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Margaux (2022)
Gory stupid and boring!
I'm not even sure if this idiotic movie deserves 3 stars but I did watch it to the end so I'll be generous.
Horror movie makers need to understand that gore isn't scary it's just gross! I'm sure plenty of horror genre fans would disagree but the gore shouldn't be the focus of the film. I personally find that the best horror movies have the least amount of gore in them. It's the storyline, the atmosphere, the characters and the good acting that make a good horror film. I also think that the more realistic it is the scarier it gets.
This movie has nothing but gore. The storyline is ridiculous, trying to warn us about the danger of AI. Really? We are nowhere near the capabilities that are shown in the movie. It's practically sci-fi (and a ridiculous one). The characters are as plain as possible. I couldn't care less if they live or die. A bunch of college students that are supposedly smart but really are stupid and unlikable. The "love" story of is childish. What are they in fifth grade? The acting is mediocre at best and absolutely nothing about the movie is scary.
The first half is actually really boring. I felt like I was watching a commercial for some resort. People in the pool, drinking, laughing having fun in slow motion. What was that?! The time would have been better spent on building the characters. If the characters are unlikable, why would I care if they live or die?! The dialogue when they did finally opened their mouths was lame. Made them look more shallow and stupid.
The second half was even worse, they died pretty fast, there was no chase or a chance for them to escape. Some were not even aware of the danger and the duplicates idea was so unconvincing that you just couldn't take it seriously.
As for the ending, it works well with the rest of the movie. Unrealistic as it can possibly get, idiotic, boring and pretentious. OMG she's in the car and the car is also being controlled by the AI. Who could have imagined that?!
I'm only giving it 3 stars because I've seen a heck of a lot worse horror movies but it's still a complete waste of time so do yourself a favor and skip it!
Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
The ending isn't great but the rest is pretty good
I enjoyed the movie up until the third act. It has an interesting storyline, relatable characters, good acting, creepy atmosphere and a good pace (I don't like slow burners and this isn't one).
All went well up until the last part. Here is why I didn't like it: CAREFUL, SPOILERS ALERT:
First, through out the movie it seems the mother was a good mother. Yes she lied to people and used her daughters to help her with this scam but she didn't mean any harm to anyone and was just trying to provide for her family. In the last act though she completely lost it when she got so invested in using her daughter as a vessel. It's one thing to think you can talk to your dead husband and a whole other thing to stop sending your child to school and use her to do the psychic readings (or whatever they are called). She also ignored her older daughter's warnings that something isn't right and considering she was "playing" with the spirit world seems to me she should have been more careful.
Second, the priest understand the background story of the tortured souls and that Doris was possessed by an evil spirit yet he came to the house without any plans only to be killed soon after. As a priest you would expect him to come a little more prepared.
Third, the ending was not what I was expecting. Now, I watched the original movie a few years ago and only vaguely remembered it but since this movie is a prequel I didn't think it mattered that much. I was wrong about that (and that's on me). All I remembered was that it was about a group of friends playing with a ouija board trying to understand what happened to a friend of them who died. If I remembered it better I would have seen the ending coming but I totally forgot all the details about the sisters and the mother so I was disappointed that they all died except for Lina who was institutionalized in a mental hospital. I guess there was no other choice but I find it hard to stomach that the spirit of the dad was the one telling Lina to sew shut her sister's mouth. That's his help? So Lina basically killed her sister to stop the evil spirit only to be possessed herself and kill her mother too? Thanks for the help dad. Why didn't it work? There's is no explanation to it. I also don't understand what happened after Lina killed her mother. It seems like the authorities were unaware of the secret room. So did Lina just move her mother's body and left her sister's body inside the room? Why? Why let the authorities know half the story? Why not leave her mother's body inside with her sister and the priest? Why send herself to jail or to a mental institution? Was Lina in charge or was it the evil spirit. I don't get it. In the first movie Lina was working with her evil sister's spirit and the mother was trying to stop them so what exactly happened between killing her mother and being locked up in a mental institution?
So while I enjoyed the first two acts, the last one wasn't the best. I also think that there was a little too much use of the scary open mouth thing. Most of the special effects were good, the house also had a good creepy atmosphere but the open mouth thing got to repetitive.
Dangerous Waters (2023)
Ridiculous but still entertaining enough
I love survival stories so when I heard about this movie I decided to give it a shot.
It starts kinda slow at first. I was actually a little bored until the part the attackers came on to the boat. Then it was getting interesting up until the part in which he decided to confess to Rose about who he really was. From that part on the story completely goes off the rails. Sure she managed to kill ALL of them... (eye roll). And how "lucky" was it that none of them heard the multiple gunshots and they fought her one at a time. Seriously ridiculous stuff.
