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6/10
Good action but poor character development
29 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
After watching the first two episodes of this much expected show called Master of The Air, I have to admit it's not what I was thought this show would be and I'm a little disappointed.

There are some issues with this show that needs immediate correction. Some issues you should not expect from people of the caliber of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg who are well known for their sense of accuracy and character development.

About the latter, it lacks a mile if not two. Besides the names of the characters, we don't have much to go on. We don't see them during their training and their relationship. We don't know their personal stories. We are thrown straight to their missions and that was miscalculated. In Band of Brothers and the Pacific (because as it's the third installment of this epic saga we cannot stop ourselves from comparing the three), we know about the before, during and after the war life of the main characters. It makes them interesting and much easier to identify ourselves to them if we were facing the same situation they were facing. The fact that both Band Of Brothers and The Pacific benefited from the testimonies of the people who were there helped a lot.

This brings me to the second point which is the facts accuracy which sometimes defies logic. For example, those pilots are way too young to be majors as they all look like they come straight from high school. I literally blinked when Austin Butler who is a major in the show tells his buddy like a rookie how he never expected the war to be like that! Come on you're a MAJOR! You should have more experience than the rest of your crew and at least you should have seen some combat before 1943 which is 2 years after the war began for the US!

Then we have this lieutenant who is suffering from air sickness. Do you sincerely believe that someone who can't stand flying will be set as a NAVIGATOR which was a crucial role in a bomber crew as he's the one telling the pilots where to go?? In any Air Force, that guy would have been reversed to the infantry or maybe the administrative staff of his branch but God not assigned to a crew who was always supposed to fly at high altitude to avoid the enemy flak! I know we started this war with almost nothing but this is way over exaggerated in that show.

Also I don't understand why the British are seen in this show as arrogant and incompetent. I mean they fought with us from the beginning to the end and they were the only people who stood against Hitler from the very beginning of this war. I think they deserve a much better treatment than we've seen in Masters Of the Air. In my opinion it should be us who would be the underdogs at that period of time who should learn from the experienced brits who have successfully fought the Germans since 1939.

But let's be honest, Master of The Air has some assets in its sleeves starting with the great action and suspense. The flying scenes are breathtaking especially the short intense moments where the crews are facing the deadly German fighters. And there are also some realism as you can see the heroes are not invincible and they also can die. The music is great and epic like the first two installments and it fits the script. I have hope it will get better but it needs to show its potential right now in the third or it's gonna be an epic bust.
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9/10
A fascinating dive into a very preventable tragedy
25 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I've never heard of that show since a few weeks ago after watching the excellent doc from Frontline on FBI Special Agent In Charge John O'Neill "The Man Who Knew" where someone recommended to watch that show to learn more of that man who could have prevented one of the worst tragedies in the history of mankind if only he was listened and treated as a partner instead of a rogue agent who was prevented from doing his job because of the CIA unwillingness to share vital information that could have saved thousands of lives.

Of course that topic is one of the main themes of the show and it makes you sick to the stomach. The coldness of the CIA blocking every access to information to the two FBI agents who served as liaison but only were in fact hostages as correctly stated by one of those agents, Vince Stuart. I was flushed by the hypocrisy of the two leaders of Alec Station, Martin Schmidt and Diane Marsh, who under the guise/ of protecting CIA's integrity, only obstructed every effort to thwart Al Qaeda's effort to hurt innocent people. I truly despised them which is credit to the two excellent actors who protrayed those two despicable characters.

Jeff Daniels is a great asset in this show. He has an imposing presence throughout the show and you feel sympathetic with him as he's becoming more and more frustrated with the CIA and the politicians who are in his way. He could have saved the day at multiple occasions if only he had the much needed information from his so called partners.

But the real asset in this show is Tahar Rahim who is portraying Special Agent Ali Soufan. He is driven by his job, haunted by the tragedies he witnessed as a kid in Lebanon and he's willing to shield the people and the country he loves from those. Unfortunately he is as frustrated as his boss is when it comes to the CIA obstructing his efforts to get to the truth. As he accurately says in the last episode of the show, to the CIA liaison attached to his team while 9/11 was unfolding: "I've asked you about that intel weeks ago! Do you know what I could have done if you have given me those informations in due time as you were supposed to do??" Then you see him throwing up utterly disgusted. I felt the same way.

So many tragedies could have been prevented, including 9/11 had the CIA done its job as they were supposed to do. I hope they learned their lesson so this never ever happens again.
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Ahsoka: Part Five: Shadow Warrior (2023)
Season 1, Episode 5
9/10
By far the best episode of the show
21 September 2023
I'm not a big fan of the show to be truly honest with you: I find it sluggish, boring, not very imaginative and also to be honest treacherous as a non force wielder called Sabine Wren who isn't even able to pull a small cup of coffee through the force is somehow allowed to carry a lightsaber and be called a padawan.

But that episode however is reaching the heights. It's thrilling, it's fan service, it's full of nostalgia and what a blast to retrieve Hayden as Anakin.

The big highlight is Hayden starring as Anakin/Darth Vader. He's breathing power and wisdom throughout the episode, the epitome of the struggle between the light and the dark side. Having him back on the show is the boost it needed so badly to bring some excitement back.

