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MannyInNewYork
Reviews
True Detective: Night Country: Part 6 (2024)
Not very good.
True Detective really hooked me with its first season. The following two were okay but still not quite as interesting as the first. We had high hopes for this newest season because we really like Jodie Foster and the preview looked pretty good.
Well, I found it at best mildly entertaining but mostly a disappointment. The plot was weak and the reveal at the end just wasn't satisfying. Maybe I am just sick of all the woke shows being churned out by every provider (HBO, Netflix etc.) . In this case, it's the "evil white men screwing the indigenous people" and the eco-pandering messaging. Along with that, there is an undercurrent of anti-male attitudes. Of course, there are requisite lesbians, mixed race families, angst-filled drama queens, a birthing scene and those tough-talking women (I have never heard as many F-bombs in any movie or series).
All the characters are cliched and not particularly likable. It looked like the actors were trying to compensate for a poor script by over-acting every scene. Not the worst thing I have seen, that would be Plan 9 From Outer Space.
Wander (2020)
Insulting
We sat down to watch this because the trailer looked interesting. Unfortunaltely, the opening credits were virtue signaling trash that immediately turned us off. I honestly cannot understand how someone decided that it is a good idea to push their politics and agenda on the masses of people that simply wanted to watch a good story - and I am assuming it was good but I really do not know because we did get past the first five minutes. Next time around, let your story do the talking instead of placing your neon sign up front and alienating a portion of your viewers. A poor choice by the people responsible for putting this movie out there.
The Killer (2023)
Not very good
I love Tilde. Too bad she wasn't in this movie (except for a minute or two) . A total marketing scam. We watched and thought about how things have fallen apart. It could have been a wonderful show but maybe the writers ran out of coke and couldn't sort it all out. Not cool.
What has happened to the true story tellers? They are long gone and replaced be gen-z losers that cant' tell Atlas Shrugged from Harry Potter. This is the new comic-novel world we live in.
Enjoy the new world of idiocracy and orwellian messaging. Yeah, this is what we have come to.
For those that think my opinion is extreme or off - watch the news. Not just MSM but all news. Things have gone awry.
The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)
Check it out - it's all good.
Surprisingly good. I love Poe. As a child, my brothers and I took his books out of the library and savored every story. This was the early 60s. We would often refer to someone that we thought was an imbecile as someone who "cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry."
Interesting mash up of several Poe stories and some of the writing is very , very clever.
There are obvious "check the boxes" elements but all in all it is a really good series. Worth watching for sure.
Some of the casting seems a bit off but so what? The main characters were wonderful. It is great to find some contemporary writers stepping up and raising the bar.
Watch it, you probably will not be disappointed.
Fisk (2021)
Checks the boxes
Not bad for an afternoon binge watch but is clearly designed to be a DEI offering. All the characters are quirky and the standard boxes are checked - gay parents, interracial marriage, Pan-sexual office assistant and a bloated creepy office temp. Kitty Flanagan is the focal point and she does a good job considering that the script is not that great. I see many people gave it wonderful reviews so maybe I just expected too much. I only watched the first season but I won't be going back for seconds. I've watched worse but Ihave also seen much better. This just seems to try too hard to be relevant and misses the mark for me.
The Rig (2010)
Green New Dull
So, after three episodes we finally catch on that this is another "woke", save the earth , "human kind is bad" , propaganda POS. Shame on us for taking so long to realize that this is what it actually is. Won't continue watching. The only missing thing is a drag queen bar scene with pre-teen children. Why do the new media makers have to fall into this trap?
The initial story is interesting , the actors are all convincing and the visuals are very good. You get hooked. My wife was actually into it - and I have had asked her to sit through many lousy sci-fi shows up until the political/social aspects became obvious.
And then it happened.shame on everyone involved - except the actors - a job is a job.
Mother! (2017)
Watch something else.
What a complete load of garbage. Rose Mary's Baby meets The Stupids. Lawrence (mother) and Bardem (the poet) have no chemistry whatsoever and it makes for an uncomfortable pairing. Bad casting - you don't believe they are a couple, not for one minute. The plot is idiotic, Ed Harris is wasted and the story drags on and on.
So, The poet is a writer that can't write and mother is some kind of artist renovator/soon-to-be-mother. Biblical references and bla, bla bla. The poet seems to like inviting strangers into the home despite the fact that he knows how it upsets his wife - he's a prick and his dismissive attitude is very irritating. Mother is equally irritating because she does nothing and takes all the abuse. Yes, a baby arrives, the schmuck poet writes something and he struts around like a smiling idiot. More people arrive. Yawn.
All this leads up to a gory, depressing climax of sorts but it is such a tedious movie you just want it to end.