We also didn't get any answers. Where was he going with them? What did he steal from the captain? Why did he want to kill her all of a sudden? Why let her know that? How did he and captain patch it up?
Also, and that's a rhetorical question, what kind of mother takes her daughter on a boat trip to the middle of nowhere with a stranger she met a month ago?!
On the plus side, it was entertaining enough to keep watching to the end. The acting was ok, not the greatest but also not as bad as some reviewers said. To those who want to see it because it is RL last movie, know that he is barely in the movie. I think his scenes add up to about five minutes but if you enjoy these types of films you can give this one a shot. Just make sure to adjust your expectations. It's not realistic and it is definitely not the best movie I've ever seen but it also not the worst (seriously, I've seen a heck of a lot worse than that). I'd rate it about 6.5/10.
Psych: Psych After Pshow (2014)
Not what I was expecting
I love this show, I just finished binge watching it. I loved the finale too. They wrapped it all up very nicely! I was looking forward to this show because I thought we would get to see more of Psych (behind the scenes, bloopers, unseen scenes that we lost during editing etc). Instead it was a very basic sitting on the couch talking about how it was to do the show. I didn't find it particularly interesting either. Do we really care who had the biggest mouth or who brought their dog to the set? No offense, maybe the fans needed that at the time but personally I was hoping for a glimpse at the behind the scenes. Stuff like the set, bloopers and maybe see unseen footage or hear about how it was like to play a certain scene or episode. The conversation didn't go very deep. I was at least expecting them to tell us about the fun parts and challenges of making the show. We got very little of that. They didn't even say what was their favorite scene/episode...
I also thought that it wasn't cool that the actor who played Buzz wasn't there. He had a small part in the show but he was there for all eight seasons so he should have been there with the rest of them imho.
I'm moving on now to watching the three films. Hopefully they are as good as the show was.
Thumbs up for the whole eight seasons including the great finale (which is rare, most finales suck) but this "Psych After Pshow" didn't do it for me but if it was some sort of a closure for the cast, crew and fans then good for them.
Psych: Right Turn or Left for Dead (2013)
Not great
I'm binge watching the show and I have to say that I really love it. It's a great show! I thought this episode was quite creative. I really loved the idea of the two parallel scenarios but I feel like the episode fell a lot shorter of what it could have been.
CAREFUL! SPOILERS ALERT!!!
First, I understand why Juliet is upset but I'm missing the serious conversation that would normally happen in a situation like that. Yes, Shawn wasn't honest with her about a big issue but why won't he explain exactly why? And why wouldn't she ask? The conversation at the wedding was way too short (and not to mention in a public place) so I was expecting some sort of a follow up. A simple "I need space" and "move out" just isn't enough.
Second, the parallel stories ended in a very unsatisfying way. It seems to me that if they stayed together (Shawn and Juliet) then some good people would still be alive. Instead the crazy woman was the one who survived. At first I thought she was a victim and Shawn saved her so I thought maybe saving her (or maybe Gus not having a terrible allergic reaction) was making the point that it's actually good that things turned out the way they did but then I realized it's the exact opposite so I think they really missed the mark here. It was a missed opportunity. Nobody wants to see Shawn and Juliet break up but if it serves a good purpose then at least something good comes out of it.
Third, it's a small thing but I really hated the way Henry reacted to his son telling him that Juliet found out the truth. What the heck was that???? I was actually hoping this entire time (since the pilot) that Henry told Vick the truth about Shawn and that she was playing along with the lie because Shawn is very talented and can really help solve cases. Judging by Henry's reaction, it doesn't seem that this is the case. He seems very worried (for himself - yuck!) that he will be implicated and in trouble. So if that's the case, why did he lie to Vick? Why cover up for Shawn? And what exactly did he think was going to happen? I get that Shawn wasn't thinking farther ahead but his father should have. Obviously if he's in a serious relationship with Juliet she would eventually find out the truth (on her own or through Shawn). What was he thinking? That he will be in a relationship with her and she won't ever find out? The whole thing didn't feel right to me! I was happy to see the character of her stepfather again (he was fun) but Henry's reaction was disgusting!
Lastly, I didn't like Juliet's reactions the entire episode. As I mentioned, I can't blame her for being upset but Juliet is sweet, smart and forgiving. She was really cold and almost emotionless the entire episode. She barely reacted when she saw he was injured at the hospital or when the crazy woman almost stubbed him. All she said was "I'm a cop" and at the end she basically came by just to talk about their living situation and tell him to move out. Where is the conversation between them? I'm not expecting them to reconcile in one episode but their relationship isn't based on him being psychic. She was way nicer to her dad who lied only for his own benefit (and her stepdad). At least Shawn is doing something really good here. Not to mention that supposedly he and Gus are only called to help on cases that Juliet and Lassie can't figure out on their own. I get wanting honesty in their relationship (especially considering her background) but the motivation for the lie and the results are important too. I'm not saying that Shawn was in the right. He wasn't. He should have told her the truth a long time ago (when their relationship got serious) but I feel that her reaction was way too cold and unjustified.
