LeDentalPlaque Reviews

Daredevil (2015–2018)

Daring to be Different Makes Daredevil a Success

[10/10 · 18 April 2015]

The 2003 Daredevil movie with Ben Affleck was mostly a miss rather than a hit. The director's take on the movie brought character adaptations that were not appreciated by fans of the comics, nor was the film considered an exceptional superhero movie. As a result, when I heard that Marvel was rebooting the Daredevil character through a Netflix original TV series, I was extremely excited and had really high expectations going in because of all the good work the Marvel Cinematic Universe has brought us so far.

My honest opinion is that it not only met my expectations, but surpassed them as well. Netflix's Daredevil is a different kind of superhero show that's not geared towards all audiences, but rather a mature, grown-up crowd as it takes you through Matt Murdock's journey and influence on crime in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. The whole show is a lot darker than other TV shows out there, but it's suitable because of the environment it is set in. The violence, the gore, language and the struggle between justice and vengeance is what sets the mood for the show.

The action scenes are magnificent. Daredevil himself is so fast as a martial artist, and the fight scenes are extremely fluid and well- coordinated. There's no cutting and pasting of action scenes, but rather you see the entire fight from start to finish, something a lot of viewers will enjoy.

I believe that everyone will appreciate the character development in this show. Matt Murdock, as a lawyer and night-time vigilante, is not an easy man to understand in the span of one movie. Marvel and Netflix actually spend time developing his character and allowing the audience to see his struggle between what's right and wrong.

In addition to this, I think what I most appreciate is the story- telling, which is exceptionally done in this series. There are a lot of flashbacks in this show, and a lot of scenes in which you don't really know what's going on at first. But the beauty of it all is that the writers don't spoon-feed you the information (like saying "20 years ago" or "after a long fight..."). They expect you to watch the show, pick up on the conversations and subsequent scenes to figure out how they're connected and what those flashbacks or scenes mean. It's not a show where you just watch, but a show where you are actively engaged in both the story and characters at all times so that you can truly understand what's going on with each episode.

As a result, this show is not your average TV series. It's geared for an older, more mature audience, and it's not afraid to be different on many levels, from the dark mood to the method of story-telling. I'd highly recommend this to any action fans out there waiting for a fix. It's really a great series.

Interstellar (2014)

Stunning Visuals And Epic Sci-Fi That Lacks Scientific Authenticity in Some Areas

[8/10 · 28 December 2014]

Being a scientist, I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about Interstellar. Some of my colleagues have said it was a disgrace to the astrophysical society, while others have said that it was a sci-fi masterpiece. The only way I could see for myself was to go and watch this movie, so I went in with very high expectations. When I came out, I understood why I heard mixed reviews about Interstellar - because I have mixed feelings about it too and can't make up my mind about whether it's seriously awesome or just another sci-fi movie with some scientific authenticity.

To start off, this movie contains a lot of science. You've got astrophysics, theoretical physics, geology, biology, ecology and more. It is literally a sci-fi jackpot. If we ignore all the scientific accuracy behind the movie and just focus on the plot, it's a strong and powerful one that definitely moves the audience. Just seeing the Earth's declining hospitality and trying to find an alternative planet to live on is a journey worth watching on the big screen. The graphics and CGI are absolutely amazing, and the new planets they explore are imaginative and in fact, quite realistic given the data presented about them. Even the black whole and its space-bending qualities are captured beautifully on screen.

To be honest, I really enjoyed this movie even though it was a whopping three hours long. I believe it could have been cut a bit shorter to around 2.5 hours, but the pacing was decent and the plot moved along enough that the audience had time to ponder about the impending journey into the unknown. And this journey was written so well, interwoven with drama, emotion, romance, and a drive to save humanity.

Apart from the movie itself, the score by Hans Zimmer fit in well with the events going on in the movie. It was certainly a bit repetitive and had hints of tones from his previous work (Inception and the Dark Knight Trilogy), but it was done well enough to help elicit specific emotions from the audience during the astronauts' travels through space. Some pieces of music had you at the edge of your seat while others had a deeper tone that reflected humanity's last hope at finding salvation on a new planet.

