While watching the episode I had to check whether it was Saint Valentine's or not. It was a really weird episode. Lola at the beginning, wtf? And the fact that Norman was Arzt from Lost only made the whole thing funnier.
Maddie and Chimney are too cute together. I mean, they even have great chemistry. I'd love to see more of them. but I'm afraid the husband thing is gonna come to bite them in the ass real soon.
I laughed my ass off with the gas 'n sip robbery. I had to rewind it because I was laughing too much.
I love Bobby to hell and back. He's way too awesome. Still don't picture him and Athena together. I loved the family dinner. Glad to see that Athena is as tolerant as her ex. and I'm starting to love that kid on theirs. His sass is way up and I love it.
I'm glad Bobby moved on, but not with that damn ginger reporter! I too thought that atthe other end of the line was her at the beginning. Jeez, I even thought it could be Abby, but not that earthquake girl. And I've got to say it, I can see that happening.
“There’s more to life than making shallow, fairly obvious observations.” "Seinfeld" makes a pretty convincing argument that that's all you need. Easily one of the most well written sitcoms ever released. Seinfeld is truly a show about nothing. It brings to life Jerry Seinfeld's and Larry David's unbelievable (and somewhat useless) powers of observation. "Seinfeld" follows 4 quirky and eccentric friends living in Manhattan as they get themselves and others into a whole mess of trouble. Jerry is a stand up comic dating his way through New York City. Elaine works at a publishing company as she looks for Mr. Right. George is the literal reincarnation of Larry David with a plethora of neurosis and his insane, but genius ideas. Kramer is Jerry's overly intrusive neighbor. He can only be described as Kramer. There will never be another.
The jokes are perfectly layered and everything builds on what happened earlier in the episode. It's incredible that they were able to come up with so many per season. Despite the 9 seasons, the show is strong all the way through. Larry David left the show after season 7. The pressures of coming up with comedy gold got to him. Jerry did an admirable job of continuing without him. The transition was seamless and nearly unnoticeable. Some say that George lost a bit of depth, but I'd be hard pressed to see it.
The one negative that sticks in everyone's mind, is the ending. It's a heard scratcher. Left a lot of people confused. That being said, the ending was never particularly relevant to a show like this. No one came for the ending. Enjoy the ride.
“I’m out there, Jerry. And I’m loving every minute of it!”
10/10
This is the most Y2K movie in existence. The excessive slow-mo, the drum ‘n bass influenced soundtrack, the dumb nu metal cover of the theme song, give me a break. It’s trying way too hard to be cool, and watching it now (or as someone with good taste in 2000, I’d imagine) you can’t help but laugh at these choices. The charm of the man who made Hard Boiled and Face Off is completely missing here, instead it feels like a film directed by a meathead. The action’s forgettable and poorly edited (e.g. why the cross fading during the opening car chase?), the plot and characters are disposable (also, why the love triangle?), there’s too much of a 007 influence creatively and it doesn’t even use its location to the fullest extent (why does so much of this take place in the suburbs?). I only really like some individual moments, for example the rock climbing scene is pretty memorable (despite being superfluous to the story) and there are some good stunts during the motorcycle chase. The cinematography is also decent, and some of the better actors in the cast elevate the material at least a little bit, but this is overall a complete misfire.
3.5/10
The title really says it all here. Arnold gets silly as a tough guy cop, undercover in the classroom, who finds his young students twice as terrifying as the pimps and addicts he normally wrangles.
Following closely after Twins, his first lighter role, this represents a further softening of the Governator's image and a broadening of his popular appeal. He still gets to fire big guns, wear intimidating sunglasses, toss chumps around the room - actually, he probably does too much of that stuff - but he also reveals an unexpected gentle side and an effective, self-aware sense of humor. Sure, many of the laughs revolve around how the big guy speaks (anyone who was around in far-off year of 1990 has probably barked "It's not a toomah" in a bad Austrian accent once or twice) but it never comes off as mean-spirited or in poor taste and Schwarzenegger really leans into the stereotype for maximum absurdity points.
Arnold's great with the kids, too, and under the improv-friendly gaze of director Ivan Reitman, they more than hold up their end of the bargain. The best bits are where the youngsters go off-script and ramble, or climb all over the action hero like a jungle gym, or go silent and simply goggle at his reactions. Those moments give the film more staying power than its paper-thin plot really deserves. Granted, it leaves plenty of space for on-set serendipity, but it also takes forever to get started and fails to settle on an appropriate tone. Was this premise really calling for a bullet-riddled climax in the school bathroom?
This movie has always been a favorite of mine. It’s pretty long so I don’t watch it very often but I always enjoy it when I find the time. I think the story is very cute overall and it’s fresh, which is what I like about any movie, and the characters are all likable except for the protagonist of course.
