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Reviews
Lupin (2021)
Wasted potential
This series has more holes than a donut shop. I'm referring to series 3 where Diop has to rescue his mother whom we haven't seen or heard of before from bad guys who blackmail him into stealing some theft proof items. There plenty of holes to recount but the one that stood out the most was after faking his own death he re-emerged as disguised bball coach who was coaching his sons team. His son and his wife were completely fooled. There are some seriously good disguises for sure but there are a hundred things that people do, walk, movement, size etc that would be a dead giveaway to someone like a wife or a teenage son. There is no way possible that he did all the things he did and find time to coach a bball team. When was it established that he knew bball or how to coach it, which would have taken lots of practice time that we never saw. There are so many other flaws that it makes you wonder why serious screenwriters and directors would settle for crap.
Big Sky: Do You Love an Apple (2022)
This ain't your daddy's Montana
What are the odds of the two best crime fighters, in a town of indeterminate population, be drop dead gorgeous and are perpetually looking for love. What are the odds that said town is home to some serious crime? Not very good I'm afraid.
Big Sky lingers between a cute buddy cop show that doesn't take itself too seriously and a show that constantly lets the viewers know " yeah these chicks are hot alright but be aware they'll kick your ass at the drop of a hat." The show opened with both lead actors working at the detective agency along with heartthrob Ryan Philippi. In a first (as far as I know) for network tv, the main starring lead gets shot dead in the first episode. No more Ryan. Business could be slow for a detective agency the size of Mayberry so one of the babes joins the local sheriffs office. You could say joined, you could also say moved in, and told the sheriff what she would be working on and to not get in the way. She would be number 1 on the list of McDonalds all American potential deputies.
Montana is known as the Big Sky State.
Why is it filmed in N. Mexico?
Westworld: Que Será, Será (2022)
Pretentious mess.
There are some very high scores for this series. Some viewers put the show in the rarified air where shows like the Sopranos and Breaking Bad live. I really wish I could like it but, I find it frustratingly confusing and intentionally so. Season three was so bad I was reluctant to watch season 4. Watched one of the YouTube channels that explain what was seen on the recent episode and that guy used words like "maybe", "perhaps" a whole lot and I was no closer to understanding what or why stuff was happening.
A couple of things; who moved the sublime to inside the Hoover dam? How did they create space in the dam to place the sublime in? Wasn't Charlotte Hale actually Delores? What was it about the tablet that Bernard left near his dead "body" that made Charlotte do a 180 and continue Bernard's plan to , what?,
So many questions.
Kateo (2022)
Criminally underrated.
I don't usually comment on other reviewers reviews, but, 5.1, seriously? The stunt work alone is a 10. My god, a fight at 30 thousand feet, a fight in the back of a truck amongst real hogs. Fight on a rope bridge above a deep ravine. A fight in 3 vans, driving down the road side by side with their side doors open and the fighting took place in all three vans. A fight with helicopters, motorcycles, trains, planes. The damnedest thing I've ever seen.
The choreography in all the action scenes was spectacular. There had to be weeks and weeks spent rehearsing all those scenes. There have been tons of action films made, but you won't see one that comes close to Carter where action is concerned. The plot, dialogue, acting does what it's supposed to, be a scaffolding to place the action. The one, two, three stars given by some here reflects more negatively on the reviewer than on the quality of this film.
The Umbrella Academy (2019)
Deserves better
Everyone has a right to their opinion on how they see art. Paintings, music, movies etc. Its when they start taking their opinion too seriously that a problem arises. Because IMDb allows for user reviews some folks are channeling Roger Ebert. They ain't R E. Some user opined that all positive reviews were paid for by the series producers. He/she felt so strongly that their opinion of the show trumped anyone else's opinion. Another reviewer claimed the acting was wooden while another praised the acting. Acting is a subjective art form.
Giving this show a one or two says more about the reviewer than the show. It clearly deserves better than that. It takes a certain amount of pretentiousness to take that position.
Das Privileg (2022)
Not that bad
I almost let the ultra negative reviews cause me to bypass this little horror/thriller. I'm glad I took a chance and watched it anyway. It wasn't great by any means but it did keep me interested for most of the run time. I realize you can't have great all that often, sometimes you have settle for passable. Many reviewers on IMDB attempt to emulate real critics and take their opinions quite seriously. It's a shame that someone would be put off on a film because some reviewers here want to appear too discerning.