So to sum up, while I liked the idea behind the episode (again, very creative!), I didn't like the way it unfolded. Made me feel bad. I think it was a really great opportunity to make the point that something good can come out of it all and that sometimes things happen without us knowing why they do. Instead it all ended badly for everyone (except for Gus). It makes me sad that they missed the mark and it makes me sad for the characters. Shawn is sad, Juliet is upset, the victims died while the perpetrator lived and Henry acted like a jerk. Not cool! I hate feeling like that at the end of an episode. I really hope the next one will make up for it. Fingers crossed.
Psych: Santabarbaratown 2 (2013)
Loved it! Best episode ever!
This was a serious episode with a serious storyline and a serious Shawn yet I've never been more entertained! It was interesting and funny and I absolutely loved it!!!!
I can't comment on the technical aspects of the different firearms because I know nothing about it but I really enjoyed it all from start to finish.
We usually only get to see light funny stories that aren't that deep so it was so great that they went deep with this one. The connections between the characters felt so intense for once and yet there were still so many funny moments (the blueberry cranberry scenes were historical, I laughed so hard).
It's different from the usual lighthearted approach for sure but it was so refreshing to watch. I can stress enough how much I loved this episode. I really enjoyed watching a more serious Shawn for once. Yes, his usual easy going childish self is also very lovable but it's also nice to see more depth in his character. It's good to watch a character grow and change and even if it's a one time deal (which it probably is), it's still awesome! What a great start to the seventh season! Love it!
Psych: An Evening with Mr. Yang (2009)
Mixed feelings about this episode
First I'd say I love this show. Which is strange really because I usually prefer serious crime solving shows (like Criminal Minds for example). I hardly ever watch comedy shows and very little drama. Im more drawn towards mysteries, crimes, horror and action. When I heard about this show I was very skeptical. How can death and crimes work together with humor and fun? Well, I gave this show a chance and it actually works!
Surprisingly, I'm watching it because it's light hearted fun! I love the jokes and lightness of this show (not so much the 80's and the movies references cause usually I don't get them). Shawn is very smart and perceptive and yet funny and immature. He has a personality that just makes you like him. He knows how to balance the seriousness and silliness in a perfect way. I love watching the flashbacks to his childhood and his relationship with his dad and also with Carlton (both are more serious and mature characters). I like Vick and Jules too.
This episode was a lot more serious than usual. CAREFUL, SPOILERS ALERT! The first part was good, serial killer vs psychic, riddles and danger all around but then they got real serious when Shawn's mom was taken. I can say I liked the way it ended. The serial killer just let him win. Obviously that's not the end of it and although I don't know, I'm pretty sure Mr Yin/yang is actually a couple (that Mary guy looks like a good option). Or maybe she has something else in store for Shawn. Either way it was solved in a very unsatisfactory way. I usually love stories that go beyond one episode but something about the way she gave up and just gave him the switch was bizarre and unsettling. I also did not like the whole Abigail-Jules mess up at the end. I'm not a huge fun of this whole "will they/won't they". I've seen it done so many times (Bones for example). I prefer they just pick a lane and stick with it (like on Elementary - no romance from start to finish). I don't particularly enjoy the romantic tension and dragging it for seasons on end. I'd rather they just be a couple from the start (it would be way more refreshing to see a married couple working well together than for the millionth time wondering if they end up together or not). Shawn and Jules clearly have a connection between them and for three seasons I watched them flirt and pull back. Now that Jules decided to go for it Shawn is suddenly unavailable with "the one that got away". Come on! Stop dragging it out so much! I also didn't like that Shawn was the serious one and Gus was the goofy one (doesn't work, Gus looks silly). Oh and are we really supposed to buy that Shawn rejected Jules to go on a date with Gus. I get that maybe he's not ready yet and a romantic relationship between him and Jules would complicate their working relationship but flat out rejection is a bit too much.
So this is why I have mixed feelings about this episode. The storyline with the serial killer was interesting but the balance between the serious side and the light side was somewhat ruined. Plus, the unsatisfying midway conclusion and the sort of like romantic triangle just didn't sit right with me.
