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Herbalicious_690
Reviews
Adam's Package (2019)
Indescribably bad.
Just awful. This feels like it is either the result of a failed student project or an attempt at money laundering. The gaps and pauses between the dialogue, the way everyone waits for their line and you can see them thinking of their lines as they wait for their turn, the calculated reactions, the stiff body language, the semi-practiced facial expressions, and so on and so on. Sometimes "bad" can be hilarious (if also a bit painful), but this is just pure excrement. I tried to find one redeeming quality, but no. Just . . . No. It's not even as good as when failed porn stars tried to go legit and fail dismally at that as well. I have no more words. Just say no, move on, and be done with it.
The Luminaries (2020)
Patience and attention pays off
Well worth your time. Align your expectations with what I think the makers were trying to achieve though. This is a bit of a slow burn for me, with viewers circling the end of story rather than approaching the end from a linear past to present to end. It requires patience, and attention to what is going on, with various signals (e.g. dress colour pink, blue, black) indicating which stage of past, recent past and present you are in. The unusual aspect is this for me: the series is short, pace is not fast, but requires a reasonable intensity of the viewer to catch details. There is a disjunct between the pace of the series, and the effort sometimes required on the part of the viewer. I enjoyed this about the series though, rather than everything explained for the viewer so you can half-watch, switch brain off and still know what is going on.
Having said that, whoever wrote the advertising-lines on IMDB is quite a way off the mark (in my opinion). The text attempts to sell the series as some sort of fast-paced murder mystery from the USA for example "Adventure mystery set in the midst of New Zealand's 1860's gold rush period it has all the stuff that makes a good drama murder, love and revenge as men and women travel the world making their fortunes." Pushed my expectations into a different vein as to what I might see. Once I realised what this is - a character-driven story (very low on adventure) that unfolds in intentionally cryptic ways to reveal a complexity of plot, and most importantly, an understanding of different stages of character made more stark (obvious) by moving the viewer through (for example) past, recent past, and present, then past, recent past, present etc. We get to see the contrasts as character contrasts rather than linear development. The signals for "where in time" are all there to help the viewer, but you have to pay attention, and it will pay off. It took me to episode three to "get" it and fall in love with it. The viewer is circling the end of story, not just approaching it from past through to present through to end.
On the not so positive side, Eva Green just plays the typical Eva Green role, bring nothing new to the role than what we have seen from her before. Unfortunately for me, feeling typecast and therefore a little trite.
Eve Hewson is interesting to watch, her mannerisms and charm feeling a little restricted though. Unsure whether that is her scope, or the direction given to her. She does break out sometimes, however the feeling of slow burn is only enhanced by long periods with a limited range of expressions and emotional variance.
Solid work. Save it for a time when you can give it your attention.
The Luminaries (2020)
Patience and attention pays off
Well worth your time. Align your expectations with what I think the makers were trying to achieve though. This is a bit of a slow burn for me, with viewers circling the end of story rather than approaching the end from a linear past to present to end. It requires patience, and attention to what is going on, with various signals (e.g. dress colour pink, blue, black) indicating which stage of past, recent past and present you are in. The unusual aspect is this for me: the series is short, pace is not fast, but requires a reasonable intensity of the viewer to catch details. There is a disjunct between the pace of the series, and the effort sometimes required on the part of the viewer. I enjoyed this about the series though, rather than everything explained for the viewer so you can half-watch, switch brain off and still know what is going on.
Having said that, whoever wrote the advertising-lines on IMDB is quite a way off the mark (in my opinion). The text attempts to sell the series as some sort of fast-paced murder mystery from the USA for example "Adventure mystery set in the midst of New Zealand's 1860's gold rush period it has all the stuff that makes a good drama murder, love and revenge as men and women travel the world making their fortunes." Pushed my expectations into a different vein as to what I might see. Once I realised what this is - a character-driven story (very low on adventure) that unfolds in intentionally cryptic ways to reveal a complexity of plot, and most importantly, an understanding of different stages of character made more stark (obvious) by moving the viewer through (for example) past, recent past, and present, then past, recent past, present etc. We get to see the contrasts as character contrasts rather than linear development. The signals for "where in time" are all there to help the viewer, but you have to pay attention, and it will pay off. It took me to episode three to "get" it and fall in love with it. The viewer is circling the end of story, not just approaching it from past through to present through to end.
