helmholtzwatsonaplus Reviews

Aspirational Slut (2022)

Excellent

[8/10 · 2 July 2022]

I watched this on a whim and am so glad I did. I won't say much, just that it's excellent. Writing, acting, production. All that. I was in stitches. Here's another sentence to make IMDB happy.

The Princess (I) (2022)

Great action

[8/10 · 2 July 2022]

This will make your misogynist uncle turn colors but it's a great action flick. Just a fun, non-stop romp with great characters and just enough plot to hang the action on. The physics are realistic for the most part, which is a requirement for me. The premise, though ridiculous, is explained completely plausibly, which again helps a lot with the suspension of disbelief.

I haven't seen Joey King in anything since White House Down, but I remember what a talented kid she was and that I was looking forward to what she could do with some time to refine her craft. Well, she's great in this and not just regular acting but she is completely believable in the intense, almost constant action scenes, which not many really pull off. Hopefully we get more of these roles from her after this performance.

Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas (2021)

More please

[10/10 · 2 December 2021]

This was such an unexpected treat after the equally unexpected cancellation. I love the show and this movie and I just hope Roku will keep this extraordinary show alive.

La Brea (2021–2024)

Too much teen drama

[4/10 · 30 November 2021]

Good premise, good production quality, all spoiled by a plot driven by immature teen dramatics and people who have to do stupid things in order for the plot to more forward. I really tried to like it but eventually had to concede that I do not.

Cinderella (I) (2021)

Here's why the rating's low and you should watch it anyway

[7/10 · 9 September 2021]

Ignore the low rating and just watch it. A whole lot of that low rating stems from the fact that this is a fresh take on a classic. That's always guaranteed to tick a lot of people off no matter how good it is. Add to that the fact that this will considered "woke" by people to whom that's a swear word. That loses you at least another star. The thing is that this isn't so much woke as it is modern, as in the female lead has her own aspirations that don't depend on a husband. Oh, and there's a man in feminine clothing. Shocking, right? Beyond that, the acting is good, most of the music is good and some of it's great, the script is excellent and really funny and the casting was quite good also. I loved that they had Nandi Bushell there too. Kids will love this. I'm a grown man and I really enjoyed it.

Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

A Pleasant Surprise

[7/10 · 15 July 2021]

Despite the cast, I went into this with fairly low expectations based on the trailer. I was pleasantly surprised in many ways. The acting was good. The plot was simple but unpretentious. The John Wick comparisons are unavoidable and it falls short of Wick in terms of intensity and choreography but it isn't trying to be the same. It's like a lighter, more self aware Wick with hope in place of despair. The violence is highly stylized which isn't something I'm always a fan of but they make it work well. I definitely recommend this movie, especially if you're a fan of any of the amazing cast members.

Infinite (2021)

Good potential utterly squandered but still shiny

[5/10 · 11 June 2021]

The film has a solid premise and obviously requires suspension of disbelief. Also obviously, it's intentionally over the top. That being said, the move doesn't make sense in so many ways. Bad physics even within its own universe, gaping, elephant in the room type plot holes and any attempt at logical flow sometimes completely abandoned. Its also cliched to the point of complete predictability. Despite all this, I think it can be a fun watch as long as you completely shut off your brain. I debated 4 stars but it got 5 simply because I actually lasted to the end.

Them (2021– )

Racism as a fetish

[1/10 · 25 April 2021]

I only lasted the first episode so this is a review of that episode only. This show is part of what I think will eventually come to be seen as a genre which fetishizes racism. There isn't a word for it yet, that I know of, but a term will eventually be coined for what this is. It is brutal and unpleasant to watch. Characters are hardly better than two dimensional. Black characters are all good, innocent, hard working perpetual victims. White characters are bad, petty, cruel, scheming sociopaths. It's a fictionalized tale of an aspect of history reduced to its simplest iconic elements with no nuance or attempt to realistically balance the extremity of the characters. Actual historical events and the way they are linked into the show seems to attempt to tie this to reality in a very manipulative way. On the other hand, maybe you enjoy watching people suffer or you're white and you enjoy feeling guilt for things you didn't do or you're black and you enjoy feeling anger at things you didn't suffer, then this may be just the thing for you. It's very powerful in that way, and to each her or his own.

The Equalizer (2021– )

Don't take it seriously and it can be fun.

[5/10 · 11 February 2021]

This was good enough that I'll check out the second episode when it comes out. The worst part of the show was that they tried to make Queen Latifah an action star, which she clearly is not. The first fight scene had so many cuts I had no idea what was supposed to be happening. The original series never tried to do that with Edward Woodward and it was a great show. Other than that, they created this team who just do what McCall says like they work for her even though there was nothing establishing why they act like that after not seeing her for years. The premise of the pilot was also pretty outlandish. Otherwise, it was a pretty good show if you're a fan of the genre. Good, straight forward fun.

Songbird (II) (2020)

Underrated Timely SciFi

[7/10 · 21 December 2020]

This was a great film. It is thoroughly watchable and in my opinion, totally underrated at this time on IMDB (4.3). It's set in the very near future following the progression of Covid-19 and, despite lacking any advanced tech, has a real dystopian science fiction feel to it. It describes a bleak future which requires some suspension of disbelief but which is also uncomfortably realistic in many ways. The budget is obviously limited but it's filmed in such a way that that the budget doesn't feel like it was any kind of hindrance. The acting was good, as was the editing and general production. I would definitely recommend this, especially to any fans of dystopian scifi.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

A memorable experience

[10/10 · 9 September 2020]

This is probably a love it or hate it kind of film. I loved it. The acting is superb. The dialog is second to none. The experience of watching this film was like a combination of a dream state and extreme lucidity. I found myself simultaneously getting pulled into the film and yet getting pulled deeper into myself as it caused me to reflect on my life. It actually made me question my own reality which is a rare and beautiful gift. I can give no higher praise than that.