ricewithaspoon

American Murder: Laci Peterson (2024)

I'm waiting for "Face to Face"..

First of all, I am not convinced he did or didn't do it - So this is a review from someone who has not taken a side.

Episode 1 100% 'opinions' by family & friends (= them cashing on on her death/murder - seems a bit vulgar to me.) 0% evidence shown or reviewed.

Episode 2: Miss Fry chanting "me, poor victim" once again. She met him 4! Times. Why come on to this? Desperate need for attention? Why not get a therapist instead if she is traumatised so much? My eyes cannot roll enough. Again 0% evidence reviewed, no interviews with professionals, forensic scientists, pathologists or the like.

Episode 3 People (not psychologists or behavioural analysts) interpreting his 'behaviour'. Trial gossip, nothing new - every sane, rational person would have deduced this should have ended in a mistrial, but hey who cares right? As long as the media can milk something it's all good. We have Fry again.. talking about herself, she cares for her reputation, talking about her 'relationship' - which I would call at best 'a fling'.

3/4 of the overall content is archive/news footage we've already seen. They might as well have made a 3hr Nancy Grace special about this case - might have been more entertaining at least. Netflix, seriously... there were times were you put emphasis on quality and not 'gossip'.

Overall this left me with a yuckie taste & wasted time.

I'm waiting for "Face to Face"..

The Killer Interview (2023)

Make Piers believe

I was looking forward to this.

4 episods into this: major disappointment.

I have nothing against Piers Morgan, but this should have been called: "Make Piers believe".

He interrupts, he is belligerent, he is confrontational.

There are no clever questions that allow the viewing public to discern for themselves where the truth lies & the focus is not on showing 'opposing' facts of the crime.

Piers ends the interviews with "I don't believe you" - making himself the jury, judge & executioner.

Then we get a mini post-interview with Piers himself in which he again states how he doesn't believe them, how he interviewed soooooo many killers and how he is able to spot lies... it's just cringe & makes him look full of himself.

Imo he could use a bit humility - He appears quite arrogant here.

Can I Tell You A Secret? (2024)

Mockumentary?

Blurry re enactments of a person near or on the phone or something somewhere, screenshots of phones & texts.. that's 80 % of what we see. Make it 85.

Ridiculous producion presenting daft people offering no real insight into or solution to this wide spread problem. No interviews about current laws and how to change this issue. Just a blah copy paste statement by police at the end.

But it's important you stylize it as much as you can, right?

Idk what's happening but British docus seem to be going downhill regarding content & presentation.

It's getting ridiculous.

Don't make yourself watch or finish it... there is nothing really to gain from it.

Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi (2022)

Frustrating

Frustrating. The same problems as with "The Raincoat Killer".

The people interviewed are stating the obvious, too many actors, almost no original footage except the letter he sent (I'm not even sure that was the real one, it is not indicated by "actual photograph of...").

Why would we need 95% blurry stock footage of...stuff. (A phone, while saying a call came in. Jail bars while talking about some jail administration. Some person on the street while talking about CCTV footage. I mean, come on.... we don't get anything. Nothing. Nada.

Why is that?)

In my opinion this could have, should have been a podcast.

Or called "true crime soap"... not true crime documentary.

Candy (2022)

wow

First episode: wow very well made.

Biel is good, I like her here more than in 'Sinner' I must say, Melanie Lynskey had my heart since "Heavenly Creatures' and Pablo Schreiber surprised & convinced me in 'Lorelei'. Super cast so far.

I'd binge if they were all out.

(The 90s movie "Killing in a small town' is also recommendable btw!)

7 stars for now - could turn into 8 after Friday.

What I find confusing is a second mini series with Olsen as Candy coming out this year. Aren't there any good scripts anymore?

Blood Relatives (2012)

I am being generous

Does the production company have to pay the families for turning their heart wrenching stories into something worse? And for creating something more ridiculous than a mix: worst Lifetime-movie/worst soap?

I can't for the world of me imagine what drives some people in this industry. This is labeled a documentary, which it simply isn't. I wish somebody would hand them a dictionary.

With the dramatization & cast, this, at best, passes as "movie based on true events".

If you are after crime documentaries/shows I would recommend to move on.. there is so so much better stuff out there.

