ivo-ivan Reviews

From Russia with Cash (2015 TV Movie)

Russian money laundering schemes explained in bright lights and colors

[10/10 · 2 July 2023]

Boris is an investigative journalist under cover, pretending to be Russian deputy minister of Healthcare, who is seeking to buy a very expensive luxury real estate in London.

Together with his "wife" (another investigative journalist) they engage in 5 different offers for real estates costing Millions.

And 5/5 go along with the deal after he made it perfectly clear these are stolen money from Russian Healthcare system.

A perfect illustration into why Western support against the aggressive war of Putin's regime in Ukraine has not been fully backed - because there is a lot of Russian capital, money and resources that are on the line. Western stakeholders don't want their income flow disrupted.

Plain and simple.

The Courier (2020)

an amazing film on humanity.....inspired by true events

[10/10 · 9 March 2022]

This is an amazing story that I would recommend to anybody to watch, especially in the context of Russian's invasion on Ukraine

The film tells an amazing story and tells it brilliantly. It's a true story on human sacrifice for something greater than oneself.

It's a must-watch picture.

Acting is absolutely brilliant, it's moving, it's humane, it's about family, it's about life. Hard to put in words. I rarely get so moved.

Have a Good Trip (2020)

pretty accurate description, based on personal experience.

[10/10 · 5 June 2020]

Based on my personal experience, I would rate this very accurate.

I guess there are four types of beliefs towards psychedelics.

1. they induce some form of hallucinations and then it's "back to reality". 2. these substances show us "the real nature of reality" while "normal life" is set up in a way to "block" our senses for whatever reason 3. adventurous mind and "let's see what will happen" 4. only stupid people would do "drugs". These are exactly the type of people who end up on the street shooting needles and doing petty thefts to get their daily fix. It's for stupid and irresponsible people.

I think nr. 3 is the most adequate position. personal experiences vary greatly. I find all the advice in the film pretty reasonable, you can tell it's from people who have tried it but not "studied" it.

Are these substances for everybody, in every context, just like a beer. Hell no.

Can they be valuable and give you a valuable perspective on life? Absolutely.

Aside from personal experiences, I think what people can learn is that perception can very well be reality and that sometimes fixed ways of seeing and perceiving the world and not necessarily "the true, the only, the right" etc perspective.

It loosesn the boundaries and opens up space for nore "nuances" and for different perspectives.

In my mind that's a good thing. Seeint more perspectives is a sign of intelligences, think about that.

I give 10/10.

Too Hot to Handle (2020– )

8.5 is fair

[8/10 · 27 April 2020]

My first dating show and generally I would say I liked it and it made me think.

It's about young very attractive single people in their early 20s being isolated for some time on an island in Mexico. It's about all the group dynamics that you could imagine take place.

There was nothing "extraordinary" or superb about the series - a light refreshing content with a few situations that make you think.

one of the less obvious things for me that were well displayed were:

• there is always another hotter and more attractive man or woman out there and at some point a person should just "go all in" with one person and see if that works out.
• very attractive girls are not too confident in the sense that they get emotional for minor things, get confused, minor situations sting them etc. The seris show for me the benefit of emotional stability in one's character and its crucial importance in order for us to have a happy lives. No matter how attractive you are, even if 11/10, you definitely need this skill in order to have a happy life.

Last Thoughts: I enjoyed the show and considering you won't expect something this show is not meant to deliver, I think it's worth your time.

The Martian (2015)

a highly unrealistic space rescue story

[3/10 · 6 April 2020]

The film is well shot, the Mars sceneries are great and Matt Damon does a very good job in the leading role.

But all of it is extremely unrealistic. If you are like me, when I am watching Tom and Jerry (yes the animation series) then I willingly suspend my critical judgment. This was however not possible with this film.

Too often I got "woken up" with the next unrealistic decision making step in the story.

If you are like me, a person who NEEDS the story to be plausible to enjoy it, that film is NOT for you, I promise.

If however, the degree of realism in how the story develops does not bother you at all, and you have time to kill, then you might enjoy this film.

3/10 for me.

Not recommended

Twin Peaks (1990–1991)

An unrealistic mystery story very well told

[7/10 · 16 February 2020]

The series is about a mysterious murder investigation in the small town of Twin Peaks.

Season 1 starts in a very captivating manner. It's riveting. The pace of revealing each piece of the puzzle is superb. It's not too slow and it's not too fast. Just the perfect pace to keep your attention riveted.

Characters are very well developed and actor play is excellent. Each character really speaks his or her own language and it's believable.

The 8.8 score is too high in my opinion and mostly because the story becomes in time too unrealistic and too surreal to the point where "you wake up". I am a believer that the best story is one that makes you dream in the sense you gradually lose sense of reality and the film becomes your reality.

