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Reviews
The Tourist (2022)
Plot Holes galore
I didn't plan on watching this series, even though it kept popping up.
It started out okay in Season 1, but there are too many characters to hate. I don't mean the bad guys, I mean the stupid characters who never, EVER have a change (character arc), and in Season 2, the dross is unbelievable!
What I liked about the show - the badass matriarch is a great actor, as is the badass patriarch on the other side. If they'd made the show about these two characters, they wouldn't have needed that AWFUL noise that served as music. Those choral voices made me laugh every time I was supposed to get "worried".
Spoiler alert. In Season 2, the leads are touring around the world. On WHAT MONEY? He gave the widow the million, and that was apparently all he had. Some traffic cop (the girlfriend whose character is dumber than a rock) doesn't have that kind of money.
Then the victim of his former crime shows up (who paid HER way?), then the jerk who the cop dumped (who paid HIS way?)? I guess everyone had free flights and free hotel stays.
Plot hole - after the victim sees what she wants to see, her character just drops off the face of the earth. Not to worry. She wasn't a great character anyway.
The cop has now had two full seasons to change, and does nothing. No, she can't keep her trap shut and she is no better than when we found her at the beginning of the show.
So many plot holes, and the writers had two full seasons to fix them.
Who Is Erin Carter? (2023)
The premise is...there is no premise
I made it through most of Ep. 3 before writing this.
The writing is horrendous. The premise doesn't exist.
They think they're feeding you snippets of clues, but they aren't. Every flashback, which happens to no one, really, is insignificant.
Even the way the "star" puts a hoodie over her head, but keeps her locks out for looks. Yeah, really hidden, there.
The kid is supposed to wear special glasses because the sun hurts her eyes, but oh, wait, she doesn't need anything but normal glasses in the car (on a sunny day), and she didn't wear the at the pool. Guess the sun doesn't hurt that bad!
The only saving grace for this show are the locations and the score. The score is the only, ONLY element that makes you think anyone is ever in danger. The rest is plot holes and senseless dialogue and the typical pathological liar starring role.
The strike is over. Please hire writers who can tell a good story.
Poor Things (2023)
Porn veiled as an art film - should be NC-17 or X
The overviews of the movie are grossly misrepresented.
One overview states, "Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation."
No, it is a film that sinks quickly into a porn movie surrounded by fantasy and debauchery. There is nothing liberating or equality in the film. Prejudices? Not even an element.
This should be rated NC-17 or X for graphic nudity that apparently made the writer and the director happy while filming, but was so ridiculously gratuitous sex for a boring amount of the story, that it took what COULD have been an art film and sunk it to the depths of pornography.
No amount of 9/10 reviews will convince the audiences otherwise.
The cinematography started out very artsy and cool, but then became so repetitive that is was "meh".
The fact that such respected actors took the roles tells me that they've become a bit desperate. So disappointing to see that.
The story dragged, and beyond a few funny moments, left me wishing I hadn't wasted 2 hours, 21 minutes of my life.
A Christmas Star (2021)
No more "public speeches" about personal issues please
Predictability is fine. It's a Christmas movie. We get it. But must we be subjected to a lengthy public announcement of the "hero" yapping on about her personal life that no one truly cares about except the guy? The whole "bare your sappy soul" in a public forum needs to go away. Forever. It was a Christmas event and the character didn't even live there.
That was no meteor shower. It was the laziest lack of CGI ever. There are so many apps that could have made it look real. And who looks at a star through binoculars? Laughed out loud. Sorry, people. That was beyond jumping the shark.
I'm not sure such a thing as an "undiscovered meteor shower" is "predictable." If it was, it wouldn't be "undiscovered".
For All Mankind (2019)
The slowly sinking space story
Being a former aerospace employee, I was eager to see how they'd portray the alternate history. It was a great idea. What if we hadn't been first to the moon? The first season was encouraging, but seasons 2 and 3 dragged us through nothing more than just another woke show that was more about whiny women getting their way by "boldly" telling off their superiors.
