sarahelizabethparker Reviews

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

I'm being GENEROUS

[3/10 · 26 December 2020]

I just watched this with my parents for Christmas. I'm giving it 3 stars because my dad somehow managed to sit through the whole thing without leaving. If it had been any worse he would've left. But this is bad. So so bad. 3 stars is generous. The whole time we were either sitting there saying "we are so bored" or saying "this is so dumb"

What happened?! Who wrote this?! The first movie was SO good. It was magical. Refreshing. New. Rewatchable. Inspiring.

This sequel however, was the complete opposite. An absolute SLOG to get through. Almost nothing in this movie worked. Romance was stale. Humor unfunny. Villains laughable. Stunt work terrible. Writing cliche and predictable. Plot holes galore.

This sequel definitely felt like a DCEU movie. While they waited to release this in theaters...COULDN'T THEY HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO WORK ON THE CGI SOME MORE? God this CGI was a mess. The battle between Wonder Woman and Cheetah was hard to watch.

Patty Jenkins really blew it on this one. The first one must have been just luck because she completely wasted 4 talented actors and a huge budget on this.

The only positives I have for this are:

• Gal Gadot
• Chris Pine
• Pedro Pascal
• Kristen Wiig
• the underlying themes
• SOME of the costuming

The negatives:

• Dialogue (so horrendously bad)
• characterization
• SO PREDICTABLE
• cheesy
• unfunny
• CGI
• stunt work
• music (sorry Hans Zimmer but this soundtrack was LAZY yikes)
• bad pacing
• too long
• too many villains (they should have cut cheetah or made her the main villain)

Ugh this movie is aggravating. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. Just watch the first movie again or watch something else entirely.

365 Days (2020)

Better than 50 Shades...

[8/10 · 14 June 2020]

This movie was HILARIOUS at times with all of the "baby girls," unrealistic plot, and Laura's sudden acceptance of being kidnapped.

I will say though....this movie was shot well and had a good film score. So, effort was made at least. The main actors were hot so there's also that.

I mean...it's better than Fifty Shades of Grey. Is that a high bar though? Probably not. Is this movie good? Probably not. Would I watch a sequel? Heck yeah, for the laughs.

You'll enjoy it if you like so-bad-it's-funny movies and/or erotica.

Legend of the Blue Sea (2016– )

Didn't Stick The Landing...

[8/10 · 31 May 2020]

I'm giving this show a VERY GENEROUS 8/10. For efficiency, let me break this show down to the elements:

ACTING: I think all of the actors did a wonderful job in this. It was very easy to root for all of the main characters, and Ji-Hyun Jun played an unconventional female lead very well, even if the writing did lean very heavily on the typical "manic-pixie-dreamgirl" trope. But zero hate towards all of the actors. They did a good job. My one harp would be towards the two leads, as their chemistry was good (don't get me wrong) but it wasn't as good as it could've been. They didn't have that raw, sexual energy (for a lack of a better term). Either way, their chemistry didn't heavily impact my view of the show.

DIRECTING: Not much to say here. Great job. Good visuals. AMAZING underwater scenes.

MUSIC: Again, some amazing music. I've downloaded most of the songs from the soundtrack.

WRITING: Like most kdramas, *sigh*, this is where most of my critiques come from. Can no kdrama stick a landing? The show just DRAGGED on and on. I felt like characters had the same conversations over and over again. And yet, with all that time, the writers couldn't find time to develop the sideship (Tae Oh and Shi Ah) more? They had like 5 scenes and were suddenly engaged OFF SCREEN?!

The first 10 or so episodes were strong, don't get me wrong. But it felt like the writing was too thin to stretch out over a span of 20 episodes. If everyone in this show's lives are repeating over and over again, why can't we see other "reincarnations"? Why just the one Joseon period one?

Also, there were MANY plot holes in this that were hard to overlook. The writers needed to establish consistent rules for mermaids. It was never clear what exactly their lifespans were, HOW they were born (since Cheong didn't have parents) and even the rules of them being able to stay on land? Cheong says MANY times that she can stay on land only if she is with the one she loves. Otherwise her heart fails. YET her heart continues to fail even after Cheong and Joon Jae were telling everyone they were boyfriend/girlfriend? I don't want to spoil too much...but the last 2 episodes were very frustrating for me in terms of writing and characters making nonsensical decisions.

All in all, the show gets a kind 8/10 stars, mostly because I enjoyed the first half of the show so much and that iconic "disgusting s***" line. But, I definitely watched the last 5 episodes in fast forward.

