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Reviews
The Mosquito Coast (2021)
Good series, deserves a 7ish
So many reviewers rate things a few grades below what they probably should and it's sad. I think there's a lot of shows out there that could probably have a score a full point higher but too many people rate things 5 or below that don't deserve it. This show maybe could've been done in 12 episodes versus 17, but that's what we got. The actors play their parts well and the scenery is gorgeous. As far as the script there's quite a bit of profanity, a lot from the kids, that could've probably been taken down a notch. I was curious where the story would go and felt it came to a satisfying conclusion. I doubt I'll watch it again, but if they had somehow furthered the story I would probably still wish to see where it goes. Gave it an 8 to try and get it closer to a 7. It's really not as bad as people are saying it is. I will say that there is that familiar element of a family member screwing up the plan that drives me nuts in some of these shows. Think the wives in Breaking Bad/Ozarks, although it's usually the kids, as in this show.
Under the Silver Lake (2018)
GREAT Movie..
As I was writing this review I had to go back and make sure that David Lynch didn't direct it. It's a trip for sure. It's kinda twisty and tense at times, but not necessarily fast paced. It has a lot of satirical comedy, making fun of Hollywood at times but also just making fun of life in general. I liked this movie the first time I saw it, and loved it the second time when I knew not to take it too seriously. The acting, directing, and script mesh together perfectly. For those that are turned off by it, there IS quite a bit of nudity and profanity, but IMO not excessive at al. They both lend to the underlying sleazy image of Hollywood that I feel the movie is portraying. 8.5 to 9/10.. Criminally underrated at under 7 on IMDB.
Oracle (2023)
VERY Bad
One star for the production quality and one star for the atmosphere. The acting is pretty dull. An earlier reviewer described the characters as bland and unlikable. I completely agree. The main character barely shows interest or emotion. I don't want to "spoil" anything but there's two times where characters just don't react to some pretty serious events. Besides all that it's a horror movie that's been done before, only better. I'm glad I didn't pay to watch this, it's one of the worst movies I've seen in a while honestly. Fortunately it's only an hour and twenty six minutes long. Usually I throw out some ideas I think could've maybe helped but this one needs to much help. 3 out of 10 is generous.
His Dark Materials (2019)
S1 Great s2 Good s3 BORING
I haven't read the novels so my rating isn't based at all on quality of adaptation. I did see "The Golden Compass" and didn't remember much of it at all, so I will say that this incarnation is better. But as in my title, the first season was great. I was very intrigued by the idea of this world that the author created. I enjoyed learning about it while also understanding the story that was unfolding. The second season continued well enough and kept me interested and wondering where things were going. By the end of the second season I WAS excited to see how the ending was going to unfold. Then came the third season. As a previous viewer says it seems like it was drawn out more than it needed to be. I found it difficult to get through actually. It's VERY slow. I almost stopped watching a couple episodes to read a synopsis of what happens on Wikipedia. The last season actually brings my rating down as a result. IMO season 1 is an 8.5/10 season 2 is a 7.5/10 but season 3 is a 6/10.
They Called Him Mostly Harmless (2024)
HBO does it again. Fantastic doc
I've watched a couple HBO docs and they just seem to be a cut above the rest. I get like the editing was a 10/10. I won't say there are crazy twists in this one or insane revelations. I don't want to give anything away. I will say this took me on a journey, almost akin to the Appalachian trail that the subject himself hiked. It's full of relatable characters. I wish I could say insane or quirky people, but everyone included seems like pretty normal people. I feel for the people in the documentary that this person influenced, as we all can be influenced by a random person in unforseeabke ways. I thought this was a really well done documentary that took me on a whole journey of emotions, and because of that I highly recommend it. It was a well spent hour and a half in my opinion.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)
A Very Good Star Trek series
This series really captures the old school feel with new visuals for me. Admittedly I only watched all of the movies, a lot of The New Generation, and some of the Original Series. I didn't see much of Voyager, Deep Space Nine or Enterprise. I have watched Discovery but none of Picard. I like this series because I don't feel like the writers are trying to bring their own baggage or messages into the mix. For the most part, each episode starts with a new conflict but resolved it by the end. This approach does seem to protect characters through "plot armor" and seems rushed at times, but I still like that each episode is almost a story in itself. It feels more episodic that way versus a season long story arc.
