Valid_ID Reviews

Airbnb: Dream or Nightmare? (2016 TV Movie)

Propaganda

[1/10 · 6 April 2024]

This is definitely NOT a documentary since it is biased, and presents only a tiny fraction of cases. In all likelyhood, it's a propaganda paid by hotels to bash AirBnb.

The cases presented in this film were all resolved, albeit after having to escalate the issue. But that's the case for all businesses, isn't it?!

Moreover, some of the victims presented in the film didn't do their due dilligence: the guy who rented his dad's flat in London admitted letting a very young guy (21-22 y/o) who had no reviews whatsoever rent a brand new, luxury flat for New Year's. Not much of a surprise the young male renter threw a party and trashed the apartment.

In any business dealing with people there are some bad apples, and one needs to be very careful. One needs to go through the listings with a fine comb, and read the reviews.

Personally, I've been using AirBnb for a couple of months each year for almost a decade, and with 2 exceptions, I've been very pleased with the Airbnb alternative to hotels.

I find that Airbnb does as much as any business to support its customers, which is not to say a lot, but alas, these are the times we live in, when big businesses all seek to shirk their responsibility.

Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror (2021)

What about IRAQ???

[1/10 · 25 March 2024]

No word is mentioned in this so-called documentary about the war in Iraq that Bush and Chenney started under false pretenses.

Did people forget so quickly the thousands of lives lost, and over a trillion dollars spent in Iraq???

Moreover, that war caused a lot of resentment that benefited the Taliban, and caused the rise of Isis.

Cheney made billions in the process, while Bush jr. Should have been impeached, and marked by history as an incompetent fool.

What this documentary does is to re-write history and spreading propaganda.

Shame to the executives and producers for being so cheely as to sweep under the rug events that happened in our lifetime, and affected the US at least as much as the 9/11 attacks!

When will people learn to filter through the few working neurons they have that the information they receive nowadays is not to be trusted?!

The Mother (2023)

Overrated

[1/10 · 23 March 2024]

There's been a lot of artificial hype around this movie that just came out on Netflix in March 2024, mainly because it features Jennifer Lopez, a vastly overrated actress.

Turns out it's the same garbage as thousands of other forgettable B-list movies: super-woman tries to protect girl from bad guys. That's it in a nutshell.

It's an action movie, with a lot of fights, guns, and explosions (and very little common sense), and amidst them all, JLo is WHISPERING, maintaining a perfect coiffed hair despite the mayhem.

(As a side note, the makeup is as bad as everything else in this movie; there's too much rouge on JLo's sunken cheeks).

Just one of the many examples where the viewer must suspend belief in this film: JLo chases a guy for 15 minutes, jumping over cars and running faster than many other cops, but when she catches up with the perp she's not at all out of breath?!

Bad acting, bad directing, trite story. Pass.

Werewolf by Night (2022 TV Movie)

Bad acting

[1/10 · 16 November 2023]

The acting is terrible, with the exception of Gael. Garcia Bernal. Harriet Sansom Harris is a such an inept actress in all the movies I've seen her that it's a mystery how she gets casted; perhaps she has good connections.

The story is a mish-mash of unoriginal elements, nothing to write home about.

The sets are fine, the lighting and the rest of the production are all well done, but the acting is so bad that it grated on my nerves.

I tried to watch this movie twice, thinking perhaps I missed something since it's so highly rated here (currently 7.1 stars).

But nope, there's nothing really interesting in this movie. This was really a waste of time.

Devs (2020)

Snail paced series

[3/10 · 7 November 2023]

These series appears intriguing, but it's just a rehash of an old story, that of a crazy rich guy who uses software for his own twisted reason.

The pace of this series is what kills any hope of entertainment. 8 long episodes when 2 or 3 would have sufficed.

The dialogue, delivered in a trance by all characters, without emotion, are boring ad-nauseam. Every word is uttered in the same tone, with long pauses, like by robots.

I also disliked the unnecessary swearing, and the propaganda claiming China is the greatest country on earth today. China has the most money, but money is definitely not what makes a nation great.

The acting is wooden, wikth the only exception being the beggar guy, who is excellent.

