a-kastenas Reviews

Sirona (2023)

Unwatchable Feels like a High School Project

[2/10 · 23 November 2023]

This movie in my opinion is highly unwatchable. I tried watching it for a first few movies and then I found a way to see whether it's worth my time.

Fast Forwarding movie to random scenes: I had an opportunity to fast forward movie to select some random scenes to see whether the acting improves. To no surprise scenes are unwatchable.

Why I stopped watching this: The reason is simple - flat acting, poor budget, cheap looking and hastily selected environment for filming. There is nothing redeemable about how actors play.

I understand perfect that it is basically a hobby project a movie made by amateurs for amateurs. It's Simply not worth it.

Try to fast forward to random scenes and see whether you like it.

Orphan Black: Echoes (2023– )

In between watchable and unwatchable

[5/10 · 8 November 2023]

I liked the first episode of the show. It had some mystery, suspense. Things were happening and many loose ends were mentioned, however things started changing a bit after the first episode.

Don't get me wrong I watched only 3 episodes, my review might be subjective, however there are things that does not make sense to me. Things that make this show less of a show it was supposed to be.

Main actors are doing a good job. However most of the time nothing is happening. People are walking around. Talking with other people visiting places they should not be able to access.

What starts as a suspense mystery, a thriller evolves into a woke melodrama that is boring and devoid of substance.

I think it will be possible to cut some of the unnecessary scenes to make this show into decent mini series. 2-3 episodes max.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

Michael Bay would turn in his grave

[5/10 · 27 July 2023]

After watching this movie Michael Bay would turn in his grave. (If he was dead) which he is not.

CGI is mediocre, characters are not memorable. The narrative is basic.

First few movies in the franchise had some obvious drawbacks, but some scenes in particular were very bad here.

The moment I saw one of the transformers, Mirage sacrificing itself and becoming a suit I realized this is going to be an awful film.

This movie is a strange choice. What should have been an improvement and continuation of original movies may very well mark the downfall of the franchise. Bumblebee had some potential but here - they just decided to make a children's movie.

The Deal (2022)

Bad at everything

[2/10 · 28 August 2022]

One of the worst movies I have tried to watch. Impossible to watch from first seconds. Cringy acting and a Mexican Soap Opera level of acting and script. Movie is full of unnecessary dramatic dialogue scenes. There is no narrative development. Was this supposed to be a suspense, a drama or something else? I do not understand.

I am very sad to see that this movie when googled is ranked high as its English title is "the deal", and people are actually looking for a pandemic movie with exactly the same title.

The first few movies I watched have left me with a feeling of emptiness. And this comes from the fact that this movie tries to "bother" some acting scenes and characters from similar US made movies.

Farzar (2022)

Stupid and Lame and offensive - that is the point

[8/10 · 31 July 2022]

Good show, I was a bit sceptical in the beginning but it grew on me. This is a parody of old old sci Fi shows and borrows heavily from popular media, other animated shows and movies.

Do not let the bad comments fool you - once you accept it for what it is - it becomes surprisingly watchable.

Yellowjackets (2021– )

Mostly for female audience

[5/10 · 30 April 2022]

The tittle of my review pretty much sums it up. And it is not necessarily a bad thing. Watchable, Versatile, Full of Drama and even coming of age type of aspects at some points.

My personal humble opinion is that TV series are almost divided into 2 separate TV shows. While I did enjoy the crash in the wilderness part, the all-female drama of the present day narrative was a bit boring to my taste.

Series deal with shadows selves, survival and repercussions of past actions.

After watching 2 episodes i decided to quit this show. The main reason was that the "adventure" part of it is very miniscule compared to the main present day narrative. I simply find it irritating to watch a standard drama only hoping to see more of the "after the crash" scenes.

I liked the idea of the show, but for me personally it does seem like a wasted potential. Good acting, good budget, great actors. Bad narrative building.