All that said I would warn future viewers that the end of season two is and absolute cliffhanger and I wish I had waited to watch it. I can't wait for the resolution and season 3!! Great visuals, the script is well written and the actors are well cast. It's an all around good show and a great addition to the Star Trek library. I binged it easily within a couple days because I wanted to see what was gonna happen next. I recommend this show and give it an 8+\10 but they don't do half stars lol.
Reacher (2022)
F!@$ING AWESOME
Reacher is an absolute bad ass. No nonsense, in your face, no apologies. The cast is perfect and acting is on point. Fight scenes are well choreographed with believable and realistic moves and injuries. The soundtrack is great but the music isn't overbearing or ever takes away from the scene. The script is FANTASTIC. It's smart without being hard to follow, and twists are not easily predicted. There are some laugh out loud comments and heartfelt moments, interlaced with intense and suspenseful scenes. Seasons One and Two are awesome and I hope there's several more to come as of 2/2024
It's a masterpiece, and I'm glad I watched it so I can tell everyone I come across to do the same.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Better than a 6
I think if you remember that this came out back in 2000 you will appreciate it more. John Woo at his most Woo, the cinematography is excellent, as is the soundtrack. I think this was one of Thandie Newton's first big films and she is absolutely gorgeous. There is a lot of subtle undertones with peoples expressions, which lends a lot to the script. It's smart without being overly intelligent, nor does it have to be. I thought a lot of the stunts weren't too over the top and believable at times. I gave it a 9/10 to try and boost the rating because a 6.1 is insane. I think people are too willing to give movies 1 star out of 10, and it's unfair to the production quality honesty. Watching it again in 2023 and the camera work is topnotch. This is one of the earlier big action films to incorporate slow motion within fast pace scenes. A fantastic film from 20 years ago that still holds up in my opinion.
30 Days of Night (2007)
Better than 6.6 for sure
What I loved about the movie is its ability to give off the "very close-knit community that is out in the middle of nowhere" vibe. I've lived in Vegas my whole life so I always find seemingly accurate portrayals of small rural towns intriguing. That atmosphere is what really drives the terror and desperation for me. This town is already halfway cutoff from the world and is perfect prey for an onslaught of vampires. These creatures are much faster and stronger than humans, and most of the town is easily dispatched leaving only a handful of people just trying to survive. This attack comes out of nowhere and really catches the community off guard. These points are very evident throughout the movie. The vampires are brutal and terrifying. I wish there had been a little more backstory in their history honestly. I thought the acting was great with beautiful cinematography and gory effects that showed how fragile our bodies can be. It's pretty intense at times and I think if you try to put yourself in these people's shoes it can really add to the horror. I watch this movie every few years because I think it's a great vampire flick.
Ascendant (2021)
Pretty bad
It feels like someone had a couple different ideas for a movie that they tried to string together. Maybe if I was a young teenager I might've liked it more and not thought too much into it. There were some unnecessary things to add minutes in my opinion. What was the point of her cutting herself crawling back into the elevator? Why did the bad guy keep cutting off their conversations? If he needed information and was going to use torturing her dad then why do it in five or six different segments? Like I said earlier it felt like ALOT of dragging out and filler, and ALOT of the backstory is just given out in conversation. This could've easily been an hour long episode of maybe a 3 episode mini-series, but I doubt they'll get a green light for a sequel.
Strawberry Mansion (2021)
Just enjoy the trip
Stephan_fr made an excellent point in explaining the reason behind the films visuals. To me it really helps bring a 70's vibe to a current/near future message about the oppressive nature of advertising. I felt the script and acting was great. This is a movie about dreams and changes course like dreams do. I think if you try to read too much into it, you'll find that the book changes. There is a love story as well that unfolds as naturally as it can in such a chaotic setting. It doesn't seem to make sense but it's not really supposed to.
