megan_chatterton Reviews

Five Star Christmas (2020 TV Movie)

I'll "Bea" Home for Christmas

[9/10 · 19 November 2023]

When a family who has just renovated their home into a bed and breakfast learns a reviewer is in town, they do everything to get that five-star rating.

A fun cast and plot full of false and mistaken identities. Everyone in the movie learns to appreciate life a little more, even if the path they're on doesn't exactly match with where they thought they would be going.

If I have any minor complaints it lies with the movie's unresolved question concerning the family's home. Dad supposedly retired from the Forest Service, but the home is a mansion! Maybe the late wife was wealthy, but the grandmother never offers up funds to assist in getting the place up and going.

Code Black (2015–2018)

At Center Stage

[8/10 · 23 October 2023]

Code Black is primarily a show about the medicine and the journey each character undergoes as a doctor. This is pretty rare in the medical drama genre, as most find themselves bogged down by the sexual relationships of the characters.

The journey of Leann to finding peace with her loss through teaching, to Mario and Angus rising to become great doctors is the core of the show.

Despite frequent cast changes in its short run, it made good use of its characters. Even the most conceited and dysfunctional people found their way to be healers in a chaotic ER. While some deaths or cases might be over-the-top, the show felt mostly genuine.

What I didn't like was how often a character's journey was left incomplete... I read into the major changes, including adding Rob Lowe's character in Season 2. Unfortunately, the showrunner seemed to lack confidence in his cast. The frequent departures of core cast with absolutely no mention of their fate was terribly frustrating!

National Treasure: Edge of History (2022–2023)

Hit and Miss

[7/10 · 20 August 2023]

I understand the poor reviews, but I also want to acknowledge that at least this is one for the whole family.

A young woman and her friends take over for Gates and crew in this National Treasure sequel. Jess Valenzuela learns her family are guardians of a lost treasure and tries to find it before the cabal that supposedly killed her father. Meanwhile, the FBI investigates her involvement in the death of one of their own.

The cast can be really trying, but I did feel the show improved as it progressed. Without being unkind, I feel this is probably due in part to the first half focusing on the characters and their culture whereas the second half is about the plot.

Almost Paradise (2020– )

Convalescing in Cebu

[9/10 · 14 August 2023]

Alex Walker, a recently betrayed DEA agent, moves to the Philippines to deal with his hypertension. He ends up working cases for the local police with officers Kai Mendoza and Ernesto Alamares.

Like most viewers, I started watching after becoming a fan of Christian Kane's work on other similar shows like Leverage. He normally plays the same character type, but he's really good at it. With a nice dose of humor, this is a fun cop show that feels a bit like Hawaii Five-O.

I overall liked the first season a bit more. I felt they forced getting Alex a love interest in season two. The trio is best together solving cases rather than dealing with personal drama.

Interstellar (2014)

Go Gentle into the Night

[8/10 · 14 August 2023]

Surely fascinating and visually beautiful, but I found myself underwhelmed after reading the "stellar" reviews of this movie and its soundtrack.

After a blight renders food nearly impossible to grow and dust storms common, humanity (what about all the animals?) is doomed. An underground NASA starts a project to find a habitual world on the other side of a wormhole near Saturn.

Interesting premise, but also quite bleak, as it appears there is little hope of saving Earth or the families left behind. It also felt really strange that so much emphasis was put on the daughter and her role, but as the plot moves forward, the son is almost villainized for no reason. The theme of love being a driving force of Cooper's mission feels somewhat a farce as a result of this choice.

Nolan's films are always intentionally vague in order to be thought-provoking, but this one just didn't quite end on the right note for me.

Hawkeye (2021)

Hawkeye's Holiday Adventure

[8/10 · 12 August 2023]

Clint takes his three kids to New York City at Christmastime. After he encounters Kate, a longtime fan and fellow archer, he sticks around to stop a ghost from his past.

