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Reviews
The Tracker's Diary: Bears of Katmai (2022)
Very well done
Watching this now and am really impressed by the cinematography and education offered by the host. There are many documentaries on bears, but this is a fresh look/style for me.
I am also impressed how close to the mother and cub family units these guys are sometimes while filming - never stalking that I can tell, but just being in the vicinity and filming the bears stroll past closely.
The knowledge of the host is impressive, and not only does he have a very nice film presence, but his way of passing information to the viewer is concise and to the point.
Also a very nice portion of one episode on wolves in the area - very cool to see.
Jack Ryan (2018)
Season 3 so far
Four episodes in and I'm finding a tight, well-written spy thriller. Keeping tabs on the multiple characters is challenging, but when you start making the connections it's rewarding. This season is much better done than season 2 in my opinion, and is as good as season 1 was for me. It hearkens back to the Cold War spy thrillers before the fall of the iron curtain. I really like the Soviet adversary that made Tom Clancy what he was. The acting is also well done and the bad guys aren't immediately recognized as such. I'm also quite certain some of those I've tabbed as villains will turn out not to be.
Bosch: Legacy (2022)
Conflicted
I am struggling with this show through 8 episodes. I enjoyed the books and loved the initial Bosch series on TV, but this one is missing the mark on nearly every level.
The dialogue is almost exclusively quick soundbites - people just do not converse this way
Madison Lintz is not a good enough actress to carry scenes
The storylines are all over the place and have almost no continuity
Harry Bosch, while in many scenes, just feels like a bit player among many. He is the reason for the success of the books and original series; not Maddie Bosch or Honey Chandler - they were supporting characters at best.
To this point in the series, I have yet to find a likable character - or even one I care at all about. I will finish the season, but really can't say if I'll be back.
Reacher (2022)
Well done and true to the character
This is the Jack Reacher I've known for years and multiple stories. Tough, no nonsense, and faultlessly logical. He is brutal when necessary, and kind hearted when needed.
The production was very well done. The writing was good and the actors made the characters into real, believable people. I have no complaints beyond the need to wait another year or two for (hopefully) a second season.
Joe Pickett (2021)
Hallmark Channel murder mystery
I'm tryyyyying to stay with this, but it's getting harder each episode. The scenery and sets are top notch, and are really what keeps me tuned in. Anybody watching these type shows would love to live in an area like this. That being said, I haven't found a character I like, or even care about yet. The acting (without exception) is so over the top it makes one cringe. Accents (straight from the Ozarks) don't belong in Wyoming. The bad people are so obviously bad, a deaf/mute/blind person would peg them instantly. The entire police force is completely inept and would likely struggle to hold down a job at McDonald's, never mind carry firearms and be responsible for the safety of the citizenry! The main enigma (Nate) bounces from an indifferent and carefree guy, to a mysterious know-it-all that keeps tossing out cryptic nugget-riddles of information to the Pickett's. Seems to me, if his life was truly on the line (his quote, not mine), he'd be spilling his guts about EVERYTHING he knows.
So is this a writing, directing, or acting issue? I have seen David Alan Grier's work, and the man can act - so I assume the others can act as well. Actors do what the director tells them to do, so I'm blaming the director.
To me, the whole thing just feels like a Hallmark Christmas special that went off the rails and got repurposed after somebody there watched Longmire and figured they should cash in.
The Killing Fields (1984)
Intense film
Highly recommended watch for a good feel for the region and era. Sadly, if Waterston's portrayal of Schanberg is even remotely close, what an absolutely unlikeable cockroach he must have been.
Chernobyl (2019)
Riveting
This series is nothing short of excellent. Writing, cinematography, soundtrack, and acting is all well beyond nearly anything I've watched. My suspicion is that the negative reviews of this show are coming from the 12-21 year old demographic. A program does not require non-stop action, lame jokes, gratuitous sex, and endless impossible escapes from deadly situations to hold a viewers interest. This show is intense from the very beginning and tells the story well.
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Meh
Average at best. Nothing remarkable nor spectacular. Characters were impossible for me to connect with. Film full of sound bite-type vocabulary; wooden and unbelievable. Perhaps it's just Kubrick's way of impressing us with his coolness.