Every woman on the show rises to the top, yet only one (Cobb) actually earns her way and makes women astronauts really shine on the show.
Security facts were so sloppy. When one character is deported, his daughter is still allowed in a red badge only area to watch what's going on? REALLY? She's in the country illegally, and yet she has full access to JSC? Aw, come on, fudging the facts for drama's sake is fine, but it's so OTT.
Even in Season 3, a woman is in every high position - governments and private. It's so agenda driven. They took a perfectly great concept, and turned it into political drama and yes, soap opera.
Jumping the shark - The penultimate giggle was in watching a preggers astronaut catapult into space, and the Korean who shows up with a weapon! Oh, wow. Just wow.
Florida Man (2023)
"Florida" Man? Not even close
Clearly the writers have never been to, or lived in, Florida. The setting purportedly takes place in a beach town that lies (in real life) between Daytona Beach and Titusville, Florida. However, the majority of the mentions, and much of the action, takes place (purportedly) in Orlando and surrounding, which is in the center of the state and has nothing to do with a beach town, or the story.
As well, the beach town is not faked well in South Carolina, where the marshy waterways are more marshy instead of being directly on the oceanfront.
They also keep reporting about Orlando and surrounding areas that are well over an hour's drive from where the story is supposed to take place.
The side story of the cop who loses something and will do anything to get it back is actually the funniest part of the whole series.
Stranger Things: Chapter Seven: The Bathtub (2016)
Plot Holes and Unbelievables
This is a rather fun show, but this episode took the cake for NOT suspending my disbelief.
There's a guy spying on the kid, and they surely know where ALL of them live, AND, they've already caught the Chief on the property. All those men and guns and vans, and you expect me to buy in that they aren't following all the kids/families/chief? Nah.
Then the "visual" of the swimming pool smack dab in the middle of the gym, when she could have done it in the bathtub at home was another "really, folks?" moment. Sure, the process took longer and it was more visual, but if they're running against time, why would you drive to the school and set up a pool when you only needed the salt for the home bath? Same depth.
Fair Faults (2018)
Good story about perception
This was a good story about the perception of others, and I loved the twist at the end. I wasn't expecting it, and yet there was something just "off" enough in the relationship that it kept me pondering.
No points for the composer, who claims it's his original score, when in fact, it's the song, "Bella Ciao," an Italian folk song from the 19th Century. The song was made popular again in the four-season show, Money Heist.
The Blacklist: Rakitin (No. 28) (2021)
Dialogue is straight out of a soap opera.
The writers are bored. They've lost touch with the characters, and if Spader didn't have a role in this show, it would have ended with a "boom, boom, ciao" several seasons ago.
No one in the FBI in this show has a brain. They are led by anyone who looks at them with a serious tone, and they follow like lemming. Maybe she can come back. I mean, she's aligned herself with X, but she's still a good agent. GAK.
Can't at least one agent have a spine in this show? It used to be Bressler, but we know what he thinks with now. Cooper has finally been given more lines, but he was saved by Red and still he accuses him? Gak.
At least Elizabeth and her soap opera "I need to know, I have to know. I deserve to know" crap has taken a vacation. Give the gal some real lines, not the same lines in every scene. Or get rid of her character for good.
La casa de papel: ¿Qué hemos hecho? (2017)
Ridiculous Intro
So we're supposed to believe they'd put Rio in with a group of hostages after what he just did? Oh please.
This show has an overall good storyline, some good episodes, but it drags, and then they try to shove the unbelievable at us. No, dear writers, that isn't what your characters would do. Period.
Outer Banks: Trapped (2021)
Laughing at just how much you can jump the shark.
This show has gone so far down every possible rabbit hole. Everyone yammers and screams at the same time. No one says ANY good dialogue, and the idiocy has hit its acme. COULD it get any worse? What happened to the writers? Come on. This is AWFUL.
The Blacklist: Katarina Rostova (No. 3) (2019)
Writers hate women actors?