The mise-en-scene is great, special effects, camera, lighting - all good, hence my 3/10 rating.

I Love You, America (2017–2018)

Vulgarity becomes Sarah Silverman

[1/10 · 6 November 2023]

Sarah Silverman can only attract attention by being shocking and vulgar. This series promises a lot, but soon returns to where Sarah Silverman is most comfortable: in a ditch.

The first episode adds 2 naked people in the audience, and the camera pans on their genitals: why??? Sarah Silverman herself admits this adds nothing to the "story". She needs the shock to keep people tuned in on her vulgar, despicable. Devoid of any humor, show.

I resent the lack of respect for people's beliefs. Sarah Shiterman obviously thinks she alone has the answer to the world's problems. That's called being dellusional.

The Cat and the Moon (2019)

Boring

[1/10 · 21 October 2023]

It's very telling that the reviewers who rated this movie 10 stars have no reviews for any other movies.

Naturally, art is subjective. What some consider this a great movie, others see it as boring. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

However, when people come here with the purpose of artificially boosting the rating of a single movie, that particular movie rating becomes abnormally skewed (fake).

And such is the case of "The cat and the moon" movie written, directed, and acted by Alex Wolff, and currently streaming on Hulu.

Statistically, a movie written + directed + acted by the same person has not been a good experience, because the perspective is narrowed down to the one person's contribution.

Such is the case here. In the end, there's no story to tell, just the ordinary life of a teen nowadays, who smokes weed at school, parties, and generally lacks any parenting control and guidance.

Nothing new or interesting IMO.

Nada (2023– )

Old guy living on his own terms

[2/10 · 16 October 2023]

This series is not for everyone; it certainly did nothing for me. I found it pretentious and superficial.

Robert De Niro's name is listed first, but he makes a token appearance. It's obvious they used his name in this series to drawn in an audience.

The production is fine (acting, camera, etc.), but it lacks an actual story. There's hardly anything to write about!

The series is drifting in the wake of an old gentleman who lives life on his own terms.

Good for him, but is there something to learn from it?

When all was said and done, I learned nothing from this show, and I was not entertained. It didn't ellicit any emotions because I could not relate to the character.

Following someone without being moved, or inspired, is a waste of time. Reality TV would be an improvement over this series. (I don't condone watching reality TV, I just used it to compare)

And why make an entire series for something that doesn't add-up, provides no new information, and doesn't instill any feelings? Well, the answer is simple: streaming content is paid by the length. So stretching anything into series became the norm.

At this time, there are only 2 user reviews here, both raving about this show. I often discard extreme ratings, and artsy-fartsy reviews, unless backed-up by logic.

To any event, I learned it's best to judge by yourself, and not be influenced by strangers' opinions.

So go ahead and give this series a try, if you have time to waste.

Amish Witches: The True Story of Holmes County (2016 TV Movie)

Why would Hulu buy this?!

[1/10 · 16 October 2023]

Honestly, I am flabbergasted by Hulu's decision to buy this hogwash!

There are student projects that are much better than this.

This movie requires the viewer suspend all belief; its lack of common sense makes it impossible to watch it for more than ten cringy minutes.

Moreover, the entire production lacks any professionalism, from the amateur acting, to the bad sound, shoddy camera action and lighting - all scream this is a bomb.

The user reviews here are spot on, most of them giving it 1-star. Of course, there is the ubiquitous nincompoop who claims this is the best film ever, but such nonsense is not backed up by anything, so it can be discarded.

So where the total rating of 4.5 stars comes from, along with popularity of this movie apparently on the raise, is a mystery.

The Real Amish Witches (2016 TV Special)

Hogwash

[1/10 · 16 October 2023]

This so-called documentary features a few young women who claim to be Amish witches.

The first obvious fact is that these young women are very willing to live in "the world" of TV, cameras, and makeup rather than the monastic Amish life.

Secondly, their claims of witchcraft are not supported by anything other than some electric glitches that may very well be set up.

The "witchcraft" consists of the laying of the hands, which is a biblical concept, and medicinal treatment. So despite the claims of witchcraft, there is nothing interesting or surprising here.

And thirdly, the content of this time-wasting reality TV hogwash is lacking any sense.

