Change Your Image
Chriper7
Reviews
Apostasy (2017)
A Christian perspective
As a Christian watching this, it breaks my heart watching the destructive practices of this organisation, and the brainwashing that keeps members from leaving. It's distressing to see how the founders and leaders of the Watchtower Society have distorted the Bible's message so much that it becomes the exact opposite of what Jesus taught
In place of grace and freedom from the law, there are rigid rules which must be obeyed and psychological punishment for those who break those rules.
Instead of salvation through faith alone, there is salvation by works alone.
Instead of love for your neighbour, there is destructive division where families are split apart .
Instead of the unconditional love of God, the JWs most earn God's love.
The JW 'god' is a monster whose demands can never be satiated. The average JW can never be sure they've done enough to please him.
This film highlighted the destructive ideology of the Watchtower Society very well. I'd read a lot of material about JW theology and practice over the years, but the impact of such theology on the lives on average people within the organisation really hits home in this production. Well worth watching.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (2024)
Worth watching for episode 3 alone
Episodes 1,2 & 4 were essentially a bunch of people complaining that Dan Schneider was a bad boss. I'm sure it's very probable that he was, and there were many cringeworthy things that he did. This sort of thing goes on in all types workplaces and it would be great if something would be done about it. It's presented in a way, however, that what went on was exceptional - this is what bugged me. We have all heard stories about the rampant abuse in Hollywood. I was expecting some sort of exposé of this. It's almost as if this documentary was thrown out there to cover up what really goes on in Hollywood - ie 'outside of Harvey Weinstein, this is the worst we have uncovered'
The standout episode was episode 3. It was truly heartbreaking. Drake Bell was very brave to sit in front of the camera and talk about what happened to him. This is what someone telling the truth looks like. Watching his father crying over not being able to protect his son brought me to tears. I'm sure this type of thing has gone on in Hollywood for many decades, which is moreso what I was anticipating this documentary to uncover.
I rate Quiet on Set overall as a 7 - for episode 3 alone (which deserves a 10)
Gerry (2002)
Based on a true story
This movie I believe was based on the real life story of David Coughlin and Raffi Kodikian who got lost while hiking in Rattlesnake Canyon - which is part of Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.
The details are different, but you get the sense of the isolation, the initial hopefulness, and the eventual resignation. The ending resembles real-life, but the details have been changed.
It was a very different style of movie, likely to divide opinion, but I'm glad I saw it, especially with the real story fresh in my mind. If I wasn't aware of the events that it was based on I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. But the presentation allowed you to experience what it may have been like for the 2 guys - the long periods of just walking aimlessly, the light-hearted still hopeful moments and the slow realisation of hopelessness. I found the minimal dialogue to be realistic and appeared to he ad-libbed. Overall, I enjoyed it. I love the outback of my own country and I enjoyed getting to experience the American SW desert.
The Devil on Trial (2023)
Divided opinion
There seems to be 2 divided sets of opinion on this documentary. It mainly comes down to preconceptions regarding the reality of the supernatural. Conformation bias will have some people getting near the end, hearing the oldest brother's recollection of events and concluding 'it was all a big lie from the start' and consider the first ¾ of the documentary a waste of time.
Those people who do believe in the supernatural or have had personal experience with the supernatural will find the first ¾ of the documentary a fascinating account of demonic influence and possession.
There's really no conclusive evidence for either viewpoint as we can only base our opinions on what has been described by the those who were there and the audio recordings that were made. The viewer will decide who they believe is the most trustworthy in their retelling of events. Who they consider trustworthy will most likely be the party who mirrors the viewer's own worldview most closely.
Old Dads (2023)
A present day dystopian horror
Set in a present day dystopia. 3 Gen X guys awaken to the grim reality that they are living in a dystopian society. Surrounded by a populace that have been transformed into malicious and vindictive adherents of an oppressive ideology, the trio find themselves compelled to adhere to a specific set of moral standards or risk having their lives destroyed.
The lifelong friends, who happen to work together, are sacked over a 'morality violation'. The accusation stems from covert recordings taken inside their private vehicles and homes, exposing them to the scrutiny of their unforgiving environment.
Among the protagonists is a father with a child attending primary school. The child's teacher, an influential figure with a malevolent streak, exploits her position to manipulate the parents' conduct. Compliance with her idiosyncratic moral code becomes a prerequisite for safeguarding the child's future. Other parents, also authoritarian members of the cult, join in forcing a humiliation ritual on the uninitiated father.
