m_lecarre Reviews

Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)

Embarassed To Be English

[3/10 · 23 December 2018]

Johnny English 1 and 2 were watchable but in no way memorable. No 3 is a complete strike . . . out! Rowan Atkinson will always be remembered for his short television roles in series like The Black Adder and in the context of such short episodic pieces of comedy entertainment Atkinson excels primarily because he is a physical rather than a cerebral comedian - and he has the face to carry it off. In anything longer than a television episode he simply does not have the skills required of a leading actor to keep audience attention.

In this particular movie (or film or the pictures as we used to call them in the UK) the scriptwriting, pace and contrived situations did nothing to help him entertain, and story, such as it was, was so utterly devoid of substance that without a convincing lead actor or lead/foil combination that one did not need to suspend disbelief at all, one had to abandon it entirely. So often I found myself saying oh just get on with it please! regrettably it was more of a lengthy cartoon than a movie and must rank as an embarrassment to Atkinson who looked like a has-been gathering money to bolster his pension fund. Sorry Rowan but I feel that even a 3/10 rating is being overly generous.

Future Man (2017–2020)

Don't Blame The Show If You Don't Get It . . . Exceptional Series That Just Gets Better and Better

[9/10 · 2 April 2018]

I DO understand the positive reviews but, with the best will in the world I DO NOT understand how anyone (of adult age and mentality) could fail to appreciate this series. Perhaps it is the fact that the show doesn't follow dyed in the wool routine scriptwriting, it doesn't conform to or fit nicely into any specific genre, it assumes the viewer has a sense of humor, and open mind and an ability to see beyond the blasé obviousness that is so much a part of most television series. With the passing of each episode it just keeps on getting better and better. The scripting is excellent but not suitable for those of a prudish temperament; blunt vulgarity is a part of the essential central theme that is made hilariously appropriate to the time in the future from which the visitors arrive. The same is true for the so-called violence and socially incorrect behavior of the two protagonists who come from a future world that has (literally) gone to hell in a handbasket.

The one liners come thick and fast, the homage to many cinematic milestones are delivered without slurpy sugar coating yet the characters somehow remain straight faced during their delivery. I can imagine how much fun they had working together on this series and, as the series progresses so does their seemingly utterly natural on-screen repartee.

The pace is always well in tune with the action and situation and never dull or boring unlike so many TV series where one wants to scream, 'just get on with the story please!' This is series television entertainment at its ever-improving best which is a great deal more than can be said for so many current television series. However absurd the situation it is made easily believable by the excellent screenwriting and cast. A solid 9/10.

Scorpion (2014–2018)

Walter IQ Variable Writers IQ . . . Is a negative IQ even possible?

[1/10 · 5 March 2018]

In the beginning . . . there was great potential to create an interesting, exciting and highly entertaining television series. Yes, the script put a strain on the concept of suspension of disbelief but one hoped it would mature. Now, in 2018 it has certainly matured . . . like wine turning into vinegar it's matured into manure. For even vaguely intelligent people their antics and attitudes would be considered childish at best. They all appear to be suffering from ADHD, total lack of focus, easily distracted and about as bright as a 500 watt bulb during a power cut. Very little storyline remains outside of their acting out their (very) insecure and by now petty relationships and resentments, so much so that I've simply stopped watching the show. I can't end there though since the writers and producers deserve a special mention . . . oh wait, I think I get it now as I write this review . . . there are no writers, it's improv !! That explains the utterly ridiculous plots replete with an utterly ridiculous set of 'science-fiction' scenarios that would have been instantly scrapped as too unbelievable to entertain even a captive lab rat in the original 1959 series of The Twilight Zone. The 'genius' characters are not even funny now - they are simply annoying and yes, they are now all so small minded and petty that they would be an insult to the very concept of stupid. Sad. Sad. Sad.

