lipjam Reviews

Possessor (2020)

Self-indulgent

[3/10 · 4 November 2020]

I just found the whole movie wrong from the opening scene. The look was off, the pacing was slow, the sound track was tedious and slow panning shots... I simply detest slow panning shots with ambient music. It was an extremely drawn out affair, interjected with frantic disjointed scenes of of graphic violence and sex. I feel this movie was made more for the filmaker's entertainment than the audience. It could have ended (and really should have) twenty minutes sooner. Even though it was about 90 minutes, it felt so much longer to me. The ending was a mess but at that stage I was just happy it was over.

They Reach (2020)

Definitely one for weekday night

[6/10 · 2 June 2020]

Don't take this too seriously and you will enjoy. I watched it blind and it held my attention from start to end. It is a bit of a mess at times but overall an enjoyable flick. Casting is good. Characters are likeable. Female lead is definitely the standout. FX are competent. Storyline is a bit silly almost to the point that it appears diliberate? Maybe a tongue'n'cheek tribute to Stranger Things/Goons genre? If you like those I am sure you will enjoy this.

Unbroken: Path to Redemption (2018)

This is a good movie

[10/10 · 9 December 2018]

If you wish to be inspired then watch this. It is a true story with a powerful message especially for this cynical world. Life is tough and bad things happen because people can be nasty. But we do not become nasty ourselves simply because others are. If they hurt us we need to forgive them. We need to practice forgiveness like athletic training. If we forgive others we learn mercy and are in turn forgiven. When we perfect this WOW what we can accomplish is limitless.

The acting is good as is the pacing and directing. A good family watch especially for older children. The subject matter is dark at times but sensitively handled. The overall message is a Christian mesage of forgiveness redemption and salvation. Which is true to the life it is based on.

The Trump Prophecy (2018)

Interesting subject but just too long

[5/10 · 5 December 2018]

The story-line of the fireman was just too long and did not have sufficient content to drive it. This could have been shortened significantly and the movie would have been the better for it.

I really like the 2 Chronicles 7:14 theme as it is so needed in the western world. We have all but forgotten God in our public life and this is a very dangerous place to be. I believe God uses whom He chooses. Donald Trump is a flawed human but that does not mean he wil not make a good President. The Bible is full of flawed people chosen to perform a task for the people.

Again the last 40 mins could have been edited down significantly to the betterment of the movie. Overall I think the idea was a good one and grabbed my attention but the execution was poor. I felt at times I was watching a YouTube video. It was that sort of standard. I think the makers could have been alot more discerning in what they wished to say and edit the movie accordingly.

I think this movie may have suffered from too many cooks. It reminded me of the scene from the movie "The Jerk" when Steve Martin is leaving his swanky offce and declares he only needs this object and then sees another and by the time he gets to the door he is dragging half the office with him. This movie is much like that.

Tales of Frankenstein (2018)

Poor

[2/10 · 9 November 2018]

Just so you know what you're getting. If you're a fan of poorly made low quality B-movies and ham acting then you might enjoy this (but I doubt it). I just didn't have the patience for it. It is a poor throw back to everything bad about Hammer films of the seventies and I feel bad for putting down the hammer movies. This is just silly and over the top in an incompetent way.

I am unsure what the makers were trying to accomplish but it was just lost on me. If you feel nostalgic and wish to watch a Frankenstien film then go for Boris Karloff because at least you will get a proper taste of the genre but this is a poor imitation. Sorry to say this is not worth the time or effort.

Titans (I) (2018–2023)

Who is this aimed at?

[2/10 · 7 November 2018]

This is definitely not for kids. A demon possessed girl? A brutal murder of a parent? Sexual scenes? All in the first two episodes. But wait it is for kids: Colourfullly dressed superheroes in outlandish spandex, plastic face masks and sunglasses, over the top fight scenes. Also in the first two episodes.

