acertainblue-85334's Reviews

Calamity Jane (2024)

2/10

7 February 2024

...and settle in for a re-watch of Deadwood, the brilliant TV series that features far better acttors & depictions of Jane & Bill. This thing is a train wreck that dares to take these names in vain. Muddled and incoherent from the start, with ill-placed soundtrack music that just adds to the irritation.

Now, for the rest of the required word count - my favorite westerns, among which I count the above-mentioned TV series - The Unforgiven, The Good, The Bad & the Ugly, Hell Or High Water, The Long Riders, a whole bunch more Eastwood films, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, Lone Star, McCabe & Mrs. Miller. Lonesome Dove TV series...

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The Chi (2018– )

8/10

Such a bummer

22 August 2021

I had read about Jason Mitchell's purported acting-out & exit from The Chi before I watched it. So as the 2nd season wound down, I prepared myself for a loss of what I'd hoped would be 4 seasons+ of engaging content... but thought, "Oh, it can't be that bad." Well, sad to say that the drop from the first two seasons to the 3rd could require therapy, for some. I would have given this show 9-10 stars for the first two seasons. But I end up angry at not getting to stay with the characters I grew to know and love in the first two seasons. 'Cause the first episode of the 3rd season is so bad, I stopped watching about 30 minutes in... I so wish the show could have worked things out with Mitchell. Whatever he may have done off-screen, he was a perfect central protagonist for the season. I'm in withdrawal now... :(

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One Mississippi (2015–2017)

9/10

One of those little masterpieces...

19 July 2021

...with only about six hours of content total. But so good. By the end of the last couple episodes of the 2nd season, I started wondering how all the plot lines could possibly be resolved by the end; knowing there's no 3rd season. The writers did an admirable job of resolving those plot lines. The 2nd season is a little weaker than the first, which has a lot more LOL moments for me. But I was very sad at having to leave a group of characters that I found both likeable and interesting. Wish this had gone on for a couple more seasons.

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Hell on Wheels (2011–2016)

7/10

Great follow-up for Deadwood & Godless addicts but lacks heart

19 June 2021

Hell on Wheels features plenty of action. Some thrilling moments. It's what I returned to after rewatching Godless (flawed, but love) recently. I'd seen HOW back when it came out. Re-watching, I remember what I disliked about the series: First, I find it difficult to consistently care or root for any of the main characters - all either too f-d up or overly caricatured. And why must there always be some romantic #*%# in a good action Western thriller? The relationship I'm talking about doesn't come close to the heat & interest of the ones between Trixie & Swearengen or Sol Starr on Deadwood (then again, Deadwood had a dream cast, with lots of charisma - not so much for HOW). Where I came to love and/or be interested in practically every character (that's an accomplishment!) on both Deadwood & Godless; with HOW I'm more like, "Oh, we're back to the cliched Irish guys again." The closest thing to fave characters, for me, are Black Moon and the prostitute who had lived with Native Americans.

Next: I can predict about 80% of the story arcs/plot lines - like we know Cullen will eventually get involved with ____ - it's in neon for ages before it happens.

The final problem is a sort of dark worldview that permeates the series, epitomized by a speech made by the reverend in the first season finale. Sad I'll have to wait a few years before Deadwood will be fresh for me again - maybe someone will make a great new Western series...

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Hell's Kitchen (2005– )

7/10

It's my version of a telenovela

3 April 2021

Warning: Spoilers

The meanness & misogyny can be grating if you don't brush if off the way you would brush off such foolishness in a Beavis & Butthead episode. If you don't get it that AC/DC is about loving woman, although someone super politically correct would say they objectify women. The editing & manipulation are so obvious that for me, it works as a very funny soap opera/telenovela, with the "villain" shifting from one episode to the next, some times, & all sorts of rah rah from Ramsay re: American traditions, from the Girl Scouts through firefighters. The rah rah gives him an excuse to yell "Overcooked ____? Come ON! This is for the GIRL Scouts!" (fill in the blank with: pregnant mothers, the army, the navy, policemen, high school students, children, families, celebrities..." ad infinitum. I do occasionally learn something about cooking from it, as well.

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Whites (2010)

10/10

One of the funniest shows ever

16 February 2021

I'm talking tears-rolling-down-face-with laughter funny. The show oozes with chemistry on every level. The writing is brilliant. The ability to sort of dance around politically incorrect material in a way that leaves all unharmed is another plus. The show's timing - at a peak in public interest re: celebrity chefs/reality cooking challenge shows, etc., would seem to have made this a keeper. But... it didn't. So: The only thing I dislike about this show is that there are only six 30-minute episodes :(

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Run (I) (2020)

5/10

Another pothead plot

21 November 2020

...by which I mean, the writers smoked some really good stuff. While high, they thought up the first half of this film. The next day, tired and muddle-headed, they struggled to regain the magic - gone. Ended up doing a lukewarm retread of a syndrome already covered much better in Sharp Objects & The Act. And while it's cheap-popcorn fun to hate pretty much any recent Arah Paulson character, the thrill feels sick and tawdry afterwards, as in: Need a shower. Here's a challenge, or two: (1) Do not write or discuss a script while not of sound mind, and (2) Write a part for Sarah Paulson that allows her to be likeable or at least relatable. The writers & producers of this one missed the boat on all of the above. Direction is tight, with one of the best tracking sequences I've seen in a while - for that, and the first half of the movie, along with Kiera Allen's performance, it gets a '5'.