Overall I give it an 8/10 for the eclectic and quirkiness. It's a little all over the place but it is meant to be. I think the people behind this film made it exactly the way they wanted to!
Star Trek: Discovery (2017)
Lowered my rating
I lowered from an 8 to a 7. As a Star Trek show I believe you have a certain level to live up to but once you do, you're entitled to at least a 5 lol..
The special effects are top notch and worthy of a Star Trek show. I also felt the story started off smartly and rooted in Star Trek lore. The characters are consistent and believable as far as what they say and how they react to situations. That being said, I feel like there is a lot of "all or nothing" situations that end up resting entirely on Burnham's shoulders. There are YouTubers out there that have nailed the "unlikablility" of this character. Regarding some of the script, I'm reminded of the great line from GOT "a true king never has to remind people he's king" or something like that. It's more evident in the later seasons along with them CONSTANTLY praising each other. It's like they were trying to force this message of inclusivity and love into the story and every interaction. There should be a drinking game for every time they say, "If I may.." before adding to the convo. I'd die laughing if once a character said "No you may not..".. Half the women are something other than heterosexual and for some reason we need to know that through filler dialogues. It feels like the personal stories are more for filler than for affecting the story. I DID like the first and second seasons but it got more into the drama than action for me in seasons three and four. I WILL watch to see where the story goes but doubt I'll rewatch it after.
Jack Ryan (2018)
AWESOME
S1 9/10
S2 9/10
S3 7/10
S4 9/10
I love this genre of special ops, espionage, and back room political thrillers. This show pulls of some amazing action sequences blended with tense scenes, all while giving just the right personal story and background to really understand the characters. It's smart without being confusing or pretentious. It's a GREAT show and I'm sad to see it go, I feel like they could come up with a few more seasons. I've watched it several times through already to see where the story goes from season to season. Now that it is over I still feel like I'll be able to rewatch it in time after I forget some of the finer details. HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you haven't already watched it and you liked any of the Tom Clancy movies.
Ozark (2017)
Great show but glad only 4 seasons
Season 1 9/10
Season 2 8/10
Season 3 7/10
Season 4 7/10
It's started off amazing but alot of the reviewers are right about it beginning to seem a little bloated. It IS clever though, and the tension is always there because of some people's decisions. A lot of these shows leave me scratching my head as to why some characters aren't on the same page. It has similarities to Breaking Bad to where I just wish the wife would stay the F out of it. Season 4 has more to do with Wendy and by the last couple episodes I was SO SICK of her F'in character and her SMUG C@@T face that I will never watch Laura Linney anything ever again.
I DO feel that it had a reasonable conclusion, and I'm glad it did because it would have become too repetitive.
Game of Thrones: The Queen's Justice (2017)
Best episode of the series..
The script and direction are the best in the series in my opinion. The back and forth between Jon and Danaerys is tense and unyielding, without devolving into an argument. Tyrion describing what will and won't happen in the attack on Casterly Rock is genius, only to be overthrown by the even more clever tactics that Jamie Lannister used. The dialogue between Jamie and Olenna Tyrell is ruthless but natural, and her confession of Joffreys murder is one of most satisfying admissions in the show. The cinematography showcases Storm's End as one of the most beautiful landscapes in a show that boasts many, but the grandeur of its beauty is the perfect setting for several interesting conversations. The reunion of Sansa and Bran is emotional and acted wonderfully, and really shows that Bran is truly a different character now. It's icing on the cake that Jorah has been healed and proclaims his return to the service of his queen. The scene where Cersei condemns Ellaria Sand and her daughter is dark and claustrophobic, and probably one of the best showcasings of how truly vicious Cersei can be..
For me, from start to finish, this episode is beautifully shot and acted. The script is clever without seeming to proud of itself. 10/10.
The Leftovers (2014)
Powerful and Gripping..
Admittedly I am only 1 season in with this review but I felt I absolutely had to put a rating up here to help the average. When you see something above an 8/10 you HAVE to believe that enough people agree..
