The entire Temple Franklin side plot is a complete waste of time. It conveys hin as a whiny, entitled brat of no character or fortitude. There is no enlightenment or information that is gained by its existence, as was the subplot involving the black thespian lady. This all couldve been conveyed by small insertions into the greater plot, shortening the series by half, OR by going more in depth on the French or British perspectives or spying that was occurring. Or additionally showing what Congress was doing, or the battles that occurred or naval interventions. Any of it or none of it.. but either wouldve been better than the Temple Franklin distractions that slow the pacing and contribute nothing except possibly revisionist history, to the mix.
Reviews
80 Reviews
Zack Snyder has lost his mind.
21 April 2024
This movie is ridiculous garbage. The script is stolen trash, the dialogue trash, the motivation stolen trash, the characters are stereotypical cliched copies of its betters.
What possessed Snyder to produce this? Was he blackmailed by an 8 year old child into making his first draft screenplay that was written when he was 6 years old. There is No Way an adult wrote this. They have no concept of proportionality or motivation. This is not even an effective children's film because even educated children have a greater comprehensive understanding of good and bad, right and wrong, tit for tat, and just about every well known Grimm's fairy tale or Greek myths and Aesop's fables. This movie was simply unneeded. Its ONE good characteristic is the visuals. It had Snyders trademark slo mo stylization. However, it was overused and diluted its impact. Why would seeing slo motion reaping of wheat EVER be a thing? Was he paying tribute to Ridley Scott? In Gladiator, when Maximus was dying and dreamed he was walking thru the fields of wheat to get to his family. That wheat slo mo was effective. This film however....
What possessed Snyder to produce this? Was he blackmailed by an 8 year old child into making his first draft screenplay that was written when he was 6 years old. There is No Way an adult wrote this. They have no concept of proportionality or motivation. This is not even an effective children's film because even educated children have a greater comprehensive understanding of good and bad, right and wrong, tit for tat, and just about every well known Grimm's fairy tale or Greek myths and Aesop's fables. This movie was simply unneeded. Its ONE good characteristic is the visuals. It had Snyders trademark slo mo stylization. However, it was overused and diluted its impact. Why would seeing slo motion reaping of wheat EVER be a thing? Was he paying tribute to Ridley Scott? In Gladiator, when Maximus was dying and dreamed he was walking thru the fields of wheat to get to his family. That wheat slo mo was effective. This film however....
Deadland
(2023)
Dumb.just. dumb.
24 March 2024
There is no plot to this movie. It's as if it doesn't know what it wants to be. It is one of those films where a little conversation goes a long way. If Angel had just told his coworkers that the I. A. guys were looking for his long lost father who wandered into town. That wouldve removed all the reason for paranoia. The nonsensical conversations between ALL characters does not help. The simple lack of following simple safety procedures is what started this foolishness, but straight forward talking wouldve removed all doubt...so definitely Dont do that. This is just poorly written and poorly executed.
Poor
3 March 2024
Poorly written with foolish motivations. Maybe the acting would've been better if the script had been written better. No explanations for why things occur. How did they decide that killing others is okay, to feed the brother? Why not go to a hospital or a blood bank? Heck a hospital wouldve had blood. At the rate they kill about 1 a week that's 52 per year. How can they conceal that in a city? A backstory might have given explanations that we could identify with. Also all three make foolish decisions repeatedly and dont seem to learn from them. It is possible that with further rewrites to refine this story it couldve been a good low budget film. Alas, twas not to be.