Too bad it lasted only one episode as I feel with the return of Sabine we're going back to mediocrity.
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Ahsoka (2023– )
1/10
Low expectations justified
25 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is my updated review of Ahsoka after 8 out of 9 episodes and well my opinion about it hasn't changed much. It actually gets worse. So very worse.

My first warning is do not take the good reviews as granted. Those are from the chills who get paid by Disney to give a good note so it stays popular and attracts more poor souls to their gibberish. If you are a true Star wars fan, you would feel so disappointed you would stay away from that garbage.

Ahsoka is dull, unimaginative, boring as hell. Acting is so bad and cringe it will drive you nuts. The lightsaber "duels" if we might call them as such are so lacking of intensity it never stirs you from your nap. What have become of the full of creativity raw power duels we used to love? At the very least, in Obi Wan, the last duel between Obi and Darth was a delight to watch. In Ahsoka, it's complete emptiness.

Oh of course you're gonna tell me "How about Anakin?" Well Anakin is fine. Actually it's the only good thing worth the attention in this festival of mediocrity. But you know what? I find his presence in this show insulting because he's the Disney wild card, the Joker, if you catch my drift. In order to bring back some underserved attention, Disney has this now oblivious strategy to bring back a beloved character in his raw power to raise up the level. If the show was good, nobody would feel the need to bring back Anakin or if he were, he would be the cherry on top that would put the show among the legendary ones. But it's not the case. Anakin is here to give some hope back to the fans that the show will finally take off and bring us above the sky. Which he did..just in the only episode he appears. After that we're back to square one. This is fan service at this purest and it's sickening me to the highest point now as I now see Disney is taking us for idiots.

We're not asking for fan service to cover the blunder, disney. We ask for characters who have personality, a story which honors George Lucas legacy, duels that takes you to the edge of the seat instead of plunging you into boredom.

I won't talk about Sabine who is obviously the "Force is Female" special from the one and only Kathleen Kennedy. She's obviously not a force wielder but she's called a padawan and allowed to carry a lightsaber like it was another toy in her arsenal. Lightsabers used to mean something to Star Wars now it means absolutely nothing. It's just a standard weapon used by standard people unworthy of it. But hell why should I waste time?

So yeah I'm done. Star wars is done for me. I will ignore it. I'll keep watching the real star wars movies (OT+Prequels+ Rogue One and the Mandalorian) but the rest can go to garbage. Because it IS garbage.
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Avatar (2009)
5/10
What a beautiful....empty shell!
29 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I have very mixed feelings about Avatar. Like many others on this planet I guess. Yes it's visually a masterpiece, no doubt about that but it lacks something essential to make it a true work of art: a story. There is no story well there is one but a very basic and so predictable story you could imagine it was written by a sixth grader.

It's too bad because the scenery is a beauty to watch. Pandora is one marvelous planet. So marvelous it feels alive with its brights colors, its creatures, its plants, its beautiful evergreen trees. Your eyes are in for a feast they will never forget. That's for certain. I do believe the people behind the visual effects should be praised for their amazing work and they should be proud of what they accomplished.

But as much as the visuals are great, the rest doesn't follow and that's where it hurts. When you have a movie this long (almost 3 hours), you can't rely on visuals effects only, as beautiful as they are. You need a story and memorable characters to keep you on the edge. And on that perspective, Avatar is lacking by miles. I have lost count on how many times I took a look at my watch, yawn at the boring and full of cliche dialogue between bland characters hoping there is a fast forward button around me to skip those parts.

That's also why I don't understand why people are comparing it to "Dance with the Wolves" because the latter had a story which matched the visuals. It lasted 3 hours but you never feel bored watching Kevin Costner riding in the wilderness. Because there is an interesting story filled with well-written characters you can identify with. Something I never achieved with Avatar.

The hero is the common jarhead who doesn't realize he's just the brainless pawn of a greedy corporation only here to destroy Pandora to mine its riches. Then he meets the other side and becomes aware of the mistakes of his ways. So he turns on his former side to fight them with his new friends. And of course he wins at the end. Of course the villains are as basic with the brash military leader who has the empathy of a rock and the greedy businessman who likes to play mini golf with his coffee mug while sending poor jack to do his dirty work. Sigourney Weaver is the scientist trying the diplomatic way but you know she'll never succeed because of the two numb skulls I've talked about just before her. Michelle Williams is that brave pilot with sunglasses who looks like she just came back from the vietnam war.

So no, Avatar isn't a masterpiece. It's an empty shell. A very beautiful empty shell but an empty shell nonetheless. And it's a shame because it could accomplish so much more.
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Top Gun (1986)
9/10
Instant classic
27 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This movie has been one of my all time favorite since my dad introduced me to it during my childhood. It has it all from the great cast to the full shot of adrenaline.

First the cast was spot on. I just loved the interaction between Maverick and Goose, they were so sweet together and I was so heartbroken when Goose lost his life in that tragic crash. This was a true special relationship there which was abruptly brought to a tragic end.

The romance between Maverick and Charlie is also so sweet. Kelly McGillis is so sexy in that movie and she has a great load of charisma. She's not just the sexy doll the main character fall in love with. She's respected by the whole crew for her expertise and wit. She's a real character with a real purpose.