It IS a drama. I lean towards more action based series/movies but wanted to give this a try and I'm glad I did. It's a slow burn, but if you can get about halfway into season 1 you will be rewarded with an incredible story that I believe will keep you wondering what is coming. The acting is SUPERB and without looking into it I can only hope that Justin Theroux won some kind of awards. He's absolutely INCREDIBLE in this show so far. I can't relate with the strength of his character, but am lost in his portrayal. Magnificent. The woman that plays Nora also does an amazing job. The writing and script bring these people to life fantastically..
AGAIN I have only watched ONE season so far but plan to edit after finishing the series if need be.. 9/10.
The Mist (2007)
I remember liking this back in '07 and it still holds up
The acting is good for the most part, and the mist definitely creates an ominous atmosphere throughout the movie. Some of the CGI is a bit dated but it's from 15 years ago people. The ending is rough, in a heart wrenching way. I didn't read the short story so I don't know how much it follows it, but I would assume some creative additions were made in order to make it a full movie. There are some parts that drag a little bit, and possibly some over zealous reactions from the characters, but all in all I think it's a creative representation of what people might do when faced with such a horrific scenario..
SPOILERS AHEAD...
Previous reviewers don't seem to realize that it happens over the course of a few days, maybe even a week. Yes the crazy religious lady being able to develop a following might be a little overblown, but when faced with such dire circumstances who knows how some devout followers may react? You have to put yourself in these peoples heads and remember that they have NO IDEA WTF is going on or out there in the mist, so paranoia is gonna set in. Survival instincts are gonna kick in, and when faced with what could seem like the end of the world to some people, intense beliefs are gonna start to take hold too.. As far as the ending, put yourself in their shoes. As far as the 5 survivors know, the mist means death. They weren't able to get away from it with the gas they had! So what are you gonna do? Go outside to meet a grizzly painful end? Or shoot yourself in the head? What could've been an even more tragic ending is if the father puts his sons head next to his so that one bullet can kill both of them, then we see the tanks roll up and think "If only they had waited another minute or two.."
Dark (2017)
Confusing halfway through the series
Even though there's maybe around 15 or so characters that you follow, I found myself forgetting who was whose younger/older versions. I like the first season because the mystery was still fresh and being explained, and it had a couple decent revelations and twists to it. Time travel shows are SO difficult to pull off without creating plot-holes. Admittedly I'm only halfway through the second season but honestly it's so convoluted and confusing at this point that I don't really care what happens. I'm still lost as to who some of the past versions are in relation to their present selves.
Im gonna try and get back to it and watch the whole series so I can offer a more deserved rating.. But for now I have to go with a 6/10.
1917 (2019)
Fantastic film
The film is done in almost one continuous scene, and it's amazing how they pulled it off. The pacing is perfect where it blends smoothly from fast frantic chases to slower scenes depicting the brotherhood between soldiers. The war-torn scenery is beautiful, but grimy and dark where death litters the ground. The acting is great throughout, even though you really don't get many different characters beyond the main few. The score is beautiful as well and definitely lends well to the emotion of the movie..
SPOILERS AHEAD..
The part where the guy sings to his company (albeit beautiful), goes on for way too long in my opinion. To contrast though, the scene where the older Blake (Richard Madden) finds out his brothers fate is absolutely heartbreaking. I have a brother who went to a recent war and I can't imagine what it would've been like for either of us to learn of the other's death this way.
The ONLY nitpick I have is: Wow those Germans missed MANY times. I think it would've been more convincing if they had shot less times, the main character had been hit once or twice more, or attacked the German soldiers after they missed to eliminate further shot attempts. However, that can be explained away with the weapons of the times as they were pretty inaccurate compared to today's guns.
All in all, the almost one continuous shot really moves the pace along between tense action sequences and slower emotional moments. GREAT movie.. 8.5/10.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
How could anyone rate this a 10?
I usually try to explain more but I don't even want to bother here. This movie is f@@@ing terrible. It was a chore to get through. Language is an R but no gore so it got a PG-13.. Carnage from the comic books is bloody and brutal. CGI filled action sequences are a mess. I am SO glad I waited to watch it his on Starz.
Outer Range (2022)
Gets a little bonkers at times..