I do not hate this show, but it is not to my liking unfortunately. Despite it's shortcomings it is well received by the female audience (and not only) so it must have some charm.

Uncharted (2022)

A decent movie for Children and Teenagers

[5/10 · 25 April 2022]

I did not have huge expectations for this movie. It is based on a widely popular adventure game. Similar to Indian Jones, Tomb Raider and others in the same genre.

The narrative borrows some aspects of succeesful film making and popular literature (Spiritual homage to Dan Brown can be felt).

Despite it's obvious shortcomings and a great deal of overused cgi and a rather weak main villain it is watchable. Not great not bad just ok.

From (2022– )

A decent show for Lost fans

[10/10 · 17 April 2022]

It is a decent show that has a lot of mysteries. I do not understand some of the reviews that blatantly criticize it for poor acting, violence, LGBT Woke culture and similar things.

Despite it's obvious shortcomings it is a captivating and always leaves audience guessing, wanting for more. It has some loose ends but that is a charm of it.

Do not let bad comments fool you. It is a spiritual successor to LOST we have been waiting for. Give it a chance!

Mother/Android (2021)

Narrative is Lacking, feels like an episode of B TV series

[5/10 · 6 February 2022]

This whole movie feels like an extended pilot for B rated TV series.

Poor budget, good to mediocre acting and cheap CGI and premise. Not to mention the ending which was supposed to feel Bittersweet but it is simply incomplete. 5 or 6 IMDB is ok for this.

I felt bored watching it however there was a plot twist that was enjoyable.

Intergalactic (2021)

Terrible British Sci-Fi at its best.

[2/10 · 3 May 2021]

It is hard to make decent Sci Fi TV series, movies. The Brits keep on trying and keep on failing on many occasions. I tried watching the first episode but had to fast forward it.

The acting is weak and the cast is comprised of relatively unknown actors. I suppose they tried doing a good job, but the abysmal production quality, costumes, gadgets, accesories make it look cheap.

Everything looks walmart made. I think they tried to borrow some of the ideas from "Expanse" but everything is simply underwhelming.

Take a look at uniforms - you take cheap knitwear, paint it yellow and blue and "vuala" you have space clothes. Need some space helmets? No worries, just take some plastic pieces, glue them together and paint grey. Add some LEDs to make them "functional".

The creators, who were on a tight budget, could have just taken the post-apocalyptic setting. This would have allowed darker atmosphere, less emphasis (overused) on colors and so on.

Everything looks and feels "plastic". Fake, cheap, yet colorful enough to raise interest among younger audiences.

This should be rated anywhere between 2-5 as is the case with the most of UK made Sci Fi. Unfortunately that is.

Antiviral (2012)

Unwatchable.

[2/10 · 1 May 2021]

The narrative is plainly stupid, it's a cheap indie movie that has an insanely inflated rating on imdb. Don't bother. Time wasted.

Patient Zero (I) (2018)

A largely wasted opportunity but still ok

[6/10 · 18 April 2021]

To put it short it is a movie about about a world overrun by a virus induced zombie/vampire plague. A team of survivors is trying to find a cure with little success.

The narrative is simple, yet has a small twist and cliff-hanger in the end. There are some plot holes and some of the acting is flat. The movie feels "put together" as there is an overall lack of consistency.

The main cast does an ok job and is enjoyable mist of the time. The scenes with zombie/vampire attacks are the worst in my opinion. Less could have been more in this case. I don't know why they added so many scenes with infected running around - the first part of the movie was better.

In general I am a bit sad, as the idea of the movie was good, and this could have been an indirect prequel to a cult favorite of mine - Daybreakers.

It is an ok movie to watch one time only. It deserves a 6- not 4.5 but not more. It's watchable but you won't be blown away. The last 1/4 of the movie is the least enjoyable unfortunately.

