mg3331 Reviews

Lost in Space (2018–2021)

Very watchable sc-fi show

[9/10 · 17 April 2018]

I did enjoy this from the first episode. It's how the original series should have been made. A family that pulls together in times of crisis and an evil woman who tries to tear their world apart. I can see the number of negative reviews here so the possibity of a second season is in doubt. Shame people can't appreciate real family values anymore. I surpose it's a show you either love or hate and there just seem to be too many haters. Hope it get's a second season because it deserves it.

Kidnap (I) (2017)

Great Thriller!

[9/10 · 11 October 2017]

A lot of mainly mixed reviews for this one I see. I am happy to say this movie definitely gets the thumbs up from me. Hallie Berry is great as the mother of an abducted six year old boy. Certainly edge of your seat stuff like No Escape, it's in that class. This mother wasn't going to let anything but death stop her and the kidnappers certainly failed in that department. Crazy car chases as you would expect and Karla would probably be in a lot of trouble considering she must have killed a few people along the way. A satisfactory piece of entertainment and there need to be more mothers like this considering the world we live in. It was great to see mother and son reunited.

It (I) (2017)

It shines

[9/10 · 12 September 2017]

There are two basic reasons I went to see this movie. First is because it is a Steven King adaption and in this case I would say a very good one. The other reason is because Finn Wolfward (can't wait to see him in Stranger Things 2) is among the cast of young leads and I would say he stands out the most. It's good that they stayed quite loyal to the book and produced an R rated film rather then a toned down version which would ruin the whole thing in my opinion. Strong scary scenes, good chemistry between the kids and generally a satisfactory effort. Maybe one of the movies of the year and maybe worth viewing a second time.

The Dark Tower (2017)

Towering entertainment

[8/10 · 20 August 2017]

I saw The Dark Tower just today and I think that the reviews have been generally unfair. If readers of the Steven King books on which it is based expect it to be faithful to them they will probably be let down because his novels are just too long and detailed for this to be possible. I have only read the first book of the Tower series so I can't make a judgment. I will say however that this film is highly entertaining and has quite a good story overall. Great action scenes between Roland the gunslinger and the Man In Black. Tom Tyler as the boy Jake is a damn good young actor. I've heard that there are plans to make a TV show from this but of course that will depend on the movie's box office success and the poor reviews won't help this cause either. I personally hope this does happen as this is a good cinema effort and I liked it a lot!

Shut In (I) (2016)

Passable Thriller

[7/10 · 13 August 2017]

I watched this on Netflix just today and I think it was worth my time watching it. Niomi Watts was great as always and also a good performance from Charlie Heaton of Stranger Things fame as the teen son who is confined to a wheelchair and in need of constant care from his mother following a road accident. We learn towards the end that he is not really disabled, it was all a ruse although I don't see how he could fake it for six months after expert medical examination. A tense and suspenseful movie but with more then a few holes in the plot.

The Day Will Come (2016)

One Step Back For Mankind

[9/10 · 3 June 2017]

I was watching through gritted teeth and such a feeling of revulsion. I would say that many of the worst types in prison would not treat kids in such a manner. The way that headmaster and his cronies try to justify their actions makes you want to throw up. Just shows you how badly society failed those children and to this day it still does. Top marks to those wonderful brothers for enduring for so long which is testimony to their character and their determination never to be broken. Grim viewing but at the same time a quite heartwarming experience.

Before I Wake (2016)

Dark but also heartwarming

[8/10 · 7 May 2017]

I saw this today on Netflix and it turned out to be better then I expected. A couple who lost their own child adopt this kid who appears not to have a very good history regarding adoption. It soon becomes clear that the boy has a gift (or some would say a curse) for making dreams come true and often frighteningly so. This film explores loss and how different people deal with it and also gives an insight into what occurs after death. A little like The Sixth Sense and I would say good performances from the main leads and the young boy. I would say more fantasy then horror and I think it deserves a follow up movie.

Stranger Things (2016–2025)

Stranger Things Rocks!

[10/10 · 18 July 2016]

This is some of the best TV I've seen for quite some time. I would say it's more like a Steven King story rather then a Steven Spielberg movie. It's a great mix of the paranormal and sci-fi and as a fan of this kind of genre I had an idea by halfway through the series what was going on. Many of the principal characters are kids but kids stuff it certainly is not. All of the young cast are good but I think Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven really steals the show like Ellie Fanning in Super 8. I'd have to say that the sinister government agency responsible for all distress brought to the Hawkins community were rather sloppy and in reality they would have found the girl (Eleven) a lot sooner. I have a feeling we have not seen the last of her. We know that Sheriff Hooper made some kind of deal with the government agents but it's not clear at this point exactly what it was. It does have a satisfactory ending but with enough loose ends for a further season. Hopefully there is enough interest in this show for a DVD release at some point. Most of the reviews (mine included) have been generally favorable and I do hope that it will have enough of an audience worldwide to give the go ahead for a series two and I also hope that we don't have to wait an entire year for it but more then likely we will.

Daredevil (2015–2018)

daredevil season 2 even better!