I try to give higher reviews to help against all the 1's and 2's because I've never seen a show that actually deserves a 1 or 2. That being said this is more like a high 6 for me. It started off with a cool premise, but I feel like too much of the hole's mystery is revealed too early. I have a bad feeling that this show will be cancelled before the writers decide on wtf is actually going on, or get to finish actually writing out a full story. I would say at least give the first episode a shot and if it intrigues you AT ALL, then give a couple more episodes a chance as well.. The acting and and scenery are great. I feel like the characters and their decisions seem plausible. It feels like we're going to need to see more of the story, for the story up until now to make sense though. Does that make sense? Lol It's almost like they had a good starting idea but the studio wanted to see if viewers would even be interested, so they threw out the idea (3-4 episodes) but added some filler to make it "full" season.
SPOILER TIME.. Well.. more like my ideas to "fix"
Like a previous reviewer, the guy that sings 90% of his screen time is VERY annoying. I guess we're supposed to think he's nuts but you could cut off the singing halfway and it would be alright. I actually started muting him with the subtitles on. What's up with the way he kisses Autumn too? Seems a little unnecessary, or maybe they're trying to say Autumn (Amy) is still that 9 year old (?) girl in Autumn's body? That could be an interesting concept.. One thing that could've made things better is maybe having Royal be missing a couple episodes after falling in the hole. Speaking of the hole, I think seeing it form at the beginning would be cool, and maybe when Royal hears the sounds he shows a hint of recognizing it? From when he jumped into the one back in 1896 or whenever he said he did it? Also I didn't view him driving fast with Autumn on the 4 wheeler as him trying to kill her, just to scare her. Maybe he could've taken her to a previously undisclosed location with some weird stuff that he knows about and thinks she'll understand? What if maybe Luke falls down a hole but goes somewhere different for a while, returns with knowledge of what the hole does but not how to control it? Maybe it sends him back to a different time in history or something I dunno..
For the ending episode.. So now we can dig our own hole? Seems to throw the whole "crazy hole phenomenon" out the window.. And I guess I missed the significance of the multiple stampedes..
All in all, I personally liked the premise and I'm still curious about where the writers go with the story. This is probably not everyone's cup of tea though. Still though 6.8/10.
Yellowjackets (2021)
I binged this in a day and a half!
The acting is superb! A couple of the characters were definitely glorified extras. But I felt like everyone else, especially the main few, we're VERY believable and consistent. Christina Ricci might be at her absolute best here IMO. People can whine about boring subplots but you have to try and put yourself in these TEENS shoes. I feel like the side stories showed us why somewhat irrational decisions were made. The soundtrack was nostalgic for me, and the scenery was amazing.
If I was going to nitpick, I would say that there were times I was more interested to find out about the past than the present at times.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I would also say that for the first few episodes I was thinking they should just head in any direction to try and find their way out of the forest. Maybe they could've chosen a more secluded location, or had more animal attacks to explain why they had to stay put. I would've made the impending winter a more present threat as well. Previous reviews talk about them being clean.. they literally show a scene where they're washing their clothes. I also think they could've done better than having Misty destroy the plane's radio. One thing that could've made things more believable, the whole "chasing down and almost slitting Travis's throat" scene could've been a "shared dream" amongst the girls on their mushroom trip. That could've added more to the underlying "supernatural" mystery. I also would've not included the kidnapping at the very end.. Instead as the screen goes black we hear a loud bang that sounds like a gunshot, but in season two we see that it was actually the cultish figures kicking the door down..
Overall I have to say I'm definitely looking forward to season 2. The acting, music, and ambience are amazing. I'm very curious to see where they go with the underlying mystery. 8/10.
Uncharted (2022)
GREAT source material, BAD execution
I'm a huge fan of the games. They honestly could've just done scene for scene live adaptations of those and it would've been amazing.
I wasn't crazy at all about the casting choices but I went in with an open mind. I just couldnt see Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, nothing against him he just looks and seems so young.. the flashback scene felt awkward too. I like Rudy Pankow much better in Outer Banks, he just seemed awkward. I will saying the younger version of Nate did a pretty good job though. I like Mark Wahlberg, but he was pretty one dimensional in this one.