Pretentious nonsense. Dark and depressing.
Night Sky (2022)
Good performances but poor writing.
Good acting and an interesting "idea" (the teleporting portals) that never becomes anything other than some vague "other worldly tale". The first two episodes were so slow moving we were going to skip to the last just to see how it ended. Well, we watched it in its entirety and we both felt it gained some steam starting with the third episode. It was okay , but unanswered questions, lack of a cohesive plot and a general sense that the writers simply ran out of ideas or didn't care enough to pull it all together made this a disappointment.
When you have really good actors and a lousy script it makes for an irritating viewing experience. I wouldn't watch another series from these writers but that's no reflection on the main cast.
It could have been good but it wasn't. Maybe all the open-ended issues are designed to pull the viewer into the next season. If there is a second season, I think we will pass.
They could have skipped all the sci-fi and made this a family drama about an old couple that run a fruit-stand.
Dune (2021)
Dune-ish
Better than the previous version but still not quite right. There is a bit of "woke" millennial influence in this version - yes, it is subtle , but it is there. The accents are ridiculous - everything from a Monty python character guy to a mariachi band leader. It's a good story (the books are awesome) - a morality play of sorts , honor , dignity and sacrifice but the true impact of the story still hasn't been captured in the movies. It isn't bad, but if you haven't read the books, it is convoluted nonsense and having read the books it is a a disappointment. I wouldn't watch it a second time and that is how I generally classify something as "good" - watch again worthy. Hey, it's your dime, watch or not. I would spend my dime elsewhere - watch Prometheus again.
Bad Movie Night: VelociPastor (2020)
Hey Dave, it's crap.
You already know this. You were smart enough to get funding , so you are smart enough to know this is garbage. Not bad enough to be campy, just bad enough to have people turn it off as soon as that "dinosaur" appears. Don't put this on your resume unless you're applying for a job at the waste removal plant.
Nine Lives (2002)
Worse than sugar free Haribo Gummies.
There is a tv commercial in which a group of teenagers stop at an old farm only to find that they are being stalked by a madman , one suggests that they get in their car and drive away - they reject that idea and then decide to hide in the barn behind the huge array of chainsaws hanging there. The characters in this movie make those idiots look brilliant.
I've watched a lot a very, very bad movies. I can usually find some small redeeming quality that makes say "hey, I've seen worse".
Bad acting, horrible screenplay and the cheesy "shot with an iPhone" look really made this one of the worst things I've ever seen and it had no redeeming value at all.
As mentioned in the header, the movie equivalent of sugar free Haribo Gummies. If that reference doesn't ring a bell, look them up on Amazon and read the reviews.
Devil's Island (2021)
The devils is in the details - but there aren't any details. Still , not bad.
No back story on any of the characters and that is a bit disappointing. We know the young woman inherits a house on an island. She is not well received for some reason. You never get a great explanation for anything that takes place. With that said, the lead actress has a quirky charm that makes it enjoyable. She is tough and perseveres. We get almost no sense of what the other characters are about. Not a horror movie and not exactly a drama either. The biggest surprise is that towards the end, some says hello to her. So, good actress and grade C script.
After Midnight (2019)
A really good mix of mystery, humor and love story
Enjoyed every minute of this. The acting, the low key humor, the music and the weirdness.
Some people knocked it and I can't understand why. The characters are all likable, the two main characters really have chemistry and the laid back , horror vibe just works.
If you like a love story with a bit of wackiness, check this out you will not be disappointed.
Congrats to all involved. A wonderful surprise. I will watch it again.
Collapse (2015)
Oh boy. When Metamucil doesn't work, you have a new option.
Lots of lame characters (the usual suspects - angry couples, the good hearted guy that saves a baby, the quirky hippyish professor) in search of something meaningful to say. They all fail. The physics professor is the lead and she tries her best to deliver a profound message but can't, because the dialogue is just that bad. A poor mix of poetry, mysticism and bad science.
The fog contains something that kills. Exactly why , we'll, who cares? The only safe haven is a cabin in the woods that holds some power to keep the beast at bay. What power? I could tell you but then I'd have to . . . So I'll let you do it yourself.
If there was an award for the most annoying character played by the most annoying actress, it goes to Heather (Kristin Barret). I watched the entire movie hoping that she would be killed off quickly. I guess they knew I would not be alone with this thought and dragged it on until the end.
One of the worst movies I've ever seen. It was free on Amazon and it still cost too much.
The Dead Files (2011)
It doesn't get any worse than this
How anyone could give this show a rating of more that one star is beyond me. The two investigators are moronic. They sound stupid, look stupid and act stupid. The BS "reality tv" look of the show only makes things worse because it is so obviously a pile of staged nonsense. How this got on TV is the real mystery.
