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Reviews
One Day at a Time (2017)
One of the few
There hadn't been many USA produced TV series worth watching. This is one of the two, that are currently ongoing that came from North America that is really worth the time.
Category 7: The End of the World (2005)
What was that?
The only time this and "Category 6" could be watched is when school students gets assignment "Natural phenomenon in reality and Hollywood". Maybe that's what the creators where aiming for?
Ti Shen (2017)
Very well thought out writing
While there are some minor issues with the film (e.g. Han Lu screams "Ni Ke!", when Ni Ke goes to do the jump, but there is no follow up of what happens; some of the kissing was also not very natural, but this is understandable given that it was new for actresses and the culture is quite different, therefore they did a good job, considering these circumstances as all the other scenes were very well played and they did have on-screen chemistry). Overall, there are very nice and well thought of details in the script, which is probably why it makes one of the best female-female romantic movies. Not to mention that the story line is not "all-too-often-seen" lack of acceptance from family or society. I absolutely loved the well thought details (e.g. Han Lu unnecessary harming Ni Ke during the "rehearsal" and then that leading-man-role doing the same during filming. Then there is the last hug vs. the first hug. Very well thought of details, that, I'm repeating myself here, makes this one of the greatest movies of the genre.
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Depends on what you want
This is action movie. I have no idea what people expected, but I enjoyed it. I watched it as action movie with no expectation of deep character conflicts or something philosophical - it's not a Nietzsche biography or another Woody Allen movie about something damaged in his life. It's an action movie about deadly IA. The first one was original, because at that time IA development wasn't that advanced, computers made first steps and so on. The first one brought attention to possible (probable?) future if our species rely too much on technology ('cause if you program "eliminate all dangers to life survival", it will definitely kill off Homo Sapiens Sapiens indiscriminately. Scientifically proven). The second one emerged at the time of fast development of computers, where the Terminator world seemed even more possible. And Sarah Connor was awesomely changed from the screaming waitress of the first one. By the end of the second she was already a developed character, no further development of her could be possible. Unless maybe reverse - her struggles to go back to normal life. The third one (i.e. this one), we saw that she basically didn't have time for that. The loss of John WAS traumatic. So traumatic, that she never managed to go passed it. Until she met Dani that is. Terminator (Karl) puts very nicely in the movie when they meet.
I loved the grouping of Sarah, Dani and Grace. However. it made space for all the lesbians, who see romantic relationship between any two females who interact on the screen (or off screen). Other than that, it was a good action movie with a great cast.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Nailed it!
I would like to review it without spoilers, but I know I won't be able to... So here is my list:
Liked:
* Hulk. Like all others, except Captain America, this original avenger has a very good growth arc. He is the embodiment of the inner division so many of us feel (wonder if this was the inspiration for the character - to give the inner rage, inner "i just want to smash things", which most of us so often have to suppress of keep deeply hidden due to our social role, mask). This Hulk is the result of inner peace that is so hard to find - just be a friend to yourself. The scene where current Hulk tries to be the Smash-all-things Hulk is very funny because it stresses the big inner differences between them. Just like the remark: "I wear shirts now". It uses very well the point in timespace when clothes became a symbol of "being civilised".
* Black Widow and Hawkeye. These two have one of the best friendships on screen of all times. The love they have for each other could be easily felt in their every scene over the various films. I already saw some complains from a very bias group about he fate of Black Widow, but I assume that they are the kind of people where personal agenda wins over the character consistency. Back Widow has only one family - Hawkeye's family. She was the only one (except Fury, but he knew because of work) who knew about Hawkeye's family. They even named their kid after her, so you know that they each considers one another very closer. Closer than anyone else. And they will do everything for one another. Their main scene showed that very well too. There is no way Black Widow would have let her sister in law and her nephews and nieces live without a father. Their friendship is the goal how friendships between man and a woman should be portrayed. And we for sure don't have them enough on the screen.
* Iron Man Tony Stark. His story is so symbolic in this one. Everything started with him and ended with him. His unwillingness to go and leave the family he has and the guilt he felt after Peter Parker turned to dust in his arms. Everything was great. Such a turn around from the playboy we first saw to a two women man. Plus, I doubt there is anyone else who is so much Tony Stark in real life as Robert Downey Jr. You will be missed as Tony Stark.
* Captain Marvel. As expected, she didn't have a lot of screen time, but came to the final fight. Was she the key in defeating Thanos (or, more precisely, helping Tony to do it)? Debatable. But the visual effects around her are always very nice. I liked that she (and, sort of, was) the key character. This film wasn't about her or any other new character. This was all about the original 6 and including her would have taken that away.
* Captain America. For me he is the most boring character. He is already fully developed in his first film and afterwards he doesn't change. On one hand, it is very nice to see such an unbendable morale and code, on the other hand it's a bit boring. His story end though rases for me a lot of questions that have to do with time travel paradox.
* Thor. Nailed it!
Dislike:
* No Fury and Carol Danvers scenes. Seriously. Their first meeting after Fury was brought back should have been epic. Especially if Hill was by the side and has Fury something like: "Nick, what just happened?". The eye Carol should have given to Fury, the remark about "everybody calls me Fury". I also doubt that he would have held up his comments about her hair and her - about his eye. Such a wonderful opportunity missed.