Val Kilmer is also amazing as Iceman, Maverick main competition during his training at Top Gun. He has an ego for sure but he's also very grounded and never hesitates to tell Maverick about his flaws so he can get better. No doubt that under his disguise as a shiny playboy, Iceman cares about his teammates and wants them to be as good as he is. He's also a very skilled pilot who achieved to survive a 1v5 dogfight for 5 minutes which is quite a feat.

And of course you have Maverick, played by Tom Cruise. He's bold and a very skilled pilot whose talent has been noticed by each single one of his commanders including at Top Gun. Unfortunately he also has the very bad habit to believe he's unvulnerable and he can do anything without consequences. This pushes him to make bad decisions which brings his teammates to question his reliability as a teamplayer. Especially from Iceman who openly shares his concern each opportunity he gets as he once told him "It's not about your skills, Mav. It's about your attitude. Sometimes we wonder which side you're on?" When he loses Goose however everything changes as he realizes the hard way that he's not unvulnerable and bad things can happen even to him. This lesson brings him to question his abilities as his self confidence shatters. Fortunately he gets his confidence back during the final epic dogfight but he's also a changed man who now puts his ego aside and work as a team member. This made the difference at the end as he saves Iceman and shot down 3 migs in the process just to save his wingman.

Of course the action is also omnipresent and the F-14 is an amazingly graceful bird to watch. What a blast it is to watch it fly and dogfight with ease despise its huge size. This movie made me fall in love with the F-14 and I still believe it's a badass today.

9/10.
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9/10
Comedy gold
13 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I'm gonna make it brief: this movie is a gem of a comedy. There is not a moment when you don't at the very least smile.

The cast is just spot on especially Kevin Kline who is just hilarious in this movie as Otto, a former CIA hitman, spouting nonsense italian words coming to his mind while sniffing himself, hates to be called stupid despite the fact that he is, drives like a maniac while shouting the A word to the poor drivers he totalled.. He got an oscar for it and my god he deserves it so much.

The rest of the cast is as hilarious as Kline especially John Cleese and Michael Palin. Michael is a genius comedian in his own way. The scenes when he tries to kill that old lady who is the main witness in his boss trial but somehow took down her dogs instead are just hilarious. Then after he realized that she died of an heart attack after losing her last pooch, he's laughing and jump out of joy while everyone else watches him in shock and dismay is hilarious as well.

John Cleese is also hilarious as Archie Leach, that British lawyer who is as politically correct as he can be, royally ignored by his family and who becomes Jamie Lee Curtis pawn so he can reveal the location of the diamonds and somehow breaks off his chains as he dances naked in an appartment he doesn't own until he's confronted by the owner and his bewildered family who freshly came back from their vacations...

Like I said Comedy Gold!
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6/10
Could have been much better
7 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
We know now that when it comes to Star Wars Disney, we should take it with pincers and don't expect too much. Once again this has proven right. So much was expected from Obi-wan Kenobi and it most of the time fails to deliver mostly because of poor character writing.

This show has his moments tho but they came way too late to save it completely. The last duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader was breathtaking, filled with nostalgia and raw power from two characters who are deeply loved in the star wars galaxy. I won't deny that I cried when I saw Hayden's face through his cracked Vader mask telling his former master that he's not his failure because Obi isn't the one who killed Anakin's soul but he did. That was heartbreaking.

But all of this was overshadowed by many, many mishaps. First of it was Obi-Wan himself. For the first 4 episodes, I didn't recognize Obi wan. He's defeatist, refuses to help a fellow jedi who has been pursued by the Inquisitors who finally catch him and hang him, chooses to use BLASTERS instead of his lightsaber each time he's engaged in a fight. How uncivilized of you, Obi. Hopefully we get him back at the end, the real OBI WAN we all love. But it comes too late.

Then let's talk about Darth Vader. He didn't fall short of my expectations, he's breathing Raw power, awesomeness and fear each time he shows up. His fight against Reeva when he doesn't even resort to use his lightsaber is just purely enjoyable and awesome. But somehow he disappointed me from time to time as he showed unexepected mercy several times towards Reeva despite her failing him each single time! I remember Darth mercilessly force choking imperial officers failing him but somehow he keeps sparing her life for no reason including when she betrays him and tries to kill him. That was out of character for me.

Then let's talk about Reeva and Leia. Reeva brings absolutely nothing to the show. Her character is badly written and the way she gets humiliated by Darth Vader in episode 5 shows how much of a poor force wielder she truly is. She's supposed to be a Grand Inquisitor, someone who is supposed to be feared by everyone including the Jedis. Somehow she shows none of those features whatsoever.

Leia on the other hand is a 10 years old know-it-all who can defeat a trained inquisitor mind game without Jedi training. She never makes mistakes and she saved the day several times in this show. She kinda reminds me of Rey, but kinda cuter as she's a child.

Ah Identity politics!
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10/10
What a blast!
29 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I've been waiting for this sequel for such a long time. I consider Top Gun as a never fading classic, a true masterpiece that will go through the challenge of time. So Maverick has huge shoes to fill and the shoes got filled alright!

First, this movie breathes nostalgia especially regarding the brotherly relationship Maverick had with Goose. After all those years, Maverick hasn't still completely moved on from the tragic death of his best friend. It still haunts him to the high point especially now that Goose's son, Rooster, is following his dad steps and became one of the top pilots in the navy. The story between Maverick and Rooster is so rocky it breaks your heart as Rooster believes Maverick is preventing him from achieving his true potential while all Maverick wants is to protect him and be the father Rooster lost too early.