We watched one show and knew we would never watch another show. You could not set the bar any lower. On the upside, these people are working so I'm not paying for their unemployment insurance.
The Oregonian (2011)
Boregonian
Complete garbage. Zero redeeming value. We following a clueless automobile accident victim through a series odd little events as she makes an effort to understand what has happened to her. The viewer has no interest in anyone or anything that takes place in this story. Is she dead? Is she alive? Is it a dream? We don't care.
How movies like this reach the public is the real mystery here. Terrible writing and storyline. The acting is stiff and forced Looks like it was shot with an iPhone and the soundtrack was recorded on a 1970 Tascam porta studio
I love the "Winner of the .... award" in the description on the Kanopy Site. Maybe winner of the Charmin Award.
I watched it with my wife and she gave me that "you made me sit through another POS movie". On a more positive note, it was a free movie.
Exposure (2018)
It could have been worse- it could have been longer
An absolute waste of time. Bad concept, lousy script and horrible acting - all acceptable if you're making a porno but this is supposed to be a horror movie.
They could have improved the movie a bit by telling the female lead to remove her nose ring. They could have really improved it if the male lead had no dialog and just sat on a log for the entire movie.
Not bad enough to be fun, just bad enough to make me want to avoid everyone involved in making this garbage
War of the Worlds (2019)
War Of the Worlds 2019 - what is it good for. Absolutely nothing
Garbage. Nothing like the book and simply an effort to cash in on the name. All the cliches are here - mysterious mass destruction, a small set of survivors featuring the compassionate "baby saver", the misunderstood black guy, the troubled couple struggling with their failed relationship, a girl with some lame intermittent blindness (I can see now, oops, now I can't, oh now I can see again, wait now I can't), just in case that isn't lame enough, they throw in some incest and an inbred wonder boy. The acting is flat, forced and even the actors don't seem to be interested in the story.
It started off okay but quickly fell into the typical drag out a poorly scripted television-movie for way too long and hope people will sit through the commercials. We watched the first four episodes with hope that it might get better. We won't watch any more of this junk.
No relation to the H.G. Wells story except for a few minor points
The entertainment industry has set the bar so low that it's hard to say what rating it really deserves . Maybe they need a new rating like SUX.
The X Files: The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat (2018)
SJW undertones and a clear poke in the eye to the current administration.
Amusing and goofy but the writers clearly suffer from TDS and can't help themselves. I'd prefer my sci-fi without the political leanings. I watched a few more episodes and noticed the same off handed swipe at the current administration. The media can't seem to focus on entertainment without bringing political views into their shows. Too bad, I find it a turn-off.
Top of the Lake (2013)
Contrived, lame and predictably frustrating
We watched this and with each episode we found ourselves saying "if adults are this weak and such ineffectual losers then the future is very, very bleak". Yes, it's just a show, but it is another indicator of what our society has become. The characters are all spineless beta personalities - they spend more time wallowing in their angst than dealing with life's issue.
It was the last week of the year, we were home and we decided to watch this series. After being caught up in the first two episodes, we started to see the plot line turning into the usual "all drama and no substance" scenarios that so many of these series become.
It was frustrating to see characters portrayed as such stupid, weak and limited personalities.
No spoilers here - the series is in itself a spoiler. If you want to be disappointed and become wary of all other similar series, then go ahead and waste your time.
My opinion - watch something else, this is garbage.
Bad writing, irritating leading characters and a waste of time.
Castle Rock (2018)
Good start and then the inevitable "turn to garbage".
We enjoyed the setup, the introduction to the characters, the quirkiness and the very nice cinematography. A complicated plot but worth paying attention to. We were just saying "hey, this is pretty good" , but then the writers appeared to go on a voyage, wherever that voyage took them was far, far from the original story. By the time we reached episode seven, we were already saying "what was this all about". By the end of episode seven we knew we were screwed. Just like most of the lousy Netflix euro series that are big on atmosphere, overly dramatic posing and lame story lines - this really was a let down. I won't even get into the story line. Take some really talented actors, give them a solid script, let them draw the viewers in - and then , bam - serve them up some convoluted garbage. We stopped watching at episode nine. We stopped because we were a) bored b) disgusted with the lame plot twist and c) pissed off that we wasted so much time on a series that simply falls apart and makes you feel foolish for spending so much time watching.
Don't waste your time.
Paradox Alice (2012)
A must watch. If there's absolutely nothing else available
Looks cheap, sounds cheap, acting was bad but that could be the cheesy script and poor direction. It's as if the writers were trying to deliver some faith based message but ended up with some lousy soft core space porn. A stupid story and a cringe worthy video.
