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Reviews
Ted Lasso (2020)
It's time to retire this series....
It's apparent that after two good seasons the writers have run out of ideas. What started out as a brilliant comedy has degenerated into a soap opera. Jason Sudeikis is extremely talented as are many of the other actors and actresses. The writing is the problem. The original premise of an American football coach managing a British football (soccer) team created the opportunity for some very clever comedy as well as revealing Ted to be a guy who hides his personal pains behind a "happy go lucky" exterior. Season 3 sees the introduction of some rather bizarre, not humorous, characters. Mercifully the most bizarre one was gone after a few episodes. Now replete with ample gay and lesbian romances this isn't the show I signed up for. It's time for a series finale.
Swan Song (2021)
Slow smoker but no burn...
I'm fine with slow burn movies and often enjoy them. But this one only smolders. It's slow, dull and boring. Nice cinematography and special effects for a convincing near-future atmosphere. Otherwise I would have rated it lower.
So here's the reason for the spoiler alert: The ending was also disappointing. So the next patient will comfort Cameron as he dies, And the cycle continues Yawn.... Now if the next patient was Poppy... that would have been a provocative twist! Then I might have given it a 5 or possibly a 6.
With so much content available these days you won't be missing much if you skip this snooze fest.
Beyond the Comfort Zone: 13 Countries to K2 (2018)
Just watch the last 20 minutes
I'm usually rather forgiving with my ratings, but I'm sorry, this was pretty much a waste of time. I only gave it a "4" and not less because there is some beautiful videography. If you skip to the last 20 minutes (and stop 5 minutes before the end) you'll see about all the mountain climbing there is in the movie. (The last 5 minutes are a failed attempt to philosophize, and a redux of uninspiring clips.) The editing is horrible. I do a better job with my home videos. Ineffective use of slow motion, uninteresting "B Roll", and the biggest problem being the subtitles. There are several different languages spoken, so the subtitles are an important part of this film. As another reviewer also mentioned, some genius made the decision to have white subtitles when snow is the most prominent background feature! Yellow would have been a better choice, and also add a 25% opacity black background. They are also too small to read easily. All in all this is a movie that shouldn't have been made, but it was likely necessary to finance the expedition. For a thrilling documentary done right watch The Dawn Wall or Free Solo, both of which I rated 8/10.
Light of My Life (2019)
Think of it as The Road, Light
One reviewer said that if you saw The Road, don't bother watching this. I disagree. While I don't find this one nearly as good as The Road, which I rate 9/10, it is definitely enjoyable. Yes the plot is virtually identical to The Road, some parts are predictable and some parts drag. However if you like survival themed movies this is very enjoyable. The pacing is slow, but most of the time it's just right to keep a nice level of tension. It should have been edited down by 10 or 20 minutes and it would have been a lot tighter. It does have very stunning imagery and I'm glad I ignored the negative reviews.
This Is Not a Test (1962)
Not a Masterpiece
If you're seeking classic science fiction look elsewhere. The film has mostly sub-par acting and a mediocre script. Its one redeeming factor is that it reflects the nuclear paranoia of the time. I vividly remember my mother repeatedly and hysterically exclaiming "we're going to war" during President Kennedy's address to the nation during the Cuban missile crisis. The frequent air raid drills, "duck and cover" and home bomb shelters were all government propaganda to assure a nervous populace that we could actually survive a nuclear missile strike. So the movie serves as an interesting historical marker, but it's only worth watching once every 50 years.
IMDbrief: After "Ozark" Watch These Shows (2020)
This is not Ozark!
OK - the few reviews posted here are of "Ozark"! They should be posted under "Ozark", which I rate 10/10. Posted here should be reviews of the IMDb short film "After Ozark".
That said the film is nicely done and gave me a few ideas of series to watch that I wasn't familiar with. I know not every similar series could be mentioned but the omission of "Peaky Blinders" prevents me from rating the film any higher. "Breaking Bad" fits this category as well but nearly everyone has at least heard of it, so perhaps that's why that one was omitted.
Command and Control (2016)
Scarier than any horror film I've ever seen!
There are some excellent detailed reviews available, so I'll just say that this is the chilling story of the 1980 near detonation of a nuclear warhead near Little Rock, Arkansas. The story is told in riveting fashion with many excellent eyewitness interviews. It is a stark reminder that the possibility of nuclear devastation is still with us, and the unpredictability of the human factors.
American Experience: The Big Burn (2015)
Interesting story; boring presentation
The title says it all. While the history of the Forest Service is admittedly a hard subject to treat in an inspiring manner, it could have been done better. I found the portrayal of Taft, Idaho well done, and the involvement of the Buffalo Soldiers was a part of American History that I did not know. However the rest of the show really dragged. The interviewees were some of the most boring subjects ever in a documentary. I nearly fell asleep and it was mid-afternoon.