Chikatilo (2021–2022)

Masterpiece. The best TV series about the infamous serial killer

[9/10 · 16 April 2021]

I don't know where to begin. There are so many good things about this show and just a few nuansences.

Chikatilo was the most notorious, infamous serial killer in soviet Russia. He killed and tortured countless people.

This is a story about a him, the killer, but here he is portrayed as a menace one step before all who try to catch him. The short instances when we see the killer are captivating and disgusting at the same time. The antagonist is portrayed by Nagiev - a famous russian actor and celebrity. He usually plays "bad guys" in Russian media, however here he plays a smart, yet dysfunctional, damaged man, driven by urges.

The rest of the cast is solid also, consisting of known russian actors, all of whom did a fantastic job.

There are a few nuansences of this movie that can be criticized: There are a few scenes where minor characters criticize "germans" or "the western powers" for either killing, raping people and harvesting their organs (as a conspiracy theory) - I find inclusion of such minor aspects interesting, as it indicates the friction between Soviet Russia and the West and is a nice touch.

The show also portrays the friction between local (Rostov) police operatives and their Moscow counterparts, which is one of the primary plot lines in Chikatilo.

Overall, it is a hidden gem, something that deserves to be shown to international audiences. It is not for the faint of heart, but it's been a while since I have seen a show of such a high production value made in Russia, as the whole industry was focused on production of low quality flicks.

With a proper voice over, this could be and should be an international hit. Wow.

Made for Love (2021–2022)

Fails to be a true Sci Fi

[6/10 · 14 April 2021]

Greetings,

I cannot give neither positive or negative review for this show. The concept is interesting, however the whole setting is limited and there are just too many plot holes and inconsistencies.

This show is an absurd comedy with elements of drama wrapped into a Sci Fi gift paper. It does look a bit Sci Fi, but in reality there is not much happening in this show.

The actors are beautiful, try to do a good job, but the whole show takes place in a very closed environment, much like the virtual cubes we see early in the film.

I have watched almost all of the episodes and there is one left. I have lost interest in the show and this means it's not a binge-watching show, not for me at least.

Everyone looking for a bit of drama and absurd comedy will be pleased, but true sci fi fans might find it shallow, and flat.

As a comedy it's watchable and is weird enough to captivate initial attention, way above the usual stuff. However I was expecting something more.

I might finish this show, but I might move on also, so unfortunately I cannot rate it higher than 6.

The Nevers (2021–2023)

All female super-empowerment in Victorian era

[6/10 · 13 April 2021]

Greetings,

This is bound to be a very succeful TV series. The reasons for that are many: Victorian era, Female empowerment, Superpowers.

In short we have an all female team of super heroines and villains who inhabit the Victorian world Jane Austen tried to describe long ago.

Its a mash up of costume drama, and some fast paced adventure. I am sure that this is mostly targeted for teenagers, young adults, overwhelmingly female audience and everyone interested in Victorian era.

The quality of production is good, however the "female empowerment" message hidden "in between the lines" is a bit too obviut in this case that was a very smart strategic move. I am not sure the male audience of this show but they will be happy to see a lot of gorgeous women in o and show.

Well played hbo.

Screamers: The Hunting (2009 Video)

Sequel - a nail in the cofin for the franchise

[5/10 · 12 April 2021]

Greetings,

I will keep it short. This is a movie full of clichés and inconsistencies in relation to the original. Mediocre at best - it should not be considered "Canon" in my opinion as Screamers deserves a proper sequel.

The narrative is broken at best - remember the original? The screamers were made on Earth, there was no point in going back to planet 6B to "retrieve data". It was on Earth to begin with.

Sfx are terrible and could work only for short intros in a video game. The Screamer animations look very bad and they are repetitive. The combat scenes are also disappointing, and don't provide any thriller whatsoever. The best scenes of the movie are not the ones where Sfx is used.

The acting is not terrible but there is a lack of fluidity, as none of the protagonists are memorable the relationships between them are superficial. A black guy was a member of the team - but he dies quite early. Heroically. I suppose that's what it is called these days - a "racially inclusive" movie.

