Snootz Reviews

Date a Live (2013– )

10 star reviews more hormonal than accurate

[2/10 · 14 April 2024]

Date A Live has one purpose and one purpose only: to put as much fan service and action as possible in a series. If that's what you're after, welcome to puberty central.

The initial credits in each episode will give you an idea what to expect: fully nude women (only the bits not shown), scanty and revealing "armor", and very little sensible plot to go with it.

We have a guy who for some unstated reason seems to be the only person in Japan (a high schooler no less) who can woo and subdue a "Spirit". Although a nice guy, he seems to have the emotional and sexual experience of a 12-year old. He not only seems unaware of the intense feelings of his conquests, but is actually terrified of them (typical anime meme).

The girls are equally 2D. For some unknown reason when he first kisses a Spirit their clothing dissolves from around them, leaving them fully naked in his arms. That's not the last time they will be naked around him, since despite his terror of women he seems to have no problem at all bathing nude with several of them in a natural hot spring (and absolutely no one thinks anything odd of that). That's typical of this series.

The plot is virtually non-existent. It is clearly stated what is happening, but never explained as to why. The real absurdity is them forming this non-violent, peaceful solution to disasters... but totally failing to call off the uber-military attack force that seems to always show up just as the potential disaster has been diverted. "Are they insane or merely stupid?" will be a regularly-asked question here.

Overall this is a 90% "fan service" anime with a rather lame and unexplained barely-story thrown in. Typical sister-crush meme, definite harem them with the girls falling all over a guy who wants nothing to do with these naked girls all around him. Truly, this is one for those looking to see a lot of bewbage and huge explosions, because that's about all this is. The plot is as predictable as they come: guy finds girl, guy romances girl, girl gets naked A LOT, guy freaks out every time that happens (also A LOT), lather, rinse, repeat. Meme city.

Testament: The Story of Moses (2024)

Yet another botching of the story

[3/10 · 29 March 2024]

One can't properly discuss this 3-part series without discussing scriptural accuracy and Biblical concepts.

The story of Moses and the exodus from Egypt is one of the most basic, clear-cut, black and white accounts in the Bible. So one may rightly wonder how "learned" professors, religious leaders and "Bible scholars" can't get it right, can't answer the most basic questions, and that film makers seem mentally incompetent to get the account correct-- especially in a self-proclaimed "documentary".

This is supposedly a docu-drama, part presentation and part oration by educated authorities. So it's reasonable to wonder why one guy says, "Why did God kill innocents in Egypt? We don't have a good answer to that." Seriously?

While the documentary lightly touched on this, is this authority unaware that just 80 years prior the Egyptians showed no mercy in slaughtering babies of the Israelites for at least several months (perhaps years)? Is he unaware of the scriptural law of "An eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, life for life"? So how is it that this "scholar" says we don't really have an answer for God's decisions in these things? The Israelite babies were "innocents" too. "Whatever you sow, this you will also reap." Universal judgement and consequence does not alter and deviate according to individual human whims, opinions and perceptions.

The Egyptians could have spread blood on their doorposts and been spared as well. They were surely aware of what the Israelites were doing. News travels fast; all of the Israelites knew these things-- and they vastly outnumbered the Egyptians. But the Egyptians showed no respect for God's authority (even after 9 plagues had already happened), and so paid the price of their stubborn arrogance.

How did that supposed Bible scholar not understand any of these things? Pharaoh and indeed all of Egypt were taught a lesson that would reverberate throughout history, even thousands of years later: don't mess with God.

That is just one fallacy of this "documentary"... and there are many similar issues.

This poorly-conceived series presents Moses as someone who is clueless, who is at times very haughty and who regularly "argues" with and denies God. That is not what the Bible presents. Yes, Moses is presented in scripture as having a temper and at times erred, even seriously, as we all do. It also states that he followed God's directions to the letter, that he was the greatest prophet in the history of Israel, and calls Jesus himself the "greater Moses". This is not a title that would be given if Moses were haughty, rebellious and clueless.

People can choose to agree with the Bible or not, believe it or not... but if one is going to make a supposed documentary of a prominent Bible figure, they should get it right, according to the Biblical account.

They state that Moses "never reached the Promised Land", which is true. But they left out what lay ahead for him in the resurrection that is spoken of all through the Bible. From Moses' standpoint, he closed his eyes in death and immediately reopens them in a "Promised Land" far superior to that of the ancient Israelites. Yet all those religious authorities and the documentary itself totally omitted that significantly important point. It made it look like Moses' life was useless, that his death was the end for him, and only his offspring benefited from his faithfulness. What a pitiful account.

