soughtforscores Reviews

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Violent but epic

[9/10 · 8 March 2024]

While the violence was a bit too much for me in some scenes, I have to say that this is one of the most epic movies I have seen in a long time, not just because of the length. The worm riding scenes are absolutely enthralling. I still think Dune suffers a bit from its villain problem; the big villain from Dune Part One is easily killed while gasping on the ground like a fish, and the new villain they introduced only has a couple fights in the series and feels more like a disgusting and vile piece of trash that just needs to be stomped on than an actually intimidating villain. Not to mention he dies just minutes after the other villain, and his big fight scene that is supposed to establish him as a threat earlier is against a man who has been deprived of food and is twice his age. But I'm sure that most if not all of that is in line with the book, so I can't complain too much. In the end, the actors performed astonishingly; the ending was bleak but good, and the experience was incredible.

Justice League: Secret Society: Part II (2003) Season 2, Episode 18

Not a great conclusion

[6/10 · 6 March 2024]

After a contrived breaking up of the Justice League based on issues Grodd could see in their body language but we evidently couldn't, we're treated to the league members each being stupid enough to fight an enemy team on their own. And then the end of the story is "We didn't mean it; no actually we did, but since we have work to do, we're just going to apologize and move on." Again, this shows how contrived and shoehorned in the conflict really was. At least if there had been hints ahead of time, the ending could have said something like, "We'll start to work through these issues," and the next few episodes could cover how they do that. But I'm sure that the next episodes will forget the league ever dissolved. While the show overall is strong, I'm not a big fan of the format in which each set of episodes could be a complete standalone, with no real affect on what comes after.

Justice League: Secret Society (2003) Season 2, Episode 17

Very contrived

[5/10 · 6 March 2024]

It feels like the conflict in this episode was shoehorned in for the sake of the plot, rather than being a natural consequence of the characters and growth we have seen so far. The Justice League has been operating fine as a team. They also had plenty of successes against super villain teams. And all of a sudden they are mad at each other and not getting along with no lead in? And Green Lantern is making them train to work together, because apparently they've never bothered to train before? And Superman, who formed the league, is upset because he's tired of having to look after other people? The whole thing doesn't make sense and feels very formulaic and contrived.

Twinkling Watermelon (2023– )

Why mess with perfection?

[10/10 · 28 December 2023]

Some people wanted a second season, but why would you mess with something that was basically perfect? The story was also very self-contained; a second season wouldn't fit at all.

In the end, although you didn't really get to see Lee Chan work through his deafness with the help of Cheong Ah, which definitely should have been added, I feel like it wrapped up all of the major plot points very well.

I will say I was a little disappointed that Eun Gyeol's life had changed so drastically when he went back to the future. Personally, I thought his life was already pretty good. It would have been more satisfying to see his parents as normal people, but very happy and with many more people in their lives. Just my personal feeling though. I think they did an amazing job with the music, the characters, and the feel of the story and would have changed very little.

Ahsoka (2023– )

Starts out great, gets worse

[6/10 · 8 October 2023]

I thought that Ahsoka started out great. They had wonderful actors, very interesting characters, particularly with Balyn, and a great big bad in Thrawn. Ahsoka is a good character and I liked how they were developing Sabine.

But the show falls apart, mainly in the last episode. Sabine, who couldn't use the force minutes ago, can suddenly use it quite well and throw Ezra across a gap Canan could barely manage in Rebels. Not to mention holding open a door, grabbing her lightsaber, and all the other stuff we'd expect of an avid force wielder. There was no transition in her mindset; just Ahsoka saying "train your mind." That's it.

And then there's the whole storyline with Ezra that didn't go anywhere. The last episode felt horribly rushed and never once touched on how he felt about Sabine undoing his entire sacrifice and letting Thrawn escape. (and then nearly undoing it once again by sending him off by himself with Thrawn.)

Balyn's storyline didn't go anywhere. There were a bunch of story threads that were completely unfinished, like his apprentice and the witches, why Thrawn wants to go to Dathomir, and much, much more. And why did Ahsoka leave the apprentice alive in the first place? There was absolutely no reason to do so, especially since she killed Morgan outright.

All in all, inconsistent characters, extremely rushed ending, and feels very unfinished. I'm not really looking forward to the next season as I've not been particularly interested in Dathomir or the angle of the 'witches' and the undead. But I guess Star Wars doesn't really have anywhere else to go since there are no other fear-worthy enemies left for the New Republic.