Yes this is a fiction / mystery story but towards end of season 1 and in season 2 the "believability" thread snaps for me.

I still watched it to the end, because I was hooked - which speaks well for the picture, but I got the feeling "they went over the top".

SHOULD YOU SEE IT? is it worth your time?

I like everything very much for a comfortable 10/10 except for the believability factor. If you are like me, a person with well developed logical and critical thinking I think you will start losing interest mid season 1.

If you don't care too much about believability and would like to see a thriller mystery story then you will love the series

Is it worth your time? see the first few episodes and decide for yourself if you want to continue. If you are not 100% riveted, then it's probably not for you.

Chernobyl (2019)

A masterpiece! Read if you have seen the series.

[10/10 · 2 February 2020]

I was stunned and still am a few months after watching it twice, which is extremely rare for me.

First, I could never imagine how a story where you know the ending can be told in the most riveting fashion I have ever experienced!

Learning about "why was it allowed to happen" was disturbing and yet informative. The series has true historic meaning and it's historically accurate! How the small lives of some small people can then impact the face of the earth.

Acting was stunning, I felt like watching a documentary of some new sort with enormous budget. 11/10 for acting.

It shows how normal people can unwilling turn into heroes under life's pressure. Neither Valery Legasov, nor Boris Shcherbina wanted to become heroes, paid a price beyond imagination. Valery ultimately took his own life and I would like the film to have given at least partially why that was. Yes, it was suggested (the KGB leader explain what will happen to him if he speaks the truth) but I don't think that would be enough. I would suggest Valery wanted to put a fullstop on his statement this was the very last thing he could do but has not done.

Experiencing the pain and hardship these people went thru, victims like survivals, puts modern life problems in perspective. Is it enough to induce change - I'd say no, but all journeys start with a first step.

Revealing USSR time of 1996 was astonishing. Like a throwback in time.

The ending was ingenious. What is the cost of lies? It's very strong and yet very short question that sticks in your mind. There are no long scenes where we can hear character's thoughts being narrated, explained and spoon-fed to us. Again, the ending is so strong and it really induces thought and it really induces a consciousness for change.

This is a brilliant example of how a film can change the world. It gives you a shocking and realistic context and then shoots you in the head with 1 question.

I believe if everybody on the planed, as part of their education theoretically speaking, was introduced to these series, the world would be a better place. I truly believe that.

What TV series or films can you say this about? I would suggest none.

Chernobyl (2019)

A masterpiece! read if you haven't seen the series

[10/10 · 2 February 2020]

I was stunned and still am months after watching it 2 times, which is extremely rare for me.

WHY SHOULD YOU SEE THE SERIES?

1. because it very accurately describes a catastrophe with a potential scale of World War 2 that you are probably unfamiliar with. Instead of horror scenes, it builds tension based on what actually happened.

2. it also very accurately describes what chain of events that led to the disaster. The series does an extremely good job at conveying the USSR time of 1986. It's like teleporting back in time to get a feel of what life back then was like.

3. It's a masterpiece in storytelling!

4. Acting is superb. I felt like watching a documentary. Did not realize they speak English and not Russian.

5. At the end it makes you think and it poses very important questions. Gives a perspective without someone narrating character's thoughts. It makes you think way after the series is over.

Joker (I) (2019)

A psycho thriller that has much to say

[10/10 · 25 October 2019]

I went to the movies with two friends: one totally loved and it the other totally hated hated the film.

The picture is a masterpiece that deserves attention and these are several important ideas that I believe many people are missing to see:

NOT THEIR FAULT. the Joker is a somebody born into this world with some form of physical (and perhaps mental) disability. He is sent to a foster home where his crazy mother adopts him from. She further shapes his faith "downwards". On top of that her abusive boyfriends that tie him and beat him and his mother. Imagine how damaging that is to a child's brain. Imagine if that were you. Were you going to become the person you are today? Most likely not.

LAUGHING AT THEM, NOT WITH THEM. Director shows graphically how non-empathetic people can be to this sort of people. It's easy to throw a hurtful comment to make you laugh, but it's always at their expense. So in the end he was pushed to the wall and started shooting.

KILLING HIS MOTHER. should he have done it? Did she save him or hurt him? Was it her fault she was crazy, which then hurt him? Would he be better without her? All open questions that make sense.

SHOOTING THE HOST. He went to the studio with the intent to kill himself, but then survival instincts took over I guess. The host started blaming him for his action which triggered him. A life full of pain felt they never wanted to recognize his pain, only because it's more convenient for them this way.