I am deeply frustrated by this type of show because it is so irresponsible. If you want to make a kid's show then at least have the decency to make it child friendly. If you are going to make an adult themed show then make this clear and take efforts not to make it attractive to kids. We do not make drugs look like candy because that would be irresponsible. Yet the makers of this show seems to think this is OK?

The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

Please stop the rot

[2/10 · 7 November 2018]

TWD is going the way of most TV these days that won't let trivialities such as entertainment deter them from the serious business of re-education of the unwashed masses.

STOP STOP STOP. You have an obligation to entertain us with the material you work with.

TWD is supposed to be edgy, scary, and gruesome. It is apocalyptic and people don't behave like what you and your friends think they should bra! They wouldn't be spending their time in s psychoanalytical session, examining their feelings. They would be too busy doing stuff like trying to survive.

Start entertaining us and if you have a desire to challenge your viewers do it with the material you have been given. Be faithful to the genre and stop the nonsense. But I fear it may be too late. Personally, I have lost interest.

God Friended Me (2018– )

Not a Chrisitian Show

[2/10 · 3 November 2018]

A very poor attempt to bring a vanilla version of God to the millennials. This show attempts to present God as well meaning liberal who's superficial friendship is based on the Facebook standard. Everything goes, God likes this so don't judge me bra. As a result it has nothing of worth to say.

Having said that I was willing to give it a try as I expected it may have some family viewing value. However, this was also lost when I was presented with yet another view of the homosexual bedroom experience. This is not something I wish my children to share.

Family shows should avoid controversial content, especially of a sexual nature. Won't be bothering with this any more. Not a Christian TV show

Black '47 (2018)

Very engaging

[8/10 · 29 September 2018]

As an Irishman watching an Australian playing an Irishman all I can say is I was convinced. The storyline moves at a good pace and never becomes cliched or contrived. I did not expect anything and was somewhat suspicious that we would get another contrived SJW revisionist production but overall I was pleasantly surprised. You would not call it a historical production as there was some artistic licence but just a great period yarn set in the Irish famine. The acting was very good at all levels. The characterisation balanced and believable. The movie is not too long and left me thinking of the possiblility of a sequel but that may be just me. Over all an enjoyable movie with a good balance of drama, action and excellent cinematography. What more could you want? Well worth a watch.

Fear the Walking Dead (2015–2023)

Just had enough of this Network rubbish

[2/10 · 4 June 2018]

This show was just OK to begin with and I tolerated it for the sake of nothing else to watch but I am just sick to the teeth of this touchy-feely nonsense that the TV networks feel obliged to put out. Everything is about feelings, strong women characters and inclusiveness these days.

For goodness sake just get over yourselves: Be brave! Be original! Kill all the whiners and let the Zombies express their feelings instead. Give us something to actually fear or else change the title... "Beverley Hills 90210" could be appropriate?

A Quiet Place (2018)

It's OK if you leave your brain at the door.

[6/10 · 15 April 2018]

OK Warning Spoiler alert right from the start. These monsters hunt by sound. So they are sensitive to sound. They manage to wipe out the world's population and nobody figures out their weakness.... Really? We use ultrasound to deter vermin all the time. You can but ultrasonic deterrents for insects mice pigeons etc. on eBay for flips sake. Yet these vermin wipe out the whole world?

That aside I found the whole experience rather tedious. It is not the silent part. It is just that it seemed to be a series of the suspense parts interspersed with very little. It was interesting at times but not sufficiently so to move the storyline along. There were too few characters and not enough happening to retain my interest.

Don't get me wrong it is not a total disaster but neither was it a great movie. It is just Mah. I certainly wouldn't rush top see it again. I remeber the same hype about Blair witch and I never ever got either. With Blair witch the hype died down and it is still a rubbish movie. The Quiet Place is better produced and with much better characters. The acting is very good and I was particularly impressed with the young deaf girl. I see a potential future there.

As stated earlier and by many others this movie has a lot of plot holes. Those who claim it doesn't are just showing their ignorance. If you can overlook them and suspend disbelief for a couple of hours you might just enjoy it.

