
7/10 - CreatorRod SerlingStarsRod SerlingRobert McCordJay OverholtsOrdinary people find themselves in extraordinarily astounding situations, which they each try to solve in a remarkable manner.Still fresh
The cult TV show of Rod Serling is considered one of the best series of all time and, although it was broadcast in the early sixties, it has not lost anything in effect. The black-and-white technique, the famous eerie melody, and Serling's narration build the perfect atmosphere for many SF/horror mysteries that will not only chill your bones, but also make you reflect on the diversity of the psychological profiles of their characters.
"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone."
8/10 - CreatorDavid LevyStarsJohn AstinCarolyn JonesJackie CooganThe misadventures of a blissfully macabre but extremely loving family.Snap your fingers and enjoy the show
Two seasons of this black and white sitcom, totaling 64 episodes, are one of my favorite childhood memories. Perfect casting, perfect morbid-comic atmosphere, brilliant dialogues and replicas, and seductive Carolyn Jones. An unforgettable experience, partly because it's so good, and partly because I can't forget something that I rewatch every couple of years.
9/10 - CreatorDonald WilsonSydney NewmanStarsWilliam HartnellPatrick TroughtonJon PertweeThe adventures in time and space of the Doctor, a Time Lord who changes appearance and personality by regenerating when near death, and is joined by companions in battles against aliens and other megalomaniacs.Absolute must watch!
"Doctor Who" is awesome BBC show, on the air since 1963. There are 36 seasons so far, "divided" into two groups. The old "Doctor Who" had 26 seasons from 1963 till 1989, with almost seven hundred episodes, and the new one started in 2005, and we are currently waiting for the 11th season. This renewed series is one of the best shows ever, easily deserving 10/10. While waiting for the 11th season I decided to watch the original series. At the moment, I'm in the middle of the second season, and although it is pretty much outdated in every way, it is still very good show and, if you like the new Doctor Who, I recommend you to give a chance to old one too. You won't be disappointed.
7/10 - CreatorJim HensonJack BurnsStarsJim HensonFrank OzRichard HuntKermit the Frog and his fellow Muppets put on a vaudeville show at their theatre, bringing in a famous celebrity to help out for each episode.Not my cup of tea...
As a child I liked Muppets, but now it's quite tedious and tiring to me. Musical and dance numbers are inexpressibly boring, guests are uninteresting (exceptions can be listed on the fingers), here and there I smile at some joke, and that's it. Considering the ratings on the sites, the cult status and reviews among which it is hard to find any with a score below ten, I conclude that the problem is in me and not in the Muppets, but with all goodwill and many re-attempts to like them, this show simply does not work for me.
6/10 - CreatorJohn SullivanStarsDavid JasonNicholas LyndhurstRoger Lloyd PackComedy that follows two brothers from London's rough Peckham estate as they wheel and deal through a number of dodgy deals and search for the big score that'll make them millionaires.It never grows old
I suppose we all saw this show many times as it runs and reruns on various TV stations for decades, at least where I come from. Still, I never had a chance to follow it from the beginning to the end in order. So I decided that it's time to finally do it. I wouldn't say it's one of the best shows of all time, but it definitely deserves its cult status and never grows old. I swallowed the first season in one breath. British humor in one of its best appearances. Nice way for me to celebrate my 600th movie/series since I'm a member of IMDb.
8/10 - CreatorDavid CroftJeremy LloydStarsGorden KayeCarmen SilveraVicki MichelleIn France during World War II, René Artois runs a small café where Resistance fighters, Gestapo men, German Army officers and escaped Allied POWs interact daily, ignorant of one another's true identity or presence, exasperating René."Listen carefully, I shall say this only once"
During WWII, Rene Artois and his wife Edith run a café where members of the Gestapo and French Resistance pass by each other daily, which, combined with Rene's adultery, provides an inexhaustible source of entertainment. Excellent script, character diversity, brilliant comedians, extremely witty dialogues and catchy replicas that will be remembered forever, make "Allo Allo!" one of the best sitcoms of all time. Many of us have watched a bunch of random episodes when it was run on TV, but watching this show in its entirety in a period as short as possible is a phenomenal experience that I gladly return to every few years.
9/10 - DirectorJoe DanteJohn LandisGeorge MillerStarsDan AykroydAlbert BrooksVic MorrowFour horror and science fiction segments, directed by four famous directors, each of them being a new version of a classic story from Rod Serling's landmark television series."Hey, you wanna see something really scary?"
Not as good as the original series, but it's definitely worth watching. Especially the last story starring fantastic John Lithgow. He should get an Oscar for every role.
7/10 [10/10 for the last story] - CreatorMark FrostDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanMichael OntkeanMädchen AmickAn idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.Twin Peaks Diary
3 February 2017
Back when this show was on the air, I was 11 years old, my family was watching it on a regular basis and I was taking a gander from the sidelines and I remember I did not like it. I cannot recall exactly why... Maybe it was boring, or scary or from some third reason... All in all, I was kind of watching it and I know what is it about, but I do not remember details anymore. Considering its cult status and "resurrection" announced for later this year, I decided to watch both seasons and both movies before the third season is released.
I just saw the pilot episode and I don't understand why anyone would be caught by it. It may be that show in its entirety is great, but the pilot does not promise quality entertainment at all. I have complete series, so I will continue watching it for the time being, but if I was watching the pilot on TV and if I had to continue with the second episode a week later, I would probably completely forget about it in meantime and I would not follow the show. I cannot say it is boring or badly done because it is not, but it does not stand out in any way either and it does not encourage curiosity. Average thriller, I would say. I hope it gets better because I do not want to waste 33 hours if they are the same level as the pilot.
6,5/10 (for pilot only)
I'm near the end of the first season and so far the only thing I like about this show is fabulously excellent music by Angelo Badalamenti. Possibly the best soundtrack I have ever heard.
10/10
I finished the first season and I'm still not hooked. Acting is very good, music is perfect, but the story is too much soap-opera like. It is like someone who was used to make soap-operas suddenly decided to make a thriller. And of course, Lynch distinctive visual atmosphere that causes me a stomachache. Fortunately, Lynch made this show way before he completely flipped, so it is just slightly irritating, unlike his more recent works that are mostly unwatchable.
7/10
As the second season progress, more and more I get a feeling that this show was intended to be some kind of subtle parody, but I have no idea what of, because I'm not familiar with television trends of the '80s. I was too young then, and now I mostly watch theatrical movies from that era, so television from the '80s is almost completely unknown to me. However, the longer I follow this show the more I like it, although I think music has a crucial role in it.
7,5/10
While the first season was mediocre thriller/mystery, the second season jumps off to complete madness. I did not watch everything made by Lynch, and I have no intention to do so, but this could easily be his lifework. Basically, this is soap opera, but extremely intelligent, with many layers and an unbelievable amount of different genres perfectly combined. To me, absurd/surreal fiction prevails. There is, of course, crime fiction with a murder mystery and detective story, which irresistibly reminds me of film noir. Then, there's drama, mystery, horror, romance, black comedy, romantic comedy, and parody. And there's a chance I even missed something. In one moment I have a feeling that I am watching a sitcom and the very next moment I'm sitting at the edge of the chair wanting to turn on all the lights in the apartment. I wonder what it would feel like to watch this on drugs :D
8,5/10
I was at the very edge of changing my rating to 10/10 when I saw the last episode and it was the biggest disappointment in my life, regarding movies and TV series, of course. TP started as a mediocre thriller, grew into one of the best shows ever made and instead of reaching its peak in the final episode with some grand finale it went to complete disaster. The last episode is just typical Lynch crap. With it, he destroyed probably the best work he's ever done.
0/10 for the show finale - DirectorDavid LynchStarsSheryl LeeRay WiseMädchen AmickLaura Palmer's harrowing final days are chronicled one year after the murder of Teresa Banks, a resident of Twin Peaks' neighboring town.The perfect final episode for TP series
11 February 2017
This stands as an independent movie that can be watched even without any knowledge of TV show, but in that case, you probably won't like it. It is meant for fans of series and it rounds it perfectly. Chronologically, the movie is a prequel to the show, but in my opinion, it is the perfect final episode. It is significantly darker and heavier than series and it lacks that distinctive charm and atmosphere we got to love during original series, but it does not make it any less awesome. My only objection is the new actress in Dona role, cause she's not anywhere close to looks, charm and energy Lara Flynn Boyle had. Besides that, I'm sorry that movie does not show a bunch of characters from series that, I'm sure, we all wanted to see one last time. Many of them were included in the shooting of this movie but their scenes were cut in the final version. This is a very good movie, but I would not recommend watching it without a thorough knowledge of the previous TV show.
8/10 - DirectorDavid LynchStarsChris IsaakKiefer SutherlandC.H. EvansTwin Peaks before Twin Peaks (1990) and at the same time not always and entirely in the same place as Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). A feature film which presents deleted scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) assembled together for the first time in an untold portion of the story's prequel.Scenes that should not have been deleted !!!
11 February 2017
This is not a movie, but a collection of scenes deleted from "Fire walk With Me". Standing alone, this movie is nonsense and extremely boring. I know that because I accidentally watched it before "Fire walk With Me". But once seen right after TV series and "Fire walk With Me", this addition gets a completely new shape and while watching it I enjoyed more than I enjoyed the movie itself. Those deleted scenes are more like the original TV show than the movie and I think that cutting them out was a terrible mistake. I suppose they did it to cut the movie to a reasonable length, because all together lasts almost four hours, but with these scenes included all objections to the movie disappear. With these scenes in it, the movie would have the same charm and atmosphere we loved in the TV show and most of the characters movie is missing appear here. Besides that, in several spots during the movie, we have sudden switches where it is obvious that something is missing. Well, these deleted scenes are missing. They deleted scenes without ironing the edges in places they were cut out. I saw somewhere that fans asked Lynch to make an extended version of the movie in which he would join "Fire walk With Me" and "Missing Pieces" into one harmonious piece of art, but he refused to do it. So some extreme fan did it on his own. You can find the extended fan version of the movie that lasts 3,5 hours. They did not include every single deleted scene in it, because the goal was to make harmonious result, not to put everything back at any cost. I have to find and see it one of these days, but it was too much for me to do it right after watching the whole series and movie in just a few days period. Maybe in a few years, when the time comes to refresh my memory. If anyone already saw it, I would like to hear your impressions. All in all, this is must watch for every "Twin Peaks" fan, because it fills many holes in the story and opens some new points of view.
8/10 - StarsCallan MulveyLara CoxEmma RocheA crash course in the turbulence of being a teen is always on the schedule for the students at Hartley High School in this 1990s series set in Sydney.By far the favorite series from my childhood. "Beverly Hills" and others from the genre can not come close. It has been aired for 7 seasons, has 210 episodes and was a springboard for a bunch of Australian stars. Maybe it's not a masterpiece of cinema, but it is best in the genre without any competition. Mostly because it's realistic. I mean, how many people in the world can relate to rich snobs from Beverly Hills... The events in this series are something most similar to growing up in Serbia that we had the opportunity to watch on television. And we all know someone who is the image of every character in the series. It's amazingly addictive and 210 episodes of 45 minutes flies by in a jiffy.
9/10 - CreatorDavid CraneMarta KauffmanStarsJennifer AnistonCourteney CoxLisa KudrowFollows the personal and professional lives of six twenty to thirty year-old friends living in the Manhattan borough of New York City.There is no such thing as too much Friends :D
- CreatorJohn LoganStarsJosh HartnettTimothy DaltonEva GreenExplorer Sir Malcolm Murray, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler, scientist Victor Frankenstein and medium Vanessa Ives unite to combat supernatural threats in Victorian London."Strikes the perfect balance between Gothic
art-house horror and gory B-movie action.
Well, I'm trying to write a completely spoiler-free review here, but I guess it's safe to announce that 'Penny Dreadful' looks positively gorgeous. Great production design and cinematography: by the time we get to see Victorian London as night descends upon the city and the fog starts creeping through those narrow cobblestone alleys, nearly every frame looks like a beautiful, Gothic painting (and not once did I spot a fake looking CG-background). As far as the actors are concerned, they portray their obscure, troubled characters with a certain kind of "theatre" intensity that fits the story and the turn-of-the-century setting very well.
Story-wise I don't want to give away anything – but of course, there are unholy things lurking in the shadows that need to be fought (and they look rather convincing: the make-up effects are another strong point of this show). Like the iconic "Hammer Horror" films of old (usually starring either Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing – or both), 'Penny Dreadful' draws its setting, characters and general inspiration mainly from some famously dark tales written by Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde (and to a lesser extent from sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories). And just like the Hammer films - who may seem rather tame now but were shockingly violent for their time - this show is neither for purists of said literary works nor for the faint of heart.
While some scenes are genuinely scary in a tension building, "old school" kind of way, we also get blood soaked action sequences that will probably put off some viewers, but seem entirely appropriate given the show's title (in the 19th century a "penny dreadful" used to be a booklet of cheap, sensational fiction printed on pulp paper which could be purchased for - wait for it: a penny).
My overall verdict: 'Penny Dreadful' dishes out a hefty mix of gory violence, classic horror creatures, sex and action, but it never forgets to build atmosphere. The B-movie elements are undeniably there, but they're deliberate (the title says it all), and this is by no means a cheap affair. Beautifully crafted and with a great cast, I strongly recommend this show to anyone who likes the old "Hammer Horror" movies as well as films in the vein of Tim Burton's 'Sweeney Todd' and 'Sleepy Hollow'.
But not just for the fans of "Goth Horror" is this well worth checking out; I would say that after 'True Detective' and perhaps 'Fargo' this is one of the most promising new TV-shows of 2014."- gogoschka-1
8,5/10 - DirectorDick LowryStarsMiguel FerrerWilliam O'LearyJensen DaggettCaptured by the Alien Task Force, ALF was rescued by two officers who found out that the project shall be canceled - and also ALF.Instead of the fifth season
Six years after the series "ALF" was canceled after the fourth season, leaving us with a cliffhanger, the authors decided to pack the story set for the fifth season into a TV movie. On the one hand, I am pleased that the story is rounded up, on the other, they did not particularly bother to do it right. The complete original cast disappeared without a trace, and Alf, although standardly good, can not outweigh all the other aspects of the movie that are quite lame. While nostalgia is struggling with disappointment, I will rate it
6/10 - CreatorJoss WhedonStarsSarah Michelle GellarNicholas BrendonAlyson HanniganA young woman, destined to slay vampires, demons and other infernal creatures, deals with her life fighting evil, with the help of her friends."You're a vampire. Oh, I'm sorry. Is that an offensive term? Should I say 'Undead-American'?"