Monster Inside: America's Most Extreme Haunted House (2023)

Hogwash!

[1/10 · 14 October 2023]

This so called "documentary" rewards people with no merit who want to be in front of a camera no matter what.

Each of these ego-maniacs are allowed to say their side of the story. The other party is never interviewed.

Then you have the biased "experts" who chime in on the same side. An unbalanced account can't be considered truthful.

Anyway, these people wanted to become "celebrities" on social media, so they agreed to go through a scary experience against being warned over and over again against doing it.

Now they are given the opportunity to whine about it in front of an even larger audience. Why, Hulu???

Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story (2019 TV Movie)

Abysmal production of a gripping story

[2/10 · 7 October 2023]

Lifetime took a terrifying, real story and turned it into a boring, glaringly fake movie.

The acting is absolutely attrocious. The little girl lacks any acting skills, I wonder who cast her in this movie, and why. As for the professional actors, especially the only name recognizable, Alyson Hannigan, they all should be ashamed of portraying of real life persons with such incompetence.

The soundtrack is cloying. The dialogue is inane. Eg., Question: "How long have you been watching me?". Answer: "Nobody will find you".

The scenario is illogical: the only time the abducted mother screams for help is several weeks after being locked in a closet when the kidnapper plays LOUD music!

Everything in this movie makes you aware how FAKE and idiotic it is.

Everyone involved in making this movie did an abysmal job.

60 Days In (2016– )

Interesting subject matter, poorly executed

[2/10 · 3 October 2023]

In a nutshell, this reality TV series is about people, unable to get along together, no matter the environment you put them in, whether it's the Big Brother house, or a county jail.

Although I found the subject matter interesting initially, the series is so poorly executed that I couldn't bear watching more than one season. (See below a tip of saving time when watching this series.)

There is a rehash every few minutes.

The soundtrack is annoying as heck, trying to indicate suspense when none is warranted.

Here's my suggestion: watch the first 20 minutes to understand that's all about and get acquainted with the characters, then skip to episode 10.

Everything that happened in between is rehashed, so you won't be missing anything.

Dancing with the Stars (I) (2005– )

Enjoyable show now that Tyra's gone

[8/10 · 1 October 2023]

I've been a fan of this show for years: I appreciate the production, from costumes, decor, dresses, lighting, etc.

The reason I only give it 8 stars rather than 10 is the political bias, which becomes more obvious -and annoying- with every season, and makes everything look more fake than glitter...

Now that the egocentric Tyra Banks is finally gone (it's been replaced by Julianne Hough, a dancer herself, and sister to one of the judges), I am back to enjoying the show.

Sadly, Len Goodman, the most senior of the judges, is also gone - in a final sense. He was a more conservative judge, who balanced Bruno Tonioli's over the top enthusiasm :)

I am a little surprised that Disney (who now owns the show) has not replaced Len. It's down to three judges now, and they are too much in sync to offer a wide "lens".

Children of the Snow (2019)

Would've, could've, should've...

[3/10 · 1 October 2023]

Three long episodes that reveal NOTHING NEW!

There's a seemingly endless rehash of perhaps 20 minutes of actual information on the cases, followed by a lot of "could possibly" (sic!).

The possible leads are weaved into fantasy by biased points of view, with no actual proof.

It's easy to point fingers in hindsight: there was incompetency on the part of the police, but lets face it, there's incompetency in all trades, so no surprise there.

I did tear up at the lifelong pain the victims' parents endure knowing their children were kidnapped, raped for 4-19 days, and violently killed, but other than this emotional reminder, there is no reason for this documentary.

If there is a lesson to learn from all the gory crimes media loves to showcase it's that being vigilant is way better than trying to find a culprit after the fact.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Here's what it all comes down to

[1/10 · 11 September 2023]

After jumping through hoops - or in this case, multiverses- it seems that to defeat the witch, it all came down to the girl using her power.

When even that didn't seem to work, the actual solution was to make the witch see what she did to her alter-family.

Thsi movie is a hodge-podge of fights, eye-blinding CGI, inane story, and an inclusive cast, which accounts for the Illuminati's useless appareance, and a complete waste of everything: time, money, talent, effort, etc.