[10/10 · 28 March 2016]

I'd have to say that once I started watching series 2 I was hooked as I was with season 1 but now that I have watched all thirteen episodes I'd have to say it leaves the first series which was itself great far behind. I did not think that the hallway fight in episode two of series 1 could be beaten but the one on the stairwell in episode three is just unbelievable. This show has set a new standard in quality programming that most others have been unable to reach (the nearest I would say is Gotham) and this is what the superhero fan wants. Great action, great characters, great storyline. While The Punisher does stuff that you can't agree with you can't help but like him. I'm pleased they included Electra this time along with the return of the very obnoxious Stick. To say how it all turns out would be to spoil it for other viewers but I will say it came to a satisfactory conclusion in all. Will there be a season 3. I would bet my house on it judging by the overall reaction from fans. Thanks for giving us this and let's see it all out on DVD very soon.

The Goldbergs (2013–2023)

The Goldbergs has my vote

[8/10 · 4 August 2015]

I only began watching this show recently and I am more impressed then I thought I would be. All the cast work well together and the stories are apparently real life experiences. George Segal has always been great and he is in this too as Pops. Very much like The Wonder Years (not half as good in my opinion) with it's nostalgic look at the 1980s as seen through the eyes of a child. I must point out that PCs were just getting started then and the internet had only just been thought of. Video tapes were all the rage (God knows why when you compare them to modern viewing technology). We have the adult Adam doing the narration and this works quite well also. I would sum this series up as probably the best of the modern comedy's and it's certainly well worth watching.

Jurassic World (2015)

Jurassic World surprise hit!

[8/10 · 15 June 2015]

The success of this movie is a little surprising considering it is just retreading old ground from the earlier films but now that I've seen it (must be viewed in 3D to fully appreciate it) I would have to say that it does deserve to be big box office. The dinosaur effects have improved slightly since the original movie. I found the first half a little slow but once the action started it had my attention. Of course like the other Jurassic films it had to have a couple of kids in danger (not really of course)and these two did pretty well on their own without adult help. At the climax we have an epic battle between the dinosaur creatures while the main characters get a ringside seat. As for the idea of having a Jurassic theme park well, if such a place was really possible and in the light of all the disasters in the previous films you would have to wonder how many customers they would really attract. I would say however it is a quite impressive piece of entertainment.

San Andreas (2015)

Satisfactory Disaster Movie!

[9/10 · 29 May 2015]

I saw this just yesterday on it's opening day in the UK and I would say it's better then I expected. Realistic it certainly isn't (the closest you'll get to that as far as disaster movies go is The Impossible but I'm not here to review that one) but the earthquake quake scenes are the most impressive to date. Duane Johnson hardly qualifies as an actor but he does serve his purpose as rescue pilot Ray who must save his wife Emma and his daughter Blake who is abandoned by her no-good step father. Blake is joined by British (I think Australian) engineer Ben and his little bro Ollie who come to her rescue. I think that these two are clearly added to the movie simply to as a romantic interest and to make her plight less lonely. Of course you know that Ray will come through for all of them in the end and the principal characters will all survive impossible situations. If you want a movie with plenty of tension and spectacular effects but still a happy ever after ending then this is for you.

Gotham (2014–2019)

Grand Finale!

[9/10 · 28 May 2015]

The final episode of season one was quite impressive. We see Fish Mooney and other leading underworld figures wiped out and it seems The Penguin and The Riddler and other rising super villains are set to take over. As for Selina Kyle she shows in this episode that there is really not much difference between her and Fish Mooney. She of course survives but it is beyond me why young Bruce Wayne would even want someone like that as a girlfriend. The fact that she pushed Alfred's attacker of that building should have told him enough about her. You have to feel sorry for Barbara Keene, her story is quite a tragedy. Still, I personally don't think that she did kill her parents, this is some delusion that she has. We should find out next season and see where her character goes from here. Falcone gets to walk away smelling of roses which isn't right you feel. We do get a look at Bat Cave in the final scene so I think the stage is set for a promising return in the fall and I certainly look forward to that.

Granite Flats (2013–2015)

Very good show!

[9/10 · 27 May 2015]

I have now watched all 3 seasons of Granite Flats and I was impressed overall. The third series came to a very good climax although I did guess who the "Plummer" was long before he was exposed. Very thought provoking program. Was Lee Harvey Osward programmed to kill President Kennedy? I suppose we'll never know the real story behind that but who knows what dirty dealings went on then and still do to this day. Granite Flats shows the good and bad in all people. Here we have characters who do a lot of stuff they think is for the good of mankind but deep down they regret what they do. Certainly a family type show but the storyline might be too complex for the under tens although I may be underestimating the intelligence of many of them. My main criticism is how the story switches about so much it's often hard to tell what's happening. In between series two and three we learn that Arthur's mother is dead and he is suddenly not very friendly with Timmy and Madeline and we realize how much we have missed because of the huge gap between each season and I wish we could have had more episodes. I was hoping that Arthur would be reunited with his father and I'm not sure there will be another season. Shame if there isn't because there are still a few loose ends. Very enjoyable viewing.

Gotham: Pilot (2014) Season 1, Episode 1

Great pilot!

[9/10 · 13 October 2014]

I was not sure about this show but now I've seen the first episode I will make a point not to miss any future episodes. This is really for the teens and adults because of it's violent content. I must say I was not disappointed, it gets off to a great start and ends with great promise for the next installment. Not strictly for Batman fans but for anyone who appreciates classy and gritty entertainment. Yes, this could be one of the great ones. The kid playing young Bruce Wayne I remember in another great series called Touch and I thought he was really good in this also. I would expect he and young Selina Kyle to meet at some point and realize that their destinies are intertwined. It's not flawless of course but it has so much going for it I will be amazed if it never reaches a second season. I predict it will be a huge hit.