Then you have the come-back of Iceman who has moved up to the ranks and became the commander of the US Pacific Fleet as a full fledged admiral. He has become Maverick best friend and has been using his position to protect him and keep him in the navy as he believes that the Navy needs Maverick. Watching Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise interacting with each other so sweetly and still joking around about who is the best pilot can't stop bring you a smile. It also breaks your heart when Iceman finally passes away as you cry along with Tom Cruise as he buries his wingman.

Finally there is the F-14. The cherry of the top as we see Maverick and Rooster in one last epic dogfight taking on 2 Su-57 in this mighty aircraft. That scene alone is a blast, keeps you out of breath every second as it's so intense and breathtaking. The F-14 is still as gracious as it can be and that plane still can fly.

Of course the F-18 is also as majestic. What a beautiful plane that is. I'm glad they picked that plane instead of the F-35 which is not as gracious on camera. I believe it would have taken a lot of magic off the movie if it was the F-35 on screen instead of the F-18.

Finally I have to give one last special mention to Lady Gaga for her amazing song. I love it so much and it gives such a powerful ending to the movie with the P-51 flying around in the sunset. Such a raw talent she is.
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9/10
A great mix of Nostalgia and talented new actors
19 December 2021
I've just came back from the theater and I have to say this was a very good surprise. After the 2016 kindoff reboot movie disaster, I didn't know what to expect of this new release.

But when I saw all the good reviews on here and beyond, I gave it a shot and I don't regret it because it's amazing. It really felt like a sequel to me which made an heartwarming tribute to Egon Spengler and the actor who portrayed him, Harold Ramis, who sadly passed away in 2013.

I won't waste my time spoiling the movie as I want everyone who will choose to see it to enjoy it as much as I did.

The only thing I want to say is this movie breathes Nostalgia. You see Ecto-1 back, the suits, the proton packs, the traps, even Slimer and Stay Puft are featured in the story. And you see all Egon's genius throughout the movie proving he's the ultimate Ghostbuster.

The new cast is also adorable and so geek. I particurlarly liked Phoebe and her friend Podcast who is really funny. Phoebe is a mini Egon really. She's a genuine tinker, she's awkward like her grandpa and she shares the same taste for science and round glasses. You will love her.

What I also love is they brought back Peter, Ray and Winston and Jeanine in the movie and in a very heartwarming and brillant way. Watching those familiar faces busting ghosts with the same grit was the cherry on top.

So yeah go watch this movie. You won't regret it.
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Midway (2019)
9/10
A very good surprise
24 May 2020
I have to be honest: I started with the very wrong assumption that this movie would be another Pearl Harbor disaster, full of historical inaccuracies and made up stories just to keep us entertained. For months I was stuck with that opinion until I made the jump yesterday night and decided to buy and watch this movie on YouTube where it was on sale.

And I have to admit I was wrong all along. This movie is a gem. Roland Emerich didn't take any liberties with what actually happened that day and the months between the attack on Pearl Harbor and the decisive blow out over Midway. I just wished some other big moments of the Pacific War like the Dolittle Raid on Tokyo and the Coral Sea battle would have been more developed.

The cast general performance is also on point. It's still entertaining without being overplayed unlike Pearl Harbor when everything was made to keep the melodrama going over the need of remaining accurate about the historical facts.

So I definitely recommend to watch this movie. If you're making the same mistake of considering it as another Pearl Harbor, you are really missing up something. 9/10
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Virgin River (2019– )
10/10
Authentic and Sweet
4 May 2020
I really love this new show on Netflix. I've just started watching it but so far I really like it. It feels so authentic and sweet without being too cheesy.

I particularly love the chemistry between Jack and Mel. Jack is such a sweet, caring handsome guy who just wants everyone, especially Mel feeling like home. Mel on the other hand is that apparently strong city woman who is looking for a fresh start in a new town trying to leave behind her some very painful memories. She's very sweet and caring tho and you can feel something beautiful is brewing between Mel and Jack and sincerely they both deserve each other.

Looking forward to see more of them!
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Joker (I) (2019)
10/10
How Joker becomes Joker
17 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Joker. We all know who that character is even for the one who is a complete stranger to the Batman Universe. A psychopathic clown who takes everything as a comedy spreading evil and death as a wave of joke.

This movie tells us the story of how a man who thought he was made to make people around him happy becomes the mean, evil murderer we all know. The story of a man whose life has been nothing but pain, loneliness and bullying. A man who got so sickened by what's going on around him, the evilness and cruelty of this world who takes him as a fool, he snaps and decides to take his revenge on it. This is the story of how Joker becomes Joker.

Joaquin Phoenix is amazing in this role of a broken man who was already dead inside and chose to not care anymore. He is often very touching in his performance when he takes care of his sick mom or when he tries to figure out what makes him so different from the people around him. He made me feel a lot of sympathy for the character who I always considered as a heartless psychopath. I wept for him each time he was beaten up by cruel people and for the first time, he made me despise Thomas Wayne who until this movie has been pictured as a man caring for the people of Gotham.

In this movie, he is the evil man, the selfish bully who considers the people on the fringe of society as a bunch of peasants and losers who are a burden to the city. That can be shocking but it's also refreshing.

