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Reviews
The Company You Keep (2023)
Worth watching
I just finished watching the season and it's unfortunate that it is going to be one and done. While not entirely original, it was a fun and interesting story that was wrapped up nicely by season's end. The cast is well known to tv viewers and they performed their roles well. I would have enjoyed watching this series for a few more seasons but it was cancelled rather quickly.
I do recommend this show to anyone that likes stories about con men(and women) as it's a solid story with fun characters and a great cast. If you do give it a try, I would also recommend Imposters, which ran for two seasons and told two complete stories, one per season. Both are good shows to watch.
Debris (2021)
Very entertaining
What a shame they cancelled this after only one season.
I found Debris to be well written, produced and acted.
I am not sure what business criteria the network used to determine that the series was not worth continuing, but creatively this was a very good show. I began watching after it had already been cancelled, which is something I don't normally do, yet I am glad that I did. Because of the way it was written, I still enjoyed the season, even though it will go no further.
It has an interesting premise based on debris from a destroyed alien aircraft falling to Earth and differing factions searching and gathering to utilize the surviving technology that was still operational. Farfetched but interesting.
Give it a watch and hopefully you will agree.
The Magicians (2015)
What a joyous ride
I finally got around to watching season five and am quite pleased at how this series turned out. No spoilers for anyone that has not started this yet, but know that you are in for quite a treat. This is a show that starts out as entertaining and then proceeds to get better each season. The writing is good and the cast is excellent. I think my favourite episodes are the ones that involve the cast breaking into song. I don't remember the first time they did so, yet I remember the joy I experienced when they did. The cast took me by surprise with how great they sounded, especially the actress portraying Kady. The performances were always entertaining and uplifting.
Aside from the musical performances, there was a lot of character definition and development. This show was scary at times and humorous as well. The characters were easy to care about and each season had a well defined story arc. This is an easy show to recommend to anyone that enjoys a good story.
I also enjoyed the fact that the series is very different from the novels which were ok but really just an introduction to the concept of students learning how to use magic safely and responsibly.
Thanks to all of the creative team that told this story over five years. They started strong and finished the same.
B Positive (2020)
Fun show
I really did not think I would enjoy this show. I thought the concept was silly and I only watched the first episode because of the producer and Linda Lavin who I haven't seen in a long time and always liked Much to my surprise, I found the show was like comfort food. The cast is very good and the show is entertaining. Even the theme song and opening credits are good.
Give it a try and you may just find your next long term weekly sitcom.
Enjoy!
Fargo (2014)
One of the best shows currently on tv
Four seasons in and I have not been disappointed yet. Every season has had solid writing, casting and acting. Some of the actors have done a fantastic job at becoming their characters and differentiating these rolls from any of their other work. The stories are entertaining and engrossing. Jessie Plemons was amazing in season 3. In fact, he is a much better actor than I gave him credit for in Friday Night Lights. He was excellent in Breaking Bad and here as well. Each season introduces new timelines, characters and plots. All are crime related and have multiple plots in each season.
In the current (4th) season, the mostly unfamiliar cast provide such great performances, that I now want to watch their other work. The characters all have quirks that make them interesting and this series is great for binge watching.
Each season is like a new novel from your favourite author and like any really good book, you want to see it through to the end. This is also the type of show that can be viewed multiple times and still be enjoyable.
If you have never seen this show, pick any season and give it a try. You will not be disappointed.
Fury (2014)
Wow, tough crowd!
Despite all the negative reviews on this site that point out how unrealistic this film is, I would like to point out that it is extremely entertaining.
I grew up with classic WWII films like The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, etc. and if you just want to be entertained by a very good cast and a movie about a tank crew towards the end of the war, look no further.
Very few movies about WWII were completely factual and to take this movie to task for choosing entertainment over reality misses the point of the film, in my opinion. There are many excellent documentaries available to watch and study but this film was never meant to be one. If you want to see a very entertaining WWII film about a tank crew, I believe most viewers will find this a good use of their time.
Wander (2020)
Uh oh
The acting, especially Aaron's is excellent and the premise had potential. The writing however, was atrocious. The story was a disjointed mess and the only character I cared for was Heather Graham's.
I wanted to see this movie because of the very strong cast but after watching it, I am not sure what attracted them to this particular script.
I do not recommend this film at all, which is unfortunate as I was really looking forward to it.
Prelude to a Kiss (1992)
One of my all time favourite films
L absolutely love this film. It is my favourite Meg Ryan film and it has a killer cast, including Alec Baldwin, Patty Duke, Ned Beatty and a young Stanley Tucci. It is well written and based on a play written by the same playwright/screenwriter. It is a very entertaining film that is a rom com with some fantasy thrown in. Everyone was well cast for their roles and Meg is magical. If you have never seen this film, give it a view and you might find a new favourite for yourself.