If you don't care about the authenticity of the science, then Interstellar is an amazing sci-fi moving that will go down into your list of modern classics. It's got a whole bunch of science, stunning visuals, and a great storyline. If you put all those together, you get a great movie.

Now, I'll go into a little rant about the scientific authenticity behind Interstellar without giving away too many spoilers! There were some things that were explained nicely in the movie, such as relativity and the wormhole. But there were other key parts that did not make scientific sense. Let's start with the black hole. When an object approaches a black hole, it experiences what most scientists call "spaghettification", because the black hole's gravitational force is so strong that small distances within the object experience different amounts of "pull" from the black hole. As a result, if you were approaching a black hole feet first, your feet would be pulled into the black hole before your knees, elongating your feet, then calves, etc. until your entire body was a strand of spaghetti. You definitely would not survive, but it would certainly be a cool way to go out. However, the fact that the spaceship and astronaut came out unscathed from the black hole encounter...that's very far off from known astrophysical and mathematically-defined theories about the black hole's gravitational pull.

The next part is Mann's planet, which is completely composed of ice and ice clouds. Scientifically speaking, the density of ice would not be able to sustain such movements and structures seen on that planet. This is a minor detail though, and not as significant to complain about.

Another issue was the amount of fuel the shuttle had to hop from planet to planet. Even though they tackled the question of fuel capacity in the movie, there would certainly not be enough fuel from today's knowledge to be able to travel so much back and forth between the planet and the station.

Finally, what I didn't like about the movie, in terms of its scientific relevance, was the method of study for science itself. In the opening scenes, they mentioned gathering data, providing evidence, then making statements...this is true. However, a key part they are missing here is sharing data. All scientists communicate with each other in order to advance science and propel scientific breakthroughs. The lead professor in this case was withholding information from the entire human race, and another was willing to commit multiple counts of murder to steal the spaceship for himself when he was rescued by the crew. Those were some iffy parts to the story that I think were illogical and unnecessary.

As a result, because of the portrayal of scientists and some contradictions between the movie and the scientific background, I give this an 8/10. In all honesty though, it's one of the best realistic space movies in the past few years and much more purposeful and powerful than Gravity. Whether or not you care about the science, I think everyone should watch this film if they can withstand the 3 hours.

Chopped Canada (2014– )

Not As Great as US Chopped!

[7/10 · 27 December 2014]

I'm from Canada, but I find that Chopped US is much more entertaining than Chopped Canada. I think the primary reason is the host and judges on the show. They don't seem to find judging as fun and jolly as those in the US version, and there's a much more serious and duller tone throughout each episode as compared to the US version.

It's still nice to see talented Canadian chefs compete on Chopped Canada, but I find that if I were to choose, I would definitely prefer the original US series to this one. Like another reviewer said, there's no "wow" factor here, and it's pretty boring and lacking in some areas.

In addition, I feel as if the host, Dean McDermott, does not do a good job at hosting the show at all. Compared to Ted Allen, he doesn't bring about a passion for cooking like he does, and he doesn't fit the bill of host quite well.

Dragons' Den (2006– )

Great Show That's Losing Its Spark

[8/10 · 27 December 2014]

When I first started watching Dragon's Den, I was intrigued by all the new ideas and businesses that were being invented in my native country. It's definitely cool to see such brilliant minds at work in Canada.

There have been numerous seasons so far, and the Dragons come and go, usually staying for a couple seasons, while some veteran Dragons have stayed there for almost the entire series (like Jim Treliving and Arlene Dickinson). I find that switching up the Dragons is a good idea, because it gives a sense that Canada has many successful entrepreneurs, and you get to meet new people as well.

However, what I like most about this show is the entrepreneurs and their pitches. Some are just horrible, and some are just brilliant. It's shocking how sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best ones, and it's great to see how more and more ideas come out each season.

Unfortunately, there is one thing that I am not enjoying about the show. The Dragons can sometimes be excessively rude and inappropriate, and it seems like the longer a Dragon has stayed inside the Den, the more comfortable they are with this behaviour. This is national television, and I think that if an idea is terrible, you still shouldn't chew out the entrepreneur in front of the nation like that. It's a matter of respect and dignity.

Anyway, I still like the show, and I watch it for the budding entrepreneurs, not the Dragons anymore.

