Change Your Image
AlmaSoulAmor
Reviews
Another Life (2019)
Sci-fi fans must see - Season 2 rocks!
What a creative and fun show! If you enjoy sci-fi take the risk, because it gets better and better up to the spectacular end.
It took quite awhile for me to get into this show, but by season 2 I was enjoying it a lot, and by the end I upgraded my rating to a 9!
I actually rewatched season 1 when season 2 came out, so I could remember what was happening. It was better the second time, and made season 2 phenomenal! This is the best sci-fi series I've seen in a long time. I loved it!
I do understand the criticism. I thought of it as a culture shift. Who's to say what Earth culture will be like once we have a Mars colony and are traveling to other alien worlds. It's a hard pill to swallow, the immaturity of some of the astronauts, but stay with it: it gets better. I grew to enjoy the relationships and drama and kitschy-ness. It made it quirky and fun, and sometimes delightfully steamy.
For me, the main storyline was the best part, and it kept me hooked. Gracias to the writers. Also, the fun, scary, suspenseful parts were perfectly done for my taste. I also appreciated that there wasn't too much in-your-face gore.
The last episode of season 2 was stellar, and wrapped the story up nicely. I very much hope we have more seasons! I want to go on more adventures with this ship, see more alien planets, and interact with more alien societies.
Another plus for me was definitely Katee Sackhoff. She made a great captain. It was so awesome to see a woman captain. She rocked the role.
My only feedback would be for someone to check for inconsistencies. One example is when arrogant, hidden AI dude said he found a shorter way back to Earth saving 3 months. Later, Niko told William to find that 1 month shorter route. Those little things bugged me.
Watch it! If you liked Battlestar Galáctica, or Future Man, you may enjoy this. I loved it and will watch it again one day. It was a really fun ride. Thank you creators.
Miss Potter (2006)
Read/listen to her writings first
I recently read (listened) to the works of Beatrix Potter. I'd heard of Peter Rabbit but, even as an avid reader, I'd never read her works. Over a couple of weeks, I devoured her (audibly read) stories. They are like a warm blanket.
So, when I saw this movie, with Renée Zellweger no less, I instantly hit play!
Several times, I was moved to tears. The depiction of the drawings and the stories were sublime. I especially loved the placement of the story with the frog fishing. That is one of my very favorites, and I felt it's subtle coupling with the loss of her first love to be perfectly placed.
I had an inkling of Beatrix Potter's history, but I had no idea that had she saved four-thousand acres of some of the most beautiful land in our country. What an incredible woman! What an incredible human being! I am honored and inspired by her art, and her Life.
Thank the creators of this movie (ALL of you) for sharing this art history with us.
Quiz Lady (2023)
Have a gummy
And enjoy the heck outta this movie! I loved it. I was laughing out loud throughout the movie, and even got teary-eyed.
That "high" scene was the favorite I've ever seen! I was cracking up! It was also beautifully done. Those smiling clouds! And how they showed the partial aura around her, where we could see reality vs what she was seeing.
Will Ferrell was perfectly cast as the Bob Ross of hosts. Every time he spoke it gave me relaxing tingles.
The two sisters were both incredible! Their scene (in the Inn's breakfast buffet line) was the ultimate, most concise and accurate explanation of why two sisters might be low contact. (You younger sisters may have no rememberings of some things we've done to shield and protect you.)
I all-around loved this movie. I even enjoyed the cranky neighbor, and still wish to see her play charades.
The ending montage of what happened to every character was VeRY rewarding. The wall of bow-ties was genius, and I got to think about its genius even further through the credits.
I had several favorite lines! The first coming within the first 15 minutes of the movie! You may think my 9 is extreme, but I truly loved this movie so much. It made me laugh, hard, countless times, and had some truly great lines and acting. The characters were all lovable. A definite rewatch for me.
Paul Reubens was in it!!! His last movie!! The fact that he and the other actor have truly been told (for decades) they look like each other is such a wonderful inclusion. Thank you for making us art Mr. Reubens Pee-Wee Herman!
When I first saw Sandra Oh's character, I wondered if even she could pull that off. She did!!! I was so endeared to her by the end. I was also in doubt about Awkwafina's (actress unknown to me) character, but I was completely sold on it by the end. Both played extreme characters - both made me believe in them and invest in their journey.