Snorefest
30 January 2024
Giving this borefest one star to help offset the foolishly high counts. Who. Wrote. This. Drivel? Who . Directed. This. Slog? I guarantee Jodie Fosters sign on is the ONLY reason this got funded. It's not from the True Detective season one universe, even though they are putting tie ins to Rust Cohle, that's straight from Nic Pizzolatos mouth. This tripe has the worst of all worlds. Cliche this, trope that. It's not, horror, it's not scary, not atmospheric, not slow burn, not supernatural it's not subverting your expectations. There is no good acting here because of the poor writing. Who approved this? It's no Wind River, or 30 days of Night either. In an area that is this uninteresting, populated by people this uninteresting, at night...imagine it during day light. What a waste of resources. Never been so excited for a show....only to have it be so lame. This...this is someone who has a poor idea of ideas. This is turning out to be six hour show that shouldve been a 90 minute movie...if that.
Foe
(2023)
Poor version of better ideas
8 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Yes you can tell when Terrence says " take care of her." And Hen says "Go sleep in the guest room." That HE is the replicant. All in all the acting wasnt even good. This whole film is a poor facsimile of many others done far better. And what farming ability does Junior have to share, dirt farming? If they'd have played it that the whole desolate farm was a controlled environment and Both of them were replicated maybe that wouldve helped. But no, it's as if someone collected the cast off poor ideas and turned them all into one film. It's even worse than the movie MEN that was just as misanthropic.
Wasted opportunities.
30 December 2023
I love Scandinavian content. I really like the scenery and mountains and snow etc. I like the people in general too. But this particular show I came over to from the Valhalla murders because the main actress in VM was also in Trapped. The premise was decent. The budget was marvelous. The characters, 90% of them, did idiotoc and foolish things that no adult would do, let alone a police officer. I watched 3 episodes to give it a fair chance. People just naively place themselves in foolish or dangerous situations repeatedly and I cant believe that the writers expect that the viewing public will believe that these adults are so inept. No wonder the police have no guns, they would've shot themselves in the heads cleaning their loaded weapons. 3 stars are for rmthe beautiful scenery and snow.
The Holdovers
(2023)
Judge for yourself
1 December 2023
It's okay to not like a film. But to not like it and then explain Why with examples, examples that are not opinions, when they are not even correct, is foolish.
Several sub 5 star rating commenters have complained that a 30 year old actor shouldnt be playing a 17 year old. 1) Dominic Sessa is now 21 in 2023 and was 19 during filming, portraying a high school junior who was held back 3 times because he kept getting kicked out of schools. He even explains his being a bit older than a typical junior situation to a classmate IN the film. 2) Some reviewers claim the film is falsely labelled as a comedy then say it has no comedy. Although what is funny, like beauty, is subjective, the film is objectively funny, amongst other things. 3) complaining about editing of conversations to cut them off before completion. It is as if these people watched a different film. There are no conversations that are cut off abruptly. 4)claiming that the same Cat Steven's song is played 3 times in a row, from the same verse each time...huh? 5) complaining about focal length of shots....are you joking? There are more goofy ones too. I rated it a 10 even though it's a tiny bit lower, just to help offset these nonsensical low 1 ratings. Watch and judge for yourself, but pay attention. If its not your cup of tea that's okay. But it is a well made film.
Several sub 5 star rating commenters have complained that a 30 year old actor shouldnt be playing a 17 year old. 1) Dominic Sessa is now 21 in 2023 and was 19 during filming, portraying a high school junior who was held back 3 times because he kept getting kicked out of schools. He even explains his being a bit older than a typical junior situation to a classmate IN the film. 2) Some reviewers claim the film is falsely labelled as a comedy then say it has no comedy. Although what is funny, like beauty, is subjective, the film is objectively funny, amongst other things. 3) complaining about editing of conversations to cut them off before completion. It is as if these people watched a different film. There are no conversations that are cut off abruptly. 4)claiming that the same Cat Steven's song is played 3 times in a row, from the same verse each time...huh? 5) complaining about focal length of shots....are you joking? There are more goofy ones too. I rated it a 10 even though it's a tiny bit lower, just to help offset these nonsensical low 1 ratings. Watch and judge for yourself, but pay attention. If its not your cup of tea that's okay. But it is a well made film.