Cutthroat Kitchen (2013– )

Awful Show That Doesn't Even Test Kitchen Talent

[2/10 · 27 December 2014]

I watched one episode of Cutthroat Kitchen and was turned off forever. Ever since it started, I sometimes unfortunately end up hitting an episode of this show here and there if my timing is bad with the Food Network.

The first thing that peeves me about this show is that they make a joke out of cooking, and they make these chefs do ridiculous things. I mean, this is a competition, and how can you judge someone's true ability to cook if they're forced to cook with a lamp and no stove, or to have them hop on stools from one place to another, or to have your ingredients replaced by jelly beans? How can you honestly compare the food cooked by this one poor chef (who's been sabotaged so intensely) to the others who have had the full arsenal of the kitchen at their disposal? It's just wrong, plain and simple.

I think this deserves a 2, a rarity for me, because it makes a joke out of cooking and it makes professionals look like fools.

Utopia (II) (2014)

What a Dystopian Disaster

[1/10 · 27 December 2014]

Utopia is probably the worst show ever conceived. Someone spent a lot of time and money making a paradise out of place, only to have it ruined by a whole bunch of random people who try and figure out some kind of democratic type of governing system as they live there. However, it soon becomes a whole bunch of meaningless drama about simple things.

Instead of taking a step into utopia, this show actually takes a step back into dystopia. The cast is horrid, these people cannot be related to and cannot be liked, and you just don't feel any connection to anyone. None whatsoever, and certainly not enough to keep you watching the show.

I give this a 1/10 because it's just that awful of a series. There's no point to it, and I don't see how anyone could enjoy watching people destroying a utopian world that was made for them.

Person of Interest (2011–2016)

Great Idea, Poor Choice for Main Character

[7/10 · 27 December 2014]

I stopped watching Person of Interest after half of the first season. I couldn't get past Jim Caviezel's attempt at a "tough guy" with a soft-spoken voice. He also seemed sleep-deprived every episode, and imaging a sleep-deprived CIA agent kicking butt just doesn't make sense to me. He needs to be more alert, alive, and adept with his skills - he always seems to get caught or noticed.

However, I do love the idea of the film. It's about a billionaire who hires an ex-CIA agent to prevent crimes from happening - the ones that the government doesn't care about (non-terrorist ones). I think that this show has so much potential, but it's all wasted on the wrong choice for the main character. If they could have found somebody else, then the dynamics of the show would have been completely different and much more entertaining than the slow, dull pace it's currently at.

I give it a 7.

Defiance (2013–2015)

Well-Written, Entertaining Sci-Fi That Has Great Potential

[10/10 · 27 December 2014]

Defiance is probably one of the most well-written sci-fi series currently out there. It boasts an imaginative world where alien races and humans co-exist, and it essentially covers topics from politics to racial discrimination to drama, action and romance. The authors and creators have given themselves a lot of room to grow with this show, and they've been doing a wonderful job of it so far.

Each episode is entertaining because it is fast-paced, action-packed and ladled with an intricate storyline with great cast performances.

Overall, this show has the potential to explore so many things, and I am excited to see what will come up next.

Big Brother (II) (2000– )

Watching People Live With and Backstab Each Other?? Not Cool.

[5/10 · 27 December 2014]

I watched half of a season of Big Brother with my boyfriend and could not get over how some people would follow along with the show from start to finish. Essentially, the show is making the audience stalk the house guests. They are being monitored 24/7 for several months, and people take joy out of watching them scheme and backstab their way to the top.

I find this to be the epitome of a bad society in which everybody just uses and abuses others as a means to an end. Of course, it's a competition, but fostering bullying and backstabbing in our world is not something that should be taken lightly. The house guests aren't chosen wisely, and with the season I saw, a cop was one of them. To me, it just seems bad that the makers of the show would allow a cop to be the poster boy of scheming, backstabbing, and bullying.

Overall, I can see that the games the house guests play can be entertaining, but the morale of this show is not something to be proud of. As a result, I give it a 5 because it's interesting to watch at times, but uncomfortable to be monitoring people as they plot against each other.

