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Reviews
Destination Christmas (2022)
Best of 2022
Of the 112 Christmas movies we've watched so far this year (most of which have been new for 2022), this has been the best. The whole cast has natural chemistry. The story-line is good. There are some informative bits as well. The music track is good. The two leads have that 'it' factor. We're looking forward to seeing more of them on screen in the future. The only disappointment in the plot has to do with how the century old, mystical (?) artefact in the Inn was tied into the story at the end-it could have been a lot more prominent. Regardless, that point does not take away from the overall story.
NCIS: Los Angeles (2009)
Former big fans
The stories are redundant and simplistic. No surprises or insights to current events.
Marty Deeks' character has become so annoying that we mute when he starts on one of his rants. It's always about personal stuff and adds nothing to solving the story's mystery.
As often happens with long-running series, the forty minutes of screen time becomes more concerned about the characters' private lives than about the unique themes which hooked our interest in the series pilot and season 1.
Doc Martin: The Tameness of a Wolf (2013)
Goof
Martin has a well established aversion to blood. When he was having lunch with Ruth, he acted nauseated at the sight of her rare steak. The juice of aged beef is not blood and Martin would know that. The red juice is myoglobin and is released from the muscle cells. There is a common misunderstanding that rare beef is bloody, and it would appear that the story writers fell into that mistake. A physician and surgeon with haemophobia would not react to myoglobin.
The Twilight Zone: You Might Also Like (2020)
A nod to the original series
"You Might Also Like" reflects the online shopping gimmick phrase meant to induce you into buying something more. Consumerism and the need to possess the newest and best. In the original series, "To Serve Man" tells of an alien race that finds a way to trick humankind into being their prey (vanity, ego). In this episode, those same aliens have returned to Earth and adopted a new strategy to induce humankind to willingly fall for a behavioural trap (quick fix, greed). Once again, humankind's emotional vulnerability makes it an easy prey.
The performances were excellent. It appeared to me that the editing of the story made it very difficult to follow. Some of the embedded clues and indicators were too subtle, or not readily evident. That's unfortunate because the concept is brilliant.
Christmas by Starlight (2020)
Magical performances and excellent screenplay
, . . . the leads' performances were suggestive of Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock. In addition, their on-screen chemistry was pure. The rest of the company was was flawless. The movie was beautifully directed and edited. Even the soundtrack was on point. No better Hallmark rom-com has ever been made.