Psych: Christmas Joy (2008)
Felt badly for Henry lol
Fun episode as usual but I gotta say that I totally felt bad for Henry. I mean, come on! You can win but still buy the guy a present. Poor guy was left losing the holiday bet and without a gift?! Not cool lol. But the rest of the episode was fun. I especially liked the story of Santa and his little girl but I didn't understand why Santa (Carl) did not tell Shawn and the cops who is likely responsible for the murder. M He knew the third partner got out of jail and started a fight because he was in jail with the Krav Maga guy so he asked Shawn for protection without telling him who he's afraid of? That's weird. Maybe I missed something but something didn't add up there...
Psych: Murder?... Anyone?... Anyone?... Bueller? (2008)
One problem with using so many references
I get that a lot of people like to reminisce about the past (old movie, songs, celebs etc) but I think (and probably most people would disagree) that the writers shouldn't put so much focus on that.
To those who understand it, it's probably great and funny but not all viewers understand it. Some viewers didn't grow up in the 80s. Some viewers didn't even grow up in the states so if you throw a reference here and there and some of us miss the joke, that's fine, no big deal but if you keep them going it could get annoying real fast.
I like this show, it's interesting and funny most of the time but I have to say that I didn't enjoy this episode that much. Everything felt a little over the top for me. I much prefer the episodes that start with a flashback to some event between father and son that gives us a little sneak peek at what made Shawn who he is now. Henry's past as a cop intertwined with Shawn's present as a crime solver is very meaningful in a lot of ways. The childish behavior is also funny and adorable but as long as it's not too much. Plus, I really love the other police characters (Carlton, Juliet, the chief and even McNab) and they hardly had a part in this episode. They were practically insignificant. So for all these reasons, to me, this wasn't a great episode.
I'm rating it 6/10 because it wasn't a bad episode but since the rating in here is so high (currently it's 8.9/10), I just really wanted to write this review just to point out the problem with using so many references to a certain time or topic.
American Nightmare (2024)
This story is absolutely unbelievable!!!
This story is absolutely unbelievable and not only because of the criminal behavior. Which was definitely creepy and extremely weird (he was practically begging the police and the media to believe Denis and for the police to catch him).
What was more incredible to me was how incompetent the police were. I get tunnel vision, in a way, while still wrong, it's understandable but here we have police officers and FBI agents who didn't even bother to investigate. How hard was it to check surveillance cameras? It happened in 2015 so even though I'm not familiar with the area I think its a safe bet to assume they had some. Then you have a group of girls following the perpetrator and actually giving the police his name and address and still nothing was done? How hard was it to put surveillance on him for a few nights and catch him during the act? Then you have a woman who was attacked at her home in the middle of the night and an officer asked her if she is sure it wasn't a dream. Seriously????
I get that not every crime could be solved but one would expect the authorities to at least try. The boyfriend told them about the ransom call and they didn't monitor his phone? Forget monitor, turn the damn thing on! And if that's not bad enough they go out to the public and smear the victims?! They should have gotten a lot more than 2.5 million dollars! And where is the apology and consequences?! Of course no where to be seen!
Lastly, and this is the most unbelievable thing to me, does they not have computers?! Cause I'm pretty sure we had computers back in 2015! The good detective was working very hard to try identify who the blond hair belonged to and she found out about the "gone girl" case from a witness she was talking to by accident. Do they not have a software that detectives can log into and search for similar crimes? How many crimes involves home invasion+kidnapping+rape+ blackout goggles+Mustang in California?!
This is all so unbelievable! Way more than the bizarre behavior of the criminal who clearly suffers from some sort of mental illness. I can almost understand him more than I can understand the incompetence of the authorities we are supposed to trust in an hour of need to help us. Watching this makes you want to arm yourself and never trust anyone.
Oh and one more thing, the criminal said something I really agree with. I'm an animal lover and let me tell you, every house should have a dog! There are so many dogs who desperately need a home. Even a small dog could be a huge deterrent and of great value. My friend has a very small dog and last year she was woken up by his barks at 03:00AM. She was home alone. Her husband had taken the kids to his parents for the weekend and she decided to stay home and catch up on some work. When she woke up she realized there's movement outside her back door. She realized two guys were trying to get inside her house so she immediately grabbed her phone and a knife and and screamed to the intruders that she is armed and already called the police. She than took her dog and her phone (and the knife) and locked herself in the bathroom. The police arrived ten minutes later and the intruders were nowhere to be found. They heard her and vanished. Many criminals are just looking for an easy opportunity. Maybe they thought no one was home and decided to rob the place but once they heard she is armed and called the police they run away. That little dog saved her from a a way more frightening and dangerous situation. So my advice to anyone reading this, whether you are a woman living alone or a couple or a family - get a dog people! They will fill your hearts with joy and keep you safe.
The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)
Excellent!
I'm always looking forward to seeing anything that Mike Flanagan creates. I really enjoyed this show. I'd definitely say it's in my top five!
