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samstone11
Reviews
Breakers (2019)
Good Idea Gone Boring
The premise of reliving a day over and over is tired, so it takes a fresh approach to grab your attention, and something exceptional to keep it. Despite less than professional production and mediocre acting, with the exception of JB Edwards who rises above the environment, this series is capable of holding your attention.
Temporarily.
Without enough energy or originality to carry the story beyond the first few episodes it becomes acceptable to skip from the third to the last episode and accept there will be missing pieces. Unfortunately, the writing, production, and acting didn't make any appreciable difference and I was able to watch the entire thing in 4 episodes. Sure, there were a few people and situations I didn't recognize by skipping six episodes, but I understood enough. A mediocre story with a few uniquely satisfying moments to keep the viewer engaged, but not enough. Far, far too long and frankly skipping the middle seven or eight episodes will do the trick. In short (pun intended), as a 90 minute movie script in the hands of professionals, Breakers could have been all it aspired to be.
Just not as a 10 episode drawn out series without more frequent, steady payoffs.
Shame.
Liberal Hivemind (2019)
Overtly Biased
No apologies and none offered or expected on this channel. However, even though the narrator provides timely and seemingly accurate information, you absolutely cannot come here for balanced reporting. I would be considered independent with a reasonable slant to the right but I can only listen to the first few moments past the pandering for likes, views, and comments. After that, I know what the remainder of the segment will be and if I need anything beyond a hypocritical bias for republicans this is not the place. Bottom line: this channel delivers what they promise, but is as guilty of unapologetic tantrums from their perspective as anyone who disagrees with their views on the opposite side of the political spectrum. Even though their content is reliable and truthful, I have to go elsewhere to gather enough detail to form an intelligible opinion regarding each segment's viability.
The Quiet Hour (2014)
No Payoff
Excellent thought exercise, well written, and easily keeps one's attention. However, aside from the inevitable "what if this was me?", the end result as presented is empty. The writing is engaging throughout until the final scene where it seems the writers ran past their deadline so the producer had some kindergarteners finish up with their crayons.
Still worth watching solely for the premise, but looking forward to a rewarding ending is not going to pay off.
The 716th (2018)
No Ending
The tendency for sci-fi shorts leaving the ending open has never left me more frustrated. I have a dislike for foul language also, but I understand the realism in this environment. I cannot recall more personality or better chemistry between characters embedded in any film of any length. Incredible writing, precise execution, extraordinary story development, and everything the viewer could ever hope for in less than fifteen minutes leading to...... nothing. Where's the payoff? If I'm willing to donate an emotional investment, I don't think it's too much to ask of the filmmaker to finish what he (they) started. The degree of missed opportunity cannot possiblity be overstated because such adjectives are as absent as the finale this tale deserves.
The Flash (2014)
Confusing
Several friends and family members seem relatively addicted to this show and as hard as I try, I can't rustle any interest beyond complacent curiosity. Having been force fed the series in binge style, I found myself reading the news or fiddling around on my phone more than actually paying attention. Can someone please explain the attraction to this show to me? I'm honestly trying to find something that I don't consider insulting to writers, actors, producers, etc., of true quality shows. Plot lines I have seen require far more than simple suspension of looking at the world as it is and instead demands more of a childlike absence of understanding those same principles. However, although I am not honestly entitled to label myself as the most mature person in any small group, I believe I am too old for whatever this supposedly represents. I have no problem accepting the show as a live-action cartoon, but that belongs to an entirely different and significantly younger demographic/generation. What I can say positively is how impressed I am with actors, as unconvincing as they are, who can stand in front of a camera and deliver such contrived and wince-inducing dialogue.
Additionally, special effects often come across as worse than B movie throw-aways and I feel an empathetic tug of regret for those involved.
I don't want to deride it any more because I am holding out hope that someone, anyone, can show me how to appreciate this offense to spending quality time with my family.
As the title of my post says, I'm confused and asking for help. Please?
Quantico (2015)
Doesn't Have To Be Perfect
Of course a TV show about the inner workings at the FBI is going to come up short on facts. Maybe a lot of them, starting with the fact that the real world isn't largely comprised of underwear models. Still, most of us watch television for entertainment, not education, which fundamentally requires a degree of "suspension of belief." Going with that simple premise I thought this show excelled. As unpretentious entertainment there is quite a lot to look forward to with better than average writers and an equal cast. Personally, I may have given the opener closer to a 10 except for the fast-forward-in-place production style and a nagging peeve of mine (spoiler alert-is this an actual spoiler? I really don't know?): I'm not good at, nor likely to invest myself in something that takes up to four months to tell the story. I recently became aware my entire family has somehow developed ADD, and much of today's audience is into instant gratification. If the writers surprise me and the opener is a two or three episode arc, I can do that. In the meantime, I want to try and enjoy what I believe to be a well thought out and intriguing concept-as long as they can maintain my attention-and take it from there. I wish them well.
Quick Edit: I just read the review by Bitbucket and need to add my personal concern regarding the gay scene as well. I don't even need to take a preferred side in that debate to recognize this particular scene is potentially confrontational to many, many viewers. Even if needed for some thread in the series, it is unnecessary fuel to a discussion that will, in balance, only stir controversy in an uneasy population. Adding this to my stated issues above and the others brought up on IMDb, it begins to appear the producers and the network did a very poor job with their demographics. Too many unforced errors. I still like the show on premise, but must lower my score from an original 8.