Unicorn Store (2017)
Almost in a genre of its own
I did not rate this film because it's in a genre with very few others. A genre, that I would call "drama fairytale for juvenile and older". It starts with being similar to "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium". However, Unicorn store has more reality and less magic than the afore mentioned one, therefore can be seen as 'not suitable to not-adults-yet'. The film overall has dark visuals, to which whole Kit exterior self-expression is set against. This just stresses more her inability to fit in as well as her loneliness in the world. It is a very easy and effective visual story telling.
The film will feel close for those, who fail to execute the social expectations the moment they are considered "adult" simply because of their physical age. However, I would guess that most living the conventional, socially acceptable life, who doesn't believe in Santa Claus, or those, who see the world as a simplistic place of obligations, 'to do lists' and means to execute them, will highly dislike it. On the other hand, those, who see magic in snowfall and snowflakes, rain, momentarily sky-drawings made by lightnings, a budding seed, those, who talk to trees or who ever had an imaginary friend, will feel deep connection to the main character and maybe will not feel so alienated and alone in this world because of their unique, naive, different world view. Oscar Wilde once wrote: "Dreamers and flowers make the world more beautiful. But to neither of them is the world merciful". In a very subtle way, the film encourages to embrace our uniqueness and our fantasies by showing that you don't need to be considered "normal" (one of the worst words ever created in a language) to be loved, to connect. You don't need to adapt to conventional world view to be accepted and be happy. With this message, it resonates with so many Christmas films.
The film can be summarised with a quote from already mentioned "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium": "I don't know why grown-ups don't believe what they did when they were kids. I mean, aren't they suppose to be smarter?"
Captain Marvel (2019)
Marvel film I enjoyed the most
I watched it two times just to get the a bit different point of view and both times I failed to find many of the points that the film is criticised for. I do not know about the politics that is going on in Hollywood so my eyesight might be affected by the ignorance, but I enjoyed the film thoroughly. It shows a very well and realistically developed interpersonal relationships between two strangers in a crime that bonds over their shared experiences (everyone who ever went to a place, which was alien in both cultural and lingual aspects knows how easy and fast interpersonal relationships develop between two people who share some similarities and end up finding each other in such a strange environment). I loved the friendship between the two air pilots (Carol and Maria). I fail to see why anyone would complain about the lack of romantic relationship or would start to "ship" Maria and Carol as a couple. Reading some of the fan-fantasies or criticism it seems that there are so many people who do not really know that there are many kinds of relationships and very often best friend relationship are more important, takes longer to build and is harder to find that any romantic plot for the sake of having romance. Carol relationship with Fury as well as Monica are the best friendships so far in the Marvel universe together with Hawkeye and Black Widow.
Overall, I loved the dynamic of the characters. I haven't read any of the comics, therefore they all seem consistent with the characterisation from other films (i.e. Fury, Coulson). Some complain about the acting of Brie Larson, but I wonder if they ever complained about the acting of Chris Evans as Captain America, who also does not deliver a lot of acting range and dramatics. Neither of these characters require a lot of emotional acting. However, the scenes that does require it (e.g. after Carol learns her past), Mrs Larson delivers very well. I think her acting was spot on given the character's story and her character overall. Captain Marvel is not a teenage Spiderman. She is an army officer and an ace. Her mindset, how she carries herself are according to that. Plus, she is lost in all possible aspects and on top of that, must save entire species while fighting the only person she knew and trusted. It's an inner conflict and she doesn't go berserk by exposing it to the outside. She internalise it the way any self-controlling, cold-headed person would. I will not say anything about the visual effects, because everyone knows that Marvel really takes the cherry in those.
Overall, this film has a representation of a real interpersonal relationships, therefore, nice character stories and something for the eyes as well. Thank You everyone who worked on it.
The Fosters (2013)
Something new
Loved the idea. Started to watch it because it contained a family, built by two women. I never watch this kind of TV shows, but the family idea and the message that is installed and thought in every episode catches the attention. Loved the discussion between the loving moms, catholics and a self-proclaimed-catholic father of one of the mom. Great arguments and great writing! There are so many self-proclaimed-catholics who have no idea what the WHOLE bible and teachings are about. They tend to take out lines out of context and apply double standards, ignoring the parts that aren't convenient to them. This show touches many social problems and present one of the possible approaches always carrying love and thinking about others.
Great show. Great message. This is what kids must watch. And not some crap like simpsons, family guy, sponge-whatever-pants, etc.
p.s. And I would also congratulate the creators on taking a real life FTM to play an FTM. As far as I know, you guys are the first one to do that, since most producers just take an actor and hope that she will make it work. Which most of the times she doesn't. I bow my head low for your decision, which, although quite obvious, took a long way to make.
Scorpion: Once Bitten, Twice Die (2015)
North America's education holes
This episode is the epiphany of North America's failure. Even though many great universities are located in USA, stupidity and idiocracy is at it's highest rates there too. And this episode, who was supposed to be written by educated people about a team of geniuses show this very well. It seems, that Einstein with his 160 IQ was way more knowledgeable than any member of this TV series as well as the main character, on who's story the TV show 'is based on'. I love to watch intellectual TV, but now I understand, that this isn't one of them. Each elementary school student have way more understanding about things than the team of this show. The least you can do know, is to release a public apology of the misguidance and misinformation that were so numerous in this episode (and others), and also include all the real facts. Otherwise, you even won't be able hold to the remains of the honour you might still hold.
Awful. Completely Awful episode. And to mention "a 25 page study about the countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus". It seems, that you have no shame or respect to the citizens of these countries and those, who know things, or those who watch your show what's so ever. This episode just strengthen my suspicions, that the real O'brien is just a casual imposter.