All Rise (2019)
Very entertaining
Very surprised at all of the negative reviews. I would suggest that all of the reviewers that want to see the real justice system at work, take advantage of the opportunity to visit a real court house and watch trials in person. Just don't forget the popcorn.
For everyone else, if you like to be entertained with a show that has more in common with light entertainment that the whole family can watch, give this a try. The actors are good and you may be familiar with some of them from previous shows.
The stories are entertaining and the cast is likeable.
I was especially impressed with the last episode of the first season as it was about life in the time of Covid 19. I think that everyone who doesn't have either direct personal experience with the disease or knows someone that does, will find this relatable and somewhat comforting. I think the cast and writers did a commendable job in putting this episode together and I thank them.
Hope that whoever is reading this and has not watched an episode yet, will give it a try.
Cheers all and stay safe.
Stumptown (2019)
What to do during coronavirus time...
Finally had a chance to watch Stumptown season I and now understand what all the fuss was about.
I already knew the cast and I think the actor I enjoyed seeing the most was Camryn Manheim of my old fave, The Practice. The rest of the cast was wonderful, including the guests throughout the first season. This series offers a wide variety of genres in a single series. Great action, comedy, drama, episodic and very good writing.
This is an easy show to binge watch and most people should find this enjoyable (I hope).
I hope this gets picked up for another season as I am not ready to say goodbye to this wonderful cast and group of characters.
Hope you enjoy this as much as I have.
Catch-22 (2019)
If you have never read the book...
You should enjoy this rendition. I never got around to reading the novel or seeing the original film and only knew of the basic premise when I began watching this version. I was not disappointed at all. The story may be different from the novel but that's okay as you have different creatives and a different generation as an audience.
I found the story entertaining while still delivering the general message. The acting by all was very good as were the production and effects. It definitely elicited a feeling of apprehension and fear during the flying scenes and delivered a good understanding of what made most of the characters behave the way they do.
I highly recommend this to anyone that wants to be entertained and moved by what they see. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Last Christmas (2019)
Heart Warming
After watching the first 5 minutes or so, I was thinking of turning this off. Emilia's character was such a mess and I thought this film was going to be a waste of time. Then, it started to pull me in and I kept watching. I am so happy that I did.
This movie has so much heart.
The story turned out to be entertaining and uplifting. All of the actors did justice to their roles and it turns out that I enjoyed this movie immensely. While it reminded me of some other films, it is definitely not derivative. Also, if you enjoy George Michael's singing,then you are in for an additional treat. I was pleasantly surprised by Emilia's singing and she is quite good in the film.
If you enjoy uplifting entertainment, give this a try. You won't be disappointed!
Pennyworth (2019)
Forget this has anything to do with the DC universe
What a wonderfully entertaining show. I began watching this because of the first trailer as it reminded me of the Bond films of the sixties. I wasn't wrong or disappointed.
This show was well written and produced. The cast are excellent and the parts are well played. And boy, does Alfie (Alfred) sound like a young Michael Caine. The story is straight out of the 1930s and the 2010s. The hard right vs the hard left vs the status quo. I recommend this show to anyone that enjoys a very good action/adventure story. I am sorry that they originally sold this as an origin story of the relationship between the senior Wayne and his Butler because the story has nothing to do with the Batman universe and is all the better for it. While I am looking forward to the next season, if the show had ended after one season I would still be very satisfied.
Definitely worth watching!
Vienna Blood (2019)
Very entertaining
Talk about leaving you wanting more
The writing and acting are excellent and the early 1900s time period was refreshing.
Modern enough that you have forensics playing a key role but old enough that you get some great historical elements as well.
The characters are well defined and there are some seriously funny moments mixed in with the murders and mayhem.
Also. It was nice seeing Varys (Conleith Hill) playing the father. I didn't recognize him at first but that voice gave him away.
I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next season to air.
Iron Fist (2017)
Very enjoyable
I don't remember if the original comic version of Danny Rand was Caucasian or Asian but it really doesn't matter as it doesn't take away from the story one bit. While I felt season one was a little weak, I still enjoyed the story and the characters. The second season was much improved as it was a simpler story without having to deal with the origins of the characters. It was definitely a tighter script and I enjoyed Colleen's character trajectory. The ending has a PostScript that makes me excited about a third season. I highly recommend that you watch an episode or two and then decide for yourself if you want to view the entire series.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017)
Wow!!!