Mayans M.C.: The Righteous Wrath of an Honorable Man (2022)
Went too far this time.
This show has had some issues with gun battles. The one in the first episode this season was problematic on several fronts. But this episode might've been worse. These guys entered a hospital, heavily armed and unnoticed until the elevator doors open and then it's the OK corral with AK's instead of pistols and shotguns, and it was in a hospital and not a corral. EZ steals his X and shoots her in cold blood. We know EZ has become hardened but would he so easily murder a completely innocent person that he once had feelings for? Are we supposed to just ignore the fact that two groups staged a shootout at a hospital and got away unscathed and then went to the club for some beer and smokes and not give a single fvck about the possibility that the cops might be there at any moment to investigate a motorcycle club that was involved in a shootout, leaving several people dead and wounded. A couple hundred cameras would've caught all or most of the perpetrators images.
And if you think this episode was great, fine, give it a 10. But don't admonish other reviewers who aren't as quick to overlook illogical occurrences.
Fear the Walking Dead: Gone (2022)
Embarrassing
Writer one: We need something to give the viewers a spark that will get a buzz going. That whole tower war was kinda lame and turning Strand into a power mad Bond villain was, to put it mildly, stupid.
Writer two: We wouldn't want to do anything that smacks of desperation, you know, like bringing back a character thought to be long dead.
Writer one;; That's exactly what we're going to do. I'm thinking Madison.
Writer Two;; Are you serious? Do you think the fans will accept something so totally unoriginal?
Writer One;; This shows fans? Hell yeah, they'll eat it up.
Writer Two;:How will we explain how she survived that unserviceable explosion ?
One:; we don't need to. Our audience won't care.
Two;; We could make her look scarred or disfigured from the explosIon she survived. Right?
One:: Hell no, she's going to look better than she did back then. She will even be wearing makeup and her hair will not look apocalyptical at all. And she will kill people that she's stealing kids from.
Two;; GET THE F OUTTA HERE!!
Fear the Walking Dead: Divine Providence (2022)
These writers will never work again
Episode starts with Strand whetting a strait razor while listening to loud classical music, donning his dictator cap and imitating a 60s Bond villain. 🤢. These show runners are going to carry their involvement in this show like an albatross around their neck. Not going to look good on the old resume. Other reviewers have laid out all that's wrong with this episode but I'd like to pose a question to early viewers. Does anyone remember when Strand was gay? I don't think Strand does, or the writers. I could be wrong but I don't believe they've mentioned it since Strands boyfriend died way back in season one or two. Bringing Madison back?? Thats stupid and smacks of desperation. Didn't they learn anything from the TWD episode where Glenn was seemingly devoured by walkers but had actually crawled under the dumpster and survived to the delight of some but to the chagrin of others?
Mayans M.C.: Cleansing of the Temple (2022)
Disappointing
I've watched and enjoyed the show since it's beginning. This episode disappointed me a lot. The 45 minute shootout. Thousands of rounds of ammo spent shooting at each other from not much more than 50 yards. At one point a bright light was turned on by the "good" Mayans exposing 25 or more "bad" Mayans at point blank range. Immediately the good guys fired their ak's directly at the brightly lit bad guys. All those bullets didn't do much good It seemed there were just as many bad guys at the end as there were at the start. The local cops must have decided just to let the Mayans settle it amongst themselves because they didn't bother to show up even tho they had to have dozens of calls reporting ww 3 going on at the Mayan club.
As the good guys are realizing that they've lost, out of ammo, the bad guys were kind enough to halt their attack long enough to allow the good guys enough quiet time to talk among themselves about the pros and cons of mc life. What were they thinking.
Fear the Walking Dead: Mourning Cloak (2022)
Dumb
We're supposed to be in an apocalyptic world and Charlie looked as if she was off to the mall with her friends. Long clean hair, lip gloss or light lipstick, clean neat clothes. Too unrealistic for me. When Charlie and Ali were in the bowling alley and the bad guys come to the door and they have to hide from them. Where was the horse? We have to assume it was outside where they left it. So the bad guys didn't see it and Ali didn't even mention the possibility that those guys might have seen the horse and it would've been a dead giveaway that people were somewhere around. Wouldn't they als have to be worried about a group of walking dead might find the horse? And where on the hell is Viktor supposed to be? On vacation or something. Where, in this world do you go for a coupla nights away from home?