Inspired by the horror cliché, where an empty-headed blonde pulls a dumb move or sprains her ankle during an escape and is captured/killed by a villain/monster, Joss Whedon decides to turn the tables and, in the 1992 film "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the superficial cheerleader becomes the Chosen One, a lone fighter against vampires and demons, whose destiny is to save the world. Five years later, the story continues in the series of the same name, which ran for seven seasons and gained cult status, with Entertainment Weekly ranking it as the tenth-best series of all time.
"In every generation, there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."
The series combines a high school soap opera with elements of drama, comedy, and horror, and is more of an homage than a parody to the B-movie horrors of the eighties. Although it is technically horribly outdated, and the make-up and costumes are tragicomic, on the one hand, this is exactly what gives it an irresistible charm today, which easily wins over us nostalgics, and on the other, the characterization and development of the characters and their relationships, as well as the variety of topics it covers, greatly compensate for all technical shortcomings.
My opinion is that people who call this series trash either haven't gotten past the first few episodes and don't see the big picture, or they just don't like the genre. In both cases, they are not competent to judge. And then again, I think that others, who rank it at the very top of television achievements, exaggerate on the other side and that there are no real grounds for such a high rating.
I really like the style of the B-horrors, and I also like teen films. I'm very nostalgic when it comes to the eighties, I like the wide range of life topics that the series covers and the way it combines philosophical issues with pop culture, drama and horror with comedy and cheap action, sleazy tongue-in-cheek shame transfers with honest emotion. I like witty remarks and sarcasm about modern society (example in the title quote), as well as more or less obvious references to many personalities and achievements from the genres it covers.
The series was filmed in the same school as the cult "Beverly Hills, 90210". The Sunnydale Police logo is the same as in the "Police Academy" franchise. The ancient vampire, who is one of the main villains, is long-haired and bearded in the script, but in the series this was discarded and his appearance is now an homage to Nosferatu from 1922. Also, Spike's real name, William Pratt, is the real name of the legendary Boris Karloff.
My only major complaint with the series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is the choice of the leading actress. Although she is somewhat charismatic and certainly eye-candy, and although I certainly grew attached to the character of Buffy through 144 episodes, the fact is that Sarah Michelle Gellar is not a good actress. Her whole acting performance comes down to a few facial expressions that she spins in circles and a lot of the time she looks like she makes faces and is quite annoying.
But there are a lot of other actors whose performances are much more impressive (Juliet Landau, Eliza Dushku) and whose characters, over the course of seven seasons, have become like a second family to me (Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head, James Marsters, Emma Ford, Charisma Carpenter) and I will miss them. At least until I return to this series for the third time, if there is time and opportunity.
8/10 - CreatorMark BrazillBonnie TurnerTerry TurnerStarsTopher GraceLaura PreponMila KunisA comedy revolving around a group of teenage friends, their mishaps, and their coming of age, set in 1970s Wisconsin.13 months ago I finished first season and then I switched to something else and forgot about it. Tonight I was searching for something to watch that does not last too long, and I remembered that episodes here last about 20 minutes. So, I decided to watch one episode before bed... and now it's 5 AM. I have no idea why I rated it 8 last year, this show is straight 10.
10/10 - CreatorDavid E. KelleyStarsJames SpaderWilliam ShatnerCandice BergenBoston Legal is a spin-off of the long-running David E. Kelley series The Practice (1997), following the exploits of former Practice character Alan Shore (James Spader) at the legal firm of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt.Denny Crane, my favorite mad cow <3
"Boston Legal" is a spin-off ("The Practice"), which has surpassed the parent series. It is definitely the best series of its kind and one of the best series of all time, for me, perhaps even the best. This is one of the strongest tens I've ever given, because it is perfect in every way. The superb cast, led by James Spader and William Shatner, convincingly presents a huge range of different characters and their mutual relationships. The series brings complex characters in insane court processes, with incredible twists. Moving drama and hilarious humor are perfectly balanced at all times. Through crazy and caricatured, but realistic and believable situations, this show opens up a number of serious political and life issues, and at the same time causes laughter and deep self-reflection. Every character will be your favorite and every episode will seem the best one. There's simply no weak point.
11/10 - CreatorSydney NewmanStarsJodie WhittakerPeter CapaldiPearl MackieThe further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and his companions from planet Earth.One of my favorite shows is on the air since 1963, more than half of a century. I followed it till December 2015 when they decided to skip 2016. I turned to some other shows and forgot about it. Season 2017 is over and in a month season 2018 begins. So last night I got back to it and reminded myself why I love it so much. In meantime I started original series and saw first two out of 26 seasons. It is good, but it's not quite it. Since 2005 Doctor Who becomes one of the best series ever. I will see all of it sooner or later, but only when I'm done with new seasons. To TV series fanatics with lots of spare time I warmly recommend all 37 seasons, but this last 11 seasons are must watch for every TV series fan.
10/10 - CreatorSam CatlinEvan GoldbergSeth RogenStarsDominic CooperJoe GilgunRuth NeggaAfter a supernatural event at his church, a preacher enlists the help of a vampire and his ex to find God.Secret Jesus
Criminal, son of a preacher, after many years, returns to his hometown in Texas to take over his father's church. But although he is trying to be good, past, long-standing habits and character can not be erased overnight. Things are further complicated when the story involves a child of the forbidden love, the Irish vampire, a pair of angels, a completely crazy local tycoon, and an ex-girlfriend.
"If by 'baby' you mean the most powerful entity ever known, the singular force that could shift the balance of power, threaten all of creation, then yeah, it's a 'baby'."
A great story, a dark atmosphere pervaded with (black) humor and a bunch of completely insane characters and situations. The chaotic angel fight, which opens the sixth episode of the first season, is one of the craziest things that I was fortunate to see on television. The atmosphere and framing will especially appeal to comics fans. If for no other reason, watch this because of Joseph Gilgun as a vampire of a very specific kind, which you did not have the opportunity to see before. Brilliant.
"Afraid of the cross?
It's a 2.000-year-old symbol of hypocrisy, slavery, and oppression. But it won't burn me face off."
The following seasons introduce a bunch of new characters of which, although some are perfect, many fail to maintain level with characters from the first season, in terms of both the idea and the cast and their performances. The story further complicates, maybe too much, and the third and fourth seasons are totally over-the-top. I love over-the-top comedies and so-bad-it-is-good movies, but this series didn't start in that manner.
The second season has completely cut off any ties to the first one, and the series becomes something else entirely, and the third season went so far that one wrong step could make everything go to hell. They brought it in the situation to balance on a thin line between ingenious and ridiculous and I was afraid that the fourth season could easily bury the show. But they managed to maintain the level to the end and this is easily one of the best things in the genre so far.
9/10 - CreatorEric KripkeStarsJared PadaleckiJensen AcklesJim BeaverTwo brothers follow their father's footsteps as hunters, fighting evil supernatural beings of many kinds, including monsters, demons, and gods that roam the earth.The very best in genre.
- CreatorGregory Thomas GarciaStarsJason LeeEthan SupleeJaime PresslyA ne'er do well wins $100,000 in the lottery and decides to right all the wrongs from his past with his newfound realization!A petty thief and a cheat wins big money on lottery and minute after he is hit by a car. He realizes that karma does not allow him to enjoy good things in life because he is a bad person. So he decides to make a list of all bad things he's ever done and use lottery money to make up for each and every one to atone with the karma.
One of funniest shows in 21th century. - DirectorJoss WhedonStarsNathan FillionGina TorresChiwetel EjioforThe crew of the ship Serenity try to evade an assassin sent to recapture telepath River.The final episode of "Firefly"
Watching this right after watching Firefly in two days, I cannot objectively say if this movie can stand for itself and have any sense to people who are not familiar with Firefly. Basically, this is just one more episode of the show, great finale meant to be the conclusion for the good show that ended way too soon. It gives us answers to some questions about things that Firefly had no chance to bring to their conclusions and it would be a good ending for the show even if it was not canceled and had many seasons instead. The movie is not great, but it was necessary for sure. Firefly was not so much about space action and adrenaline as it was about characters that were real and convincing and that we could relate to, characters we fell in love with even after just dozen of episodes this show lasted. This movie brings back those characters and gives us a conclusion after the show simply stopped out of nowhere and left us missing them badly. Now it's easier to move on. I do not consider this show or ending movie to be great, but it gets under your skin and you simply have to love it. So it is hard to rate it...
7,5/10 - CreatorTina FeyStarsTina FeyAlec BaldwinTracy MorganLiz Lemon, head writer of the sketch-comedy show "TGS with Tracy Jordan", must deal with an arrogant new boss and a crazy new star while trying to run a successful television show without losing her mind.Tracy Morgan spoils it
This show was nominated for over 300 awards, won nearly 100, including 6 Golden Globes. I find it quite entertaining, but honestly, that's too much. It's a down-to-earth sitcom with well developed believable characters, portrayed by some pretty good actors. It is intelligent and witty, but not funny enough to be so praised. And Tracy Morgan is unbelievably irritating and also completely unnecessary for the story. The show would work the same, if not even better, without him. He's really spoiling it for me.
6/10 - CreatorTom KapinosStarsDavid DuchovnyNatascha McElhoneEvan HandlerA writer tries to juggle his career, his relationship with his daughter and his ex-girlfriend, as well as his appetite for beautiful women."Despite the fact that I'm a swirling black hole, I'm pretty faking awesome sometimes"
After a series "The X Files" David Duchovny had planned to withdraw from the television, and I thought that I would in any future role still see him as Fox Mulder. I was wrong. With the role of Hank Moody, he immediately wiped all memory of Mulder.
Hank Moody is a writer in blockade, who lives of old fame and money earned from the movie based on his bestseller, while driving his Porsche from pub to party, from alcohol to drugs, from making love with a prostitute to wild sex with every woman willing to spread her legs, persistently and hopelessly trying to escape from depression and suffering for the family he destroyed. Explicit scenes of bohemian "sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll" life, immersed in impossible situations full of shame-transfers, genius replicas, inexhaustible (mostly black) humor, which vulgarly and brutally hold you on the edge between embarrassment and dying from laughter, are shifting to deeply emotional scenes of his desperate attempts to reconcile with his ex-wife and raise his teenage daughter.
Although the fantastic script and Duchovny's perfect performance are what rises this show to the top of the best series I've ever watched, we must not forget the excellent casting of supporting characters, whose diversity complements this crazy story and makes it an unforgettable experience. Particularly distinguished among them is Evan Handler, as Hank's best friend, whose performance stands side by side with Duchovny's.
I could say that it's genre is a drama-comedy, but for me, this series is falling into a special category of "complete awesomeness". There are very few series I followed from start to finish, but this one I saw several times in its entirety and each time I was impressed as the first time. I have no complaints, except that it did not last forever. One of the strongest tens I ever gave.
10/10 - CreatorChuck LorreBill PradyStarsJohnny GaleckiJim ParsonsKaley CuocoA woman who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but socially awkward physicists shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory.The best sitcom ever. Yes, that means better than Friends :P
I swallowed 9th season in a few days and, although quality is decreasing since first few seasons, this is still the very best sitcom I have ever seen. I rarely watch more than one episode of any show at the time, maybe two in a row in rare occasions, but when I start this show I simply can not stop until season is over, sometimes even two seasons at once.
10/10 - CreatorClaudia LonowStarsJenna ElfmanJon FosterAshley Jensen37-year-old Billie breaks up with her boss at the newspaper and gets pregnant by 22-year-old Zack, who moves into her apartment. They both have their pals."She's with child and pregnant too"
A cute romantic sitcom, whose main asset was sweet and sexy Jenna Elfman. It was canceled after the first season and, although I liked it, I can't say it was unexpected.
7/10 - CreatorHoward OvermanStarsNathan Stewart-JarrettJoe GilgunIwan RheonA group of young offenders doing community service gets struck by lightning during a storm and start to develop superpowers."Can we please stop killing our probation workers?"
Warning: Minor spoilers
Movies and TV series in which people have supernatural powers are usually super-heroic. People with powers either dedicate their lives to fighting evil or they become super-villains themselves. Those characters are mostly two-dimensional and stories are usually a black and white fight between good and evil. OK, there are shades of gray like in Batman for example, but it's still fairy-tale like and unrealistic. Until the British decided to try out on territory where Marvel and DC have almost monopoly. Then we get "Misfits", a show with production that cannot compare to Hollywood, but with the story that will win you over in no time.
Group of young delinquents, convicted to community service, get hit by a weird storm that gives them supernatural powers. But they become neither superheroes nor super-villains. They remain mostly who they were, realistic convincing characters from everyday life, who sometimes use and sometimes abuse their new powers to overcome obstacles everyday life throws at them. They do not think big, they just live their own lives. Besides powers we are used to seeing on screen, like flying, telekinesis or mind-reading, this show offers a bunch of new original and often extremely weird powers, like the ability to control milk or hypnotizing tits. This is a teenage action drama, full of English dark humor, at the same time original story and parody on the superhero genre.
"Misfits" has 5 seasons, a total of 38 episodes. The first season is probably the best one, because of its original simplicity. Later in the show actors and characters are changing pretty fast and the plot is more and more complicated, sometimes maybe too much, but it is definitely worth watching till the end. You will probably get to the edge of giving up after the first episode in the third season but don't. Get through the first few episodes of the third season and the show will get under your skin once again.
Acting and music are good, special effects are often ridiculous, partially because of the low budget, but I believe it was in good part on purpose, and although this is not objectively high-quality show, because of unexpected originality and unbelievable fun, I am struggling not to give it straight ten.
9/10 - CreatorEric FalconerChris RomanoStarsDarin BrooksAlan RitchsonChris RomanoThree incoming freshmen attending Midwestern college football powerhouse Blue Mountain State must quickly adapt to college life and juggle football, girls, classes and nonstop hazing.Absolute must watch, at least for a male audience
The series takes us into the world of American college football. The main characters are guys whose life is spinning around sports, sex (or at least aspirations towards it) and endless partying. I can not compare this series with anything, because I do not remember seeing anything similar, and definitely nothing so much fun. I am not competent to comment on the script, directing, acting, or any other aspect of this series, because I was largely overwhelmed by laughter, and totally did not care for its technical aspects or objective quality. It's so addictive that I watched a season daily.
10/10 - CreatorIan BrennanBrad FalchukRyan MurphyStarsEmma RobertsLea MicheleAbigail BreslinA semi-anthology series that centers on characters being terrorized by a serial killer in different locations, including a university and a hospital.Fun! Fun! Fun!