Great premise, Spains stupidest characters
24 November 2023
This show starts like Argentina When Evil Lurks having a great and unique premise. Then these characters are so dumb and make decisions so bad that a 4 year old child would make more intelligently or realistically. Why script these characters to act like fools? Is it a cultural thing? When the veterinarian sees the large baby dies she take a picture to show others? Nope. When she describes it to the mayor does she say it's a giant size baby? Nope. These adults are not behaving normally. They ignore things that cant be ignored and act secretively when nothing needs to be kept secret. This show couldve been so good.
Deep Fear
(2023)
Couldve been good.
23 November 2023
The lead actress is horribly miscast in this role. Maybe for telenovellas she is okay but she dragged this movie straight down to the bottom. All the others were passable, if sometimes a bit over the top. Clearly some money was spent on this film, nderwater sets and action sequences, heck even the CGI sharks were decent. Yes the script had some hiccups and poor writing. The actors did the best they could but Gehena....really should not have been the lead in a movie like this. Hopefully the film does okay or has it as a "so bad its good" kind of success. Does make you wonder how much sea life is addicted to cocaine though.
Best way to view first season.
22 November 2023
This show couldve been excellent. However there are certain behaviors and plot points that are completely unbelievable. The entire relationship with the obese dominatrix should be removed as it serves no purpose. In fact the sub plot of detectives wife is unneeded. The detectives mannerisms can convey his personality and spousal issues. In fact there are a few other character sub plots that should be removed but they pad the episodes dragging what would be a great 4 episode series. Best way to watch season one is to watch episodes 1,2,3 skip 4,5,and 6, watch 7 and 8. There are a few minutes of tidbits in the skippable episodes but there is nothing that is needed and some can be gleaned from context occurring in the watchable episodes anyway. You will still get everything you need to see and not waste your time. I assume 8 episodes were needed to sell the anthology, but they sure arent needed to tell great story. Removal of the uninteresting and needlessly perverse parts also would help since they contribute absolutely nothing to the story, other than displaying the further degeneracy of hollywoodland.
Death on the Nile
(2022)
Couldve been a contender
16 November 2023
This might have been a decent film in many respects however the God awful injection of "blues" music and its included characters was so out of place that it yanked the viewer out of suspension of disbelief and smacked you in the ears. Then to have Poirot and Bouc drooling over these terrible characters is even more of a pain to the eyes. Its one thing to change characters for intelligent reasons converting a book to screenplay however doing so to satisfy some sort of Bechdel test or other multicultural drivel does not improve anything but instead poisons something that couldve been decent otherwise. Watch A Haunting in Venice for the next good Poirot film as it is much better and unique.
The Secret of Crickley Hall
(2012)
Ok start, downhill to a foolish end.
3 October 2023
This has good actors and settings but the script gets progressively worse as it goes on. It is full of movie cliches like parents saying "I promise" to kids regarding things they can't promise. Also there is no sense of urgency in highly time sensitive situations. Sneaking in the office of the psycho abuser looking for the punishment ledger? When you find it you should A) quickly escape to police before sadist catches you B) take your time in browsing the ledger while barely holding it because of your gimpy right arm then loudly drop it on floor? Followed by A ) quickly hiding in next room then bolting to safety after danger has passed B) quickly hiding and after danger has passed...unnecessarily turning on the lights and conversing with your other enemies while they prepare to kill you instead of bolting from your spot atop the stairs far away from the bad guys? Or as a priest who discovers the sadism of the headmaster you A) quickly leave with incriminating evidence and dash to police or B) let sadist know that you will give him time to take his ledger evidence and to pack up and leave the place free to go and abuse other children somewhere else and he can murder alk the orphans before he dissappears?
There are many more unbelievable idiotic decisions made by those who should know better. So watch at your peril.
There are many more unbelievable idiotic decisions made by those who should know better. So watch at your peril.
57 Seconds
(2023)
If only it was 57 seconds long.