Will the trio manage to break free from the clutches of this dystopian nightmare? Will they yield to the manipulative grasp of the authoritarian cult, or will they take a stand, working towards liberating its members and restoring society to a realm of genuine freedom? These questions lie at the heart of their journey, leaving audiences in suspense as they anticipate the outcome.
The Back Side of Television (2021)
Too much sermonising and shaming
I decided to start with episode 2 because it was reportedly about an infamous news report to be revisited. Anyhow, 7 or 8 minutes in, I'm still being preached at about how terrible straight, white men are and how Australian TV is awful for not having more LGBTQ content 40 years ago, and how all the representations of gay characters weren't good enough.
After an ordinary day, I don't want to put on a show and be given a sermon about what a despicable person I am just for existing. If the presenter wanted to address this issue, at least don't make such sweeping generalisations about a demographic of his audience (incidentally the same thing he reports he doesn't appreciate being done regarding his own demographic) and maybe lose some of the giant chip on his shoulder. I just wanted to watch this 'infamous news report' from the past, free from being lectured.
The Price of Glee (2023)
Ignore the 1 star reviews
I decided to watch this BECAUSE of the 1 star reviews, not in spite of them. The complaints from other reviewers confirmed that I might actually enjoy it. Other reviewers didn't like that they didn't interview the main cast, only interviewing people on the 'periphery'. To me this was a huge positive.
What I DIDN'T want to watch was people saying what they thought they were supposed to say. It was refreshing to get the perspectives of people who didn't have to worry about how what they said may have an influence on future job prospects.
What made this documentary so interesting to me was exploring the effects of fame, particularly in the case of Cory Monteith who had never experienced fame prior to Glee and wasn't prepared for it. The most valuable perspective on Cory's mental state was that given by his former housemate.
Also interesting was a look at the behind-the-scenes dynamics. Once again, if it had been the main cast who had been interviewed, we would have gotten niceties and politeness. However those who were interviewed just laid things out as they saw them. Very refreshing and unexpected documentary.
This review is from a person with a casual interest in the show. I'd watch Glee if it happened to be on TV at the time and there was nothing better on.
The Book of Daniel (2013)
Wow, what a surprise this was
I'd never come across this movie before finding it free on YouTube. I have to admit that my expectations were low. However, it turned out to be one of the best Biblical movies I've seen.
The acting was heartfelt and allowed you to care about the characters. The sets, while not those of a blockbuster Hollywood movie, put you back into Daniel's day. The script was very faithful to the book of Daniel. I paused and read the applicable chapters in my Bible throughout the movie. The movie is set amid a conversation between Daniel and King Cyrus with the bulk of the film being flashbacks to the events being discussed. The end was particularly moving.
I have no hesitation recommending this to Christians and Jewish people especially, but even to open minded agnostics.
I wish all books of the Bible could be presented in movie form like this one was.
The Night Agent (2023)
Don't be put off by bad reviews
I came here before watching and was almost put off it entirely by the bad reviews which included some of my pet peeves about a series. Anyhow, I was out of any good choices and this had moved up in the Top 10 on Netflix.
I decided to give it a go, but went in with low expectations. None of the previously mentioned issues by other reviewers bothered me as the story was intriguing and fast paced. I loved shows like 24 back in the day and this had a similar feel.
I guess it's not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but it's definitely worth a try if you're on the fence trying to decide. Have binged 9 of the episodes over the last day and a half. I can't remember there being a slow moment.
How I Met Your Father (2022)
Uninspired
Who wrote this script? It's just uninspired. The jokes feel forced and the characters don't feel authentic.
Unlike the original, I found myself not really caring much about anyone in the group, or whether they find their future spouse. It had the potential, with good writers, to be a fun show. Maybe it will find an audience with huge fans of How I Met Your Mother, but there's too much choice out there for people to settle for mediocrity
The other thing that has to be mentioned is the casting. 10 years ago I wouldn't have thought anything odd about the cast. But because we've had political correctness and diversity shoved in our face over recent years, it's hard not to think that they were only filling a quota for every possible diversity hire they could manage. I'm sure most people wouldn't care if the entire cast was made up of green pansexuals - as long as they were the best actors for the job.
It's sad that we now have to wonder if a role was cast because they were the best person to play that part or whether it was just to tick a diversity box.
