Reviews

So I'll be real, I don't even like singing competitions, I tuned in because the concept sounded interesting and I thought this show was going to introduce some new technology. Other reviews already pointed out valid reasons for the low rating, the not so great singing, the phony hosts, the garish avatars, the premise that "ugly" people should hide themselves away to prevent from being judged on their appearance, which is a horrible message.

All reasons enough to dislike the show. Here's what really bugs me though...everyone is pretending to watch an avatar on stage but it's actually added in afterwards. What the hosts are actually seeing is the avatar on small screens in front of them and then pretending to address the avatar on stage. This means the crowd is also in on the act when they're likely just watching a larger screen somewhere off camera. The stage is empty the whole time, there's no new technology, it's all a room full of people playing make believe and the whole premise is a lie. It's just kinda pathetic once you realize it.

These glowing reviews are written by a buncha people who sniff their own farts and love it. They're more concerned with trying to look cultured than being honest. Well I think I have a pretty good read on this movie myself...and it's still not that great. There's not much dialogue or story here, it really is some kid that traps his family in a hole, but there is a meaning to it. At least I think there is.

So you have this kid John. He's quiet and shows basically no emotion or interest in really connecting with anyone, including his own family. He's prone to either just saying "Okay" or "Why" in response to instruction. So it's easy to think that the kid is either just a jerk, on the spectrum, or soulless. But I think what he's symbolizing what it's like to be a child on the verge of young adulthood while understanding next to nothing about the world. Growing up we're given instructions and told to do things simply because it's "normal" or "what people do". You ask why and are told to stop asking questions and just do it. Many people are fine with this, they grow up to be adults who are great at being told what to do without the need to think for themselves. As a kid who irritated everyone by asking "Why?" constantly I actually understand John.

So my belief is that as a way to communicate this to his parents, because he clearly can't use words properly, he puts them in the position he sees himself in. He puts them in a hole where they're constantly asking him to talk to them, to tell them "why?", why are they in the hole, why doesn't he just answer? That is John's perspective of the world, trapped in a hole that no one will explain to him.

Now here's why it's not that good of a movie. For one, no it's not a dark comedy whatsoever, that's nonsense. It's also not a thriller. It IS psychological, but so slow and with no exposition at all it leaves too many questions. There is a plot point that touches on John trying to drown himself a few times to see what's there at the verge of death. It's just him floating face down in a pool, nothing else happens, but when he does let his family out of the hole they come across him face down in a pond and panic in a rush to save him. I think this made a connection as to the "why" in John's mind...that even after what he did they still loved him and wanted him to live. So I suppose that's a reason to continue on into adulthood. But who can be sure, it's not explained. There is also a completely random plot point of a mother talking to her young daughter about things like needing to abandon her and then the movie ends with scenes of the young daughter wandering around the woods alone. No clue who they were or what that was about, I definitely didn't understand that.

So I think I might have understood parts of this movie, but it was really boring and I wouldn't watch it again. Not the absolute worst but it definitely isn't anything above maybe a 5-6 depending on the individual. These people acting like it's art house magic are hacks.

This movie was pure popcorn flick fun and Frank Grillo totally carried this movie. The same repeating day themes are here but to spin it as an action movie and have it work is a bit of a feat. There are really awesome high quality action sequences in this movie, great narrative from Frank Grillo's character throughout the movie that don't become annoying, and the story actually has some levels of complexity that keep you guessing about the plot.

The plot is basically a man that wakes up every morning on the verge of being murdered and he has no idea why. He's spent over 100 days trying to figure out why to little success, sometimes he survives the first several assassination attempts but always ends up murdered several hours later. Until a breakthrough happens and the plot is able to progress, which it does, and it does actually explain why the days are repeating so there is closure here.

Frank Grillo, who I love as an actor who is typically found in B-flicks, carries the hell out of this movie. It's probably his best performance of his career. The special effects are effective, this doesn't feel like a cheap movie at all. You can tell the rest of the cast showed up for a day or two to shoot their scenes, which is part of why I lowered my score, the movie is entirely carried by Frank Grillo. Which is not a bad thing, I just realize that people will be pulled to this movie from names like Mel Gibson, Michelle Yeoh, Naomi Watts, and Ken Jeong...and they're definitely in this movie, just not in much of it.

I rate it a 6 only because out of ALL action movies it's not going to break the mold, but it is very watchable and enjoyable and I highly recommend it. The other high profile names simply aren't in it much, but Frank Grillo really killed it in this role. Watch it if you love action, comedy, and light sci-fi.

This movie is nothing but 1hr23m of middle aged women mumbling to each other about mundane nonsense and the realization that they're going to die some day. There's no twist, or plot, or mystery, or drama, or comedy...it's literally just a very boring representation of women realizing, and not even coming to grips with, the fact that they're getting older and going to die one day. And it's done in a drab, droll, dry, absolutely boring and ultimately pointless way. I can't fathom who would even be entertained by this, it was so basic that the credits took less than 2 minutes to run because nothing happens.

I guess that's a spoiler? But it's literally all the movie is. It's shot fine, but other than that you can't even comment on the acting but there really isn't any. The writer/director must be a self-absorbed narcissist to think people would find this remotely interesting, I kept watching in hopes something would happen and it just never did. Avoid unless you're a middle aged woman without a personality I guess, because that's all this movie featured.

A little bit of spin on the cult genre placed in the middle of LA. One thing I liked about this movie is that it's premise isn't drawn out, they get to the main plot in pretty quick order, you're not stuck waiting and wondering when it'll actually start getting interesting. It's low budget but shot well, the acting is fine, the lead actress is very pretty.

The story is a young, somewhat naive and introverted, woman moves from the middle of nowhere to start a new life in LA and finds an affordable 1 bedroom apartment. There's a little backstory as to why, but it's a pretty tame reveal and doesn't matter all that much. Soon after moving in she notices some of the neighbors are a bit odd and not as nice as she initially thought. Things soon start getting aggressive then you're pulled into the main plot for the rest of the movie.

There's some suspense, a couple scares, some violence and a little blood and gore, and it ended with a bit of a twist. It's not going to blow you away or anything but it's perfectly watchable while stuck indoors and bored out of your mind and the twist at the end left me interested in a potential sequel.