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Reviews
Disclaimer (2024)
Boring
The first two episodes were great! Intriguing, interesting, excellent cast. In fact it took me right to the end of the second episode to work out the husband was played by Sacha Baron Cohen. He's amazing in dramatic roles.
But then we get to episode three. By now the story has revealed itself, and the series turns into softcore with nothing further to add to the narrative. Still, I stuck with it til the end of episode four, where I gave up because it's pretty much exactly the same as the previous episode: more softcore, no story.
I suppose some people want to watch the randy scenes. But for me, I'm out.
The Invitation (2022)
Spoilers ahead
The first half of this movie was good, quite interesting. The second half was entirely predictable once the "twist" was revealed. Not really a twist since it's pretty obvious what's going on by the midpoint.
I liked the characters, world building etc, but it just got lazy in the second half and lost all the momentum it had gathered in the first half. The actors did a decent job, not complaints there. They were rather let down by the writing, particularly in the second half.
Shoutout to the costume department though. Those dresses were stunning! The production design was also excellent, giving a really creepy feeling to an old mansion.
Doctor Odyssey: Plastic Surgery Week (2024)
Unexpectedly deep
For an episode about the superficial, this episode is surprisingly deep, showing a depth to the characters we haven't previously seen. Don't get me wrong, this show is still a trashy guilty pleasure. Dr Max says it best during his monologue about having all the profundity you want, but sometimes you just want trash (which is why I made it to watching past the first episode).
There's still plenty of superficial rubbish you've come to expect from these sorts of shows, but there's also a poignancy that everyone can relate to. Whether you share Avery's point of view, or relate to Max's perspective, or Tristan's parental trauma, there's nuggets of depth, which makes this ep worth watching.
Monsters: The Hurt Man (2024)
Technical Perfection
This episode should be shown in film schools as an example of technical skills. This whole episode is a single shot, moving from wide angle to close up so subtly that the viewer isn't even aware. Absolute perfection, bravo!
My beef with this episode is story. Erik's claims are horrendous. Obviously we will never know the whole truth of what happened either in the abuse or the murders. What he says here doesn't add anything to the narrative, they're just retreading groundwork laid out in the previous two episodes. Perhaps the weak plot is disguised by the perfection of technical aspects.
As for acting, it is right up there. For one person to carry the entire episode is an incredible feat. Yes, Erik's lawyer is there, but we only see the back of her head and even then it's only for two thirds of the runtime so he's really carrying this on his own. Incredible work.
Invisible Child (1999)
Bizarre
Look, I get the criticism. It's a ludicrous concept, a woman who has created a fantasy child for whatever reason, and her family go along with it.
But this movie is undeniably well-written. Rita Wilson's Annie is not a caricature of a crazy woman, and Victor Garber's Tim is not a downtrodden husband believing that happy wife equals happy life. These characters are well-rounded, real people. At times the movie looks like it's going to get bogged in absurdity, but it does not. Victor Garber and Mae Whitman absolutely steal this. When husband Tim explains the situation to the nanny, there's a real chance the whole premise becomes laughable, yet Victor Garber handles it so well that the viewer forgets about any possible silliness.
However, the standout scene is eldest child Doc being interviewed by Child Services. It's so funny because the panel are being outsmarted by a 10 year old, played to absolute perfection by Mae Whitman.
It's certainly not the worst made-for-TV movie in the world. Give it a chance and you might be surprised.
The Simpsons: Poorhouse Rock (2022)
Boiling hot mess dying in a dumpster fire
As the seasons go on, it's clear that the writers are grasping at straws to keep relevance. Anything to keep the show dying, when it should have been killed twenty-five-plus years ago.
What we have here is a musical episode. Now, The Simpsons have had many excellent musical episodes. This is not one of them. A magical janitor? Lisa rapping? Some bizarre "plot"? Long gone are the glory days, but this episode reminds us just what we've lost.
