It's a cute and sweet movie. Different enough from the others, you also have a new lead, a young but already good Swank. Pat Morita is great as always.
Julie's journey is nice, especially since we have different locations and scenarios, the monastery scenes are really good.
You can feel there is a good heart.
I wish I saw this on a big screen, great effects and story.
I saw 2 episodes so far and I think it's really impressive: it seems the creators had access to the old sets and decided to use them to create their own stories.
I am also impressed by the actors. Watching Vic Mognogna, in certain angles, remind me of the original Kirk, thanks to the acting.
When the crew is seen from afar, it's like seeing the original actors\actress.
Also, the style of acting is the same from the original series, like the shooting of the scenes. The crew knows what they are doing.
I also think it's great they had the original Apollo actor in the first episode.
I would watch 2 hours of that D&D game with these characters and Sheldon as the Master
A nice story with a great cast.
I was hoping to not see Calendar Girls face in the end, but how the writers did it, it was a nice twist.
The villain defines the story.
This time, for the Egypt part, I wanted to see Bruce without the cape.
It was nice and funny, I liked that. I was happy to see the droid well at the end.
I know Chopper is not likable, but sometimes I think it's because he is mistreated. He cares about his friends, old and new.
Sometimes I think about the fact that droids seem to develop a soul when their memory is not wiped for some time. I always imagined bad droids to not a "soul", while good ones yes.
There were moments in Sherlock Holmes' stories I really liked: when we found out about the main character. Bits of information that helped us define the protagonist: a brother, a lost love, a favorite instrument to play...
In the first two seasons of this series we found out about House in some scenes and I think this one was one of the best. It is one of the episodes I watched the most.
We meet an old friend and we discover situations about House's past. Also DB Sweeney acts in a way I immediately believe he is an old friend of House and that helps build a bridge in moments (the series was very good with the casting and direction of actors).
We also see a different friend relationship between House and Crandall that differs from House and Wilson. Maybe I wished House called Crandall by name, just to show more accentuated differences from Wilson's relationship.
Overall, very interesting episode.
For someone who wanted to see a lot of things happening, this may look a little bit disappointing, because it's clear this series is setting up something bigger. Filoni has two great abilities: adding some interesting minor stories to bigger events (Tales of the Jedi) and building up world and characters for grand stories. This series is the case for the latter one.
I don't know what comes next, a new series, a movie, a season from another series... but we need to have patience like a Jedi.
About the characters, what I felt after the first episode was confirmed through the entire season: some characters work, other didn't convince me. The weak point was probably Sabine, her introduction in the live action series made her less interesting and even after her development, I personally don't care about her.
Hera was my favorite in Rebels and I miss Vanessa Marshall, I was hoping for her to reprise her role. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a good actress, don't get me wrong, but she feels too young for the role.
About Ahsoka... it's difficult to say. I am a fan of Rosario Dawson since I saw her on the 25th hour, but I am still not convinced.
While Ezra was played in a convince way.
Back in 2014, when i watched Rebels, I used to watch a show from the Star Wars Youtube channel where actors talked about characters they played in Rebels. I am used to see them, not only as voice actors, but as characters as well. And I always thought they were similar to their characters. So I can't understand why Filoni didn't choose them again for the live action series, like he did with Katee Sackhoff.
Thrawn was great in every scene, for example.
So, most of the time, it was like watching similar characters, not the ones from Rebels.
I praise the new addition, like Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati. We didn't have much time to know her, but she impressed me and I hope she'll have an interesting arc... I just don't want her to be killed by Sabine.
Other than that, the story was interesting, the direction was good, the action scenes were (mostly) well done. Better shot than the Kenobi series and, forgive me, more exacting than Andor (good series, but not enough Star Wars elements for me).
I am sure we'll go back to this season after what comes next and we'll think "This was a nice start!". We need some perspective.
Maybe the sip used in Rogue One?
Leia is the heart of Star Wars, always inspiring others.
What a heartwarming ending, I needed that. Also it explains when this spinoff was set in terms of timing, I was curious about that.