I have no idea how to describe this madness except by MUST WATCH !!! It is a parody of horrors, with caricatured characters and sick dialogues, but with a plot that keeps you watching more and more. I would not expect anything less of "American Horror Story" makers. This is one of the most entertaining things I ever saw. I refrain from giving it 10/10 because it still cannot go in the same rating with masterpieces like "How to Get Away With Murder" or "Californication".
* * * *
I just finished the second season and I deeply wish that this show never ended. It's damn super-fun. Parody to horror stereotypes with references to a bunch of cult movies and shows and everything packed so stupidly exaggerated that it must be work of genius. The characters are great, the cast even better, and Jamie Lee Curtis is simply perfect. You'll attach to these irritating characters in no time and you'll enjoy loving and hating them at the same time. Warm recommendation.
8,5/10 - CreatorDavid BenioffD.B. WeissStarsEmilia ClarkePeter DinklageKit HaringtonNine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.LOTR of the TV world
4 October 2016
TV shows I rated 10 are rare, I could count them on one hand. And this is one of them. The excellent crew did this based on the fantastic book and in cooperation with the original writer. I do not want to compare this show with anything else because it is beyond any comparison, but speaking only about its quality, this is for the TV world what "Lord of the Rings" is for movies. I doubt anyone will top this any time soon.
New books are not out yet, and producers decided not to wait for them, so series are ahead of the books now. I did not watch the latest season yet, and I see many bad impressions and comments on the web, but even if they really did a lousy job on this last season, the previous five seasons are so good that last one cannot spoil average grade below ten out of ten. Unfortunately, I did not see the famous "Breaking Bad" yet, so I cannot be 100% sure, but for me, this is the very best TV show ever made. For the first time in my life I will give money for the series and, when the series is completed, buy the original box-set edition. It pains me to admit, but Tolkien is overthrown - I prefer "GOT" over "LOTR", both in a written and screened version.
I am not writing about its contents, there is more than enough spoilers all around the web, so no need for me to add some more. Thou, I do not understand all that noise and complaining about spoilers, especially if the movie/series is based on a famous book. In my opinion, you should always read the book before you watch it on TV, and if you did it then you already know most of what you'll see, so complaining about spoilers is ridiculous. And believe me, even if it is not always the case, in this case, you really SHOULD READ THE BOOKS FIRST. It is impossible to put all those thousands of pages in a TV show, and reading the books will allow you a much better understanding of what you see and you will enjoy the show much much more. I'm not saying that books are better. Not this time. Both are great in their own way. But the show will hypnotize you even deeper if you read the books first.
10/10
And what am I supposed to watch now that won't seem totally lame after seeing "GOT"…
11 February 2020
The eighth season is over and with it the already cult "Game of Thrones". The flood of spoilers and complaining over the last season receded, the dust settled, and it's time for me to finally see it in its entirety. I decided not to continue where I left off, but to start from the beginning and watch it without gigantic breaks between episodes and seasons.
Even before it starts, the series leaves you breathless with its phenomenal opening credits. Although a bit too long for my taste, it is certainly one of the most impressive introduction clips I have ever seen, mostly because of beautiful music by Ramin Djawadi.
"Game of Thrones", the first book of the cult saga "A Song of Ice and Fire," I first read in the summer of 2007. When I first sat down to watch the series in 2011, it seemed like the book was coming alive. Most of the scenes were shot exactly the way I imagined them while reading, and the cast is predominantly perfectly selected. I remember that only young Targaryens, and especially their hair, were torn in my eye. Emilia Clarke, in my opinion, is not beautiful/handsome enough or good enough actress for the role of Daenerys, and it took me more than a season to get used to her. Maisie Williams was initially very antipathic, but she quickly gained me with quality acting. The rest of the cast has been so impressive since the start that, when I continued reading the books, I began to imagine them exactly as they were shown in the series. What separates "Game of Thrones" the most from the majority of representatives of the genre is realistic characterization. There are no good guys and bad guys here, no black-and-white struggle between good and evil. All the characters are deeply layered and their good and bad sides take turns from situation to situation.
The first episode starts the series with force and ruthlessness, and although it is only a preliminary introduction to the story, it already manages to shock us on several occasions with its explicitness, vulgarity, and brutality. If you, while watching this episode, even for a moment felt discomfort, better stop here, because of what follows in the episodes and seasons that are in front of you your stomach will turn inside out.
Already in the second episode, Martin begins to kill innocent, ruthlessly introducing us into a world in which no one is safe, and in which the main characters are dropping like flies, alongside extras. Characters that die without any order, sense, and logic, whose stories remain incomplete because they are suddenly stricken by bad luck, are Martin's trademark. The series, as well as the source novel, constantly keeps you in a state of tension, because deaths, intrigues, and plot twists are totally unexpected and unpredictable, as is the real life.
Which brings us to the controversial last season. As far as I noticed, nagging about the last season is focused primarily on the script and the characters' illogical and unprovoked moves. I was bothered by the chaotic directing and editing. The episode depicting the battle against the army of the dead made my eyes literally hurt and, in my opinion, music was inadequate and irritating. But I have no major objections to the story itself. We are used to movies where the end logically follows from the introduction and plot, but it usually happens only in stories. Life is not logical, and I have already mentioned that Martin is quite realistic. People change, evolve, make plans, wage internal struggles, fight for a goal and, while the endings of most films show them failing or achieving those goals, life often stops those life paths with unexpected death and makes the whole journey meaningless. Death simply undoes us. Likewise, in the last season, Martin just canceled out a bunch of characters and their stories, while others acted impulsively, made fatal mistakes, or simply went mad. Many have completed their journeys in somewhat karmically acceptable ways, and the fates of some have surprised us. The season is a little hectic, but I don't think this story could have ended much differently, and I'm definitely not disappointed.
Last season, in my opinion, deserves no more than a seven or an eight, but the overall impression of the entire series remains
10/10 - CreatorJeff DavisStarsTyler PoseyHolland RodenDylan O'BrienAn average high school student and his best friend get caught up in some trouble causing him to receive a werewolf bite. As a result they find themselves in the middle of all sorts of dramas in Beacon Hills.It is not top quality show, but what could you possibly expect from MTV... At the other hand, for those who love supernatural, show is fast, without idling, so pretty much fun.
7/10 - CreatorLauren IungerichStarsAshley RickardsBeau MirchoffJillian Rose ReedAn unpopular 15-year-old gains immediate, yet unwanted, popularity at her high school when the student body mistakes an accident she has for a suicide attempt.Relaxing and refreshing
Let's face it, this is an MTV series, which lowers expectations by default. Also, this is a teenage "coming of age" melodramatic comedy. Expectations go down a few more steps. Now, when you start watching "Awkward" from this starting point, the series will certainly not disappoint you. What's more, for its genre and production, it is above average.
The story is quite realistic, without excessive drama and excessive caricature, just as awkward as the life of an average high school student is. All technical and essential aspects are at a satisfactory level, nothing spectacularly good, but there are no major flaws either. The actors are charismatic with good mutual chemistry, the pacing is well measured and, if you don't have too high expectations, the series will honestly entertain you, occasionally make you genuinely laugh, and even cause a tear here and there.
Its biggest drawback is the drop in quality from season to season. While some respect only the first season, some defend the next two as well, while the last one is really an unnecessary stretch, although without it the story would remain incomplete. The strongest asset, at least from my perspective, is that it is natural, unartificial, unencumbered by the aggressive Woke culture/propaganda that increasingly dominates television.
7/10 - CreatorAdam HorowitzEdward KitsisStarsGinnifer GoodwinJennifer MorrisonLana ParrillaA young woman with a troubled past is drawn to a small town in Maine where fairy tales are to be believed.Brings back the magic of childhood and I love it
The first season was very popular because it was a surprise and significant refreshment in the TV world. But after the first season, people started to complain that show does not fulfill its potential, that acting is bad, and soon that show is becoming unwatchable. I agree that it has its ups and downs and for a moment it looked like it will become complete crap, but it recovered soon enough and, though it has a tendency to complicate too much, originality of the plot and magical atmosphere have a mesmerizing influence on me. Last night I finished the 5th season and I cannot wait for 6th to be finished so I can watch it in one breath.
The plot combines the unbelievable amount of fairy-tales, myths, and legends into one complicated but believable and exciting story, where well-known characters from many different stories got new mutual relations. For example, Rumpelstiltskin and Belfire are son and grandson of Peter Pan. Daughter of Snow-white is in love with Captain Hook and Evil Queen is with Robin Hood. The show contains all genres, comedy, action, thriller, romance, drama, and it succeeds to be modern and at the same time preserve the magical atmosphere of childhood fairy-tales. Maybe it is not excellent in terms of acting and directing, but it is amazing in storytelling and bringing back that feel of childhood, and to me, it is more than enough to love it.
8,5/10 - CreatorKyle KillenStarsJason IsaacsLaura AllenSteve HarrisAfter a car accident takes the life of a family member, a police detective lives two alternating parallel lives, one with his wife and one with his son. Is one of his "realities" merely a dream?Ultimate mindfuck
After a car accident in which a family member is killed, a detective begins to live two parallel realities. In one reality, he lives with his wife and their son is killed, and when he falls asleep in that reality he awakens in another where he lives with his son and his wife is killed. In both realities he goes to a psychiatrist who convinces him that the other reality is just a dream and a way for his mind to cope with loss. But which reality is real, which is a dream, or both are real, or both are a dream... The series is phenomenally done and is a total mindfuck. I was very disappointed when it was canceled after the first season, but believe me, even unfinished, it's more than worth watching.
8/10 - CreatorBruce HelfordStarsCharlie SheenShawnee SmithNoureen DeWulfEx-baseball-player Charlie is an anger-management therapist who has small-group sessions at home, an OCD teen daughter, an ex-wife, and a sex-buddy/therapist.Watchable, but redundant
Sitcom about group therapy for anger control. Charlie Sheen almost reprises his role from "Two and a Half Men," and the rest of the cast, though not bad, fails to keep up with him. It's not boring, but it's unoriginal and unneeded and drowns in mediocrity. No wonder it was canceled after only two seasons.
6/10 - CreatorGreg BerlantiMarc GuggenheimAndrew KreisbergStarsStephen AmellKatie CassidyDavid RamseySpoiled billionaire playboy Oliver Queen is missing and presumed dead when his yacht is lost at sea. He returns five years later a changed man, determined to clean up the city as a hooded vigilante armed with a bow.He's become someone else, he's become something else
The first season started quite strong, interesting, but also confusing. Millionaire returns to his hometown five years after he allegedly died in a boating accident. While on the one hand trying to put his life back on its feet, at the same time he spends his nights as a masked vigilante who, armed with bow and arrows, is trying to cleanse his city from crime. Frequent flashbacks tell us his "origins story" little by little, but if you go into this adventure prepare patience, because you will not complete the picture of mysterious five years even after the third season ends. The second season is even better than the first, but in the third they nearly went over the top. The story starts to complicate too much and loses credibility by introducing too many new characters, many of them also being masked vigilantes or even meta-humans. Crossovers with other DC series are extremely irritating because they not only require you to keep track of five different series at the same time, but you must follow them by the dates of episodes. First, you start the oldest series, then at the same time with its second season you must start the first season of the second series, then with the third season of the first and second season of the second series you have to start first seasons of the third and fourth series... You are already getting a headache, aren't you? All of these series intertwine with each other and, if you watch one series at the time, the series you are currently watching will spoil the others for you, and also you will encounter holes in the story because some of the episodes of your series are placed in the other series instead. Because of this, I'm seriously considering to completely give up on all DC series, since they're becoming more of an effort and irritation than pleasure. After three seasons seen, my rating is
7,5/10 - CreatorSherri Cooper-LandsmanRon KoslowJennifer LevinStarsKristin KreukJay RyanNina LisandrelloA beautiful detective falls in love with an ex-soldier who goes into hiding from the secret government organization that turned him into a mechanically charged beast.The secret project of creating a super-soldier goes wrong and, in order to cover up the whole thing, all volunteers who have been exposed to serum are killed. One manages to get away and lives in hiding until he saves the life of a young policewoman and falls in love with her. Then, of course, all possible complications begin. I know, it sounds sleasy, but the series is really well done. It combines elements of crime series with romance, thriller and a bit of horror. Jay Ryan is good in the role of the "beast", Kristin Kreuk is not particularly good actress, but she is beautiful enough for male audience to forgive her shortcomings in the performance, and Nina Lisandrello as her partner and Austin Basis as a computer magician and "beast's" best friend are great. The story is complicated and interesting, directing and effects are good and the series is very addictive. It has four seasons and it's finished, not canceled, so if you decide to watch, you will finish it pretty quickly and without waiting for new episodes or disappointments that the story has remained unresolved. Recommendation.
7,5/10 - CreatorPhillip IscoveAlex KurtzmanRoberto OrciStarsTom MisonLyndie GreenwoodNicole BeharieIchabod Crane is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to unravel a mystery that dates all the way back to the founding fathers.It was a long time ago when I saw first season, but I think second one is quite better. Its shot better and it's more entertaining. The only flaw is Nicole Beharie's acting that is more goggling and making faces than acting, but when you get used to it, it will stop bothering you.
8/10 - CreatorJon BokenkampStarsJames SpaderMegan BooneDiego KlattenhoffA new FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen, has her entire life uprooted when a mysterious criminal, Raymond Reddington, who has eluded capture for decades, turns himself in and insists on speaking only to her.The Concierge of Crime
Raymond Reddington, number one on the FBI's Most Wanted List, which has been successfully avoided arrest for decades, suddenly appears at the FBI headquarters, surrenders and insists on talking exclusively with newcomer Detective Elizabeth Keen. The series has 6 seasons and 133 episodes so far, in which Reddington, in exchange for immunity, helps a secret branch of the FBI to catch the dangerous and powerful criminals that they did not even know existed. Each episode is a quality forty-minute thriller with own plot, while the characters of Reddington and Elizabeth gradually build through all episodes and deepen the mystery of why he surrendered and why he chose her specifically.
Although he was not the first choice for the role and fell in the series just a couple of days before the shooting started, James Spader is even better here than in "Boston Legal" and I do not think that anybody could play the role of Reddington better. Megan Boone was initially annoying to me, but in time the man became accustomed to everything, so after six seasons I even became fond of her. The whole cast is good and their characterization is excellent. The script combines crime thriller with drama and occasional comic-relief moments. Technical quality is great and the show has a perfectly balanced pace so that it never loses the grip of your attention. I can not wait for the start of the seventh season scheduled for October this year.