Does the writing team even have women on it? They make every female character (except Samar, who has left the show) to be blooming idiots who can only say the same phrases every episode. The truth, I want the truth, I deserve the truth.
Get over it.
And while Keen went through every nanny file with a fine-toothed comb episodes ago, she let a total stranger watch her child without so much as a DMV check? WHY do they make her such a stupid woman, who, by the way, would never, ever make it in the FBI. Then she finds out this woman kills a man (wait, she didn't get the hair sample so blatantly left in the bathroom at the park! HAHA), and oh, I just can't.
This great show turned into comedy.
The Blacklist: The Hawaladar (No. 162) (2019)
Agent Park needs to be curbed
No FBI team would hire Agent Park and put up with her battling attitude. She's a newbie to the team, but mouths off at everyone like she's so much wiser than anyone else. Instead of seeking to learn from those more senior, all her character does is criticize and find fault, like she is so much smarter than her team AND her boss. Bring back Samar. She had class.
The Blacklist (2013)
Producers could learn much from reading reviews
I've never seen James Spader in a better role. His character is so deep, so multi-faceted. His dialogue and off-topic rants are intriguing and fun! Denbe is also a well-drawn character. Well done. His character is the wise one who serves his boss, and sometimes helps him see his "moral" grounding (such as it is).
But the writers have chosen to write FBI characters who do nothing, repeat themselves like a bad soap opera, and never do anything that a real FBI team would do. Ressler always points his gun, but rarely takes a shot. Really? He has a character arc to the dark side, and then just follows his own plan - not a team player anymore. Is anyone a team player outside of Aram and Samar? Hmmm, no.
Everything has been said about Liz already, but her self-importance, cry baby (have you EVER seen any character on any show cry more than the "brave" FBI agent Keen?), break the law and it's okay because you "deserve the truth". I wonder if any of the writers are women, because no woman could take this character seriously.
Isn't she supposed to be a profiler? She did a little profiling the first two episodes, then became the "repeater". Whatever Red tells her is going on, she repeats with NO profiling, just passing along the information.
And why does she consistently whisper in the 6th Season when she's clearly alone with one other person? Did the director tell her it would increase the drama (it doesn't), or is it the actor's choice? Why do we care about Liz? Wait, we don't. Everyone seems to want her killed off the show. I'd be happy if they just gave her a character arc to being a "real" FBI agent, not a childish brat who thinks the world revolves around her life.
They've written this character so badly that when she "died," the show took a turn for the better. Then they brought back the broken record, who only cares about her personal skeletons, and the show has progressively gone downhill.
Notice how they consistently "make time" in the middle of a CRISIS to sit around the office and chit chat, then run out the door and tell Aram to text them the address? Seriously? Why weren't they already on the road? Show budget?
Harold Cooper as a character is useless. Not as a person, but they give him only "stating the obvious" things to say. How could he be in charge if he's so bland? So clueless. Give the guy a real role to play. Make him a leader, not a guy who says, "Go now!". Come on, Cooper should be a force to be reckoned with.
If the show stopped developing new episodes like a weary soap opera, with everyone saying the same story over and over ad nauseum, this could be a great show.
James Spader WILL still shine if the rest of the cast are given real dialogue.
Black Panther (2018)
My Favorite Marvel
Friends kept telling me I had to see Black Panther for it's diversity, but it wasn't until a friend in that diversity realm told me the real reason I had to see it - she said it was a well-told story with heart.
So I watched it. And again. Black Panther was the first Marvel movie I've seen that kept me entranced from beginning to end. The story is strong, the characters believable in a hero-packed storyline. And yes, it was well-told and it had a lot of heart. So much so, I talked of nothing else for weeks.
Chadwick Boseman, T'Challa / the Black Panther, played an incredible role, and I know there are many who would challenge me on this, but Letitia Wright, who plays T'Challa's science geek sister, Shuri, stole every scene she was in. Her character was the antithesis of your average science geeky sister. She was brilliant, witty, and knew how to give a compliment or a friendly jab. Fantastic dialogue and acting.