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Superstore (2015–2021)

7/10

Superstore is back - at least for me

15 November 2020

Loved the first two seasons - what a refreshing way to weave together the apparent differences between a bunch of modern Americans, with the backdrop of the modern classik "K-mart" type store as a constant source of slapstick & just goofy humor with just enough cultural references to feel current. Great characters. I lost interest, fsr, in the last season & tonight checked out the 1st episode of the latest season (6). There was some awkardness to some of the topical material - at the same time, I love that the show is at least folding in/addressing topics that still need to be sorted out & thought about without knee-jerk reactions, such as Covid & mask-wearing. And I LOL'd at least four times. That's enough for me to be glad the series & back & say, Gods bless Superstore :)

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A Confession (2019)

8/10

Badly Needed Content with Class

20 January 2020

During what some have called the 'golden age' of TV (spanning, say, from Deadwood; Band of Brothers, The Wire through more recent content such as Happy Valley, Westworld, Stranger Things, Big Little Lies & The Handmaid's Tale) I would have consigned A Confession to back-up show status. In 2019-20, however, quality content (intelligent; doesn't hold our hands or trumpet plot points, doesn't insult with preposterous plot lines & desperate attempts to hold our attention with jump scares or supermodel-attractive actors) is thin on the ground, imo. In other words, A Confession is a badly-needed breath of fresh air. The series is well directed, well acted, reasonably atmospheric & well written. The only quibble I might have is with any discrepancies (not included/don't want to give spoilers) between what I've read about the Sian O'Callaghan case & what we're shown. I also feel that the last episode jams a bit too much into its 46-odd minutes.

Main characters are so well drawn, in fact, that I wouldn't mind spending at least a few more episodes with them. For instance, I'm glad we see what happens with Sian's mother, Elaine (played by Siobhan Finneran of Downtown Abbey & Happy Valley fame). That plot line was shown with so much color, I wouldn't have minded its being drawn out more. And that is a very unusual thing for me to say about recent TV content.

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9-1-1 (2018– )

4/10

Maybe I shouldn't have expected much from a Ryan Murphy show?

27 October 2019

Here's a show for which I was hopeful, especially when I saw the casting - I'm into thrillers & well-done action content (The Shield is one example). So I watched the 1st two 9-1-1 episodes. But actors with talent or at least great watchability are wasted by unimaginative & melodramatic writing, terrible pacing, & what I guess to be bad direction. It's a mess of cliches & predictable narrative. And in the case of casting, Oliver Stark, who plays the hunky rookie, is so bad, I can't even watch him, although I noticed him improving a bit in the 2nd episode - unfortunately, the writing let him down. The parts about Connie Britton's character (Britton is part of what drew me to try 9-1-1) & her dementia-challenged mother, while also poorly written/directed at times, are the most interesting thing to me.

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The Last Days of Chez Nous (1992)

8/10

Still think about it 20 years later

22 October 2019

Not only an interesting study of different family/personal dynamics but so atmospheric - I felt as if I was in that city (Melbourne?), & kind of fell in love with it. The film is sad, beautiful, funny & realistic. To this day, I find myself uttering "This haircut is over!" (in an Australian accent); Kerry Fox /Vicki's typically understated way of saying she feels terrible after a break up. Kind of an indie classic.

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Sinister (I) (2012)

5/10

Tripe-Face Boogie

15 July 2019

...quoth Little Feat. But seriously, this tripe held my interest for an unfairly long time, considering that I was never really scared. Creeped out? Sure - but the storyline is so ridiculous & nonsensical, along with idiotic acts on the part of the protagonist & shaky motivations all 'round. Doesn't help that I watched on a free streamer - is the film supposed to be so dark, so much? If so, someone in production had to have an inkling that the story is weak - keeping things dark makes the jump scares jumpier - seems a cheap trick. The film is a waste of the actors' talents. James Ransone, who I love, couldn't save it. The interesting, Italian progressive/metal score? Also wasted.

It should probably be added that I've recently seen both The Witch & Hereditary for the first times - it's getting harder to pull me into horror if it isn't really well done.