Blue Bloods: Legacy (2018) Season 8, Episode 15

Previous reviews are mistaken

[9/10 · 23 February 2023]

Frank did make a mistake in this episode. What's funny is that he's apparently not allowed to ever make those mistakes or bow to pressure. Everyone does. But Frank eventually changes his mind, realizes he made a mistake, and fixes it in an upcoming episode. So don't skip this episode just because people are complaining; it's an important part of the story going forward, and literally nothing makes sense later on without it. I think the writers did something amazing here. They didn't bring a clean resolution in one episode, but they allowed Frank to make a serious mistake with serious repercussions and then fix those later. That's normal humanity. We're not infallible, and neither is Frank.

Ultimate Spider-Man: Graduation Day: Part 2 (2017) Season 4, Episode 26

There's a reason this is the lowest rated season finale

[6/10 · 14 February 2023]

As far as an episode of the show, Graduation Day is fine. As far as a finale, it's pretty terrible. It's not very highly rated in the season, and if you look at the other seasons, this rates lower than any of the other finales. It would have been better to make any episode involving the Spider-Verse or Scarlet Spider's fall and redemption story the finale. The entire show has been leading up to Peter creating a team of trustworthy heroes and friends he can rely on. So why is the finale all about how he's actually the only one the world can depend on and no one can get by without him? This would have been the highest rated episode if it had culminated in Peter losing his powers for a time and having to be rescued by his friends instead of rescuing everyone else, because that has been the theme of the show all along: you can't go it alone, and you do need friends, and you can trust and depend on those around you. Unless of course you're Spiderman, in which case the universe and every timeline literally revolves around you and there's no one else to turn to when things get tough. RIP the avengers and literally every other hero in the world since they apparently can't get by without a teenager to save them all the time.

Ultimate Spider-Man: Graduation Day: Part 1 (2017) Season 4, Episode 25

A decent episode but a terrible finale

[7/10 · 14 February 2023]

As far as an episode of the show, Graduation Day is fine. As far as a finale, it's pretty terrible. It's not very highly rated in the season, and if you look at the majority of shows, finales are the highest rated episodes of all. Instead, this episode and part 2 lose miserably to literally any episode involving the Spider-Verse or Scarlet Spider's fall and redemption story. The entire show has been leading up to Peter creating a team of trustworthy heroes and friends he can rely on. So why is the finale all about how he's actually the only one the world can depend on and no one can get by without him? This would have been the highest rated episode if it had culminated in Peter losing his powers for a time and having to be rescued by his friends instead of rescuing everyone else, because that has been the theme of the show all along: you can't go it alone, and you do need friends, and you can trust and depend on those around you. Unless of course you're spiderman, in which case the universe and every timeline literally revolves around you and there's no one else to turn to when things get tough. RIP the avengers.

Blue Bloods: Working Girls (2012) Season 2, Episode 20

Erin is an ass as usual

[7/10 · 31 January 2023]

Erin needs help, seriously. She's paranoid, super self-righteous, and the most irritating character in the show. Why does she always think she's right even when it's obvious she's wrong, and why does she have to think that everyone is out to get her when they've made sure to be above reproach in every possible way? She also constantly criticizes other sand the sacrifices they make as incompetence, and mocks anyone who has a different point of view. That said, the other characters more than make up for her in this episode. Jackie is front and center as an awesome character, and the sweet Russian girl is as brave as they come. There's a lot to like about this episode.

Blue Bloods: Whistle Blower (2012) Season 2, Episode 10

By far Eren's best performance

[10/10 · 26 January 2023]

Normally, we all love to hate the self-righteous attorney. But this time, Eren really knocks the ball out of the park with her righteous anger and determination. Rather than her usual, "sorry, I can't do anything because I don't have the evidence," she's ready to do whatever it takes to make sure justice is served. The only unfortunate thing about this episode is that we didn't get to see this awesome part of Eren in pretty much any other episode. I love the series, and generally I consider her the worst part of the whole thing to be Eren's self-righteous and whiny behavior. But for once, she comes out as MVP.

The Flash (2014–2023)

Love the Flash, hate Iris. 'Nuff Said

[7/10 · 12 December 2022]

Disclaimer: I'm only on season one. That said, I'm really enjoying this show. Unfortunately, there's a major sour patch with the name of Iris, who drags the whole thing down. Nearly every side character is amazing, so why couldn't she be?