Westworld (2016–2022)

Metaphysical Garbage

[1/10 · 4 October 2016]

****** THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS ****** Given the number of positive reviews I can only conclude that I must have watched a different opening episode of this series. The premise of the series is built upon a simple philosophical / metaphysical consideration of the components of sentience but big name actors and beautiful cinematography cannot save a script that is both so shallow and pretentious that it represents the disjointed, uninformed, befuddled and superficial thinking of an adolescent grappling with his or her newly found and inevitably disturbing questions on what is life and does it (and therefore I) have any meaning or purpose.

The characters were nothing more than cartoon caricatures and exaggerated stereotypes who were pathetically unbelievable but probably gave of their best given the simplistic and muddled script. Recipe: take bit of nihilism, add a sprinkling of contrasting existentialism, add a pinch of sophistry and mix into a large bowl of dinner table pseudo philosophy ... bake for 30 to 40 minutes and garnish with more than a pinch of salt. This was very basic mind fodder junk food that most intelligent people have tasted and explored to some extent in their early teens. Whilst attending university I vividly remember approaching a psychology professor and, in my painfully naïve state of confusion about the brevity and apparent pointlessness of human life saying to him, "there must be a reason for ... (insert your own personal questions about life) ... and was very taken aback when he smiled and said quite simply, "why must there (be a reason for...)?" Fifty years later I understand both his amusement and his answer. The writer(s) of the first episode of this series did nothing more than play with the same theme.

I found it hard not to reach for the off switch but continued to hope that the plot might eventually thicken and rise into something approaching intelligent entertainment which sadly it did not do.

Summary: lacking in substance and coherence, condescending and superficially adolescent in content; brutally gratuitous in delivery and about as entertaining (and non-satisfyingly pointless) as watching Fred Flintstone contemplating infinity with Barney Rubble.

Rating: 2 out of 10 and that is for the excellent cinematography, nothing more.

The BFG (2016)

A Lovely Heartwarming and Entertaining Movie

[8/10 · 6 July 2016]

Not even a hint of a negative review here! I have read both positive and negative reviews of this movie here on IMDb - it seems that opinions are highly polarised - love it or the opposite. We (my wife and I) have just seen The BFG and thought it was a superb piece of entertainment that was entirely enjoyable in every respect. Poor acting? Humbug! Spielberg has lost his touch? Humbug! Boring ??? Well, I guess it didn't have any vampires or walking dead in it and it certainly wasn't a shoot-em-up action movie but as a heartwarming and utterly enjoyable movie with some laugh-out-loud moments it is a great success and as good a movie as we have seen for a long time.

I can only agree with one reviewer who said that it may be too erudite for many people. The script was excellent, the timing was spot on and the whole movie presented with a wonderful overall coherence that is missing from so many contemporary films. Never too 'soggy' or sentimental but not too superficial either it presented a modernistic fairy tale fantasy in a consummately digestible manner. It should appeal to all ages.

Without giving too much away about the comedic aspects (IMDB reviewers: if this is regarded as a spoiler please forgive the faux pas - it doesn't seem like a spoiler to me) imagine, if you will, a carbonated drink where the bubbles go downwards and not upwards in the glass: drinking the beverage certainly won't make you burp but it will make you ... well, I hope you get the idea! It was a highly visual 'gag' that wasn't overplayed and the results were hilarious, most especially when they take place in a certain wonderfully spoofed royal situation and environment.

In summary then: visually stunning, well acted and wholesomely entertaining. Highly recommended.

London Has Fallen (2016)

Never was so little owed by so many to this excuse for a movie.

[1/10 · 6 May 2016]

I apologize in advance for taking up a few more moments of your time by adding my utterly negative review of this ... um ... movie. SPOILER ALERT should have been included in the opening credits as much as is needed here by IMDb rules, with the addition of a few advisory words about how to maintain your blood pressure within safe limits as your anger grows whilst watching this awful movie. The logistical impossibility of obtaining, distributing, planning, organizing and utilizing the weaponry and manpower of the 'bad guys' so easily is brushed over with ne'er a mention. The stereotypes were beyond the belief on any but the medically decerebrate and an insult to everyone else regardless of country of origin.