Tiny detail, a single example of how dumb this movie is: a cultured person as Dr. Strange can't pronounce "Illuminati", as he's never heard the term.

South of Heaven (2021)

Subpar script

[2/10 · 6 September 2023]

This movie starts with a tirade supposed to be tearjerker, delivered in such way that I thought it was a lie. Sudeikis is making doe eyes to show his character is just an innocent man, but he goes on to make some bad decisions.

After Sudeikis' character kills a man in an accident, he decides to chop the body up. The victim turns out to be a bad man, but Suideikis' character didn't know that when he decided to dispose of the body and hide the accident. Can't blame this bad decision on his corrupt parole officer.

Then he kidnaps a don's kid, who almost gets killed in another car accident. Another poor decision, which only ends well because of some preposterous, forced heart strings tugging.

There are too many details that don't fit: an inmate with long hair ?, a woman with terminal cancer having a tanned and rosy complexion and way too much energy, a mafioso that melts down just by talking for 5 minutes to a woman he's never met before, and decides to spare her and her fiance, and so on.

The entire screenplay and dialogue are so artificial that they make it difficult to suspend disbelief.

Jason Sudeikis uses the same mannerisms, and fake accent as in "Ted Lasso", but those don't work in this movie.

The way Sudeikis character solves the threat is preposterous, as he single-handedly dispatches a whole gang of mobsters right in the don's house!

On and on, this movie is a long string of bad decisions from screenwriting, directing, editing, and down to the last minute which shows a siluette in a boat, without any explanation.

The Night of the 12th (2022)

An unsolved crime

[2/10 · 21 August 2023]

The movie is about the work the police did to find the murderer of a young woman, to no avail.

The crime remains unsolved.

Granted, the movie is overall well acted and filmed, but it has many irrelevant, disjointed scenes that drag, like moving a sofa, the background personal story of an extra, etc.

I'm not sure what the viewers are supposed to glean from the story. Is it that most murderers are men, and most police trying to catch them are also men?

That's a fact mentioned in 1 minute in the movie, no need of 89 more minutes to expand on it.

Is there anything else to learn from the story? I doubt it.

Personally, I felt I wasted my time.

The Stand (1994)

Atrocious adaptation

[1/10 · 28 July 2023]

Having just finished the awesome novel "The stand", I was naturally curious about the movie. The 2020 remake has bad reviews, so I watched the original 1994 mini-series.

Aside from the ridiculous FX, and the annoying soundtrack, which are both expected in a 30 year old, cheaply made TV series, everything else is terrible without the excuse of time elapsed.

The cast is poorly chosen (Nick was supposed to be in his low 20s, while Rob Lowe playing him is obviously 15 years older, Harold was supposed to start out as a fat teen but in this series is a much older, thin guy with bad acne makeup, Larry was supposed to be a hippie wit long hair, Frannie had blue eyes in the book, etc.)

More importantly though there is no character development, and the bad editing caused the movie flow to appear choppy.

A huge disappointment!

I Saw the Devil (2010)

Unoriginal violence and nudity

[3/10 · 11 April 2023]

The high ratings given to this movie are for the violence and nudity that seem to attract so many people nowadays.

The story is neither original, nor interesting. Moreover, it has more holes than Swiss cheese.

Just one example: "one of the 4 criminals suspected by police for the brutal dismembering of a young woman because they committed similar crimes" is allowed to drive a school bus???!!!

Numerous silly details have been bothering me throughout the movie, like the main character searching the criminal's room by first looking under the bed, and only then noticing the very obvious big locks securing every drawer, he had to pass by to get to the bed?!

Then the fact that the criminal is forced to swallow the GPS with microphone, and the device (including the microphone) working for days without being purged??!!!

Stupid.

Jawline (2019)

Delusional, vapid teen

[1/10 · 11 April 2023]

In a nutshell: Austyn, a teen, wants to become rich without work.

Austyn's inane message is "I have positivity, so I'll get famous and rich, and then influence others to become positive", repeated ad-nauseam.

Sadly, Austyn's single mom, and older brother, enforce his delusion.

If children are our future, and children are as depicted in this documentary, then our future is dire indeed!