Death in Paradise is something special. It's a light crime mystery show. You won't find violent deaths, creepy serial killers, too much drama or sex scenes. It's a show you can watch with your parents. You can say it's a little bit repetitive in its format, I sometimes hope that the main character's colleagues will solve the murders... but the episodes being quite similar to each other it's part of the deal.
Other interesting aspects are the location, a character on its own, and the recurring characters, often funny, but with some backstory that helps you to care about them. So they aren't just comic relief.
Last thing, so I can stop talking about the main show, is the fact that most of the cast changes every 2 or 3 seasons.
And that's quite unique for a show like this.
The idea of a spinoff it's compelling, since we meet again an old friend. My favorite detective from DiP was Jack Mooney (played by Ardal O'Hanlon), but Humphrey Goodman takes the second place in my podium. He is brilliant yet weird (in a good and funny way), and I like how he interacts with other characters. He is often considered strange by his peers (I feel bad for him for that), but it doesn't affect him.
How do you create a spin off of Death in Paradise?
Do you repeat the same formula? Do you change it a little bit? Do you try to understand how DiP is successful and try to mimic its successfulness?
Beyond Paradise tries to bring some familiar elements from Death in Paradise, like giving some screen time to a unique location, while giving us interesting crime cases. I also love when Humphrey explains the solved case in the end. That's quite impressive. But tries to diverge from the main show bringing dramatic themes, like the difficulty of having a baby and feeling incomplete as a couple without a prole.
For me, personally, that part was too dramatic, but the first season created a nice arc for Humphrey and Martha, a heartwarming one, so it helped in the end.
For now I didn't enjoy the other characters as much as I did on DiP. The only one that grew on me was Esther.
The location is nice, but it's not as prominent as the Caribbean settings, maybe because you can create a nice soundtrack with Caribbean music, not so much with these kind of set.
The music from DiP was perfect to help you get in the mood for a Caribbean mystery.
After watching the first season, I must say that I respect the creator's decision to move in other directions, but for season 2 I hope for something lighter and more interesting secondary characters.
It was a good episode, so well directed, you could feel the tension in the space scene. What I like about the recent Star Wars series is that the space battles feel "real", not over exaggerated. That was the case with the second chapter as well.
I get why some people find the chapter a wasted opportunity to move the story forward, but I think it's because we have to wait a week for the next episode. I enjoyed it very much. Even if the series doesn't have many episodes.
The main issues from the previous episodes remain: while Ashoka is starting to remind me of the character from Rebels, I still miss Vanessa Marshall's voice for Hera. I think she should have gotten the role. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is good but she is just too different. Maybe even too young for the role.
The introduction of Sabine in a live action form ruined her character for me, she acted like a teenager. So I don't care about her. But the training scene was really good and interesting. The direction, the music, the audio.. it was generally a nice development of the scene from A New Hope. I actually want Sabine to fail: not because I don't like her anymore, but I think it would be an interesting course for a character to not reach a true connection to the Force, failing the training. Maybe that won't be the case since it already happened off screen. We already know she is a good fighter, even without the Force.
I loved Ahsoka in space, since it wasn't exaggerated. But I thought laser beams from spaceships were bigger and probably impossible to deflect with a light saber.
That part was intense too and I am becoming a fan of Shin Hati, even if there isn't a true development of her so far. I just hope she has an interesting story and won't be just a final adversary for Sabine. I am worried she'll represent the final arc for Sabine's training.
Some mixed feelings:
Things I am not a fan of:
1. I liked Rosario Dawson since her role in 25th hour, but I still don't see much of Ahsoka in her. A "snips" feeling is missing in her.
2. I wished they casted the voice actress for Hera Syndulla, Vanessa Marshall. Hera was my favourite character in Rebels, she was the only one who treated Ezra with decency, at the beginning of the show. Like Ahsoka, I don't recognize Mary Elizabeth Winstead (even if she is a very good actress) as Hera.