If (BIG IF) I could think of a single redeeming feature of this movie I would mention it now . . . BLANK.

Did I watch the entire movie - no. Does that negate my comments - IMHO it doesn't. After a few bites of rancid meat I don't need to finish off the rest of the meal before complaining to the chef. This movie was done for one reason and one reason only - to grab whatever money was left in the XXXXX Has Fallen franchise. Avoid at all costs, or better still, avoid for free!! Pure garbage.

The X-Files: Home Again (2016) Season 10, Episode 4

GIGO or Garbage In Garbage Out

[2/10 · 9 February 2016]

*** SPOILER ALERT *** Now don't get me wrong, I generally enjoy watching the X-Files and can forgive the screenwriters when they occasionally get lazy and either re-hash an old theme or create a bland episode that goes nowhere at all primarily because I like the Scully/Mulder pairing and the generally dramatic and somewhat dark atmosphere of the series. This episode however was, for me, a complete disaster. I don't 'write' and meld my own philosophical implications into the script, and I don't attempt to give it some deeper meaning than the material that is actually presented. This is where I obviously differ from some of the other reviewers of this episode who apparently perform those intellectual transpositions of the actual script into another key for reception by senses other than those for which they were originally intended and which (equally obviously) I don't possess. Replete with archetypal nasty-guy land developers who employ very unrealistic water cannons to wash away homeless people from their soon to be developed land, over-the-top gore that was so over the top it that it became laughable rather than dramatic or horrific, and of course Scully's blouse which was (as is now commonplace in US TV shows) insanely and all too obviously overtly stretched across her bosoms (for sensual effect?) but strangely devoid of any buttons (and the required button holes) above the cleavage area save for a single one at her neck; catchy but cheap and tarty. Add a few buckets of modeling clay and give a blindfolded five year old a bricklayers trowel to model it into a monster man, throw in some super magic paint that can go where no man has gone before without a very big ladder and which can instruct itself to produce some Quark Express quality CG illustrative artwork, slip Mulder a heavy sedative (was he really half-awake or just bored and awaiting his pay check?), and finally throw in a driverless garbage truck (they'll surely be all the rage some day) and you have this episode. The side story of Scully's mother dying added nothing to the story as a whole and I had to wonder why it was included in this particular episode (or any other) where it did not 'tie-in' with the primary theme in any way. Scriptwriters and Mulder - get off those sleeping pills and Scully, please, buy a blouse that fits you as well as the rest of your clothes and doesn't try to sell you as a nicely matured sex symbol. A very disappointing episode.

Angel from Hell: Soulmates (2016) Season 1, Episode 5

Good but going downhill

[5/10 · 9 February 2016]

*** SPOILER ALERT *** I gave the pilot a very positive review and rating as, for me, it was a fresh and bright approach to a novel subject. I loved the script and characters, in fact I loved everything about the show. Having just watched episode five however I'm disappointed that the scriptwriters are maintaining the 'questionably tenuous' relationship between the two leads. Miss Skin Doctor's complete lack of any real curiosity or belief about and in her guardian angel is wearing very thin; her continuing disbelief, or more importantly her naiveté is becoming annoyingly school-girlish. Her guardian angel has shown more than enough proof of her being what she says she is and yet Miss Skin Doctor's character and perception is more akin to a vapid minded high school girl than that of a medical doctor. She shows zero astonishment at actually having a guardian angel. Okay, it IS a light-hearted situation comedy and her angel is purposely written in as a comedic lunatic (Angel From Hell) but none of that comedic aspect would be lost if Miss Doc had at least a minor cathartic realization that she has been placed in an incredibly fortunate position and that her inhibited emotional lifestyle was going to change much for the better. Who wouldn't like to meet up with and have the friendship and guidance of their guardian angel? If the scriptwriters don't extend and deepen the relationship between the leads I fear for the future of what is already a good show but also one that could offer up so much more in the way of developing those 'gutsy' life emotions that was really the primary reason her angel opened up to her in the first place instead of remaining hidden which would obviously have negated the possibility of the entire premise of the show. Please let the sweet Miss Doc grow up - even just a little bit - and develop more than a 'Pie School' relationship with her mentor. I'll probably not make any friends for saying this but (IMHO) the substance and direction of the show seems to be geared up more to entertain a dumbed down and easily pleased audience than the pilot show would have suggested.