Chadwick will be sorely missed in the film world.
Mad Men (2007)
A worthwhile binge
Mad Men was the first show I ever binge watched, and never stopped until it was over.
The characters are strong in this 60s reveal of women versus men in the old-school world of advertising. The show hit all the topics that were relevant in the 60s, and you never knew where the story would go next - which was such an inspiration.
The players were never predictable, and the complexity of Don Draper (Jon Hamm) kept viewers guessing for season after season - what IS his problem, and will it ever be revealed? No spoilers here - watch it for yourself!
Léon (1994)
An all-time thriller favorite
Storytelling, and acting, at its finest.
Leon, aka, The Professional, is a strong, original story of an loner assassin who is faced with saving the life of a young girl, which goes against his every assassin moral - never get involved.
The ever talented Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, and Natalie Portman have incredible performances in this tightly-woven story. A must-see for thriller fans.
Imposters: Always Forward, Never Back (2017)
Storyline was decent until this episode, then hit the skids
This entire show about grifters has one black hole - there is no protagonist. EVER. All the victims become just as bad as the antagonists, so why should we care?
I kept watching to see if anyone would have redemption in the show, but thus far, it hasn't happened. But then, this episode took the cake.
Apparently, no one seemingly consulted anyone close to an FBI agent before writing this.
The FBI would NEVER rely on a guy watching security cameras and not have someone in the room. They would never take so long to get into the room, or leave the room while there was danger. The big box was so out of place, but no one gave it a thought? The FBI never saw Jules as anything more than a regular person?
An FBI agent in top shape can't outrun a girl in a long wedding dress? His inability to follow her, and then his slow stride across the lawn was, sadly, laughable.
What? No agent thought to look at the dock? Shaking my head.
No one was tailing the fake doctor - EVER? No one was posted outside where the cars were parked?
A valet never parked a single car, only directed them where to go? He looked like a PA in a suit.
A purported wealthy man wouldn't have several valet drivers?
There was no end to unbelievable nonsense in this episode.
The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two (2020)
How many times can you jump the shark in one movie?
I watched, and liked, the fantasy of The Christmas Chronicles, and was looking forward to a similar tone and quality in Part Two.
What a disappointment. Everything was schlock, copycatting every bad guy known to family film, poor acting (outside of Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn and that darling Darby Camp). The other characters were beyond cliche'. They dripped with ho-hum and Judah Lewis had no role at all.
The schlocky dance routine took the movie to an entire new low, as did the "bad guy kid" who offered nothing to the script or screen. Sorry, but this was the worst writing I've seen in years.
Too much CGI, Mrs. Claus has to perform witchcraft to heal a reindeer and her elves, yet the Clauses can twitch their finger across their nose and make anything else happen. Really?
A total letdown. I expected better after the first Chronicle.
Never Too Late (2020)
Anyone who has had aging family will appreciate this story
I saw James Cromwell was in this, so I had to check it out. Maybe it's a movie for baby boomers, who have, or had, parents who no longer had much to look forward to in life.
I enjoyed the comedy, and the feeble attempts at escape. I've known people who tried to escape nursing homes, and it is painstakingly bittersweet. Everyone has a history, and bringing "the old gang" back together with dozens of challenges, trust and mistrust, lies and truths - it really warmed my heart. And I laughed. A lot. Good dialogue. Nothing wasted.
High recommend, and if you think you don't get it because you're too young, remember, everyone will become elderly at some point. There are some lessons to learn!
Uncle Nino (2003)
Disappointing, trite considering the name talent
This could have been a fun family film, but the script was so trite, the dialogue so on the nose, and the characters so banal.
Redemptive storytelling doesn't mean you have to make every dad an idiot, every mother helpless, and every child a smart-mouthed, disrespectful brat. The parents were so thinly drawn, that I didn't care about their journey at all. The filmmakers had great talent from which they could have drawn out superb performances, but instead, they were pigeon-holed into canned characters we can't root for.
