evan_lassi Reviews

Secret Invasion (2023)

Started ok but usual MCU post Endgame

[5/10 · 14 August 2023]

Well Disney says they're going to pull back on content for the MCU (Star Wars too,) and hopefully they do cause this just isn't working anymore. Invasion started out ok I guess but it's like so much of the content for several years now, run out of fresh ideas so let's just do a spin-off of something that's already been done or established, and then rush to wrap it up.

The whole "Rhody" being a Skull was the first lazy attempt. I saw the reviews with people now trying to figure out when the switch happened, like all the previous movies planned for that nonsense. And on top of that, it's clear Skrulls Rhody hates Earth and humans but he's just now acting like it? So my guess is the switch happened recently vs. All the theories it happened as long ago as after Civil War.

The Harvest? Now let's revisit Endgame, this time collecting DNA from Capt. Marvel and the Avengers after Thanos lost so they can create Super Skrulls? I guess that's the plan anyway but why? And not entirely sure why Fury was behind the idea, it wasn't made clear. And of course the ending/fight is horrible.

It's just lazy, it's too much, and now they're ruining established characters in the process.

The Consultant (2023)

What just happened?

[5/10 · 24 July 2023]

Each episode is 30min each, only 8 episodes so got this in pretty fast and in that regard the show did its job keeping you around wondering what's happening and the ending, and then.................. nothing.

Some examples: The beginning of the first episode of course reels you in with the kid murdering the CEO but like the rest of the show, no reason is given as to why and it literally happens pretty much every episode.

The Consultant apparently drives up a mountain every day where there is nothing but a porta potty, never find out why or what he's been doing, in fact you actually never even see him go up there, one of the main characters Craig and a supporting character go up there and find it. That's it, never get a reason and never hear about it again.

Speaking of Craig, the Consultant I guess brainwashes Craig's fiance Patti and has her locked in the unknown Records room just typing away at a type writer for days till the very end when the other main character Elaine finds her in there and in non-dramatic fashion snaps out of it.

Another one is the Consultant took Craig to a high-end club/lounge and all the drinks are just colors, he meets a foreign girl that has scars on her face and an amputated leg, the Consultant knows her somehow but nothing happens, Craig ends up getting drunk/high/something and they leave but as they're leaving, the Consultant has a kidnapped body thrown in his backseat completely covered and they just start driving with Craig freaking out. They stop at a gas station and while the Consultant is inside, Craig cuts the body bag open and it's the foreign girl. She gets out, says look for this jewelry maker and runs off, never seen or hear about her again besides the Consultant saying she's a druggy right after she ran off and he wanted her back in treatment. And the club/lounge they were at, the next day Craig goes back to it and it's an office.

The last example is the game they make, no one can get past level 316 and every person in the focus group playing it snaps and punches through glass or something, again no explanation given and then we see the kid who murdered the CEO in a hospital playing it and beats it.

These are just some of the examples. Like I said with stuff like above happening, it keeps your attention wondering what is going on and what is going to happen but to pretty much leave everything with no explanation, pretty annoying. Maybe the book has all the details but not great now knowing nothing happens.

Renfield (2023)

Too bad for Cage

[5/10 · 16 July 2023]

This one really fell flat for me. It was a clever story partly and it had some laughs here and there but overall just not good comedy wise. Awkwafina's didn't seem interested in this movie at all, that's literally how flat her stuff fell to me.

The story with the mob and police was so dumb and joining forces with Dracula didn't help it. It's like they didn't have enough ideas for Renfield and Cage.

Renfield wanting to get away from Dracula was a nice set up and I liked doing the throwback to the original Dracula. Cage was great, good acting from him but he didn't seem to be in it as much as he should have.

The Flash (I) (2023)

Pleasantly Surprised

[5/10 · 9 July 2023]

I came into this with low expectations because the DC universe is a joke and maybe that helped because I was honestly surprised by this one. I'm not saying it's great, it's definitely not but it's way better than I was expecting.

The story itself honestly isn't that bad. I really liked Keaton's role and was real glad it wasn't just some cameo, he actually plays a big role in the movie. All the small parts from Affleck, Gadot, and yup the climatic finale with all the different worlds showing Reeves, West, and even Cage and Clooney!