Bull: The Exception to the Rule (2017)
GenXers nostalgia
I adored this episode. The best part was seeing Bull/DiNozzo "rap" and dance to O. P. P. Yeah you know me! (We all know what the abbreviation stands for right?) I loved seeing him get all mushy and nostalgic about his high school sweetheart.
I really liked the opening with his old photos from childhood into early college. Excellent transition, especially following the previous episode with his college freshman roommate.
I started watching Bull the moment DiNozzo left NCIS. I'm a late-comer to both shows. If you felt an affinity towards DiNozzo or Bull, or even if you dislike their characters, skip to the song and dance portion of this episode. I found it endearing and nostalgic (being a GenXer myself.) Though I refuse to admit that I look that uncool when dancing and singing old hip hop songs nowadays. Ha! I just loved the set up for that moment, and the letting go of pretense and living in and for the moment.
The only questionable part to me was the implication that they had sex at the end. I guess or hope that Bull is in a non-monogamous relationship. The son had a perfect reaction! Watch closely and you will see as the recognition spreads across his face, he gags. Haha! Excellent acting choice.
I've truly enjoyed the last three guest star attorneys working with Bull: Brad Garrett, Alex Neumeier, and Zack Burnam. It makes the episodes more dynamic and fun to watch.
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: Thirst (2011)
Naturally
Three cheers for an episode centered around Ducky's love life. Naturally, his first foray into online dating would pair him with a serial killer! An episode ahead of it's time. I enjoyed it. Saw it coming with her being the culprit though. Long live Dr Mallard!
He is my favorite character of the show, due to his genial personality, sharp mind, willingness to help others yet hold clear boundaries, passion and wisdom for life, and most importantly his gorgeous Scottish accent! I'm happy he's a part of this show, and without him I'm not sure I'd have continued watching. Hopefully someday soon, he will find a woman worthy of all he has to offer.
Call Me Miss Cleo (2022)
She was definitely
I rated this a 7 because I was engaged the entire time, but wished it had went deeper.
Throughout this documentary I had many conflicting thoughts - oh! She's a talented playwright, actress, artist . . . NO wait, she's a conwoman! Aka psychopath with anti-social personality disorder, nooo wait! . . . She has Disassociative (multiple personality) identity disorder . . . No wait??? Shrug, idk, she's for sure a fallible and dynamic human being.
I did enjoy the flow of this documentary. I liked learning about Miss Cleo's life. I do wonder how so little of her actual background could have been discovered by the documentarians. It stated that she had approximately eight adoptive siblings and adoptive parents, so how were none of them found? Although it did explain that even her birth certificate was extremely difficult to dig up.
Perhaps they should've went into how most things were not digitized back then, thus much more difficult to find. Though I grew up in the 80s and 90s and I still find it surprising that so little facts were shared about her upbringing. Why did they not interview some of her former classmates from the all girls private school? The expert on Jamaica and the African Diaspora was integral.
I really loved that her two romantic partners were interviewed near the end, as this was the highlight for me. Prop 8 was beyond reprehensible, and the fact that Miss Cleo fought for the community made me applaud her efforts.
My only gripes are - Why didn't the documentary mention what type of cancer? I shouldn't have to google this after watching. And the suicide trigger warning at the beginning made me think that she killed herself, when the only mention I recall was that she first thought of it at age 7. Lastly, what did she do for work or money during the 15 years following the lawsuits? She claimed to not have made much money from the psychic scams, so I am curious about the work she did afterwards (this being a documentary and all.)
Personally, I adored the contributions of Raven Symone to this! She was our voice, the voice of us infomercial viewers back in the day. I wouldn't have enjoyed this nearly as much without her delightful presence and commentary.
Edge of the Earth: Into the Void (2022)
Spoiler Quotes
This episode is filled with incredible beauty and awe the power of Mother Nature. Adrenaline full-tilt with the views. Enjoyed this ride with you so much.
The payoff was incredible, including the why you do it.
" I will always remember this place."
"You really settle into this Place of Presence."
"that's something that'll make me smile for the rest of my life."
I've lived a practice of will or won't this choice make my memory smile for decades. That statement made had all my worried projection become understanding.
"That's where life feels the most pure, the most rich, the most real to me."