The script seemed clunky and unnatural to me and FULL of forced humor that fell flat most of the time. We finally get to hear the theme from the games during the final credits? It would've been better served at the beginning of the movie.
While I admit there are some crazy action sequences in the games, the ones in the movie felt too over the top. A lot of unnecessary parkour as well. Why TWO ships? The whole end sequence would've felt less crazy with one, and they happen to have a helicopter that can haul a ship? And wouldn't the ship be so brittle that trying to lift it would probably break it apart? The games absolutely excel with intricate puzzles and smart storytelling. This felt dumbed down quite a bit and I found myself constantly asking why things were set up the way they were. I won't go in to too much detail but here's a great example..
They make their way into catacombs using one of only two "keys" in existence, but stumble into an underground nightclub? And what was the point of the pizza place either? They could've easily made it a previously unknown extension of the church, and done away with the silliness.
National Treasure and Indiana Jones did it WAY better and it's such a shame because the games are incredible stories. They set it up for a sequel but PLEASE find different writers.. Again they, could do VERY well by just adapting the games scene for scene..
Invasion (2021)
Watch the whole season BEFORE you review, people!!
TOO many people give don't give shows more than a one or two episode chance, it's ridiculous to me that people would write reviews. It's not fair to the show either! It's like reviewing the Lord of the Rings when all you saw was Bilbo's birthday party at the beginning...
Invasion is a drama, but definitely enough sci-fi/action to consider it a hybrid of the genres. The character development really helps understand the decisions these people make, and can heighten the tensity in perilous situations. They MAYBE could've shaved off an episode taking some of the drama out of it, but it's a drama series with sci-if elements not the other way around! Just think of it as them trying to slow play a foundation for a multiple season storyline. You DO see the aliens a few episodes in. You have to remember that they're trying to convey from normal peoples' perspectives, and that in the beginning they have NO clue what is going on! It reminds me a little of the recent remake of Arrival.
GREAT: Scenery, Music, Special Effects
GOOD: Casting and Acting, Script, Story/Mystery
MEH: Pacing but again it's a DRAMA
I can't wait for season 2, I'm really interested to see where they take the story.
Lost in Space (2018)
It's PG people! Great reimagining..
Some viewers may be turned off by how much the show follows the kids (looking at my brother), but if you go in knowing that it is indeed PG and a family show, I don't think you'll be too disappointed. I admittedly didn't watch the original but it's been described as pretty campy. I didn't find this show to be that way. It does start off with what seems to be unnecessary tension in the family, but you can understand the reasons behind it all as the story progresses. I thought the chemistry between the mother and father was real and natural, and the relationships between the kids as well. I will say this though, Penny might be the most annoying character I've come across in a while. Fortunately she's much better throughout the third season. Some reviewers mention that some of the situations seem over the top, but how can anyone predict how the problems of an undertaking of this magnitude would unfold? There are some elements of communicating with the robot that seem to just kind of work for the ease of plot, but I didn't find myself really questioning these either. I felt the story had a nice flow and completion, unlike many Netflix series that get axed out of nowhere.
Parker Posey is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC in her role as "Dr. Smith". The only character I can think of that I hated as much as her in recent memory is Geoffrey from Game of Thrones. Even more amazing is how she is able to take such a disdainful character and make you hope for her to change. I loved Toby Stephens in Black Sails and he is great here as well. Molly Parker does a great job as an extremely intelligent, patient but imperfect mother. The children play their roles well, though I do think there could have been a little less crying. That said it's crazy what they endure on an almost daily basis, and at 44 it's hard for me to remember how I may have acted in these situations.
I think they built a great universe here and could easily revisit with other stories. The special effects are great and some of the environments are gorgeous. The few things I would change wouldn't translate well to a PG show. I will say I think Penny's arc (basically her liking a boy and then another boy and then ending up with one of them) just didn't add to the story. They did do a good job with time gaps to explain how Will exploded from like 4' - 6' in three seasons, it's crazy!! By the end of the show he's as tall as everyone else!
7.5 but I gave an 8 to offset bad ratings..