In fact this story shines a different light on why Joker becomes such an evil and merciless murderer. For him, he's not the one who is evil, it's the world around him and to take down that monster, he has to become a monster himself. He has to be that ruthless mean murderer to survive. Only for this, this movie should be praised and watched.

I didn't realize this when I first reviewed this movie but a week after watching it and think it through with a cool head, I understand now. There are some scenes I don't understand yet especially the very last scene which still makes me feel like all of this was just a script running in his head. Maybe one day I will understand what it really means.

Anyway that's a great movie and it deserves its high rating. I wouldn't be surprised if it reaps a lot of awards at the end of the year especially Joaquin Phoenix who is mesmerizing in this movie.
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10/10
Essential
4 June 2019
Band of Brothers is one of my favorite show ever for several reasons.

First, it touches my heart so much. Especially when I hear the real heroes who inspired the show tell their stories to us, telling us how they felt when they were about to jump out of that airplane and engage themselves into something far greater than themselves. This brings so much authenticity to the show as you realize that what is shown in the series was their story. You realize the level of suffering and sacrifice they went through everyday, the fear to die at each second or losing your friend at any moment. I cried a lot watching it as my great grandfather landed on Omaha Beach on D-day and I could imagine now what he must have gone through. It makes me proud of him and his brothers so much.♥

Now most importantly this show is essential. As more and more of those anonymous heroes are joining their fallen brothers, Band of Brothers and its sequel The Pacific will always be there to remind us that we should learn from our mistakes so another generation would not have to sacrifice themselves to defeat Evil. In those days when we see a resurgence of Nazi ideologies in our streets, this show is definitely something we should preserve.

Finally I want to thank all those heroes for what they did, for freeing the world of Evil and sharing their stories to make that show possible. Thank you also Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg for honoring those heroes through your art. We need more people like you for sure. God Bless all of you.
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10/10
I'll Always Remember Them This Way ♥
8 February 2019
There is something magnetic about this movie. I don't know if it's the amazing musical performances, the love story between Ally and Jack or the incredible chemistry between Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga both on screen and outside which makes me feel that way. Probably the combination of both 3.

Let's start with the musical score first. It's needless to say that each time Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper start performing, you're entering in another world. Of course I already knew that Gaga is a very talented performer but in this movie, she blew me away. She trades her eccentric costumes and make-up for a natural look making her almost unrecognizable and much more attractive. All we have left of the Gaga we all know is her incredible voice. And that's all we need.

Bradley, on his end, blew me away as well. I know he's a talented actor but I never imagined how a lovely voice he has or how great of a guitar player he is. I know he took lessons to become Jackson but you need to have already something within yourself to be able to reach that level. That huge load of work paid off!

But what makes this film so amazing is the amazing chemistry between each other. Some may say that's just acting but no. Each time we see them together, you're feeling a connection which cannot be faked. And this relationship gives so much strength to the love story between Jack and Ally. It feels authentic and raw, never fading away. When you see the interviews, you can feel there is a huge amount of respect and care for each other. No doubt a beautiful friendship has been born out of it and who knows how it could turn in the near future? ;)
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6/10
A good and entertaining Docu-fiction despite it veered of course sometimes.
25 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I didn't know much about that disaster. As most Americans, I'm more familiar with WW2 than WW1. However I know that there was a ship torpedoed in 1915 which created great upheaval in the US as she was a commercial liner full of innocent men , women and children who were murdered at sea and there were hundreds of Americans on board who perished in the process. This was one of the reasons the US went into war in 1917.

Although after watching this doc, I wanted to know more about the Lusitania and the tragedy that occurred on May 7, 1915 in the Irish Sea. With some disappointment, I found out that the writers took some liberties with it. Some are minor details, one another is a blatant invention probably to make the story more dramatic than it already was despite it was unnecessary.

Sure it's entertaining and interesting to watch. The cast performance is on point and the recreation of the sinking is spectacular. But when you do a documentary about an historical event, you're not supposed to invent stories and veered from what truly happened.

The story I'm talking about is Dorothy Taylor's. As for the movie, she was a starlet from Brooklyn, NY and the lover of Alfred Vanderbilt, the richest passenger of the ship. When the Lusitania was torpedoed and started to sink, she got separated from her companion as she took the lift to go on the upper decks. Unfortunately, when the electrical system of the ship ultimately failed, she got trapped and drowned as a result going down with the Lusitania.

That's a good story except all of it is a lie. I've checked the victims list of the tragedy and I couldn't find any mention of her in it. I looked further and it turns out that she wasn't mentioned as a passenger at all and she never existed! In add, it turns out that NOBODY died trapped in the elevators as all its operators did survive the sinking. This was a myth.

Sorry I can't let this go away. It needs to be said. You should never invent a story when you do an historical doc. You should stay true to the facts, that's a must. If you start lying about one fact, how are we supposed to know that the rest of it really happened??

That's why I only give it a 6. If the scriptwriters would have stayed true to the facts, I would have given it a much higher note. Shame.
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10/10
Chills through my spine!
4 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
OMG I can't say how much hyped I am right now. As a huge Queen and Freddie fan, I have been waited for years to finally see that movie. And I did yesterday!