They talk about the Egyptian Army and Pharaoh-- who were stupidly charging through the Red Sea, totally determined to wipe out the Israelites. Then someone's daughter asks, "Weren't they God's children too?" and her father says, "What an amazingly astute observation." His failure to reply and explain the matter to her was not so astute.

Were these "God's children too?" No! They were Israel's enemy, bent on genocide even after personally witnessing the ten plagues. They worshiped false gods and were intent on wiping out God's chosen people to the last man, woman and child. How more ungodly could that army have been? That is the answer he should have given his daughter.

It seems these authorities were too busy focusing on the meanings of Hebrew words to understand the basic principles of Biblical justice and the simple concepts of good and evil.

The filming of this was rather nice, and it was refreshing to see actual miracles for once (rather than attempted "scientific explanations"). But this 3-part series is just as inaccurate and senseless as any Hollywood presentation to date. Although claiming to be a documentary, it doesn't accurately stick to the Biblical account and seems quite oblivious to concepts of faith and divine justice. They present Moses as an unfaithful, incompetent bungler who was just stumbling along. In reality he was the person who God used to bring the Israelites out of bondage from the most powerful nation on Earth, and is considered Israel's most prominent prophet in history.

They just never get it right. Frankly, if all you want is a fictional rendition of this account, I'd stick with Charlton Heston. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS is shorter and more entertaining. ;D.

Night Court (2023– )

Sorry, but it's kinda lame

[4/10 · 22 March 2024]

If you're looking for a reprisal of the original Night Court with its wit, twists, slapstick humor and genuinely funny lines... might want to look elsewhere.

I don't like to compare shows, but in this case comparisons with the original are predictable and nigh unavoidable. Neither the cast nor the scripts they have to work with come close to the original Night Court.

The scripts seems like they're written by 5th graders. As has been noted by many other reviewers, the forced laugh track is phony to the point of being obnoxious. The actors aren't given good lines to work with (not even Dan Fielding), and their characters are so 2 dimensional that they'd ordinarily be a Saturday morning cartoon.

I had high hopes for this series, but having seen 12 episodes I'm ready to turn it off. Its only saving grace is that it's just 23 minutes long. I really would like to compliment this series... but it needs better writers, better directing, and more fleshed-out characters with actual personalities. The prosecuting attorney isn't funny, Dan Fielding seems almost restricted in his role, and the supporting cast are just that. The bailiff is one of the more enjoyable characters, but even her character development is somewhat stilted.

Overall a disappointing series that will likely leave original Night Court fans cringing.

Sight Unseen (2024– )

Let's write goofy reviews

[8/10 · 11 March 2024]

I have to really wonder why anyone would come to a show that is advertised as a blind detective solving cases, and then rate it one star because it's about a blind detective solving cases. Seriously.

First of all, this is television. It is supposed to be entertaining, not uber-realistic. This is a story about an unusually intelligent and observant detective who uses a third party to be her "eyes" and tell her what is going on. Agreed that is a stretch. Perhaps more than a stretch. But that is also what it's advertised to be, so what was everyone expecting?

Kudos to those who had the sensibility to rate this 7+ stars. This has good acting, good directing, an interesting plot and story line, and while yes, at times it may jump the (very small) shark, it holds together pretty well. The characters work well together and the story is FICTIONALLY plausible. (You 1-star people do realize this is fiction, right?)

Overall an entertaining and enjoyable show for those who are not so jaded they've forgotten how to enjoy a good TV show. One thing I do wish: I wish they had hired actually blind actors to play the parts and make them more convincing. The show is still enjoyable.

I recognize this series isn't perfect, which is why I give it 8 stars. People giving it 1 star isn't indicative of a bad show; it's indicative of a bad review. On the plus side, I notice such negative reviews themselves received negative reviews. Justice is served. ;D.

Pantheon (2022–2023)

Good until the last episode

[7/10 · 28 February 2024]

I saw this as a 16-episode (45 minutes each) series. It starts off slow, almost boring, then becomes very interesting very fast. It carries the plot and story all the way through, having numerous twists and turns as the story unfolds. This is one of those series that actually needs to be 16 episodes long to tell the entire story. Everything in the series held up well, was well-written and excellently produced.