It starts well, and becomes self-reflexive at the very end when Marge and Homer are cleaning up: they wonder what just happened before reminding the audience what they've just sat through. Whatever happened in this episode is best forgotten promptly, but leaving enough to remember you never ever want to watch it again.
Hereafter (2010)
It's nice, but...
When a third of the film is in French without subtitles, I'm wondering what I'm missing and how it adds to the narrative. Knowing what's going on is vital in film, so it's an interesting stylistic choice to forgo subtitles altogether. Having said that, the other two stories are fine and the ends tie up nicely enough in the end.
Apart from missing the French narrative, there doesn't seem to be a real plot. The narrative meanders around aimlessly until the last fifteen minutes, but even then it's strangely unsatisfying. A tighter screenplay with subtitles would have improved my viewing experience.
Brats (2024)
The Brat stigma
Clearly, Andrew McCarthy has been deeply affected by the "brat pack" name for the past ~40 years, both personally and professionally. In this doco, he attempts to bring together the Brats to talk about that era, and the lasting effects of being labelled such.
Some of the "pack" agree with him, and others more or less brushed it off. A couple of the main "brats" chose not to appear at all, preferring to leave the past where it belongs. During the interviews I felt like Andrew McCarthy was putting words into their mouth, almost disagreeing with his former costars about their views of that era. It was almost like, "Why aren't you more upset about this?"
It is interesting to see the impact the term has had on its so-called members. Did it raise their popularity? Did it harm their careers? (Yes to both.) Did they take offence? (Some yes, some no.) Of particular interest was the interview with the journalist who coined the term: why he did it, how he came up with it, and the effects he dealt with in the aftermath. At times, Andrew did not look happy during this interview at all!
My main complaints are technical issues: camera angles, editing, that sort of thing. Very distracting, and I don't think the finished film is a cohesive piece of work. While Andrew McCarthy is an accomplished director, this is not his finest work.
The Resident (2018)
Mixed Bag
The Resident is quite mixed. There are some very good things about the show, and some not great things.
First, the main character, Dr Conrad Hawkins. He is "the resident" but I wonder why he's the main character? He's easily the least interesting person on this show and by the end of the series, I had no idea what specialty he practised. I certainly didn't care about his personal life. And Matt Czuchry's facial expressions could be scary! He seems to be a great diagnostician but not much else. In the first episode he was built up, but the character did not live up to expectations.
I really liked Devon Pravesh, Mina Okafur, AJ, Irving Feldman, Nurse Hundley and Nicolette Nevin. Everyone else was a bit meh, and don't even talk about Barrett Cain! His storyline went nowhere, he disappeared without a trace, and was freaking annoying. So glad he didn't last long. When your cast leaves because their characters have nothing left to explore, you know there's trouble.
My main gripe is the writing. Some episodes, particularly towards the end, were terrible. Full of cliches, awful dialogue, horrible plot. When you watch a show where the writers back characters into a corner, and use clever writing to get them out, you've got a good show. However, when you back characters into a corner and can't think of how to get them out, you kill them off, change the plot, time jump five years, or just move on and forget their mistakes for the sake of carrying on a character. (Looking at you, HODAD Dr Bell.) More than anything, this show suffered from lazy writing.
The series was good for the first three seasons, then went downhill faster than an Olympic skier.
I enjoyed seeing familiar names from other medical shows. Paul McCrane (Dr Robert Romano in ER) directed several episodes, and a few guest stars have also been on medical dramas. Always nice to see familiar faces!
The Resident: A River in Egypt (2022)
Finally, some medicine!
This show shines when they focus on actual medicine, as unrealistic as medical shows can be. Here we see a return to some interesting cases, along with a debilitating condition known as postpartum depression.
I do wonder though, does this show actually need Conrad Hawkins? This episode could easily carry on without him. At this point, I'm not sure what specialty he's in. He's certainly the least interesting character.