I didn't love it as much as Falcon and Winter Soldier, but it was a perfectly fine MCU outing. Lots of self-reflection as the duo tries to save the day. Hawkeye struggles with getting older, losing his hearing, and losing a friend. Kate struggles to be taken seriously and find her footing as a budding superhero. The two don't always jive, but there are plenty of heartwarming and humorous moments as they figure out how to work together.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

Rise Above

[10/10 · 21 July 2023]

My favorite MCU outing. This miniseries hits all the right notes. There are plenty of spot-on humorous moments to balance out a story of honor, redemption, and morality.

Sam and Bucky are great together. Both Mackie and Stan delivered top-notch performances. Sam's journey to acceptance of Steve Rogers's departure as Captain America and his choice to name him as his successor is bookended by Bucky's journey to find peace with his actions as the Winter Soldier. This makes for a great plot as they work together to stop a fringe group who is targeting the organization in charge of relocating refugees post-Thanos and deal with the repercussions of the government naming a new Captain America.

The show handled issues of race very well and all the characters were layered beautifully. Definitely worth it! I only wish there was more.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

Satisfactory send-off

[8/10 · 12 July 2023]

Indiana Jones and a colleague find half of the Dial of Archimedes while on a Nazi train back in the 40s. The colleague's daughter shows up in 1969 wanting his help finding the other half. The artifact supposedly gives the power to control time. And so we start our final outing.

Harrison Ford was great. It was really cool to see him both in the flashback sequence and now. It was also wonderful to see John Rhys-Davies make his return. Always a pleasure to see him. The rest of the characters were hit and miss. Some needed more airtime and others could have been fine with less (or eliminating them entirely!)

The CG work was really amazing. Using old footage and modern technology together to make a sequence was very cool to watch. The chase sequences were a bit overly long. The train scene felt exactly like playing Uncharted 2.

Overall better than Crystal Skull with a fitting story for Ford and returning cast. I wasn't totally sold on the newbies, but I was pleased by how it all ended.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)

There exists a book...

[8/10 · 11 July 2023]

Not quite as good as the first one, but still fun.

Benjamin Gates and his dad are celebrating their ancestor when new information comes to light that he may have been involved in the Lincoln assassination. They set out to follow clues that will lead them to the list city of Cibola and help clear his name.

The supporting cast was a bit annoying on this one, as was the Borne-like car chase. I also feel the motivation of the bad guy on this one was really nebulous. Still, it was a fun ride full of fun locations and well-crafted riddles. The President is great, and again Cage makes a great leading man with quirky charm.

There are a few things that won't really make sense (Olmec in South Dakota???) but nonetheless it was enjoyable.

National Treasure (2004)

Historic Treasure

[9/10 · 10 July 2023]

Great family film. I just watched it again for the second time after many years. It is really a well-made thriller. It has the same feel and style as Dan Brown's Langdon books, but at PG, it had none of the dark content. I would imagine most kids would enjoy this as much as their parents.

Benjamin Franklin Gates wants to find the treasure his ancestor was told about by the last of the signers of the Declaration of Independence just before his death. So he sets out to solve clue after clue.

Cage is great in this movie as Ben. His character is smart and dedicated to finding the treasure for its cultural value. He is joined by his tech guy Riley, who is adorably clueless.

Lightyear (2022)

Sox Rocks

[9/10 · 9 July 2023]

Buzz Lightyear attempts to get his people home after they are marooned on a bug and plant-infested planet by reaching hyperspeed. He is joined by a team of misfits and his pet cat.

Great movie that deserves more love than it got. Sure, the start is a bit bleak and the runtime is maybe a bit too long, but this movie is very cute.

I loved the humor and the theme of the movie. It's all about letting yourself lean on others. It's not all about the mission, but rather the journey. Buzz's team is great, especially Sox the robot cat. He's a riot! Everyone is very human and relatable.

Don't listen to the nay-sayers. This is a heartwarming movie about finding peace and purpose.

Superman & Lois (2021–2024)

A Much Drearier Smallville

[7/10 · 4 July 2023]

Review of Seasons 1-3

This show has been a bit inconsistent. I felt the first season didn't quite hit its stride and season two suffered from a poor main storyline. However, over time it's improving. That's what makes me so uncomfortable about the news that the upcoming finale season will ax most of the supporting characters in favor of Lex. The introduction of his character felt to me like the weakest choice so far. Their Lex is a brutal prison boss. The last thing this show seems to need is darker material. The sets are already murky and the characters share very few moments of happiness, especially with season three's Lois arc.

