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Titans: Lex Luthor (2022)
It's really baaaaaad
Who wrote this? A four year old could have done a better job. This episode should be called Plot Holes The Seize Of A Medium Seized Country.
A few examples, Superman can fly around the world in a blink of an eye, but he can't drop by for a second to meet Connor. The time it took him to write a letter, he could have visited Conner dozens of times. And a letter? Seriously? Superman doesn't know WhatsApp? And why didn't he see him earlier? And what is with the whole merry field trip to the Superman laboratory anyhow? Why didn't they help out before? They sure could have used it.
The bizarre reaction to the incident with Gar: 'Your alpha-waves fluctuated slightly' Fluctuated slightly? He destroyed half a building for crying out loud and nobody seems to care.
I could go on and on, all in the first episode.
Sadly Titans and I will part ways. I was a fan, but there's a limit.
The Secrets of Hillsong (2023)
Carl says sorry
There are two things wrong with this production: there's no focus and they failed to ask Carl en Laura Lentz some quite obvious questions.
About the focus: what is the documentary about? That evangelical organizations tend to be very conservative and have a strong bias towards all people that are 1. White and 2. Male? Thats how 90% of the Christian churches work, especially the pentecostal ones. Of course it's very sad when a young girl of color finds out she never will be a pastor because she isn't 1. White and 2. Male. But, no disrespect intended, she should have read the fine print before joining. Instead, the documentary should have been about a narcissistic opportunist (not Carl) and his buddies (enter: Carl) who see religion as a way of making (heaps of) money.
I can imagine how the production meetings went: a bunch of happy, lefty, intellectual people with no clue what churches are, were in the proces of making the show with the bad-narcissist approach. But then someone noticed "Wow, they are against abortion, gay-marriages, equal rights! Our viewers can't relate to that. Let's interview gay/female/colored people and let them speak out what we all think in this room!" -cheers all around- I imagine one person in the back faintly arguing: "But the majority of the (young) people who go there, share these opinions. Shouldn't we at least interview one or two of them?" Of course not, don't be ridiculous!
And then, just before the meeting was closed, there came this huge announcement. Carl and Laura wanted to be on the show! -more cheers, clapping- "The negotiations were successful. Carl and Laura agreed to tell their story! Of course we won't ask them any uncomfortable questions or verify their stories. -some laughter- "We are producers, not journalists" -more laughter- The faint voice in the back said something about telling the other people interviewed in the documentary that they will be participating in a crying-Carl-I'm-so-sorry-but-'they'-are-to-blame show. But alas the meeting was already over.
And there you have it. Interesting footnote is that Carl joined another mega church with accessory celebrities and controversies. Let's see how this turns out.
Ted Lasso: Sunflowers (2023)
Brought to you by the city of Amsterdam?
I found this episode on the edge, honestly óver the edge of mushiness. And soooo predictable, hey we're in Amsterdam, let's make it about drugs, gays, bikes and sex. Add some Van Gogh, Hazes, Cruyff and voila, a sentimental city-tour episode, brought to you by the Amsterdam Tourist Office. Gezellig.
But I am in the minority... I think it's because I'm Dutch myself... So my second take on this episode (looking past the canals and woonboten): I was a huge fan of the series, but after the first episodes of the new season, I almost decided to stop watching. The show became repeating itself, looked without course, characters becoming caricatures. But this episode seems to be a pivot and an anchor for the season (at least, I hope). And yes, now I can agree it's a great episode. (With still one point deduction for all the biking)
Super League: The War for Football (2023)
Commercial for Ceferin
A good documentary shows both sides and leaves room for the grey between black and white. That's not the case.
The formation of a super league has some merit. In the USA all major sports are organized in super leagues, F1 is a super league, so it can't be all bad. The actual reason UEFA (or Ceferin) is against the plan, isn't because they have the noble, everlasting spirit of soccer in mind. The moment the SL starts, UEFA will lose all power and will face bankruptcy because UEFA's main cash cow, the Champions League will be doomed without the major clubs.
