soelir's Reviews

Under the Dome (2013–2015)

5/10

20 April 2024

I like to rate stuff, I like to leave reviews, I'm probably a generous scorer. I know I'm more than generous, but if I enjoyed it and watched it all the way through, that deserves a solid seven.

Lots of people are involved in tv and film and it's not fair to the lighting people, location scouts, makeup artists and what not, to diss something if it doesn't deserve it.

I'm not dissing this for the fun of it, I'm dissing it because it deserves it. And I'm so sad. I haven't even finished the third series and I'm not sure I ever will.

So much potential. Wasted.

Maybe I'll come back once I've finished it and change my mind! Weird emoji face.

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Rim of the World (2019)

7/10

This was fun, boo to the haters!

19 April 2024

I agree this was a bit of a hot mess but it was way too much fun to let that get in the way of enjoying it! And I did enjoy it.

As an adult with no children, I'm probably not the best to be saying what is ok for the kids to be watching. As an adult who was once a kid? I reckon 12 year old me would have loved it, even if I might have watched half of it from behind a cushion!

49 year old me thought it was fun, a bit naughty in places, full of great clichés, solid sending up of tired movie tropes, throwbacks to other films, and with some great kids in the leading roles.

For those parents that are concerned, I'd let any kid watch this over Scouts Guide to the Apocalypse. Now that was great too, but was definitely more 'adult' in nature! The kids would love that too!

Remember, we may have been naive as young teenagers but we weren't stupid.

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Identity (2003)

9/10

I should really give it a ten!

11 April 2024

I have watched this film a bunch of times and I'm never disappointed, even though I clearly know what is going on and who is responsible!

To be fair, I usually give it a year or so between viewings, just to give me enough time to be not totally sure I remember it in full. That's getting way harder now, but that's ok.

It's dark, it's raining all the time, it's so corny in places you think who wrote this, a child? There's loads going on to distract you and it has a stellar cast. It's one of those films I envy people watching it for the first time.

If you've not seen it, rectify that pronto! And then watch it a bunch more times to really savour it!

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Passenger (2024– )

7/10

Enjoyable Sunday evening stuff

1 April 2024

I don't understand all the hate for this as it really isn't a terrible drama.

My only criticism is that we need another series to find out what's been what, and all the moaners might scupper that!

I enjoyed the premise and I liked the characters. And there being a few stories running concurrently is fine with me.

I binged over the bank holiday weekend but would have happily watched this go out on a Sunday evening each week.

I agree it's not exactly a comedy but I don't think that should be held against it.

They have to make another series though because there are way too many threads to tidy up.

Also, I guessed who was involved right at the start but now we need to find out more about them!

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Blue Lights (2023– )

10/10

Kept me intrigued.

29 March 2024

Warning: Spoilers

This popped up in my recommendations on the BBC iPlayer, along with The Gone, which I might go back to but probably won't. There's a new series coming next month, and I couldn't be more excited.

I love a police/crime drama, I'm not gonna lie, but this was fresh and interesting.

There's more than a few interesting characters that you want to follow and the series gives you enough time to get to know everyone, as well as progressing the overall criminal arc.

And while it's hard to do anything properly new in this genre, I think the people behind this have done a stellar job.

Top marks for hearing a Midlands accent and for it being acknowledged!

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Northern Comfort (2023)

7/10

Very silly, had me chuckling proper

21 February 2024

I've no idea why this has such a low rating. I thought it was really funny and just the right side of bonkers!

I only watched it because it was listed under 'deadly disasters' on Netflix, even though the blurb didn't seem to match that description. So, I presume people expecting an actual disaster movie would be disappointed. I guessed it was probably more of a comedy and was pleasantly surprised that it was so good.

It's definitely worth an evening's watch on the sofa, especially if you fancy something light and a bit silly.

And hats off to the lead for all that running about in the freezing cold!

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Haunting of the Queen Mary (2023)

3/10

It made no sense. Don't bother watching.