The story was very interesting and I loved that it's been told to us with flashbacks to the past, which is funny cause usually I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks but the way it was set up with Roderick and Dupin talking was extremely good so the back and forward weren't annoying at all.
I thought the characters were very colorful and interesting and the acting was very very good! I was especially impressed with Carla Gugino (Verna), Bruce Greenwood (Roderick), Willa Fitzgerald (young Madeline), Michael Trucco (Rufus Griswold) and Kyliegh Curran (Lenore) but everybody else was also very good.
I think it's not a typical horror show (which is a good thing) so don't try to compare it to Hill House or other MF productions. It's a good show so judge it on its own. For me it was the mystery of the story and the great acting that I really enjoyed. I also have to commend them for the ending. Everything was wrapped up in the end and there were no loose ends and unanswered questions left.
One more thing that was extremely important to me as an animal lover was to see the No Animals Were Harmed end-credit. I was looking for it since there are some gruesome animal scenes in this show (some are clearly CGI but others may not be so it was really great to see the American Humane logo at the end credits). Thumbs up to the production for this!!
If you've seen Mike Flanagan work before and you liked it I'd definitely recommend giving this one a chance. You won't be disappointed.
What Men Want (2019)
Boring and definitely not funny
I really didn't like this movie. The idea has potential to be funny but instead it's cliche after cliche and it's neither funny nor entertaining.
I didn't like the acting of the main actress either. She was definitely over acting. The characters were super boring. I couldn't care less about them and the jokes were not funny so what's left? A mediocre boring movie that I couldn't even bring myself to finish. Stopped half way through. It's not the worst movie I've ever seen but it's just not worth a watch so I can't recommend watching it.
It's really hard to find good comedy movies nowadays. I can't remember the last time I really enjoyed a movie and thought it was funny from start to finish. Most are shallow and or boring. If you can get a laugh or two you can call it a win but I watched over 50% of the movie and I didn't laugh once. The characters are so shallow and there is no one to relate to or root for. Just skip it.
Baby Reindeer (2024)
Disturbing
I just finished binge watching the show. It's not an easy watch. It started out a little lighter but the more it progressed the harder it was to watch. Sexual abuse, mental illness, self destruction and trauma are some of the things that you'll see in the show. It's disturbing to think this is a true story.
The acting is phenomenal! I was very impressed with it. You can feel the raw emotion and stress that is going on in the lives of those people. I just can't get past the fact that it's a true story. There's a lot of mental illness and trauma involved. Makes you feel so bad for them. Hope they're all doing better now.
The Lincoln Lawyer: Obligations (2023)
Very anticlimactic
I'm binge watching the show and so far I like it but I was disappointed by the way the story with the man with the tattoo ended. When he broke into Mickey's house and we found out who he was it seems like he was a very clever psychopath. I was looking forward to watching Mickey and him battle and Mickey eventually outsmart him but they ended this story in about five minutes. It was very anticlimactic. So as it turned out he wasn't clever at all, he was just being stupid. I get that as a defense lawyer Mickey has dealt with dangerous people before but this murderer was clearly threatening him and his family. I don't know about the legal side of things. I always thought that if there's a conflict of interest the lawyer has to go with his first client but I guess in a situation like this he has no choice but to drop the first guy. It was just solve too fast and way too easy for my liking. I was expecting this guy to be more of a threat especially considering it was so hard to find him. I don't know if it's the same as the storyline in the books and I don't mind watching short legal stories among the main one but I had high hopes for this storyline and I didn't feel like it paid off.
The Night Agent: Fathers (2023)
Great show with a good season final
I really enjoyed this season. I just finished binge watching it and I can't wait for a second season.
This last episode was good. I really enjoyed the scenes at the containers lot and at Camp David (especially the scene near the helicopter).
CAREFUL: SPOILERS ALERT
As for the season final, I was mostly satisfied with it. It's great to see the good guys win! They tied up the loose ends and finished the story quite nicely. I was a little disappointed that Peter's father was not the good guy Peter thought he was. I was hoping he was framed and that Peter would get the chance to clear his name. I know it's a cliche and it's been done a million times before but I don't care. I love watching the good guys win and I thought that maybe the season would end with Peter finding new information about his father. Something that would be a stepping stone for next season. It's just makes sense, since Peter is such a decent person with good moral values that so was the man who raised him. I was hoping he would be able to clear his name but I guess they didn't want to go down that road. They did leave lots of room for more to come since Peter is now a Night Agent. Not really sure how Rose fits into it though. It would be great to see them work together again. It's a shame she wasn't recruited somehow to join the FBI. With some good training she could easily work with Peter and the both of them can do whatever it was her aunt and uncle were doing. I guess we'll have to wait and see what is coming next for the two of them. I hope we see Chelsea again too btw. I loved her character.