8/10 - CreatorMaurissa TancharoenJed WhedonJoss WhedonStarsClark GreggMing-Na WenBrett DaltonThe missions of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.The best Marvel has to offer
22 February 2018
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is, for me, the best Marvel achievement so far. Since the very beginning, the series has gotten a strong pace, so I thought it would run out of steam quickly and after a couple of seasons go to hell, which is too common with shows that shoot high, but after four seasons this series still doesn't get tired. The story is very complicated, full of surprises and turnarounds, and even when you think they are now really gone too far, they succeed to present the story to the end without getting stuck or messing up. Plots follow one after the other, leaving no time for a break, without major holes and illogicality. Characterization is far above the standard for sci-fi action. All the characters have a deep background, and their personality and mutual relations are evolving from season to season, in a natural and convincing way. There are no classic fairy tale villains who are evil by default, but the boundary between the good guys and the bad guys is dangerously blurred and the same characters are constantly shifting in both roles. All bad guys have strong reasons for their behavior, and although you do not agree with them, you certainly understand their efforts, which makes them the best villains in the Marvel universe. Special effects and direction of the action scenes are great and the series does not fall behind Marvel's most expensive blockbusters.
The fourth season is an awesome combination of "Matrix" and "The Man in the High Castle", that contains the best Marvel's villain to date. I'm eager to see if they can outclass it in the fifth season.
02 October 2020
After seven seasons, the series is over and everything I wrote after the fourth season still stands. The last couple of episodes may have been a bit over the top and accelerated, but the rest of the seventh season is simply awesome. Our heroes travel through time and each episode takes place in a different decade. I liked that each of these stories was shot in the style of the decade in which it takes place, with appropriate credits, music and everything else. I was especially thrilled with the black-and-white narrative episode in the style of film noir.
8/10 - CreatorJim AbrahamsDavid ZuckerJerry ZuckerStarsLeslie NielsenAlan NorthEd WilliamsSight gags, puns and non-sequiturs ensue as bumbling Sgt. Det. Lt. Frank Drebin and his colleagues at Police Squad solve various puzzling cases.Overrated
This show was canceled after just six episodes and, I must say, it's justified. Although "Naked Gun" franchise that I love is based on this show, this was pretty much boring to me. If I saw it as a kid back in 80's I would probably be thrilled, but I do not see how anyone passed elementary school could like this. I cannot say it's crap, but it is overrated and I think the main reason for its cult status is the very fact it was canceled so soon. People have strange habit to oppose and many shows grew instant popularity as soon as they were canceled. In some cases, like with Firefly, it's justified, but in this case, the only credit this show deserves is for spawning "Naked Gun" franchise.
5/10 - CreatorTom PatchettPaul FuscoStarsMihaly 'Michu' MeszarosPaul FuscoMax WrightWhen an ugly creature, who loves eating cats, crash-lands into the Tanner family's garage, they treat him as a guest and allow him to live with them as he comments on the stupidity of mankind."Ha! I kill me!"
The spacecraft of Gordon Shumway, a hairy and chatty glutton from the planet Melmac, crashes to Earth, straight through the roof of the garage of the average American family, which from that moment on becomes anything but average. They decided to keep him and gave him the name ALF, short for Alien Life Form.
As a child, I never missed an episode. My sister and I loved it. I mean, how can you not love the bad-mannered and narcissistic, but good-hearted alien, which is an inexhaustible source of laughter and who's continuously trying to eat the house cat, in every way making it difficult for his hosts to hide him from the public eye. A few years ago, I re-watched all four seasons and enjoyed it even more than when I was a kid, because as a seven-year-old I couldn't quite understand every joke and gag. The movie that came out instead of the fifth season, to complete the story because the series was canceled, you can freely skip, and the cartoon series are nothing special either, but the original four seasons are an absolute must-watch.
8/10 - CreatorMichael KarnowZak PennStarsDavid StrathairnRyan CartwrightWarren ChristieAlphas is a science fiction drama focusing on a team that investigates people with supernatural abilities.An interesting approach to "superheroes"
The series "Alphas" is about a team of people with some unusual abilities. They are not superheroes, because, in addition to special "powers", this word also carries the personality characteristics that distinguish heroes, which these characters are not. Also, their abilities are not supernatural but explained by neurological mutations that somewhat "hold water", so this is not fantasy but SF. Their "powers" also carry negative consequences, so a character with the ability to gain increased power by consciously pumping adrenaline, after a few minutes remains unusable, a character who can sharpen the sense of choice at the same time "loses" other senses, and a character who can "see" and manipulate electromagnetic waves, and thus monitors cellphones or surfs Internet without aids, is at the same time autistic. Besides the action, the series is quite dedicated to the characterization of the protagonists and their mutual relationships and, although the premise is all but original, the approach to the story is different from similar shows I've encountered so far. It had potential, and it's a shame it was canceled after just two seasons.
7/10 - CreatorGreg BerlantiGeoff JohnsAndrew KreisbergStarsGrant GustinCandice PattonDanielle PanabakerAfter being struck by lightning, Barry Allen wakes up from his coma to discover he's been given the power of super speed, becoming the Flash, and fighting crime in Central City.The fastest man alive
"My name is Barry Allen and I'm the fastest man alive. When I was a child, I saw my mother killed by something impossible. My father went to prison for her murder. Then an accident made me the impossible. To the outside world, I'm just an ordinary forensic scientist, but secretly I use my speed to fight crime and find others like me, and one day I'll find who killed my mother and get justice for my father. I am The Flash."
Season one opening is quite a sufficient presentation of what this series is about. The story is completely different from that of the eponymous 1990 series. The only thing they have in common is the premise - the supernaturally fast protagonist. The way Barry gained his powers is different, what those powers include, the team that helps him, practically everything. I don't know which of the series is closer to comics, if any, but I like the old one much more, even though it only has one season.
"The Flash" started in 2014 and was initially quite interesting and original (as much as possible in this genre), but too frivolous. I understand that this silly atmosphere was done on purpose, in order to establish a counterbalance to the dark series "Arrow", but for my taste they overdid it.
The second season is better written and realized, so it is much more fun and addictive than the first. But they also began to complicate the story in a way that threatens to turn the whole thing into nonsense.
A few days ago, I finished the third season in which that is exactly what happened. The story complicates to the point of total unconvincingness, action and effects do not bring anything new for three seasons, but only pour sand in the desert, once likable characters are slowly becoming more irritating, and in this they are wholeheartedly helped by the increasing element of melodrama, which in a few episodes has seriously entered the yuck pathetics.
Although the production is on a pretty solid level, and it's acceptably fun and well written, flaws still outweigh and I don't believe I'll continue to watch. I can not say it's bad, but definitely not worth watching another hundred forty-minutes episodes, or probably more, given that the series has not been completed yet.
An additional deal-breaker is a completely cretinous cross-over system, which intertwines the stories of all DC series and forces you to follow them all at once, in chronological order. Some arcs run through several series, so you have a situation where, for example, in the fifth episode of the second season of a series the first part of the plot takes place, then that plot continues in the tenth episode of the first season of the second series, which started a year later. The unfolding is in the sixth episode of the fourth season of the third series, which started a few years earlier. If you watch one series at a time, you will encounter inexplicable holes in the story and a lot of things will be vague and incomplete, plus the series you are currently watching will repeatedly spoil those you have not watched yet.
It is clear to me that this is a marketing move aimed at getting fans to watch all the series regularly, but, at least in my case, it is absolutely counterproductive and only irritates me and makes me want to completely abandon the complete DC TV Universe.
5/10 - CreatorMichael HirstStarsKatheryn WinnickGustaf SkarsgårdAlexander LudwigVikings transports us to the brutal and mysterious world of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior and farmer who yearns to explore--and raid--the distant shores across the ocean.Hard and cruel, but somehow tempting way of life
19 January 2018
I'm not a fan of historical and quasi-historical films and series, so I had no high expectations for "Vikings". But the first season bought me right away. It's completely different from anything I've seen so far, and there are more dead than in "Game of Thrones". Now I finished the second season and the series just keeps getting better. It seems to me that there are more scheming and twists than in GoT. The acting and characterization are excellent, and the action scenes are incredibly believable and realistic. It gets more and more complicated and tense and will not only hold your attention but also your breath.
7 April 2024
I finally made it to the end. In the later seasons, the story branches out in too many directions and gets overly complicated. The series in most respects maintains the level until the very end, but the story begins to repeat itself, the same plots revolve around different generations of characters and, although it cannot be said that the quality decreases, it all becomes a bit monotonous. Some of the denouements delighted me, some disappointed me, and some felt unfinished, but I guess that's a matter of taste. All in all, an above-average series, but I think they should have ended it earlier. Definitely a recommendation, if for no other reason than because of the original and striking performances of the entire cast, among which Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alex Hogh Andersen, and Travis Fimmel stand out the most.
8/10 - CreatorMatt DufferRoss DufferStarsMillie Bobby BrownFinn WolfhardWinona RyderWhen a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.'80s Nostalgia
It is great, but still a bit overrated. I think its rating is based less on its quality and more on nostalgia for the '80s that it brings. It pulls many elements from legendary shows and movies from the '80s and it's an obvious homage to Stephen King and movies like "E.T.", "It", "Golden Child", "Lost Boys", etc. I'm not thrilled, but I am very satisfied. I enjoyed it and I'm very eager for the next season.
8,5/10 - CreatorAli AdlerGreg BerlantiAndrew KreisbergStarsMelissa BenoistChyler LeighDavid HarewoodThe adventures of Superman's cousin and her own superhero career.Supermen's cousin has her own show now and the show is dumb, but it's OK for lazy afternoons when you just want to relax and watch something with half of the brain. From the first episode, it irresistibly reminds me of "The Flash", literally the same story with different actors, and then they even cross them and Flash appears near the end of the season. Objectively, it is a lousy show, but I loved "Beverly Hills" in the '90s so this one fits me too.
5,5/10
After the second season, I have to improve my rating from 6 to 7. It's still more naive and childish than other superhero shows, but it's constantly improving and becoming more fun. If we ignore the lame musical crossover with "The Flash", which technically belongs to "The Flash" series anyway, the second season has no weak episodes. If you are a fan of dark and serious superheroes, like Nolan's Batman, this will look silly to you, even stupid, but if you like the classic approach to superheroes like they originally were, "Supergirl" will not disappoint you.
7/10
After the third season, I decided to give up. The series unnecessarily tangles itself to the point of becoming clumsy, along the way bombarding us with "modern film and TV trends" related to sexual, racial, and other diversity and tolerance, and looks more like a propaganda melodrama than a superhero action. I'm not saying it's particularly bad and it's certainly not boring, but with a sea of quality content that I won't be able to watch in three lifetimes, it's crazy to me to continue wasting time on something that's mediocre at best.
Final rating after three seasons:
6/10 - CreatorDrew GoddardStarsCharlie CoxVincent D'OnofrioDeborah Ann WollA blind lawyer by day, vigilante by night. Matt Murdock fights the crime of New York as Daredevil.Good but not great
The show has a different atmosphere, darker and more intense than most of the superhero shows. While "Supergirl", "Smallville", "Flash" and such reminds me of teenage shows from 90's, Daredevil and Jessica Jones are more serious and more movie-like. What I like the most is that the show is based on a good story and not only on superpowers and special effects.
7,5/10
I just finished the second season and although show now has a faster pace and it's more interesting, it lacks persuasiveness. Electra and Punisher are a welcome refreshment, but still, I cannot give it more than strong seven.
7/10 - CreatorCarter BaysCraig ThomasStarsJosh RadnorJason SegelCobie SmuldersA father recounts to his children - through a series of flashbacks - the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.Legen... wait for it... dary!
One of the more original and funny sitcoms I've been watching. After all, if it was bad it would not last for almost a decade. I've heard they spoiled it near the end, but after five seasons I have absolutely no objections.
8/10 - CreatorPeter NowalkStarsViola DavisBilly BrownJack FalaheeA group of ambitious law students and their brilliant criminal defense professor become involved in a twisted murder plot that promises to change the course of their lives.One of the best shows I have ever seen and definitely the best in genre. Do not miss it.
10/10 - CreatorAlfred GoughMiles MillarStarsTom WellingMichael RosenbaumAllison MackA young Clark Kent struggles to find his place in the world as he learns to harness his alien powers for good and deals with the typical troubles of teenage life in Smallville, Kansas.My DC adaptations marathon came to Smallville, one of few shows I ever saw completely and even fewer I wanna see again. I just finished rewatching of the first season that shows high-school days of Clark Kent. Tom Welling is great playing young Clark who gradually discovers his abilities and tries to juggle between normal teen life and hiding the fact he's an alien. In first season he discovers his inhuman strength and speed, then he gradually discovers extent of his invulnerability and at the end he finds out about his X-Ray vision. The rest of his powers will come in seasons to follow. Here we meet Lex Luthor, Clark's best friend, who changes into villain in front of our eyes, partially because of his egomaniac father and partially because of distrustful treatment from everyone around him, caused by his wealth and infamous family name. There's also beautiful Kristin Kreuk, playing Lana Lang, Clark's unrealized love, and many more talented young actors. But the most impressive of all is John Glover, playing Lionel Luthor, Lex's father and main villain. Story combines typical teenage show with superhero elements, which slowly grow from season to season until they completely take over the show and change it beyond recognition. But for now special effects are at minimum and show is more teen romance drama than story about Superman. It may not be the best, but it's certainly my favorite DC show so far.
7,5/10 - CreatorStephen CarpenterDavid GreenwaltJim KoufStarsDavid GiuntoliRussell HornsbySilas Weir MitchellA homicide detective discovers he is a descendant of hunters who fight supernatural forces.A crossbreed of "CSI" and "Once Upon a Time"
In the beginning, I wasn't sure if I will watch it or give up on it, but after a few episodes I was completely addicted. The show follows the usual pattern of crime dramas, but its focus is on cases that involve beings from fairy-tales. None of those aspects is new or original, but till now shows were focused either on one or another, while the way this show combines them is new and interesting, made to attract both fans of crime dramas like "CSI" and fans of fantasy like "Supernatural" or "Once Upon a Time". Warm recommendation to everyone, regardless of what genre you prefer.
8/10 - CreatorMelissa RosenbergStarsKrysten RitterRachael TaylorEka DarvilleFollowing the tragic end of her brief superhero career, Jessica Jones tries to rebuild her life as a private investigator, dealing with cases involving people with remarkable abilities in New York City.
- CreatorFrank SpotnitzStarsAlexa DavalosLuke KleintankRufus SewellIn a dystopian America dominated by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, a young woman discovers a mysterious film that may hold the key to toppling the totalitarian regimes.Alternative history. Germany and Japan won WWII and divided North America between them so that West Coast belongs to Japan and East Coast belongs to Germany. In the middle there is neutral zone with no laws that reminds of Wild west. We follow the story from all 3 angles, Japanese, German and point of view of American resistance. It's different than anything I saw before and I like it a lot. Thou I think it has very little in common with a book of the same name.