From the opening scene to the ending, this was a real treat. The writing and cast are excellent and I hope this gets picked up as a series because this is the first Amazon Pilot that I have seen that grabbed me from the beginning and entertained me throughout. I was not expecting much from this when I began watching since I had not heard anything about it prior to viewing. Was I surprised! Nice to see Tony Shaloub again and although I did not recognize any other names or faces among the cast, everyone did a fine job. The writing was tight with no wasted moments (no filling). A nice touch was adding Lenny and Honey Bruce in the story as well as showcasing The Gaslight. I want to spend more time with these characters and am excited to see what the writers can do with this if it gets picked up. Kudos to all involved with this production!
Close to the Enemy (2016)
If you want to be entertained, watch this seven episode story unfold
I just finished watching the last episode and changed my rating from an 8 to a 9. My high opinion of this mini-series seems to differ from many of the other reviewers and I would recommend that you watch an episode or two and then form your own verdict. I think if you give it a chance, you will find it entertaining and engrossing. The plot is a simple one. After WWII All of the major powers were scooping up German scientists and engineers that could help in advanced technologies, science and weaponry. The story focuses on one British officer convincing one German to work for the British government on designing an aircraft engine that would allow the British to be the first country to break the sound barrier. But the story has so much more to offer.
The writing was good but the acting and direction were terrific. The story kept you guessing as to the outcomes of the various plot threads.
I notice that some of the reviews were complaining about the lack of realism and the number of subplots, but I think that the writers brought each of them to a satisfying conclusion. I was invested in what was happening to each of the main characters and many of the secondary ones as well.
If this was a book, I would not have been able to put it down until I finished it and would most likely read it again as it was that good.
On a separate note, I was shocked when I found out through IMDb that I had seen the lead actor in many other films and most recently in a (so-so) TV series as I didn't even recognize him. That is really diving into a character.
I hope you check it out for yourself and give it a try.
Enjoy!
Aquarius (2015)
If you enjoyed LA Confidential, this one's for you....High Praise, indeed!
I have to be honest; this was initially hard to get into. This was due, in my case, to the fact that I wasn't sure what this show was originally supposed to be focused on. During the initial launch, it seemed to be tied more into Charles Manson and the Tate-LaBianca murders and I thought that the series would be focused on the officers and detectives that caught the case. Not true. THis was a gritty, film noirish, slice of sixties life, after the "summer of love" and touches on politics, family, dissolution with the Vietnam war, communes, race relations, the good and bad of police forces and their employees, women in the workforce, crimes unrelated to the Manson murders and many other issues of the time.
The scripts were well written and casting was excellent. You will see many familiar faces and of the new ones, many that you should see again. I especially enjoyed the work of David Duchovny and Grey Damon, who played the two detective leads. Also very good were Gethin Anthony (Manson), Claire Holt and Michaela McManus. But honestly, I found most of the characters realistic and the roles well acted.
During the two seasons, the creative team covered a lot of varied stories and they provided a satisfying ending to the series. I am not sure that it is necessary for this show to return for a third season, but if it does, I will definitely tune in.
Hope you give this series a chance as it is worth it!
BrainDead (2016)
What an entertaining show!!!
I wanted to wait until I had watched the complete series before commenting here. I know this series did not do well in the ratings however, my personal opinion is that this was one of the most enjoyable shows that aired this summer (2016).
The cast is excellent and there were a lot of familiar faces. Of course, any show that has Tony Shalhoub in it is going to be fun. He is a superb character actor that does well in leading roles. But the rest of the cast was terrific.
The actual story was silly and fun but well written too. And the sing-a-long opening to each episode was catchy and humorous as well as providing a quick synopsis of previous episodes. This was a Ridley Scott production so you know that the show was going to be done well.
The nicest thing about Braindead is that they completed the story. How often do you see a first season arc that gives you a satisfying ending? Not very, in my experience. Could it run for more seasons? Absolutely. But if it never comes back, this show can be viewed as a Mini-Series that you can begin watching whenever you want and know that, like a good standalone novel, will leave you satisfied when you finish watching the last episode.
Thank you to the cast, writers and directors for a job well done!
The Silent Partner (1978)
Good Film, Great Cast
I think one of the reasons that I enjoyed this film so much was that I got to watch them film all of the bank scenes over a one or two week shoot. The location was the Toronto Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto and I was working at my first full-time job. Next door to where I was working, a fake bank was set up and across the hall was where the actors and one of the producers used to sit during breaks. The producer, Stephen Young was the first person that I recognized because of his co-starring role in a Canadian TV series from the 60s (Seaway 1965). Elliot Gould was also there for most of the time, sitting on a couch at the front of an empty, former, furniture retailer. The escalator just outside the bank (lower level of the Toronto Eaton Centre in case anyone is interested in filming locations(was closed down to shoppers during the filming of a few key scenes and I remember that one customer of mine, who was standing at the front of the store ducked for cover when she heard a (prop)gunshot close by.
