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philipkmeadows
Reviews
Criminal Minds: Normal (2008)
Son of a Mitch...
This episode just aired as a re-run as I returned home from the pub. I enjoy CM for some casual viewing, am by no means a fanboi.
I only caught the second half, but it was easy enough to get an idea of what had occurred beforehand.
So I sat down, chilled out, noted to myself, "Ooh, it's FBI Director Skinner as the unsub, that's cool" - Then the investigation climax scene occurred...
I'm not gonna spoil it, but OMFG, it's a kick in the guts and utterly heartbreaking!
Massive props to Mitch Pileggi for a truly emotive portrayal, and also to the stunt drivers for a feature-quality car chase sequence.
Memory (2022)
Why Some Reviews Are Poor
Memory (2022) is a solid film. Some reviews are unfavourable because of the way the film was marketed as a full-on Liam Neeson piece.
It is not a Liam Neeson movie in the way Taken, Unknown, The Commuter etc. Are, so it's probable that some folks' expectations were not met.
Memory is more an ensemble piece of several key characters, with Liam AND Guy Pierce joint front and centre. Guy is especially brilliant here. It is a dark and gritty crime thriller involving heinous acts, power, corruption, morality - plenty to consume and consider.
It's a soup of Sicario, Man on Fire, The Departed, State of Play etc. It is more thinking and less action, basically. I loved it.
Private Eyes (2016)
Wholesome and Fun
I love dark, gritty and macabre thrillers and horror, but every now and then, I like a break from the bleakness
I discovered Private Eyes by accident, but have to say, it is a brilliantly made show, the high point being the chemistry between Jason Priestley and Cindy Sampson. Well done to all involved.
7500 (2019)
It says "Thriller" on the tin...
... and that's exactly what you get
7500 near gave me an anxiety attack, it is tense and claustrophobic. Joseph Gordon Levitt is fantastic, as are the other cast. Just watch it...
Community: App Development and Condiments (2014)
Pertinent
It's now December 2021, around 5+ years after this episode came out
Using mobile phones to determine social class and mobility? My word were they ahead of the curve...
The Ritual (2017)
Great First Half, Then a Mess. Pity
Spoilers ahead, folks
The first act and a half of The Ritual is actually fantastic - great acting, scenery, mood, mystery, terror; the lot. Good cerebral stuff
Alas, after this point, it went downhill for me...
What began as a tense and taught exercise in psychological terror becomes a standard-fare oddball cult tale, then creature-feature
Think Wicker Man meets The Babadook, then you're close. I don't blame the filmmakers for a second, being based on a novel - I just found it a naff story ending, that had initial promise
Not entirely sure how I'd rewrite it, but the less-is-more and mystery/unexplained points would be key...
The Hitcher (2007)
So, I Actually Liked It...
I've not seen the 1986 original yet, and expect I'll find that the superior version, so I got to see this with no preconceptions
As a horror/thriller it delivered for me: good pacing and intense moments. Sean Bean did a sterling job playing a 24 carat a-hole, and Sophia Bush is a pure delight (call me!)
VERY MINOR SPOILERS...
My only tiny gripe was a scene with quite dramatic action losing its impact by having slow-mo and Nine Inch Nails (great band) blaring over it, and the protagonists not thinking to use an available CB radio directly afterwards
All in all though, worth a glance.
The Conspiracy (2012)
Prior to 2021, This Seemed Ridiculous
Maybe I've been in lockdown too long - Love how this features a Time Magazine article blowing the lid on a conspiracy, then I randomly watch this w/e Feb 7, 2021...
Host (2020)
Great Fun!
Watched by myself in a dark room - not disappointed
A creative way to adapt to the lockdown situation. Well done to all involved
The Last Days on Mars (2013)
Glad I Watched It
... despite the numerous negative reviews.
I found The Last Days on Mars a decent sci-fi/horror. More highbrow than Life, slowly-paced, well performed characters. Ticked all my boxes
Longmire (2012)
Tried, Several Times, Just Can't
Longmire is an apt title, as it describes what this show feels like to watch. It's average
I suspect it was green-lit following the success of the excellent show "Justified" - small town no-nonsense lawman format
Do yourself a favour, watch Justified instead
The Domestics (2018)
2020 Lockdown - Makes You Ponder...
The Purge meets Mad Max and Lord of The Flies
I've given The Domestics (TD) a 10 score as I believe it deserves a higher cumulative ranking on IMDb
TD is not a standard apocalypse flick, not Hollywood 'splosions and gore. It's a slow-paced piece, focusing on human behaviour above all else, in a theatre of lawlessness where it is clear that the concept of free will can be both a gift and a curse...
47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)
Get In The Sea
This film is awful. Dumb script & characters. Woeful CGI. The final scenes are so ridiculous they are unintentionally hilarious. Might appeal to 14 year olds, the cerebrally challenged, and masochists.
The Vatican Tapes (2015)
Actually Very Good
Bemused by low scores for The Vatican Tapes, for me it was very good. It's a slow build-up, an original(ish) story - unlike some by-the-numbers possession-related flicks, and not "predictable". Worth an hour and a half of your time...
Unité 42 (2017)
Love Unité 42!
Enjoyable show that keeps the techy stuff as plausible as possible, and with great characters. Of particular note is Constance Gay as Billie, who is very watchable