All I can say is WOW! This movie got me chills throughout my spine especially the Live Aid reenactment which left me in awe completely mesmerized! It was just perfect and if I was already envying the very blessed ones who had the chance to see that performance live, I do it even more this morning! If Freddie would still be among us today, he would have loved Bohemian Rhapsody!

I have to thank Rami Malek for his amazing performance as Freddie. He was just above great throughout the movie. He's truly worth an Oscar for it as he nailed it. I already loved him as Snafu in the Pacific but him as Freddie is from another level. The actors who played the rest of the band were as great especially the one playing Brian. I couldn't distinguish him from the original as they share a striking resemblance. Lucy Boynton is so gracious as Mary, Freddie's love of his life. Joseph Mazzello gave me another image of John as the real one was so reserved and shy and we see him in the movie joking even sometimes taking the lead. That was refreshing. Ben Hardy was also awesome as Roger Taylor and I could feel that even if he clashed a lot with Freddie in the movie, he cared deeply about him.

Now of course you have the music. I don't want to break the magic as it was obvious they used the real Freddie's recordings to match Rami's game which itself is quite a performance. But Rami had some chances to sing in real and he has a pretty good voice. Maybe he should start a singer career when he's done with acting.

But again the real big moment of this movie is the Live Aid at the very end and this movie deserves the biggest praise just for those final moments as it's just pure bliss! I have chills throughout the performance and I had the feeling I was back in time watching the Queen Epic performance that day right in the Stadium! That was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I don't want to spoil the moment but trust me it's something you're gonna love as it shows the true power and aura of Freddie Mercury. I'm pretty sure younger people will love to see the real performance back home from the theater!

On another note, sure the sexuality of Freddie is mentioned several times in the movie and you see Rami kissing guys a time or two but it was never a center part of the movie. Actually it's more focused on his love story with Mary even when they broke up. Aids is mentioned too but not in the negative way as it actually brought the very good of Freddie as he decided to focus the last years of his life to Music and Rock'n'roll and give his best no matter what!

So Go see that movie it will blow your mind! And if it doesn't get an Oscar wave this year, I will lose my trust to Hollywood.
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Murphy Brown (1988–2018)
10/10
I love it!
3 November 2018
Murphy Brown has become my Thursday evening guilty pleasure. Each episode brings its share of laughter and good mood. Candice is very funny but the rest of the cast follows through so brilliantly.

I so love Corky struggling with her menopause, she's just so hilarious when she has her unprompted heat strokes kicks in live, going on a rant leaving everyone in shock. I also love Candice's relationship and rivalry with her son who is working for the competing network. They're so cute teasing each other.

Of course, as it's the case of every show being critical of Trump, Murphy Brown is probably despised by the Trump supporters who can't fathom any critic of their dear leader. It's true that Murphy Brown is particularly aimed at the actual party in charge but you know it's good to have shows like this one those days. Free Speech is a guaranteed right so if you don't like it, you just need to switch to Alex Jones infowars which will be more to your liking!
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S.W.A.T. (2017– )
1/10
Well...
2 November 2018
Someone needs to explain me how this show is still on the air for a second season. This show looked so promising but it doesn't deliver.

I thought Shemar Moore, who I love in Criminal Minds, would give SWAT some consistency but even him can't save the show. Because the stories are so poorly written, the cast is thoroughly bad, their performance so forgettable and the action despite being omnipresent, is just without any savor because it lacks realism and imagination.

Unlike SEAL Team which I'm so hooked about as it keeps better and better, SWAT is just a low cost production. And I don't see how it can last more than 2 seasons unless they make a radical change to it!
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1/10
This trilogy should be left forever forgotten
24 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I had high hopes for this trilogy. I was definitely wishing it would level up with the other episodes. Sure the prequel trilogy wasn't as perfect as the original one but it was still very watchable and entertaining.

When Force Awakens was released, I was disappointed but I was willing to give that trilogy another chance. When Rogue One was released, I was even more enthusiastic but then came the Last Jedi....

Let's be honest: this trilogy is dead. There's no way you can save it as Ryan Johnson blew it into oblivion. The most mind blowing is it wasn't supposed to be that way as JJ Abrams was initially the one in charge once again. His first movie was far from perfect but at least he left us with a momentum, if correctly exploited, could have given us one great episode.

But what we didn't expect was Ryan Johnson and Kathleen Kennedy hijacking that movie to turn it into a feminist platform at the price of EVERYTHING else.

Don't bother if the story doesn't stand, if our beloved characters are trashed alongside their legacy or if there is a large dose of childish humor which is making everyone facepalming.

And please don't care about the millions of fans who came to see the movie full of expectation, who passed the last two years fomenting plots in their own mind hoping the movie would give the answer they wished to hear!

Forget about all the rules and story frame set by the previous movies. All of it has vanished in the blink of an eye. Now you can destroy starships by ramming them at light speed, shoot missiles at a shielded bridge and a hangar and still blow it into piece. Now space is full of oxygen and gravity, enabling Leia into transforming herself as Mary Poppins and fly down to her command ship bridge which was destroyed a few seconds ago.

And most of all, now you can have Rey. A female nobody who is as perfect as you could ever be. She can shoot down 3 tie fighters in one single shot despite never shooting a gun turret before, teach a lesson to the great Jedi master Luke Skywalker about hope and resilience (yeah we're talking about the one who achieved to turn his own evil father because he saw a spark of good hidden deeply within his dad), move a mountain of rocks without training etc. If you wish to get some answers about where her tremendous power comes from, forget it as you'll get none. As far as I'm concerned, she's the very definition of a Mary Sue and this movie engraved her legacy as such into stone.