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Top Chef Canada (2011– )

8/10

Sort of a Hidden Gem

22 January 2019

I'm a reality TV food competition show junkie, for sure - used to buy Top Chef U.S. when each new series came out & have rewatched both the U.S. & Canadian versions several times. Top Chef Canada comes through for me when I get tired of the increasing tricks & attempts to produce drama via gimmicks on the U.S. version. Sure, TCC has some of that, as do all of these Bravo-originated shows. But the comportment, behavior & skills of the Canadian contestants often provide fresh air. I just watched the last (6th) season for the 2nd time & was also engaged & impressed by the level of skill & interest shown, especially by Ross Larkin, Mark Singson, Jinhee Lee & the two from the East coast/French Canadian provinces; J.P. Miron & Darren Rogers, & Matt Sullivan. Tons of talent in this season - the most I've seen in any competition since TCUS, Season 6. Very entertaining for those interested in cooking and/or creative challenges. It took me a minute to get used to Eden Grinchpan (what a name, eh?) - she's kind of loud - now, per her fun-loving personality & realness, she's one of my fave hosts. Because it's reality TV, maybe, I don't think this show gets the cred it should.

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The Deuce (2017–2019)

9/10

Can't wait for more

26 August 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Just watched the pilot. Atmosphere is a bit of '70s glitz, mixed with the grim & seedy - just as I remember Times Square in the early-mid'70s. Music is accurate and, so far, not over-used to establish environment or circumstance. I struggled a little to stay interested for the first 15-20 minutes, but the story's simmer morphed into a slow boil as I got increasingly intrigued by the relationship between the pimps & prostitutes, Candy (Gyllenhaal), the main James Franco character, and several of the working girls. I don't care for the college girl story so far at all, and there may be a few too many 'side' stories, which can be frustrating, at least for now. Certaingly the ending left me frustrated at not being able to watch more! Happy I got to see the pilot early but bummed it's two weeks or more before can watch more - for me, The Deuce is that engaging.

This looks to be one of HBO's better series, although it's more likely to attract devotees of Deadwood & the Wire than fans of GOT or Westwood -I could be wrong. Nice to see something this interesting that's based on real life & circumstances, rather than another sci fi, futuristic and/or fantasy narrative.

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I Saw the Devil (2010)

1/10

So much violence; so little reason to care

26 April 2017

Warning: Spoilers

I started questioning the logic/realism of the protagonist's fiancé in the 1st scene. As in, has a cell phone to sit calmly & passively talking to the protagonist while this creepy guy is bugging her - but doesn't think to call the police or anyone else when creepy guy doesn't leave. She doesn't hear, see or sense him going behind the car or getting his weapons although she's in the middle of nowhere, with no apparent sound or movement of any kind. I mean, I was yelling 'Cell phone!' at least twice as I watched the first in a 2- hour stream of passive/witless victims who supposedly live in a curiously underpopulated modern age (no one else is ever around when these things happen). One of the most hard-to-believe set-ups was a doctor's office with one assistant, no other patients, no other doctors...

I don't mind - and am probably unhealthily addicted to - thrill rides, through various genres including 'thriller' & 'horror,' along with films documenting real-life horror. But there has to be a strong central point of interest/engagement ( a cause; one or more characters, a history lesson) for me to suspend disbelief through even half of Hoon-Jung's strange plot turns, which often feel as clumsy & amateurish as those in a student film. There was no character depth or development. The serial killer is completely creepy/un-charismatic, making it unlikely he drove for a school or was able to get close to his victims. The protagonist is fabulously handsome but very wooden in his acting, which isn't helped by the lack of expository dialogue. I ended up giving up in disgust by the cannibalism scene, angry I'd wasted any time on this tripe. Violent scenes - especially so many toward women & others weaker than the killer - should not be wasted on a film that serves no purpose - not scary, not funny, not making any sort of point other than the overdone, obvious one cited by many reviewers, that revenge is a mess. I feel like at least some of the reactions related to reviews here have something to do with Hoon- Jung's 'hip' status...?

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3% (2016–2020)

4/10

Brazil 90210 for 'the future'

19 December 2016

My roommate & I were excited about this in the beginning: interesting premise. We were also surprised that it's made in Brazil. By the 4th episode, I started feeling as if I were watching a cheap attempt at getting some of the CW-type viewer, i.e., 'Brazil 9021-3 Percent' - the actors are basically attractive. But the acting is too often wooden; the characters too broadly drawn, the dialogue too often painful, & the sets claustrophobic. Which leads to a last comment re: why this doesn't work for me - so little of what 'normal' (everywhere/everyone but the '3 percent') is shown, even at the beginning - I kept waiting. I mean, Pixote told me so much more about the devolution of an unchecked population, poverty, lack of employment/resources. This series could have launched from that perspective, or included it. Instead, the 'street' scenes start to feel more like required tidbits of character/color/background; often acted by people who look like they escaped from Burning Man for the production. Sadly, 3 Percent is not very good - but but not quite bad enough to be a background for popcorn & witticisms :(

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