I also loved that they didn't end the show with a cliffhanger. I guess they didn't know what success this show would have and they wanted to give the viewers a decent ending just in case. I very much appreciate it! I hate watching shows that ends without giving the viewers the answers we were looking for. It makes me feel like I've wasted my time and it's very frustrating.
So all in all it was a great show and I would definitely watch the second season once it's released.
The Night Agent (2023)
Loved it! Great show!
I loved it! It was a great show. The story is interesting, there's lots of action, intrigues, mysteries and interesting characters. It's basically the good guys versus the bad guys, except you don't always know who the bad guys are. The good guys are very likable and easy to relate to and root for. The acting is great! I loved the two main characters (Peter and Rose) and the two main secret agents (Chelsea and Monks). Another great thing about this show is that there was basically no politics involved and that a huge plus considering that the show is about finding a mole at the White House. There's no left vs right or democrats vs republicans, just the good guy vs the bag guys and that's always fun to watch!
It has an excellent pace, lots of action, great dialogue, great story and great acting. I got to give it to Netflix. Nice work! So much of their content is garbage that I try not to have high hopes but this was a pleasant surprise. I binged watched the show in two days and I very much enjoyed it. Highly recommended.
Fresh (2022)
No distinction between scary and disgusting!
I get that most people who like horror movies enjoy the gory bloody scenes but personally I enjoy horror movies that are more scary. There's a huge distinction between scary and gross but apparently most people don't get it! This movie isn't scary it's disturbing and disgusting!
I don't understand what they were thinking. Are they trying to shock us? Tell us we are all meat? Do they think it's clever? Cause it's really not! It's not original either, it's been done before.
They focused so much on the meat like they were trying to either shock us or maybe glorify it? I seriously don't know what they were thinking of but it was disgusting and honestly just boring!
There are only two good things about this movie. The acting was ok despite the fact that the actors had absolutely nothing to work with and that it reminds us (women) that charming guys can also be psychopaths (plenty of real life serial killers were super charming and good looking like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer) so it's better to be more careful before jumping into a relationship with someone you don't know.
Other than that I see no redeeming qualities in this movie. It was boring and disgusting and I'm pretty angry at myself for watching it to the end.
If your taste in horror movies (no pun intended) is gore and cannibalism go ahead and watch it but if you're like me and you enjoy the tension and scare do yourself a favor and skip it!
Who Is Erin Carter?: Episode #1.7 (2023)
I liked it!
I loved the show and I thought the ending was pretty good. I enjoy watching the good guys win! I really hate it when the writers are so focused on ending the show with a twist that they ruin it. It didn't happen here. The ending was good.
The funny thing is that by the end of the season we get to know who is Erin Carter without really knowing who she is. Her background story is a bit vague. We know her mother left her when she was six years old and that she went from one foster home to another until she grew up and decided to join the police. We don't know who her mother was, why she abandoned her and what was her real name but we learn who she is as a person, what she's been through and what really matters to her so basically we don't know who was Erin Carter but we know who she is now.
We don't get all the answers to all of our questions but that leaves room for a second season. What happened to the gold? What's next for Erin Carter? What is her old boss planning for her? Will she stay where she is or will they sell the house and move somewhere else? Who is the big boss? Who is above Daniel Lang? Do they know about Erin? Will they come after her? Will she continue working as a teacher? I'd love to find out which means I'd definitely watch a second season!
Who Is Erin Carter? (2023)
Unrealistic but very entertaining!
So I really enjoyed binge watching this show. It has an interesting story, likable (and colorful) characters and tons of action.
Now, if you're looking for something realistic, I recommend you keep looking. Nothing about this show is realistic but it was still a lot of fun! The acting is very good, the pace is very good (no filler episodes for once), the stunts and fighting scenes are excellent and there are plenty of emotional moments that make you like and root for the characters. By the end of the season I even came to like the characters that I dislike at first.
I usually prefer to watch more realistic things but when the characters are good and the story is interesting sometimes I'm willing to look past it and just enjoy it. It's fun to see the good guys win and Erin Carter is practically undefeatable.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Long ride to nowhere!
I was very disappointed with this movie. It has an interesting premise. At first I actually thought it was a horror movie because of the two strangers that appear in the middle of the night but then I realized it's an apocalyptic movie. I enjoy survival movie so I decided to keep watching.
