prickly101 Reviews

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Sanctuary (2017) Season 18, Episode 21

Glad I only watched this after the nightmare...

[9/10 · 28 October 2021]

Because Orange *was* bad, y'all! I know that many will disagree, but for those of us who watched from abroad, this is a near-perfect depiction of Trump's America: racist, corrupt, ignorant and violent. The perpetrators are in the best 'Proud Boys' tradition. As to the main witness who was gunned down by a redneck: Kyle Rittenhouse anybody?

I appreciate the disenchantment occasioned by making people who too often victimise into the victims, but it *has* happened. However heavy-handedly, it makes the point of what the rest of the world saw the USA becoming.

Crossing Lines (2013–2015)

Where did they all go?

[9/10 · 8 October 2021]

I only recently became aware of this show, and was happily binge-watching it until the end of Season 2, where Louis Daniel was killed off, taking with him the heart of the programme. Worse still: having become invested in the characters, most of them disappeared in Season 3.

I'm trying to watch Season 3 - but it became a different show when gutted of its original characters.

With Intent (2021– )

Too rich for my blood, but...

[7/10 · 8 August 2021]

I think that I can understand why those that hated it, hated it *and* why those who loved it, loved it.

I'm a bit of a prude, so only watched (with the much shrinking back) the first and last episodes: the flashbacks provided the rest of the story.

I loved the way the twist at the end worked out: worth putting up with Some Very Unpleasant characters along the way to see it.

Law & Order: Sanctuary (1994) Season 4, Episode 19

It's 2020...

[9/10 · 21 May 2020]

And to outsiders, it seems as though the USA is happily reverting-to-type. You know, the Emmett Till, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Walter Scott, Amadou Diallo, Yvonne Smallwood, Randy Evans, Claude Reese, Clifford Glover, Keith Scott, Terrence Crutcher, John Crawford, Corey Jones, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, Sean Bell, the Charleston 9, Tamir Rice, Mike Brown, Aiyana Jones, Alton Sterling, Jordan Davis, Jordan Edwards, Stephon Clark, Jonathan Ferrell & Renisha McBride, Atatiana Jefferson, Botham Sean, Amaud Arbery, Sean Reed, Breonna Taylor type, with many victims being *blamed* for their own deaths.

It's heartbreaking. In this episode, of course the boy was wrong, guilty and deserving of punishment. Didn't even get the ethnicity right, for goodness sake (not that it would have been acceptable if he had). I'll probably get flamed for this, but I do understand the cry of: "how many times does one roll over?" Pre-1950s, 1960s America seems to be returning, encouraged and inflamed by those who jobs are to prevent the 21st century repeating the errors and cruelties of previous centuries.

Only Mine (2019 TV Movie)

Ethnicity: this is how it feels...

[8/10 · 6 May 2020]

I might be 'flamed' for this review, but I enjoyed this film, and suspect that many who are giving 1 scores and are complaining about 'racism' have forgotten the likes of Trayvon Martin, Dontre Hamilton, Eric Garner, John Crawford III, Michael Brown, Ezell Ford, Laquan McDonald, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Antonio Martin, Botham Jean, Ahmaud Arbery... I'm not even American, but these names (and others) are known internationally, as having been murdered by 'white' law enforcement officers.

That *doesn't* mean that all white law enforcement/ neighbourhood watch people are racist (nor even a majority). But it does go to show no one likes having their ethnicity negatively portrayed.

Campus Caller (2017 TV Movie)

Coronavirus viewing

[1/10 · 21 April 2020]

Coronavirus is what 'made' me watch this unutterably dull movie. I don't like giving bad reviews, but this was time wasted that I can never get back. I could have been doing something more interesting, like watching paint dry. It was unforgivably slow, with nothing to raise the temperature from tepid: no thrills, no twists, snail paced, no engaging characters, a barely-believable storyline. Sorry to offend anyone involved, but really, this was just the pits.

The Wrong Son (2018)

I agree about the darkness...

[9/10 · 19 March 2020]

It made watching this film irritating. I also agree about the unlikelihood of anyone dialling emergency services and being put on hold.

Those complaints made, however, I *really*enjoyed this movie. Acting good, twists almost completely unexpected. Excellent stuff!

The Black Widow Killer (2018 TV Movie)

Oh, it wasn't *that* bad!

[5/10 · 18 March 2020]

I'm not saying that it would 'set the River Thames on fire', but housebound(ish) as I am thanks to the 'underlying conditions', it helped to pass some time.

One external viewer wrote that part of the problem is that most of the characters, good-guys and bad-guys are very hard to like or empathise with. This is true, apart from the 2 teenagers. I almost felt sorry for the villain until we were shown how they came by a new identity.

Worth a watch on a rainy afternoon, during lock-down or self-isolation/ social distancing.

House M.D.: Joy to the World (2008) Season 5, Episode 11

Great episode, but...

[10/10 · 11 March 2020]

I think I know why some commentators objected to the 13-Foreman thing, even though they won't admit it. I don't see why they were blind-sided, the possibility had been building up over a couple of episodes.

Killer Ending (2018 TV Movie)

Oh dear!

[3/10 · 30 January 2020]

With all the ingredients for the makings of a decent movie, this still managed to fall a bit flat (and I have low expectations - am near-housebound, so more aware of 'lousy' than many).

