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Reviews
Arctic Air (2012)
What a shame
I really wanted to like this, but it is terrible. Better direction would have gotten much better performances from the cast, but nothing fixes a ridiculous script. Anyone with even half a brain will find the plots silly. The dialogue comes straight from a 12 year olds mind. I watched as many episodes as I could but finally gave up. Save yourself the frustration of hoping it gets better, it doesn't. Maybe turn down the volume and watch some beautiful scenery or just take a nice long nap. Nothing in this series will keep your interest. Adam Beach is a good actor, but you'd never know it watching this.
The Outlaws (2021)
Thoroughly enjoyable
I enjoyed every minute of this series. Wonderful performances from many new faces (to me at least). Christopher Walken is terrific, as always. The real scene stealer though, is Jessica Gunning. Her hilarious sincerity is beautiful. Not to be missed.
Unforgotten (2015)
Excessive Melodrama
There is quite a bit of excellent acting in this first season, but the overwrought drama is just too much. The story is interesting with many plot points which may or may not be related to each other or to the central crime. I never got a sense of who DCI Stuart really was, despite being on screen most of the time. There are numerous questionable elements such as would a very large police unit really spend that much time investigating a 40 plus year old skeleton with little more than a car key to go on. The unit regularly performs miracles of investigation. I kept watching because of the really fine acting, though I'm not sure I'll watch any further seasons. Technically it's very good, with direction, sets, cinematography and soundtrack all well done. Were the story a bit more believable and the drama less oppressive I'd have given this an 8 or 9. Flawed but enjoyable.
The Holiday (2006)
Overcomes two serious flaws
Let's just get the problems out of the way. Jack Black and Cameron Diaz aren't good actors. They each have a couple quiet moments when they lose themselves in the characters, but quickly return to their awkward acting. They have zero chemistry with Kate Winslet and Jude Law. Winslet is terrific with Eli Wallace and Law is great with the two young actresses who play his daughters. It's a shame Black and Diaz learned nothing from watching Eli Wallach perfectly inhabit the aging screenwriter. That being said, I still enjoyed the film and recently watched it again. I suppose I've just become a rank sentimentalist in my old age. There are so many actors who could have greatly improved upon the Black/Diaz roles but the filmmakers chose perceived Box Office over talent. A chronic mistake in Hollywood.
Chappie (2015)
Jackman will do anything for enough money.
This is one of the worst films I have ever seen. It's made for the "school shooter" type psychopath. The severely overrated District Nine and simplistic Elysium actually shine compared to this ridiculous waste of time and money. What on earth was Hugh Jackman thinking? Adderall infused teens could have written a better script. I can't find anything positive to say about this fiasco. If you have any functioning brain cells, give this a pass.
Scott & Bailey (2011)
Starts strong...
The first season is very good, well written, excellent acting, compelling mysteries and believable. The second and third seasons merge the characters and the crimes which is just ridiculous. The story suffers greatly and the male characters are all stupid, childish, evil or selfish wankers. Agreed, this is traditionally the way female characters are presented but it's just as asinine. I stopped watching after a few third season episodes. A shame really, this was very good television.
Dexter (2006)
Now I remember
I watched the first season of Dexter when it originally aired and didn't continue watching. I didn't remember why. Amazon is airing the series now so I started watching again. Having watched most of the first season, I remember why I stopped in the first place. I liked the macabre aspects, the location, most of the characters and the acting is good but the sister ruins it. She has the emotional maturity of a12 year old. She has spent time in undercover vice and now she's a homicide detective and is less mature than Dexters' girlfriends' small children.
I could live with that if she was only in a couple scenes per episode, but she is in almost as many scenes as Dexter. Over the years I've heard various story elements and I think I'll watch a little longer to see the chaos inflicted on her. There are other flaws, the writers go out of their way to make two characters unlikeable, but are then magically rehabbed. They know where they want the story to end up but are very sloppy about getting there. The show is watchable but flawed.
Cast Away (2000)
Not a Fan...