Talking about useless characters, let's chat about Holdo and Rose. The first one is a purple haired female who achieved to reach the position of an admiral despite nothing to show for. Her only background is some obscure battle nobody heard of. We don't know anything about it nor whatever accomplishment she may have done to deserve such promotion. Her skills sucks as her poor decisions mainly leads to the destruction of the Resistance fleet. She's the one scolding Poe, who we were able to see how talented and brave he is throughout TFA, just because he wants to know more about her plans which push him to take the matters on his own hand which makes the situation only worse. But at the end she's the one who is right and somehow Poe is ridiculed. Talk about ridicule.

Rose, on her hand, well I don't really understand why she's in that movie because she has no purpose except taking the light off Finn. I liked Finn in the first movie, he made me remembering of Han Solo as he always seems to head into trouble but always finds a way to get out of it with a lot of luck and well some braveness. There was a lot of potential to exploit about him but like Poe with Holdo, he's nothing but the sidekick of that little chubby Asian woman who is more irritating than anything else. The worst is when Finn finally decides to be a hero and is about to sacrifice his own life to save the Resistance, Rose suddenly appears to thwart his attempt, crashing down into his pod then when asked about why did she do that, she only answer that love is everything at the end. While she's giving him the kiss, the door protecting the resistance is blown away taking away all its hope of survival. I was sinking in my seat when I watched this, facepalming all around!

Besides all that, the main story is nothing but a boring pointless chase without any event. There's nothing to put you on the edge of your seat, just two big turtle ships slowly moving away from each other.

Yes this is not Star Wars anymore and this whole trilogy should be put to rest and forgotten. It has turned into an horrible joke and it's sad and very heartbreaking.

If I have a advice for you, It would be to just keep focusing on the two previous trilogies alongside Rogue One which is not that bad. Those seven movies are the REAL Star Wars. About that sham of a trilogy, you should just forget it even pretend it doesn't exist. If you have already watched it, try to erase it from your memory. I know it's gonna be hard to forget such a butchery but that's for your own good.
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SEAL Team (2017–2024)
10/10
Sacred Bond
10 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This show is just an amazing tribute to our men and women in arms all around the world who are putting their lives on the line to protect us.

I've been watching this show since the very beginning and I have to say it's getting better and better as the episodes go on. The action is thrilling, the family scenes are on point.

But what makes this show so addicting is the bond between the characters. They're not just a team, they're a family and they fight as a family. Their best weapon is not the rifle they're carrying not even their high survival skills, it's that bond that unite them as brothers. Both on mission and in their personal life.

I've never been in the military. I don't know the terminology, the tactics and I sure never went through all those guys endured in their soldiers life. But SEAL Team makes me so proud of them everyday. And that's probably the biggest achievement a show like SEAL Team can do. So thank you CBS for making such an amazing tribute to our heroes in arms. And to those anonymous men and women who are risking your life everyday for us, Thank you so much and God bless you. Stay safe ♥
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7/10
A good revisit of the trial of the Century despite some innacuracies
3 June 2018
I was a little girl when the real trial of OJ Simpson for the murders of his wife Nicole and Ron Goldman took place. I don't have much memories of it but I know how it kept the country and the world completely addicted for most a year.

I've watched a lot of footage about that case including the great ESPN documentary 'OJ: Made in America' so don't mind me if I compare the two as they were released within months of each other.

Let's begin with the good points first. The overall performance of the cast is spot on. They added some drama in their play to make it more excited but it was pretty accurate in general. I was particularly amazed by Sarah Paulson, Courtney B.Vance and Sterling K.Brown. Those 3 really nailed it. They brought a touch of empathy to the real people they are impersonate in the show as we follow them behind the scenes and discover a new side of them. Sarah deserved her Emmy for her performance as Marcia Clark. I remember how Marcia looked like an Iron lady when she took the stand but Sarah made her more vulnerable than she looked and I take this as a big plus. When I see the real Marcia getting interviewed, I feel this side of her and it's good to see.

The rest of the cast is not bad either except for Cuba Gooding Jr and John Travolta who I truly think were far from being the best choice to play the part of OJ and Shapiro but I will talk about this later on alongside another issue.

I also liked how the trial itself was accurately presented. You can feel a lot of research has been done to make it look like as real as possible. Of course you can't expect any suspense in that show as we all know how it turned out. I wish we could have seen the Goldmans more often especially how they are coping with the death of their beloved son instead of Rob Kardashian and his family who is appearing way too often without bringing anything. The Goldman and Browns would have however more than you can imagine.

Which brings me to my main issue about this show: Where is Ron Shipp?? For the people who are not very familiar with him, Ron was one of the best friends of OJ and Nicole. He was a member of the LAPD and a close witness of what was happening in their marriage especially the domestic abuse. He's also the one whom Simpson confessed having dreams of killing Nicole. But here in that show, he doesn't appear at all! He's not even mentioned once in the 10 episodes. Not once while he's definitely a center piece of the case. That's something OJ made in America didn't miss as Ron was one of the main part of the cast as he shone the light about what was going on in the Simpson Marriage. They should have made him part of the story as he would have brought so much. Having him completely removed is gross negligence at least for me.