3. I think it's a must in these series to see a not so wise character doing stupid stuff that affects the story just for the sake of having some drama. That character chosen for this task for this series is Sabine Wren. Her newest introduction to this show is similar to the one of Ezra, but you'll probably roll your eyes even more with this one. I was hoping for Ahsoka to say "Stupid child" to her, at the end of the episode. It's also very common to see a character gone bad that needs to be somehow saved because they fell. I would have preferred to see a decent character dealing with her feelings in a mature way. I hate when the story is influenced by juvenile actions.
4. Action scenes are not so bad but sometimes slow. Like Ahsoka running, it's not convincing.
Things I liked:
1. Dave Filoni has a great ability: he is able to build multiple characters and stories and connect them across different series. That's why I don't mind seeing Din Djarin in The Book of Boba Fett, or Ahsoka in Mandalorian. I know there is always a bigger plan in Dave's mind.
2. The sets design feels like Star Wars and I like the lore behind them, you can feel there is love for SW behind these designs.
3. Ray Stevenson is very cool, too bad we lost him. A great actor playing an interesting character
4. I like that some scenes reprise Rebels' story, it's like a Rebels - Season 5, even if some years have passed.
5. Always nice to see Clancy Brown.
6. We need to see more about Shin Hati but I think in these brief scenes, Dave Filoni is showing a promising character.
7. Interesting backstory for Morgan Elsbeth.
8. Nice to see Huyang.
Things I am neutral about:
1. I don't mind some mystery, but I hope to know why you need an ancient map to find someone lost not so many decades ago.
I really enjoyed the movie as it delivered a thrilling adventure from start to finish. However, there were a few aspects that I wished were different:
Helena's character: Although I understand that Helena is meant to be similar to Indy from "The Temple of Doom," always focused on money, I would have liked to see some remorse from her when she attempted to sell an item that was dear to her father.
Transformation of Rinaldo: Instead of introducing a character who shows up at the end to help the heroes (the sleepy pilot), I would have preferred to see Rinaldo portrayed as a skilled pilot who saves Indy and company. This would have allowed for potential chemistry between Rinaldo and Helena, and the possibility of a future franchise with them embarking on adventures together. I would have loved to see Antonio Banderas continue Indy's journey with Helena. Even with differnt style of adventures.
Changing the ending location: Rather than returning to an apartment with annoying neighbors in America, I think it would have been more captivating to end the movie in Sicily. This would have provided a new and visually stunning setting, with Indy and Marion enjoying a beautiful panorama. It could have also given a satisfying conclusion for Sallah's character. Helena still has the diamonds from Voller, so buying a house should be possible.
Casting considerations: While Phoebe Waller-Bridge portrayed Helena in a nice and elegant way, I sometimes imagine Ana de Armas in the role. Additionally, I would love to see Banderas and Armas together in the next installment of the franchise, embarking on their own adventures.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and appreciate James Mangold's direction, Harrison Ford's compelling performance in the leading role, and the remarkable work of the cast and crew. The movie didn't feel lazy; instead, it was filled with captivating sets and adventurous sequences that kept me engaged throughout.
My initial thoughts down here:
The beginning
We find a young Indy in an old adventure that serves as a prologue to the story. The technology used to make an actor look young is fascinating: you have the same actor playing the same character in different eras. However, it didn't impress me in this case, perhaps because in an Indiana Jones film, it doesn't quite work. At times, it feels like having a video game character in a movie, and it made me hope that this prologue would end soon. I noticed they used Anthony Ingruber, and it would have been interesting to leverage his resemblance and simply shoot the scenes with him.
In any case, the prologue works because it tells us about a new friendship of Indy and intriguingly introduces the new antagonist of the story.
An old hero in (almost) modern times
It feels strange to see Indiana Jones, an adventurer we have seen navigating the 1930s, in a more modern America. And the screenwriters must have realized this because they move the adventure around the world, to areas where the character is more in his element. I wish that the finale was also set in a more captivating location, such as one of the final settings, like Sicily, with a beautiful landscape, where Indy can enjoy a stunning view with Marion while recovering from the wounds, both physical and emotional, recent and of a lifetime. A finale that would have worked for Sallah too. Going back to an apartment with lousy neighbors is not the kind of my finale. Especially because throughout the film, I had noisy audience members, and I could empathize with the challenges Indiana was facing.