But then we get down to the very final, 16th episode... and the storyline becomes very complex and convoluted. It's not impossible to follow what's going on, but it just seems way out of sync with the rest of the series. Things start moving very quickly (literally), too much happens all at once, and normal characters very suddenly become very not-normal characters.

The result is a show that many will proclaim to be brilliant cerebral science fiction, but for me simply tried to cram far too much into the last episode and thereby somewhat derailed the series. I found the final episode contrived and disappointing, bombarding the viewer with too much too fast and expecting the viewer to simply ride the roller coaster. I believe the final part of the ride was too full of itself. They needed to slow the roller coaster down quite a bit and deliver a less-uber-existential conclusion.

The Exodite (2022– )

Well-crafted but dumber than Asylum

[2/10 · 19 February 2024]

This is a graphically well-crafted show with somewhat interesting characters. What is totally lacking is plot of any kind... even within the WH40K universe. The script is droll, the plot pointless, and a rational ending non-existent.

Warhammer 40K started out as a fun and even humorous game, but as the years have passed it has become darker and more horrid in concept. While that is likely more "realistic" within the concept of the WH40k universe, it makes for really horrid stories and videos. There are no heroes; even the humans are fanatical psychopaths.

I'm sure a lot of fans will rate this video highly just because it's WH40K... but that fact doesn't make it good video. This was basically nonsense, an exercise in video graphics without plot, purpose or conclusion.

La Brea (2021–2024)

Too many drivel sub-plots, ends abruptly

[5/10 · 15 February 2024]

Sub plots are fine if done well. This has enough sub-plots to make five television series, all of them uber-dire, and none of them developed well enough to carry the series.

The basic character design and actors are fine. They all do a very good job and the characters themselves are interesting. There is just too much going on all the time and none of it focused on for any length of time. There is constant jumping back and forth between one subplot and anther, and story lines constantly interrupted by other story lines.

Then they just sort of mash it all together by having a very abrupt and unexpected one-episode ending on Season 3 episode 6. It's very obvious the studio decided to shut things down and "graciously" gave them one episode to do it. All of the string ends were tied, albeit far too quickly as if someone was standing off-stage with a big sign that said "MOVE! MOVE! MOVE".

It all boils down to a series with good actors and potential, but thrown together like a poorly planned stew and seasoned badly. The disappointing hyper-ending where everything is going on in bam bam bam fashion did nothing more than emphasize the overall failure.

It wasn't 1-star terrible nor the "worst sci fi ever made" (seriously people, how many "worst ever" can there be?), but it's a 3- to 5-star mediocre. However, those who are into constant action and binge watching might find it moderately entertaining... if they can stomach the "everything thrown in a pot" final episode.

Orion and the Dark (2024)

Kind of okay but...

[4/10 · 13 February 2024]

This was a kind of okay movie but... this is not a movie for children.

First, the story is a bit convoluted and can be difficult for younger ones to understand. As other reviewers have noted, it contains psychological concepts far too complex for children to understand and enjoy.

For a movie designed to help kids not be afraid of the dark, the support characters were actually somewhat spooky. "Strange Sounds" and "Insomnia" are definitely not the best of what night has to offer... and there were even worse characters (no spoilers but... pillow, hammer-- seriously?). Not. For. Children.

It was an interesting concept for a film, but it needed a better overall plot and storytelling. It definitely needed better and less-scary main characters. The ending was rather neat but overall, they really didn't pull this one off as well as they should have. This movie is supposed to help children be less afraid of the dark, not more afraid of it.

Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (1991)

Focuses on good story-telling

[7/10 · 11 February 2024]

This film succeeds in that it goes where it goes and doesn't take itself too seriously science-wise. It doesn't try to figure things out, doesn't try to explain paradoxes, doesn't attempt to fit all the pieces together. It just takes us where the story-teller wants it to go... and I'm fine with that.

We've seen soooo many time travel films, and the majority of them share the same issue: logic problems. The real problem though is that they try to make an illogical subject logical, so when they stumble all over the plot with time paradoxes and other drivel, it spoils the film. This show doesn't do that. It just shoves paradoxes to the side and dismisses them... and gets on with the storytelling. Kudos.

It's a simple rule of science fiction: accept the fiction part. Don't try to answer unanswerable questions; just tell the story.

I found this "scientifically opaque" film rather refreshing, because of the very fact they didn't try to explain everything. They just kept it interesting. It was a fun watch. Good for them.