The Alienist (2018–2020)

A sophisticated thriller

[8/10 · 4 April 2018]

This is not your average thriller. The setting, the characters, the story line are all out of place but it works very well. It reminds me of a Scandinavian drama but it is set in New York.It reminds me of CSI but it's set in Victorian times. It reminds me of Sherlock Holmes but with a German protagonist. The story line evolves very well and the tension mounts nicely as it progresses. The characters are developed well and even the tendency to portray the Irish as the villains is sensitive enough to avoid the risk of racial stereotyping. The finale is a fitting crescendo with a very well thought through ending. I know a lot of this can be credited to the novelist but not having read the book I cannot comment further on this. I will simply say this TV show has whetted my appetite to read it. A good watch that I would recommend for your perusal.

The Terror (2018–2025)

A new must watch... hopefully

[10/10 · 4 April 2018]

So far so good but early days. I have seen two episodes and so far this one excites my interest. The story, acting cineamatography, score and the suspense is making this a very very good prospect. Well worth your time. BTW love Ciaran Hinds. A very underrated actor.

Legion (2017–2019)

If you're into tripping you'll like this one.

[1/10 · 4 April 2018]

There was a time when this would have been cool to watch in a purile kind a way. When I was young and foolish and liked things because they were different and wierd. This is definitely both those things and as such will not be for everyone. Like trance music and raving this show would have probably been a cult favorite if it was around 20+ years ago. However, like both those cultural landmarks of the nineties this show may be loud and colourful but equally has little of substance (no pun intended) to say to anyone of any significance. However, if you're young and foolish and into experimenting with weird stuff becasue it is weird then this may be up your street. But listen to the old fuddy duddies who warn you about the pitfalls of squandering your youth on wasteful enterprises. Not everything is good for you. This may be colourful and attractive to look at in a trippy kinda way but what it is saying is just beyond me? Insanity is insane because it is insanity. Trying to make sense of nonsense is like trying to paint the air. This show is a lot of light and noise but unfortunately signifying nothing. The classic waste of time but some people won't be told and so if you like wasting your time knock yourself out.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Have to agree with the naysayers

[2/10 · 23 January 2018]

The Clingons are just annoying annoying annoying. The crew are just blah blah blah. This is just boring boring boring. BTW Michael is a man's name.

Mr. Robot (2015–2019)

Just a mess

[1/10 · 2 November 2017]

No sense No coherence No interest. The characters are just unbelievably unbelievable. The main character is almost comatose. The others are just annoying. The Villain is a super human omniscient conductor... Really? The story line is completely anarchic. It is like we're living in Elliot's head and it's not a nice place to be. Not because it uncomfortable and edgy but simply because it is lame and uninteresting. The whole thing is just confused and seems to be going nowhere. A drug induced experience but in a bad trip kind of way. Who wants that? Sorry Mr. Robot please power down.

Preacher (2016–2019)

I am sorry to say you just lost me.

[1/10 · 26 August 2017]

I watched this show and am pretty open when it comes to peoples opinions and viewpoints but with "Dirty little secret" you crossed a line that just lost me. There was simply no need for it. It added nothing to the story and had no merit other than to offend. The makers obvious hatred of the American right has spilled over and caused deep, deep offence to all Christians, whether American or not, whether moderate or not.

To desecrate the most significant nights of Jesus' life with a debauched, adulterous orgy that produces a severely deformed bloodline; then to have his disciples murder the mother just goes beyond the pail This is not history, art, opinion or entertainment. This is just gross gratuitous offence, aimed at the heart of the Christian faith. And for what? What does it add? What does it gain? Not a single positive result that I can see. There are forums where people can cause offence and spout venomous hatred and disgusting vile opinions but main stream entertainment should not be the place.

Christians have an equal right to be entertained as any other group. It is extremely unfair to target any group for contemptuous treatment. If this was aimed at any other group it would be banned but here is another example of the utter contempt from the mainstream "Liberal" media for the Christian community and what it holds dear. No wonder America has Trump in power, and is such a divided nation when such blatant hatred is allowed on its mainstream media. If you sow the the wind you will reap the whirlwind.