A hero that works every time
The charm of Indiana Jones is attributed to the pen of George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the direction of Spielberg, the wry smile of Harrison Ford, and the march of John Williams. I have never understood those who criticize the decision to bring back Indy despite the passing years, or those who joke about possible plots related to Alzheimer's or nursing homes. The hero works, his stunts are somehow believable, partly because he is often aided by the luck that smiles upon Dr. Jones. The action scenes, even in this film, work seamlessly and never fail to captivate.
A villain that works
Mads Mikkelsen works on his own, even without a screenplay, but he is a good antagonist for Indy. I would have liked to see a confrontation with Basil Shaw. Both characters are obsessed with the Antikythera mechanism, but Shaw is saved by his friend Indy from being consumed by his obsession, whereas Dr. Voller is not. This aspect is somewhat present in the film, but I would have liked to see it emphasized more effectively.
An adventure companion
We are introduced to Renaldo, a friend of Indiana Jones who captains a ship. I would have been pleased to see more screen time for Antonio Banderas; he could have been an experienced pilot of airplanes as well, rather than having a new character appear at the end of the film to aid our heroes, whom we are unfamiliar with.
Helena
I was curious about this new character. I appreciate that she is not initially portrayed as a very positive character, considering her eventual redemption. My only question is why she is so willing to sell the Antikythera mechanism without hesitation. We know she is in debt and wants to make money, so she sees an opportunity to obtain the mechanism from Indy and seizes it. However, I would have liked to see a hint of remorse in her decision to sell an object that her father held dear.
I wouldn't mind seeing this new heroine continue in her own adventures. Without donning a hat and wielding a whip, she could be an adventurer who has discovered the thrill of adventure and loyalty. And perhaps she wants to make some money along the way, why not?
Music
I would like to praise it, but I can't, unfortunately. The beginning of the film consists of a combination of recycled themes, especially from the third film, whose soundtrack has remained in my heart, especially the theme of the Holy Grail, magnificent and solemn. Unfortunately, there are no memorable themes for the other characters or the new artifact. However, I can forgive everything when it comes to John Williams.
Conclusion
It's true, I didn't speak highly of it, but the film, with its plot twist, captivated me. It's intriguing, keeps your attention high, and as mentioned before, the character works in any era. Knowing that maintaining high quality requires excellent screenwriters and supporting directors, my dream would have been to have an Indiana Jones trilogy for each decade. Does it sound excessive? Perhaps, but he's a hero I would have appreciated to keep me company throughout the different stages of my life. Lucas has created memorable characters, and as much as I love Star Wars, none of the characters from the galaxy far away are as fascinating as Indiana Jones, in my personal opinion. And that is saying much, considering the great heroes and villains from Star Wars.
I'm not a screenwriter or a critic, so my opinions are limited to those of a fan of a saga that I've been following since I was little. Nonetheless, I want to praise James Mangold, screenwriters, cast, producers, and all the crew members who brought Indiana Jones to the screen once again. There was no laziness in the film, and traveling the world through Indy's adventures was once again a delightful experience.
I find myself compelled to express just how beautiful the Season 8 is. Sometimes, I forget this fact, as I tend to remember it as a painful farewell to one of my favorite characters. However, there are numerous mature, well-written, and expertly directed episodes that deserve recognition. Especially when we look back at the first season, where we could already see a good level of quality, but with the passing years, some moments may have seemed a bit naive.
Take, for example, the episodes "1x05 - Damned If You Do" and "8x12 - Chase", both exploring ecclesiastical themes and faith. We can notice a clear evolution in the series, as it avoids revisiting and rehashing previously explored territories, not just within House MD, but also compared to other shows.
And what can be said about "Nobody's Fault"? It was a witch hunt expertly handled with interest, delicacy, and the avoidance of clichés and predictable scenes.