I Think We're Alone Now (2018)
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
Del is reinstating the Dewey decimal system! At least that is what I propose he's doing labeling all of the books. No more computers means back to the old ways of GenXers and before.
To those having difficulty with the sound, turn on the subtitles. That's how I watch everything and it helps immensely, once you get used to it.
Peter Dinklage is definitely one of the most skillful actors of our time. He is also master of the slow character-driven movie, and I love watching him work. I was shocked by the trivia fact that the first line isn't spoken until 13 minutes 37 seconds into the movie.
If you enjoyed this, check out The Station Agent.
I agree that the ending was odd, but it did give us some answers, along with more questions. Yes, people survived, and yes they started some kind of city. Did they perform that surgery en mass, and is that why people seem so superficial, or is that just the culture of that region? I appreciated the pants-less runner, because why not.
Was that Del's mom they buried? Is that where he used to live as an adult?
One life hack this movie taught me is that living on a college campus is the way to go, following the apocalypse! It has everything one needs.
The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman (2022)
Your youth is showing
Sarah's father, Peter Smith, is a true hero. What a brilliant man he is! He was my favorite part of this entire series due to his tenacity, calm yet emotive demeanor, his clever ways of trying to solve the real life puzzle of what was occurring, his never giving up on his daughter and loving her throughout.
Not to mention that he'd give away every remaining penny to save his wife some bit of suffering. I can't imagine how incredibly hard that decision must have been. The hidden safe in the floor part was great! Much respect and admiration to this gentleman.
The father kept calling the police, for a decade, which ultimately led to the psychopath getting caught. Thereby Peter Smith rescued his daughter! Plus, he was saved the life of the other woman that was engaged to the criminal.
Thank you ALL for bringing light and warning to the truly heinous types of people that do live around us looking for prey to devour.
Psychopaths live amongst us, and they thrive on fooling people (especially bright ones) and on breaking the law. They lack the ability to feel empathy. It is truly hard to believe until you experience it firsthand, but this show gives great insight into what can happen to anyone.
You may think it could never happen to you, but people with antisocial personality disorder aka psychopaths fool even experts in the field of diagnosing the disorder. I firmly believe that this particular psychopath, and others like him, should be fitted with a cowbell around their necks to warn us they are coming.
When making a documentary like this, one that gives the brave survivors a voice to warn others, they must be careful to not cause more harm than good. I appreciated the respect and care the filmmakers showed. I imagine that Maria was not talked about in depth out of that care for her two grown children. The psychopath's actions have caused more than enough harm.
Deep gratitude to the people that felt strong enough to share their stories with us. May you continue to heal and keep your hearts open. A special thank you to Sarah, you are truly impressive.
Henry Rollins: Keep Talking, Pal (2018)
Barely any spoilers
Keep talking, pal, is right. Henry Rollins' mind fascinates me. He is uber intelligent, and I am mesmerized by his rapid-fire, captivating, storytelling approach. He shows vulnerability by showing us his raw truth. He is an expert speaker, going quickly, keeping our attention fixed on his words, lest we lose something, but he also clearly articulates, and allows just enough time for our own processing to occur. If you enjoy mental stimulation, I highly recommend viewing this talk.
As far as humor, his style draws laughter out of me with a start. My mind is processing what he is saying, so quickly, that the laugh bursts forth before I even realize it's coming. It is a wonderful feeling.
Lately, I've been feeling a bit old and tired too, and I truly believe that it is time for the young, energetic people to take up the torch. My main take away is that we can and we must still stand: stand for them, stand behind them, stand with them. Generation X opened the path wider, and now they will see it through to the next level. After watching this, I will remember to support the torch bearers more loudly. It IS exciting to see what changes they will affect in my lifetime!
To the reviewers that are shocked by Henry Rollins' words. I saw him speak, well over a decade ago, maybe two, and he was just as open-minded, supportive of diversity, and loud in his support of equal rights for ALL people. If anything, his staunch stance in this talk was a bit milder (due to the aforementioned old and tired torch passing.) The audience, for his talks, has long been filled with thinking folk. Keep listening, pals.