It has some big names attached to it like Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Bacon and as it turns out the Obamas (producers) but the movie is mostly weird and boring. The story doesn't go anywhere. The suspense is minimal and I wasn't impressed with the acting either. They may think it's clever but really it's not. There's nothing new, exciting, thought provoking or interesting about it (we already know we rely too much on electronics) and on top of it all it's racist. They say you can't trust people "especially white people". I agree with the part that says you can't trust people (especially strangers) but there's nothing special about white people, they are not better or worse than anybody else and I think that this reversed racism is disgusting!
So all in all it's a mediocre movie at best and no, I can't recommend watching it!
The Black Phone (2021)
Excellent movie! I really enjoyed it!
I wasn't expecting to love this movie so much but I really enjoyed it! It was intriguing, original, emotional and super creepy!
It's definitely not your typical horror movie (with tons of gore and jump scares). It's a mixture of horror and thriller and it has a supernatural ingredient which is really interesting and unique.
I found the plot to be very unique and original. Most horror movie that have a supernatural element usually includes demons and stuff like that. Here it's different. The supernatural element helps instead of hurting the main characters. I found that to be really cool (and creepy).
The main actors are children and I was surprised with how good the acting was. The connection between brother and sister was very powerful and I was really rooting for them. Ethan Hawke was also very good! Totally creeped me out! The mask was for once actually scary and so was the way he was looking and talking to the boy.
I read some reviews that complained that there was no explanation for why he took the kids and for the supernatural element but honestly it didn't bother me that much. I would have liked to know the background story of the phone. One of the murdered children said the kidnapper can hear the ring too. I wonder why that is. What's the story behind it? Also seems like there's a story behind the basement. Maybe the kidnapper was locked there too as a child? We don't get the answers but the story is still very very good! So different from the usual horror movies. It's hard for me to find horror movies that I actually like because usually they include really dumb characters and lots of gore which is more gross than scary. This movie was more creepy and suspenseful than scary but if you ask me that's a good thing! I'm usually not looking for anything original and unique. I'm very happy with movies that are just good but I found the movie to be both good and original. It kinda reminded me of another horror movie that I really loved called Happy Death day. They are both similar not in style but in the fact that the supernatural element is unusual and helpful. Just to be clear, Happy Death Day has a comical element to it. This movie is not like that. This movie is more dark and creepy but both are original and great if you ask me.
I read they are planning on doing a sequel. I'd definitely watch that! If you like horror movies and suspense movies I'd definitely recommend giving this one a chance. I really liked it!
Retribution (2023)
A typical Liam Neeson action thriller
Although I'm not a big Liam Neeson fan, I have seen a lot of his movies because I like this type of genre.
The story here is actually pretty good. A hedge fund guy takes his kids to school and is being blackmailed to do things when a mysterious caller claims there's a bomb in the car under his seat.
The first 70 minutes are pretty good. The story is believable and the acting is convincing. Then the story completely falls off the rails and becomes as unrealistic as it can get.
CAREFUL: SPOILERS ALERT!
Once the children are out of the car and Matt decides to take off it gets so unrealistic that it's almost laughable. First, the bomb would have exploded when he run into the cops cars. Second, how exactly did he evade the police chasing him (convenient). Third, it was very easy to predict who the perpetrator was. Forth, even if you're willing to believe that the accident wouldn't have caused the bomb to explode he would have been dead before he hit the water. And those are just the bigger problematic things about the way this story ends. I actually prefer action thrillers that are more realistic so it a shame they went this way.
On the plus side, the movie was still enjoyable. The acting was good and for once we didn't get to see Liam Neeson in some ridiculous fight scene (he's over seventy so it's getting ridiculous to see him win physical fights with villains that are half his age).
If you are a Liam Neeson fan or if you love these kind of films and you don't mind suspending your disbelief you can enjoy this movie. It's predictable and flawed but still entertaining.
Strike: Troubled Blood: Part 4 (2022)
Good but...
