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robinkramer
Reviews
The Mandalorian (2019)
The good, the bad and the ugly
The Mandalorian contains everything that the original Star Wars series has. In some cases that is good, but unfortunately, not all of it.
Story wise, it is mediocre. Although the entire story was nice (at least for season one and two), the stories of every episode apart was very cheap. "I need to do something for baby Yoda. I don't have money. I'll do another unrelated mission instead". It felt like watching a video game where the side missions are more important to the overarching story.
I really like that Jon Favreau stays true to many of the gimmicks of the original trilogy in terms of old fashioned (PowerPoint like) scene switching, the incredible low tech "sci-fi" technologies and special effects.
I also like the acting of most of the people.
What bothered me most was the costumes and props. Also these technologies did not evolve since the 80s. The costumes are completely unbelievable and the star of the show is, sadly, possibly the worst. The way people handle baby Yoda is like 4 year olds handling their baby born. The stiffness of baby Yoda and the ease with which they pick the up also suggest it has the weight a of cheap baby doll. All the costumes (off all the creatures) were too distracting from the quality of the rest of the show.
I must say, I have the same option of the original Star Wars story. So, in short. The Mandalorian did a great job in the Star Wars universe. Unfortunately, the Star Wars universe only gets a 6 from me.
Silent Night (2023)
It's a bit of nothing
It hasn't got enough Christmas to be a fun bad Christmas action movie. It hasn't got the action to be a John Wick/Equalizer-like movie. It's nothing from both worlds.
It started promising. Some nice action, Christmas sweater, and a nice jingle bell. Those five minutes had everything. But unfortunately, those five minutes were everything the entire movie had to offer.
And did everyone get shot in the thought. I get that this guy lost his voice, but that no one utters a single word. This doesn't make sense, and doesn't help the movie.
I finished the movie. That means it had enough to entertain me for 1,5 hour. Or I didn't have anything better to do. Because it failed to meet my low expectations, but I did finish it, 4 stars is all I have to offer.
Merry Christmas.
Violent Night (2022)
A bad children's movie, a mediocre movie for grown-ups
It's an attempt to merge home alone with gray man, and consequently made the wrong decisions in it. The movie is too violent for a children's movie. The movie is too goofy for a good grown-ups movie.
Hopper plays an entertaining Santa Clause. Fighting scenes were decent, and the gore okay. The music pick was nice.
Storywise: An upper class family who stole millions needs rescuing more than the less fortunate. A dad (trying and failing to pull of a Scrubs JD-vibe) who cannot accept that he had/has his priorities wrong and keeps neglecting his daughter for money. They definitely did not deserve a happy end.
I had high expectations for entertainment, low expectations for quality. It fell short on both. 6 stars, cause it's the season...
Ted Lasso (2020)
All the premise for a bad cheesy show, but utterly proving me wrong!
This show has anything in it to be a really bad show. A naive, overly optimistic, mustashed American in over his head and battling against the odds. All the trailers and pictures just gave me the idea that it had to be in the category Paul Blart Mall Detective.
But boy am I wrong.
Wonderfull character development, excellent music, a story line that is gripping, good jokes, and the absolute gems called Nathan and Keely. Their good nature, youthfulness and playfulness and character give this serie a touch of gold.
Also compliments to the role of Ted. Instead a Paul Blart, he is a believable man, with a way of living and leading that I can admire in any man, and that I can only hope to achieve or approach a little bit.