Noah (2014)

Not The Greatest Attempt at a Remake

[6/10 · 27 December 2014]

I was very divided after watching Noah. The acting isn't that great, but the director added his own flare and creativity to the story of Noah and his Ark, which I commend him on. It's a hard feat, and the audience must be highly critical as it is a biblical film of great proportions.

However, me being an agnostic, I am not overly familiar with the Bible but have seen enough throughout my life to know what the story is about. I get that with each remake of Noah, there has to be differences in order to draw the viewers in, but I found that this story was boring and the only big thing that was added was CGI and some tree-like rock creatures.

The acting was not the greatest, and the whole movie had this depressing air around it that didn't make it suitable as a family film. It was darker than the previous renditions of the film, but the core differences between the original stories of Noah's Ark and this one are too much to not notice.

As a result, I give it a 6/10 due to its lack of entertainment and in this case, too much unnecessary CGI.

Grimm (2011–2017)

Great Mash of Supernatural Beings & Murder/Mystery

[10/10 · 27 December 2014]

I started watching this show with my boyfriend a couple years back and really got into it. The CGI isn't top-notch, but if you can get through that, Grimm is actually not that bad. In fact, it's quite good because it presents viewers with a completely different world full of imagination and creativity.

A "grimm" is someone who can see the "hidden side" of certain humans, which may possess supernatural abilities or be monsters themselves. The main character, Nick, is a grimm and works as a detective to solve crimes committed by these people. Throughout these crimes, in each season there is a main plot or storyline that carries through each episode that keeps you watching so that you can find out more about what's going to happen next.

Over the past few seasons, a lot of new creatures have been introduced, and the creativity of the writers is great. I'm enjoying the ride with the world of Grimm, and I hope they continue to up their game and come up with more stories and subplots that can keep viewers entertained.

Great show with entertaining supernatural action scenes and strong musical score, so I give it a 10.

Hugo (2011)

A Bit Boring for Scorsese

[6/10 · 27 December 2014]

I had very high expectations going into this film because it was a Scorsese film, and I was really interested in seeing him do an animated film catered towards the younger audience. However, I was not impressed.

I thought that the entire movie was so dull and boring that I actually napped for a few minutes here and there, just to get through it. The music is seriously annoying and so improperly placed that it becomes meaningless to the film, and the characters bring no life to the movie because they have no energy and the plot moves way too slowly.

There are very little characteristics of a children's movie in here except that it is animated. It's boring, serious, and just a whole bunch of CGI with no meaning.

Unfortunately, I give it a 6, because it's nothing great, but still a great CGI masterpiece.

House M.D. (2004–2012)

New Twist on Hospital Shows!

[9/10 · 27 December 2014]

There is a lot of talk online about how House is awful because the main character, Dr. Gregory House, is such an arrogant prick. However, I think that's what makes this show tick. I don't watch this show for House's personality...I watch it for its take on medicine.

There are so many shows nowadays, like Grey's Anatomy and ER that focus on drama in the hospital. They have strayed from focusing on the medicine, and rather focus on the lives of the doctors instead. With House, you get to focus on the medicine and how diseases are diagnosed. It's a great twist on the usual stories you get from hospital drama series, so I applaud the creators for taking a risk and making a show that will shock and awe the audience.

And of course, this show did. After 8 seasons, of which I have completely watched, I find that House was not that bad and its medical focus always sustained itself. Dr. House eventually did get on my nerves, but how could he not after 8 years. However, it didn't affect the quality of the show because he's always been like that. The show was technically able to sustain itself until it had exhausted all possible story lines. The only part I was unhappy about was the unfair ending and inaccurate portrayals of the medical system in allowing Dr. House to actually practise during drug addiction.

Overall, I give it a 9 just because of how it was an intriguing and different medical show that stood out from the rest of its competition.

Elf (2003)

New Twist on a Christmas Story!

[9/10 · 27 December 2014]

Elf will definitely make it down in this generation's list of Christmas classics. Growing up, although the original classic Christmas movies hold a nostalgic place in my heart, I've been fed up watching them time and again, year after year.

Elf was a new addition and a great one at that. Will Ferrell plays the part of an elf exploring the world outside of the North Pole in search for his biological family. The cast does a great job of eliciting joy, emotion, and humour from viewers throughout the entire film, and it makes for a great family film.