***
I just finished second season and show still doesn't lose any of its strength. I'm staying with the grade I gave after the first season.
8,5/10 - CreatorJoss WhedonStarsNathan FillionGina TorresAlan TudykFive hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.Overrated, but very good indeed
Finally I took time and watched the whole "Firefly" at once. I am not disappointed, I enjoyed every episode, but still, I think it is very overrated. It is space western that gathers a team of good actors in an original and entertaining story. Still, I fail to see what quality makes it stand out from a bunch of other Sci-Fi shows, except by fact it is space western... It is good, but cult status and rating over nine out of ten are a mystery to me. The show was canceled after only fourteen episodes and it seems they did it on purpose. The official reason was lack of audience, but low ratings were obviously caused intentionally because the show was aired on Friday nights when they always had lowest ratings, episodes were aired in wrong order and marketing for the show was terrible. Shame, it could grow into something really great. My recommendation for those who did not see it is to forget about its reputation and watch it without any expectations and you will surely enjoy it. My favorite episodes are 6th and 7th. While I rate the rest 7/10, these two deserve 9/10. Intelligent, original, well played and with a nicely balanced amount of good humor.
7,5/10 - CreatorDarren StarStarsJason PriestleyShannen DohertyLuke PerryA group of friends living in Beverly Hills, California make their way through life from their school days into adulthood.Guilty pleasure
Several years ago, in 2016 I think, I was grabbed by some nostalgia and I started to rewatch "Beverly Hills, 90210". Of course, after three seasons it began to bore me and I moved on to something smarter. Since this month I was in total business and private chaos and I had neither the time nor the concentration to devote more seriously to films, I returned to it again. After the fourth season, I must admit it feels good. When you work from morning to night, seven days a week, this is the right choice to relax before going to bed. I think I'll definitely see it through all ten seasons. Maybe it has no value in an artistic and cinematographic sense, nor in terms of philosophical depth, but it has emotional and nostalgic value for us who grew up in the '90s and it is great for letting the brain out to pasture. And to be honest, it is very well made. Perhaps the stories are Utopian and with fairytale happy-endings, but they also make sense and point. The acting is quite solid and technically there are hardly any flaws. In this genre, only "Heartbreak High" beats it.
8/10 - CreatorDavid GreenwaltJoss WhedonStarsDavid BoreanazCharisma CarpenterAlexis DenisofThe vampire Angel, cursed with a soul, moves to Los Angeles and aids people with supernatural-related problems while questing for his own redemption.A spin-off that exceeded the original
When Angel left Sunnydale and the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series, he moved to LA and started a detective agency specializing in the supernatural. A spin-off also takes Cordelia and Wesley from the original series and "Angel" is born, a show that continues in the manner of "Buffy" and directly builds on it. However, despite many similarities, "Angel" is significantly darker (both figuratively and literally), more serious, and in every way surpasses Buffy, at least slightly (and somewhere by much more). The characters and their relationships are more mature and better developed, the story is more complex and coherent, the atmosphere is more powerful and the overall impression is much stronger. A opet, nisam siguran da li bi ova serija funkcionisala bez "Buffy". I see them as two sides of the same coin, or better, as the light and dark side of the moon.
8,5/10 - CreatorDavid SimonStarsDominic WestLance ReddickSonja SohnThe Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.Mandatory for every real fan of 7th art
The first episode of "The Wire" was really boring to me. I was at the edge of giving it up after 20 minutes, and I was almost sure that I won't continue to watch it further than the pilot. Then, I decided to give it a chance because of its reputation and I was hooked. Unlike other crime series where every episode has own, more or less independent plot, while all are connected by common background or group of main characters, here the whole season is one story, like an extremely long movie. Just imagine one episode of some crime show stretched to 13 hours. Of course, it will seem boring at the start, but at the other hand, this approach gives authors a chance to develop every aspect of the story to the smallest details and to do a deep characterization of every character and their mutual relationships and backgrounds. Combine this with excellent cast capable to carry this kind of story and with extreme level of realism, without good guys and bad guys, just regular people with all their virtues and flaws, whose lives took various paths and took them to opposite sides of drug war, and you'll get strong and deep human drama. This is not a crime show, this is a heavy drama that tries to show the reality of people in the specific surrounding. I will restrain from rating, at least until I'm done with the first season, but it seems it will justify its reputation. Give it a chance. It takes just a little patience to get through the introduction and once you are pulled in you'll see it was worth it.
* * * *
Last night I finished the first season. You know that feeling when it hurts that there's no more. I mean, yes, there are four more seasons, but if I understood right, they are independent stories without connection to previous seasons. I don't have a feeling that I just finished the show, but more like I spent whole life with those people. It’s like I personally know and love every single one of them and now they are all gone at the same time and I miss them badly. I'm not sure I can go that far to say it's the best TV show ever made, especially before I go through all five seasons, but it surely is pure 10/10. And nonetheless movie 10/10. Cause in every aspect, except for its length, this is more one big movie than a regular TV show. Anyway, this is something everyone should see, regardless of personal taste and interest, in the same way as everyone should read Dostoevsky. This is, or surely will become, classic for all times.
10/10 - CreatorCharles PiccoCraig WallaceAnthony LeoStarsAlex HouseMaggie CastleBill TurnbullA stoner metalhead named Todd Smith, his crushee Jenny, his best friend Curtis, and the geeky Hannah, search their high school for a mayhem-causing Satanic spell book, while being opposed by Atticus, the evil guidance councillor.I want more!
This is simply awesome. Combination of high-school show, comedy and horror, that packs clichés of 80's and 90's into catchy 20 minutes portions of pure fun. All accompanied by lots of weed and heavy metal. Plus, in the main supporting role, we have Jason Mewes, Jay from legendary Jay and Silent Bob duo. The only flaw of this show is that it was canceled after two seasons, so the main story is left incomplete. However, every episode has own rounded plot so they can be watched separately. Also, an animated movie that should finish the story is announced and it's expected very soon. Recommendation for everyone who loves metal, weed, 80's horrors, teen comedies, things so stupid that they're ingenious and good fun. I saw all 26 episodes in just a few days and I yearn for more.
9/10 - StarsVelimir 'Bata' ZivojinovicRajko ProdanovicZarko LausevicVery grim and naturalistic description of life in the reform school.After first episode I was about to quit, but I didn't and soon I was hooked. Even if story isn't "your cup of tea", realistically dark atmosphere is strong enough to keep your attention on its own. In just 12 episodes they succeeded to develop characters deep enough to make you feel you were there. This is thanks to good script, but also to fact that cast is made mostly of the most famous names on YU scene. For many of them this show was jumping board for their careers. And not to forget legendary song "All I Want in This Moment". They slightly spoiled it with last episode, which is, in my opinion, complete failure, but all in all, it's one of the strongest shows in history of YU television.
8/10 - CreatorDanny BilsonPaul De MeoStarsJohn Wesley ShippAmanda PaysAlex DésertA police forensic scientist, Barry Allen, battles crimes as the super-fast superhero "The Flash."At the beginning of second season new Flash started to bore me. I don't want to give up on it just yet, but I decided to pause for a while by going back to show of my childhood, The Flash from 1990. When I was in elementary school I thought this was awesome. Now... Show is outdated in every aspect, but although story is much simpler than in new one and effects more primitive, old Flash has that nostalgic charm of 80's B production and comic-book atmosphere. Although new one is objectively better, old Flash I love much more.
7/10
Plots are completely different. Beside few names and fact that Flash is speedster who fights crime, they have almost nothing in common. The Way Barry becomes Flash is completely different and "same" characters have completely different characteristics and mutual relationships. While in new Flash Iris is black journalist and his adopted sister in whom he is secretly in love, in old one she is white artist and girl who leaves him. New Flash is based on his father being convicted for his mother murder and Flash trying to find a way to free him and punish real murderer, but in old Flash both of his parents are alive and well and he has cop brother who dies. From base to details this two shows are completely different. I have no idea which version is adapted from the comics, if any, but in my opinion, plot of new Flash is too complicated and in combination with modern technology, effects and production it totally lacks soul of comic-book.
****
As I watch more episodes I like this more and more and I have less and less will to ever finish new version. I just realized that same actor plays Flash in old and Flashes father in new show. Beside John Wesley Shipp, at least four other actors appear in both shows. Amanda Pays, who plays leading female role in old Flash, role divided to Wells and Caitlin in new version, 25 years later reappears in same role. Alex Desert, whose role in old version is closest thing to Cisco from new one, also reprises his role in few episodes of new Flash, same as Vito D'Ambrosio as Mayor Bellows and Luke Skywalker as Trickster. In old version Barry became Flash after he was hit by lightning, so he's the only meta-human there, while villains are mad, genius and backed up with some serious technology, but still just humans. Bunch of meta-humans makes new Flash nothing special and new show seems like better produced version of Power Rangers, full of monsters and empty action. Stupid and boring. Old show is more down to earth, more realistic, with more convincing situations and relationships and decent dose of healthy humor. It has much better atmosphere and I have to improve its rating once again.
8/10
I finished first and only season and I'm sorry that there's no more. But it may be good thing, cause they would probably spoil it in time. I collected impressions and, although it is very far from being one of the best shows of all time (maybe strong seven), in my opinion this is perfect example of how comic-book adaptation should look like. Shoulder to shoulder with Batman from previous year, within the genre I rate it perfect ten.
8,5/10 - CreatorDavid E. KelleyStarsReese WitherspoonNicole KidmanShailene WoodleyThe apparently-perfect lives of upper-class mothers of students at a prestigious elementary school unravel to the point of murder when a single mother moves to their quaint California beach town.Season 1
Slow start but an awesome finale
I came from work around eight, got some food and coffee, and sat to watch this seven hours long movie in a single run. I say movie because this is not a regular TV series, but more TV movie cut to pieces because of length. Fact that I saw seven hours show in less than eight tells you that it's a good one, but, in my opinion, they failed terribly at the beginning. It starts slow and after the first episode, that lasts nearly an hour and nothing happens at all, I almost gave up. Still, reviews are mostly good and many friends did recommend it, so I decided to give it a shot. I watched the second episode and started to question who's crazy, bored me or thrilled reviewers. After three episodes I was seriously annoyed. It reminded me of "Desperate Housewives". Although it's better written and done, but also less fun. A story about people who's life is too good so they invent problems where there are none and then exaggerate them to epic proportions, until they hit the ceiling. In everyday common issues, they react like crazy and if there are people like that in real life I do not know them and I'm glad about it. Both characters and the story were completely redundant to me. I rated it weak six and continued to watch only because I hate leaving things unfinished. But when the show was over and impressions were settled I completely changed my mind. It still reminds me of "Desperate Housewives", maybe even more, and some things are really retarded, but characters are phenomenally developed and acted, and every succeeding episode is better than previous. Finale nailed it. If the story wasn't so lengthy, but made as a movie two or three hours long, I would probably rate it even higher, but as the seven hours long mini-series it deserves
8/10
(there are some spoilers below)
P.S. Until the last episode, I had no idea who was dying, but as soon as I figured out who the victim will be, I knew immediately who will kill. Although it's totally unpredictable who the killer is, I knew. Maybe it was because I was expecting an unexpected end, so I bet on the most illogical person. That spoiled the ending a little, because the surprise effect is important here. Overthinker...
Season 2
When I heard that there would be a second season, I wondered why, because the first is a well-rounded whole that needs no extension. On the one hand, I was right, the second season is not really necessary, but on the other, it is not superfluous and did not spoil the impressions the first one left. The season brings seven episodes that deal with the psychological and practical consequences of the heroine's decision to hide the murder. The fear of being discovered, paranoia and guilt slowly erode them, gradually destroying their mutual relations and their families. The script maintains a great characterization from the first season, and maybe even rise it to a slightly higher level. The season also introduces some new characters, most notably the Mary Louise character played by the fantastic Meryl Streep. In all the roles I've seen her so far, Meryl captivates with her incredible charisma and you just can't help but love her. But here she played the role of "villain" so convincingly that I hated her from the first episode. The series finale, though somewhat expected, spoiled my impressions a bit, because that decision, however morally right, leaves seven children without mothers, and some even without both parents. Overall, the rating remains the same.
8/10 - CreatorAvi AradStarsVictoria PrattForbes MarchVictor WebsterA fugitive geneticist and four of his "creations" search for others of their kind while attempting to stay a step ahead of a morally ambiguous government agent.X-Men wannabe... Marvel sold rights for X-Men to Fox and then based on X-Men made Mutant X series. And of course they were sued. If they decided to risk law suit they should have at least made show worth that sacrifice. I don't say it's unwatchable, but in endless see of amazing shows available this one is complete waste of time. First thing to annoy me was terrible music. Then there's irritating editing and atmosphere of old Power Rangers. It's better that I do not start about action scenes in slow motion. They say that story is full of holes and illogicality, but I wouldn't know as I gave up on this after first episode. I have no time and nerves to spend 66 times 45 minutes on production so lousy.
4/10 - CreatorTrey ParkerMatt StoneBrian GradenStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneIsaac HayesFollows the misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado."There is actually a lot of intelligent social commentary here - it's just masked under anything they could possibly offend someone with." - chthon2
16 October 2017
For some reason, I stopped following this show a long time ago, even before the tenth season I think. Recently, again for some inexplicable reason, it came to my mind and I decided to start it all over, from season one, but this time I'm going to finish it, or better to say catch it, because I hope it will never end. This morning I finished the first season. There's nothing better than healthy laughter with morning coffee. After 20 years this season is still fresh and hilarious. One of the strongest tens I ever gave.
10/10
(I'm near the end of the 8th season now and it still kicks ass.)
24 December 2018
In the last year I have seen all 22 seasons of "South Park" and, although it had its ups and downs, overall it's one of the best TV shows of all time and definitely the ultimate animated one. I can't wait for the 23rd season. - CreatorMark FrostDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanSheryl LeeMichael HorsePicks up 25 years after the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town are stunned when their homecoming queen is murdered.Twin Peaks Diarrh... Diary
There's a chance David Lynch is crazy. But I honestly doubt it. I think it's much more probable that he simply screws with us. We are struggling to understand his movies where there's, in fact, nothing to understand. He just stuffs his films with everything and anything that comes to his mind, without any sense and meaning, and then he sits aside and laughs his head off on our pathetic attempts to explain his outburst of "genius".