Anyhow, maybe a change of writers may save this show. If not, I can't see it having much longevity.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Overuse of humour
My biggest takeaway - overuse of humour, and I'ma big fan of comedy. I loved the original Avengers because it was unexpectedly funny, but it hit the right balance of humour, drama and action. Even though, as an Aussie, I can relate to the humour, some jokes fell flat, almost cringey. I felt for the actors, particularly Chris Hemsworth, having to deliver some lines as best they could
I don't think I've looked at my watch before during a Marvel movie wondering how much longer there was to go, but about halfway through I found myself doing this.
I wouldn't say it was a bad movie, I still enjoyed it, but it definitely not up to par with what I've come to expect.
Michael Palin in North Korea (2018)
Low expectations, but pleasantly surprised
I wasn't expecting much from this, having read and watched a lot about North Korea. I expected it to be pretty much a fluff piece. However, I was very surprised. Michael was very polite, but also managed to get across how contrived and manipulated everything was. He did a masterful job, conveying a lot through what he didn't say. Through careful questioning and observations, it was up to the viewer to read between the lines, even though at other times he was less subtle. I'd love to know what the people would say to him if they knew they could have complete anonymity.
Definitely worth watching if you are fascinated with this country. Not entirely unique, but an entertaining perspective.
Shatner in Space (2021)
A few minutes of good footage
I never watched Star Trek, but I know William Shatner from Boston Legal and thought he was great in that.
As for this documentary, I did enjoy the few minutes of footage of the flying phallus shooting off the planet, the views of Earth outside the windows and the weightless antics of the occupants, along with Shatner's reaction afterward.
We also learn that Jeff Bezos, environmentalist extraordinaire, plans to transfer the polluting industries of Earth to space so as to make Earth pristine again. That sounds totally realistic, non-polluty, affordable and achievable, and what could possibly go wrong?
In the meantime, I guess astronaut Bill can sit on his porch, stare up at the sky, reminisce and wonder if one of those planes flying overhead are carrying one of the billions of packages Amazon deliver here on the terrestrial realm.
Acquitted by Faith (2020)
Actually not too bad.
I nearly didn't watch this after seeing the rating and review. But then Christian movies always get rated down around 4 stars lower than what they probably should be. I'm guessing a lot of people give 1 star without even watching. Anyway, I decided to give it a shot.
This movie wasn't preachy at all. Actually, you wouldn't even know it was a Christian movie until the last third of the film. I didn't find the characters to be cliches, spouting cliched lines. Some of the 'Christians' were jerks (the ambulance chasing lawyer).
It definitely wasn't up there with the best movies of all time. It was moreso a Hallmark made-for-TV movie. The acting was believable, the characters weren't wooden cut-outs. I even got watery eyes on a couple of occasions
I don't go to a church or even mix much with other Christians so it's nice to have something to watch on Amazon which isn't pushing death and destruction, woke agendas or moral relativism and where you can come away feeling more uplifted than dragged down.
Around the Next Bend (2012)
Perfectly encapsulates 3rd world travel
If you've travelled, especially in the 3rd world, you know how awful it can be some days and all you want to do is go home. Other days you love it, having experiences you'd never have otherwise - and the people you meet is always a huge part of both the good and bad.
This show pretty much sums that whole experience up perfectly. Likeable, everyday dudes, especially that they really didn't know what they were doing- which makes the show so much better as we'd all like to know how we might react in the same situation.
The Simpsons: Warrin' Priests: Part 2 (2020)
The Simpsons preach their religious views
I can imagine people watching this double episode of the Simpsons thinking 'Wow, wouldn't it be cool if churches were really like that, being so open minded about everything. No sin, all religions are right, whatever feels right for you is good. If you don't believe God is real, that's cool also'
Only trouble is, it makes no sense. If everyone could do what they felt like, there would be anarchy. If morality was subjective then murder, rape, genocide are just a person's moral preferences as much as to love one another and look after those in need are another's moral preference. Sure, there are laws in place that generally stop people doing bad things, but what makes those laws right? On top of that, if you look closely at all religions, they all contradict one another.
The Simpsons is quite dogmatic in their preaching of Universalism. They are preaching that all religions, including atheism are valid. It can be inferred they are saying that if you believe what the Bible says is truth then you are narrow minded.
But they are equally as narrow minded in their wanting you to accept Universalism as truth. Are the Simpsons creators really preaching truth through these episodes?