Lazer Team (2015)

I've Seen Worse Movies . . . I MUST have seen worse movies . . .

[1/10 · 31 January 2016]

. . . but I can't recall them. After reading all the positive reviews of this 'movie' I'm bound to ask were all those who gave such glowing reviews recompensed in some way? I can think of no other reason as to why or how anyone could possibly say anything positive about this incredibly bad movie. It would have been acceptable material for a children's comic (with the characters words and the ZAP/BANG,WALLOPs prominently displayed inside balloons) but as material for a movie? Not in a million years. If Lazer Team is in any way representative of the way Indie 'humor' movies are heading then I'll have to re-classify the movie Idiocracy into a documentary!!! The acting? More like annoying kids having a 'who can act the most stupidly' party. The story(line)? Dummies save earth from baddie who looked like he (or it?) had borrowed it's makeup costume from a whole collection of 1950's B horror movies. I could go on about the other components of this piece all of which are very sub-par but see no point in doing so: everything about this movie was simply bad. If you have an IQ greater than that which would be required for you to decide to step out of the way of a moving train do yourself a favor and avoid this movie, or, to paraphrase a Star Trek phrase from The Voyage Home ... the movie business is under attack, avoid this movie at all costs, save yourself!!! Additional summary: an overtly patronizing insult to your intelligence.

Lucifer (2016–2021)

A Hell Of A Good TV Show

[10/10 · 26 January 2016]

I really don't understand the negative reviews of this extremely entertaining TV series. Bad acting? Really? Tom Ellis bad actor? Really? Are we watching the same show? Great entertainment, excellent acting, excellent casting, excellent chemistry between the leads, excellent pacing, and a few more 'excellents' that you'll either appreciate or simply not notice. Just another cop show as someone commented? The 'cops and robbers' is the backdrop theme and just as the 'cowboys and injuns' backdrop was used to convey countless excellent entertaining stories ranging from the truly gritty to the utterly comical, Lucifer succeeds admirably in conveying a fresh and light-hearted comedic drama that obviously uses the 'cops and robbers' theme as a very general backdrop. Incidentally, what is wrong with having another good 'cop' TV show anyway, or another good 'sci-fi' TV show? Or another 'about anything' good new TV show? Heaven knows (pun intended) we have enough bad ones. For me this was one of the best pilots for quite a while; I enjoyed it as much as the new X-Files pilot. Put two pretty much unknown leads into the X-Files and see how it goes down with viewers - I'd guess it'd go pretty badly. Lucifer is a success right from the start with a very fresh understated approach. My guess is that viewers will either love it or hate it and there will be little middle ground. I loved it and it is most definitely on my 'can't wait for the next episode' list but your mileage may vary. As is so rightly said, different strokes and all that.

Synchronicity (IV) (2015)

Well Worth Watching

[7/10 · 25 January 2016]