The stuff I didn't like is I just don't like Ezra Miller. He's got his moments but he's just not likeable. I didn't like how Superman never survived in the world they went to as a baby and his cousin Supergirl seems to get killed pretty easily. And of course time travel in a super hero movie has been done not too long ago, plus I think it's really run its course with the MCU and DC

Overall though honestly was pleasantly surprised.

Sick (2022)

I'll take Covid before watching this again

[2/10 · 31 May 2023]

Normally I can go for a movie with a new approach or twist to things. Usually when I see horror movies with at least a 6 star, it is probably ok at least. With this movie falling into that category I have to ask everyone who ranked this 6 or higher, WTH is wrong with all of you. Honestly ranking it higher than 2 I'll still ask that question. Holy hell this was bad.

The casting and acting was bad but the story was even worse. Since there's only 3 characters in the movie after the beginning, it's obvious the plot "twist" has to do with the social media make out video and that proved correct. A family (mom, dad, son,) is mad to the point of murder because they think the main girl gave their son Covid and he died later. That's literally it.

This gets 2 stars because I got a little Scream vibe the way the killers run after everyone with whatever weapon and the killers themselves (father and son in the black outfits,) look like the killer in Prom night. The other star is for when the main girl is on the road and the car stops so she's begging for help and the lady is worried about covid and if she has a mask. I thought that was pretty funny. The lady is the mom killer.

Thankfully it's not long but didn't stop me from checking how long it has to go.

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Biased but just can't beat the original

[5/10 · 29 May 2023]

There's no rhyme or reason, no story, it's just horror and gore and that's totally fine with me.

What gets me with this though is all the CGI. It's loaded with it as I would expect but I wish someone would just go old school again like the original. I don't know how much more it costs to go the prop factory route, if it exists anymore, or if it's just too time consuming but considering the original was made on a $350-$375K budget, I feel like it could be done.

Anyway the movie itself is exactly what you expect if you've seen the others. However it doesn't make sense when they found the camber with the records and Book of the Dead. Like what was the chamber in the first place and why is everything down there? At the end, I thought it was cool when the two possessed kids were sorta digging into their possessed mom, I didn't really know what was happening but then when it turns out they've attached themselves, I rolled my eyes, not good.

So it's nothing special but it served it's purpose.

Scream VI (2023)

Not bad, better than 5

[6/10 · 29 May 2023]

This new era of Scream isn't half bad but I still like the original trilogy better. I love the intensity of the killings in these last two though. They're way more intense with multiple, fast stabs vs slow 1-2 staps that are more dramatic than anything. What helps this one be better than 5 is the reason for the killing, which is just like pt 2. But it's still better.

Pt 5, the reasoning was horrible, the killers hated the Stab movies and wanted fresh material. This one, the killers family wants revenge.

I think they're doing a good job with the new era of characters and leaving the "legacy" characters as they call it behind. Dewey obviously isn't around after dying in 5 and Sidney isn't either but that was a contact/$ issue. So it's down to Gale and she's not in it very much and gone after her big fight and nearly dying.

It's going to get another sequel since the all the new era characters live and it made really good money for the budget and I'll watch.

Air (I) (2023)

Good Nostalgia

[7/10 · 28 May 2023]

Overall it's a good film that really seemed to capture the Jordan/Nike signing but I'm thinking this could have been more like a 10 part series or something instead, like Winning Time covering the Lakers in the 80's.

I'm a big fan of movies based on true stories and while this one is good, it just didn't have that "it" factor. Apart of me wants to think it's because we really already know what's going to happen, and that's Jordan signing. So many others, the story isn't really known plus it's got all the typical guy stuff we all like, violence, drugs, sex, etc.

I really liked the nostalgia factor, good casting, and music. And getting a feel for where Nike was vs. Converse and Adidas in the basketball shoe world and the pitch it took to get Jordan to sign was great.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Star Wars, The End

[3/10 · 27 May 2023]

That's basically what the MCU just made. After the build up from Loki, I was really excited to see how this would go. But then the reviews came out and kept coming so I decided to wait. Smart decision because wow this isn't good.

How does the MCU keep screwing up? This was seriously a lay-up from having an established franchise that's not half bad in Ant Man and then Loki building up Kang. This was literally bad from the beginning as soon as he picks up his (yet another progressive woke complainer) daughter. And now there's basically an entire Star Wars world that is the Quantum Realm now which also has the original Ant Man villan as M. O. D. O. K, hence my subject line.