Don't get me wrong, the first season had many memorable episodes that brilliantly defined House's character. However, I believe that with the eighth season, an equilibrium was achieved, making it enjoyable to watch all the episodes without ever getting bored, even upon multiple viewings.
I would have loved for the show to continue with more seasons. The writers, with their exceptional storytelling abilities, would have been capable of keeping the character dynamics engaging, providing viewers with moments of growth and empathy. Nonetheless, I am content with the way the series and the season concluded, even though I am deeply saddened by the fate of a particular character.
Season 8 showed us the series' ability to maintain its brilliance and captivate viewers until the very end. The episodes are a testament to the writers' dedication and their skill in crafting thought-provoking narratives. It is a season that reminds us of House MD's enduring legacy and its ability to leave a lasting impact on its audience.
It's disheartening to read comments criticizing the series for not living up to the standards set by previous seasons and for lacking action in some episodes. I advise viewers to have patience because there is undoubtedly a bigger plan in store for the series, masterminded by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, which will likely involve other shows dedicated to other characters.
i respect differing opinions, but I think it's important to recognize the unique nature of The Mandalorian. It's a show that blends genres and explores the Star Wars universe in exciting ways. It's not just about flashy action scenes, but also about character development and building a world that feels authentic and immersive.
Overall, while some viewers may feel disappointed with certain aspects of the third season, I believe it's worth sticking with the series and giving it a chance to fully unfold. With Filoni and Favreau at the helm, I have no doubt that there are some exciting surprises and twists in store for us.
A movie about friendship. Really well done.
A summer that went by so fast. Even if Netflix is known to show all the episodes at once and it's nice, I would have enjoyed the series more if one episode had come out once a week, leaving the impression of a longer summer. I wasn't able to resit and I watched all 10 episodes in 3 days.
The new cast is full of talents, I can't relate too much to them because of the age difference, but the characters are not over the top or cringe. I remember when I was younger and I appreciate the series for taking me back.
It's difficult to peak a favourite. Callie Haverda mixed well the persona of Eric and Donna, creating an original being.
Praise to all of her colleagues, maybe I can choose Ashley Aufderheide as the most talented of the group.
Using the original cast is a plus, especially since it was in a sporadic way. The new characters need to stand on their own.
Tanya Roberts is surely missed.
Having Red and Kitty was fundamental for the success of the series.
I hope to see a season 2.
I care about the characters like I cared for the original ones, even if I am much older than the cast. The actors are brilliant.
I like that the original cast is not always present, but Red and Kitty are fondamental for this series to work. Good move.
A nice introduction to a new era. It was cool to see the old cast, the actors reprised their roles like it was yesterday.
The new cast seems very capable despite their young age.
I think it's difficult to set this series since you need to show '90s kids without changing too much the style of the original concept.
Things I liked:
Things I didn't like:
The dialogues are usually good, but we sometimes have to listen to teenage confrontations, especially from Kit. Too bad: the actress is good, she is even able to deliver her lines in a convincing way, but it's difficult to stand her character.
Being a fan of Jonathan Kasdan I'll keep going, this episode was the best so far and I am sure the next ones are going to be epic.
There is a nice element I often miss in big productions: real sets. It's a pleasure to the eye watching these episodes. I don't need epic CGI sets: trees and lake are irreplaceable and the story feels more authentic.
I didn't like Kit in the first episode, her reaction to Jade when she told her she was leaving to became a knight was similar to something you see in teenager series... otherwise I found the episodes pleasant to watch.
I even like the humor and Tony Revolori is doing a very good job with his lines.
Warwick Davis is still magical. I am sorry about the relationship between him and Queen Sorsha, it gives a bad light to the movie's ending.
I didn't grow up with Willow, I just saw the movie today before starting the series. The quality of the restoration was great and the best part for me was Val Kilmer and his approach to his character. I hope to see him again.
The look of the Inquisitor is similar to an original concept for Kylo Ren and it's really cool.
Dooku is still a little bit impulsive here. I was hoping to see him as an elegant Jedi, with different views on some matters.