I've enjoyed the vast majority of Tom Hanks' movies. Not this one or Forrest Gump. These characters are way too annoying. Here, Hanks plays an Uber type A personality. I loathe these people. I know they believe that they're the reason the Sun rises each day and that civilization even exists. They're not, they are the reason we are destroying the Earth and killing each other in every more horrific ways. So, the movie opens with Hanks character, Chuck Noland, manipulating the world around him to do his nefarious bidding. He's obsessed with FedEx and getting everything done yesterday. His friends are obsessed, his family is so obsessed they spend holiday dinners discussing the mythic origins of FedEx. I have little empathy for the character and since the entire movie revolves around him, the movie fails. Or maybe not. Maybe it's a scathing indictment of these people. After all he loses his friends, a big chunk of his life and even his wife. But no, in the end he just resumes his asinine course and delivers another package. This is just a commercial for FedEx, corporate America and capitalism.
The Big Year (2011)
Mostly good
I liked this movie but... Jack Black. JB seems like a good guy and he's funny and smart but he's a supporting actor not a lead. He's not a very good actor but if you need a character like JB then he's good. A little goes a very long way. The rest of the cast more than holds their own, and there are allot of quality actors in this film. The story is off beat and the locations are interesting. The script and the cinematography are solid if not great. JB is usually cast as the everyman, but he's not, he's the funny oddball friend or the not-quite-right friend or coworker. Most light hearted films have a role for him, but please not the lead.
Midway (2019)
B Movie
I never really cared for the 1976 version because of the hammy performance of Charleton Heston, but it looks much better in comparison with this lackluster effort. None of the actors give believable performances and several of them are capable of much better. This is the directors fault, he was far too focused on the CGI and not the script or acting. The CGI is, nonetheless, poor. It often looks like a video game from the early 2000's. This film suffers from many of the same problems as Pearl Harbor. In an attempt to bring anything new to the story, Emmerich abandons reason, and good filmmaking, and just wallows in the special effects. This is about the same quality as the Scifi channels' filler material. Even Heston would think this was crap.
Bosch (2014)
Final season... very disappointing.
The first six seasons were excellent, as good as a police procedural gets. This review only applies to the final season. The writing was a huge disappointment. A spin off is coming, so the characters not invited are given a little more screen time. This generally doesn't advance the story and the actors tend to mug a bit. The real problems are the generally poor writing of the actual story and, most obviously, the misuse of Jed to create drama with Bosch. I just don't believe the character would react to killing avrile so self destructivly. He saw the system protecting this monster, saw the deaths he caused both to his family and his friends and thought long and hard about his actions. The writers simply used this to allow a rapprochement with Bosch and a personal redemption. I've tried watching the last season again but I haven't gotten far. I've watched most seasons several times and enjoy them greatly. A poor ending to a great show.
The Fall (2013)
Went downhill
The first season is terrific, good story, great acting, Gillian Anderson is wonderful. The second season is ridiculous and silly. The serial killer just comes and goes as he pleases, several people should be very suspicious but aren't and he practically confesses to one woman and shows her a sketch from the newspaper but she just smiled and shows him her driver's license. I didn't bother watching the third season.
The Bridge (2013)
Wanted... a competent screenwriter
Season 1 features terrific acting from both the leads and supporting actors. Well, except for Diane Kruger who never locks onto the character. Sonia is played as smart, naive, detached, socially awkward, oblivious, empathetic, whatever is needed in the scene. This couldn't have been the actors choice, but a combination of poor scripting and direction. The first season stays closer to the original material in feel and atmosphere but without any of the intelligence or wit. The second season is largely a waste with an occasional good scene. Again the acting is much better than the script deserves. By the end, it seems the actors have largely given up and just want it to end, just like me. It's a shame really, the first season especially features many quality Latino actors and I look forward to seeing them in future roles. This should have been so much better.
Paradox: Episode #1.2 (2009)
Interesting idea
I like the premise, but the poor execution ruins it. There is very little science fiction and mostly a mystery. As such, it really should make sense, the police should act like cops not ineffectual civilians. In this episode they discover they can change the future, sort of. There is some drama over whether or not the boy is going to live, but I couldn't care less if ben doesn't. Ben is a jerk and the series would have been better without the character. The dialogue is often ridiculous and the script needed a rational adult to fix the many problems. The supporting actors are quite good and the principles are generally OK. It easily could have been much better.
