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Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
Mixed message documentary
For me the problem of this documentary is it's mixed message. At one part is thrives on sensationalism, but it's final message is against what it has shown. If they really would have wanted to avoid promoting this narcissistic killer's fame seeking, they would have not named him, not shown his face and especially not interviewed his mother. Now they gave him everything he was looking for and at the end suggest that it's our, the viewers', fault. Partly it is, but the makers cant avoid their own big responsibility for supporting this kind on behavior.
The West Wing: The Short List (1999)
Very insightful
In two weeks it's 20 years from the first airing of this episode. It struck me how insightful it is/was. A quote from Sam:
"In the '20s and '30s it was the role of government. '50s and '60s it was civil rights. The next two decades are going to be privacy. I'm talking about the Internet. I'm talking about cell phones. I'm talking about health records and who's gay and who's not."
That was almost correct. The right to privacy will probably be hashed for another decade. When this episode aired it wasn't an issue for most people, but today it touches almost everybody.
Only the gay part of the Sam's quote is starting to be irrelevant. Within couple of decades most homophobes are pushing daisies and then being gay is as big of a deal as being left or right handed.
Also another big topic of the episode, drugs, has changed it's from. Pot is legal again in many places and seems to be on it's way of becoming new beer. Harder drugs are still a big deal, but getting caught using them wouldn't be so sinful as they were two decades ago.
Apollo 11 (2019)
Great documentary heavily ruined with muzak
The title says it all. The visuals are great and the story is told well, but the crappy trailer muzak ruins big part of it's appeal. I don't understand how someone thinks that Apollo 11 launch needs "music" to spice it up. Are people so stupid that they can't understand things if the soundtrack doesn't tell them what to feel?
I liked the film, but the soundtrack was appalling. I gave the film 8/10, but without the soundtrack it would be 10/10.
Skyline (2010)
Surprisingly good
I don't get the hatred this film has received. It seems that people don't like rich yuppie kids, so the movie is automatically bad, which it really isn't. One thing that it is not, is original: It's about 80% copy of the War of the Worlds, but with different kind of ending.
Regardless, the film is well made, the actors are adequately good, the plot works (not much is explained, but it doesn't need to be), movie's internal logic works and people don't act stupidly (mostly). It's not a masterpiece, but good and well made scifi movie. It's much better than for instance Spielberg's official remake of War of the Worlds.
The Grand Tour: The Fall Guys (2017)
The best so far
This is the first almost thoroughly good episode of The Grand Tour. There was almost no fluff. The race worked, The Conversation Street had actually something that resembled conversation, the guests were good, and the car review was standard good Clarkson quality. The main thing was that they mostly managed to keep the illusion that things weren't completely scripted (besides the blatant product placement in few places and how the plane seating thing played out). Yes, my standards are high, but I really enjoyed this one.
The Planets (1999)
Dated, but still interesting
The Planets is a view of our Solar System with the knowledge from 1999. With little tuning, it would be fine basis for ever evolving documentary, which would be updated when new data arrives. It still shines in many parts, because huge part of it is history of solar system exploration. There are lots of interviews from Voyager project, Russian scientists who worked with Soviet space program, Apollo project personnel, and many many other scientists.
Dated parts concern discoveries during the last two decades: All those Mars rovers, Cassini-Huygens has arrived and is ending it's mission in few weeks (sep 2017), Voyger 1 has left the Solar System, that "future" Pluto probe (New Horizons) was launched and already few by Pluto six months ago, and, most of all, about 99,9% of exoplanets have been discovered after the show. But basically "only" two things are very much dated: Mars exploration and exoplanets.
Even with all that, huge part of it is still valid and especially those interviews are still interesting. I haven't seen any better documentary about the subject.
Top Gear: Episode #23.6 (2016)
It wasn't so bad
After watching most of old new Top Gear, my opinion is that the Evans' version got way way way too harsh criticism. Evans' style is divisive, but that 2.something average for 23th season is just idiotic fanboyism.
The series start was clunky, but it got better, and especially 5th episode was at par with old trio's stuff and even well above their average. This last episode was fine too. There really weren't any proper reason to dismiss Evans except fanboys, but after seeing two episodes of 24th season, kicking him out didn't hurt the show either.
Top Gear: Episode #24.1 (2017)
Quite OK, for now...
This being another new start for Top Gear, I will give them some slack.