On the not so positive side, Eva Green just plays the typical Eva Green role, bring nothing new to the role than what we have seen from her before. Unfortunately for me, feeling typecast and therefore a little trite.
Eve Hewson is interesting to watch, her mannerisms and charm feeling a little restricted though. Unsure whether that is her scope, or the direction given to her. She does break out sometimes, however the feeling of slow burn is only enhanced by long periods with a limited range of expressions and emotional variance.
Solid work. Save it for a time when you can give it your attention.
Stranger Things (2016)
Deeply engaging.
This is one of those TV series that deserves it's well publicised hype. Smart, sometimes funny, sometimes dark, running the gamut of emotions guided by engaging actors, acting, plot, twists and turns, music, photography direction and so on. This show really is something special, one of those shows where creative freedom was given to create a comprehensive aesthetic of sight, sound and thought, and we the audience are deeply rewarded because of it. Others in my family find some parts confronting, some parts confusing, but all agree there is a spirit, depth and engagement to the story-telling made strong by a coherent creative vision that exudes quality in every aspect. For me, watchable and re-watchable. This show is really something special.
Swiped (2018)
"Nothing"
Disclaimer - I was forced against my will to watch this movie. The things you do for family. Regardless, my entire family loudly agree that this movie is a "zero". Words fail me at how "nothing" this thing is. The cast is dominated by people who range from woeful actors - to people who have never been in front of a camera but the director mistakenly thought they might be an improvement over empty space (bzzzzzt - wrong) - and on through to a couple of mildly non-annoying people - with one or two semi-famous faces thrown in to round out the cast. The script, what there was of it between low-quality ad-libbed scenes, feels like it was written by 14 year olds while their attention was elsewhere. And the plot - wow - it didn't even have the attraction of being spectacularly bad. There is just zero pretence at trying to cover up any of the gaping chasms in script and plot. It simply screams of the screen - they just didn't care. Feels like ... get it done, get it out, make sure it loses money.
Some movies are so bad you can find humor in their terribleness. This is not that that sort of movie.
Some movies are created by mad people with strange ideas, but who believe so deeply in what they are doing that despite all delusions they make something so awful it has to be watched to the end once started. This is not that sort of movie.
Some movies are so bad you can't look away. This is not that sort of movie.
Some movies just have "nothing" going for them - a "nothing script", "nothing" direction, "nothing" acting, a "nothing" story-line that is more plot-holes than plot. This is that type of movie. This feels like it was made to lose money on purpose. The overwhelming feeling that jumps off the screen to me is that not one person attached to this "movie" cared about any part of it. None believed their careers were on the line, or that this would do anything for them, or that they could be bothered to put any effort into any part of it. There is just no "attempt" in any part of it. This just is - "nothing".
Daughter of the Wolf (2019)
What a let down.
I was not expecting much, really just looking for some time diverted away from meaningful things in life, a little mindless escapism. What I got was so much worse. Poor direction, excruciatingly ham-fisted acting from the supporting cast of bad dudes and the gender and racial-balancing dude-ess, a dazzling display of extreme laziness in script writing, vague attempts at pretending anyone gave a toss about making the movie, and an overall train wreck of a "plot". It is not the kind of bad that would keep you laughing, or be turned into a drinking game, or keep you watching until the end because of any kitsch value, it is just a trudge through endlessly lazy writing, acting and direction. A bad movie would be something where the actors and script writers and director "phoned it in". This is more like they scrawled it on the back of a post-it note and tossed it in the general direction of who-gives-a-toss-ville. I have had more engaging and enjoyable visits to the little boys room, although the end result was solidly similar.
Counterpart (2017)
Absorbing, original, always want more.