The uncle speaks 100 words of English, and yet the mom has these long conversations with him and he claims to understand. The language barrier could have been used for so many wonderful moments, but no, just gloss over because we'll excuse the fact that it would have existed in any real world.
The only redeeming quality of the story is the connection Uncle Nino has with the children. It's wholesome and sweet.
Sunrise in Heaven (2020)
A struggle to watch at times
The story line was okay, but continued to misdirect the audience with false promises of the story direction. The dialogue was stilted and on-the-nose. There are no surprises.
The mom's face healed so quickly that it made me smile - and not in a good way. In what, six days, she goes from serious cuts to light pink spots on her face? And no one researched how much pain you'd be in if your shoulder is out of joint, and she stopped wearing her sling after the first day.
The editing was poor. Someone decided we could never tell the difference between the past and the hospital, so they consistently showed the exterior of the hospital EVERY TIME they came back to present time. Give us as the audience some credit. We really could figure it out if you cut straight to action, instead of a bland exterior of a hospital.
Jenn Gotzen Chandler may have her best work in this film. She had more depth to her character than I've seen in some of her other roles.
The Beach Bum (2019)
Where's the Story??? Minor spoiler alerts.
I wanted to like this movie. I've always enjoyed McConaughey's films and the roles he plays, but between an empty plot, gratuitous, bare-breasted women and the ever-present weed smoking, there was never time for a real story. No one changed (no character arcs), everyone started and ended the same. What's the point?
The white kitten was the on-the-nose "save the cat" moment, the homeless guys were funny, and even Isla was confined by the lack of action. The entire film dragged. the photography was jumpy and doted on one shot after another. Move on, already!
A Star Is Born (2018)
Please, no more remakes of A Star is Born.
I've seen all four versions of A Star is Born - 1937, 1954, 1976, and now 2018. This version was a disappointment. It lacked in story and conflict (there wasn't either), and all the good acting could not bring its lackluster script to life. The only significant conflict was the brotherly conflict of Sam Elliott and Bradley Cooper. Elliott dropping out of sight for half the movie removed the real grit and conflict in the story. While he was gone, the story became stale.
That said, it isn't the supporting role characters who should carry the conflict. Cooper and Gaga didn't have the spark as lovers, or the conflict, to move the story along.
Gaga's role has her boldly draping herself across a bar at the beginning of the story, showing a too-early version of her self-confidence. She then plays shy when she's on stage with Cooper, but morphs into a solid singer, then morphs again as the bold Gaga herself.
Versions of "you have something to say," replayed over and over. We got it the first time.
Even the "homage" elements from the 1976 version are underplayed. And the way Cooper's story ends didn't mesh with his then current state of mind.
Blood, Sand and Gold (2018)
Masked Dialogue? = Total Miss. Possible Spoilers
Within the first few minutes, I "heard" trouble. Yes, those films that have either poor dialogue sound quality that they they attempt to smother with loud music / Foley, or the composer pushed to have the score loud for ego sake. Either way, if I have to strain to hear the dialogue, it's a fail. Had they invested in ADR in lieu of extraneous locations, so they could drop the music with confidence when characters were talking.
Speaking of locations, the story seemed to be outdoing a 007 film, but for no necessary reason. Perhaps it was the attempt to make a small budget movie look huge, but every element of the story must have a reason for being there. I found the reasons to be on the weak side.
The acting was okay, but some over-the-top action made me smile instead of gasp. Lack of setups for payoff left story elements implausible. The rooftop chases (funny how both actors knew the "landscape" so well, but only one lived there, and the actress was uncannily able to follow them from a street perspective for what appeared to be many blocks, without ever being able to see them). Her sudden ability to be a sure shot in another scene with no setup and other unbelievable incidences rendered the story, for me, well, unbelievable. Anyone else notice that her white shirt never showed a single bit of dust, even in the desert.