The vocabulary of the teens featured in this documentary doesn't surpass 100 words, with every other word being "like".

They spew the same platitudes over and over again, like broken records.

These teens are obviously uneducated, and lazy. The problem is, there's no one there to set them straight.

Parents need to do a better job raising their progeny!

Teachers no longer have any authority, so they can't discipline these brats any more.

The Ravine (2021)

A hodge-podge of beliefs, not actually Christian

[1/10 · 10 April 2023]

Only people who do not know the Bible can claim this is a Christian-inspired movie.

For one, nowhere in the Bible do the dead use mediums to communicate, or warn, with the living.

Secondly, in Christianism there can be no forgiveness without repentance.

This film is rather a hodge-podge of confused - and confusing- spirituality, mostly narrated in a one-tone voice, with a sacharine backtrack throughout. Very boring!

The dialogue is trite, and the story illogically requests forgiveness toward a monster who killed his wife and child for no reason other than the "darkness" in him(and here a black mist is actually shown around him as he murders his family, as if viewers are too dumb to know what darkness is, and need animation!).

An inane and boring movie with no redeeming quality.

I'm Your Man (2021)

Layered, out of the ordinary movie

[8/10 · 29 March 2023]

In an age of sequels and movie remakes, this movie definitely stands out.

For one, it makes the viewer THINK.

The subject is fascinating, and becomes more and more pertinent as technology progresses: will robots be able not only to be lovers (as in sex toys), but also instill and share an emotional relationship with humans?

Yes, there have been other sci-fi movies on the subject, such as "Artificial Intelligence (2001)", but this film digs deep into the complex female psyche, and presents more mature arguments.

The answer is not straight-forward, and the movie does a great job presenting both sides of the "debate": some humans will be totally happy with a robot, while more complex individuals will be torn between the ease of getting their needs met, and the fact that the lack of challenge weakens the human character.

The superb acting of the main protagonists is outstanding, especially Dan Stevens'. His every move evokes the robot he so excellently portrays!

Pu-239 (2006)

So dumb!

[1/10 · 23 March 2023]

This movie is beyond dumb. Allow me to give some examples, as someone who experienced those times.

First, the movie shows a grocery store in USSR selling fresh bread and oranges without any people waiting in line. Anyone who lived in USSR in those times knows that peple would form a line in front of an empty grocery store if only rumors of food deliveries would start.

Then an old woman in a complex of apartment buildings is milking a goat. There were committees in apartment buildings which wouldn't have allowed a goat to be raised - and milked- there, in the open.

Perhaps the most glaring example is the one when, after the main character finds out he's been irradiated, he goes straight home to his family, and hugs his boy and wife, passing on the radiation. This is an educated man who knows what radiation does; he even addresses that later in the film. Despite that, he is rubbing off his family for days before he finally leaves the house to sell the plutonium he stole.

Third example of stupidity, the main character goes to an open market to sell stoien plutonium, and holds up a sign to indicate that. How dumb is that?!

Moving on. What are the odds that the idiotic thugs inadvertently kidnap the dog belonging to a mafia don?!

The inane situations abound in this movie, but I'll mention one last example.

The wife goes to a big wig Party man and threatens him to expose the radiation leak to the West, and she's allowed to leave the country?! In real life she wouldn't have been allowed to leave the official's office, let alone the USSR!

Instead of this inane movie, watch the "Chernobyl" 2019 mini-series streaming on Hulu right now.

March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step (2017)

A work of art

[10/10 · 20 March 2023]

This second installment to the famous "March of the Penguins" focuses on the penguin chicks. The adorable creatures can melt a heart of stone - or ice.

At one point, a little chick tumbles on the ice in a hilarious, endearing way.

I was blown over by the way in which the camera captured the scenery, making every shot the best shot.

The work and effort that went into making this documentary cannot be overstated.

The camera not only captures amazing details, such as the penguin chick fluffy down and feathers, but also offers an eagle view of the multitudes of birds in the colony, and even under water action of staggering beauty.

The image of the sunset (or is it sunrise?) over the endless ice, for example, looks like a painting.

Most of the scenery is obviously something very few people will be able to experience in their lifetime.