I've read the negative and 'so-so' reviews here on this movie and wonder if we watched the same movie. References to Blade Runner, capturing 80's style production etcetera - sorry but I don't agree. I Hailed Blade Runner as the best futuristically dystopian Sci-Fi movie as the best I'd ever seen way back when it first came out, I have every version of it and still watch them on a regular basis - it never fails to satisfy and leave me with a feeling of calm satisfaction. Just about every movie that's ever been made just like every story that's ever been written owes something to those that came before it: as they say there is nothing new under the sun. Now back to Synchronicity 2015. It is a stand alone movie with (all IMHO) a solid well-written script, a sound and interesting premise, more than acceptably good special effects (which it didn't need to rely upon to tell its story), very well cast and well acted and although not a 'drivingly wild video game movie' (yuk) it never lags in pace or fails to hold the viewers interest and curiosity. Nothing is certain ... is it past or parallel, real or imagined, it leaves a lot for the viewer to decide which is, I surmise, why the movie gets such a mixed reception. Not a typical Hollywood style wrap it all up neatly in buttered popcorn it needs your attention and perhaps more than a single viewing to appreciate the content. The sexuality/physical attraction that has been called a love story is neither pointless nor gratuitous but serves a well-defined emotional purpose given the context of events and the nature of the relationship which intertwines the raison d'être of the two characters involved with the development of the premise upon which the film proceeds. If you want or are looking for a movie that is blunt force trauma to the senses then this won't be for you. If, however, you appreciate subtlety of expression, timing and story development then give this movie a watch. I enjoyed it and will watch it several more times to allow the subtleties previously unseen to fully develop. 7 out of 10 at least on my scale for a movie that not only entertains, but holds ones attention for the duration of the movie and has characters that are believable and very human.

Angel from Hell (2016)

Excellent Start To A Terrific Comedy

[8/10 · 19 January 2016]

A somewhat naïve co-lead meets her guardian angel with some natural disbelief. Perfectly cast and the "angel' in particular is absolutely superb in her role as an obviously wise but oh-so-earthly hilariously unconventional woman - even for a hippy on booze. The costume designer deserves mention here especially for the angels outfits which are as beautifully whacky as her character. Actions and facial expressions are not blunt or forced but carry subtle nuances which is a very refreshing change to the more 'type-cast' in stone snarls or grins of the goodies or baddies that pepper so many TV shows and this may go unnoticed by some viewers, especially if you are expecting a stand-up comedic show. I wouldn't want to miss a single future episode if the show keeps to its high standards. It may be inappropriate to comment upon episode 2 here ergo I will just say it was even better than the first. Highly recommended.

Shades of Blue (2016–2018)

As Convincing As A Giraffe Reciting Shakespeare

[1/10 · 19 January 2016]

*** SPOILER ALERT *** What were the writers, producers, and anyone else connected with this abysmal (and I'm using a mild adjective) thinking - or not thinking? Not one character you could even vaguely care about, a plot so thin you'd be called naked if you wore it and a script that would shame an elementary school play. TV shows that show great promise such as 'Forever' and 'Almost Human' are taken off after one season and trash like this is aired? Unbelievable: and the same word serves as an excellent description of this entire travesty of a TV show. It's said that it 'takes all kinds' to 'satisfy all kinds' but I for one could not even begin to imagine which 'all kind' of viewer this show would satisfy. How the show gets a rating above 1 confounds me.

Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (2016) Season 4, Episode 0

Surely 2.9 and not 9.2 rating . . .

[3/10 · 2 January 2016]

*SPOILER ALERT* I really enjoyed the early Holmes series but this presentation was for me an unmitigated disaster. The cast worked hard enough but I am surprised that Moffat and Co. decided to take Freddie Kruger to Disneyland for a campy farcical romp. Set ostensibly in two time periods Sherlock's mystically brilliant but ridiculously bloated pudding of a brother says 'a virus in the data' whilst we are in Victorian London during Sherlock's drug-induced mental time travel trip. Notwithstanding my Kruger in Disneyland comment this was more a mixture of a Brian Rix farce and a poor Dr. Who episode (or Harry Potter on an LSD trip) than a serious attempt to continue the series in its original entertaining and thoroughly engaging format. Bluntly, if the future episodes follow this Gothic nonsensical format it's a series I will not be watching in the future. I am however clinging to the hope that this episode was presented as a purposely whacky new years piece of 'entertainment' for minds that were already in something of an alcohol induced debilitated state. Time will tell. I give it 3 stars because the inland navigators (or navvys - i.e. actors) did their jobs well but unfortunately the railroad tracks were laid (courtesy of the writers) in entirely the wrong direction and ended up in the middle of nowhere. Very forgettable.