****
The first episode was promising. Strange, mysterious, distinctive. I was hypnotized. But in the second episode I was already at the edge of giving up. I was held only by curiosity. Now, after the third and fourth episode, I can not take this seriously anymore. I have a feeling that I'm watching high-budget parody to "Twin Peaks" instead of the long-awaited third season. Unlike first episode that mesmerized me and kept me in suspense, through third and fourth I mostly laughed, partly from agony, partly from shame transfer to which the show abounds, although there were also few really good jokes. But overall it feels like spoof made by the principle "it's so bad that it's good." I'm more and more convinced that Lynch really is screwing with us. David, I have no idea what you're on, but give us a little so we could feel nice too.
****- How the hell did this madman know that he will be able to make the third season after 25 years? How did he know, not only that he will be alive, but that the rest of the crew will also be alive, capable and willing to shoot... Did he simply risked and had luck?
- Why does almost every episode end in "Ally McBeal" manner?
Those are the questions that tinker in my head, since the brain gave up on asking the question about the plot a long time ago...
****
The new season of Twin Peaks is at the same time retarded and ingenious, senseless and visually fascinating. From episode to episode I like it more and more, and just when I was afraid that I will have to rate it 10/10, the 8th episode turned out to be probably the most stupid thing I saw this year. The middle part of it that stretches explosion scene to exhaustion and back, turning it into something like screen saver of some music player, can be explained in two ways. Either Lynch does not have finished screenplay at all, but he writes it along the way, so when the time came to shoot 8th episode he had material for just 20 minutes and he needed an hour that he had to fill, or he simply wanted to kill all epileptics in the audience. Anyway, this episode brought me back to attitude "why the hell I'm even losing my time on this nonsense."
****
I just finished the third season of "Twin Peaks" and I'm speechless. Weird, bizarre, fascinating and exhausting, original but nostalgic. Epic TV project that won't leave you indifferent. You can love it or hate it and I can not decide for myself. The story is unreal and surreal, but I couldn't place it in any sub-genres of fantasy or SF. I think it would be the closest to the truth to name it dream-genre. It feels like you're dreaming drama-mystery-thriller dream. Chaotic, seemingly unconnected, illogical, but yet again essentially meaningful. The strongest impression on me was made by the music and I'm sure that magnificent atmosphere that Badalamenti composes was the crucial factor for me to fall in love with "Twin Peaks", both the old and the new one. It is an ungrateful job to rate someone's dream...
8/10 for visual,
10/10 for sound effects and Badalamenti,
10/10 for acting,
4/10 for the story, because although this is one of the best shows ever made that does not change the fact that Lynch is full of crap,
and, since the whole thing defies common sense, my way of judging it will also be illogical:
32/10 - StarsPaul SparerCatherine BattistoneJohn Marzilli"Tales from the Darkside" was a horror anthology series where the viewer is taken through ghost stories, science fiction adventures, and creepy, unexplained events.I finished first season and, although there's some real masterpieces, most of it is just mediocre and there's even some episodes that make 20 minutes seem like eternity. Still, I recommend this show because good ones are worthy of getting through bad ones to see them.
6/10 - CreatorBonnie TurnerTerry TurnerStarsJohn LithgowJane CurtinKristen JohnstonA group of aliens is sent to Earth, disguised as a human family, to experience and report life on the third planet from the sun.One of the wittiest and most entertaining shows ever. With most of the comedies, you understand that something is funny but you don't actually laugh out loud at it. Shows that make you cry while your jaw hurts from laughing like crazy are extremely rare. And for me, this is such a show. I can always watch it, no matter I know it by heart from watching it countless times, no matter current mood. However nervous, edgy, sad and down I may be, one episode of Dick and family will always bring me back from the dead. One of the strongest tens I ever gave.
10/10
Episode titles are hilarious: Dick Smoker, Lonely Dick, Body and Soul and Dick, Ab-Dick-ted, The Art of Dick, Angry Dick, I Enjoy Being a Dick, Assault With a Deadly Dick,... I mean, even if you don't have dirty mind this is more than obvious and almost certainly intentional. I love it. - CreatorWill ForteStarsWill ForteJanuary JonesCleopatra ColemanAlmost two years after a virus wiped out most of the human race, Phil Miller only wishes for some company, but soon gets more than he bargained for when that company shows up in the form of other survivors.I wouldn't go so far to say it's one of the best shows ever, but within its genre and format it certainly is amongst the best few. Basic premise is pretty original, story is in style of popular sitcoms, but but goes beyond their frames and brings something new and refreshing. Humor is based mostly on shame transfers which our hero very generously throws at us. Two main characters are original and endlessly fun. Episodes are just 20 minutes long so show keeps decent pace and doesn't lose strength. It's not one of those shows that will make you hurt from laughter, but you will quickly get tied up with the main character and from that moment you will be constantly unpleasant for his shameless behavior., but still you won't be able to stop watching or resist to play next episode same moment end credits of previous one start. Huge recommendation.
9/10 - CreatorLisa JoyJonathan NolanStarsEvan Rachel WoodJeffrey WrightEd HarrisAt the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, waits a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.What is life? What is consciousness?
29 December 2017
What is life? What is consciousness? Can artificial intelligence become conscious, and at what point does a machine cease to be a thing and become a life form? The series asks these questions and, rather than getting lost in trying to provide answers, it leaves its characters and its audience to decide for themselves where they draw the line.
After eight episodes of the "Westworld" series, although I am a big fan of the sci-fi genre, especially artificial intelligence and life-imitating machines, I must admit that I was not thrilled. I haven't seen the movie the show is based on, so I won't go into that part and I don't have any specific complaints to point my finger at. It's all nicely designed and packed. There are no obvious technical flaws or illogicalities in the story. Acting, directing, production, everything is top-notch and my brain tells me that this is a great series. And yet, it leaves me almost indifferent. It lacks something that cannot be pointed at. That something that moves you and that can sometimes be found even in bad movies because it doesn't depend on technical aspects. Let's call it a soul.
And then I watched the last two episodes and realized that the series is a mindfak and that during the whole season I actually had no idea what I was watching. From the beginning, it was clear to me that the story was not entirely linear, but to what extent it was non-linear and convoluted I could not imagine. The twists in the last few episodes are completely unexpected. Once they happen they become obvious and you wonder how you didn't foresee them, but you didn't, and with each new "revelation" the overall impression of the series is getting stronger and stronger. And the finale...
8,5/10
You can't play God without being acquainted with the Devil
22 February 2024
I finally watched the remaining three seasons. Technically, the series maintained the level. Essentially...
After the philosophical AI SF of the first season, "Westworld" has degenerated into an insane action rollercoaster, which holds attention, but I have no idea what it's for. Did the authors get lost in their own story, so it can't keep up with itself, or has the story become such a tangled mindfak that my intelligence can't follow it... However, the end of season four makes sense and I like how they wrapped up the story, but by the time we got to it, I was on the verge of giving up more than once.
I love mindfak, but I suppose the point of that genre is that it makes you brainstorm and wait eagerly for the solution, and not that for the whole season you have no idea what you're watching, to such an extent that it kills your desire to watch at all, and in the end you wonder if you are stupid or the script. In this case, I'm almost certain that it's the script, which has turned from the aforementioned philosophical AI SF into an AI SF bullcrap of epic proportions.
7/10 - DirectorRachel TalalayStarsPeter CapaldiDavid BradleyPearl MackieThe Twelfth Doctor, still refusing to change, goes on a last adventure with the First Doctor.Christmas Special between 10th and 11th season of renewed Doctor Who returns to the roots, not only by appearance of first Doctor, but also by catching spirit of old black and white Doctor who from half of last century. Fans of complete franchise will be pleased with nostalgic atmosphere of this episode, but those who follow this show since 2005. might be disappointed by lack of action and special effects. Personally, I like both series, but I prefer new one and, although I felt charm of the old Doctor in this episode, I was also a little bit bored. Still, quality of Moffat's and Capaldi's valedictory episode is undeniable. Capaldi was truly great Doctor and I miss him already, and David Bradley must be acknowledged for the very convincing imitation of the original Doctor.
7/10 - CreatorJames L. BrooksMatt GroeningSam SimonStarsDan CastellanetaNancy CartwrightHarry ShearerThe satiric adventures of a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield.Although this show is on the air for almost three decades, except for few random partially watched episodes, I never took time to really watch it. Thinking - if it wasn't good it wouldn't be alive for 30 seasons - I decided to catch up. I started to watch first season and after three episodes I gave up on it. I am not saying it sucks, far from it, but it isn't nowhere close to be good enough to spend over 200 hours on watching its 636 episodes. Somewhat cute and witty, but compared to, for example, South Park, it's not worthy to be even mentioned.
6/10 - CreatorBryan FullerMichael GreenStarsRicky WhittleEmily BrowningYetide BadakiA recently released ex-convict named Shadow meets a mysterious man who calls himself "Wednesday" and who knows more than he first seems to about Shadow's life and past."It takes the story of the book, turns it upside down, shakes it, reconfigures it, and makes it many things, including funnier, more televisual, and broader in scope."
The only thing that gave Shadow the strength to get through the prison days was the beloved woman waiting for him at home. When he was released prematurely, so that he could attend her funeral, that freedom meant nothing to him anymore. This mental state of his was used by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, to win him over to his service.
We soon find out the circumstances under which Shadow's wife died, and the nature of his new job is slowly being revealed and the series "American Gods" turns into a crazy adventure, full of violence, sex, and creatures from various mythologies from all over the world.
I read Neil Gaiman's eponymous novel, on which the series is based, back in 2004, so I'm not sure how much "American Gods" conveys the events from the book, and how much of the script is original material, but many changes are more than obvious.
Much of the series is tailored to modern trends of racial, religious, and sexual diversity, and the flow of politically colored messages.
The most obvious example is the choice of Ricky Whittle for the role of Shadow. Nowhere in the novel "American Gods" did Gaiman clearly indicate Shadow's racial affiliation. It has been suggested that he is dark-skinned and of mixed origin, which could be black, but also Gypsy or Indian. The choice of a black actor opened the possibility for the series to deal more seriously with racism, which the book does not deal with in such a direct way, but which is always a current topic in America.
Female characters are given much more space than in the book, and some of the female characters mentioned only along the way got some of the most important roles here. Especially Shadow's wife, who has one of the main roles in the series "American Gods", side by side with the main characters of the novel.
Although politicization in adaptations of books, which originally don't bother with it, is really going on my nerves, these changes and scenes are quite nicely integrated into the original story and, in my opinion, they more contribute to Gaiman's universe than they turn the series from his way.
The series also includes homosexual characters of both sexes, which I don't remember from the book (although I allow the possibility that I am wrong) and, unlike many films and series that force them just to respect the norm, here it is done somehow naturally, and even some slightly more explicit scenes were shot with style and taste. The only exception is an episode almost drowned by an endless scene of rather explicit homosexual orgies, which has neither a substantive nor an aesthetic place in "American Gods".
The story is original, weird, and holds attention. The show is visually fantastic and the choice of actors and their performances are excellent. I can't say that I'm thrilled, but I really liked the series and I don't understand how it is possible for its ratings to drop to such an extent that they cancel it.
The third season ended with a very impressive scene that can be a cliffhanger for the continuation of the story, but in a way, it rounds off the previous story and gives the series, although a bit depressing, a satisfactorily meaningful ending. So, even if we don't get the true ending in the form of the fourth season or maybe a feature film (both possibilities are still in circulation), feel free to embark on this adventure, because you won't waste time, as is the case with most canceled series.
8/10 - CreatorTommy BlachaBrendon SmallStarsBrendon SmallTommy BlachaMark HamillThe epic and over-the-top adventures of Dethklok, the world's most successful death metal band.I just finished the first season of the animated series Metalocalypse. It has 63 episodes in a total duration of around 12 hours. Episodes last only for about ten minutes, but I think it's better not to watch them too many at once. I watch one per day, usually during a morning coffee, so that my day starts with metal and laughter.
Series follows the adventures of the band Dethklok, the most popular death metal band of all time, a band that is so popular that it is one of the strongest economies in the world and has such an army of fans that it has a serious impact on world politics. Members of this band are five completely different personalities representing caricatures of "typical" rock stars. As much as they are successful as a band, that much everything they touch goes berserk and ends with a total disaster from which only the band gets out without major consequences. Show is satire of western civilization, modern politics and consumer society, as well as the prejudice of metalheads.
The animation is pretty good, the music and lyrics are excellent, story has a fast pace, a lot of black humor and it's extremely brutal and gore. And the opening theme has immediately entered the very top of my favorites and is one of the few that I do not skip even though I saw it so many times that I know it by heart.
8/10 - CreatorLaeta KalogridisStarsAshley ScottDina MeyerRachel SkarstenIn the future, long after the Batman has driven himself into exile, his legacy lives on in the form of the Birds of Prey--Black Canary, Oracle, and the Huntress.Years after Batman left Gotham, trio Birds of Prey takes over his role. They are Huntress - daughter of Batman and Catwoman, Oracle - former Batgirl put in wheelchair by Joker and Dinah - girl with telepathic abilities whose true identity and full potential are to be revealed later. There are also Alfred - Batman's old battler, Jesse - young inspector in love with Huntress, Harley Queen who tries to step in her old boyfriend's shoes and bunch of meta-humans. Show keeps Batman atmosphere while trying to distinguish itself from Batman story. It's not particularly original, but it's fun and holds attention. Acting is quite good and leading girls are beauties. Unfortunately, show is cancelled after first season, but it doesn't end with cliffhanger so I recommend it to DC fans who look for good entertainment.
7/10 - StarsNatalia Cordova-BuckleyYancey AriasChloe BennetFollowing Inhuman Yo-Yo Rodriguez also known as 'Slingshot' on a personal Mission against time.Mediocre episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. which is for some reason split into six five-minute episodes and inserted as a mini-series between the third and fourth season. If one does not watch it all at once, it probably does not make any sense.
6/10 - CreatorGrant MorrisonBrian TaylorStarsChristopher MeloniRitchie CosterLili MirojnickAn injured hitman befriends his kidnapped daughter's imaginary friend; a perky blue flying unicorn.An absolutely delightful little ball of funshine
A decorated policeman, dishonorably fired from the service, indulged in alcohol, divorced, and became a hitman, which, at first glance, leaves the impression of a bum from Hell. After a decade, his ex-wife asks his ex-partner (with whom he cheated on her) to find her kidnapped daughter. Meanwhile, the captive daughter sends her imaginary friend in search of her father, whom she believes is the only one who can save her.