Lame, lame ass show.
The Invisible Pilot (2022)
Don't rate after only one episode
I seriously doubt the negative ninnies that gave one and two star reviews actually know where this story goes. The true story of the incredible life of Gary Metzner. A pilot who flew tons of cocaine from South and Central America to Florida. Knew and smuggled for Pablo Escobar. Was blackmailed by the CIA to run guns to the Contras and return with plane loaded with coke. Fascinating story of a guy who faked his death and in the process made his kids life a mess.
BattleBots (2018)
Fun carnage
Some impressive machines going toe to toe. Parts flying as these 250 pound bots crash into each other, each with devastating weaponry engaged.
I would like to see more of the engineering that goes into building these bots.
What makes this show must see tv are the announcers Chris Rose and Kenny Florian. Their witty repartee will make you lol.
But as others have mentioned , the ratio of bot action to non bot action is way weighted in the non bot corner.
Le manoir (2017)
Very funny
I can only imagine that many reviewers came to this film with preconceived notions. Starts off with the worn out trope of young folks going to party at an abandoned building of some sort and bring alcohol and drugs only to be killed off by some unknown evil.
There are scenes in this film that are laugh out loud funny. Watch with subtitles. Dubbing sucks. I'm going to watch this again in case I missed something in the first viewing.
Give it a chance, you might be glad you did.
The Silent Sea (2021)
Overused trope
These series ( or movies) all share one common plot point. The crew for this vitally important mission are the best their country has to offer. Yet invariably there will be at least one asshole, one shady character who has his own agenda.
The audience knows which one of the crew who's to be trusted ( probably the lead actor). When the good guy sees something, like a monster, that no one else sees, he's immediately dismissed and told "he's imagining things. Despite being picked for the crew because of his strengths and abilities. After 3 episodes I'm interested to see where it goes from here. So many movies follow along this same story line and it sags in the middle and flops at the end.
Niagara (1953)
A noir in color?
I like my noirs in glorious b&w. I guess the scenic falls and the even more scenic Miss Marilyn demanded color in order to see her fabulous blond, almost platinum blond hair, the gorgeous red dress all in all needed to be seen in color. I wonder what someone who is completely unaware of the legend that surrounds M M would think about her. J Cotton reliable and professional. Jean Peters, beautiful in her own right and gives a solid performance in her role here which could be considered the lead female.
Jeans husband though. What a damned annoying jackass! He could never hold on to a real lady like Jean. He should be used as a court jester or fodder for a monster. I wanted to slap him upside his face every time he came the screen.
Doroga na Berlin (2015)
Deserves better
This film is grossly underrated. Maybe not enough battles shown for some but it shows the stark reality of after battle scenes. Soldiers marching through the devastation left by enemy attacks on villages and countryside alike. It was surprising to me how well made the film was. From the acting to the cinematography and especially the clothing or costume realism. This film deserves to be more appreciated in my opinion.
Red Notice (2021)
Forgettable
I can hear the pitch being made to producers. " We'll have 3 of the biggest stars in the world. It will be about the best art thieves in the world. The Rock will have a small window of availability between his last film and the next one so he can squeeze this one in. He's limiting himself to 10 movies a year now. Ryan Reynolds will continue being Ryan Reynolds although he has insisted that instead of being cleverly witty and totally likable as Deadpool, in this film he's going to be annoying and silly and nerve racking. Gal, Wonder Woman Gadot She's gonna kick some butt and look beautiful and
---nothing much more.
Throw in some action scenes that defy Newton's laws of motion, a couple of twists that are completely moronic and you've got Red Notice. The Rock should've sat this one out. Ryan has to get back to being pre Red Notice Ryan. Gal, baby, comedy may not be your thing.
The Masked Singer: Giving Thanks (2021)
Horrendous!!
Damn this show sucks! The judges make guesses as to the identity of the singer. The camera goes directly to audience members nodding their heads and mouthing " ahh" to each other. Just as they are instructed to do. Then the cringe inducing chant "take it off-take it off". The singer then struggles to get the head off the costume, aided by show staff, and then the big reveal. Is it Drake, is it snoop? No! It's the well known personality Victor Olidipo! The audience reacts with surprise and much applause. Nick Cannon is quick to say his name so the show audience and the tv audience don't have time to say "who the hell is he" Why it's an obscure basketball player that no one would guess with a million guesses. The judges are the worst though. I used to like Ken Jung , now he makes my skin crawl on this show. Predictable and not funny. Jenny, loud attention seeker.