White Rabbit (I) (2015)

Trying hard to make it to a 'B' movie level . . . *Spoiler Alert*

[2/10 · 1 January 2016]

*SPOILER ALERT* What a whopper of a B movie at best. Scripting - okay. Lighting - okay. Set dressing - okay. All the mechanistic film making ingredients are okay but the end result is a cake that should never have been baked. The leading lady goes from being a (very) badly PTSD disabled woman to a half wit or rather an unquestioning dimwit as the 'story' progresses as it does from one unbelievable situation to the next even more unbelievable situation.

If you want to see the absolute ultimate in clichéd corrupt cop antics do not miss this film. If you enjoy trying to make sense out of nonsense do not miss this film. If you can suspend disbelief for what, 87 minutes - do not miss this film. Otherwise save your money, time and emotional anguish and go watch some paint dry which would be entertaining compared to this (sorry writer/producer/director) rubbish.

I gave it 2 stars for the sheer number of clichés the screenwriter managed to include - I didn't think so many could possibly be crammed into a single movie.

Humans (2015–2018)

Very promising start . . . but then . . .

[3/10 · 10 July 2015]

Three colloquial words sum up this TV series for me - coulda, shoulda, woulda. This series could have (coulda) been developed into something new and worthwhile. This series should have (shoulda) got off it's ar** and got moving instead of slow pedaling. This series would have (woulda) developed far better entertainment value IF the main domestic characters weren't so unlikeable (and why are teenage family members always portrayed as intelligent brats?) and IF the 'synthetic' characters weren't so ridiculously predictable, one-dimensional and unbelievable. Without some character to root for and a villain to despise most stories don't work well, and frankly the characters in this show are just too flat and boring to care about. Another promising 'sci-fi' TV show down the drain due to poor scriptwriting and limited director skills. I would suspect that it has a very limited budget. I give it three for trying.

Hope Lost (2015)

Entertainment?

[1/10 · 18 June 2015]

I cannot understand why or how anyone would give this movie a rating above one. It's a movie that I'd perhaps expect to be asked to watch if I were taking a degree in clinical psychology or had any interest in the workings of a psychopathic mind, which I do not. Dark not noir-dark, just dark and depressing. I don't particularly seek out stories that help me maintain a rose-colored outlook on humanity, but neither do I seek out movies that portray only the darker side of a certain type of life that surely exists but thankfully one that I don't have to embrace in any way. There was not a single character in this movie that one could either sympathize or empathize with in any way whatsoever and that doesn't make for an interesting or engaging movie. Sewers and sewer rats exist, psychotic people exist, sick lives are lived, but why make a movie about any of that? I watched the movie based upon another review which was very positive and I see that the review has a lot of likes - all I can say is that's sad. Basically a very disturbing and sick story which, although well-acted, will very quickly be forgotten. It's like a garishly over-the-top remake of a low budget 1950's or 1960's Italian B 'horror' movie but takes itself seriously. Times and tastes change but not always for the better; we went from 'The Hills Are Alive . . .' (hum the rest - it's okay) to 'The Hills Have Eyes' - into this kind of social cesspool movie. I always try to find some redeeming quality in any movie I watch but in this case I can't say anything good about it.

Jurassic World (2015)

Here's What To Do . . .

[3/10 · 14 June 2015]

1. Go to a theater that's showing Jurassic World. 2. Buy ticket. 3. Find a homeless person and give him/her the ticket. 4. Go directly home and hit yourself on the head with a five pound hammer for a couple of hours. 5. Be grateful to the homeless person for taking your place.

More alternative and useful ways of spending your time more usefully and/or enjoyably than watching this tripe? Sleeping !!!

