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Dark Holler (2022)
Not very compelling
After finishing the first 2/5 episodes I really wasn't looking forward to the third. Sadly, the 3rd left me more uninterested in the 4th. So, having watched 3/5 episodes so far I'm confident in expressing that this documentary is not very interesting or compelling. I intend to finish the series, but overall I'm pretty uninterested. Even if it becomes more interesting and compelling taking three meandering episodes to get there is laborious. So far the first three episodes IMO could've been edited and contained in at least 2/3rds of the time I've spent watching. Too many interviews mulling over and restating the same supposed evidential incident per episode. Episode 1 40 minutes about odd behavior. Episode 2 40 minutes about one sound. Episode 3 40 minutes about unhinged behavior. The connections to the notion of demons (in which I do believe) feel very tenuous leaving it easy to naturally instead start considering mental illness.
Gilmore Girls: The Prodigal Daughter Returns (2005)
Terrible.
I was really enjoying this show. However. I'm not sure it's worth going past this point. The writing takes a cheap and desperate nose dive by introducing a heretofore unknown daughter for Luke. Absolute ratings oriented writing. Pure garbage.
I was really enjoying this show. However. I'm not sure it's worth going past this point. The writing takes a cheap and desperate nose dive by introducing a heretofore unknown daughter for Luke. Absolute ratings oriented writing. Pure garbage.
I was really enjoying this show. However. I'm not sure it's worth going past this point. The writing takes a cheap and desperate nose dive by introducing a heretofore unknown daughter for Luke. Absolute ratings oriented writing. Pure garbage.
The Boys (2019)
Excellent
Despite how grotesque and disgusting this show is it's easily one of the best written, filmed, and performed shows out there. As super hero movies become completely cookie cutter and irrelevant this show inversely become more entertaining. A little more visual discretion would be nice but I get it and I hope they can keep the quality that narrowly justifies it.
No Time to Die (2021)
Weak
This is the weakest James Bond in history. James Bond is an emasculated dope and black lady 007 is beyond suspending disbelief. Sorry if that hurts your feelings. It simply wouldn't happen.
The Hyperions (2022)
Great surprise
Frankly I can't stand superhero movies anymore. They're dopey and hollow. The Hyperions, despite capes and powers, is not a superhero movie. It's a movie about family and friends, about how power corrupts and distorts, and above all else about how integrity and good values always end up being worth more than power, fame, money, and privilege. It's not dopey, it's not hollow. It's charming, funny, and very touching.
I didn't really know what I was in for and what I got was a truly great surprise.
Aziz Ansari: Nightclub Comedian (2022)
Lame and out of touch
Really? Jokes and haughtiness about the unvaccinated and lies about ivermectin? Way to go for the low (and played out) fruit. I used to respect this guy but now it seems he just works for the mob. Get a life.
I Want You Back (2022)
A mess.
While I got some laughs from this it was basically just a story about two degenerate children who team up to hurt other people by lying, manipulating, extorting, and being otherwise disgusting.
The movie seems to wish it was a quirky "indie" film but every time it even brushes up against something remotely resembling a beat like that it quickly degenerates into well worn potty humor tropes.
The relationship between Emma and the young boy was cringe throughout.
The irony is that in the end they were both dumped for good reason and deserve no pity or support from the audience.
Nisser (2021)
Discipline your children
Basically a selfish family brings their spoiled daughter to a secluded island and she ruins everyone's lives while her parents attempt to shield her and themselves from that truth. No characters are likable except Karen who seems to be the only character capable of facing reality. Sadly in her attempt to fix what the brat child has done she's overruled by her own family and left for dead. Evil and selfishness all around in this one.
Fred Claus (2007)
What for?
This thing is so bad we didn't even bother finishing it. Halfway through and it had already failed to be funny, clever, and heart warming. Frankly we couldn't even figure out what sort of audience in particular this movie was made for. Don't waste your time.
Cowboy Bebop (2021)
Nice job
This is a terrific adaptation. I really didn't expect it to find such a great balance between the original and live action sensibilities. Highly recommended whether you're an fan of the original anime or just looking for something really, really cool to watch.
Why I'm not on Facebook (2014)
I'm still waiting.