Psych: An Evening with Mr. Yang (2009)
Worst episode
Other than the kiss near the end, this is a terrible episode. Faced with the possible murder of a young waitress, simply because he hit on her earlier in the day, Shawn shows practically no real concern. Shawn is selfish, immature and insensitive, but this is ridiculous. This series works best as a light hearted farce with a few serious moments thrown in. Any attempts at a full episode of real emotion falls flat.
Outpost (2008)
Good idea, poorly executed.
I wanted to like this movie but I couldn't.
The story idea is good, a Nazi super weapon program abandoned at the end of the war. Unfortunately it takes half the movie to let us in on the idea. The best parts of the movie are a genuinely creepy underground bunker full of shadows, flickering lights, strange sounds and things just not right. Topside, the bunker is surrounded by an ancient wood full of menace and right out of Transylvania. The props are good and the special effects acceptable. Now for the bad. The overall story needed a lot of work and the script/dialogue is horrible. The characters are one dimensional tokens from any mercenary movie you've ever seen. The sound design is far too noticeable and insists on hitting us over the head instead of letting the visuals scare us. The acting is mediocre at best. There are some nice visuals that are just wasted by the rest of the production. The best way to watch this film is to familiarize yourself with the story and turn off the sound and enjoy the cinematography and sets.
Homecoming: Mandatory (2018)
Begins poorly
They say you only get one chance for a first impression, that's unfortunate for this season of Homecoming. The opening scene of a woman holding a phone up and over the side of a boat only to drop it when she awakens is ridiculous. The closing credits showing far more producers, of various lks, than actors is concerning. More managers than workers doesn't bode well. The presence of Chris Cooper makes me hopeful. Janelle Monáe is a wonderfully imaginative and very smart musician, the jury is still out on her acting skills. John Billingsley is very good. We'll see if this season can follow up the first seasons impressive quality.
Homecoming (2018)
Patience is a virtue
I'm saddened by reviews complaining about the pace, it's meant to be enjoyed not experienced. It's a complex tale and needs time to unfold. The actors are excellent, the cinematography first rate and the soundtrack is important and beautiful. There is a place for action films, comic book adaptations and video game immersions. This isn't them. Enjoy meeting the characters, learning about them and watching them interact. There is a real story here and its arc is worth thinking about. Not everything is told up front, imagine and wonder... and enjoy. The director has made a fine series here especially season 1. While you can certainly binge watch this series, I recommend allowing some time between episodes to allow the story to work its way into your thoughts. I'm a Vet and regularly talk with the men and women returning from war, this story is certainly relevant.
La Brea (2021)
Terrible
Any group of middle school geeks could do much better. Laughable writing and amateurish acting in every scene. Don't waste your time.
Voyage of the Chimera (2020)
A good try.
Making a good film for $20K is unreasonable. This isn't a good film. I'm sure it was a good learning experience and I'd like to see future work from these people, with a much bigger budget. There is a good story here but the script needs work, the dialogue is poor and the acting is generally bad. On the positive side, the actor who plays the chief of the boat is good, the effects are decent and the atmosphere on board a small ship is pretty close. Overall, a nice try.
Respublika Z (2018)
A good film.
I liked this film. A fresh take on Zombie movies in many ways. It's set in eastern Russia, an area most of us know nothing about. A solid script, good acting and a professional director. Back to the basics. The story creates a believable world with characters we care about. We care for their safety. I can't say that about many Zombie flicks. It achieves quietly what most big budget, effect driven films do not. It keeps us in the films world. I have many questions about this world and the film doesn't try to answer them all. Use your imagination.
American Outlaws (2001)
Pathetic...
A bunch of b-list actors have some time on their hands and decide to a make a western. They recruit a few real actors to play the bad guys and send the result to CMT for their yahoo audience. The End.