JP1 and 2 were good +++ This movie could only have been made with the objective of getting you to part with your hard earned money. IF it had been released as a B- movie without any hullabaloo in the press it'd be an acceptable way to make a wet and boring Sunday out in the sticks a little more bearable. YMMV.

Flight World War II (2015)

Give It A break - It's Entertainment Folks.

[5/10 · 11 June 2015]

Why all the negative reviews based upon the lack of factual accuracy in this movie? Did Hello Dolly really sing along with Walter Matthau, or how about 'Don't call me Shirley . . .' What's 'wrong' with ridiculous when it comes to totally fictional movies whose sole purpose is to entertain and not inform. The Kirk Douglas movie had a big budget and was meant to be taken a little more seriously, but if time travel is a fact then I missed it in physics class :) Point is, if you base an entire movie on what is currently a totally fictional premise why do you need to get other scientific 'facts' straight before the movie can be enjoyable. How many movies are based on the Zombie Loonies Threaten The Earth? Have you seen many real zombies kicking around the streets lately - and no, I'm not talking about politicians so you can't count them okay:) It was obvious that the director was on a restricted budget (it is a B movie after all) and wasn't going for realism, rather he made an entertaining somewhat tongue-in-cheek movie. Not the best acting in the world, not the best of anything, but like so many other movies it was a decent entertaining watch none the less. I didn't consider my time wasted at all but then I like Sci-Fi anything and especially time travel movies even if they are, or sometimes especially if they are in the B movie class. 5 stars from me.

Survivor (I) (2015)

Take It For What It Is And You Might Enjoy It

[5/10 · 30 May 2015]

I have to say that I feel that the reviews of this film have been a bit harsh. I've seen many movies that I've enjoyed a whole lot more and I've also seen many others that I've enjoyed a whole lot less. Perhaps our anticipation plays a big part in our assessment of a movie? Survivor has a simple plot and if taken as a simple action movie then it's an acceptable, if easily forgettable, piece of cinematic entertainment.

If you go to see this movie on the basis of its trailer or the 'starry' cast and expect a solid well-planned action movie you will be very disappointed: the scriptwriting and direction are not sub-par, they are downright abysmal and the plot can only aspire to be abysmal but I've enjoyed a lot of 'B' movies over the decades that suffered from the same issues.

Bottom Line? The movie should have been sold as a medium burger with a bit of dressing and not a six or eight course meal. Accept is as such and I don't think you'll come away feeling cheated.

Mr. Robot (2015–2019)

Terrific Pilot Episode . . . and then the plane crashed. Sad.

[2/10 · 27 May 2015]

I reviewed the pilot episode and gave it a high ranking. I looked forward to the next episode ... it was so-so. Waited for the next ... oh dear, what a dysfunctional mess. The main character, who 'seemed' so interesting in the pilot, has degenerated into little more than a shallow child and the other characters in the show are little more than window dressing and as undeveloped as the main character. A show with great potential sadly wasted on a clichéd hum-drum who cares anyway story. I am left wondering why, when there are so many interesting and stimulating places to which scriptwriters can take an audience, they choose depressing life-scenarios and self-obsessed pseudo-intellectual ghetto types as their subject of choice. Pointless and boring. Rated at 2 and I'm being kind.

Geordie Shore (2011– )

Almost unbelievably unbearable. Human life hits a new low.

[1/10 · 21 September 2014]

It's a pity that there is no below-zero rating on IMDb for I would surely have given this so-called piece of entertainment a minus infinity rating. Being an ex-pat Geordie myself I do look out for things of interest from "home" but this show is in no way representative of the Geordieland that I grew up in. Admittedly I'm on the wrong side of seventy years old but this trash is not entertainment and it is not representative of any true Geordie that I have ever known - it is barely representative of any "almost human being" that I've ever known. Adjectives that spring immediately to mind such as disgusting, immoral, moronic and such do not adequately describe either the show itself or the "almost-human" garbage whose grotesque waste of life it portrays. Save your sanity and your dignity and do not watch this obscene waste of footage : you'll get a bigger and better dose of entertainment by hitting yourself with a ten pound hammer and sleeping it off. Then at least you won't have to deal with the memory of having watched a bunch of sociopathic tramps having what to them is a "good" time. Why anyone of any age would watch this superficial and excremental tripe is beyond me.