When, in the first episode, a middle-aged drunk ex-cop hitman sees a miniature bluish unicorn Happy fluttering around his head, trying to convince him he doesn't hallucinate, and that he has a daughter he doesn't know about and who urgently needs rescuing from the evil Santa Claus psychopath, the series turns into complete madness, which does not subside until the end of the second season. There begins a parade of exotic, eccentric, and sick characters (and creatures), excellently characterized in all their unlikeliness, and a festivity of completely wacky, morbidly hilarious situations, perversions, profanity, and spilled intestines, accompanied by appropriate music.
The story in the first season relies mostly on originality and the surprise factor and, combined with the insane pace and inevitable bouts of laughter, will leave you breathless. The second season is more complex, but is losing steam because we are already accustomed to the style of this series and its ruthlessness is not so shocking anymore, although it will still occasionally surprise you (the scene with Happy and Bo Peep is a textbook example of "what is seen cannot be unseen"). It is difficult to weigh whether the scenes and dialogues are sicker or funnier, but they are indisputably imaginative and skillfully balancing on the verge of bad taste (some will surely say that they quite crossed it). I have often rewound in disbelief and replayed them several times, and I must admit that it is quite hard when your jaw is trying to simultaneously drop to the floor and scream with laughter.
All the actors have done a great job, but I especially want to commend Christopher Meloni in the lead role, Bryce Lorenzo in the role of little Hailey, Patton Oswalt who lends a voice to Happy, as well as the unforgettable villains, the genius sociopath Patrick Fischler, the demonic semi-god Ritchie Coster and, of course, the star of the show, Christopher Fitzgerald.
I have a lot more to say about this series, but I want to avoid spoilers as much as possible, because the surprise factor is one of its strongest assets. For those who have not watched the series, I am very sorry for this little spoiler in the text so far, but if I were to write completely without spoilers, it would be just a few sentences, so general that writing this review would no longer make any sense.
Excellently written, filmed, directed, produced, and acted story, with super effects and music, powerful drama presented through the prism of unscrupulous black humor, and scenes that will disgust you to the point of vomiting. DO NOT MISS IT!
10/10 - StarsJessica BardenAlex LawtherSteve OramJames is 17 and is pretty sure he is a psychopath. Alyssa, also 17, is the cool and moody new girl at school. The pair make a connection and she persuades him to embark on a road trip in search of her real father.James is a seventeen-year-old who thinks he's a psychopath and dreams about murdering someone. He meets Alyssa, moody peer who is leaving her mother and step-father to start a search for her father. James comes with her in order to kill her on the way, but this adventure gets unpredictable twist which will stick you to the screen. Jessica Barden and Alex Lawther perfectly portrayed two eccentric teenagers. The series has eight twenty-minute episodes and there was no way I could stop until I saw it through. I dare you to try.
8/10 - 2006–201346mTV-MA8.6 (146)TV EpisodeStarsJack BlackVictor BrandtGeorge FisherIn METALOCALYPSE: the DOOMSTAR REQUIEM A KLOK OPERA, we pick up directly after the abduction of Dethklok guitarist Toki Wartooth in the season 4 finale. With his life in danger, his only salvation can come from the four most selfish human celebrities on earth-his bandmates, extreme metal band DETHKLOK. Will they be able to get past their own egos to help someone besides themselves? Find out in this one-hour heavy metal rock opera special with a completely original score.After four excellent seasons, fifth season consists of just one, final episode, which rounds and closes the series. With duration of four regular episodes, "The Doomstar Requiem" is rock opera, where complete story, with all dialogues, is shown through songs. Music is great, genre diverse and very fun. I suppose the series was canceled and they made this just to avoid leaving the story unfinished, but that doesn't make it any less awesome. I enjoyed all 63 episodes and I'll miss it.
9/10 - CreatorDavid S. GoyerStarsSticky FingazJill WagnerNelson LeeThe adventures of the half human/vampire hunter.Wesley Snipes is the only true Blade
From the very beginning it was weird to see Sticky Fingaz instead of Wesley Snipes, but once you get used to it, "Blade" becomes quite entertaining show. It's sequel to the movie franchise and has pretty good plot that pulls you in and it's a shame it was canceled after single season. There's no bigger flaws to brag about, but it also doesn't have any outstanding qualities. Just an average Marvel that will bring joy to Blade fans and mediocre for the rest of us.
6/10 - StarsMamoru MiyanoBrad SwaileVincent TongAn intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.Excellent thriller with a lousy finale
I watched first 6 (out of 37) episodes and I'm hooked. Although this type of animation goes on my nerves, it's not as bad as in other anime I encountered so far, and the story is so good that I have to see it through, no matter retarded looks of Shinigami and all the other flaws of the genre. This would be excellent feature thriller, either movie or series. If possible, in Japanese or European production, although I doubt even Hollywood could screw it too much. But, speculation on the side, in this form, I rate it
8/10
As the series progressed, I was more and more tempted to give it a 9, or even 10, but the last episode was a real disappointment. Someone who has been living a triple life for six years and playing the game at such a high level would not make such an amateur mistake. I knew they will get him eventually, but I was expecting some highly intelligent mindfak, not the outworn cliche of a villain exulting in the face of the enemy before his plan succeeded. Final rating
8,5/10 - CreatorElizabeth MeriwetherStarsZooey DeschanelJake JohnsonMax GreenfieldAfter a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. Although they find her behavior very unusual, the men support her - most of the time.At the urging of my dear, I agreed last night to watch the episode or two of the series that I have long been avoiding, just to get her off my back. And ... we watched the whole first season. Guys, this is so much fun and addictive that I could see all 150 episodes in a row. It's not some top-notch quality show, but in more than few occasions I laughed out loud, and it is quite rare for me. It's obvious that it's inspired by "Friends", but it's not a bad copy that steals old jokes and it really has a soul. Warm recommendation.
8/10 - CreatorMick GarrisStarsKaren Elizabeth AustinJ. Winston CarrollMiho NinagawaAnchor Bay's collection, which has amassed some of the best horror film anthologies.This is a series of 26 one-hour horror films, directed by 19 different directors, which for some reason have been selected as "masters of horror". While some of them really are masters, the choice of others quite surprised me. Some movies have original stories, some are adaptations of the giants of the genre, such as Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft or Clive Barker. The quality varies from barely watchful crap to really excellent short films. The series overall is far from a masterpiece, but most episodes hold attention and everyone will find something for themselves. There is some really horrific horror and gore and serious drama, and there's also plenty of dark humor and effects that look like those from B movies of the '80s, where monsters, rather than being scary, wake nostalgia and bring smile to our faces. And there's also a couple of really painful embarrassment transfers. The second season is significantly weaker and I'm not surprised that the series has been canceled, but the fans of the horror should not miss it. I especially recommend "Valerie on the Stairs" (Barker), "Jenifer" (Argento), "Dreams in the Witch-House" (Lovecraft) and "The Black Cat" (Poe).
7/10 - CreatorChad HodgeStarsSiobhan Fallon HoganToby JonesShannyn SossamonA Secret Service agent goes to Wayward Pines, Idaho in search of two federal agents who have gone missing in the bucolic town. He soon learns that he might never get out of Wayward Pines alive.It's a shame that it's over after just two seasons
A year ago, I watched the first season and, since it was a well-rounded story that does not require a continuation, and since the second season has picked up predominantly bad criticism, I gave up on further watching. A few days ago, I changed my mind and watched the series all the way through. Do not make the mistake I made and believe bad reviews, because the second season is excellent, and in some aspects maybe better than the first one. I guess bad reviews are the result of a big difference between seasons, but the fact that the second season deviated from the patterns of the first does not make it worse, just different. While the first season is a mindfuck mystery and is based on confusing plot and mystical atmosphere, the second season is a post-apocalyptic SF drama. While the first season puzzles you and makes you guess, the second gives answers but, because of the strong interpersonal relationships, life dramas and several unexpected surprises and plot twists, it isn't any less exciting than the first. I believe it could have been better, but it's great anyway and it's a real shame they gave up on it after just two seasons. Don't let the fact it's canceled dissuade you from watching it, because both seasons are rounded wholes, that leave room for a continuation, but don't require it. There are no unresolved cliffhangers.
P.S. I did not mention anything about the story itself, because even the briefest summary would be an unforgivable spoiler.
8/10 - DirectorRichard DuhaneyCraig WallaceStarsAlex HouseMaggie CastleBill TurnbullThe animated conclusion to the live action Todd and The Book Of Pure Evil Show. Todd tries to mend his friendship with Curtis after killing his girlfriend. The book has returned along with Hannah and there is talk of a new Pure Evil one."Todd and the Book of Pure Evil" was TV series that was broadcast from 2010 till 2012, and I already wrote about it:
"This is simply awesome. Combination of high-school show, comedy and horror, that packs cliches of '80s and '90s into catchy 20 minutes portions of pure fun. All accompanied with lots of weed and heavy metal. Plus, in main supporting role we have Jason Mewes, Jay from legendary Jay and Silent Bob duo. The only flaw of this show is that it was canceled after two seasons, so main story is left incomplete. However, every episode has own rounded plot so they can be watched separately. Also, animated movie that should finish the story is announced and it's expected very soon. Recommendation for everyone who love metal, weed, '80s horrors, teen comedies, things so stupid that they're ingenious and good fun. I saw all 26 episodes in just a few days and I yearn for more.
9/10"
At the time show was cancelled, authors had scenario prepared for total of four seasons so, for the story not to remain incomplete, they announced that they would pack the remaining two seasons into a full-length animated film. I was eagerly awaiting the day when they will finally release this cartoon, but eventually I made peace with the fact that it will not happen. And then, six years after the cancellation of the series, "The End of the End" really appeared.
The animation of characters very faithfully mimics actors from the series, and the voices are given to them by the original cast. The story continues in the same manner as in the first two seasons but, due to the shortening of the entire two seasons into a 80 minutes film, the decline in the quality of the story is more than obvious. And the cartoon simply can not replace the atmosphere of the original show. It does not make sense to watch this movie if you have not watched the series, and it is pretty much lousy standing alone, but for a big fans of the series, such as myself, it's great, on the one hand because I finally learned how the story ends and on the other because of nostalgia. Objectively it doesn'tt deserve such a high grade, but love is stronger than reason and I rate it
7/10 - CreatorJonathan E. SteinbergStarsMark ValleyChi McBrideJackie Earle HaleyA unique bodyguard protects his clients by secretly infiltrating their lives in order to draw out and eliminate threats.A different kind of superhero
Christopher Chance is an ex-assassin who decided to cross to the other side and rescue the targets of his former colleagues. His new motto is that nobody deserves to die and he is the man you are calling for help when you are in a hopeless situation. This action series is based on the DC comic and it is a true refreshment in the sea of superhero strip adaptations. The main role is Mark Valley, who played in about 40 series, and is best known for his roles in Body of Proof, Harry's Law and Boston Legal. The story, directing, acting ... everything is in place. Nothing superb, but no serious flaws either. But it is very addictive and I finished the first season in just a few days. Recommendation.
8/10 - CreatorJosh FriedmanStarsLena HeadeyThomas DekkerSummer GlauSet after the events in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Sarah Connor and her son, John, try to stay under-the-radar from the government, as they plot to destroy the computer network, Skynet, in hopes of preventing Armageddon.I accidentally bumped into this series, I did not even know existed, and I watched the first episode with no special expectations. Seven episodes later I admit that I am hooked. The series ignores "T3" and continues on "Terminator 2", although it takes some elements from "T3". "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" can be seen as the new third part of the franchise, which is there to push and replace rather unsuccessful "T3".
In the first season, the series does not bring anything new, but is a worthy successor of cult films that precede it, and in all aspects it is more than solid. Initially, I was not overly intrigued, because I had the impression that I was once again watching "Terminator 2", just stretched on the series season, but I continued to watch because in the role of a cyborg that protects John was Summer Glau, which, you must admit, is much more pleasant for the eye than Arnold. It seems that Summer is a family friend of the house of Lannister, because just yesterday I saw her sharing the screen with Tyrion in "Knights of Badassdom", and in this series two leading female roles belong to Summer and Cersei. When you connect name Sarah Connor with the face of Linda Hamilton for more than two decades, it's very strange to see Lena Headey in that role, so the initial impression was very bad. But after just a few episodes Lena will suppress Linda from your head, if not forever, then at least till this series is over. Thomas Dekker is not Edward Furlong, but he is a good actor and this change didn't bother me at all. All supporting roles are well-cast, and there are also some familiar faces from the past, like David from "Beverly Hills 90210" who plays one of the biggest supporting roles.
I can not wait to see what the second season brings, which, according to the reviews, is much better than the first.
8/10
The story in the series is far more complex than the story in the movies and, I dare to say, even better. Deeper characterization is implied because a series leaves much more space for that than a movie. And finally, Summer Glau is not only enchanting, but she's incomparably better and more convincing Terminator than Arnold. My current rank list is:
1. The Sarah Connor Chronicles
2. Terminator 2
3. The Terminator
4. T3 (it would be better if it wasn't made at all) - CreatorIvan RaimiSam RaimiTom SpezialyStarsBruce CampbellRay SantiagoDana DeLorenzoAsh has spent the last thirty years avoiding responsibility, maturity, and the terrors of the Evil Dead until a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind and Ash becomes mankind's only hope.Ash vs Evil Dead Diary
Ash Williams and his chainsaw are back
28 June 2018
Thirty years after he cut off his hand, Ash lives in a trailer and uses a false story about losing his hand by rescuing an eight-year-old boy from certain death in order to seduce women in bars. During that time, the "Book of the Dead" is waiting patiently, hidden in the trailer. And Ash would not be Ash if he didn't do something stupid and started a new series of horrors. The series adheres to the tried-and-tested recipe and combines comedy and horror, and Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell grow old as wine and they are better than ever.
Just finished the first season
09 July 2018
The story is better written and more interesting than in movies. Perfectly orchestrated action, a furious pace with no idling and unnecessary dialogue and cheesy humor guarantee a crazy ride of uninterrupted fun. The acting of the main and the most of the side actors is very good, and characterization is excellent and unexpectedly complex for the "Evil Dead" franchise. Camera, colors, effects, editing, sound, music,... everything is superbly done and provides a hypnotizing atmosphere that makes this series a masterpiece of the genre.
"I'm not finished yet." - "That's what they all say, baby."
19 July 2018
The series is full of original ideas and details and is so ingeniously filmed that it represents a feast for the eyes and ears, and the one-liners, which would make even Schwarzenegger envious, are an inexhaustible source of laughter.- I like my kids cooked medium rare.
- And I love the smell of old man in the morning.
