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Reviews
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
Great start to a promising series
I love the first couple of episodes. It's setting up for a long run story line but I knew that coming into it. I'm hooked. The visuals are stunning. It carries the same awe factor that the movies did. I can't wait for more.
The storyline may not be action-packed but it does build a good up some suspense and excitement for what's next. The characters are all well cast also. My friends and I are trying to decide who we think the stranger is. I'm going to have to brush up on my middle earth history and lore.
The scenery is breathtaking. They have gorgeous panoramic shots that give you a sense of just how vast middle earth is.
Halo (2022)
I like the video game and the show
The video game came out when I was in high school. It holds a special place in my heart. That being said, I don't know why it's getting all this hate. Never taking off the helmet works for the video game. It doesn't make sense for the show. This show was made with respect towards those that love the video game. They even made a point to highlight all the OG Halo weapons in the very first fight scene.
The storyline so far is interesting enough. I'm excited to see where it goes. All the haters need to chill out.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Better than I hoped
This movie was so good. It ticked all the nostalgia boxes. It also reminded me just how good all 3 of the Spider-Man actors are. Spider-Man 3 almost made us forget how good Tobey Maguire was. He was a great Spider-Man. And because of how bad that 3rd movie was, we almost forgot that. And his role in this movie was just perfect. It makes me wish they made another movie with him in it. Andrew Garfield was so under appreciated in his role as Spider-Man. Both of his movies were only ok, but not because he wasn't good enough. He was really good. And the way they framed him in this movie gave him the redemption he deserved. And next to those two Tom Holland fit in perfectly. He wasn't outshone but he didn't diminish the other two either. He just simply cemented it in our minds that he was worthy to carry on the role. I just really want another Spider-Man movie from each of these 3 after watching this. So good.
The Wheel of Time (2021)
The books have me hooked. But not the show.
Maybe it's because I haven't read all the books yet (still working on it) and they are taking short cuts to plot points further on in the series, but the show is so far off from the first book that I barely recognize it. It started to come back to the book towards the end but then the season finale blew that up. The way it ended in the book was so much better.
Also, there are several things that make this show look cheap, even though I know it isn't. The trollocs cgi is bad. Their movements are choppy and almost appear sped up. Also, some of the cities and places feel like they didn't have the money to do any sweeping panoramic shots and they are just filming on a tiny set so everything is shot in close up.
I was really excited for this series and now I could care less if it continues. I actually started reading the books because I heard it was coming out. I'm hooked on the books but not on the show.
Ted Lasso (2020)
One of my Top 5 all time shows already!!!
I haven't bothered to review a show/movie in years but I have to with Ted Lasso. A 10/10 rating just isn't enough. I can't say enough about this show. It doesn't rely on larger than life events or high dollar special effects. It seeks to prove itself solely through the characters and their stories. Each character is humbly flawed and dealing with the real human experience that we run into daily in our own lives. We can relate to everyone's struggles regardless of whether or not we've experienced the same thing ourselves. The cast is perfect. All of them bring an incredibly personal performance each and every episode.
This show successfully pulls out of the viewer every single emotion that it intends to. You find yourself genuinely rooting for Ted, Keeley, Nate, and all the others including Jami Tart.
The main antagonist in this show is just life itself. Life can be great at times and a struggle at others. One person can be at the top of the world while at the same time another can be struggling to avoid rock bottom. We all need someone at times to help pull us out of the pit we find ourselves in. That's what you feel when you watch this show. It's not about football (soccer) or an American living in England. It's just about living.
Just halfway through its second season it's already cracked the top 5 list of my all-time favorite shows. I hate to bump The Newsroom off the list since Aaron Sorkin is one of my favorite writers/directors, but it's just that good. I don't know that any show will ever bump MASH from the number 1 spot but if this show keeps going like it is for a while longer it'll be a tough call to make.