So called Liberals call for equality respect and justice for all (Meaning those who share their worldview) but when it comes to those beliefs they do not value, they treat these with such utter scorn and derision that would make any fascist smile. It is true you become what you hate. Hate consumes all it detests. Well I won't play this game. I forgive them their insults and I shall pray for them but I will not be watching this show any more. I am sorry to say.

American Gods (2017–2021)

Soft porn and titillation.

[26 August 2017]

Prolonged sexual scenes including homosexuality that seem to have nothing to do with anything. I am unsure of the value of TV like this. This is a perverted view of life that I do not wish to witness. Some will call it genius or art but there are some things I do not wish to know or see and have little to edify or entertain. I am sure arguments can be made for the need of content like this but just because using the toilet is an essential part of life does that mean it merits public portrayal as entertainment or art.

American Gods may be well produced and have some elements to recommend it but for me the unnecessary inclusion of prolonged gratuitous sexual activity just turns me off like a stone. Some things just do not need to be shown and I'm afraid this is one of them. Certainly one for the specialist viewer.

The Mist (2017)

I gave up on this one

[26 August 2017]

I am a Stephen King fan but I have read and watched enough to realise that he can be hit or miss. This one is is best forgotten. The characters are for the most part annoying and stereotyped. The liberal propaganda element is hard to ignore. Most of what I have to say has already been said so I will save you the time and just cut to the chase.

This is a poor production with little to recommend it. It has nothing that makes King so popular. I honestly can't think of any reason he allowed it to use his work and name other than a pay cheque. It is boring, predictable, clichéd and over all not worth your time. I could not watch all the episodes. I found myself just fast forwarding more and more until I just gave up. Watch the movie or read the book but give this a wide berth.

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

Sometimes less is more.

[6/10 · 9 August 2017]

This movie is not as bad as some make out but it is not as good as others make out either. Overall it is a disappointing conclusion to the trilogy.

First the good:

The technical production is excellent. The cinematography is impressive and the Special FX astounding. The characterisation is in depth and believable (for the most part) with some memorable parts. I particularly liked the young girl (Amiah Miller) and the chimp (Bad Ape) provided some light relief. Caesar is of course the star of the show and his part is played to perfection and his character is developed very well.

It is a real shame that all the actors and production team is so badly let down by the script. This should have been a great movie but with such a poor story line it can never be. The fact that it lacks any coherence and has so many holes points to a script by committee. One committee worked on the ape story line while another worked on the human one and like their protegees, kept to their own kind and never really got on together.

The Colonel character and story line is just beyond belief. You could argue he was insane so that would account for the many disparities but that just will not cut it. He tries to kill Caesar then when he captures him, does not and for no apparent reason. A blind man could see that Caesar will lead the apes to revolt yet he does not notice this. There is not enough development of his back story and why anyone would unquestionably follow him. Woody Harrelson is neither scary nor inspirational enough to believe. Further, the colonel is the only human character of note. All the other humans are just cannon fodder or background decoration with the exception of the crossbow man and Nova. Considering this I think a more menacing presence was required like Tom Hardy.

The whole reason for the plot just does not add up. Firstly, the colonel is seen as the scourge of the apes and wants to kill them all. Then he is the scourge of other humans. This is all done with very poor story development and riddled with plot holes. It was like they were more concerned with the money moments then they were with an overall story.

Then ending is just a wet fish. I will not detail it here but the story has many disparate sub plots (too many in my opinion) to wrap up in the allotted time. Then suddenly somebody realised that the movie was running too long and they ended them all in a hurry. I suspect this was so more time could be given to the money moment of Caesar at the end (which also lacked any real satisfactory impact). I believe this was lifted directly from Moses but again without a sufficient backstory it did not have the desired impact.