Now about Cuba Gooding Jr. He should not have been the one casted for the role of OJ. OJ was charismatic and impressive. He made the show before the camera and he still does today. Cuba is a great actor but he just doesn't have that presence. To be honest he's looking like a pawn in that show. He's also way too small and not as athletic as the real OJ was. If there is one actor who would have been better, it should have been Denzel Washington. He has the charisma and the body. It should have been him.

And John Travolta as Robert Shapiro is a complete joke. I truly don't know why they chose such a bad actor to undertake the part of that colorful lawyer. I watched a lot of footage of Shapiro and he never gesticulated in the manner Travolta did, ever. Instead he was someone much restrained in front of the camera, he sure wanted the attention but Travolta, with his grand gesture frenzy makes him look like a clown. To be honest I never had a high opinion of John Travolta and he surely not redeemed himself with that performance. I'd rather say he buried himself a few feet more.

But besides that, I would give the show a high mark as it deserves it. It's not perfect but it surely does the job.
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The Pacific (2010)
9/10
Thank you
20 October 2017
Mini Series like The Pacific are one of a kind just like its European counterpart Band of Brothers is. They both serve a purpose.

While more and more of the surviving veterans who fought both wars are leaving us to join their fallen brothers, those two are keeping their memories for the next generations to come. They are reminding us of their sacrifices, their bravery and most importantly to remind us that they went into harms way so the world can finally leave in peace again.

As a great grand daughter of one of those heroes, I thank you, Steven and Tom, for serving that noble cause. We should never forget those heroes who witnessed death at each step they took, losing many of their friends and sometimes siblings while getting wounded themselves.

My great grandfather never talked much about what he saw but we could feel that it's something that haunted him for the rest of his life. He didn't consider himself as a hero but just as a young man willing to do his duty. I'm so proud of him and all his brothers who fought alongside him. I miss him so much. ♥

So there is no need to compare both The Pacific and Band of Brothers because they are both an amazing tribute to the ones we call the Greatest Generation. Through them, we saw the ugliness of war and how mankind can be able to display unbelievable cruelty to each other. When you see Snafu digging gold through the denture of a dead Japanese or the horrible manslaughter of a Banzai charge, it takes you to the guts and you realize how traumatizing that war was and we should fight to never allow such a bloodshed again.

So thank you Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg for reminding us that terrible truth in an age where war still rages on a lesser scale but still claims lives everyday. It seems we still have much to learn.
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8/10
A true Classic
19 October 2017
Tora!Tora!Tora! should be considered as the Holy Bible regarding the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941.

Its main asset is without a doubt its amazing historical accuracy and the very attention to detail. You can feel that a lot of research has been made to make this movie possible.

After watching this movie, everybody will understand how we came to that tragedy in the first place. How our government was aware that something was up but was never able to guess the Japanese true intentions. How the Japanese high command prepared that attack while their diplomatic corps was stalling us in an endless and fruitless negotiation.

I also love this movie for giving some justice to Kimmel and Short who were unfairly used as scapegoats after the attack and shamelessly sent to the shadows afterwards. In this movie, they are depicted as capable and caring commanders deliberately kept in the dark and left to themselves for making decisions based on incomplete information. It left us with the impression that they could have done something to stop the attack if they would have been accurately kept informed by their leadership.

The other point I truly like is they are telling the story from both sides point of view. The Japanese part is as thorough and accurate as the American one. It depicts Yamamoto as a man not willing to go to war with America, a country he knows very well as he was a Harvard student back in the day, but pushed to it by the Army commanders who wanted to control all the Pacific without realizing that a war with the US would mean to defy an industrial great power who has the means to overpower each opponent who dare attacking us.

8/10
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Pearl Harbor (2001)
6/10
Alert! This is a raid on history accuracy! This is no drill!
19 October 2017
You heard me people! If you're an history buff looking for authenticity , this movie is not for you.

Indeed, it seems obvious that making an history movie was not the intention of Michael Bay at all. Many of the historical facts of that dreadful day have been overlooked or deliberately tweaked. I can cite the Eagle squadron, the one Rafe flew with during the battle of Britain , which is pure fiction or the fact that both heroes are able to switch from fighter pilots to Bomber ones in a blink of an eye which was a good one. So if you are only looking for authenticity, I should suggest you to watch movies like Tora!Tora!Tora! instead which are far more accurate.

But it has also its moments and besides those flaws, this movie is very entertaining and enjoyable to see. Some of the scenes will glue yourself to your seat with their beautiful shots and action. The Attack on the fleet itself is masterfully done for example. The 30 minutes long part is truly breathtaking both visually and orally. Michael Bay is a master in this area and he proves it once again with that masterpiece. It has now become a classic on YouTube and it's deserved.

Now as a romantic girl, I couldn't help myself being moved by the love story between the characters. Sure the dialogues are more than cheesy sometimes but it's touching anyway and will make you smile. It's also not the most original story I've ever seen but it's entertaining and enjoyable to see so who cares! I remember crying at the end of the movie especially the last scene which was heartbreaking.

So leave the history out and enjoy the movie. It may not be the perfect flick but it's not a bad one neither. If you are forgiving about the historic mishaps, you will like it.
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