The Circle: And the Winner Is... (2021)
Hugs for Bryant
Based on how the final rating was going, with many players strategically down-rating the people they thought would be voted the highest, I felt sure that Trevor would win. She played a great game. Since she was not considered a threat to win, several players rated her highly, assuming others would rate her low. That combination (rating high players low, and low players high) for the win. Chloe's voting "with her gut," put Deleesa over the top. I could not be more happy with the choice of winner this season. She made me smile every time she was on my screen.
It was very hard for me to decide between River and Chloe for second. I'd have picked Chloe, based on her answer on what she'd do with the winnings. River wants a pool. I hope he gets it someday. It was heartwarming to see his husband's family message. May we all find that kind of deep, abiding love.
When Deleesa was calling her husband to tell him of her win, did yall notice Chloe and Mitchell chatting it up in the background? Even if that was intentional, it was perfectly played, giving us resolution about her healing heartbreak.
Rizzoli & Isles: Killer in High Heels (2013)
What dating is like
I had a bad feeling about this guy from the get-go, but I reasoned that there was no way he could be a bad guy, so close on the heels of the recent serial killer love interest of Maura's. Whelp, he was a con man. At least this episode gets the dating scene right.
How will she ever bring herself to date again? Will they deal with trust issues this time, which they completely ignored last go-round? Maura showed more upset and moodiness over her biological mom not thanking her for her kidney donation, than she did from her serial killer love interest almost murdering her. I liked this episode.
Criminal Minds: Twenty Seven (2018)
Open Robe
This exchange (below) is genius! To watch a single, powerful woman, my age, be a public hero, receive sincere admiration and recognition by the man she worked with for that one day, and then brilliantly get him to ask her out on an official date (no less,) and closes with, "I'll think about it," to-boot. Go Prentis!
Hot hero Prentiss: (visits hospital room) "Hey. I know it's late, I just wanted to see how you were doing. You look well."
Hot hero Cop: "Thanks. It's . . pain meds are spectacular."
Prentiss: "When you getting out of here?
Cop: "Soon. My vital organs are in place, so there's that."
Prentiss: "Good." (inhales) "Because, well, I did save your life. Least you could do is buy me a beer or something."
Cop: (raises eyebrows) "Yeah. Yeah, I could do that. I might even be able to take you to dinner. I mean, since we're gonna be out. Maybe a ball game. I could get you one of those little hats with ice cream in it. You know, if you're into that kind of thing."
Prentiss: "Well, it sounds like a date . . ."
Cop: "Yeah. It'd be a date."
Prentiss: "I'll think about it."
(She walks off and secretly flashes a big, beautiful smile.)
Fantastic episode. I enjoyed the above exchange so much, that I didn't even notice his scandalously open robe until the multipleth viewing. I hope something, at least, very fun comes of this pairing.
Merlin: Gwaine (2010)
Give Gwaine a spin off show!
Gwaine is dreamy. This episode was much appreciated. I do hope that he will return to become a regular character at some point.
I sort of love how every romance-novel-worthy man becomes instantly ga-ga for Gwen. What is her hidden magic?
Merlin: Goblin's Gold (2010)
Hard braying
This episode was relatively light and very funny! I will come back to it just to rewatch Arthur's braying conversation with Gwen. I laughed so hard, and watched the scene over and over, as it was excellently acted with the perfect gestures, facial expressions and hard braying. Ha! The kick Merlin got out of it was great too.
It was also enjoyable to watch Gaius playing a mischievous prankster, but I did not enjoy the creepy lip licking. This is a great episode in a remarkable series.
Community: Basic Lupine Urology (2012)
I've never seen Law and Order
Ex-con biology Professor Kane Ph.D said,
"Holy crap! We are definitely dissecting pinecones next year!"
That line, at the end of this crime-drama style Community, delivered with perfection by the scariest dude from The Wire, was my biggest laugh in the series thus far. As soon as he said it, I hysterically cry laughed for several minutes. It was wonderful.
This episode is full of great lines. I'm watching this near the end of 2020, while recovering from covid, and am feeling extra grateful for some laughter.
The Twilight Zone: Ovation (2020)
Loud Clapping Throughout
The episode title is fair warning. If you dislike the sound of clapping, skip this episode. In my estimation, there was not enough payoff for sticking through to the end.
I can not tolerate loud, sustained, ecstatic clapping of an audience in any on-screen format. Thus, I watched this episode mostly on mute. If they removed the overused, drawn-out clapping scenes, I wonder how many minutes of show would remain. Are there other people that can not stand loud clapping on TV?