7 February 2024

Warning: Spoilers

I eventually watched this right the way through on my third attempt. I know, I deserve to never be allowed to watch anything ever again.

It started off ok, except for the dodgy accents, and like others have said it looked good. But it was such a horrific mess.

On the first two attempts I figured I was too tired to follow the plot and must have missed something obvious. I definitely didn't.

There's just too many things going on.

So, there's a murderer who was sacrificed to allow the ship to never sink. He then went into someone else's body to go about murdering and trying to get off the ship. Instead of just getting off the ship with no fuss.

Then he's still hanging about in the captain? Or the captains from each time all know and keep quiet?

Then everyone who has ever died is trapped there, but you only see a few of them?

And the second mom laughs because she gets it in the back of the police car, but we don't know what she gets.

The little girl is still wandering about and saved the boy, but the mom killed the boy when they were at home?

The guy threw away the evidence before they left the boat after gleefully buying a picture of the little girl?!?!

Seriously, something went wrong somewhere and the result is a hot mess.

3/10 is being overly generous and I'm a generous scorer.

I like the kids in this. They don't deserve to have their future reputations tarnished by this drivel.

Marking this as spoilers even though it's impossible to spoil this film more.

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The Tourist (2022–2024)

10/10

Dark, fun, enjoyable

2 January 2024

I have just finished the second series and it is more bonkers than the first. I really don't understand all the moaning about it.

Danielle Macdonald is great and I love the relationship between her and 'the man'.

It's fun, warm, silly, and downright nonsensical in places. But that's what enjoyable escapist tv should be.

Now, I'm no paid shill, just someone who genuinely enjoyed this and would definitely love to see a third outing (although I understand that's not going to happen, for now anyway).

The episodes move quickly, it's easy enough to follow, it kept me guessing throughout. Solid tv.

More please!

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Office Christmas Party (2016)

10/10

I watch this every year!

27 December 2023

So, I had this rated as 7/10 because, well, it's good fun and isn't exactly an Oscar worthy film.

However, I've decided it's time for an upgrade to the top since I've watched it every year and love it more on each watch!

Yes it's ridiculous, yes it's crass, yes it's totally over the top, but it's so much fun!

Now, full disclosure, I absolutely adore Jennifer Aniston. Except for Horrible Bosses 2, I love all her films. And Jason Bateman plays the straight guy great as always.

But what's more, is that on each watch I recognise another actor from another show and it's my favourite game of, oh, who is that?!

It also looks like it was a blast to make.

Sit back, drink some wine, and enjoy.

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Two Doors Down: Ian's Ex (2023)

Season 7, Episode 3

10/10

Loved this episode

18 December 2023

It was atrociously funny. Atrocious because I kept thinking, they said what? Out loud? Again?

The writers of this show have always been good at dropping in some, quite frankly, offensive language, but while showing it's mostly just a generational thing, and not done with malice.

This episode, exploring Ian's teenage years and bringing some home truths to light, was simply lovely in its execution.

Cathy demonstrated, once again, how appalling she is, but not because of prejudice but just because she's horribly self-centered and lacking any grace. Colin is a worse person with her, but he's not that great to start with!

Christine is my absolute favourite, and not without multiple faults! She does get the best lines, consistently delivered!

Beth is the mom you think is perfect but that you really want to get a spine!

Eric, bless him, made me weep. His message was powerful and I totally believed him. I would like to see him actually make the tea one day though!

This was a stellar episode. Well done everyone involved.

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The Walking Dead: Rest in Peace (2022)

Season 11, Episode 24

10/10

What an ending!

9 December 2023

Full disclosure, I was a huge fan of the zombie genre before The Walking Dead came on the scene. Mainly the classics, RIP Romero, and had high hopes for this series.

I wasn't disappointed. It hit it out of the park straight from the off, even if it did steal a lot from 28 Days Later. We call it an homage, which I was thrilled to see replicated in bits throughout.