Padma is struggling with her babies and honestly, I feel like this is so underrated and overlooked. Even when you're born to be a mother, kids are your whole life, the newborn stage is hard. I can't imagine dealing with twins, a single baby is hard enough! I thought the fake babies were adorable lol. Nowadays, doll babies look quite realistic even if they don't move!
Atlas (2024)
Mashup of sci fi hits
Terminator 2 x Avatar x Knight Rider come together in this hot mess starring Jennifer Lopez. J-Lo has never been a great actor, yet someone thought she'd be able to carry this movie on her own with the help of a talking... whatever the giant walking things from Avatar are called.
The film starts off promising, but quickly descends into a painful exchange between Lopez' Atlas and a walking computer. There's a lot of exposition, mainly after they sync, which becomes annoying because if they're synced, conversations don't need to happen.
But I digress. There seems a lack of clear direction, which everyone saying their lines waiting for the credits to roll. It's hard to act when your face is full of Botox, because you lack expression.
Recommended with a big bucket of popcorn, a lot of alcohol, and nothing better to do on a Saturday night.
The Resident: Two Hearts (2022)
Switchin' it up
First, we have some new opening titles. Nothing says "dying show" likes changing the titles. So there's that.
Season six opener has great storylines, but terrible dialogue. Someone has opened up the Big Book of Cliched Dialogue and used every single one of them. It's honestly some of the most awful writing I've ever seen. But... the story is good so this episode is watchable (barely).
As a result, I can o lay rate this episode as average. If this was your first foray into this show, you'd probably turn it off. But since you're most probably here from watching the previous five seasons, you (like me) will hang on til the very end. Is this the standard for the rest of the season? Must be a reason why it got cancelled...
Thelma the Unicorn (2024)
Cute!
It's hard to turn a 5 minute picture book into 90 minutes of film, but Thelma the Unicorn will (probably) keep little kids entertained.
Of course there's an overarching message of being who you are etc, filled in with interesting moments about the culture of celebrity, the cult of fame, and how your favourite stars are carefully curated with marketing. As an adult and well out of the target demographic, this was the most interesting part of the film. My kid, aged 9, is a bit too old for it too but having grown up with the book, she wanted to see it. And she loved it!
Recommended for the under 10s.
The Resident: All We Have Is Now (2022)
Mixed
Some parts of this ep are so beautifully done, and other parts are laughable. When a series jumps the shark (and make no mistake, this show absolutely has), it can still produce great TV.
Of course, this episode is all about AJ and his wonderful mom. Both actors give their finest performances. I just wanted to give AJ a huge hug in every scene! Summer Selby (what a glorious name!) will be missed. Her performance here is superb.
Also major kudos to the actor who played Bryce, a patient with rabies. It is not easy to act neurological diseases and he did a wonderful job.
But then there's the absolute laughable: Dr Bell publicly shaming the medical board for lies and coverups in patient care. Apparently everyone has forgotten he is HODAD, who killed a patient in the first episode and no one trusted. His failings have consistently been overlooked, the writers skirting around the issues (as they tend to do) to keep the character in the show. For example, Lane Hunter was killed off just as the walls were coming down around her. It's the easy way out. If you watch Breaking Bad, the characters are led down a path and good writing gets them out. Randolph Bell is another victim of lazy writing, which this show has desperately fallen into.
The Resident: Da Da (2021)
Every cliche in the book
Cyber attacks: they seem new and progressive but seriously? It's just another trope to get someone to say, "this is a life and death situation!" And of course, there's an extremely laughable conclusion.
Every medical show has a "thing" which practically every patient suffers from. This show's "thing" is splenic lacerations and sudden heart attacks. It's another symptom of a tired show with writers attempting to feel relevant while the viewer is so completely bombarded with repetition that we no longer care what happens to anyone (although it's obviously leading up to Emily Vancamp's departure).
And boy, that baby aged quickly!
I'm a completionist, I like Malcolm-Jamal Walker, and I love medical shows so I'll keep watching, buuuuuut this show jumped the shark with Mina's departure.