1 October 2023
This film is just terrible. The premise is okay but the main character is poorly written. The way he acts and his motivations are that of a 12 year old. This is as bad as that lame Jason Momoa film "sweet girl" where every point they want to portray is so on the nose that it all ends up stinking. Although I couldn't make it beyond 20 minutes of that tripe, I did make it further on this one. This script really needed another 6 or 7 rewrites. Maybe this script was written by ChatGPT? No? Or maybe it needed to be? This could've been so much better if it had been properly script doctored but we will never know.
Comedy Gold!!!
1 October 2023
So far 100% of reviews have completely and utterly missed the mark! This is meant to be a comedy and if you watch it with that in mind it will make sense and youll be rolling non floor laughing. From the opening monologue to the very end it was spectacularly funny. However it was clearly mis marketed I don't kniw how or why. Regardless it's nice to see a comedy pitched at intellectual viewers instead of the low brow Peele tripe. If youve seen it once and were disappointed try rewatching it from a comedy perspective and all the silly unbelievable unrealistic scenes and dialogue will make total hilarious sense. From the teacher" mispronouncing" her name as Vicaria when it's supposed to be pronounced Vuhcaria even though it has an "i" not an "a" after the V while she's idiotically claiming death is merely a disease is Comedy Gold. Or when lil
momma says to her son" wanna hide something from a n!gga put it in a book!" Is So True yet funny.
No One Will Save You
(2023)
THERES NO WORDS SPOKEN!!!!
23 September 2023
Come on! Yes there can be a movie with no dialogue(nearly none in Redfords All is Lost where he is the only character)but when you have other actors and people together you should have a few lines. But this is ridiculous. It results in amplifying guttural noises and loud breathing and employing jump scares and sound effects to cover Gor the LACK OF SPEAKING. This could've been a really good film with its novel reactions to situations but even the person talking to themselves or muttering or something to aid in our understanding of what is occurring would really go a long way towards enlightenment of the audience. Nope.
The Good Mother
(I) (2023)
Waste of talent
22 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Who approved of this movie going into production? The script is absurdly predictable. Without seeing trailer or reading any info, after the cop brother takes the kilo from the kitchen table it is instantly obvious who is involved in what schemes and exactly who is corrupt. Though Olivia Cooke's terrible big black wig does become quite distracting when some scenes she wears it, walks indoors and then has her natural hair in the scene. Maybe the other scenes were reshoots? But it was So Distracting. Now the foolish decisions that character after character make that ultimately result in each characters demise are also distracting. Such as, if you are chased by a car on a road with buildings and yards and parked cars on each side, pro tip: don't jog in a straight line after seeing and hearing the loudly unique engine a block away on a narrowing road without any zigzag or jump over a fence or darting behind a parked car. If you find a just murdered dead guy, pro tip: don't lollygag after you find his phone by looking thru it when you know you should just take it and flee double quick. When you are in a cops house and randomly decide to start dialing numbers with said murdered guys phone, pro tip: when a number you dial results in a phone ringing down in basement below dont Go Looking for the phone itself downstairs when you don't need to possess it for evidence then go downstairs trapping yourself.
These foolish plot points could've been handled much better, easily.
These foolish plot points could've been handled much better, easily.
Natty Knocks
(2023)
Why?
19 September 2023
Why spend this kind of money and production only to have the actors act like idiots and do and say unrealistic things. The ONLY character that seems realistic is the KILLER. All the other characters seem like high school theater kids. Although it is somewhat enjoyable to watch them get killed to stop the inanity. The utter narcissism and vapid discussions make you root for killer to take them out. WHY is this babysitter acting like the mother of these kids while the realtor mother is never home but never selling a house. She shouldve been the older sister. This wouldve been better as a black comedy since the stilted cliches dialogue already comes off as un self aware as it is. Babysitter is also moronically acted and her motivations are stupid. This is why
People have no faith in Hollywood types. Clearly this was never test screened or it never get released.