We can all accept that the show had its ups and downs, and there were some really dodgy decisions made, but on the whole it was great.

I've just watched the whole thing from start to finish again (this year, I'm not that mental) and it stands up.

So there's a few bits that don't make sense. They only introduced the exciting walkers at the end. The protagonists wreaked havoc everywhere they went.

Overall, I still think the series deserves a 10/10 because it kept us all watching, kept us all entertained (even the moaners, otherwise why keep watching just to moan?) and had some great moments.

The ending, on first viewing, with all the anticipation and that, was too much to take in. On a second viewing, you can appreciate it more.

I like it.

Now give us the story of Rick and Michonne after they left! Please!

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I Am Woman (2019)

6/10

Sadly, not as inspiring as it should be

19 November 2023

I can't get over the irony of the fact that the male 'oppressor' in the film, is the stand out character.

We all know Evan Peters is a phenomenal actor, and he didn't let the acting profession down in this.

So, why, for a feminist movie that is meant to inspire women and girls, was he the standout actor? And not for his character arc!

Was it the dialogue? Was it the filming? Was it the editing?

I'm so sad. This should have been a wonderful, inspiring film. Instead, it was mediocre at best. Still, it's a pleasant love letter to a mom from a child, which is nice. The son, not the daughter though, right?

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The Walking Dead: Home Sweet Home (2021)

Season 10, Episode 17

Weird watching again after the C19

12 November 2023

When this came out during the pandemic, and we were all so excited to see it (well, except the usual naysayers that had given up a long time ago, yet still loved to watch just for something to moan about) I thought how clever it had been filmed.

Watching it again now, it's really obvious how 'distant' many of the scenes are.

There's many things the pandemic can be blamed for, loss of quality in a tv programme is so minor it really isn't worth whining about.

In the UK, we lost £250k of our loved ones. I wish it was only a few dodgy episodes in a tv show.

I liked this episode and still do. Maggie was missed. They should have paid Lauren the fair amount in the first place and not been tight.

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Bodies (2023)

8/10

Entertaining if confusing!

6 November 2023

I've been getting into science fiction of late and I really enjoyed this.

It has a lot going on. The same body found shot and naked in the same place but in four different decades.

That's about as much of the story I'll give away because no one likes spoilers.

The different detectives investigating the same death but in completely different decades is really good.

I didn't understand what was going on for a lot of it, and no doubt because of that I didn't see what could be massive plot holes, so ignorance of the physics of time is bliss!

It was entertaining, I enjoyed the different stories, and it was well made.

Well done all involved.

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Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (2023)

7/10

Weird, entertaining mash-up

31 October 2023

I've not seen the anime that it's a remake of, so I can't comment on the quality in relation to that.

As a standalone film it is bonkers but in such a good way.

It's a complete mix of genres. On the one hand it's a regular zombie comedy, on the other a morality tale on the drudgery of work. Mix in some cool fight scenes, some opposites don't mix romance, and a lot of other super ridiculous stuff (which I'm just not going to say because you need to watch it to appreciate it) and you have a thoroughly entertaining film.

It's a little long but it packed so much in.

Just sit back, enjoy it, and don't get bent on the details.

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Apocalypse Clown (2023)

8/10

Glorious grownups kids film

23 October 2023

This is such fun nonsense. It's like watching a slapstick film when you were a kid, laughing at ridiculously outrageous jokes that shouldn't be funny, not caring that nothing makes sense. Except with a good dose of solid swearing.

I've always thought clowns were weird, and definitely not funny, but these lot were great. Obviously, their actual clown acts were rubbish but that's what made it.

Everyone plays their role perfectly and just the right side of hammy.

And when you can spot the build up to a joke a mile off and start chuckling with anticipation and glee, like it's the 100th time you've seen it, then you know you've been entertained.

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Beef (2023– )

10/10

A baby with mobility and strength is just a serial killer

20 October 2023

Wow! That was just fabulous.