The Resident: Past, Present, Future (2021)
S4 goes out with a whimper
Season four was a snooze fest. No wonder the actress who played Mina wanted to leave. This episode features a fake baby, more troubles for AJ's mum, and absolutely no reason for me to watch S5... except I'm a completionist and need to finish the whole series.
Overall, season four was quite boring. Relationships took centre stage rather than medicine, which is why people watched the previous three seasons. I understand it was probably rushed and churned out due to covid, but surely all that time allowed writers to come up with something fresh and exciting instead of this rubbish. It's disappointing.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
Lukewarm
On the surface, this movie has it all: nostalgia, great cast, ghosts, good special effects, somewhat of a plot... So why is it so average?
It takes a long time to get to the point, with 98% of the action restricted to the third act. Familiar characters move this along at a steady pace, with a few favourite ghosts thrown in for good measure (you would have seen them in the trailer, so no surprises there). Nothing shines in this movie, but nothing sucks about it either. It inhabits a comfortable safe zone with everything you'd expect to see, no surprises.
Recommended for rainy afternoons with a bucket of buttery popcorn.
Mean Girls (2024)
Stop trying to make Mean Girls musicals happen
Good musicals use songs to forward a narrative. Bad musicals tell a story, stop to sing about it, then continue the narrative before stopping to sing about it again.
This film does the latter. Just like Heathers: The Musical, they have taken a perfect film, shoved a bunch of songs in there which add nothing, just to repackage existing IP and sell it to fans of the original. The charm from the original film is severely lacking here.
I liked the actors playing Janis and Damien. Everyone else seemed like they were reciting lines for a high school read-through. Angourie Rice was a competent Cady before the Plastics version; after becoming Queen Bee she was still caught in the before version, lacking charisma needed for the role.
This version encapsulates the narcissist generation where everyone is the Main Character on their own social media, which is great for an update of the film. There are other things I liked about it, but they are few and far between.
Peacock (2010)
Underrated Gem
Rarely, a film comes out which features a stellar cast... and you've never heard of it. I found this gem on Prime to kill some time and boy, am I glad I watched it.
Cillian Murphy delivers yet another outstanding performance as John, whose mother has died a year previously. Nobody in the town knows much about John, but suddenly he's in the spotlight when a train crashes into his yard and John is caught encompassing a different persona.
A stellar cast including Susan Sarandon and Elliot Page round off this strange drama. The narrative is easy enough to follow, despite the bizarre characters. I'm sure discussions between the director and lead actor were quite something to behold!
Give this one a try. Recommended for people who love Cillian Murphy, weird narratives, or Norman Bates.
Love My Way: A Different Planet (2005)
Wow
So often in movies and TV, someone dies and then we straight into the funeral. Afterwards, everyone is sad, but they move on.
This hour of television is unlike anything I've seen. The viewer is right there through every stage from the unexpected death, the final moments, the day by day how-do-you-go-on after a loved one's death. Every stage is right there onscreen: the uncomfortable awkwardness, the sheer grief, the unspoken beauty.
Prepare to feel all the feelings. Prepare to have all your previous grief rush back at you even though you thought you were through the worst of it.
Huge kudos to the entire cast for their genuine emotions flowing through unabated. I imagine filming this took a massive toll on everyone, especially Claudia Karvan and Dan Wyllie. Although the subject matter is the worst imaginable, this is performed with extreme sensitivity, rawness, and beauty.
Next Exit (2022)
Snooze
The main problem with this film is that it's super boring. What starts as an interesting and promising premise turns into a road trip love story with no relation to the premise.
...which is fine, but the movie is sold on a lie and it is so boring. The two leads meander along, throw in some conflict and some lovin', and they think it's enough to keep viewers interested. Dear reader, it is not.
The cast is let down by a poor story, inane dialogue, and an idea that love can conquer all. (It cannot.)
Recommended if you've got nothing better to watch, like love stories, or appreciate the subtleties of the human condition.