BECOMING A LEADER. In the final scene, after a life of pain and suffering, fully rejected by society, for the first time in his life, he becomes a leader and people start admiring and following him. They put him on the hood of the red car. They actually followed him for his madness, not for the wisdom he voiced out before shooting De Niro. A masterful way to show that HAVING FOLLOWERS, LIKES, and FANS does not mean a person has true "value".

On the one hand, YOU HAVE 1000 LIKES ON FACEBOOK FOR THE WRONG REASON. On the other you have 1 dislike for the right reasons. WHICH ARE YOU PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO?

Alpha (II) (2018)

a snapshot of how people lived 20, 000 years ago

[10/10 · 29 August 2018]

Beautiful picture, beautiful story, masterfully told.

The movie brings you back 20, 000 years ago into an era where the line between life and death is extremely thin. Where success in hunting means you live. A very stark contrast with the modern era where we make a problem out of the tone somebody from the service industry talks in.

Again, it shows the thin intangible line between life and death which puts things into perspective. You cannot be depressed, crying about a thing from the past because the present moment's pressure is too great for those things to exist. It's like you press the bag and the air moves.

I haven't checked in detail whether the story is exact or not, but it definitely brings you back into those primordial times.

The way the character speak comes across very truthful. They speak shortly, clearly and to the point. It's a very instinctive type of communication that is totally gone because "you need to fill the pauses with small talk".

It's primordial, it's raw. It shows you that life puts you in a situation where you have to be "cruel". You have to fight for life, it's not a given. You don't have 70 years.

The movie is graphically beautiful and soaks with meaning, if you are ready, if you want to listen. It's one of the best movies I have seen in my life.

Wild Wild Country (2018)

a profound documentary beautifully portrayed

[10/10 · 4 August 2018]

As a teenager and into my early twenties I was heavily influenced by Osho's books. Think for yourself, be true to yourself, don't fit it just because you have to fit in, learn to celebrate life, accept the New as gift, etc.

It was an exceptional experience to watch this documentary.

I loved that the filmmakers used old footage, facts, articles, that they interviewed people who were directly involved in the story. They showed both sides of the story, thus letting you decide for yourself.

It's a brilliant picture..

for me it portrays in a great way the dichotomy of "the moral" or "the teachings of the Master" on one hand and the real life on the other.

Morals, beliefs, loyalty, friendship etc are all very beautiful poetic words, but usually they go at a cost that few people are willing to pay in real life.

the greatest value of this film is how this dichotomy is portrayed with "facts and figures".

It's up to you to decide how you will take the film. I love it.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

emotionally captivating picture in the purest Tarantino style

[10/10 · 5 August 2016]

this review is meant for the people who have not watched this film yet. Think a lot of people will find it helpful.

when watching a movie my intention is to see a story that somebody created. It's his or her creation, so I don't approach it like "I would have liked it better if...". That to me is a wrong approach to watching movies, because it is never your film and it can never perfectly match your personal preference.

My approach is "I take the story as it is" and I wait to see if it captures my attention. Does the movie take you on an experience that flows from one scene to the next building a coherent and congruent story. Like a book you choose to keep reading. Is there anticipation what would happen next?

I rarely like films because I can clearly perceive the "patches" - the moments where the story is not credible, it "breaks" or becomes plain boring, or somehow it is not coherent and does not make sense in its own way, or is too naive and predictable-a "popcorn movie".

Why did I give it a 10?

It matched all my criteria above.

Two particular aspects need to be shared:

1) the film takes you on a unique emotionally engaging experience. It's perfect the way it is - the way Tarantino chose to tell the story. The characters, the pace, it all made perfect sense to me and it was all congruent.

2) given there are NO special effects in the sense of no car chases, explosions, robots, aliens, etc I found it fascinating how Tarantino managed to make a long film that easily kept my attention for its full duration. Pure art. Rare to see.

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

epic. fantasy. entertainment.

[10/10 · 15 February 2014]

Epic. Fantasy. Entertainment.

acting - 8 or 9 / 10

visual effects, costumes, battle scenes - 10/10

story - 8 / 10

epicness - 10/10

creating its own fantasy world - 10/10

this is a pure entertainment film. It won't teach you about the wisdom of life and it won't show how difficult life can be. But what this film does good is to provide epic high-level entertainment, if you are the type of person who could relate to such kind of a fantasy movie.

Chris Hemsworth is great. Natalie Portman makes a solid performance as usual.

Only thing I did not like was the voice effects they used on Chris who sounds a bit like a robot. Not necessary.

Prometheus (I) (2012)

skippable

[3/10 · 11 February 2014]

You could safely pass on that film. Ridley Scott probably made it for the money only.

The story is not good enough. I mean really. The link between its pieces is often too loose or even irrational. At some points character actions feel like comedy, which stands in full dissonance with the tone of the film, which is fully serious.

