d_e_s Reviews

Criminal: Spain: Carmelo (2019) Season 1, Episode 3

Disappointing installment in otherwise great series

[4/10 · 29 September 2019]

I was very excited when I read an article prior to the release of Criminal. I thought it was a pretty fresh, engaging idea and wanted to see if they'd be able to pull off their idea with solely the behind the scenes action in an attempt to bring a criminal to justice. It seemed like a tall order to me. I've watched nearly every series iteration: UK, Germany, and Spain (just need to binge watch France next). I have to say, this series was the only one I found disappointing.

Instead of focusing on the criminal, the Criminal: Spain series focused much more heavily on the detectives. This could have been interesting, but instead it flopped. We had one detective - a senior investigator, strong, sexy, experienced, very determined. Then the show had to put her at odds with the other senior female detective, because of course two strong women can't get along without stepping on each other's toes. Then, her sexual relationship with a younger male colleague was brought into the story. But instead of allowing a strong woman to be powerful and behave "like a man" (have sex with who she wants, when she wants, on her own terms) she is, course, punished for it when the younger male officer then sabotages her behind the scenes. It felt very behind the times and was a real disappointment to me.

The Dark Hours (2005)

not sure why the rating is so high

[3/10 · 5 July 2006]

This movie is not worthy of seeing. Don't waste your money on unimportant drivel like this.

Kate Greenhouse stars as Samantha Goodman, a doctor at a psychiatric facility. She learns in the first few minutes of the film that she has an inoperable brain tumor whose progress has only increased over the past year. She has hallucinations and occasionally will blank out and see people's mouths moving, but hear no sound. That's the first sign of things to come. Hmmmm....doctor....growing brain tumor....regular hallucinations....welcome to the stupid and predictable plot of The Dark Hours.

Sam calls up her husband on the phone (she hallucinates that he's in her office talking to her) and tells him she wants to spend the weekend with him. He knows she is sick and has a tumor, but he is not aware of the results she's gotten from the most recent tests. He tells her that he is busy and he has to finish writing his book, so he can't. He will be too busy with her younger sister, who is apparently jobless and still living at home. She helps him "edit" his work.

Sam leaves and proceeds to join them anyway at their cabin in the woods. Not long after she arrives, there is a knock at the door, and a stranger comes into the house. Then the unthinkable happens--a patient of Sam's who was in a coma and not likely to live suddenly shows up at their door too. Apparently the first guy is his accomplice, and they are out to torture and terrorize Sam and her family.

What's going on here really? Will Sam be able to escape with her life? And what will happen to her husband and her little sister? You can find most of this info out from reading other reviews. I just thought I would add my 2 cents worth. I thought this movie was boring. The acting was poor, especially Sam's sister. The psychopathic drifter, the madman's apprentice, was also very corny and poorly acted. The plot twists were all supposed to be shocking revelations, but really they were simply predictable and staid. They've been done before, and better, in many other films. There was not a single moment of anything even resembling tension or scariness in this film.

I got this film for free, so I can't complain about wanting my money back. However, to those of you who have not yet offered up your money, DON'T BOTHER! It's a huge waste of time. Go see something else that's more worthwhile, and leave this on the shelves where it belongs.

Shirts & Skins (2002)

very good short

[10/10 · 16 December 2003]

I found this to be excellently done--very touching and thought provoking. I can't help but think that shorts are especially difficult because they have an idea or theme to get across to the viewer in a limited amount of time, with limited budgets. The short is about a pretty woman named Anne Wiseman (played by Sam Tsao) who is Chinese-American and meets a Chinese businessman (Ben Wang) during a "diversity meeting". She is in denial of her heritage, and views herself strictly as an American. During her brief meeting with Michael, the businessman who is also lumped into the "Asian" category, he has a lasting impact on her life and viewpoint of her own ethnic background. Very interesting and worth a watch.