A Time to Kill (2020)

4 stars for creating jobs

Nothing original there. Old crimes, retold by detectives. If you can find 5 original photographs of the crime scene/ people involved and a bit of the interrogations you can consider yourself lucky.

Dramatization got the most attention here. Filler stock footage (of irrelevant things) again to fill the 40 min.

I don't understand these producers anymore. Do they not wanna have people watch more than one or 2 episodes? I certainly won't force myself through another one.

The First Wave (2021)

Absolutely extraordinary

Kieleargente , ragerino , uncleruckus-27636 said it all - there is actually nothing more to add.. besides underlining that this is a documentary and not a movie.

It is heart wrenching, I am not crying easily .. but when the one nurse started washing her hands, ranting and swearing at all of this after a patient died, I lost it.

It really really just shows you the extraordinary emotional stress these people especially are going through.

I do not understand the 1-6 star ratings, I have no idea who and how one can come to this "conclusion/opinion".

I personally feel very deflated after seeing this. I fear/feel nothing will change. Authorities and our systems will always 'be' like this. Prioritising profits instead of standing up for values like community, care, decency...etc.

I too believe a strict lockdown worldwide could/would have changed the course of this pandemic.

The Hunt for the Chicago Strangler (2021)

Very, very, very well executed & much needed!

Pointing out the insane number of predominantly black women being strangled and dumped in Chicago this documentary does not spectacularly end with one serial killer behind bars but illuminates:

• the reasons for these parts of the city having become a "hunting/dumping" ground
• the Murder Accountability Project - a database to find clusters and offer an opportunity to spot similarities between homicides - ( I didn't know about it and was instantly super excited. I can only pray & hope the EU can find 2 active braincells to instigate such a project for Europe).

• the refusal of people in charge (police, politics?) to take the whole subject matter seriously (for example: Mr Hargrove having contacted Gary, Indiana police because of a pattern he saw before serial killer Vann was caught. Police dismissed him. Police giving false information when asked if they'd communicated with Hammond police regarding Vann's victims.)
• some of the victims, their lives & their loved ones
• and the people trying to do something

Chasing Ghislaine (2021)

Literally all of this was already covered in "Epstein's Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell"

Was this woman milking it or am I cranky & too intolerant today?

I mean, wasn't literally all of this covered in "Epstein's Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell" - minus the footage of her (Ward) with earplugs in front of the computer zooming?

Why did she feel the need to do this? Because she knew her 'casually'?

I wouldn't recommend this. To anyone in any situation.

I could find more 'input' watching the worst Hallmark movie.

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (2011)

...& why was THIS cancelled?

I've watched all 4 episodes within 36 hours after work and I just cannot, for the life of me, fathom why this was cancelled. Another thing added to my list of logic-shattering human decisions.

Perhaps I could somehow understand if Mr. Considine had passed in an accident - but since this, thank God, is not the case I wonder what on earth came over ITV to do this? Is/was the man in charge there insane?

This is/was so great.. in terms of costumes, set design, casting, acting, character development, stories...I can't criticize a thing. It is educative regarding forms and values, it is moving (episode 3 got to me), it keeps you engaged and guessing, it is exciting... So why, why was this cancelled?

I need an explanation!

Undercover Underage (2021)

important topic drowned in bad sound editing

I am interested and wanted to watch more than 2 episodes but the editing and sound department went over the top with trying to make it extra exciting..and loud. They/it drowned my engagement.

I just don't get it. Why the dramatization? Why the attempt to add more 'emotion'? Isn't the content enough disturbing as it is?

Tio Tomás, A Contabilidade dos Dias (2019)

Touching & Intriguing

I was really touched by this, made me really emotional - but maybe I'm biased because I missed such connections in my childhood.

I wish I understood portuguese - unfortunately I couldn't find it with subtitles, I wanted to know what he wrote down; nevertheless the special connection between Regina and her uncle was undeniably visualized in a genuine, authentic, interesting and surprising way.

Check it out... inspiring 13 minutes, reminding you of the essentials of existence and tapping into the endless horizons a pencil can open up for you.

I'm gonna research & want to see all her work now..

The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea (2021)

...surprised - sadly not in a good way

I was very surprised by this documentary I was actively waiting for - & not in a good way.

Very very little original material.

Weird filler scenes, newly filmed 'dramatisation' material, to 'illustrate' what these 'detectives' are talking about.