I just finished binge watching the four seasons and I must say I especially liked this last one. I haven't read the books so I can't comment on that but even though I liked it I do have some small issues with this season that I'd like to point out. First one, which I must say is a big one for me, I wanted to SEE the characters when they found out the truth. I wanted to see Strike and Robin tell the daughter what happened to her mother and I also wanted to see them tell the father that they found his daughter. I hate it when they skip this part. They (the writers presumably) might think it's a waste of time repeating it to the characters but I strongly disagree. It's not enough for the audience to figure out what had happened. I want to see the revelations and the reactions of those people. The father was looking for his daughter for half a century. The daughter grew up not knowing what happened to her mother. If it was up to me, I would have liked to even see her friends reactions. Her best friend and the one who run away overseas because she thought she was the reason Margo disappeared and presumably murdered. I don't like it when I get to see the characters suffering but not the relief of finding out the truth. Second, I think TB as Strike is doing excellent job. He is very convincing! I enjoyed watching the personal stories about his childhood. Robin on the other hand is a different story. I really like HG as Robin at first but something changed and she is no longer behaving the same. I feel like she's become a little annoying. It's hard to put a finger on it but maybe it's the fact that she has way too much confidence in her abilities. Strike is the lead character and I don't think it makes much sense that they are equal in their detective abilities. She can be talented but experience is important and Strike has a lot of experience. I just didn't feel like it was quite right. Oh and I didn't like that they changed her hair color either btw. I also thought there was a lot of fuss about Ricci and his father and it turned out to be not important. There was no conclusion on them so they were basically just a distraction. Also, something about the flow of the season wasn't right either. Could be editing but there were gaps and time jumps that didn't work out. Lastly, I'm not a fan of the whole "will they, won't they" thing. If they are meant to be together just get it over with and have them work the cases while being a couple. If not then skip this part. Personally I don't see what's the problem. It's a show, not real life, they can be a couple that works together. Just pick one and don't mess with the audience because I think it's supposed to be more about the mystery they're looking to solve and less of a soap opera love story. With that said, I still enjoyed watching it. Missing person stories are very interesting and this one was very good.
Fool Me Once: Episode #1.8 (2024)
Makes no sense
Please be careful, huge spoilers ahead!
I enjoyed the show up until this last episode. I don't think it makes much sense and I have too many unanswered questions. It's not that I mind the way the story turned out, it's actually clever, but the build up wasn't done right plus it made everything pointless. If Maya already knew who killed her sister and her husband then what was she doing running around the entire show? What was she trying to figure out? All that chasing was absolutely pointless. Why would she do this? Makes no sense.
The storyline is very complicated. Many characters and plots that don't really work together. Maybe in the book it does but in the show they leave us with too many unanswered questions and unexplained behaviors. I don't understand for example why was she suspicious of her husband in the first place? Why did she decide to confront him in a public place she knew she can be seen? If she didn't know why he did that then why shoot him without getting answers and if she did then again, all that running around was pointless. Why did he kill the captain of the yacht? There were three other witnesses so what about them? Why was the audio so important in the first place? The fact she killed innocent civilians is worse than the fact she disobeyed orders so what's the big deal? Why was she even abroad when her sister was killed? Clearly it happened after he published his story so wasn't she fired by then?
The background stories aren't strong either. Clearly he was a psychopath that enjoyed killing people but do I buy that he killed this kid because he was better than him in soccer?! And also his own brother cause he was having second thoughts? I don't know if I buy it but more importantly is the relationship between the husband and wife. We were shown that they were in love and happy. There was no reason to suspect she had any idea she was married to a psychopath so then why suspect him? There's something really missing in the development of the show. She also pretty much committed suicide so she was leaving her daughter without any parents. Why was it so important to her to take the family down? Her own daughter should have been way more important.
There are unanswered questions regarding the other stories too like why was the detective on meds in the first place and why did the sister give away her first born for adoption without even telling the dad?
The story is complex and the pieces of the puzzle just don't fit right if you ask me. It felt like once again someone was more worried about creating a twist than ending the story right. Maybe it works better in the book but to me it felt wrong and unsatisfying. Oh and the whole 18 years later was so lame!! Really really awful! Did not like that part either!
I enjoyed the show but I'm not happy with the ending. Every time they do this I feel cheated not surprised or amazed. I don't understand why they keep doing it. Tying the loose ends is way more important than making a surprising twist ending. When will the writers learn this? Can't a story just be good? We aren't alway looking for the next big thing. Sometimes you just want to enjoy a good story. Shame.
Fool Me Once (2024)
I was worried about the pace when I should have been worried about the ending
I started watching this show worrying it's going to be a good story that is dragged out for too many episodes (eight in total). Netflix has a tendency to do this. Make a show longer than it should by slow pacing it and make some filler episodes. Well, luckily that didn't happen! The pace of the show is excellent if you ask me. It wasn't too slow or too fast. I was engaged and intrigued the entire time. The story was interesting and the acting was good. Plenty of characters and small stories to keep you interested. I enjoyed it.
Unfortunately I did not like the ending. I won't spoil it for the sake of those who want to watch it but it didn't feel right to me. I liked the show up until the last episode but the developments in that last episode felt wrong. Maybe it worked better in the book but I was not happy with it. It didn't feel right or satisfying. Felt like once again someone was trying too hard to make a twist that will surprise the viewers but in reality it didn't make much sense. I have too many unanswered questions and the behavior of the main characters doesn't make much sense when you think about it. It's not that the ending is bad or not possible it's that to me the pieces of the puzzle didn't quite fit together. You can give this show a chance if you want. It's a decent show but i just didn't like the way it ended.