The other reviews with spoilers pretty much sum it up -it's garbage. I watched it out of curiosity while killing two hours waiting for rotisserie chicken to fully cook.
Chicken got 10 stars, movie got 1.
Carnivore: Werewolf of London (2017)
One star for the costume
Yes it's a horror.
A real bottom of the barrel horror movie. Or, maybe it's a parody and in that case it's the worst parody I've seen.
The storyline is okay (a couple in a flaky relationship encounters a monster during their weekend rendezvous). I won't say much more because I don't want to ruin it for anyone that wants to be surprised (although I doubt anyone would be surprised by anything that takes place - I sure wasn't). Even though the basic story concept is fine, the script is hideous and it has a high school film project quality to it.
Everything else is really terrible.
The acting is flat, there is no chemistry at all between to two leads. Neither character gives seems clear as to what their relationship is really all about (lousy script and directing?). Obligatory sex scenes are awkward and seem to be introduced at inappropriate moments in the flow of story. Too bad the actors didn't have better material to work with as this made them all look bad.
Camera work is cheesy, music added nothing and pacing just doesn't cut it.
There is one thing I found enjoyable - the monster (a wolf kind of thing). Probably the worst costume I've seen since I was a kid and watched Robot Monster (1953) - that was a man with a divers helmet and a gorilla suit. This wolf thing is pretty much on a par with that. This is what made me think that this might be a parody. Yeah, it's that bad.
Classic cliché ending but you're so glad it's finally over that you don't mind it at all.
Busanhaeng (2016)
All aboard and feel free to move about the cabin
Loved it. I saw a YouTube video about hidden gems on Netflix and they recommended this. I am pretty sick of zombie movies (actually I'm very sick of them) but we were bored, nothing else was on and we decided to watch this.
The pace is perfect, the acting was so very natural and the horror seems genuine. Actress Su-an Kim was amazing as the young girl traveling with her father. There are several strong performances in this and it makes all the difference. There are no dull moments as it the story moves from interesting to threatening to full out nightmare.
You really get pulled into the situation with these people because as I said, the acting is so natural that you feel you've gotten to know a little bit about these people in the short amount of time they are on the screen. My wife never watches horror / zombie movies but this hooked her immediately. There's just something about it that's a cut above most.
Not sure if the other reviews contain spoilers or not but I was glad that I knew nothing about the plot other than it involves people , zombie types and a train.
Watch it , I can't imagine a horror fan not thoroughly enjoying this . A pleasant (not quite the right word) surprise.
Wild Wild Country (2018)
Worth watching if only as a warning
Interesting mini-series. We were hooked on this immediately because we knew it actually happened and yet it seems so unbelievable. Cults are an example of group dynamics on full display. The power at the top, the lower tiers and at the bottom, the mindless drones that surrender themselves because it's easier than taking responsibility for themselves. All these people desperately seeking approval.
The Rajneeshees (the cult that follows Bhagwan) invade a quiet little Oregon town, transform it and pretty much ruin it for the original townspeople. How does this happen? This documentary lays it all out. The townspeople are portrayed as simple, paranoid and powerless. The Rajneeshees appear to be motivated, determined and "free from societies shackles". They also come across as bullies , paranoid in their own way and very, very proud of themselves for taking over this town.
The series was disappointing in that the viewer gets no sense at all of what this leader (Bhagwan) was teaching. You have no idea why people were so drawn to him. Instead, we just see how ruthless, self-righteous and narcissistic he and his loyal followers were. The interviews (more like dialogs as nothing is challenged) with the cult members paint them in a fairly positive light even while they discuss murdering those that oppose them. It's tough to tell if this is supposed to be an objective documentary. I don't believe it is. It's as if the makers are saying "sure, we acknowledge they did some bad stuff but aren't they motivated by love?".
There are brief references to illegal activity but they are glossed over quickly and no details are given. Why is that?
In the ending segment, when we are seeing these top level cult members "today", they still project the same smug arrogance that is so obvious in the real footage used throughout the documentary.
So, I enjoyed it but it was flawed in that core issues like criminal activity (attempted murder, money laundering, immigration fraud) , the actual belief system, the disgusting use of bussed in homeless (brought in to sway voting results and then rejected when legal issues kept them from voting) are touched upon but never really explored. There are some very disturbing things the group participated in, but the film dismisses them and instead focuses on the narcissistic and "we are the victims " dialogues of four main cult figures. It made me wonder if those involved in producing this were cult members.
No one associated with the cult is likable. You feel bad for the townspeople. The entire incident is depressing and fascinating at the same time. It does make it quite clear that yes, it CAN happen here and that's a bit spooky.