The Negotiation (2018)

Good, but weak third act

[8/10 · 31 May 2020]

Honestly with the acting power of the likes of Hyun Bin and Son Ye-Jin I would've liked to see the whole film just be their negotiation unfolding. But instead, the movie was bogged down with numerous political scenes that could've been cut out, especially since all the valuable intel on the corrupt officials/executives are coming from Min anyways. All the extra political scenes left the 3rd act rushed, with basically all the film's action residing in the last 10 minutes.

The screenplay was definitely the weakest element of the movie, but honestly with some scenes cut in the editing room, I think I would've bumped my rating up to a 9.

Acting, directing, production design, realism, etc. was all great though.

The way the film is though, it's a generous and forgettable 8/10.

Well-Intended Love (2019–2020)

A lot of fun!

[8/10 · 24 May 2020]

Sure, this isn't the best Asian drama of all time, but it's a LOT of fun and it's actually the show that got me into Asian dramas in the first place! So props there.

It's super funny and cheesy and the actors are attractive (especially Xu Kaicheng). I love all the romance tropes in it--they're all super cute. The production quality is really good, even if there is a LOT of product placement in season 2.

I like the premise of the show: how their love transcends different "alternate universes," if you will.

The action scenes with the bad guys are super silly, but I think this show should be considered more of a rom-com and less of a drama.

Season 1 is definitely stronger than season 2, but I didn't even expect it to get a season 2 so I'm just happy there's a season 2.

The side ships are all super cute and ship-worthy in this and I just wanna give Chu Yan a hug the entire time <3

I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the sillier-type kdramas.

That Winter, the Wind Blows (2013)

In-Sung Jo CARRIES this show on his back

[7/10 · 24 May 2020]

Ugh I'm so conflicted about this show. On the one hand, it has great visuals, an AMAZING soundtrack, and In-Sung Jo is a standout. You can't help but fall in love with con-man Oh Soo.

On the other hand....ohmygod the writing could have been so much better. Other than Oh Soo all the other characters are so wishy-washy, with Oh Young being the WORST offender (but oh, I'll get to her later). Oh Soo is one of the only characters with any meaningful character development, and honestly, he's the only character I rooted for. I don't know if that's because of the writing or the fact that In-Sung Jo is such a charismatic actor.

Anyways, this show is SO toxic, with people constantly yelling at each other, slapping each other, just arguing the entire time. I know it's a melodrama, but for me there wasn't enough camaraderie between any of the characters to help offset all the melodrama. After each episode I usually had a headache and felt like I needed years of therapy.

At first, I was rooting for Oh Young. She was blind, had a brain tumor, was suicidal, and was lied to by everyone in her life. However, over the course of the show any sympathy for her that I had was swiftly gone by her constantly going back and forth between between opinions and emotions. Does she want the surgery? Does she forgive Oh Soo? Does she want to die? Who knows, because she couldn't make up her mind.

Also...she did not seem to care at all when she finally found out her her real brother was dead. Which was honestly hilarious because she was constantly playing the victim...and yet apparently her dead brother was the ONE thing she refused to complain about.

By that last episode when she slit her wrists I had so much contempt for her that I was actually hoping her suicide attempt would be successful. She had about ZERO meaningful character development until the last 10 minutes of the show. I feel bad because Hye-Kyo Song is a good actress and it isn't her fault that the writers let her down.

I don't even know if I'd recommend this to someone. I mean, In-Sung Jo is FANTASTIC in this show. So maybe just watch his scenes and fast forward everything else? Idek.

I'm giving it a 7 because: --I made it through all 16 episodes somehow --In-Sung Jo is a king --FABULOUS music --Beautiful scenery --It has a unique aesthetic --Hye-Kyo Song is a gorgeous actress --The epilogue is a HUGE talking point for discussion (no spoilers)

....And yeah that's about all the positives.

The Garden of Words (2013)

Beautiful Animation and Simple Story

[8/10 · 24 May 2020]

Hidden gem! Beautiful animation and a simple, yet poignant story. I honestly just wish this was longer!

A quick watch that is certainly worth all the pretty visuals and touching romance.

Rampant (2018)

Forgetable

[5/10 · 24 May 2020]

Is this movie bad? No. The direction, cinematography, stunts, and zombie effects are all top tier.

The plot is what is lacking in this movie. This movie is 2 hours long and I felt like nothing happened. The visuals kept me entertained but I felt empty the entire time I was watching it. The plot was so basic and the characters didn't have any distinctive personalities.

Hyun Bin is a phenomenal actor and he wasn't really given much to work with since his character is so one-dimensional. A waste of his talent. I will say though, his sword work in this was pretty good.