I am enjoying this anthology, and will keep watching for the duration, but this episode grated me from start to finish.
Better Call Saul: Breathe (2018)
Best scene of the series
Kim's big scene with Howard was one of my favorite scenes of the series. Imagine someone understanding that much about you, and having your back like that. I was in awe of her acting chops too.
Casual: Mom (2015)
Wisdom from a D pic
"We spend our whole lives waiting for our parents to apologize. They spend theirs waiting for a thank you. Neither of us ever gets what we want." -impossible wisdom from D pic Randy
Jacob (2019)
So good that I watched it twice!
What a wonderful documentary! I know none of the people involved, I simply thought that it looked intriguing.
Watch this film. The short 45 minute length was part of the appeal when I chose to view this, yet when it ended, I wished it to be longer, to be able to hear more of his writing, more of his teaching students in various settings, more of his fun stories about the history of NYC, more of the rationale behind some of his more controversial beliefs, more of simply getting to know Jacob.
Jacob is an incredibly accomplished person, confident in who he is, yet remains down to earth, and is funny! Such an attractive mix. He also seems to enjoy provoking people to think more deeply about things, which I respect. I wonder what it would be like to sit down and have a conversation with him, or attend one of his lectures.
Jacob's joke that flopped on that date made me laugh out loud! And I am in the same age situation as she described herself.
The beginning line of some of his stories being read aloud by Tina Howe was one of my favorite parts of this film! One of my other favorite parts was the clip of Jacob teaching his medical ethics class at Mount Sinai Medical School, and the commentary afterwards by both Jacob and the next gentleman.
Thank you for making this documentary, and for sharing a bit about Jacob with us. I am a now fan.
QUOTES:
First line of Coulrophobia & Fata Morgana by Jacob Appel:
"My father fancies himself a shrewd landlord- he refused to rent to lawyers, the children of lawyers, even a college girl 'who had law school written all over her'- but he bit off too much when he sublet to the mime."
Interviewer "Are you happy?"
Jacob " I mean, happy is a strange word because it sort of suggests a uniformity of sentiment. I am probably happy more than I am unhappy, which I guess is a good sign. I mean, anybody who is happy all the time is an idiot, and anybody who is happy none of the time really needs to be treated. So I'm somewhere in the middle."
Fear, Love, and Agoraphobia (2018)
Enjoyable movie! We all have quirks.
Quote
Near the end, his little, black notebook says:
RUNNING LOG
3/13 House to sidewalk
3/14 House to garage
3/15 House to sidewalk
3/16 ' '
3/17 ' '
3/18 House to garage
(many more dates blocked from view)
FEELINGS
3/13 Neighbors looking at me funny. I feel trapped in their stare.
3/1? feeling excited
3/19 Hopeful
Wish Man (2019)
Read Nothing about this Story. Just watch.
The chemistry of the lead male and female actors is what drew me in, through the short trailer on Netflix. I knew nothing about the true story, and was glad to watch with no expectations. Let it unfold before you.
Both characters are strong willed people that speak their minds, which makes them people that I am interested to watch. Also, both are beautiful inside and out, h.o.t. Their chemistry on screen is palpable.
The pictures during the credits are well done, and well thought out, paying homage to the true people this story is about.
I thoroughly enjoyed this biography.
If you are in the mood to watch a true story that will make you feel something, pick this.
*****Spoilers here and below spoilers***** if I did the math right, the charity has granted 11,250 wishes per year, on average, for over 40 years. Imagine how many people were touched by all of those kindnesses. The people that got to help, the children, the families, friends, all workers, millions of Humans: Spread kindness.
Juan: "I want to help you. And it's okay for you to accept my help. 'Cause when people need help, you give it to 'em."
Frank: "But how? I'm just a kid."
Juan: "You're not just anything. You're (you!) You can help people. Remember, if someone needs help, you give it to 'em."
Modern Love: Take Me as I Am, Whoever I Am (2019)
To quote our protagonist . . .
"And there it is. --
The silence. --
The sickening silence of another man walking out of my life before getting past the porch door. --
A silence of my own making. --
Like a jealous, crazy mother shooing teenagers from her doorstep with her daughter locked upstairs. --
Would he have stayed?"