Kevin James: Irregardless (2024)

Almost kinda funny but...

[4/10 · 29 January 2024]

Let's get right to it: I've never enjoyed comics who spend an inordinate amount of time making fun of their wives... and I'm a guy. It's just not classy.

Following that... if you are looking to watch an entire hour of complaining, boy is this the guy for you... because that's pretty much what he does all the way through.

Now mind you, once in a while he comes up with a kinda funny line. Almost. Once in a while.

Most of the show found me sitting here looking at my watch to see how much longer this routine is going to last, because although his language is clean (KUDOS!) and the subjects are original and his timing is good... he's just not that funny. I didn't laugh out loud once. About the most he got was a mild chuckle. An hour of time burned.

Wonka (2023)

Evidently people liked it but...

[5/10 · 27 January 2024]

With a current 7.6 approval rating it's evident the general audience liked this film. I usually very much enjoy family films. But I have to admit I found this a bit underwhelming.

The only actor I really liked was Calah Lane, who played Noodle. The other actors just weren't given much script to work with.

The songs were disappointing and the choreography worse. Add to that the general dismal and depressing sets, and there's very little in this that felt like Willie Wonka.

The villains were cliche, the authorities corrupt, and the "wonder" of Wonka really wasn't that wondrous. What was seriously lacking was the sense of mystery that was in the original film, the eerie feeling that Wonka was just a little... odd.

The main actor (Wonka) didn't really impress me in performance, singing or dancing. Of course that could be because the songs and choreography were sub-standard to begin with.

In the end the film just barely held my attention, which really surprised me. I was expecting to sit down and fully enjoy this, but simply didn't. It was a disappointing presentation of a beloved character and simply didn't live up to expectations.

I'm glad people generally enjoyed it. But I feel this could have been a whole lot better, especially with today's movie making tools and by today's standards. This felt like a cheaply-made film from the 90s, and that definitely wasn't what was expected.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Some decent moments, but too much DC

[5/10 · 24 January 2024]

While the adrenaline addicts may absolutely love this, this film simply did not appeal to me. Sure, it captured attention all the way through, but there were so many cringe moments I found myself constantly aware of "bad writing syndrome".

First that comes to mind is that terrible accent of Aquaman's "general" (?). Guy sounds like he came straight outta Alabama. This is supposed to come from an ocean kingdom? Every time the guy spoke it was solid cringe.

I can say that the first half or 2/3 of the film, the script lines weren't terrible. But then came that "DC" moment where it turned from a movie script into a comic book script written by fanboys. Ouch. These writers actually got paid for such drivel? And then there's that very last few lines of the movie, where they just can't resist portraying Aquaman as a country hick. Seriously DC, what is wrong with you?

Something else that bothered me from early-on in the movie is the CGI overkill of the underwater Atlantis Kingdom. It is so alien in its appearance I found my brain having difficulty processing what I was seeing. It was all blue and green and white lights and incomprehensible shapes and (evidently) roads and travel tubes that were just so cobbled and thrown together it was hard to tell what was what.

No matter how alien a civilization, the viewer still has to be able to recognize what is going on or we develop what's known as cognitive dissonance. This movie was full of that kind of stuff-- CGI so weird it was difficult to mentally fit the pieces together.

I had some difficulty deciding whether to give this 3, 4 or 5 stars, but I figure they put enough effort in the thing to at least label it "mediocre". But long before the end of the movie it was pretty obvious that DC has blown it again. (Wow, the script in the final half hour or so. It was just awful.)

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)

I don't understand the low ratings

[10/10 · 24 January 2024]

At this review, the average rating is 5.6. I do not understand this. What are people looking for in movies these days?

This is not the original Nutcracker story, nor was it intended to be-- as should be obvious from the title. Those expecting a plot recap maybe should watch another Nutcracker presentation.

What this is... is one of the most visually stunning productions I've seen. It is of course very difficult to tell which are real sets and what is CGI, but the sets, the costuming, production and cinematography are all excellent. And the mouse CGI is cute and well done.

The basic plot and story line are creative, sensible, and have both purpose and moral. They teach a lesson... several in fact. The acting and choice of actors was great. Clara was very well presented, as were all of the actors, without exception.

So while I have become less and less of a Disney fan over the years, I'm giving this a rare but solid ten stars. This is a brilliant production. And for the haters out there that rated this one star, well... you're morons.