And then maybe this is just me being stupid but in End Game when Scott Lang is explaining the Quantum Realm and they thought it must have been a hard 5 years and he said that's the thing, it was more like 5 hours. Doing the math, Janet was down there for 30 years but in that world it was 30 hours right?

And it's a bummer because in addition to the Ant Man franchise being decent and the build up in Loki, I actually really like Majors in general and think he's a good actor!

I don't know how much longer the MCU has got because the good ones still left can't keep bailing out all the bad ones out lately.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

And I thought the 1st one was bad

[3/10 · 26 May 2023]

At least that one had Boseman no matter how flat it fell.

What is this? If you've been an MCU fan, you can't seriously tell me you liked this to go along with all the other hot garbage that's been coming out since Endgame (with the exception of maybe 3-4 movies and shows.) Nothing will ever stoop as low as the Eternals and She Hulk but a lot are really trying!

From an entire underwater army and leader to Wakanda suddenly having all sorts of their own ships and jets, it's absurd. I say suddenly because they definitely didn't have this random fleet in Infinity or End Game

But the worst was Riri Williams, aka IronWhatever. As soon as I heard the "young black woman" like she's oppressed, I was done. She's at MIT and find out quickly she has a huge warehouse to do all her experiments, she's not oppressed from anything. But it gets better. She's never been in any type of fight or war but the FBI shows up and suddenly she's a master with no fear when she suits up for the first time. Anyone who disagrees and tries to compare to Tony Stark, he was being held captive by terrorists to build more weapons and knew he'd die too, not attending college at MIT. Terrible build up.

Please MCU, take a bow and move on. It was good while it lasted but even with the good ones, there are too many bad ones to salvage the series.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

MCU needed this one

[8/10 · 17 May 2023]

It's no secret the MCU is running on fumes with the exception of a movie or show here or there ever since Endgame (No Way Home, Multiverse, Loki, Wandavision.) On the other side of the coin, not only have there been some really bad content but there's just too much of it since Endgame and it's going to cost them. Empire comes to an end regardless but Disney is speeding up the process.

Having said all that, Guardians was finally a movie going back to what made the MCU so good for a decade. This movie is fantastic in its own right because it's tough to beat the first or second. I'm going to miss Gunn because he really grasped how to run a franchise and he's proof of what works. This installment had its action and humor but it felt a little more darker with Rocket's backstory.

I don't know what's next given the end credit teaser with Star Lord and Pratt in general along with the "revamped" Guardians but I really hope this is it with that group. Great job.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

For what it is, it's Good

[7/10 · 13 May 2023]

I had the wrong expectations coming into this one. I played the original as a kid back in the 80's so I'm thinking this would be something for everyone, like Shrek humor, a little more witty and more mature humor.

That is not what this is at all. It's definitely a kid movie for the youngsters. Nothing wrong with that, just not for me. I may have chuckled, not even full laugh, maybe 2-3 times, it's just very kiddy and not my thing.

The nostalgia was great though from all the characters, the sounds in the games to the spin on all the music from the games. I'm happy it's brought in so much money and it will be getting a sequel because of that on top of the post credits scene with Yoshi coming.

The Last of Us (2023– )

Fell flat for me

[5/10 · 1 May 2023]

I'm not a gamer and never heard of this one till the hype with the show came up. The first episode was awesome and really came out fast. Depeche Mode at the end and walking into the infected area with the destroyed buildings and seeing one of the infected in the distance was probably my favorite of the whole season. I really liked the 2nd episode as well but then it just all kinda slammed on the breaks with the exception for the end of episode 5 when the zombies came out of the ground and seeing the deaf kid turn.

Other than that, it just got really slow and felt more like the Walking Dead, another show I didnt care for.

I heard it's pretty close to the game so I must not be the target audience but this felt like a miss to me.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Eh

[4/10 · 5 December 2022]

I can see why this one just didn't do that great. It's not terrible but it's no good, it's just there.

They tried to ride the wave of Ragnarok and it didn't pay off. One reason is it's just tough to top the best one anyway but this one just tried to hard with the comedy and it was nonstop.