I am not saying it is a bad movie but I don't think anyone could call it a great movie either. I think they just tried to fit too much into a single movie and failed to join it all up satisfactorily. I think too much was assumed and dependent on the goodwill of the audience to indulge. It should have been two instalments and more time should have been used to develop the human story and maybe tie up the inconsistencies in the plot. If this was not feasible then they should have completely reworked the story and got someone more menacing to play the colonel. A decent effort but not a suitable ending to the trilogy.

The Corpse of Anna Fritz (2015)

Simply Ridiculous

[4/10 · 6 August 2017]

I watched this based on the good reviews. The acting isn't bad nor is the production. The music score is quite good also. However, the story line is so preposterous and filled with holes as to beggar belief. Even if you can get over the opening sequence: This actress who is so famous and adored is simply abandoned in the charge of a testosterone charged young man who posts photos of her and has has his friends visit the hospital without any suspicion or checks. It doesn't get any better. It is predictable and a little tedious at times. The plot twists for me were not really twists as sweeping bends you can see coming a mile off. The ending just takes the biscuit. I did not see that coming but it is so stupid that it could only be made up on the spot. I suppose if you're twelve and want to see a naked dead lady then knock yourself out. If you want a thriller with a believable story line then I doubt this will satisfy. Not really worth the one hour and four minutes of your life. If you still want to see it prepare to suspend disbelief (like leave it outside the front door) and you may not be disappointed but I would recommend you opt for something a little less puerile.

Pilgrimage (II) (2017)

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul

[8/10 · 16 July 2017]

As a student of theology I am always drawn to movies like this. However, I am often left disappointed, and somewhat frustrated. This one is no exception but overall it is definitely worth a watch. As a movie it is a good yarn with a story line that moves along quite nicely. As far as performances go they are very strong. Tom Holland is a great young actor who is more than up to his role. He walks the line of young naive man faced with difficult theological choices and as such earns the viewer's sympathy and admiration. I am a fan of Jon Bernthal ever since his appearance in The Walking Dead and will watch anything with him in it. He carries off the role of mute with a commanding and menacing presence. A task not easy to accomplish with very limited dialogue. Richard Armitage also does a fine job Although I cannot comment on the accuracy of his French accent :). Stanley Weber, John Lynch and the whole supporting cast are all very capable and believable. The director Brendan Muldowney does a fine job and I will watch with interest for his future work. I also really like the use of many languages which always adds an interesting ingredient to any movie.

If I were to sum this story up I would in the following: "A story of faith and ambition and how one can be usurped by the other."

As a story about a relic and what it inspires, it is a fine one. The power of faith is a fascinating aspect of humanity. We all need to believe in something whether it is the big bang theory or creationism. Faith, if strong enough, can motivate us to wondrous achievements or diabolical destruction. Powerful faith and the symbols of it also attract the ambitious. Ambition is also in us all and its draw is impossible to deny. When faith meets ambition a battle is imminent. This story is nuanced and faceted with elements such as loyalty, betrayal, friendship and revenge but which all flow from the primary motivators: faith and ambition. For the average viewer it may be too much so and as such the attention to detail may be lost. However, that does not take away from the performances which are very strong, the story which is engrossing and the cinematography which is magnificent. I love to see the beautiful Irish landscape portrayed on the big screen.

My only caveat was the ending. I found it unsatisfying. I will say no more than it lacked any positive conclusion. The banality of the human struggle. We live, we struggle and we die. HEY: They don't all die in the end. I am not saying that in case you think I just spoiled the ending. Well they don't but I found it just rang too much of the initial cynicism of Ecclesiastics: Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. However, even the writer of Ecclesiastes realised that there are things bigger than ourselves and there is purpose to it all that only God knows. So we trust in God and do the best we can. It could be argued that this message was in the movie but I did not find it apparent in the ending. There were certainly elements displayed, particularly when they follow the bell in the bog. However, it just seemed to unravel at the end. I am an optimist and I like happy endings, especially in the movies I watch. Failing that I settle for resolution. I got neither. I watch movies to be entertained, not to be depressed or frustrated. If I want that i just go out my front door. Thank you very much.

Having said all that I realise it is only a movie and as such it a right good one. Overall, a recommended watch.