Headspace (2023)

Wow, what a stinker

[3/10 · 23 January 2024]

The only high point in this movie is the cute kick-tail alien girl and the white-haired hacker; their characters were at least entertaining.

The rest: bad script (seriously boring... and I don't bore easily), clumsy animation not even worthy of Saturday morning kid's shows, and a bulky, slow-moving plot that had me yawning less than halfway through the movie. I'm surprised I managed to stay awake through this cliche-ridden snooze fest.

Large chunks of the movie consists of scenes such as mind-controlled teachers wandering through the halls, and wandering, and wandering. Students hiding in classrooms. And hiding some more. Maniacal laughter from the bad guy. Yawwwwwn.

Little kids might enjoy this... or they may be bored as well. Even the action scenes in this are dull. I don't require adrenaline in my films and I love a good slow-burner, but it is just poorly done on every level.

Strawberry Mansion (2021)

Surreal is fine, but

[5/10 · 20 January 2024]

To say this dream is surreal is an understatement. Surreal is fine; it has its purpose. But that's the problem with this movie; it seems to have no purpose. A brainwashed man waking up to reality? Real life is actually the dream? Who knows... they never really say.

The movie starts off showing all the promise of a true masterpiece, and raised my expectations due to the excellent acting, directing and choreography. But about halfway through the skill and professionalism suddenly turned into something that had all the appearance of a college project running out of funding and time.

The ending is a disappointment as the viewer realizes throughout the entire film no actual point has been made. Is there too much commercialism in our lives? We already know that. Is our society brainwashed by ads and lead to believe we need to buy things that we don't need at all. That is pretty obvious. This film is a long way to go to make obvious points.

In the end what we're left with is a big question mark as to what the writers and director are intending to portray. And despite the enjoyable surrealism-- that surrealism is without point. (The Blue Demon holding a captive really makes no sense at all, as it ties in to absolutely nothing else in the film.) The ending just kind of flops. One hopes to the bitter end they have a purpose to all this, but too late we figure out that if they ever did... they didn't get it across to the viewing audience.

Some people will love this for the art and abstract nature. That's fine. (The solid pink room was a solid start.) Others will dislike it for its totally disjointed and pointless final half... and they won't be wrong. Go into this one with both eyes open and a strong drink.

La La Land (2016)

Almost perfect

[9/10 · 19 January 2024]

The first time I tried to watch this I was definitely not in the mood for that very strange traffic jam opening sequence, so I didn't try to watch it again for years. Today I decided to give it a second chance, got through that odd opening sequence, and discovered an incredibly good movie.

To discuss that opening sequence: once I realized they executed this entire sequence with one continuously-moving camera, I realized how amazing it was. Heavily-choreographed. Did they do that amazing bit of work just to show off a bit and then simply decided to go for an excellent slow burner? Possibly, I don't know. But filming that opening sequence in one moving-camera shot was astounding... and lead to a totally different but equally captivating movie.

This is a near perfect film. I give it 9 stars rather than 10 because of the single gratuitous F-bomb that is so very out of place in this film. (You don't spoil a gourmet meal by putting a dead mouse on the side of the plate.) Beyond that one bit of writing / directing stupidity, the rest of the film was flawless.

I am not ashamed to admit that two parts of this film had tears streaming down my face (I'll let viewers figure out which two hits them in the heart). Near the ending I thought they were going to blow the whole film, but when it was over I realized it couldn't have ended better.

A marvelous film with excellent directing, choreography, music, cinematography, and good acting.

Maboroshi (2023)

Interesting but an up-in-the-air ending

[5/10 · 17 January 2024]

This movie has nice animation, interesting characters (if somewhat two-dimensional) and an interesting story all the way through until the very end, where we find yet another film that leaves the audience trying to guess what actually happened and what point the director was trying to get across.

There are several good aspects to this film. The story is decent most of the way through. The animation is fine. But the plot and story line are flawed, presenting bits and pieces but never succeeding in telling the entire story. The steel factory is central to the story but never explained. Why the town decided to follow a guy who was without doubt a loon is beyond understanding. And justifying locking a little girl inside a factory for years is simply insane. So much of the film makes no sense.

Some may feel they understand what happened, but in reality they'd be adding their own 'truth' to an incomplete plot. And while two or three different "theories" are presented throughout, it's difficult to understand the reasoning behind much of what goes on.