Where does our conscience come from? Why, deep down, do we know what the right thing is to do? Why do we constantly fight against what we know is right? Is there forgiveness when we know we've gone wrong? Who is it that forgives? How and why can we get forgiveness? Is there life after death?
Science textbooks won't give you these types of answers. Other religious texts attempt to answer some of these questions. You can find answers to all those questions in the one book the Simpsons goes to a lot of trouble to mock and take out of context - The Bible.
Burning (2021)
Thunberg fans will love it, realists probably won't
Had the potential to be a great documentary about the lives of people affected by the fires in 2019, and how we could have better prepared by reducing the fuel load, and how such prescribed burning measures have been inhibited, especially by pressure from the Greens.
This documentary ended up just being more anthropogenic climate change propaganda. If you're a fan of Greta, you'll no doubt love it.
World Trade Center (2006)
1st 15 minutes ok, then became a disrespectful, cliched mess
I watched this on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. It started off fairly well, portraying the confusion that first responders must have come up against, with things happening so fast and them not knowing what to expect. The effects of the building coming down from the inside were also well done. But that's all the good I can muster for this review.
After this the movie just took a nose dive. It was confusing and disjointed. The dialogue was terrible, and the acting was wooden and unconvincing. Actually, the dialogue and acting were so bad and the the script suddenly so corny and cliched, I found myself bursting out laughing for most of the rest of the film, well the parts that I didn't full forward past at least. At 2 hours, the film was way too long
There were a ton of random comments which made no sense at all, such as a sequence where John is having an imaginary conversation with his wife while he is trapped, where she tells him "the kitchen is not ready yet"
There was another scene where a gun just starts randomly firing with no explanation and also a scene where the Port Authority workers, heading to the scene, are staring at a man laying on the footpath with paramedics working on him. They all have stunned looks on their faces, but we have no idea what's wrong with the man or if there's any connection to what happened at the WTC
It was actually disrespectful that this movie was so badly made, disrespectful to the real life guys who were portrayed and disrespectful in general to everybody who was killed, injured or lost loved ones on that day.
Bliss (2021)
Did no-one see what this movie was really about?
I thought it was blatantly obvious what this movie was about, but then I come to imdb to see what others thought, and all the reviews are either praising it as an insight into the drug fuelled world of an addict or hating it because they didn't understand what was going on.
And in a way, I'm glad that people didn't understand the religious undertones of this movie, the same religious undertones that permeate a great deal of Hollywood movies - from Star Wars and Stargate to Tron and The Matrix (the Matrix being the movie that most closely resembles this one).
I just found this movie to be incredibly preachy, and probably the most clear representation of gnosticism (or dualism, Luciferianism, mystery religion- whatever you want to call it) I've seen for a while. I found it interesting that Bill Nye was cast - are scientism and gnosticism compatible?
I found the movie, despite my objections, an enjoyable watch, but then I also enjoyed watching Star Wars and the Matrix - if only to see the minds and beliefs of the people who created them.
Under the Dome (2013)
A mess of contradictions, cliches and irrational anger
I remember watching season 1 back in 2013. It was an intriguing concept. But I never got around to watching season 2. I saw it recently on a streaming service and thought I'd give it a go.
So I'm 4 episodes in, and I'm wondering if there was a reason I never watched season 2 back in the day. Topically, for 2021, Big Jim and the teacher are planning on putting a corona virus into eggs to kill off one quarter of the population under the dome because there aren't enough resources to sustain the population. Hmm
Apart from the abysmal and cliched dialogue, I find the characters just irritating beyond belief, especially the character of Norrie, who has a perpetual frown on her face and is irrationally angry all the time. As is the science teacher, who is totally contradictory. She's supposedly 'all about the science' even though this dome just magically plonked itself down on top of them all, but she has faith that the dome chose Jim - other than that, there's a scientific explanation for every weird thing that's happening. She's another who is irrationally angry most of the time. So is Big Jim's son, Junior - irrationally angry, constantly makes bad decisions.
Then of course, you have to have the crazed preacher who is spouting verses from the Bible completely out of context and wanting to kill all the unbelievers (who don't believe in the dome, not God by the way) - with the typical maniacal look on his face.
None of the emotions and decision making of this group of people make any sense. The concept is interesting and it had potential, but they totally ruined it. The Barbie character is semi likable and consistent so far, but everyone else is a mess. I don't remember season 1 being this bad. So I'll give 7 out of 10 for season 1 and 0 out of 10 for season 2, rounding out approximately to 3 out of 10 overall.