Magnificent Experience
22 July 2018
I just finished the third season and it's hard to describe in words how hateful I am towards those responsible for canceling this show. I hope some visionary, who sees the greatness of this series, will show up to buy out the rights from idiots who canceled it and make at least one more season. It was really the magnificent experience.
10/10 - CreatorTom KapinosStarsTom EllisLauren GermanKevin AlejandroLucifer Morningstar has decided he's had enough of being the dutiful servant in Hell and decides to spend some time on Earth to better understand humanity. He settles in Los Angeles - the City of Angels."In the beginning... The angel Lucifer was cast out of Heaven and condemned to rule Hell for all eternity. Until he decided to take vacation..."
The Devil was sick of Hell, so he moved to Los Angeles and opened a nightclub, where he spends his days and nights living the motto "sex, drugs and rock'n'roll". Until he falls in love with police detective Chloe and becomes her civilian consultant. Each episode brings a new case of murder that Chloe and Lucifer solve by combining her detective and his supernatural abilities, with Chloe not knowing that he really is the Devil. The murder cases are quite original, the ways they are solved are cleverly designed and interesting, and the mutual relations of the characters are entertainingly complex and imbued with great humor. Over time, the series introduces more and more new characters and celestial beings, but it succeeds in maintaining the level of development of characters and their interrelations, and not getting lost in exaggeration and excessive complicating. The characters are diverse, well developed and there's one for everyone's taste. Personally, I prefer Mazikeen, the main torturer in Hell and Lucifer's bodyguard, although they somewhat spoiled her in the third season.
DC Entertainment has surpassed itself this time. "Lucifer" is so far the best DC series and I do not understand why they decided to shut it down after just three seasons. Fortunately, Netflix has purchased the rights and in 2019 we can expect the fourth season. Warm recommendation to fans of humorous, crime and supernatural series, because "Lucifer" is a perfectly balanced mix of these genres.
8,5/10 - DirectorFrank De PalmaJodie FosterRichard FriedmanStarsMiranda BeesonBill CainJeff ConawayCompilation of five horror stories from Tales from the Darkside (1983) that takes the viewer into the dark world of vampires, cursed objects and sinister humor. Despite the title, only the final story is by Stephen King.From the "Tales from the Darkside" TV series
"Stephen King's Golden Tales" is a compilation of five episodes from the "Tales from the Darkside" TV series, of which only one actually is an adaptation of King's story. I have no idea on what basis these episodes are selected because their quality is rather uneven and, as for the entire series, which I recently watched, the average score is somewhere around
6/10
Tales from the Darkside (1983–1988)
Few gems mixed with a bunch of nonsense
11 November 2017
Although there are some real masterpieces, most of it is just mediocre and there are even some episodes that make 20 minutes seem like an eternity. Still, I recommend this show because good ones are worthy of getting through bad ones to see them.
6/10 - StarsGlenn TarantoEllie HarvieBrody SmithThe spooky family - Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Granmama, Lurch, Thing, and Cousin Itt - have a lot of neighbors and other outsiders who show up and get freaked out by the family's macabre shenanigans.I can't watch this
I am a huge fan of the original series and because of that I am giving a chance to every adaptation of Addams. Movies were OK, although not even close to the original show. Animated series was unwatchable and now there's this. "The New Addams Family" is a color remake of the original series. Although story and humor are quite similar, the new cast is way below the original, both in looks and performances, and overall atmosphere leaves an impression of a parody rather than a remake. I can not say it is especially bad, and if I didn't watch the series from the sixties maybe I would even like this a bit. But I did watch it and I love it very much, so I experienced this as a blasphemy and it was literally painful for me to watch.
4/10 - CreatorPaul AbbottJohn WellsStarsEmmy RossumWilliam H. MacyEthan CutkoskyA scrappy, feisty, fiercely loyal Chicago family makes no apologies.The perfect title
I just finished the first season of the American version of "Shameless". I never saw the British original, nor do I intend to, because the majority says that "remake" is better. Is it really better I can not say, but it is awesome.
How to describe this show in just one word? Shameless! I've never seen anything with a name that fits so perfectly and I can not decide if this show is more sick or ingenious. The story is boldly lifelike and, with a combination of heavy drama and hilarious comedy, it will hit you like a hammer. Whether you like it or not, there's no chance you'll be bored. Directing and music are great and the cast is more than excellent. From episode to episode it leaves me speechless. Complete nuthouse.
****
After 11 seasons, the series that I experienced as a parallel life ended. For something that lasts so long, the quality necessarily varies, but despite all the downs, the series has always managed to recover and maintain average quality at a fairly high level. I may have become too attached to it to be objective, but overall, I think it deserves
8,5/10 - DirectorDennis SteinmetzStarsJohn AstinTed CassidyJackie CooganA revival of the popular '60s TV comedy series "The Addams Family" has them preparing for Halloween in their own inimitable way.Black and white vs. color
Some people wonder why anyone would make a black-and-white film in the era of color films. There are many reasons, and this film is an excellent example. A decade after the completion of the cult series "The Addams Family" (1964-1966), the original cast gathered to make this TV special. As a big fan of the original series, I looked forward to enjoying the adventures of this hilarious family some more, but after I saw it I wished I didn't, because it only spoiled the memory of my favorite childhood series. Although there are 8 actors from the original show, only Jackie Coogan, Carolyn Jones and Ted Cassidy retained the old charms, and John Astin seems like he never stopped being Gomez, while Wednesday and Pugsley are completely unrecognizable. The rest of the cast is mediocre and the scenario is unoriginal, unimaginative and boring. But the final nail in the coffin was nailed by the decision to make this film in color. The color completely erased every trace of Addams's original atmosphere and totally ruined the already bad movie. If they were left in black-and-white, it would somewhat save this film, and even if everything else in the film was excellent, the color would spoil the impression. I really like Carolyn Jones, but Morticia in color is not Morticia anymore.
4/10 - DirectorJohn HarrisonStarsDebbie HarryMatthew LawrenceChristian SlaterTo stall a witch plotting to eat him, a boy reads her horror tales dealing with a collegian's resurrection of a mummy, a murderous cat, and an artist's pact with a gargoyle.Much better than the series
A boy delivering newspapers gets caught by a modern witch, who plans to prepare him for a gala dinner. The witch gives him cookies to fatten him up and a book titled "Tales from the Darkside". In order to postpone the oven, when the witch returns home, the boy delays by reading her the best stories from the book. This combination of "Hansel and Gretel" and "1001 night" serves as a wraparound story for the omnibus of three short horror films.
The first one is an adaptation of the short story "Lot 249" by Arthur Conan Doyle, characterized by a dark and mystical atmosphere and good acting and directing, although it lacks tension. The second film is an adaptation of Stephen King's "Cat from Hell", story about a hitman hired to kill a cat, which is much easier said than done. The last one is an original "love" story by Michael McDowell, quite predictable but no less striking.
The film is better than the TV series of the same name for many reasons. The most obvious one is a considerably larger budget that allowed in every respect better production. The movie gathers famous cast, including Debbie Harry, Christian Slater, Steve Buscemi and Julianne Moore, which provides a much better acting than the one in the series. It is far from a masterpiece, but for the lovers of '80s horror, this is a real treat.
7,5/10 - DirectorTrey ParkerStarsAdrien BeardJessica MakinsonMona MarshallThe children of South Park form two battling contingents to get a PlayStation 4 or an Xbox One during a Black Friday sale. Meanwhile, Randy takes a temp job as a security guard at the mall in order to make a little extra holiday money.All bow to Princess Kenny
South Park's authors should be given the Nobel Oscars for Lifetime Achievement. These people are completely nuts. It is the fact that everyday life is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for mockery, but South Park does it better than anyone else. This time they made a parody of "Game of Thrones" and spiced it by ridiculing "The Lord of the Rings", "Star Wars" and other cult franchises, along the way, poking gamers, global corporations, the media and more. And all that in the form of TRILOGY. Be sure not to miss episodes 7-9 of the seventeenth season. It was a rather painful experience, because it is quite inconvenient to laugh like crazy while your jaw stiffened in disbelief.
10/10 - CreatorDominic MinghellaMark CrowdyCraig FergusonStarsMartin ClunesCaroline CatzIan McNeiceThe trials and tribulations of Martin Ellingham, a brilliant but socially challenged doctor who moves from London to the picturesque village of Port Wenn in Cornwall.Relaxingly addictive
A prominent London surgeon suddenly begins to suffer from haemophobia, and therefore leaves surgery and goes to the small coastal village to be a general practitioner. But neither he feels good about local mentality and customs, nor villages like his uptightness and arrogance. Martin Clunes is brilliant in the role of a socially handicapped doctor who is clumsily trying fit into, for him, a totally abnormal environment. The series is slow paced and very relaxing, moderately colored by drama, comedy, and romance, and although it is far from the masterpiece of television, it is incredibly addictive. Last night I finished the first season and so far I rate it
7,5/10 - CreatorRoberto Aguirre-SacasaStarsKiernan ShipkaRoss LynchLucy DavisAs her 16th birthday nears, Sabrina Spellman must reconcile her dual nature as a half-witch, half-mortal while fighting the evil forces that threaten her, her family, and the daylight world humans inhabit.Déjà-vu medley
Last night I saw half of the first season of the new "Sabrina" and, frankly, I do not like it. I did not read the comic book, so I do not know the extent to which the original material is respected, but if you were expecting a remake of the '90s series, you'll be disappointed, because this has nothing to do with it except for a few names. The '90s series was a sitcom, a typical high school comedy with a witch in the main role and a talking cat, whose remarks were by far the best thing on the show. "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" is a dark fantasy-drama that deals with racism, feminism, religion and coming-of-age topics in, in my opinion, an insipid way. Personally, I prefer dealing with these topics through sarcasm and quality humor, but I have nothing against serious approach either. The trouble is that the new "Sabrina" is not witty. It pretends to a serious approach to these topics, but packed into pretty frivolous fantasy series, which simply doesn't work. The series is not serious enough to experience it as a drama, it's not dark or scary enough for horror, and it's not enough over-the-top to fall under so-bad-it's good type of show. As I watched the first five episodes, all the time I had a déjà-vu feeling, and too often I recognized situations, cadres, details, and even entire scenes from various movies and series. The question arises whether the authors are so unimaginative that they had to copy what is already seen, or their intention was to make the series a homage to the classics they value. Whatever it is, I think they overdid it. Further, I did not like the fact that witches are shown as Satanists and cannibals. I have always looked upon witches as beings in harmony with nature, who have a free choice of whether to use magic for good or for evil, whereas here they are shown as a cult that gets its powers directly from the Devil in exchange for an unconditional surrender to satanism. But most of all I was disappointed by the cat, Salem. His character being terribly neglected is explained by the fact that the main actress is allergic to cats, but there's no excuse for him not being able to speak. On the technical side, the series is well done, and the only thing I resent is a really irritating blurring of the background, the purpose of which I really do not understand.
By both the story and production, "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" reminds me of the over-the-top tongue-in-cheek series "Scream Queens" and "Ash vs Evil Dead", but it's not nearly as good. Try to imagine any of these two shows trying to be serious and you'll understand why I do not like the new "Sabrina".
6,5/10 - CreatorChris CarterStarsDavid DuchovnyGillian AndersonMitch PileggiTwo F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts."What you don't see is actually scarier than what you do see" - Chris Carter
As a kid, I watched occasional episodes of this cult series now and then, and I could say I liked it, but without continuity, I could not get the right impression, nor did it matter to me then. As they decided to revive it, I decided to watch it properly.
"The X-Files" is an SF mystery-thriller based on unresolved FBI cases that in one way or another involve extraterrestrial life. Some episodes deviate from this template and deal with other supernatural and unexplained phenomena, but the series as a whole concentrates on the relationship of two agents, one of which believes in extraterrestrial intelligence, while the other is a skeptic, believing only in scientifically proven facts. Among them, of course, there is strong chemistry, but they persistently remain only partners, and over time friends, which further boosts the power of stories.
Gillian Anderson is quite antipathic to me personally, but I admit that I can not imagine any other actress in that role. On the other hand, the majority of the audience identifies actor David Duchovny with the character of Fox Mulder and for years I was convinced that in every other role he would always be Mulder to me. Until the series "Californication" appeared, in which the character of Hank Moody completely wiped out any identification with "The X-Files". This is one of my favorite series, and Hank Moody is definitely my favorite television character, so when I started to rewatch "The X-Files", I was surprised how easily he became Agent Mulder again. This level of credibility and commitment to such different roles made him one of my favorite actors.
From today's perspective, the series is quite outdated, but in its time it fascinated both with originality and special effects extremely imaginative and quality for the television budget. But what gave it the greatest strength to achieve the high tension and even horror effect, is the motto of its creator Chris Carter, which I used as the title for my review. There is no such technology, such budget, and such special effects that can be measured in the intimidation of the audience with the imagination of the viewer. A hint of horror will always achieve a stronger effect than explicitly shown alien or monster, which in most cases, however well-done, only weaken the credibility of the situation and turn terrifying into ridiculous, or miserable. I must also mention the fantastic music by Mark Snow. "The X-Files" theme is one of the best out there. It's spooky and mysterious and it echoes deep into space, like the music itself is trying to reach distant worlds.
So far, I saw the first season and I'm not particularly thrilled, but, if I remember correctly, the series keeps getting better. For now, I'm rating it
7/10 - StarsGary BakewellLaura FraserHywel BennettA man in London encounters an injured young woman, and instantly exists only to those in London Below. As he helps the woman escape from assassins, he must try to find his way back to London Above."You're all very stupid people and you do not know anything"
Books are usually better than their screenings. This is somehow logical, because the adaptation changes the source material to accommodate it to another and completely different medium, whose explicitness could never be compared with the infinite possibilities of crossing the imagination of the author with the imagination of the reader. But it seems that even when things are going in the opposite direction, the books still win.
"Neverwhere" is a British mini-series that Neil Gaiman wrote directly for TV, and then subsequently turned its scenario into a novel, which changed from release to release until it became one of my favorite books, which series on which it is based exceeds in every respect. Although it's BBC, the series is low-budget or at least looks cheap. Also, there are only six half-hour episodes, and the potential here is quite enough for at least ten times more, which would allow a more detailed story and better character development. But that does not mean it's bad. On the contrary, I liked it, because it very convincingly fits quite original fantasy world into our reality. The main problem is that the actors can not play, the director cannot direct, and studio and filming locations cannot look as good as I can imagine when I read a book.
Any attempt to give you a brief idea about its plot finished as a spoiler, so I'm giving up on that intention. The mere fact that it's written by Neil Gaiman should be reason enough for you to take a look.
9/10 for author's imagination
5/10 for the technical realization