All in all it was an interesting but unsatisfying film. The writers and directors leave it to the audience to figure out what story they're trying to get across; that's a stunt that very seldom works. The overall low rating here (as of this posting) would indicate the majority of the viewers feel similarly.

ADDENDUM: When I first posted this review I found many other reviewers agreeing with these observations (in their own reviews). Shortly after this review suddenly-- within a very few days-- we see several negative ratings on any critical post. So one might suspect significant crew and family response rather than legitimate viewers. If a film requires such manipulation-- it really doesn't stand on its own merit.

Eye of the Storm (2023)

Emotionally stirring

[9/10 · 14 January 2024]

I'm not sure what people expect of this movie... but what I got from it is an accurate portrayal of a hospital in lockdown mode when and outbreak of SARS occurred in Taiwan. This isn't a fairy tale and it doesn't pull punches. There are no "mask controversies" here, no fake news (at least, not once the outbreak was confirmed), and no sugar-coating.

This is full-bore contagion situation, with just the right amount of drama added by portraying the frenzied efforts of exhausted and under-staffed hospital workers, scared and selfish people objecting to the lockdown, and the lives of key individuals as they adapt to the reality of a fairly unknown and deadly disease.

Don't go into this expecting sunshine and picket fences. This is one of the most realistic movies I've seen of such a situation.

My Happy Marriage (2023– )

Cinderella story with annoying characters

[5/10 · 14 January 2024]

This started out interesting and kept attention for a few episodes, then one realizes this is pretty much another Cinderella take. About halfway through it's like they changed plotlines and from there it's a ride on a slow roller coaster.

The characters are 2-dimensional. Rotten stepmother and stepsister, stupid selfish father, abused main character who never stands up for herself, ever, and an anticlimactic droll ending that simply disappoints.

The animation is acceptable, and it's not a terrible anime. It's just nothing special, and they don't know how to end a story. The ending felt like, "Okay, that's episode 12 guys, let's wrap it up and go home."

There are numerous plot flaws, but they've been covered well in other reviews. It's simply a "nothing special, been done before" anime in which even the main character is constantly stumbling over herself apologizing over and over. I know sometimes real life is like this... but most people don't watch anime to be fed a depressing sob story and basically a remix of The Glass Slipper.

P. S. Then whole Emperor schlock thrown in at the end was unnecessary and just sort of slopped in there. What were they thinking? No spoilers, but viewers will fully understand when they get to the very. Last. Episode. NOTE: Don't shut it off when the final credits start rolling. There's still more yawner script yet to be foisted on the audience. : /

After Yang (2021)

One huge question mark

[2/10 · 1 January 2024]

I like art films. I like slow burners. This is neither. This is random thoughts digitized and called a movie.

I can understand that some who are highly introspective might read whatever they want into this film and enjoy it. Good for them. But for the average viewer, this will be just another self-absorbed flick that expects the audience to read the writer / director's mind... or "take from this whatever you get". It neither impresses nor makes any real point.

I don't watch films to design the story / plot myself. A film that portrays tiny vignettes and then leaves the viewer to put the puzzle pieces together isn't my kind of fare. And frankly, watching this film is like watching a bug cross a lawn... for an hour and a half.

I seriously cannot believe this has a legitimate 6.7 rating. I know IMDB viewers too well to believe that wasn't gamed somehow. If I didn't like this film-- despite my love of artistic slow-burner films-- I'm fairly sure the majority of typical viewers are going to seriously hate it.

It's a connect-the-dots game with no final picture.

Little Big Man (1970)

You'll like it or not

[4/10 · 18 December 2023]

While this movie was acclaimed by many, it wasn't my cup of tea. I understand revisionist history and satire, and that's fine. But this film tries to mix both with brutal massacres of Native Americans... and for me that mix definitely didn't work.

This isn't one of my favorite roles of Dustin Hoffman. Throughout the movie I found myself very consciously thinking, "Well, this is a satire"... which isn't really what a satire should try to achieve. It should be humorous without the audience being reminded that it's trying to be humorous.

Mix that with prolonged scenes of women and children (even a baby) being bloodily slaughtered, and that's just too much of a paradox for me to find enjoyable. That's my personal take on it. Either make a satire or make a commentary on the evils of American history. But mixing the two, at least for me, just didn't work.

Add to that gratuitous nudity (in a couple of scenes, though not detailed) and Hoffman portraying a wise and brave "Indian" in parts and at the same time a total doofus white man, and his entire role just didn't ring true. Unless he was severely schizophrenic he wouldn't have such drastic personality change just because of his environment. It's like he was two totally different people.