What a great show. Original premise, well scripted, extremely well acted and directed, the story weaves, ducks and winds in a way that requires attention be paid to it. This is not a show you can leave on while you do something else and expect to follow it. This show demands some thought and attention, and you will be richly rewarded by some excellent escapist entertainment. I was over the moon when I saw the second series come back to air, and really wish I could binge-watch it but can't wait until the series has finished to start watching it, and they have not released the full series at once. I recommend a darkened room and limit any distractions. Highly absorbing.
Counterpart (2017)
Absorbing, original, always want more.
What a great show. Original premise, well scripted, extremely well acted and directed, the story weaves, ducks and winds in a way that requires attention be paid to it. This is not a show you can leave on while you do something else and expect to follow it. This show demands some thought and attention, and you will be richly rewarded by some excellent escapist entertainment. I was over the moon when I saw the second series come back to air, and really wish I could binge-watch it but can't wait until the series has finished to start watching it, and they have not released the full series at once. I recommend a darkened room and limit any distractions. Highly absorbing.
Tidelands (2018)
Slightly flawed but a good watch
The quality of the actors, dialogue and story-line is variable. Where the strong actors are given their opportunity to act well they do so in a very believable way, absorbing and enjoyable to watch. They carry the slight and occasional weaknesses in the plot and dialogue and make the show quite watchable. If you are less critical with some of the actors who are not quite as convincing in their roles you will probably enjoy the show. The story tells a tale of the children born of a combination of man and siren, the tidelanders, and the role they play in a small coastal town's ways of making money. There is subterfuge in the human part of town, subterfuge amongst the tidelanders, and all hell between humans and tidelanders despite their strong reliance on each other as part of a production line "product" they make. Some good plot points, some unoriginal well-tried plot-lines done with very little new material, but overall the broad story is original and well executed. Worth watching, and will probably produce a second series. Also, my thoughts are a second series will probably be really cheap to make , not all that many of the first series cast left by the end of it all mayhem and carnage. Not a series for kids.
Bodyguard (2018)
Extremely good show
Strong acting, well written dialogue, strong acting and direction. The show is strong enough to be either binge watched and hold your interest throughout, or to watch in a series of mini-binges (e.g. two at a time instead of a movie). I am not sure I could leave it a full week between episodes, each episode had me wanting more. The length of the series is short but perfect, not overly drawn out, nor rushed towards the finish line. The cast is well chosen, and they do way more than just deliver their lines, a result that draws you in and keeps you guessing. The directions and mis-directions to keep you guessing do not under-estimate the intelligence of the audience, nor try to spell out every detail so it does require some attention, but is all the better because of this. A very very strong show, and I really hope they can bring a second series to air with a different bent to it, but a second series would be a really big challenge to top or equal this first. I highly recommend this as a must-watch.
Forbidden Power (2018)
Close to unwatchable.
Poor acting, worst green screen composits ever, dire script, terrible direction, out of sync dialogue replacement in many places, no budget for music soundtrack, no atmosphere, no chemistry, but I gave this a rating of 2, reserving a rating of 1 for worse movies than this (and they do exist). If you have nothing else to watch and have a very high level of tolerance for excruciatingly cringe-worthy movies, this will do nicely. If you have anything else to watch, and I mean pretty much anything else, watch something else.
The Kominsky Method (2018)
Outstanding in every way
Chuck Lorre does it again. What a cast !! Cameos are a who's who list. The script writing is top notch. The acting is stellar, on point, engaging, believable. And funny !! Don't overlook this show, or dismiss it at first glance, you will be missing out on something special. Many shows take quite a few episodes for the cast to reach the closeness and flow of a really strong "ensemble", but this steps right in. Experience in all domains shows strongly - funny, witty, insightful, cutting at times, fresh, relatable, just wonderful. Watch it and spread the word.
The Good Place (2016)
Clever, fresh, different, light but rewarding
Clever, fresh, different, light but rewarding. Well scripted, well acted. Season 1 and 2 were really strong in their light-hearted comedic way, but with an underlying element of taking a little risk in being different and slightly "edgy", but always watchable and even-keeled in the writing and acting. Season 3 started a little rocky, not as even-keeled as the previous series, but found its groove about 3 - 4 episodes in. Very watchable, and has some smarts about it. Good cast who are invested in their work.