Even with a fairly decent cast, the flat acting by acting-people that I've admired, the dreadful blonde wig (sorry, but I could never 'unsee' it, and it disturbed me!), the numerous 'coincidences'... and the ending explained nothing: how did they get away? Did the female detective apologise to her partner (dear knows that she needed to eat crow)? How did protagonist(a) & detective end up as a couple? Are they married?

But for the presence of Emmanuelle Vaugier (whom I generally enjoy) and the exemplary acting out of a loon by Jared Ager-Foster (Stephen), I'd give this film 'nul points' (a score well known by British watchers of the Eurovision song contest). But their efforts raise it to a 3.

Nightmare Tenant (2018)

Impossible to know...

[27 January 2020]

...where to begin! I missed the beginning (though other reviewers' observations made me aware of what an appalling dad Nikki had). I started watching when she was finishing her talk with the guidance counsellor. Virginia Tucker was as good as she could have been within the script.

I was less sure about Lauralee Bell's acting, until the utter stupidity of her character's behaviour drowned everything else into insignificance. I mean: a 21st century grown woman who studied and passed medicine being so dumb as to offer a perfect stranger a room because 'I have a good feeling about you'? Neglecting to make the inquiries that her boyfriend later made, which would have discovered the psycho fraud? Let her move into your house when you've known her a couple of hours?

Against my better judgment though, I watched to the end because I *had* to know how it ended! So I'd be a hypocrite to join the "don't bother with this one" people. If it comes your way, have a look, if only to marvel about how one is supposed to feel much concern for an idiot who opened her door to a stranger about whom she had a 'good feeling'!

The Sweetheart (2018 TV Movie)

This REALLY surprised me!

[2/10 · 1 January 2020]

From a past diet of similar movies, my early conclusions were: "Dad gets murdered" - coz he has, before; "Black friend gets murdered" - coz people of colour die early, right?

I was delighted to have my own prejudices demolished, so- I really enjoyed this: stress, strain, fear,, impending horror - but brilliant ending

Hometown Christmas (2018 TV Movie)

Good mix of cheese and sugariness

[6/10 · 27 December 2019]

Which is a good thing for a Christmas movie, so I enjoyed that aspect and storyline. What kept giving me pause was the casting of Beverly Mitchell and Stephen Colletti. I have nothing against an 'older woman/ younger man' motif, but the pair were supposedly same-year high school sweethearts, and meaning no offence to either actor, my imagination could't strain that far for any sustained period. They were manifestly not the same age. A trivial thing on which to focus, but the thought kept intruding...

Holiday Heist (2019)

One didn't need to be Nostradamus...

[8/10 · 16 December 2019]

The end was predictable from very early on, but I'll confess that I enjoyed the journey. This was a heartwarming Christmas movie. I found most of the characters believable and (apart from the 'Bad Guys' and the lead female's Policeman Boyfriend) rather adorable.

Since I wasn't expecting an Oscar-worthy movie, I found it a relaxing and enjoyable story of 'Christmas fluff' - just the thing pleasantly to occupy a holiday afternoon.

The Christmas Calendar (2017 TV Movie)

Were there no *real* French-Canadian actors?

[7/10 · 11 December 2019]

Given the genre, the movie was sorta/ kinda entertaining.

Sure, I think he *can* probably act, but though he tries and occasionally succeeds: (I'm generous that way), poor Brendon Zub doesn't sound remotely French. As other reviewers have noted that 'orrible accent meant that I spent much time Googling, trying to see if he was possibly French-Canadian, and I was wrong & being picky - which detracted from giving full attention to the storyline.

Please, Hallmark - you must be able to get actors who genuinely have French as their first language? I have nothing against Brendon Zub - PLEASE cast him again. But y'all went wrong here!

The Wrong Child (2016 TV Movie)

Precious minutes...

[1/10 · 26 November 2019]

... of my declining years gone - for good - all because I couldn't believe the reviewers who wrote about how awful it was. I have no real criticism about the actors (though the husband sounded more Antipodean than British to me), but - what was it about? The plot made absolutely no sense! It hurts that I sat through it to find out that the plot couldn't be and wouldn't be decipherable to a semi-sane adult. Avoid. Like. The. Plague. Except that that is what I should have done, and didn't. Please be warned.

Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders: Obey (2017) Season 2, Episode 11

A patronising show

[5/10 · 30 October 2019]

I agree with some of the reviews that I've read, that the very premise of this show is offensively patronising. It seems to imply that law enforcement agencies around the world are hopelessly incompetent, until the Great All-Seeing, All-Knowing FBI fly over to save the day!

Do people realise how offensive such arrogance is? Applied to countries that have 'people-of-colour' it seems racist; applied to other countries, it seems hubristic. Please STOP, people - many of you came from us - *including those of us in racially-diverse (African, Asian and European) nations*. And we don't think that anything makes you superior. Because it *so* doesn't. We can be equal brethren but never your serfs. Get over yourselves - your current President is an effing disgrace who tells the world all we need to know about your FBI intellect. We *do* know it: we just don't worship it (neither does he, when the FBI do not sing from his polluted, insane hymn sheet). This show was vainglorious, and though I liked many of the stars, it needed to eff-off, with humility.

This episode (like most episodes of this show) was sorta, kinda vaguely entertaining, but... offensive!