If the script had been as good as the rest of the movie, I'd probably be giving it 3 or 4 more stars.

All in all, a meh movie that I'll forget about in a couple of hours.

Crash Landing on You (2019–2020)

Forget best Kdrama...this may be the best DRAMA

[10/10 · 17 May 2020]

Where do I even begin? This series was perfect from start to finish. I was hooked during the first scene. I watched it all in just a few days and I have never cried more in life. Every single character was compelling with their own unique personalities and characteristics.

I'm a huge fan of kdramas, but I'm convinced any casual lover of TV would LOVE this show. It's not too cheesy like some Kdramas and it was VERY well produced with a beautiful score and cinematography.

I have to give them props for the realism of the portrayal of North Korea. The North Korean characters felt like normal, everyday people and weren't vilified or ostracized just based on their nationality.

I don't want to spoil too much of it, but I will say that at first I was bit upset about the ending but it was so well executed that it's grown on me and I'm satisfied with it.

I DO want to talk about the elephant in the room-the main leads' acting. Oh my lord, they are PHENOMENAL actors. Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin are some of the best actors I've ever seen-topping most western actors easily. Son Ye-jin's crying is so convincing and doesn't across as faked or forced. And you can really feel how much Jeong-hyeok loves Se-ri thanks to Hyun Bin's portrayal. Now that I've finished the series I'm gonna make sure to watch EVERYTHING else these actors are in.

I give this series an 11 out of 10 stars. It's now in my top 5 favorite TV shows of all time.

Don't let the run time of the episodes or the different language throw you off from watching this. It's worth it!!!!

Meanwhile, I may end up watching this again...

Spinning Out (2020)

The Skating is Laughable

[5/10 · 19 January 2020]

For a show about skating, this show doesn't not skate well. The skating performances were all unwatchable with terrible body doubles, awkward choreography, and poor cinematography (probably to hide the terrible body doubles and awkward choreography).

The show is really a bad soap opera. It has all the hallmarks of being a soap opera. Everything takes place in an isolated small picture-esque town that apparently only has a population of 15 people. It has the rich family that owns the whole town. It has secret relationships, cheating, deadbeat dads, stepmothers, arguments (SO MANY ARGUMENTS), etc.

The main draw to the show to me was the advertised romance between Kat and Justin and they were both so unlikely it was hard to root for them.

Yes, Kat is bipolar, but that is no excuse for her being a terrible person. Stealing boyfriends, going on witch-hunts, blaming everyone else but her problems but her...

Justin redeemed himself A BIT by the end. But how he handled the aftermath of Kat's manic episode...sorry you're canceled.

The only characters I liked were Mitch (who got totally screwed in the end), Jenn (who got canceled by the end), Mandy (a GODDESS), and Dasha (she was fine).

I HATED: Kat, Carol, Serena, Marcus, Justin, and probably more, but these characters are so forgettable.

Also, can we please talk about how Marcus's character was in the show SOLELY to provide some useless PC subplot about racism and police brutality? Feel free to fast forward those parts has they had nothing to do with the show. I guess Netflix was afraid this show was too white? Spoiler alert: it's a soap opera about FIGURE SKATING. Of course it's gonna be all white.

I will give this show some positives: the manic episodes of Carol and Kat were very well done acting wise. Are they realistic to true people with bipolar disorder? Idk about that one.

I gave this show 5 stars because somehow it kept me hooked enough to binge it in a 10 hour sitting. Would not recommend it to ANYONE. Even their target audience, which is basic white girls.

If you want to watch a show that portrays a mentally ill character who is still likable and someone you can root for watch Insatiable on Netflix!

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (2019 Video)

Forget Waterboarding

[1/10 · 18 January 2020]

Forget waterboarding, use this movie as a torture device in Guantanamo Bay!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)

Better than Part 1, but still has it's problems.

[8/10 · 13 August 2019]

Ok so this movie managed to at least keep me awake, which is an improvement from Part 1, but this movie still has its problems. Let's start with the good things though: -Lawrence and Hutcherson -the music -cinematography -action/thriller elements -great ending

But some glaring problems kept this movie from being a 10. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a good movie but here are some flaws that are hard to overlook: -random, pointless side characters introduced only to die -plot holes, for instance Peeta joining Katniss's group in the capital -too quick of a buildup to the finale -slow start to the film

I will say though, the last 10 minutes of this movie is easily worth it and really cements the trilogy. Like I said, it's not a bad movie, but it's a good movie with flaws. Catching Fire was the peak of this franchise. If it hadn't ended on a cliff hanger I would have recommended everyone just to stop there.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Better than the book!