Shiny_Flakes: The Teenage Drug Lord (2021)
Doco great, Max not so much
As for the documentary, it was very well made and engaging. I didn't plan on watching it, but I was too late pushing cancel after the preview and found myself watching the lot!
As for Max, I found him irritating. I've looked through the other reviews and people generally see him as some sort of hero, but working in mental health, I just found him to be a gloating narcissist.
Just out of interest, the amount of bitcoin he made - 15,188 - if he kept all that and transferred it to US dollars in April 2021 he would've had $987,000,000, a few thousand short of a billion dollars. Where did all that go?
McMafia (2018)
I'm blown away by how good this show is
I went in to this knowing nothing about it. I'm extremely fussy, and if I'm not 'grabbed' in the first 5 minutes I'll usually give it a pass, no matter how good I'm told a show is.
Even though not much happened in the first 5 minutes, for some reason I was gripped. By the end of the first episode my mouth was wide open!
This has to be one of the best series I've seen in years, and it's based off a non fiction book! The only thing I was upset about is, having finished watching the last episode of season 1 over 2 days there was no season 2!! I could've sworn I saw 2 seasons on Amazon Prime before I started watching. I have since discovered, in 2021, that the BBC has authorised a second season and I can't wait for it to be released!
Chernobyl (2021)
Is it the Russian depiction of what really happened?
In a word, no, it's not.
I remember the Chernobyl incident from when I was young. I remember the culture of silence and secrecy from the USSR. So, being a Russian movie, I was curious to see whether things had changed and whether we'd get openness about the events in 1986. But we didn't learn anything new, especially that wasn't covered in the HBO series.
The movie was more a fictional depiction on what it could have been been like for one of the locals (a fire-fighter) who had to respond to the disaster and those people who were in his life, namely a former girlfriend and her son and the fire-fighter's questionable paternity
I enjoyed it for what it was. I thought the effects were good and the drama was convincing and well acted, never mind how accurate it was to history. I have to disagree with other reviewers who have given it 1 star and said what a terrible movie it was. Maybe their expectations were for something akin to the HBO series.
Conspiracy of Lies: Flight 370 to 911 (2014)
A few good points, but lacked credibility overall
It starts off with some interesting theories about 911 and MK Ultra. But it fails in producing any real evidence to back up the theories. You pretty much just have to take their word for it.
It was made soon after MH 370 disappeared... and they state that the most likely outcome was that the plane was in a hangar somewhere waiting to be used in the next 9/11 type attack. I almost switched it off at this point - this gave a good indication of what the rest of the film would be like.
It devolves even further, and the remainder of the film is all pretty much conspiracies about UFO cover-ups and alien interference with people of Earth. While I do think there are genuine sightings of UFOs and 'alien' interactions with people, I believe they are of a spiritual or interdimensional nature, not physical beings from another part of the universe. There is a lot of good evidence that these beings are demonic in nature.
There is a book called 'Truth is a Lonely Warrior' by James Perloff - which is a good example of how conspiracies should be analysed and demonstrated. I was hoping this film would bring this type of research. But instead it just continues to give a bad name to the whole topic concerning real world conspiracies.
There are conspiracies in this world, and always have been. A conspiracy is just an agenda that is hidden from the general public because those behind the conspiracy know the general public would never accept it - therefore it needs to be done in secret. This film, however, is a poor example of demonstrating such things.
The Tomorrow War (2021)
The reviews are half the fun!
These reviews have given me a laugh - pointing out the things that either didn't make sense or were just stupid, and there were quite a few I hadn't thought of - so thank-you! Great way to finish the movie.
Personally, the one that irritated me most was going to all the trouble of discovering the toxin in the future and getting it back to the past - when said toxin was only used to kill about 5 of them. Turns out all they needed was a block of C4.
Oh, and consulting Chris Pratt's volcano aficionado high school student to find the exact location of the alien hive was a bit lame too.
Overall though, I thought it was a pretty decent movie. Just don't analyse it too deeply and it's a fun way to spend 140 minutes.
I thought I was going to be bored around the halfway point when they made the jump into the future. Don't tell me it's going to be an hour plus of chasing these creatures around and trying to avoid getting killed in the process. Fortunately it was not.
The other reviewers who have pointed out the plot holes, the cliches, the lazy writing etc., all had good points, but for me it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the movie. Could have done with more of Chris Pratt's lame one-liners though lol.