Ally McBeal (1997)
Terrible
This show sucks. Here's why:
1. Ally is pathetic. She literally falls over when a cute guy talks to her. She ties her entire existence and self-worth to being in a relationship. She readily gives her power away to people who don't value her.
2. CANNOT STAND Vonda Shepard's voice. I do like the idea of promoting an unknown artist, but there's way too much Vonda.
3. As a legal drama, it fails spectacularly. Most of the cases would never go to trial, let alone win. Every Cage & Fish litigator would have been held in contempt every trial.
4. Every character in the show is super annoying. Ally, as explained earlier. Renee is decent but she still values men over everything else. Georgia has no narrative besides Being Billy's Wife. Nelle is introduced as cold, nicknamed Subzero, but we never see that side of her. Ling is an unbelievable character, also tying everything she is back to sex. As does Elaine. Fish is just plain gross. Cage is weird. Billy serves only as The One Who Got Away. Every character lacks depth. They're all vapid.
5. Every episode is the same: Ally frets over a relationship whether she's in one or not. Renee is the voice of reason. Fish acts like he knows everything. Billy and Georgia unknowingly torture Ally. Nelle, apart from the first few episodes she appears in, pops up randomly, says something funny, disappears again. Ling antagonises everyone. Elaine spies and tries to push some new invention/idea/gossip. Cage acts weird. When half the cast leave, new people come in to full these roles.
6. No one had a great time filming that show. The women worried about their weight. Portia de Rossi experienced disordered eating, while Jane Krakowski reports feeling like a "fat cow" compared to everyone else because they were US sizes 0-2. Courtney Thorne-Smith also descended into negative thoughts about her weight because of the media criticism. Lisa Nicole Carson suffered poor mental health, which impacted her ability to work, and was kicked off the show. When I watch it, all I see is sadness in their eyes.
This show is a badly aged relic of the past. Avoid it.
Ally McBeal: Angels and Blimps (1999)
Change of pace
For once, Ally and her pathetic man problems aren't the focus of this episode, which is what makes it so great to watch. Everyone outperforms themselves here, from Fish and Cage in court with their bells and whistles (IYKYK) to Ally and Ling suing a church because they won't fund a dying kid.
As always, Haley Joel Osment dominates the screen and is a joy to watch. Even Lucy Liu's Ling reveals a side we haven't seen, showing a depth of character previously missing.
Nelle's eye makeup... well, it wouldn't be Ally McBeal without some sort of nonsense.
In all, a great episode which shows off the talented cast and writers in ways not seen previously in this series. If you're at the point where the endless anti-feminist Ally is getting on your nerves, this ep will restore your faith.
Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People: The Golden Age of Hot Sauce (2024)
Heartwarming
Not just talking about the chilli burn here, this episode is arguably the most heartwarming episode of television ever produced.
Superhot chilli sauce creators descend into a North Carolina town to impress hot sauce god Vic Clinco. We meet four new characters in this episode, including a young upstart who has created a hot sauce in memory of his dog.
What I really loved about this ep was the community vibe. Everyone at the hot sauce event genuinely wants to see everyone else succeed. We follow series regulars Aurea and Bobby try out their new sauce range at the event, leading to a purely wholesome moment for Aurea.
This episode doesn't burn like a Superhot, but it does warm gently.
Ally McBeal: Cro-Magnon (1998)
We're women. We have double standards to live up to.
It's the dancing baby episode!
The show is both praised and criticised for its feminist twist (even though it was created and written by a male). You can't be a great feminist drama when you have episodes like this. Only a few short episodes ago, the ladies of Cage & Fish were complaining that the men were ogling at the delivery woman. You can't ogle women! Yet here we are, with all the ladies obsessing over a male model at their sculpting class.
Then we have the adorable dancing baby, arguably the internet's first viral sensation, representing Ally's biological clock at the tender age of 27.
View this episode as satire rather than narrative from the last century.