[10/10 · 13 August 2019]

This is my favorite film from this series, and yet this isn't my favorite book from the series. The book was too similar to the first, but the film seems to set itself apart very well.

The cinematography and direction is a big step up from the nauseating first film. The action is there from the beginning, as well as the acting and music. It all leads up to a spectacular finale.

Even if you haven't seen the first movie, this is a great action film from beginning to end. To top it off, Lawrence and Hutcherson's chemistry is A+. There are also some fantastic cinematic moments in this film, along with some surprisingly moments of wit and humor. I would recommend this film to anyone and everyone.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)

Don't fret, you can totally skip this movie

[5/10 · 13 August 2019]

Don't fret, you can totally skip this movie. Out of the 2 hour run time there is about 5 minutes of quality content. If you are a fan of the movie I would recommend fast forwarding to: -Effie's reveal -"The Hanging Tree" Scene -Rescuing the Victor hostages -Katniss reuniting with Peeta And yeah that's about it. You can sum up the whole plot of this movie in one sentence: Katniss lays low underground in District 13 while producing propaganda and fighting for Peeta's return. That's about it. There isn't really a plot. The cinematography is meh, just a lot of shots of underground bunkers. James Newton Howard's music is always nice. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson always kill it. However, splitting the last book into 2 movies was not a good move. First of all, the book wasn't even that good. I barely got through it, and I was a huge fan of the series. It's just boring. A political snooze fest. The whole film and most of the book is just sitting and talking.

I'm being honest. If you skipped this movie and went right to Part 2 you wouldn't be lost at all. All you need to know is that District 12 is destroyed, they're in the secret District 13 now, and they just rescued Peeta and he's brainwashed to kill Katniss. You're welcome.

I would only recommend this film to diehard Hunger Games fans. I gave it a 5 because of the music and acting.

Outlaw King (2018)

7 stars for acting, cinematography, and set design

[7/10 · 8 August 2019]

Ok, so Chris Pine really made this movie what it was. He is a Grade A actor in my book now. Phenomenal job. Also, Aaron Taylor-Johnson was unrecognizable in his role.

The cinematography was beautiful. You can tell it was filmed on location in Scotland. I was in awe while watching this and now I'm dying to travel there someday.

The set design and special effects were so realistic it was immersive. Reminded me a lot of the TV show Vikings in its production quality, particular in its sets and battle sequences.

Why this movie isn't 10 stars is based solely on script. It was a bit boring and slow in some places and it didn't do a great job of introducing any of the side characters or making me feel anything towards them. I can tell a lot of this movie was left on the editing room floor. It does a good job of showing a glimpse of Robert's rebellion, but doesn't do a good enough job showing the full context. Chris Pine did most of the heavy lifting in terms of building Robert's character, when normally the script should also pitch in. I really wish I could see the full director's cut. I heard it was at almost 4 hours.

All in all, I would recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of Chris Pine, British history, or medieval times.

Flower (I) (2017)

What did I just watch???

[10/10 · 15 July 2019]

What did I just watch??? This movie is shocking. Peak black comedy. And yet...it's good? I don't know why, but I really liked this movie. Zoey Deutch really captured the spirit of the teens today, with Joey Morgan also doing a good job of being a sympathetic hero. Yes, these characters do truly bad things. But you can't help but root for them. It's a complicated, exaggerated look at today's teens, but I think it really works. It's funny, it's suspenseful, it's heartwarming, this movie is a winner.

Honestly, if you're at all curious about watching this movie, it's worth watching just for the shock at the end.

A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016)

Jesus Christ

[9/10 · 12 July 2019]

Jesus Christ, this movie is so sad, yet also strangely heartwarming. I was in tears throughout most of the movie. I found myself rooting for Shoko and eventually Shoya as well. I think this movie should be a requirement for children in school, as it shows the consequences of bullying and that there is redemption even for a bully.

Obviously, the writing in this is great, as well as the animation.

My only qualm with this movie was some confusion over the flashbacks. The way some scenes were cut together made it hard to decipher exactly what was happening or what had happened. This is a Japanese film so maybe this confusion has something to do with it being translated for English audiences? Either way, this confusion didn't hinder the movie too much and it was still very enjoyable to watch.

I would recommend this movie a hundred times over!

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Great Animation, Derivative Story

[9/10 · 12 July 2019]

This film won an Oscar for a reason. Finally a studio is doing something new in animation instead of the same old CG. It's fresh, it's fun, it fits the genre of film.

The voice acting was also great and the interactions between Peter B Parker and Miles were priceless and fun.