But he is finding his motivations for joining the separatists.
I appreciate Lucas' attempt to bring something different in the Prequel Trilogy: in the Original Trilogy we had Empire vs Rebels so,
instead of having Republic vs a different versions of the Rebels, we had a Republic in decline and a group of separatists who were pessimistic about the Republic government.
I wish we had something more original in the Sequels, like New Republic vs Organized Crime or something like that.
I was hoping to see a different Dooku, who doesn't follow the rules, but it's not (yet) tempted by the dark side. On this episode, Qui-Gonn is the wiser.
I admit I started watching this because I finished Early Edition and I was hoping to see Kyle Chandler receive tomorrow's newspaper to predict the results of his team and try to change them in case the they are not in favor.
Stupid jokes aside, it's nice to see Chandler nail another role. Also, it took me a couple of scenes to recognize Adrianne Palicki.
I personally don't like shaky cameras but it works really well here.
I just hope it's not O.C. with football matches. Nothing against it, it's just that I am 20 years too old for this type of show.
I am not a sport enthusiast, but I think it's fascinating to see how coaches prepare their team before a match.
I remember watching this as a kid, I wanted a pair of Reebok so bad. I eventually got them.
Ads weren't subtle, but a kid doesn't know.
I'm always glad we have some Gary and Marissa moments.
When asked about taking over Rogue One, Gilroy said he had no trepidation for working on a Star Wars movie. “Because that was my superpower. I don’t like ‘Star Wars’—not that I don’t like it, but I’ve never been interested in ‘Star Wars’ ever, so I had no reverence for it whatsoever, I was unafraid about that and they were in such a swamp… they were in so much, terrible, terrible trouble that all you could do was improve their position.” These words make me question if Gilroy is a bad choice since he doesn't love Star Wars. Maybe he is actually a great choice because he can create new depth to the SW galaxy, using his ability as a screen writer.
I never understood why people praise Rogue One so much. I think the core of Star Wars are its characters, their evolution and their relationships. There is some of this in RO, but it's not the primary part. I'm not saying it's a bad movie, it's actually a good one. But there is no characters I like (a part from K2SO) and it's strange for me to feel this way for a Star Wars movie. I admit some of them had great potential like Jyn and Chirrut.
Star Wars can be a combination of genres, and RO can be seen as a war movie, and it's a good one in this contest. So Rogue One is a good movie, but I don't like it as a Star Wars fan. This topic is a little bit complex to be discussed further here.
Let's talk Andor. It seems the budget is way bigger if you compare it to Obi-Wan Kenobi. You get yourself lost in a galaxy of details. I like the designs, I love the astromech droid. Big budget doesn't always mean good direction, but from this first episode, I can feel the director had the chance to show us the universe and the characters that live in it without rushing. And Haynes took this opportunity and use it for good. There is also a mature way to show the characters journey: no cliché, no hurry to express themself or taking positions. It's a good way to keep you interested in someone, because it takes time to understand them. Just some infos here and there, to tell the viewer there is more to know.
Plus, having no Force, there won't be "magic", you can't get out of situations using some superpowers. It's not a good or a bad thing, but I think the change is nice, you can expand the Star Wars universe this way. I said that, even if I love the Force and Jedi\Sith powers.
It's maybe too early to talk about this in general, I won't watch all the episodes right away, I'll take my time.
The timeline between Episode 3 and 4 is probably my favourite. So I am interested in seeing this series.
We had a similar story in the first season. This one was even better, since we had Constance Marie (Brigatti) and Michael Whaley (Armstrong) in the same episode. I still think they both should know about the paper, they are trusted character and they deserve it.
I am waiting for a Hobson - Brigatti love story.
I am impressed by Constance Marie's acting: she is able to play a tough character, but you can also see her tenderness when you look at her. She is hiding her tender side, maybe because of a difficult past, or simply because her job is quite hard. She probably saw very difficult situations. Yet, you can see both her sides in her eyes, thanks to the acting skill of the actress.