The original was a pure 90s classic, it had its own charm. There were some plot inconsistencies, but it tried to surprise viewers. Remember the child robot? It was creepy. Here on the other hand we don't have any of that.

I personally would like to ignore this as a sequel. Can somebody make a movie where the Earth civilization dies, and Sirius 4 inhabitants face the imminent threat? That would be a lot more plausible.

I would like to see a proper sequel, a reboot of sorts.

The Congress (2013)

Criminally Underrated

[9/10 · 6 April 2021]

It is beyond my comprehension why this movie has such a low rating on IMDB. Perhaps it is misunderstood by masses, perhaps it is a bit too chaotic at some places.

It is a story about a beautiful aging actress, who agrees to get herself scanned and replicated in a digital library. There are a couple of reasons for that, all personal.

The second half of the movie is a trippy experience that made me sceptical at first but surprisingly it grew on me. And the ending, revelations explain some of the weirder things in a movie a lot.

I do understand that some of the audience might not have enough patience nor willingness to explore the many rabbit holes of this film, however it is bound to become a cult classic none the less. One of the best weird movies I have seen.

The Arbors (2020)

Monster inside not outside

[8/10 · 26 March 2021]

I could not but notice many negative reviews here, most of which are criticising this movie for not being "monster movie" enough. I on the other hand liked this movie, and it is more than what it seems.

A slow burner movie about a young man who is unable to cope with the reality and let go.

The moment you start watching this movie as a psychological rather than horror film all comes into places. There are some nicely wrapped details that help us understand what this movie is really about.

The monster in this movie can be taken and viewed as a real entity or as a metaphor. And that's where the beauty of it. Pay attention to a scene when the protagonist puts his fingers on his head, clutching it, it will explain a few things.

I liked it and it hink it should be rated anywhere between 7 to 8.

Hunter Hunter (2020)

Slowburner about isolated life

[9/10 · 8 March 2021]

It is a little masterpiece of sorts. But in order to rate it high we need to look at it as a horror movie rather than a thriller.

As the description suggests, it is a movie about a family living in wilderness, about hunters and predators that come in many forms.

The ending of the movie and some of the scenes are hard to comprehend, and the ending is surprising, offers satisfaction, but is still very much bitter rather than sweet. The ending of the movie made it much more shocking than one could imagine in the beginning. Highly recommended.

Body Brokers (2021)

Surprisingly good and easy to relate to

[8/10 · 19 February 2021]

It's a good drama. I would like to thank all the people involved for making it. Writing, acting all good.

The good thing about this movie is also the presence of explanations. These "insertions" explain some of the more complicated events by providing real life context to it. It has a bit of "big short" feeling to, albeit the stories could be more far apart from each other.

I am happy I watched it by accident. I don't normally watch drama movies about drugs, but this one is different. It is a slow burner - very light and comedy like in the beginning til it eventually escalates to the end, which in a weird way happens to be the beginning of the movie also. It is a hidden gem. A cyclic slow burner in terms of story-building. It made me sad and made me think about events of the movie. Only good movies do that.

Well played, well played. Suberb writing.

Tribes of Europa (2021)

Overrated and likely a children's show

[3/10 · 19 February 2021]

Wow. Just wow. I don't even know where to begin. I don't know whether I should look at this show as one targeted for adults or children. I am not even sure who is the target audience here.

The narrative is boring and partially borrowed from "The 100". Same goes for some visuals, and the premise. And that's where it ends. All. The worst parts of similar shows can be found here.

As a show for adults it is plagued by poor acting, ridiculous fights and the overall static, flat atmosphere. The acting seems forced, some of the scenes are unnecessary, cheezy. You just cannot take the things happening seriously. The entire first episode feels like a parody of the previously mentioned American Sci fi series.