He Who Dares (2014)

Unbelievable movie with no redeeming qualities.

[1/10 · 8 April 2014]

Well, it has one redeeming quality - it ends! The lighting and direction may please IF you are a fan of this director or possibly if you're addicted to watching the gyrations of mindless disco dancers (the actors) who are all bombed out of their minds moving pointlessly (the acting) whilst illuminated by annoying flashing disco lights (self explanatory - the lighting). The plot, such as it is, is inanely simple: bad guys take a hostage from a disco or a pub with faulty lighting, wantonly kill lots of people in the disco/pub whilst doing so, then they go to hide in a big and impossible to defend parking lot. Conveniently for the scriptwriter it's Christmas eve and everybody is working late in the offices within the building and the bad guys kill most if not all of them also. Why did they kill them? Your guess is as good as mine but gratuitous violence is used throughout the movie to hide the absence of any sane and sensible plot. The bad guys then spend the remainder of the movie killing off most of the rest the cast whilst trying to get into a bank account to steal money electronically. Okay, it's not a hostage/demand plot - what a surprise - and the (VIP) hostage is the only person that has the bank account password - another huge surprise - sarcasm. Inept cops, inept SAS, inept bad guys all acting out their inept script. The entire movie is cliché ridden and to make use of the title of an old British television series, it's all Never Mind The Quality, Feel The Width. You'd better make sure that you have health coverage for a lobotomy because you'll want one if you make it all the way through this unbelievably bad movie.

The Hungover Games (2014)

Much better than its rating would suggest.

[17 February 2014]

I've been watching movies of all genres since the 1940's. So what is so wrong with this movie that it warrants such a low rating and so many negative comments? In my humble opinion absolutely nothing's 'wrong' with it, in fact I thoroughly enjoyed viewing it. The plot doesn't offend (it is what it has to be as a parody - KISS simple), the scriptwriting is excellent, the camera work/lighting is professionally done and the actors all do their part well. There was a synergism between the principal actors and they worked together really well.

I can understand that the movie will not be to everyone's taste: the humor certainly is a little raspy-raw toilet humor at times but that certainly did not define the humorous content of the movie as a whole and there's an unashamed borrowing of ideas and more from other movies: but it works and works amazingly well! After reading other reviewers comments I didn't expect much from this movie but kept an open mind and I'm glad I did otherwise I'd have missed out on a very enjoyable movie experience.

If I had to pick the most notable actor in this movie it would have to be the guy with the beard for his extraordinary portrayal of 'the other' guy with the beard in 'the other' movie. I also have to admit that I'm a fan of the beautifully sexy Rita Volk and she didn't disappoint. In summary then, nicely controlled tongue in cheek performances from the entire cast make for a very good laugh out loud piece of film entertainment. I rate it 6.5.

Tropic Thunder (2008)

Zany slapstick humor and little if anything else.

[1/10 · 12 April 2012]

I (together with my wife) finally got to see this much vaunted movie tonight and could not have been more disappointed and surprised by the glowing reports the movie has received. Perhaps being senior citizens disqualifies our comments about this film: perhaps it was intended for a younger audience or those who really do enjoy watching zany, stand- up/slapstick comedy with little to zero plot to support it. If it had it's moments we missed them entirely and couldn't believe that actors of the caliber of Nick Nolte and RD Jr would or could 'ham it down' to this level of 'entertainment'. We could only describe this movie as being pointless, brash and gratuitously silly rather than funny. Again, a great disappointment to us but as they say, one person's meat ...