When I popped this on, I really wanted something to binge but that couldn't happen.

I thought it was going to be some fun, madcap caper about two angry people being jerks to each other.

It was that but oh so much more. It got dark.

This is a very dark comedy but with such warmth, feeling, regret and angst, that I needed to take my time with it.

Two protagonists that are thoroughly unlikeable yet totally relatable.

And there's not one other character with many redeeming qualities either. Well, except the kid and the dog, but who would write something where kids and dogs are hideous too?

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Travelers: 21C (2017)

Season 2, Episode 10

10/10

Why on earth did they cancel this?

22 September 2023

I guess it's because not enough people (like me) watched it at the time of release. I am kicking myself about that, that's for sure!

I fell out of love with my brief foray into time travel stuff after getting too invested in Flash Forward and that going the way it seems all great shows do - cancelled. So, this was on my Netflix list for ages.

I've got back into all that side of sci-fi of late and this show is fantastic.

I'm not too smart on science, so can't say I know for sure if there are faults in the storytelling, or faults in the technical stuff, but I give no hoots about that!

Even though I sometimes find my mind melting with all the science stuff (in a good way) I love how this show has enough about it to constantly keep me hooked.

This episode was fantastic.

These two are the characters I root for the most, even if the cynic in me thinks that no one can be as nice as David!

All the characters are great, even the ones you aren't supposed to like (I'm thinking Carley's deadbeat husband). The premise is great. The story is great.

Bring it back. I've not even got to the end yet but know I'll want more!!!

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The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies (2023– )

10/10

Ooph! Binged. Was excellent!

16 September 2023

To be honest, I was hooked from the first episode. So much so that I watched the whole thing in one night.

It's funny, tackles some gritty issues in such relatable ways, and overall has a good message.

I'm hoping for a second series!

I was tempted to give it a nine because it could have maybe been wrapped up in three to four episodes, but I decided it was fun and pleasurable and well worth the time.

The subject it deals with is awful but it is also so normal. And I think that this gives a good, honest, peek into it. For those who think it's a fantasy, either lucky you or more likely you are one of the baddies!

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Starstruck (2021–2023)

9/10

Season Three - Wonderful

3 September 2023

This whole thing was great.

Sad, happy, messed up. Exactly what life is.

The premise was great. Who has never fantasised about going out with a famous movie star?

We all know it would be weird, and this just proves it's weird but in so much the normal, thoroughly mundane, irritating kind of way!

This is a genuine show about emotions.

Forget that they live in fantastical home (my guess is the girls live in a huge house near Islington, which unless someone died and bequeathed it, there's no way they could afford).

Anyway, home realism aside, the story is great.

I was on my way for a 7/10, but that last episode!!!! Go watch it and enjoy.xx.

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Midsomer Murders (1997– )

10/10

Alle dør i Midsomer

27 August 2023

This has been one of my favourite shows for decades and I'm rewatching them all (for the third/fourth time?). Despite knowing what happens and who did what to who (I say that, I never have a clue!), there's still so much pure joy.

Troy was written as an unbelievably crass and unlikeable character (apparently the woman who wrote the original books said he was meant to be awful) but he grows and learns and is better for it. Is that not what we all do?

I've never lived in a village, or even a small town, but I suspect the murder rate is higher in Midsomer than any major city!

And as we all know (and love) the murders get far more inventive as time goes on. Gunshot? Tick. Stabbing? Tick. Bludgeoned with a heavy object? Tick. Poison? Tick. How about a wheel of cheese? Electrocution? Pitch fork? Bottles of wine? Drowned in beer? Wrapped in cling film? There's no method of murder in Midsomer that Barnaby (either one - what other tv show could get away with that?!) that can't be solved.

MM is just pure Sunday TV. Doesn't try to be anything else. Knows exactly what it is. Does it well. And I would, do and will watch it any day of the week.

The Ronseal of TV.