I wasn't a huge fan of the development of Jane becoming Thor at all. Immediately she's sick, the hammer is "calling her," she's Thor. It all happened within 10 minutes.

Teasing the Guardians was a waste of trailer time, they're barely in it.

I actually like Christian Bale's character and it was a good/quick build-pp reason to why he's the villain.

Ultimately though like I've been saying for a couple of years now, the MCU is running it's course. I think some will do better because they're characters in the original phases and/or if they come after a previous show or movie. But coming out with 6-8 shows and movies/year vs. Maybe 3 is really ruining the brand.

Black Christmas (2006)

Great slasher with no point movie!

[6/10 · 4 November 2022]

If you're looking for some depth, well thought out/thought provoking movie then this isn't for you.

The middle of the pack for Black Christmas movies, this one is the best in my mind. The original was ok, just nothing special and there were better movies at the time. The new one is a disgrace.

This is all gore and slasher with a few spots that make you cringe or have a cool twist; mother/son incest (cringe,) to the incest daughter AND her father who is also her brother being the killers. The kill scenes were clever and not full of CGI, at least making it look like it was t. Just pedal to the medal the whole time.

Again if you're looking for dialogue or something, this isn't it.

Smile (V) (2022)

Ring meets Truth or Dare

[6/10 · 1 November 2022]

Not a bad movie, nothing special. It definitely feels like certain aspects of the Ring meets Truth or Dare in that "it" just keeps going from one person to the next and the ending also shows it'll just keep going.

It has its jump scares and I did think the main character did a good job acting like she was about to lose it.

The knock is there is no "origin" to what the thing is and then it tries to tie her mother into it at the end but that still didn't really have anything to do with the evil thing. I also didn't like how the supporting cast was basically just left to the side; her fiance, her sister, her colleague, her therapist. Their parts all just stop and you don't see them again.

All in all, not bad but nothing great.

Halloween Ends (2022)

Halloween Ends? More like Shouldn't Have Started

[1/10 · 22 October 2022]

I'm not sure how to get 600 hundred characters in to cover the simple fact this movie seriously sucked but let's give it a try.

So 90% of the movie is about this random new guy Corey. He was a babysitter at the beginning of the movie, babysitting a lil brat who locks him in the attic to mess with him, he kicks the door open to get out and as a result accidentally hits the kid who falls over the railing dropping 3 stories and dies. The town now hates him, he's picked on by high school kids, etc.

Randomly he ends up in a sewer where Michael has been for the past 4 years and chokes him and I guess he becomes possessed or snaps because he starts killing everyone that's been mean to him.

Meanwhile, Michael's first appearance in the movie is at the 45 min mark, for about 10 seconds when he was choking Corey. Corey I guess becomes an "errand boy" at first and brings someone to the sewer for Michael to kill and after that he wants to do it himself and goes on the rampage mentioned before.

Corey goes to kill Jamie Lee Curtis and she somehow knows he's snapped and shoots him. He beats her to the punch in terms of "dying" and stabs himself to die. He doesn't quite die and Michael randomly shows up and kills his "apprentice" himself, final battle with JLC, end movie.

Absolute waste and it's clear the writers ran out of ideas on this one.

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (2016–2022)

Good Bye and Don't Come Back!!

[1/10 · 20 October 2022]

Absolute music to my ears when I finally heard Samantha Bee was cancelled!!!!

I watched a few of her shows at the beginning of her run and instantly knew what her show was about. Even many hardcore liberals grow tired of the same thing and that's an entire show with material made up of nothing but making fun of Conservatives. Unfortunately when it comes to "hit shows" on TBS, simply not watching didn't do the trick because her commercials were always on.

But one thing I was willing to bet any money on was if Trump lost in 2020, shows like hers (and Trevor Noah's run at the Daily Show,) wouldn't last much longer and that proved correct because they ran out of "material." Even SNL can get some jabs in against liberals now and again.

So good riddance Samantha Bee! Hot pile of garbage.

The Daily Show (1996– )

See Ya!!!!!!!!!!

[1/10 · 17 October 2022]

Just like his sidekick Samantha Beeover at TBS, it's no coincidence this guy is now out at the Daily Show.