The whole film struck me as an amateurish and nonsensical job of scripting, with only some actors standing out as exceptional (Grandfather and Sunshine, to name two). It's not one I would wish to watch again, and I wouldn't have regretted not seeing it at all. Just not my kind of film, a poor mixture of genres and themes.

Gotham Knights (2023)

Almost halfway decent

[3/10 · 12 December 2023]

The problem with this show is a weak premise and consistent mediocrity.

First we have Bruce Wayne's son who had no idea he was Batman. (Are you kidding me?) We have a "Robin" who wormed her way into Batman's life instead of being taught extensively by Batman how to survive, and is cuter than she is dangerous. We have siblings who have their respective skills but seriously... they couldn't come up with more interesting and show-worthy characters?

The only interesting character in the bunch is the Joker's daughter... and halfway through the series she hasn't done anything of significance. The actress has the look and the chops, I'll give her that. Her personality is the saving grace of the show. But they're not making anywhere near full use of her potential.

A slight nod of approval to the actor playing Batman's son. He pulls off the part with precisely the right edge between naive and a criminal's worst nightmare. He's kind of like a half-Batman, not exactly Bruce Wayne but with potential. And they did provide the excuse that his dad insisted he take extensive martial arts and fencing lessons (thus explaining his fighting skills).

But the fight choreography almost screams "pulled punches" and nothing is convincing. They should have gotten a pro-level street-fighter to choreograph the fight scenes... because if the kid is going to win some of the fights they have staged he is going to have to convincingly take out the bad guys in one or two very devastating punches to nerve centers... and we don't see any of that here.

This has all the makings of an "alternate universe" setting, with yawner / implausible plots and wasted potential... pretty much like everything else DC is producing these days.

A Disturbance in the Force (2023)

A great documentary about a terrible holiday special

[9/10 · 9 December 2023]

I actually saw the original telecast of the Star Wars Holiday Special. At that time in my life I was young, was both a Star Wars fan and a Trekkie (yes, Trekkie, not Trekker... that's how deep I was in this stuff)... and I remember thinking even 1/4 of the way in to it, "This is awful". At that time I was not acquainted with the concept of "So bad it's good" and Mystery Science Theater did not yet exist. I was in my early 20s, so I wasn't an enraptured child. I was an adult and I knew schlock when I saw it.

That said, after watching this documentary I almost want to see it again. I now have an appreciation for "so very bad productions". Several Star Wars movies down the line, I think it would be interesting to see these actors while they were still young and vibrant, and watch what they put into the show, no matter how many Rotten Tomatoes it may have received.

Should Disney restore and remaster this and put it on Disney+ and DVDs? Only if they want to make millions of dollars. If they did they should go all the way and make it a collectors boxed set, and include this documentary with it. Because this documentary would definitely make the set shine. Put in great big bold letters, "The worst Star Wars ever produced! So bad it's great!" Make the collector's set as intentionally hokey as the show, and maybe even include collectable figures. ;D

This documentary is really an excellent presentation. They examined this show from all sides, good and bad. They presented its very obvious defects along with its not so obvious benefits later down the line. Seeing the "easter eggs" put in shows years later was very interesting. And the lasting duration of LIFE DAY is something everyone can celebrate, eh?

One part I especially enjoyed was when they presented snippets of other shows that had aired during the same years... and they were equally horrid if not far worse. Bringing in Donnie Osmond was a brilliant bit of insight on the part of the writers and directors. He gave a balanced, sensible viewpoint of the show and even compared it with his own show. Smart documentation.

So overall I really enjoyed this, beginning to end. I'm no longer a Trekkie / Trekker / Star Wars "fan" (ie, fanatic). I still enjoy Star Trek now and then, somewhat enjoy Star Wars (it has gotten quite a bit darker and my tastes these days are a bit more discerning than when I was young). Yet I have enough appreciation for the history and uniqueness of all these things to have watched this documentary.

That very fact is I think, what validates this video, and makes the point they were aiming at all the way through the documentary: good or bad, enjoyable or not, loved or hated, this is a part of Star Wars history. And if someone like me, a few decades down the line, can still appreciate this documentary... that really says something about the impact Star Wars had on the industry.

The Wall (2012)

Brilliant slow burner and expostion on the human condition

[9/10 · 8 December 2023]

This is an art film. Those going in expecting space ships and fighting robots... or even an explanation as to what is going on, are going to be disappointed.

