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karlstraub-64916
Reviews
Tulsa King (2022)
so much better than expected
I tried this just out of curiosity after watching all Picard episodes released so far and boy was I impressed. This show really gives credit to Stallone's range as an actor and in my opinion, his best work since the days of Cliffhanger, Demolition Man, Daylight, and Assassins. Him playing the mob boss getting his patience tested every second in Oscar may be my favorite movie of his just because at the time it came out, I wasn't aware yet of his comedic range and talent outside of the action packed genre I'd only seen him in prior. It seems that if you give this man a well written story along with a great supporting cast, you don't have to worry about him carrying it the rest of the way and making it an enjoyable experience. I was also a big fan of Doogie Howser when I was much younger along with Freaks and Geeks later, so it's great whenever I get to see certain actors I've admired thru their careers take on rolls in something enjoyable like this.
Violent Night (2022)
gore, action, comedy, family bonding -this movie has it ALL
It felt like watching Die Hard with a little of Dale and Tucker vs Evil mixed in. I believe they even mention Die Hard in the movie (unrelated to the plot). You may think half way thru that this isn't what I was expecting. Santa isn't kicking ass like I thought he would given he has magic powers and all. Oh just wait...it gets better. Turns out he may have just gotten a little rusty over the last thousand years or so and needed a little encouragement tapping into his former career. It's a bit gorry at times which I'm not normally a huge fan of but it really works with this movie and definitely adds to the fun. The backstory is pretty thin and makes you wonder why the bad guys go thru so much for what doesn't seem to be a huge payoff but it doesn't matter since Santa saving the day is what makes this one awesome.
Bullet Train (2022)
a must watch
I wish more action films could have this much character development and great dialog. It was also perfectly cast and they nailed it with the ending. Every roll no matter how small is given a back story which happily draws the viewer into the multiple plot lines which all interconnect in the end. It helps to notice every detail as they will revisit points that can be easily overlooked in the moment but that may also be part of the fun for. Another stellar performance by Brad Pitt and supporting rolls are woven in with perfect harmony. Just a great overall experience and definitely one worth rewatching as well.
The Orville (2017)
This may be the most underrated tv show!
This is so different than expected (being from Seth MacFarlane). I would definitely classify this as a syfy drama series with humor fitting perfectly where it's placed in each episode. I thought at first it was a parody of Star Trek TNG but that could not be further from the truth. You can certainly see similarities and many borrowed aspects but it's done very respectfull in those circumstances. And it's just so much fun! I've found each episode to be interesting and fresh from one to the next and enjoy how the audience gradually gets to know each of it's fascinating characters and why they relate so well with each other.
Westworld (2016)
Seasons 1 & 2 are all you need to watch
My rating is for season 1 only. Season 1 was amazing and was followed up ok with the 2nd. It should have ended there. Seasons 3 & 4 make you wonder if the people responsible for them ever watched the first two. The last season was like having to watch the Game of Thrones final episode 8 times in a row.
The Morning Show (2019)
First Season was great!
Loved the first season and the final episode was amazing. I would compare it to the final episode for the first season of Big Little Lies as far as the feeling like it couldn't have ended any better. The second season was ok but nothing like the first.