FBI (2018)
Standard fare, good watch but nothing great
Standard fare, good watch but nothing great. Sets out with fairly stock standard scripts and problems for the FBI to solve. Missy plays her role well, and the rest of the cast does a solid job, although nothing seems to really stand out. Safe, safe, safe. Safe writing, safe plots, safe direction. Nothing special but has enough qualities that the show stands up as watchable, but pretty much forgettable once watched. No risks taken in the creation of this show, either creatively or technically.
Patriot (2015)
Extremely dark, but very good.
The first series is fantastic with a great balance between dark humor and some light moments alongside some strong script writing, great location shots, direction and acting. The acting is strong in this one, grasshopper. The only complaint is how drawn out some scenes are, where nothing happens and the "nothingness" does not always contribute to the story or the mood, just elongates time.
The second series slows down even more dramatically, and becomes so dark it is black of the blackest kind. Still good, but not as strong as the first series. This is so slow it has to be binge watched (I think) in medium doses, maybe 3 - 4 episodes at a time. This would not work if it was released and watched weekly, too many would lose interest and flow. The flow when watched around 4 episodes at a time makes it more easy to find the flow amongst the slow, but the drag in pace does become a little monotonous.
Pine Gap (2018)
Espionage and Intrigue
Just finished the first series. Really strong production values across the board, except the musical score which works well but is mainly underscoring background music rather than feature music. Script is intelligent while not being overly hard to follow, and there is a good balance between information the audience needs to retain for the story-details to make sense. The script is not overly dense with hard-to-follow information, but neither does it assume the audience have shut their brains down into unthinking mode thereby needing every little detail explained over and over.
Cast are well chosen for the main part, some characters develop a lot more slowly over time, but are done with some intelligence by the director and producers. There is sometimes a little too much emphasis on side-ways glances and surreptitious looks and reactions, done sometimes to distract, sometimes to raise suspicion, sometimes to direct our attention (all normal), but does sometimes lack a little subtlety in the directorial execution. My assumption this is done for the sake of an international audience.
Plot is engaging, has enough intrigue to build interest, contains a complexity that is allowed to unfold over time that requires a little patience (which gets rewarded), maintains a pace that doesn't quite keep you on the edge of the seat, but nor does it set out or pretend to try and be people swinging from exploding buildings or planes at 20,000 feet.
Finally, a comment to the few reviewers claiming "anti-american" script, I would recommend watching more than the first opening scenes. This is a story, entertainment, all based around espionage and intrigue. Chinese are keeping secrets, Aussies are keeping secrets, the Yanks are keeping secrets, heck - everyone is keeping secrets from everyone. The plot revolves around exploring 4 concepts - Money, Ideology, Coercion and Ego. It's not even CLOSE to being anti-American, but it also does not paint America as the untainted hero to the world. Surprise surprise, NSA, CIA etc have done some questionable things at different times in history. Whoopdy frikkin' doo. Welcome to Earth.
Bandits (2001)
If you like your comedy explained and in-your-face, this one is not for you.
If you like your comedy fully explained and in-your-face, this one is not for you. If you appreciate deeper levels of subtlety and are prepared to suspend hard-nosed reality for the duration, you will love this one. Reminds me of Cohen Bros movies. If you are prepared to relax into it and let the movie take you where IT goes, you are in for a good ride. For those that want to predict a movie and try and show some perceived level of intellectual superiority by telling the person next to them what is about to happen just before it happens (yes - we know they exist), I would hazard a guess that you will not enjoy this movie.
Having said that, I found the movie beautiful in the detail. This is not about grandiose plot, high speed chases and super cool cunning people. This is accidental and bumbling happenstance where random events are delightfully used. Truck, garage door etc. I carried with me the finer and more easily lost details of each character and I found they surprised me and delighted me with often times whimsical twists and subtle growth/support. I didn't find any huge character surprises or character twists, just good solid development, the kind where you can leave your opinions open to the end. Times like the late night rendezvous at the juke box joint and what happens when Bob tries to dance. Perfect. I walked out with a smile on my face, well amused and very much liking the attention to detail in character, shots, lighting, soundtrack etc. Not edge of the seat, sit back and relax.
Nice one.