The Kingdom (2007)
Somebody, anybody, please get me the Dramamine
Interesting premise and acceptable acting for the most part. I did have a SERIOUS issue with some of the writing: four FBI investigators are escorted into a basically hostile environment in Saudi Arabia- and promptly push against every limit placed on them. Their astonishing arrogance and disrespect should likely have gotten them a quick ride back to the airfield. This was cringeworthy to say the least. In reference to my title, I'm not sure what genius ever came up with the whole 'shaky cam is cool' thing, but you can knock that off any time now. I'm wanting to see a high quality, professional grade cinematic production, not what basically amounts to some dudes' home videos. Needless to say, it is annoying trying to concentrate on details and characters while they're constantly flying around the screen. Geez...
Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019)
Episode rating coming soon
I was simply curious how bad the rating for this episode would be. I've seen shows and films with ratings days if not weeks before premiering - but I've not seen anything without any rating (but with plenty of reviews!) an hour after it finished.
Atlas Shrugged: Part III (2014)
Just...bad
This was difficult to watch. I had just watched parts one and two, and felt obligated to complete the series. Unfortunately, it was impossible to become vested in any of the characters. The entire thing just felt like one of those dreadful school films we used to watch - you know, the ones with the bad narrator. The production quality was that of an early 90's Pax tv network production.
Jurassic World (2015)
This is just bad
My title says it all. This film is nothing more than a ton of special effects, impossible action sequences, and ridiculous writing.
Jurassic Park succeeded because it was fresh, well written, and had an exceptional case of actors. You felt the characters' excitement and wonder, and they behaved EXACTLY as a normal human being would. That made the film enjoyable, wonderful, and suspenseful.
This movie has exactly zero of any of that. Characters that play park employees (other than the primaries), are slovenly fools, plain and simple. You could care less if they live or die. The boys are not cute, clever, or interesting. They really add nothing to the story, and I suspect they're there to give both teen and preteen girls somebody to (the writers hoped) like in the movie. The main woman is simply a dunce. Other than her physical appearance, she offers nothing of substance to the story. The main game master is really the only believable character - and just barely.
Shall we discuss one of my biggest problems with this sorry mess? We've learned through the first three films that in the Jurassic Worlds, Velociraptors are the most intelligent and dangerous animals ever. But In this movie, the powers that be decide it's a good idea to release a pack of these predators to, wait for it, hunt down and contain the new Supersaurus Rex. Of course, there's just no chance the raptors would choose instead to hunt easy human prey is there? Utter balderdash.
Hollywood has either forgotten or chooses to ignore a simple truth: MAKE YOUR CHARACTERS BELIEVABLE AND LET THEM ACT LOGICALLY.
So, why did I give this even 3 stars? The cinematography was well done...and I like dinosaurs!
Vikings (2013)
Exceptional
This is a show I'd seen advertised a while ago but never really had an opportunity to watch until recently.
I would start with this:
The cinematography of this show is extremely well done. Combined with a haunting soundtrack and scene framing, it is very easy to be drawn into the story. The actors are believable - I haven't seen a single 'over the top' character. It really is a wonderful glimpse into an age long gone.
Is this show 100% factual? Due to the fact that much of what we know of the Vikings was written by those peoples they raided, most of their lore and traditions will have been lost. Unless I'm mistaken, they didn't truly have a written language, so that information would have passed through time by word of mouth. Therefore, liberties doubtlessly have been taken by the writers/producers. Is that really important? Not in the least. If you look through the 'errors' section for this show, you'll find notes about language, accent, armament, and geography discrepancies. I wager less than 1% of viewers would be aware of, or even be concerned by these items.
Sit back, turn your phones off and enjoy the ride!
Godzilla (2014)
Good grief...
I like sci-fi, and enjoy suspending reality for a couple hours. Having said that, there still needs to be a modicum of believability in a film. Either those responsible for this film are totally clueless, or more likely just didn't give a rip. I will not bother listing all the issues in the movie, just see the goofs section. There were a couple of things that jumped out at me repeatedly though. 1) for some reason, the main character (a navy lieutenant), wasn't required to be at work or report in (I suppose maybe he was on leave). At any rate, he must've been quite the lieutenant as he was able to just join up with whatever military unit he happened to come across in his travels. 2) apparently the special effects folks struggle with the concepts of scale and distance...constantly. I truly hate to think it was decided that the movie-going public would be so overwhelmed by the awesome special effects that they wouldn't notice all the plot holes and poor research, but that's kind of what we have to assume.