I'd highly recommend this to anyone who's looking to add to their list of Christmas movies to watch, if it hasn't already been added.

The Newsroom (2012–2014)

An Entertaining Show That Makes You Think

[9/10 · 27 December 2014]

The first few episodes of the season take a while to develop, but the strong character development and intricate details of the story lines are nicely woven and incorporated with each other throughout the entire series.

It's a show that takes a step back from the usual HBO nudity, but it takes a step forward in pushing political boundaries and actually making the audience think about what's going on in the world and how news reporters can relay that information in various ways or biased ways.

Each episode seems to be very carefully written and full of entertainment, spanning from humour, drama, and of course politics. I'd recommend this show to anyone who's interested in watching something that's different than the norm, and to those who are interested in not just watching a show, but being immersed in it and actually connecting to the minds of the characters themselves.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Imaginative and Futuristic Sci-Fi Movie

[9/10 · 27 December 2014]

After watching Tom Cruise's Oblivion last year, I was definitely reluctant to watch this movie because it looked to be a rip-off of that film and similar in so many ways - aliens, future, sci-fi, etc.

But after watching it, I am certainly glad I did. Edge of Tomorrow puts you at the edge of your seat, because you get immersed into the storyline and how mankind can be saved from alien apocalypse. It's highly imaginative and the CGI is flawless.

The story is written clearly and there are no dull moments in the film. Many futuristic elements are incorporated throughout the movie, and I found it to be highly entertaining due to its numerous action scenes.

Overall, I rate it a 9/10 because it's a great original sci-fi.

Frozen (I) (2013)

Great Family Movie Focusing More on Girls

[7/10 · 27 December 2014]

Overall, I thought that Frozen was one of the best Disney animated films to be made in recent years, purely because of the quality of the songs and the storyline. To me, it's not the best (not like The Lion King or the classics that I grew up with), but Frozen will be a great addition to the new generation's list of classics.

Although a great family movie, I had mixed feelings about it because it was highly focused on girls. It's not as suitable for a more robust and wide range of viewers, but for girls, this movie would be great entertainment and fun.

The characters were great, the story was good (albeit predictable), and a couple of the songs were memorable. To me, that makes a good Disney movie and deserves a 7/10.

Avalanche Sharks (2014 TV Movie)

Bad CGI and No Common Sense

[1/10 · 27 December 2014]

To be honest, I suffered through watching most of this movie here and there throughout the past year or so whenever it was airing on television. Although there was worldwide shock and awe with Sharknado (which was so cheesy and irrational that it was funny), they should have kept it at that and left it as a classic cheesy movie. But no, instead they start creating a whole bunch of shark movies...so much so, that the original value of Sharknado is now lost.

Avalanche Sharks is obviously a very cheesy film. But of all cheesy films, it is horribly executed. The CGI is terrible, and the story is just a piece of garbage. To be honest, how can you even imagine sharks living in the snow? At least with Sharknado, they were picked up and tossed around in the tornadoes to terrorize people in the city. Here, sharks are swimming in snow...do the writers even have brains?

Anyway, if you're looking for a cheesy movie, this one delivers for the first few minutes. After that, it loses its charm, if there was any in the first place. This Sharknado spin-off is definitely a disaster worse than any avalanche could ever pull off.

Scorpion (2014–2018)

Cannot Stand These Arrogant Jerks

[5/10 · 26 December 2014]

I've been hearing a lot of hype about Scorpion, but after watching a few episodes, I can't stand the characters. I live in an academic environment, and I see arrogant people all day long. But even they aren't as arrogant as the ones on Scorpion.

This takes away from reality, and in order to attract more viewers, you've got to at least introduce some characters with likable personalities. It's not impossible to be a genius and be humble at the same time.

The script is also unclear, uninspired, and poorly written, making this series not worth watching for me.

Pompeii (I) (2014)

A Disastrous Disaster Film

[4/10 · 26 December 2014]

Although laden with fights, romance, and good CGI special effects, Pompeii is a boring, predictable, and silly film that makes a joke of one of the greatest natural disasters to ever hit the world.