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Who Is Erin Carter? (2023)

7/10

Ludicrous and thoroughly enjoyable!

25 August 2023

I had a suspicion this might be dreadful and after the first episode I hadn't been persuaded otherwise. I stuck with it and started to really enjoy it.

Episode four is where it really starts to get going and from there you're already invested.

Now, I'm not normally a huge fan of the running and shooting and jumping off stuff and fighting action films/series, but I do appreciate the effort that goes into them. I've seen Die Hard a couple of times, it was fun.

For me, this series was kind of like that. You need to sit back and enjoy the nonsense.

Clearly, any normal person getting kicked about several times a day would need a bit of recovery time. Did Bruce Willis ever need recovery time? I don't think so! So why would super badass mom, Erin Carter?!

My advice? Chill out, laugh at the ridiculousness, groan at the terrible dialogue, suspend your disbelief pretty much all the way through, and just enjoy it!

Oh, and can I say thank you to whoever decided to have the protagonist run around in sensible shoes and not four inch stilettos all the time? I mean, you want realism? There it is.

Anyway, I hope there's a second series. That's how much I enjoyed it!

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Ad Astra (2019)

6/10

Very mumbly. A bit dull. Worthy.

18 August 2023

Ok. This gets a six even though that feels too low. Visually, it was great. I just wasn't taken with all the mumbling.

I'm not super into sci-fi but I do enjoy it. I feel like this could have been better. Deep space, the human condition, what it means to be alive yet alone, all great. But Moon did a way better job (that's a solid 10/10 IMO).

I'm a social anthropologist, not a scientist, so I'm not hot on physics and stuff but even I was confused about some depictions about space here. Does sound travel in space? I'm fairly sure it doesn't. Do bullets do what they are designed to do in space? I'm not sure! If a spacecraft was on a +30 year mission would the spacesuits on that ship be exactly the same as those on another one from years later? Unlikely. Can you 'swim' in space? I'm fairly convinced that's a no!

But whatever, these are all trivial details. It's about space travel after all, and neither you nor I are ever doing it, so sit back and enjoy the fantasy.

That said, overall I think it was a bit dull. It was kind of an effort to watch, which is a shame because I also kind of enjoyed it.

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To the Lake (I) (2019–2022)

7/10

Enjoyable - season 1

2 August 2023

I do love an end of the world/rampant virus/people going nuts type of drama, it has to be said. So this was right up my street.

I watched it dubbed, so I probably didn't get the best of it, but it was enjoyable all the same.

A bit of a culture shock in places. We Brits just don't tend to have that much nudity in our dramas! And, did it need so many boobs? Probably not, but hey, they were all cracking boobs!

I did get a bit tired of it halfway through, but after a few weeks off came back to it and I'm glad I did. The set up for the second season looks great. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Netflix to add it.

There's no spoilers here, but I will warn that there's a fair bit of sexual violence, albeit more threatened, than fully executed. I presume it goes back to the cultural thing.

And for anyone just wanting gore and action, I'd suggest you give it a try but know that this is more about the characters (even if they don't make that much sense - again, I'll assume the cultural difference).

Overall a solid series.

I'm so glad I don't live in the snow! I'll take constant drizzle any day! I'd have frozen to death on day one.

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Two Doors Down: Episode #2.3 (2016)

Season 2, Episode 3

8/10

I'm loving this!

23 July 2023

I only started watching yesterday and I keep having to put the next episode on!

You know what they say, who needs enemies when you have friends like that! But they do actually all get on, even if three of them are utter nightmares!

This episode resonated with me so much as a veggie! I must admit, the lack of veggies was quite a surprise. Do Scottish people not eat greens?!

I did note no one ate the boiled carrots! That made me chuckle. Boiled carrots are rank!

I would have been super excited for lunch there though. Four types of potato?!?! I'm lucky if I get two!!! I'd move in a couple of doors down and make sure I made friends with them all! Potatoes for the win!

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