This is a basic story: a woman suddenly finds herself trapped on a mountainside, fortunately with a well-stocked mountain retreat, surrounded by an immense invisible wall. Evidently all human activity outside the wall has ceased and only within the wall does life continue.

Make of this film what you will. Some may see this as a "slice of life" story with no explanation. Others may see it as a commentary on the human condition. What it is... is some rather brilliant writing and observations as well as incredible imagination. This should be a sample film for all film makers and writers: given a specific premise, what would you do? How would the person react? How would they survive? What would become most important to them?

Some give this one star, and to them that's a valid rating. They were expecting something and this film wasn't it. But where they may have failed was to look deeper, to look beyond their own expectations of a "science fiction film"... to examine what the makers were actually trying to get across.

To some people the ending will be unexpected and disappointing. Others will understand that the ending is exactly what the author intended it to be, and is the point to which the main character has been traveling throughout the entire film.

This is an unexpectedly impressive bit of artistic film making. It has quite a bit to say about the human condition, emotions, and the will to survive. But it goes beyond that. It questions what is really important in life-- and the direction humankind is going. If viewers miss that point, they miss one of the primary aspects of the film.

Star Trek Continues (2013–2017)

Ten stars for successful audacity. :D

[10/10 · 30 November 2023]

Note: I have watched the entire series and it held up all the way through. So very well-done.

Initially I was expecting yet another Star Trek Fan Film. As enjoyable as those are, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a professionally-crafted, well-scripted, brilliantly directed series with admirable acting.

I have to say this is the best portrayal of James Kirk I've seen in any series. Even his body form is near-identical (which we discover in the obligatory and predictable shirtless scene in the very first episode). ;D The actor himself has Kirk's mannerisms and facial expressions down pat and is very believable in the part.

Scotty (played by James Doohan's son) comes in a close second, and while his brogue slips on occasion, the actor does a fine job of portraying one of our favorite characters.

Spock didn't come across as well initially. No resemblance to Nimoy and a high-pitched voice works against him at first, but he makes up for that in acting chops. He has the Spock character down pat, with excellent comedic timing when playing the "straight man" off Bones or Kirk. As others have mentioned, he does more closely match the Quinto Spock than the Nimoy version. This is likely due to his youth and smoother facial features.

Bones didn't quite come across although two actors played the part. But DeForest Kelley was a difficult one to imitate; they didn't quite succeed in duplicating his charm and wit... nor in his ability to poke Spock with a stick. ;D

Uhura does her part well enough, and they wisely introduced her voice the first episode, which brought the character to life. But throughout the series she played more of a supportive rather than main character role. Unfortunate, but I didn't find that objectionable. There's only so much they can do in a short 11-episode season.

Sulu, Chekov, and all the others did equally admirable jobs, as did the rest of the crew. Some of the acting was predictably a bit over-the-top, but that's true to the original Star Trek as well. And owwww... those EVA suits. Were they really that horrid in the original Star Trek? It looked like painted styrofoam attached to a Halloween costume. But even that was enjoyable... much like the gaudy colored buttons on the console of a Doctor Who episode.

Kudos to the actor who played Apollo. He could not have done a better or more faithful job of re-creating his own character. I deeply felt the part he was playing, which is the ultimate compliment to any actor.

But of course the major character of the show is the Enterprise itself... and the set-crew outdid themselves here. It is very evident they cut no corners in re-creating the best-known Starship in the universe. I don't know if they got every single button in every place, but it looks like they came as close as possible. The ship interiors are brilliantly re-created. When one watches the 'behind the scenes' clips on YouTube, we see just how well they did with minimal sets.

The overall effect is that we're watching the original Star Trek, with new actors of course, but the same "feel" as the original show... which was precisely their goal.

This "4th season" is excellent. Their scripts, directing, acting, and reproduction of the "feel" of the original Star Trek series held through in every episode, right down to the very final scene. This was a project of love and they pulled it off. I would say more about the brilliant final episode but... spoilers. For those who haven't seen it yet: all episodes plus a ton of "extras" are available to view free on YouTube.

They bowled 300 in almost every aspect of this show. This isn't just a fan series; it is a faithful and complete re-creation of the original Star Trek... and reproduces the atmosphere and purpose of the original Star Trek in every episode. Many people consider it the "4th season" of the original Star Trek... and rightly so.