The acting is terrible, the plot is highly flawed and doesn't make sense in the context of impending doom, and the film was too heavily focused on male abdomens in minimal gladiator armour.

If anything, it's just a whole bunch of boring trash mixed in with Mount Vesuvius. I think the volcano was the greatest actor in the movie...it helped end the audience's pain by obliterating all the people of Pompeii.

I, Frankenstein (2014)

This Movie Is A Corpse Colder Than Frankenstein

[5/10 · 26 December 2014]

I think this could be the worst film in 2014, and definitely one of the worst I've seen in a decade.

Even though the CGI is alright and you see crazy shapeshifting gargoyles and a warrior-like Frankenstein, the whole story is lacking in quality! It's just a pure mish-mash of special effects and monsters that can probably only be appreciated by kids who aren't old enough to understand the plot yet!

It's a cheesy sci-fi with cliché moments. It's unfortunate that Aaron Eckhart had to star in this cause this may have just killed his career. There's no reanimating this Frankenstein once it's down.

Flight (I) (2012)

Instilling Fear for Frequent Flyers

[6/10 · 26 December 2014]

The first half hour of the film was mediocre - there was a sex scene and a plane crash. After that, everything was about the captain's struggle against alcoholism. Even though it was an emotional struggle, it's one we don't have to see on the big screen.

I also know a few captains that fly commercial airlines worldwide. Although most of them are not alcoholics, there are a few I know that are highly irresponsible and pay attention to other things other than flying the plane - such as those being bored with flying and trying to get into another career; so they study while they fly.

This film just drives it in for me that there are no stringent measures taken to ensure that pilots are screened on a regular basis to be at their peak when flying planes carrying hundreds of passengers.

Overall, I found the film to be very boring, and more of a wake-up call to passengers that captains are human as well and subject to the many issues any of us may face. As a result, I didn't enjoy this addiction story as it felt like it kept dragging on and on for hours with no ending.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Suspenseful Success Full of Conspiracy & Action!

[10/10 · 26 December 2014]

After watching Captain America: The First Avenger, I had high expectations for this film and wanted to see Captain American in more action to reach his full potential as a superhero. And guess what? We do get to see that in this film!

The Winter Soldier is by far one of the best Marvel films to date as it mixes hardcore action with an intricately woven conspiracy story that keeps the audience at the edge of their seats for the entire movie. You never know what's going to happen, and the layered story builds up to some epic moments of fighting and revelations.

There are plenty of action scenes along with some comedic moments that fit in perfectly with the soul of the film, and it is entertainment at its best.

I give it a 10/10 because it was well worth the money to go see this movie and I'm happy with the way Marvel is investing in the quality of movies being put out so far.

2 Broke Girls (2011–2017)

Not As Funny As They Seem...

[4/10 · 26 December 2014]

It's rare for me to give a 4/10, but I think this show deserves one. I've watched a few episodes with the family, and this sit-com is one that tries to be funny, but isn't. The actors seem to be delivering funny lines to laugh at, but they actually aren't that funny at all.

From the episodes I've watched, I also didn't enjoy the racist humour and the amount of profanity and useless talk that led to nowhere. There's barely any character development, and no matter how good the two main characters are, there's just no saving the show if the script is so horrible and the joke line-up is not even funny.

I won't be following this show any longer as I lost interest after just a few episodes. Way too raunchy for me.

Extant (2014–2015)

Good Cast, But Slowly Losing Interest

[6/10 · 26 December 2014]

Halle Berry plays Molly, an astronaut who comes back from space with a baby. It's a little reminiscent of the Alien series and some other sci-fi space movies I've watched over the years, so the creativity factor is a bit low for this film. However, it seemed like a suspense and mystery at first, and worth watching.

A few episodes in, you learnt about Molly's AI child and how she learns she became pregnant from some kind of subconscious sexual encounter with a space ghost...I mean, how does that even make sense? It's highly unbelievable.

And after many episodes of having this "alien baby" being remove from her body and escaping somewhere, I still haven't seen this creature in its entirety. As a result, I'm losing my patience and I don't like where the show is going.

If you like popular sci-fi stories mashed into something called Extant, then you might want to watch this. If you want something original, exciting, and teeth-clenching, then this won't be for you.