My biggest qualm was probably the story. Granted, there isn't much you can do with the superhero genre anymore since the market is so saturated. But I would have liked to have seen more done with this film. Peter B Parker and Miles were fleshed out well, but the other incarnations of Spider-Man were a big lacking. Particularly Gwen. A lot of her motivations didn't make much sense, particularly why exactly she went to Miles's school.

Another downfall was the villain. Basic generic villain with basic generic villain backstory and motivations. This left the end battle scene lacking, as I didn't feel any stakes.

This all being said, it's still a great movie. I laughed, I cried, I was in awe at some parts...would definitely recommend.

The Duchess (2008)

If you want a good romantic affair, watch the Danish "A Royal Affair"

[4/10 · 19 June 2019]

The production value of this film is amazing, where it starts to sink is with the writing and acting. The film is based on a true story, but there isn't enough substance with the true story to fill a 2 hour long movie. I could forgive the plodding plot if there were chemistry between any of the actors, but there is none. Fiennes and Atwell are not believable as lovers, nor are Knightley and Cooper. I didn't know who to root for in this film. All the romance and all the characters were drab.

I wouldn't recommend this film to anyone, I will however recommend the Danish film "A Royal Affair" that does have good writing and acting. Also, if you want to see Knightley in a better period piece, watch "Pride & Prejudice."

The Grinch (2018)

Man, this could've been good

[5/10 · 18 June 2019]

Was this terrible? No. The worst sin of this movie is that it's boring. Essentially, this movie took the original 30 minute cartoon, updated the animation, and stretched it out to fill a 90 minute run time. Except, they didn't write any new material to pad that runtime.

The Grinch has a smidge of a backstory that involves him being an orphan, Cindy-Lou Who has an overworked single mom, and The Grinch originally found a fat reindeer named Frank to pull his sleigh, but that didn't pan out because Frank had a family. That's all the new material.

It could have been good if they had taken the time to write more new material and flesh out the story more to fit the runtime, similarly to how the Jim Carrey movie did.

I think little kids would find this movie enjoyable. I mean, it's nice to look at. There is a plot in there. Benedict Cumberbatch does a decent job voicing The Grinch.

Would I recommend it? No, I would recommend the original cartoon because it still holds up, and it's an hour shorter.

Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

Good Sequel and Surprising Allegorical Themes

[10/10 · 17 June 2019]

I was really surprised by how strong this sequel is. The animation had me in awe, I loved all the Easter eggs, and the mature allegorical themes were very well done and presented. I actually shed a few tears in several parts of this movie. This movie proved that good writing can really make a movie.

Vox Lux (2018)

Truly Awful

[1/10 · 17 June 2019]

This movie is terrible from all aspects. Directing, editing, writing, production design, acting, etc. Raffey Cassidy is awful. The directing is weird, the editing is slow, the writing is directionless, and the movie managed to make Jude Law a bad actor. A complete waste of 2 hours. Nothing happened. Basically this movie is Black Swan but if that movie was bad. Natalie Portman is just not believable as a world famous pop star.

This movie could have been good, but it would need a major overhaul of the whole creative team behind this.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

Magical

[10/10 · 13 June 2019]

This movie sounded like it was gonna be a big flop, but wow. It's so quirky, witty, and adorable. Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley are perfect together, despite the age gap. It's a rom-com with an original idea and complex characters. I was so invested in this love story that I cried at the ending. I've probably rewatched this movie 10 times. This film is totally underrated.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes rom-coms or black comedy.

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

Meh

[5/10 · 13 June 2019]

Is this movie bad? No. It's fine. The writing is fine. The acting is fine. The jokes are fine. It's nice that this movie is diverse, and I love Ali Wong. I was just disappointed. I expected to laugh more and I expected a less derivative story. I feel like they took a normal rom-com, gave it an all-Asian cast and called it a day. And worst of all, it was kinda boring. The main conflict could've been solved in the first hour.

I will admit, Keanu Reeves was really entertaining in this. One of the best parts of the movie.

I definitely wouldn't watch this movie again, and I wouldn't recommend this movie either just because you wouldn't be missing out on much. You can watch the Keanu Reeves parts on YouTube.

Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000)

Gone too soon

[10/10 · 7 June 2019]

I would have loved to see how this show would have panned out past season 1. But alas, it was never meant to be. Which I've honestly made my peace with. The show ended miraculously on a good note.

This show is everything from funny, to sad, to heartfelt, and to inspiring. The acting is obviously great, since so many stars were born from this show. The writing is realistic and interesting. The character development strong. This is peak teen drama.

Would recommend for anyone who loves teen drama/comedy.