Harris' Ferrari review was boring, like those kind of reviews have been for me almost every time, regardless who have done them. Going fast on a track spewing specs with occasional wohoo don't do anything for me. And this seemed to me like most of those reviews, so I give a pass for this segment.
Guest segment was something different, with all three hosts. That is a very good idea. It breaks the normal format and can potentially become something very good. This time though it seemed too scripted. But as the old trio in their new show took a long time to get banter rolling, I'll let this slide too. For now.
The reasonably fast car might be something good, although I have almost never watched this segment either. One person time trial is too boring.
The challenge had a good idea, but it was poorly executed. Of course those big engined "taxis" can still be quite good after 480 000 miles. If they had chosen normal shopping carts, then it might have been a good challenge.
So a bit clunky start. I hope some of it isn't due to that this was the first Top Gear episode to have "writers" listed. If the presenters are using someone else's words, it will never work. For that, there is only one good enough actor (maybe).
And I hope not having independent judicator is just for this episode, because there weren't any car to drive.
Farscape: The Locket (2000)
Flawed, but good
I really like The Locket. Yes, it is a filler. Yes, it has (mostly) stupid plot. Yes it's resolution is very stupid. Yes, it is full of exposition and good junk of it is quite poorly written. But still I like it.
What I like about it is how it shows Aeryn's and Crichton's relationship in the long term. The thing that the show can't otherwise portray without revealing how it will eventually end. The other performances where OK, but one shined: Claudia Black. Her portrayal of old Aeryn was very good and it was supported by her very well made make-up. 10/10 for old Aeryn.
I gave this this episode 9/10, but if you don't like the hokey relationship stuff like I do, it's more in the range of 6-7.
The Grand Tour: Opera, Arts and Donuts (2016)
Only if they had done a Grand Tour...
A Grand Tour was a good idea (after horrible Desert Stumble), but it was executed very badly. Now it was way too much about Hammond and his stupid pony car. I bet Americans have made a proper Grand Tourer and with that this episode could have been about something interesting. The Charger should have been left for another episode, episode about petrol head cars. Now it just made Hammond look like a w*nker (ah, the star, the sign of American hypocrisy).
Also the studio is still too scripted. Well, it has always been scripted (in Top Gear), but it didn't feel like it so much. And the dying guest was funny once, not anymore.
So why 6/10 if it was so bad? Because it still entertained me somewhat. And maybe because of the last residue fumes of the opening episode. But now it's time to shape up. Back to the level of the first episode. Only kick out the fat American, or at least make him shut up.
MacGyver: Deadly Dreams (1989)
This is not MacGyver
MacGyver and Phoenix Foundation are trying to make door opening device for police, which is the most stupid part of this episode. Basically it is an excuse to blend MacGyver with the plot of a criminal master mind trying to revenge from behind the bars.
The episode would be quite good, but it is in completely wrong series -- enough to lower the vote. It does not feel like MacGyver at all and it is unduly violent. Many of the fourth season episodes have the same problem. In this episode, hitting the guy with an axe to the chest and showing it, does not belong with MacGyver. As does not the concept of Sicilian necktie from another episode, even if it wasn't shown.
MacGyver: Birth Day (1987)
One of the best episodes (at least of seasons 1-2)
I'm re-watching childhood hero's adventures by Netflix and thus far this is one of the best episodes. It is really exceptional episode even in Hollywood scale: The situations aren't created by people acting stupidly or out of character, but by well thought through sequence of events.
The episode has a simple plot, but it's well executed. There's no stupid international spy stuff, which usually doesn't work, but quite down-to-earth story. I'd rather have this kind of decent plot with a bit less cool macgyverisms than few cool tricks in otherwise dull episode. This time even all the things done probably work in real life.
ER: Age of Innocence (2008)
Horrible episode
Sorry about the rant, but child sexual abuse was the main point of the episode:
Otherwise OK episode turned horribly bad at the end. Why? Because it promoted the horrible sentiment of guilty by suspicion. By making suggestions that the teacher really was a child molester, it approved everything that happened to him -- and his wife --, EVEN IF there were ONLY SOUSPICION of wrong doing.
Yes, child molestation is a horrible problem, but it does not go away by suspecting all the men who talk kindly to children. "They appear to be nice, Archie". If that is suggested guideline for "detecting" possible child molesters, we are in trouble. Apparently only rude and distant men are allowed, and kindness is left to women. That kind of society creates only cold and distant people.