At some points there are some OK questions being posed, let's not be too negative :).

The visual effects and the scenes are good though, you can notice some reasonable attention to detail. By that I would judge it is an expensive picture.

I cannot really comment on the acting part. But I wasn't in any way impressed by it.

If you have soda and popcorn at hand and fully need to kill some time, you could see it. Otherwise there are much better offers on the market :)

Gravity (2013)

One of the greatest movies I have seen

[10/10 · 4 February 2014]

I just watched the film. It's superb. Definitely 10/10. The story is touching, enlightening and inspiring the way it is. People may want to add or remove pieces, but I find it perfect the way it is told.

It is hard to write about it without revealing pieces that shouldn't be revealed. Really.

What touched me the most is how this story speaks in a brilliant way about our lives, our choices, our greatest fears, our attitude to life. It touches you very deeply, trust me on that. And does so both strongly and gently. The tension builds up then is released, builds up and then is released.

What I love about Gravity is that it speaks very clearly and yet metaphorically. It's not like somebody explaining you this or that, not like the narrator speaks in the background telling you what to think. It is like (a made up example follows) they beat somebody before your eyes and you know this is brutal, the situation speaks for itself loudly and clearly; there are no if's and no maybe's.

I don't like Hollywood movies in general, because almost all of them are repetitive and boring. It is very seldom I can stand a whole movie. That however fully does not apply to Gravity. It is great and will definitely evoke a response, unless you are enlightened or hard asleep :) :)

The World's End (2013)

a kinda funny story that is told in an original way

[6/10 · 5 January 2014]

This is not a great 9/10 or 10/10 movie in any way. But it pictures an original story that is put together in a funny and unorthodox way. It's different from most comedies. I suppose one is most likely to either think "it was original and amusing in its own way", or to find it boring.

Five young men are having a crazy night out- a story to remember and to tell your friends about. Not to be too proud about but to tell with some sense of pride still.

Say 20 years later, one of them is bringing them together to repeat it and to finish some "unfinished business" they were after back then. Most of them have families at that point and represent the settled down, middle class, having a steady job, being serious and responsible, the reasonable and the mature.

At that point, the movie pictures the 'serious' fixation of this type of people in their habit of being serious. A stark contrast is made with a person who is their age but has preserved his youthful craziness and immaturity in the context of having fun and not thinking too much.

At this point the movie could make one re-evaluate some of his or her values.

Then the story makes a completely different turn. That is where it becomes funny (if you are fond of this kind of humor) and unorthodox.

At the end there is this BIG philosophical argument: Freedom vs Perfection. I cannot take it seriously, so I take it from the funny side.

How do YOU take it ?

Being There (2011)

Absolutely Amazing

[10/10 · 3 January 2014]

Absolutely amazing ski stunt video (hand rails, propelled air jumps, free skiing, etc)! A group of professional skiers travels the world to ski and perform ski stunts on great locations (Norway, Japan, ..) Great soundtracks too which hooked me musically! Beautiful camera. The skiers are very cheerful, the energy is free and friendly. There is nothing not to love. I had so much fun watching it and want to share the joy. From their website: With some of the best skiers within all aspects of modern free skiing, and a passionate film crew equipped with the best of HD cameras, this movie will both thrill and amaze you. Along side amazing action shots and mind blowing scenery, this movie will give you a behind the scenes look at the production itself.

The Tudors (2007–2010)

very interesting

[9/10 · 30 November 2011]

I would recommend "The Tudors" to everyone who likes stories about medieval times and about politics in personal and international affairs.

I would say the series revolve around personal choices and relationships involving individuals, international affairs and the church.

I am not sure how historically correct the series are, but they definitely convey the spirit of that time in terms of the King's figure and the Court life.

I find the series unpredictable and intriguing.

King's acting is excellent and convincing.

In my mind it's a YES.

Camelot (2011)

"Camelot" is worthwhile your attention

[20 November 2011]

I registered just now so I can write a review for Camelot;I have seen 3 episodes so far.

It's true that Game of Thrones and Rome are more impressive. But Camelot really deserves your attention if you want to see a series about the medieval times.

Some aspects of the character acting could be better. But the story is interesting and there are some archetypal oppositions/scenarios that resonate with me.

Arthur is pictured as an authentic man who wants to contribute to the good of others. His half sister depicts his opposite - somebody who is driven by personal desires and is ready to do everything to achieve her goal. I very much like how this contrast is depicted.

I find the story line interesting and unpredictable. There are some very strong moments that impressed me- I will not go into details here as I don't wish to ruin your fun :).

Just give it a try and see for yourself - isn't that the wisest thing to do?