I tried to watch the first episode, give it a chance, but I just hat to forward a few scenes as it clearly was a total and utter waste of time.

I cannot recommend this to anyone who is older than 14. The only redeeming quality aout this show is scenery - forests and mountains. The post production is OK also. But I cannot but ask a question: Why would anyone polish a "turd". So many resources wasted, as this show could have been so much more. It is more than likely that some German people will "inflate" the ranking, but the actual ranking is anywhere between 3 to 5.

I give it 3/10 because at the time of writing 2021.02.18 Imdb rating is almost 7 which is impossible to comprehend.

Wow Netflix. Disappointed.

See (2019–2022)

Jason Mamoa Fanboys Fangirls will be pleased

[7/10 · 15 February 2021]

Greetings. I don't want to get into an in-depth review of this show. Its an interesting refreshing (occasionally) take on a post apocalyptic world. The humankind has succumbed to plague that took away people's sight. Humanity endured albeit not without a cost.

The world of "See" is well crafted, offers beautiful scenery. The acting is ok, even though fights become boring and repetitive at times. Actors did a good job "fitting in" however the series suffer from poor writing. It is not as bad per Sei, however many occurrences are predictable.

There are many good things about this show, and very few bad things. As much I liked to watch this show I did not finish it because I found it a bit boring. But I might come back to it and think it deserves a second chance. A second season perhaps also? Currently it's a bit overrated on IMDB, however it is a solid 7+ in my opinion. It does have this "fantasy vibe" to it which is likely to be most appealing to the younger audience.

Servant (2019–2023)

Everyone is dysfunctional and sinful

[10/10 · 15 February 2021]

This is a gem. A masterpiece. A true art.

TV series evolve around a young couple (coming from Old Money family) who are facing a huge loss. They hire a girl to look after their child. However each episode raises more questions than gives answers. Great cooking scenes seem vulgar and raw.

Super visuals, claustrophobic environment and atmosphere. Lack of empathy and overindulgence. Alcohol. Drugs. Religion. Sins. Parenthood.

Great.

Lapsis (2020)

Where does Lapsis lead to?

[9/10 · 13 February 2021]

It is a different movie. It is not for everyone. The world of Lapsis is different. It is a strange 90s/early 2000 world shaken by strange technology. People have strange, pointless jobs, everything feels a bit absurd and superficial.

The main character starts working as a "cabler" which is a combination of hiking and connecting various cables between large metal boxes which represent quantum servers. Lots of people do that, get sucked in into this for years. Form groups, settlements, friendships and rivalries. It does seem a bit strange, weird, yet fitting in this strange parallel world.

If you are familiar with cult movies Napoleon Dynamite, Gentlemen Broncos, Art School Confidential, The Sasquatch Gang, The Lobster, Vivarium and a few similar ones - this will also become one of your all time favorites. It's a must watch in this case. I overused a word "strange" on purpose.

I hope everyone can try to enjoy this masterpiece, as it was a pleasant surprise. I am very glad I watched it and will be able to add it into a list of my all time favorites. Solid 8 or 9 in the genre of weird movies.

The Stand (2020–2021)

Underrated and deserves more than 5

[8/10 · 28 January 2021]

I am a fan of this show. Not a huge fan but a fan none the less. And the reasons for that are many.

First of all the theme of a global apocalypse/pandemic is something that many can relate to. Secondly, actors are doing a great job and production quality is but superb.

Yes this show fails at being a horror, it fails to be a comedy or a parody, yet there is something that makes it interesting and easy to watch.

There are hundreds of teenage wolf/vampire/zombie TV series these days and many of them are of poor quality and have a higher rating. It is beyond my comprehension why this show is so underrated but I suppose its mash-up qualities and lack of focus when it comes to genre and target audience. I personally find it refreshing and think it's really good. It should be rated somewhere around 7 but due to all the criticism it receives I cannot but rate it 8 as it has something unique.