Outlander: The Hail Mary (2016)
Powerful
The story drifts slightly from the novel, but not enough to truly disappoint readers. The episode sets the stage for the climatic season finale nicely, and it becomes obvious to all those in the know that Claire's prediction of the disaster at Culloden is fated to happen. Frank Randall's future is set as it was in the book. I did have a small problem with Jack Randall admitting his personal demons to Claire (don't recall this interplay in the story, but it could be I just didn't recognize it while reading). I really didn't like Randall's actions after the death of Alex - that most certainly did not occur, and I believe totally out of character. This episode was Graham McTavish's (and quite probably, anyone's) finest work on the series to date. His performance went far beyond the typically good acting seen here. In my opinion, he owned this episode hands down.
Penny Dreadful: Predators Far and Near (2016)
Slow buildup is good
A previous review of this episode is unfair to the show and writers. I felt it should be pointed out that the story, dialogue and beliefs of said characters are FROM THE CHARACTERS VIEWPOINTS!! If a character says something that may or may not be true, we as viewers must consider the time in history and the prevailing opinions. Because something has been proved over time as not 100% accurate, this should not - in fact must not - be held against a period program. Anything else becomes revisionist history, and sadly, there is entirely too much of that on television and in films today. I personally find it easier to relate to period characters with all their flaws and misunderstandings of the day in place.
Regarding this episode: Eva Green can carry a scene by simply being in it. There was a short scene where she was waiting for the doctor. It was very simply shot with her just sitting on a lounge - but as the camera pulled slowly back, her nervous dread of the upcoming meeting poured from the TV.
Wes Studi is a solid addition to the cast. He is a fantastic actor and I have high hopes for his character.
Production quality, atmosphere and dialogue are every bit as high as we've come to expect. We are only two episodes into the season, but the web being woven is tangled and tantalizing...
Fear the Walking Dead: Monster (2016)
Fear the...show
Oh boy, where to begin? I understand that these are people who have had their entire worlds turned upside on them. I understand that they are going to be forced to make decisions they've never had to make before. I understand that it will take time to acclimate to a world gone to pot. But these people have been living with the slow collapse of society for quite a while now. At what point will they begin to understand they can make no mistakes - there are no second chances people! We have been treated to characters who:
Insist on bringing a dead person with them as they run for safe haven. Pout when they can't pull the boat over to rescue thirty people afloat on a raft. Chat up a stranger on the radio - and by the way, tell the stranger who and where they are. Fail to take the radio away from said Chatty Cathy. Decide out of the blue to go for a swim in the ocean. Then decide to swim through flotsam and jetsam of zombies to a capsized boat.
I'm sure I missed several extremely questionable decisions made by these imbeciles, but those are the ones that really burned me. I had really high hopes for this show, and I gave it the better part of the first season to get going, but these characters are just plain unlikeable. It's almost as if (with a couple exceptions) they simply refuse to accept the gravity of their situation. I truly hope the writers wake these people up in a hurry because I want the show to succeed.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Yikes
This film is a simple mystery that was stretched about an hour and a half longer than it really needed to be. An extremely long time was spent developing three characters at the beginning of the story only to more or less dismiss one of them for the rest of the film. I didn't feel any of the other characters were developed beyond naming them, and the entire thing suddenly exploded in showers of blood and gore. The story itself was simplistic and not deep at all, leaving the actors to breathe what life they could into their parts. I will say that the acting itself was well done and was the only reason I stuck around until the end. Furthermore, several characters seem to have come directly from other Tarentino films: Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained kept coming to mind while watching this and that was extremely distracting. Sadly, I can honestly say that I've spent a more enjoyable three hours in my local DMV office...
The Five-Year Engagement (2012)
Brutal, depressing and rarely funny
I enjoy a romantic comedy as well as the next person and I realize there are only so many ways it can be written, but this film was painful at best. The majority of the "humor" in the film was of the middle school brand and it seemed to me that all of the characters written to be funny were really nothing more than assholes. The film drags terribly and I kept looking at the clock to see when it would end.
That being said, the typical: 1) couple is in love 2) couple has a falling out 3) couple gets back together again was handled interestingly as they truly separated and tried to move on with no success. The one scene I liked: The Elmo and Cookie Monster argument/conversation/counseling between the sisters (Emily Blunt and Alison Brie) was very well done.