Assassin's Creed Rebellion (2018 Video Game)

AC Mobile

[6/10 · 26 June 2023]

AC Rebellion has a main Spanish campaign and several smaller campaigns. The main character is Aguilar from the movie but there are dozens of original characters and characters from all the games. It's a very repetitive arcade mobile game that you should only play if you want some to do for a few minutes every day. The assassins you collect are very cute, but leveling is a pain in the behind.

There are a lot of things you can buy to increase research speeds and resource production, but costs are exorbitant. That said, it is better to just play the game naturally and eventually you'll get to the point where you can play most of the missions and collect the majority of the characters.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Finding the Force Again

[8/10 · 2 June 2023]

Perhaps a bit slow to start, but I enjoyed this miniseries after it hit its stride. Not a happy outing, but one of finding purpose and forgiveness of himself, Obi-Wan comes out of this finding the force again and realizing that helping Luke and Leia grow up will be his way of honoring Anakin and Padme.

Like a lot of viewers, I was a bit irritated by some quirks that felt like oversights. Leia really doesn't feel like a ten year old, but the little actress grows on you and does a believable child version of Carrie Fisher.

My favorite part was the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin and the series's final confrontation between Obi and Darth Vader. It was worth making it through the series just for that scene.

A Plague Tale: Innocence (2019 Video Game)

Rats!

[7/10 · 2 June 2023]

A beautiful video game, but deeply disturbing. Siblings Hugo and Amicia struggle to survive in a world populated by horrid people and even more horrific rats. There are bloody and deeply sad scenes throughout the game with little positivity.

So much of this game is spent sending animals and friends to their deaths that I was deeply depressed by it. If you want a medieval horror that does a fairly good job showing how awful life was during times of sickness and corruption, this is it!

Pros: The characters and graphics are nicely realized. Hugo is a bit of a whiner, but he's little and going through major trauma.

Cons: At least for me, this game was just too dark. Don't play it his if you're already sad.

Body of Proof (2011–2013)

Body of Confusing Decisions

[5/10 · 16 April 2023]

It's hard to put into words how truly obnoxious the character of Megan Hunt is. She approaches everything with arrogance and disdain. If not for its lead, I'd give this show several more stars.

I don't have much to say that hasn't already been said. Supporting cast is fine. They put together a pretty normal ME show. However the utterly off-base decision to replace half of them going into season three was one of the craziest I've ever seen on a show. It was an amazingly horrible decision, not because of the new cast, but because it made the show totally different and Megan was even more irritating in the third outing. Medical examiners should not be leading interrogations and showing up to crime scenes in heels. More "edgy" does not a good show make.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Let's fly!

[8/10 · 28 December 2022]

Review of seasons 1-4

Discovery can be hit and miss. Season 2 was the best so far. Loved the addition of Pike and Spock to the show. I can definitely see why they got their own.

While the season arcs can be a bit irritating sometimes, in my opinion Discovery is much better than Picard. It definitely isn't a 2-3 star show. I agree that Michael can be trying as a character, but there are lots of others to balance her out, and she has gotten better over time. Saru in particular is a great contrast.

I appreciate that the show has gotten back to the exploration themes toward the end of season four. That's what has always made Star Trek for me. Looking forward to season 5 and seeing where Starfleet ventures next!

It's Christmas, Eve (2018 TV Movie)

Saving the Music

[9/10 · 18 December 2022]

An interim superintendent, Eve, returns to her hometown to make some tough choices about the school district's music program. Along the way she falls for the music teacher.

This was one of my favorite holiday movies. Both leads are warm, enjoyable characters, as are the supporting cast. It was a pleasure to see some genuine musical talent. It's pretty rare to get a feel good movie where you like it all the way through.

If I have any quips about this movie, it's how they handle the lead's job as superintendent. Do people really move around doing that? I've worked in education for over a decade, and I've never seen a young, total stranger take over a district before moving on.

The Age of Adaline (2015)

The Un-aging Adeline

[8/10 · 18 December 2022]

Adeline is a perfectly normal woman...until she isn't. Aging stops for her, as do the joys of lasting relationships.