Older Gods
(2023)
Too much inane dialogue
16 September 2023
This had a couple of decent scenes but was overburdened with inane dialogue and far too much exposition that didn't actually expose anything. The dialogue from the friends narrative is long slow tedium. This did have potential but needed a few more rewrites to pare it down to just the useful and interesting an eliminate the pseudo pretentious drivel that only serves to lengthen the film. The ancillary characters who appear as voices don't come across as realistic at all but as amateurish. There is just too much chatter that seems like padding the run time. This may have been suited to be a 30 minute short.
Poor
16 September 2023
Knowing nothing about bombs other than movies and TV wouldnt you just pull out the blasting caps and throw the explosive away? These personell all waste vast amounts of limited time telling people to be quiet and RUNNING far to tell someone there is 5 minutes on a timer then running back and complaining there isnt enough time to defuse it when all these bombs have blasting caps. Then these government people all have stupid relationships and constantly break their own foolish rules getting people killed. This appears to be a very poorly written show and what else cam you say...at least there is diversity among the cast. My how far England has degraded.
Very Bad Things
(1998)
A movie you love to hate.
16 September 2023
These characters are ALL detestable, from the kids to the women to the guys. ALL OF THEM. And once you realize you have to laugh at all places you would normally cry, it all falls together and makes more sense. But it is very hard to get over the initial detestability. It becomes a barrel of laughs and comedy of errors. The vapid nature of every character is like nails on a chalkboard. Christian Slater is a mastermind ringmaster of this 3 ring circus. Then each characters own foibles and neuroses begin to take center screen until they dont. Comedy ensues and tragedy occurs not always in that order.
Blood Flower
(2022)
What?
9 September 2023
When 95% of the characters are annoying and unsympathetic it makes it hard to root for them to win. When people make decisions that make no sense or have any rational basis you have to provide a reason or ulterior motive for th audience to understand. Whe people die horribly and everyone around just blithely goes on like nothing has happened or like death is a daily boring thing with no explanation it makes it impossible to sympathize. Also when local customs won't be easily understood by a wide audience they need to provide dialogue or exposition that can enlighten the viewer to understand what is going on. The characters were so unlikable we cheered at their demise.
What is this garbage?
16 August 2023
While the beginning started out mildly interesting...by the end it devolved into outright idiocy. When the son turned out not kidnapped and some unknown kid who was stalking and stealing the sons items for unknown reasons get kidnapped by mistake do they then count blessings and hand it over to law enforcement? NO! They don't know if the kidnappers will kill the kid regardless. Playing with some other kids life! NO ONE CAN BE THIS FOOLISH! Now let's add on the layers of stupidity one by one. Maybe this would be tolerable as a 90 minute movie because all the idiocy wouldve had to be removed. All these big name actors willingly participated in this??? I mean Bidenomics isn't hurting these wealthy actors so it can't be money... Another reviewer on episode six did a better review of it.
Wasted opportunity
8 August 2023
This seems like it would've been pretty funny but Anthony Mackie and the Beatriz woman were HORRIBLY MISCAST. They have absolutely NO COMEDIC TIMING. How did this get approved? Every other character fit into their roles perfectly. By episode three at the DMV shouldve been a riot but Mackie and Heart is dragged the show down to the bottom. The music and every other thing was spot on. Mackie has been great in all his other roles but this just landed terribly. Therefore some other scenes that also didn't land but they were one percent of the problem. Sorry Anthony but this role just was not up your alley. Beatriz lady was just as bad.
Trash
2 July 2023
Whoever wrote this trash needs to go thru remedial scriptwriting 101. The people who greenlit this should be reevaluated for competency since at least 3 more passes were needed to improve the script to reality. Was this script written by ChatGPT? Maybe this is a Turing test to see if someone could tell whether a human wrote it or a computer program created it. This would explain why the characters dont make understandable choices. They are acting like the decision tree that an 8 year old would come up with due to their limited experience and understanding of human actions/reactions. Even so, it is a waste of resources.
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