Now the good. Villains are fairly imaginative. Barry is a sweet, decent character by any standards. He has a great relationship with his foster dad that is actually tearjerking sometimes. Cisco and Caitlyn are darling. Even the love rival ends up being pretty awesome, meaning he deserves way better than Iris. Joe deserves way better than Iris as a daughter. Barry deserves way better than Iris as a girlfriend. Oh wait. This show in general deserved someone better than Iris. I guess I'm not doing so well talking about the good. Still, believe me when I say the show is worth watching!

L'allieva: Un tuffo al cuore (2016) Season 1, Episode 4

What your friends say about you

[8/10 · 11 November 2022]

Alice is a sweetheart. Her friends, coworkers, and particularly the doctor who pretends to like her now and again when he's not verbally abusing her, are awful. They make fun of her and gossip about her behind her back. Really, it's depressing just how lovely and kind of a person she is and how much they make fun of her instead of showing her any kindness in return. That said, her character is lovely and compelling enough to make the episode more than worthwhile, as long as you can get past the feeling of anxiety for her since she's too sweet to dump her awful friends by the wayside for all their nastiness.

L'allieva: Segreti a fior di pelle (2016) Season 1, Episode 3

Nice people are scarce

[7/10 · 11 November 2022]

I'm torn on this series. On the one hand, I love the sweet, intelligent, honest main character. True, she's a simp for hot guys and she's clumsy and forgetful, but those trains just make her relatable. She's also very kind. On the other hand, the doctor over her is absolutely vicious. He humiliates her at ever turn and says awful things to her, even while he seems to have an interest in her. I really hate him. Still, the mystery is pretty good and they did a lot of things right. I hope that they somehow redeem him or at least make him nice enough to stand. In the meantime, she can keep showing him up.

Subnautica (2018 Video Game)

Amazing Underwater Experience

[10/10 · 12 October 2022]

This is the only survival game I can stand to play except the sequel, and it's amazing. Highly recommended! It's still a tiny bit buggy even now, but the visuals, story and feel are amazing. If you have thessalaphobia, I suggest looking elsewhere besides a survival game that is played almost entirely underwater. Or if you like being scared, play it anyway. It's terrifying, beautiful, fun, and everything a game should be times 10. My only quibble is that the world is so big I have a tendency to get lost. On the other hand, I have a terrible sense of direction, so that might not be the case for everyone.

Fairy Tail (2009–2019)

Objections answered

[7/10 · 16 September 2022]

I've watched through most of the Tartaros arc, and I must say, I love Fairy Tail. These characters are wonderful. The music is incredible. And who doesn't love watching Natsu beat down evil yet again against all odds?

That said, there are some issues people who tell you you shouldn't watch Fairy Tail always bring up. So let's take a look at a few.

1. The power of friendship wins every time. People complain that Fairy Tail is all about the power of friendship and it wins every battle, which can get old. But they're missing something. Fairy Tail isn't about friends. Fairy Tail is about orphans who have found a family. And yes, the power of a family is pretty strong.

2. Repetitive fights. To each his own. I love the fights, especially Natsu's.

3. Sexualization and fan service. Yeah, they're right about this one. There's no excuse for the amount of nudity, giant boobs, bath scenes and downright sadism in this show. Torture is usually combined with half-naked or naked protagonists. So I can understand why many parents wouldn't want their kids to watch this. That said, learn to avert your eyes or fast forward. This show still has a lot to offer. Still, I took two stars off for this alone.

4. Bad or annoying humor. Again, this depends on your personal preferences. The humor generally isn't all that objectionable, and it's often quite funny. Still, I took a star off for the more stupid "humorous" parts.

All told, Fairy Tail may or may not be right for you. But if you don't mind looking away or fast forwarding at some of the more sadistic scenes and you enjoy good characters who genuinely care about each other, plus a generally upbeat and cheerful feel, you'll enjoy it just fine.

Fairy Tail: A Fairy Tail Wizard (2011) Season 2, Episode 72

Still mad

[8/10 · 20 May 2022]

I'm still mad at Gray betraying Natsu. But Natsu makes this one worth 8 stars, because he's awesome. But Gray makes me so angry! I don't care why he did it; it was still wrong.

Fairy Tail: Friendship Overcomes the Dead (2011) Season 2, Episode 71

That's not friendship

[2/10 · 20 May 2022]

Gray is an idiot in this arc. Thankfully, he gets a scolding and beatdown to remember. But he should have been kicked out of the guild for pulling something like this. He betrayed Natsu, risked many lives and also put Wendy in danger. This episode gets seven stars because I love Natsu to death. He's totally awesome. And he really gets to let loose in this episode!