This is a goofy documentary that doesn't answer its own question. In fact it more or less comes across as promoting Facebook. There is no research on its effect on people nor is there any exposition on bad experiences.
The Witcher (2019)
What?
This show is boring and badly disjointed. Many characters are simply undisciplined, one-dimensional perverts with sensibilities and behaviors that don't support their positions of power.
Given the awful story telling and lack of characters worth investing in, the show's not worth anyones time unless they're into that sort of thing.
On a positive note, Henry Cavil's title character, along with his performance, transcends most of the above but for whatever reason the so-called "writers" barely utilize that and instead waste everyone's time trying to beef up the least interesting parts of the show.
Titans: Purple Rain (2021)
Brick
After a very promising 5-6 episodes this season took a complete nose dive and this finale dropped like a brick. Resolutions were rushed and ridiculous and after all the drama there were zero consequences. And seriously, "Build back better?!" These writers are careless and shameless hacks. What a disappointment. It's a too bad a decent cast is being wasted on this garbage.
The Vow (2020)
Boring.
This documentary is drawn out, unfocused, unsatisfying, and ultimately unconvincing. KR comes off as a creepy weirdo and the members of NXIVM come across as complete fools: A bunch of narcissists upset that they got duped and manipulated by someone smarter than them.
Cry Macho (2021)
Lacks emotional impact
While I enjoyed watching this movie and I understood the point, I gotta say, emotionally it falls pretty flat. I believe this is largely because many of the decisions that these characters are making would normally require serious contemplation but instead are made with little to no thought at all. Given that, it made it even more difficult to accept Clint's character at Clint's age. Finally add to that the supporting cast not being very convincing either and you're left with a movie where every emotional (or would-be emotional) crossroad misses the mark. All in all the movie is just poorly cast and it seems like it was butchered in the editing room.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
Didn't like it.
This movie is straight up garbage. Never cared for a second.
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Damn
That was incredible. First it's the best DC movie animated or live action and second it's the best superhero movie ever made.
The movie humanized these characters so well I felt like I was right along with them in their struggles and their accomplishments. Well done.
I never expected this much from the vaunted notion of the "snydercut" and it has me making a 100% reversal on my opinion of the "snyderverse." I hope he makes a sequel.
He Got Game (1998)
Humanity
This movie impressively manages to simultaneously showcase the importance of family, value and challenge in forgiveness, the complexity of broken homes, a meaningful part of black culture, the corruption of government systems, and the capacity for human greatness to overcome absolutely anything. The pacing was clunky at times but the script, acting, direction, soundtrack, and cinematography were excellent, engaging and grounding. God bless America, this is truly an American story. God bless the cast and creative team.
Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill (2020)
Really funny
Jerry Seinfeld at his best. From beginning to end the jokes and charm were in tact. The show was relevant and on point. Really surprised to see the low aggregate. If you enjoyed Jerry's comedy in the past, you're gonna get a lot of laughs.
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)
Awesome
This thing was funny, sweet, well written, and touching. The cast was incredible. In the hands of any other group of people this would be ridiculous but these veterans have so much chemistry they turn silly-absurd into genuine and touching with big laughs. The inside jokes are killer. Great movie references.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
What a task...
Given the task of wrapping up a 9 film family legacy, building on TLJ, and celebrating 42 years of SW mythology in one film I gotta hand it to J.J. Abrams.
I hate to say something like "it's not a perfect movie" because given the goals mentioned above J.J. succeeds in ways other directors would have failed. However, was anything really added that enriched the stories that came before? No.
We get all the previous movies rolled into one SW explosion featuring all the familiar tropes and Easter eggs fans could want. There's THE phantom menace, stuff about clones, the revenge of the sith, a new hope, an empire striking back, a return of the Jedi, a force disturbance, a last Jedi, and the rise of Solo/Skywalker.
Still, I wonder what earlier film enrichment is really worth at this point. As far as sequel material goes, the further intermingling of Anakin and Palpatines legacies is pretty damn near perfect, and Abrams manages to get it ALL in there while adding some new cinematic mythology.
So really, it's a "certain point of view" thing. From my point of view this was a great way to end both the film legacy and the family legacy. A towering responsibility that by all expectations should have been a complete let down. This, while somewhat disjointed, does not let you down at least 80% of the time and that's quite an achievement.