The judges making guesses as to who this or that singer is, runs the gamut. Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Other Major stars that wouldn't be caught dead doing this show. But on this episode they really scraped the bottom of the barrel. When they unmasked these two overweight women. The audience had to be wondering who they were. They didn't have long to wait tho because Nick quickly let everyone know. "It's Honey boo boo and mother June "
To say the audience reaction was fake would be an understatement.
Fear the Walking Dead: Breathe with Me (2021)
Dictator Strand
Evil power hungry Strand. Dictator cap and jacket to boot. Seems the writers have run out of ideas for the next bad foe to go against so they make one of the group the villain. Why should Strand have such enmity toward Morgan, to the point of trying to kill him in the submarine? He now takes evil delight in denying certain people entrance to the tower. He even has the stereotypical devoted underling at his side trying to look menacing. It's almost laughable.
There are a lot of coincidences on Fear. Necessary no doubt to move the story along. Morgan popping up in the nick of time in this ep and so many others. The real WTF moment came when the truck Sara and Josiah was in flew down a fifty foot mountainside and landed grill first on the ground. No injuries at all. They weren't even wearing seat belts.
Reminded me of the Saturday serials at local theatres back before tv in the 40's. At the end of each episode Batman ,in this care, would be in a harrowing situation. Trapped in an airplane in one episode that showed B M struggling to get loose,, then boom, the plane exploded. No way could he have survived, but the next Saturday when the show started B M had a lot more time to get loose than they made it look like in the preceding episode. Those Serials were cheap as heck and terribly acted.
Life Below Zero: Next Generation (2020)
Somewhat annoying
One thing we know for sure. Life is tough in the wilds of Alaska. We know this because the participants in the show tell you constantly how close to death they all are at every moment. And then brag about how much better off they are away from civilization. One couple has two young kids. They work with dangerous tools. What if one of the kids had an accident that needed emergency care? My guess is the producers of the show have emergency services on stand by, which makes their adventure is not as isolated as they make you think. I'm curious as to how many natgo crew are with them.
Fear the Walking Dead: The Beacon (2021)
Stranded
Strand has been all over the place on this show, character wise. Mostly unscrupulous, untrustworthy charlatan. But then there were times when he was an important member of the group who redeemed himself on more than one occasion. So it was a stretch to make him a villain but to make him a villain that could carry on a pleasant and constructive conversation with an amiable young man and then brutally and gleefully sling him off the roof to his death. Why writers? Did y'all run out of ideas for villains? It was almost laughable to see Strand strutting around in his dictator outfit ( where did he get the dictator jacket and hat?) boasting to Will about what he's built there as his minion shuffled behind them like a loyal puppy. Fresh strawberries. How? It just doesn't pass the sniff test. He's having a meaningful conversation with Will that was going along nicely. Then off the roof goes Will. Strand has shown he can be a prick but slinging a guy off the roof who is not a threat and then bragging about it like a juvenile killer just doesn't jive.
Remember You (2021)
Amateurish
Looked like a sixth grade class project to make a movie..Except for locations, film making equipment and budget concerns . But every other aspect of the movie/series is atrocious. Dialogue, script, acting is embarrassing.looks like Thailand has a ways to go in film making.
Buried (2021)
Disconcerting!
I'm sure this documentary about repressed memory is going to be very interesting to watch. I wouldn't normally write a review after only one episode but this show has a very unusual and off putting trademark the director seems to be trying out. Zeroing in on the eyeballs of each person being questioned. I'm telling you, the eyeball fills the screen. It's so big I have to turn away from the tv and ask my dog Chance " why, why in hell is he doing this.?" An.optometrist could do an eye exam on these people. Serious flaw in my opinion.
American Horror Story: Winter Kills (2021)
Wicked fun
Thank you Ryan Murphy for this highly entertaining series and this episode which wraps up part one. The old saying that"time flies when you're having fun" applies to movies and tv shows also. The only thing that disappointed me about this episode was how quickly it ended.