Fairy Tail: Natsu vs. Gray!! (2011) Season 2, Episode 70

Part two of stupidity

[2/10 · 20 May 2022]

Why would Gray betray Natsu when he could just remind him about the promise he'd made? Idiotic. Gray betrayed everyone and put Wendy in danger. It would be unforgivable if it wasn't a complete departure from his normal self. As it is, we can just pretend it never happened. The only thing that makes this episode worth watching is Natsu.

Fairy Tail: Call of the Dragon (2011) Season 2, Episode 69

A Mistake Altogether

[5/10 · 20 May 2022]

This episode manages to be worth watching because you get to watch Natsu being hilarious and Wendy being sweet. But Gray doing something like betraying his friend because he couldn't take the time to remind him about a promise he had made was stupid. Plus, he put Wendy in danger by doing it. I would have killed Gray if I had been one of his friends. You don't put children in danger, and you don't betray your friends! It's totally out of character for Gray.

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020)

Beautiful in every way

[10/10 · 8 April 2022]

This is a fantastic film. Even my family members who don't really like anime loved it. It has a couple of the more family-friendly anime tropes, but it moves past those pretty quickly. It's just a beautiful film with a stunning soundtrack, gorgeous backgrounds and good characters.

Monk: Mr. Monk Is on the Air (2007) Season 5, Episode 13

Humor has limits

[10/10 · 4 March 2022]

Monk manages to make things hilarious while still generally being sensitive, with the exception of a few episodes. This episode expands on that sensitivity when it shows a comedian for whom nothing is sacred. The scene where he's verbally ripping Monk and his wife apart on the air and even his best friends are telling him to shut up, then Monk rips him a new one, was totally amazing. You see how passionate Monk really was about Trudi, how much he loves her, and how his normally gentle and quiet act where he doesn't even get mad when he's being insulted and made fun of in front of thousands changes when someone insults Trudi.

Monk: Mr. Monk and the Leper (2006) Season 5, Episode 10

Insensitive at best

[2/10 · 4 March 2022]

Natalie's reaction to hearing about someone having leprosy as a child before it was cured is just ridiculous. Thank goodness for Julie in this episode. At least she has sense.

Sherwood (2019– )

Better than the star rating would show

[7/10 · 23 February 2022]

Sherwood is rated 5.8 on this site overall, but the truth is it's much better than that. It's true it gets fairly political and focuses on climate change, but at the same time, it's a fun, slightly dark sci-fi world with great characters and cool tech. Visually, it was quite enjoyable, similar to the Deep. It has a bit of a dark feel at times as things get worse and worse, but it also has some optimism and a strong spirit and will throughout that make it a lot of fun. I enjoyed it quite a bit and had a hard time deciding between seven and eight stars. I gave it seven because it was too short and a bit heavy and dramatic for some reason. But it was still nice to watch.

Monk: Mr. Monk Goes to a Fashion Show (2006) Season 4, Episode 10

I love Natalie, just not here

[3/10 · 20 February 2022]

I never do scathing reviews like this, but this was too horrifying. Natalie did the right thing in the end, dragging her idiot daughter off the stage in front of everyone in spite of the embarrassment because of the danger. But even considering allowing her to be sexualized and treated like that by a creepy old guy as he insults her and touches her is unbelievable. She only reacts when she's told the guy is a murderer and still doesn't tell her daughter. What kind of mind does she have that she thinks that is in any way okay? And what kind of 13-year-old girl likes being insulted and touched by an old guy so much that she's willing to run away from home to go through it all again? The creep factor is intense, and Natalie is intensely stupid. She chose not to tell her daughter why she refused instead of just telling her someone had been killed and she didn't want Julie anywhere near the scene. That would have been enough. I cannot emphasize enough how irresponsible and idiotic both Natalie and Julie are, but at least Julie is just a kid, if a completely unnatural and immature kid.

Blue Bloods: Triumph Over Trauma (2020) Season 11, Episode 1

Could have been worse

[4/10 · 19 January 2022]

This episode wasn't as terrible as I expected from other reviews. While there were many plot holes, there was also some nice character development and some interesting aspects. And I love every episode with Joe Hill, and him and Jamie talking about his dad was great! Especially how compassionate Joe is about Danny being missing. So I wouldn't say this had nothing to offer, and it's certainly not bad enough to warrant rejecting the show. Especially since the next episode is highly rated. But anyway, seeing Jamie's reaction when he found Danny made the whole thing worth it; even listening to the annoying lady!