Obviously, my choice in seeing this movie at the theatre was influenced by my experience of the filming but I thought the movie was great. It is a highly entertaining crime film and the cast was very strong. I would have to say that Christopher Plummer's performance is my favourite of the film but all of the actors did a great job in bringing life to their characters.
If you have not seen this film yet, and enjoy a good crime story that is well scripted and has solid performances from the cast, I definitely recommend you give it a look.
Cheers!
South of Hell (2015)
What a disappointment
I do like Mena Suvari. I also like Eli Roth. But I also like a good story and South of Hell unfortunately, does not offer one.
I watched the first 3 episodes and could not take anymore. Maybe it's me but there was not a single character that I wanted to spend another episode with. There are so many better shows out there to spend time with. There is a voice-over for almost each entire episode that does not add value to the story and there was a lack of character development. The one thing that I did find interesting was that the first scene of the premiere episode felt like it dropped you into the middle of a scene. It caught me off guard as I thought maybe I had missed a previous episode. This was an original opening or at least one that I had not seen before. Unfortunately, that was it for originality.
Do yourself a favour and bypass this as I don't think anyone will find it worth their while to spend approximately 6 hours of their life watching this.
Private Eyes (2016)
Wow! Tough Crowd!!
When reading the previous reviews, one person complained about the title song not being the original version and 2 others complained about the show not being original.
I came to this show because I tend to enjoy the two leads in their previous work and I enjoy shows of a similar style such as Rookie Blue, Burn Notice, Suits, etc.
This is a light entertainment admittedly, but definitely worth watching. You have 2 charismatic leads plus a really good ensemble. If you ever enjoyed Castle for the secondary characters such as the relationship between father and daughter or the two detectives working with Beckett, you should enjoy this show.
The stories are simple but also make sense for the type of work that is supposed to be represented. This is not a spy story or a cop show although there are interactions with police and they do resolve crimes. It is more about family and interpersonal relationships.
Also, if you live in Canada, it is really great seeing a show with so many recognizable sites and images. Normally, shows shot in Canada will usually use scenery that can easily be seen as American so as to aid in either international sales in the case of purely Canadian productions, or are being exclusively produced for an American network. This show does not hide that it is filmed here and I applaud the producers for this.
Based on the episodes that I have seen so far, I hope that Private Eyes comes back for a second season. If it does, I know I will be watching.
Cheers!
Striptease (1996)
A Fun Little Film with a great cast
I never understood why this film received the trashing and disparagement that it did when it was first released. If you look at it for what it is, then there is a lot to enjoy.
First is the story. This was taken from a Carl Hiassan novel and if you enjoy his writing then you should like this story.
Secondly, it has a great cast of actors and it is peopled with distinct characters.
Ving Rhames is especially good in this movie but so are Armand Assante, Robert Patrick and Demi Moore. It IS light entertainment but it is one of those movies where I can watch repeat viewings and will do so if I happen to catch it on TV.
For those of you that have not seen this film, I would recommend that you try it and form your own opinion. You might just find that you like it too.
The Goodwin Games (2013)
An enjoyable little show!
OK, so I respect the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. And if you are looking for a comedy to deliver a proper message in order for it to be worth your viewing time, that is your prerogative. However, my opinion is, this is a fun, entertaining show. I like the cast, which counts for a lot. Many of them, you will recognize from their previous work. The acting and writing are entertaining, and it makes me laugh. Oh, and did I mention that it also strives (successfully so far) to be heartwarming? I want to see what happens next.
So, to the writers and cast, thank you.
The Following (2013)
Fun, pure entertainment
Beginning.....Middle.....End. What a concept. With only one more episode to go before the end of the season (series?), it looks like the producers and writers are letting the story unfold like a good vacation book. You know, the type of book you take on vacation, read and leave behind when your vacation ends. Something inconsequential yet you just can't put it down. If I had not been watching this show every week, it would an amazing "binge" show to watch via DVD or download. Ignore the unrealistic elements and just enjoy the ride. And what a ride it is! By the way, when the first episode ended, I was left sitting, staring at the screen and wondering if I had really just seen on network TV, such a shocking last scene. I had that moment again last night while watching the penultimate episode and viewing the last scene.
The acting is good, the cast is very good, and the story is like an early James Patterson novel. Fun to read and then, on to the next one.
So for those of you that are reading this review and have not watched an episode yet, prepare for some shocks, scares, edge of your seat thrills and a thoroughly enjoyable ride.
Cheers!