When he first came on the scene, I immediately was like this is terrible, it's all completely liberal biased nonsense and even with Trump in office, it got old fast. Once Trump was out of office, I said it was only a matter of time before this guy was gone and finally that day is coming! You can only bash Conservatives for so long when they're not in the White House, or control the House or Senate, so he instantly proved his bias

Daily Show was awesome with Jon Stewart because he didn't play favorites, everything was fair game and that's why he lasted so long. I hope they can get someone like him again.

Ted (2012)

Hilarious

[8/10 · 7 October 2022]

This movie definitely isn't for everyone. Same type of comedy as Family Guy and American Dad obviously with Seth MacFarlane, which is right up my alley.

It's got plenty of the "offensive" stuff which to me is hilarious but the cut-away reference comedy many might not get like the Airplane reference.

It was completely original though. All of us as kids had toys or imaginary friends we wish were always around or could do more and this did that but immediately going to what happens when you grow up was genius. I think the cast was very good for the movie as well. It's mindless fun so if you're looking for some we'll thought our, plot driven, going for awards type movie, then this isn't one to watch.

Great movie!

Industry (2020– )

Season 1 is more 50 Shades of Grey, Season 2 is better

[7/10 · 21 September 2022]

Season 1 is more like an NC17, 50 Shades of Grey with a group of people who happen to work in the investment market. They really could have had them working anywhere and accomplished the same thing. It's really 90% sex, drugs, and partying, 10% business.

I think they made a smart move by dialing it back in Season 2 and integrated more of the business point of the show. It still keeps the sex and drugs but in this season its more like 50/50 one vs. The other.

The show has kept my attention overall wondering what is going to happen next whether it's some extreme sex scene, some type of yelling or slamming of something, or some business twist with the ladder happening more in Season 2.

Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Another lost Classic!

[8/10 · 17 September 2022]

If you're "woke", easily offended, or whatever, then just stop and don't bother, your sense of humor is not worth complaining about this movie.

This movie was hilarious in the 80's and it's hilarious today! On top of that, very original since you'd never seen a movie where the Nerds take on the Jocks and win.

All the complaining about sex, alcohol use, weed, get over it! It was common then and it's common now (to an extent of course,) so get your head out of the sand or just keep it there and don't complain. Sure a lot of the stuff in this movie if it were to happen today would lead to massive protests and jail time but alot of it was massively exaggerated for comedy, like breaking into the Pi house, watching them naked, and stealing underwear and setting up all the cameras!

One thing that still cracks me up to this day is the 20 laps around the track and chugging a beer every lap. There is no shot that would happen without someone dying and to me that's the point, just good, young, mindless fun that wouldn't happen at that scale!

The Office (2005–2013)

Hilarious!

[9/10 · 12 September 2022]

As someone who has a career in HR but has a sense of humor, this show is absolutely hilarious!

The amount of "HR violations" in each episode just makes me laugh so hard! All of them are legit violations but the best part is not that they're funny (and we all need to laugh more,) but that whoever is committing the violation isn't intending to do that for the most part.

The pranks Jim pulls on Dwight, anything and everything Michael tries to do, Stanley's lack of emotion except on pretzel day, the build up between Jim/Pam and Dwight/Angela, and then just the rest of the cast! Getting Michael back for Dwight's wedding was an awesome surprise and I always liked how they had some nice human situations in the show.

Great run and love having it on.

Godfather of Harlem (2019– )

Absolutely Fantastic

[10/10 · 8 September 2022]

I'm already a big fan of shows and movies based on true stories so I was already excited to see this. To say this show exceeded my expectations is an understatement!

This show is very well written, capturing the times was amazing, it was way more intense than I would have expected, and the acting and casting were fantastic!

Lot's of great performances but Thatch and Esposito steal the show with their performances as Malcolm X and Powell. I was bummed to learn Thatch was being recast but considering the rest of the cast, I'm sure it will play fine.

I don't know how long this show will run since it's a prequel to American Gangster with Denzel but this was a great one!

The Offer (2022)

Very well done

[9/10 · 18 August 2022]

Teller is someone I have never liked but in this show, I finally could tolerate him because he played just a normal person which I can buy.

But the show was stolen by Goode as Evans, Fogler as Coppola, and Ippolito as Pacino, even if he didn't have much screen time.

Great series overall learning the dramatized story of Paramount and how the Godfather got made.