Mostly subjective blabber from inept detectives remembering stuff, and statements - like him being the first serial killer in korea (what??) - ... i will be needing fillers to counteract the forehead wrinkles i got during watching this one.

And not once did they show him (without a mask) or play recordings of interrogations.. everything is re-enacted.. Ugggh, i'm disappointed.

After that i googled a bit of course and found more facts & information on a blog than was laid out these 3 hrs.

I think they should have made a podcast out of this material and not a 'documentary'.

Dopesick (2021)

so far an 8

Was immediately sucked in. Saw 3 episodes.

Watch! Watch! Watch! I say... Keaton is good, but actually all actors are good ... it's kinda Dr. Death level good - for lack of a better comparison.

And the point of this slow release/not releasing all episodes is to make us less addicted?

I would binge all in one go if they would have let me...

Malice Aforethought (2005)

liked the 1979 version better

I binged both versions in a day and must say, the original has many aspects rendering it an endearing, warm, entertaining, funny production.

This version being shorter naturally misses out on scenes enabling viewers to dive into each character.

I highly recommend the original - yes this one was entertaining too... but the original had just this certain something making it much much better.

Run to Me (2016)

Recommendable for housework

It's your typical mediocre 'thriller' like the one with the yoga instructor.. and all the others in that section.

If you have some ironing to do, feel absolutely flat, empty and need to fill the silence while not being challenged mentally...go for it.

To the 8 star raters... - I would like to know what a True Detective gets... or all the other really good thrillers...? 5 at most from me. For 'creating' jobs and not using the cheapest set design.

Prey (2021)

don't you fall prey!

A real pity this got financed. There are so many scripts out there deserving attention and then this gets the dough? Actually I can't contribute more than was already said in the 1-3* reviews.

For me this is: disconnected fragments thrown together into one.

But maybe we are all just stupid ... and this is some Dada art statement.

Or perhaps it's a code ... nobody of us can yet decipher.

Or maybe ... our time is really not even worth speculating about this.

The Women and the Murderer (2021)

extraordinary

I agree with the other reviewer, could have gone into much more detail, i'd have watched all episodes glued to the screen - I didn't know about this case/these cases which shocked me as I really suck in everything 'forensic psychology'/ crime etc... Nevertheless, it is an extraordinary documentary with original footage and various povs.

Especially the ending rendered the whole thing outstanding in my eyes.

I totally recommend it.

Otwórz oczy (2021)

I'd like a 2nd season please.

And again we obviously have quite a few reviewers reviewing the series after one or two episodes.

Well, your loss. I binged it in one afternoon, was planning to do some work next to it but really couldn't get to any mentionable progress because... the series was that good, interesting.

All i can say, nice project. For the budget - actually amazing.

The story/plot is really good & has massive potential for a big hit in my eyes. If they commit to a second season that is.

The actors were ok - who really stood out to me is the crazy girl... oh God she pulled me in.. she was amazing, I loved her.

The others were great too for their characters.

Adam's Ignacy Liss (?) has extraordinary potential to rise to a widely recognised actor, he seemed authentic in 98% of the scenes and is easy on the eye. The main actress has that smile I've seen somewhere else, or reminded me of someone... I can't put my finger on it yet, but it will come to me.

So, the plot: Girl wakes up in an institution for amnesiacs after an accident, makes friends there, falls in love & starts to doubt the institution's premise to make them 'well' again and the mind cocktail really starts in the last 2 episodes.

I was astounded. And I'd like a 2nd season please. I can't remember when I said that the last time about a movie/series plot.

Don't listen to the haters, if you get bored ... pull through - you will be rewarded the last 2 episodes.

Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story (2021)

Almost perfectly executed

If you watched "Dr. Death" about Dr. Duntsch (which is absolutely recommendable! Slater and Baldwin were exceptionally great and surprised me with their chemistry on screen..anyway...) ... this is about the real people.

Each one of them interviewed - surgeons, surgeons who operated with him, the mother of his child, his best friend and patients... (with deposition excerpts, court snippets) I am happy about very little re enactments/filler material - it"s really not worth mentioning (blurry operating rooms etc)...1 star less for that because I'd have loved them to go even more into medical details of each patient instead.

