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Reviews
Army of the Dead (2021)
Great Premise but Poor Execution
Positives:
-> Great zombie makeup and gore
-> Alpha zombies are pretty cool
-> Heist premise is a fresh take.
-> Action scenes are fun.
Negatives:
-> All of the characters are either dull or annoying.
-> People stopping to make speeches instead of running.
-> Unnecessary side plots pad the film length.
-> Attempts at character drama fall flat.
-> Logic leaps: Nuclear fallout isn't deadly?
-> Cheap shot at former president Trump.
-> Awful pacing means many scenes draaaaag.
Doom: Annihilation (2019)
A Forgettable Experience
You go to watch a movie called Doom to see intense combat against hellspawn. You get that here, but very little. Dudes in cheap rubber suits shooting fireballs. In fact, there were multiple times watching this film that I swore I was watching the 2002 Resident Evil movie. The main antagonists are transformed scientists that basically act like zombies and pick off people that get separated. The exposition is clunky and score is basically just thrumming tones. The actors do as well as they can with the terrible screenplay, but to be honest I could not name one of them with a gun to my head. They're just that forgettable. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, but it wasn't able to hit that "so bad it's good" sweet spot that I was hoping for.
1922 (2017)
Slow-burn suspense film
The acting and atmosphere are top-notch. Story treads familiar territory but tells it in an impactful and often unsettling way. Thomas Jane disappears into his role to the point that I almost didn't recognize him. Great performance. The film does have pacing issues but worth a watch to see the story unfold.
Evil (2019)
Great Premise Torpedoed by Bland Writing
It's really sad to see good talent on screen being wasted on sub-par material. As a fan of paranormal investigation shows such as X-Files and Supernatural, I gave Evil a shot. But honestly, I was more bored than left in suspense. My wife was even less interested than me. If you want a show about dastardly racists, boring demons, and annoying kids then you came to the right place. I wish this could have been great but the end result was bland at best.
Castlevania (2017)
Surprisingly Amazing
What can I say? I'm pleasantly surprised. I've been hooked since episode 1 and have binged halfway through season 2. The heroes are flawed and relatable, and the villians are dastardly but also interesting. Lots of layers to the characters here. Ok so let's get to the gore. Man, this show does not hold back. From visceral violence to mass graves, you are directly shown the awfulness of what is happening as well as what is at stake. No pun intended. Give this show a shot!
God Eater (2015)
Story well told, but in familiar setting
This anime doesn't really break new ground and often falls into tropes you've seen many times before. However, I did engage with the characters and was excited when they succeeded and sad when they failed. Music is reaaaaly good and served to punctuate the more emotional moments in the story. Worth a watch and I hope to see a season 2 .
Ready or Not (2019)
Solid film, but falls short of perfection
I really enjoyed this film for what it was. They use suspense and dark humor well here to keep you guessing who you can trust. I was able to guess the big plot twist (family motivation) prior to the reveal which made it less impacting. Characters are.....ok. Don't come here looking for a deep plot either. Just enjoy the insanity!
6 Underground (2019)
Fun movie but not perfect
The movie is a really fun romp. However, I can't ignore the dodgy editing and abrupt changes in tone. So yea, it's worth a watch but it's pretty forgetable overall.
Jack Ryan (2018)
S1 and S2 are great!
S1 started off great with a counter-terrorism plot in the middle east. S2 switched gears to a plot that focused on civil unrest in south america. Great characters put into tough situations that makes for compelling stories. There are some times when you have to suspend your disbelief, such as in S2 when a certain team infiltrates a certain building that should been a LOT tougher to breach. But at the end of the day the show is great and my wife and I are looking forward to a S3!
The ABC Murders (2018)
We enjoyed it!
Full disclosure, I never read the source material so I went into this with no expectations. Good acting and a plot that keeps you guessing. Nice see Rupert Grint again after his time in HP. If you want a truly faithful book adaptation I am told you need to look elsewhere. But if you want a fun and slightly dark murder mystery this is worth a watch!
The IT Crowd (2006)
Hilarious!
I used to do tech support so I watched this show with my wife. I wasn't sure if she would be into it but man were we both laughing the whole way through! Clever casting and writing make this show a delight for both those savvy to tech humor as well as those who are less so. Really worth a watch!
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Great acting, forgettable songs
Ok so they really hit the nail on the head by casting Emily Blunt as Marry Poppins. I was pleasantly surprised by how well she made the role her own. The story is pretty straightforward and while adults will be able to predict what comes next, kids will be able to smile and follow along easily. I really wanted to give this more than 7/10 but the songs are truly forgetable. They're nice songs and the visuals are really imaginative, but I would be hard pressed to hum a single one. Compared to other Disney re-makes coming out lately this one hits all the right marks and is worth a watch.
Larva Island (2018)
Really weird and gross
I am fine with my kids watching silly shows; they dont all have to be educational. But man is this one dumb. All these characters do is strange yelling and farting sounds at each other in various locations and circumstances. My kid gets entranced in an almost hypnotic way that I believe may actually killing brain cells a dozen or so at a time. I don't forbid him watching this......thing...... they made but I usually cut him off after a few to put literally anything else on.