Titans: Trigon (2019)
Very mediocre reboot.
Completely rushed through season 1's set up and finished the story with a heartless group farewell scene. Subsequently, after a terrible conversation with Bruce Wayne, Dick rushes everyone off to San Fransisco after adopting Jason Todd (?). Hopefully, now that they've tactlessly and disappointingly ended (not really "concluded") season 1, the show will pick up after an unfortunate limp start.
As an aside, every episode of swamp thing was better than this episode by a long shot.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Masterful; 2nd time's the charm.
2 weeks ago in a theater not that far away...
I hated TLJ. The reasons seems so ridiculous at this point but a lot of it boiled down to Rey's parents and what became of Luke. I was hurt. I felt betrayed. This was not what I expected. The second time however, those experiences actually fit right into the main themes of the movie and it not only led me to love it, but it elevated it to a level of personal investment I never could've imagined.
With a closer eye and a little more attention (and a lot of complaining for two weeks) the movie actually really did meet all my expectations, just not how I envisioned them. Everyone fails, even our greatest heroes. These are the moments when they become true heroes. Accepting their shortcomings, their failures, their mistakes, and learning from them; growing beyond them. Johnson masterfully manages to balance humor and fun with so much failure and disappointment, that at first it's jarring. Later he summarizes it all beautifully with a scene between Yoda and Luke.
Afterwards, when our heroes begin to look past themselves, their failures, and their expectations, things start to turn around. Our heroes begin to see that moving forward requires them to (sometimes painfully) change or leave behind parts of themselves that seemed so clear and useful before. While our main villain, somewhat ironically, continues to deny this, instead holding on to his pain and feelings of betrayal, and desire for revenge. What he receives for it is only more pain, failure, and betrayal. Ultimately being robbed of his revenge on his uncle and failing to destroy the last vestige of the resistance. While our small but hopeful band of heroes escape to fight another day as new and better people.
All the SW themes are there... Darkness, as Rey explains to Kylo, provided her with no answers, and while she heeds that experience, Ren refuses to hear it. In the end he's left in more pain and alone; no one left to believe in him, no one to guide him, and (probably worst of all for him) no one to love him. Rey on the other hand finds the family she'd been looking for her whole life. For the first time people believe in her, are there to support her, and love her.
I highly recommend watching it back to back with TFA also, they work so well together. I can't wait for Episode IX!
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
Plot less Disappointment
This was a huge, essentially plot less disappointment: zero intrigue, zero character/relationship development, zero point, very little suspense, and empty dialogue. Renner and Weisz carried the entire thing, but outside of liking them I cared little or nothing for the "characters" or the "story."
What made Jason Bourne so compelling was that he was completely lost and there were strangers trying to kill him - a double nightmare loaded with action, mystery, and suspense. Further, we cared about him not only because his situation was scary and he was frightened, but because he was also repenting and struggling with what he was and did while brain washed at Treadstone. Aaron Cross and Dr. Shearing however are two characters of little interest simply running for their lives from the government they were working for. Aaron Cross in fact, as per a scene with Ed Norton, could be considered a ready and willing villain! He's not trying to get his life back, or get out of the business, or clear his conscience, he's just a killer that wants to stay smart (remain on enhancement meds) and not get killed. There's nothing to figure out, no ending to arrive at, and therefore nothing to follow, connect to, or really care about.
This movie was total bore that simply rode on its loose association to the far superior Bourne Trilogy.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Hollow Stinker with Sprinkles on Top
Outside of the razzle-dazzle effects, which grow old by battle #3 (Brandon Routh), the movie has no substance. The effects and direction are interesting but the movie is so concerned with these components that the creators assume that their presence alone can make up for a lack of engaging characters and story. I never cared one iota about any of the characters; as they, like the story itself, were never developed in any meaningful way. The movie also felt really long and by #4 I couldn't wait for it to end; not to imply that I was engaged in seeing a resolution, as a conflict or substantial challenge demanding a resolution was never developed. This of course is largely due to the characters, which never moved beyond one dimension and their relationships, particularly the main one, which was grounded in absolutely nothing. I'd say it's the most baseless romance since Anakin & Padme pretended to like each other despite more evidence of dislike between those characters. There were a few laughs here and there but over all this is a hollow stinker with sprinkles on top.