A quick note of importance: if you're like me , you'll want to know that she ends up having to say goodbye to her beloved dog in this movie. I always bawl uncontrollably with scenes like this! Not appropriate for all settings. 😭

This was an interesting movie. Some of it was poignant and beautiful, other parts left me scratching my head. Adeline/Jenny rediscovers how to live fully in this movie. It's a beautiful theme. I would have given it full stars if the narrator had been cut and the father/son/Adeline plot had made more sense in my head. Watch for yourself to decide, but I don't believe the resolution would have been as simple.

Country Christmas Album (2018 TV Movie)

Wouldn't buy their album

[6/10 · 18 December 2022]

This movie is pretty normal quality for a Christmas movie in terms of storytelling, however the choice of singers left something to be desired.

The movie is about two singers who are partnered up for a holiday album to rejuvenate their careers. They navigate a budding romance while deciding whether to go on tour, leaving each other behind.

Neither of the characters seemed like they should have a career in music. Considering the musical talent a lot of these holiday movies manage to tap, it's embarrassing they didn't swing for the best they could get on this one. The actors did their best, but the songs were truly awful.

48 Christmas Wishes (2017 TV Movie)

For Kids

[6/10 · 4 December 2022]

This movie seems to resonate with young audiences, and you could easily watch as a whole family. For this, this movie doesn't deserve the super low reviews. Sure, adult viewers will scratch their heads at the acting, but the movie is wholesome and the kids are cute to watch (especially little Cam the elf).

The movie has two main plots, a family trying to find the joy of Christmas again after the death of a parent, and a second one about some elves trying to find Christmas wishes they lost from the family's small town. The elves and kids help each other find and bring happiness to the holiday.

Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

Elementary for Enola!

[7/10 · 30 November 2022]

I really hated the first half, but this movie grew on me. I had watched the first one years ago and remembered nearly none of it.

The movie tells the continuing story of Sherlock's little sister who takes on the case of a missing match girl. The plot is actually very good, and as others have noted, semi-historical.

One thing that I didn't like is the constant breaking of the fourth wall in the first half. Enola is always making weird looks or snide comments to the camera that really pulled away from the story. However this went away after a while, and when it did, the movie greatly improved.

A Merry Christmas Wish (2022 TV Movie)

Winter Wonderland

[7/10 · 30 November 2022]

A refreshing take on the city girl moves to the country theme so prevalent in holiday movies. The heroine is a decent human being who genuinely cares more about her family than the money she could get. Only thing that doesn't make sense is the title.

Janey is an advertising agent in New York when she learns a great uncle she stayed with as a kid has died. She returns home and reconnects with past friends while deciding what to do with her uncle's farm. In the process she has to choose whether to continue a town tradition.

A very humble movie that doesn't get caught up in itself. Also, best holiday kitchen and bedroom decorations for the win!

The Noel Diary (2022)

Finding Noel

[8/10 · 27 November 2022]

A famous author learns his mom has died and returns to his hometown to clean up her house. In the process he meets a woman looking for her birth mom and believes she had ties to his family.

I liked this movie a lot other than the pretty quick ending. Justin Hartley is really underrated as an actor. It was nice to see him out of Randall's shadow on This Is Us. The Vermont and Massachusetts winter scenery was beautiful and the cast dynamic was solid. The plot was simple but mostly believable.

As I said, my only complaint was the shotgun ending. Act 3 felt criminally short in comparison to the rest of the movie.

A Castle for Christmas (2021)

Restarting in Scotland

[8/10 · 23 November 2022]

A writer makes some poor decisions regarding her make lead post-divorce so she heads to Scotland for some R&R. She reconnects with her dad's heritage at the Dun Dunbar Castle and finds love along the way.

I personally liked this movie. I think it was one of the best Christmas movies I've ever watched. There are certainly much worse out there! The acting was good and the scenery was beautiful. My only major quip is the Drew Berrymore Show segments that bookend the movie. They cheapen Sophie's character quite a bit. It was enjoyable to watch a more sophisticated couple rather than the 20 somethings that usually populate the holiday fare.