The past years UEFA's course was one of pleasing the few big clubs in favor of the many smaller ones. Their permanent objective: to be wealthier and more powerful than FIFA. In that struggle all is allowed and UEFA sold his soul to the gods of capitalism many times. This kind of nuance is lost in this series and that makes it a well made commercial.
Boss Level (2020)
Groundhog Day on steroids
Just sit through the start of the movie. This isn't a cheesy action packed version of the very, very often used Groundhog Day plot.
Well, actually, it IS a a cheesy action packed version of Groundhog Day. But it's also much more than that. It's very funny, good acting and it even gets away with morality lessons like you should spent time with your loved ones.
I don't think I'd seen a movie with Grillo before, at least not that I remembered. But he's the perfect man for this job: being the fatalistic, cynical anti-hero. And Mel Gibson is the perfect bad guy archetype.
So: Boss Level proofed to be a lot of fun and much more than I expected!
Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021)
I don't know
The atmosphere is dark, strange, creepy. That's clearly well done. Also, I'm in love with Lisa, she's beautiful, bur real and has a bright, innocent as well as a very dark, almost rotten side.
Still, is BNCF good?
The story is set in the nineties, why? Sure, they don't have mobile phones and don't check instagram accounts, but what's the purpose of this decade? It seems to have no function other then Well, it works for Stranger Things
The plot is very, very thin. There's a lot of suggestion of suspense, mysterie and surrealism. But when you look behind the (I admit, very beautiful) facade, I'm afraid there's nothing there. No David Lynch present, not even a distant relative.
It's slow. Especially the later episodes I watched with my finger on the fast-forward button.
So, my conclusion: very beautiful made and Rosa Salazar and Eric Lange are really good. And that's it. All other aspects/ actors are not very interesting or special.
Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified (2021)
One sided, disappointing
I was hoping to see a show about facts. Facts nobody can explain. About questions like pilots seeing 'things'. If the things are aliens far more advanced then us that don't want to be discovered, why do we see them at all? On the other hand, if the things are natural phenomena, why do we never see them up close?
Instead what Netflix produced is a very cheap X files episode. There are no deep questions or doubts and an utter lack of facts. They give us George Adamski for crying out loud, the man (and his beer cooler) was recognized a fraud years ago. At least you should mention the debate about this story. (In Arthur C Clarke's words, the produces suffer of a severe case of Adamski's disease)
So, if you are genuinely interested in the unexplainable, don't watch the series. And to be honest, I can't think of a reason anyone else should watch this all the same.
Black Mirror: Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too (2019)
Don't get it, why so negative..
There's really not very much wrong with this episode. OK, some major plot wholes, some 'yeah right' moments, and the whole transferring brains theme get's a bit old.
Okay when I'm typing this: there is al lot wrong with this episode. BUT: the acting was descent and I did enjoy watching it
Black Mirror: Striking Vipers (2019)
Not bad but slow
Acting was good, both the main characters. The story is strange like you would expect. But there was tension missing. I fast forwarded quit a bit....
Still, good start of the season!
Game of Thrones: The Last of the Starks (2019)
I don't care anymore
The nice girl beheaded, the fleet sank, half of the dragons killed, some pissing contest between the dragon queen en Sansa. I couldn't care less. And that's horrible for a show I loved so much.
Game of Thrones: The Long Night (2019)
OK I admit
My 6 yo son wrote this episode
What a disappointment. Even bigger than Lost, that show got weaker and weaker. But GoT... its like magic: pooofff and all is gone.
Polar (2019)
Over the top
Over the top; the characters are all cardboard; more blood than water; plot holes the size of Canada.
And still: very enjoyable
Doctor Who: Arachnids in the UK (2018)
Sadly, the other reviews are correct
I read the reviews and was prepared for the worst. And very sorry to say, the reviews were right. Why are there no aliens? Why is there no plot? Why are there three sidekicks? And I couldn't care less for any one of them (OK, except maybe Graham)
I really like the new doctor, not (just) because she is a woman, but because she is a terrific actress. Why did they give her such a bad script?
I'm really terrified the next episodes wil be even worse...