I cannot criticize anything besides that. Thank God, there are no distracting filters, flashy editing, or overwhelming sound design.. I always love to watch & listen to the real, actual people involved and perhaps get opinions of specialists regarding the subject matter.

In Treatment (2008)

...that's what happens when you have to switch therapists...

I had to get used to her...but that's what happens when you have to switch therapists.

Now, one could find all possible reasons to reject further therapy - because.. defiant, stubborn, spiteful - or one could give it a chance & see what happens.

Well i came to like her. A lot. (She is not comparable to Byrne. She is different.) I respect her. I am excited to see how she reacts, what she does & what's behind her personality..life... The cases are fine ( & Joel Kinnaman as her lover, too - adds a great dimension to her personal life).

Where I find myself constantly rolling my eyes... is Laila. I don't know what my problem with her is.. i am tempted to say it's her inauthenticity? I might have "disliked" some of the patients during the whole course of 'In Treatment' ..but that did not affect the process of putting myself into their position and identifying with them. With her, for the first time, it's just so off. She is an ok actress for sure, ok at crying and acting like a pretty, entitled, spoiled, protected thing.. but there is no realness coming across for me.

Funnily, a lot of my friends are in therapy and we talk about the show - every single one of them feels the same, so the why is something to be further analysed... i don't know what sort of projection is going on here ... :)

If you loved the show, i would suggest, give it a chance. (Her house is so so great !) I too felt uneasy and thought: wtf-why? And why not call it 'In Treatment II' ... Close to the end of s4 all that seems so irrelevant

AND I don't know why people review/bash a whole season after the 1st episode.. I don't know why people don't review the episode they watched on it's page.

PEOPLES! If you click on an episode you get to it's page...you can leave a review there the same way you do it on the main page!

(Unless of course, one wants to come off like a child throwing an unreasonable tantrum on purpose..)

Jeffrey Dahmer: Killer Cannibal (2019)

a disgrace to the notion 'documentary'

Random vintage footage of 'things' and places; irrelevant re-enactments; the narrator: beyond annoying; interviews with random people giving their 2 cents offering no insight whatsoever.

What a waste of funds i would like to know: why was this made? What was the thought behind this 'project'?

If you like documentaries, if you are interested in crime... skip this & save your precious time.

Fall River (2021)

truly astonishing

Very intense this one.

Very Great: masses of original footage and pictures.

I was watching this in unbelief, the first 2 episodes not knowing whose lies were closer to factual truths.

You will see moral & emotional degenerates, incredible abuse, ignorance and the inexplicable actions and stance of police.

I don't know how to believe into something like a 'justice' system after this. It's shattering.

It left me sad, speechless, breathless, deflated. To hear Andy Maltaises' daughter defending him, hearing and seeing what various police officers/state troopers involved at that time have to say about it now .. ( .. Thomas Joaquim, Paul Fitzgerald, Alan Silvia?) The pain so many people have to live with because they were ignored, discarded by the police, prosecutors, D. A's... i have no words.

For me it ended up being - not so much about who had done what - but about the extent of corruption and abuse of power that led to this enormous pile of destroyed lives.

This documentary was brilliantly done.

Highly recommend.

Pereval Dyatlova (2020)

brilliant - beautifully done

Oh my God was this a beautiful surprise!

I honestly loved every minute of it & I'm still in a kind of haze.. and worn out.

Storytelling - pace.. just ace! And so beautifully executed.

The camera was insane. It had a graphic novel feel, some stills could be paintings... during a war flashback i thought i was in a flight simulator.. The set design was divine.

The music/sound department: the exact right amount of everything in the right color.

The actors: each character was perfectly casted. I don't know how they managed to make it so ...wholesome.

The whole composition was quite rich, never rushed though. Never been to russia - it really made me feel as if i was there at times.

You can just feel it. The horror of it all, war, humanity, this terrible incident... despair, the cold. I have to admit i was tearing up.

Also one has to note how they choose to include much of the "known evidence". The carvings in the trees along the way they hiked... the autopsies... I am not sure how much they deviated from the atmosphere depicted in their diaries though.

I could gush and gush - maybe because i was so deprived of good stuff the past 1,5 years... but check it out for yourself.

If you're not glued to the screen by the 2nd, 3rd episode, then there is probably really nothing for you to get out of.

I am wondering what the budget was?

To me, this was the best tv-present since The Terror.