A lot of people comment about how bad this is, but I respectfully disagree (rather than the toxic way the people tend to disagree with criticism on this site and the more toxic way Trakt allows it). The acting is quite good, the story might not be for everyone and there’s no action at all, just a light and dark drama that explores an interesting question of “what if death offered you a bit more time on this earth to show him around?”.
A couple people mention the Jamaican accent and how stupid it was, but it always made sense to me because death is something different for everyone and is everywhere and at all times, so why wouldn’t he speak in a way that is perfectly clear to those spoken to? I actually found it entertaining and a bit funny to see this blonde haired blue eyed Brad Pitt talking like that, and I think he did it quite well! When the movie starts, death talks to Parrish in Parrish’s own voice, but once he shows himself in Brad Pitt’s body the mannerisms and patterns are the same, only the tenor of his voice changed, so talking to the Jamaican woman, to me, is identical, except he’s in Joe’s body, if he wasn’t then the lady would presumably hear her own voice, and it would have the accent.
This was made when entertainment was entertainment, there was no narrative to prop up, no agenda to push, just a story told over a few hours that keeps you tuned in, I wish there were more like this today.
This movie caused me to get an instant crush on Claire Forlani, she is a beautiful woman and the role she plays is very cute, even in subsequent roles it comes out that she seems to be like this in real life.
My Content Analysis
Acting: :star::star::star: (Average)
Plot: :star::star::star::star: (Good)
Political Agenda: :star::star::star::star::star: (None)
LGBT Content: :star: (None Noticed)
Based on personal experience with this show or movie, LGBT content provided only as a representation of how much of the show is focused on queer content so the reader can determine if that type of content is not enough or too much for their taste and does not indicate my personal preference or bias, only my observations.
There was so much about this film that I wanted to review favourably, but after 2.5 hours its weaknesses became irritating to a distracting extent.
The obvious comparison here has to be Se7en - but where Se7en makes successful commitments in tone and character, Prisoners tries to walk a line that leaves the viewer perplexed and unfulfilled. Jackman's character does become beastly, but never actually pulls the trigger in the dramatic fashion of Pitt. The realistic atmosphere is undermined by the coincidental presence of several weirdos, including one who seems to exist as nothing but a red herring. The motivation of the villian feels dull and arbitrary after the long wait for a reveal that never really builds, but just sort of happens (not unlike most of the plot of Bladder Runner 2049).
Before Se7en and True Detective this might have offered more material for discussion, but it comes off plain in comparison to both. The shooting was fine and the soundtrack was consistently ominous. Ghyllenhaal and Jackman seemed like imperfect castings, though the former clearly tried his best with the material he had (for a detective who has supposedly solved EVERY ONE of his cases, his character was much more lackadaisical than you might expect). What the hell the police were actually doing for most of the film remains an unsolved mystery. The decision to fade out rather than show several significant scenes, including the final one, is another.
There's some good in this, but the bad was too fundamental to ignore. The gripping suspense of Sicario and Arrival is much preferred.
That scene. That freaking scene. He gave it all up. He sacrificed himself to save the world. He fucking gave his own life to be on the right side of the board and trap Lucifer once and for all. That's a big turning point for Crowley. That was his redemption. I love Crowley so much and I don't want this to happen. I'm so shocked right now. His death was the only one I think is gonna stick and it hurts so much. It socks he had to go, but he went out full style. His monologue to Lucifer was chilling and amazingly delivered. That was his goodbye, although I hope we'll see our King again. I'm sure I'm gonna miss him so badly.
"Bye, boys". Goodbye my sweet darling and thank you for everything. That line killed me. It destroyed me. I knew that with Lucifer on the board, this wasn't gonna end happily but saying goodbyeike he did, ufff, those ninjas again.
Of everything wasn't overwhelming enough we got BOBBY back! Well, not the one we know, but I'll take Alternate!Bobby over no Bobby at all in a heartbeat. I knew it had to be him. We still continue with the long tradition of having him for at least one episode each season. It was so damn good to see him again, enjoying killing angels as a hobby. Btw, I loved the fact that Dean was so obnoxiously happy when he discovered Bobby had angel-killing bullets right next to Cas, whose expression was priceless. And he need his gun Rufus! I couldn't believe that. Mam, I cracked up.
That world, though. A world in which the Winchesters are never born and which, in turn, is advocated to disaster and failure. A world the Winchesters never saved. Just damn! It speaks volumes of what these two guys have accomplished on their own.
The plan was perfect and then Cas went into that world after being with Kelly before the baby is born and the second I saw him fighting Lucifer like a badass I had this strange vibe coming out from my stomach but I didn't want to believe it. Then he comes back and gets stabbed by Lucifer right in front of Dean.
AWESOME! Felt like Yellow Fever Part 2. It's amazing how this show keeps surprising me. This episode explains why I love Supernatural and why I always will.
Rowena's back! Now that she's not trying to kill the boys, she's definitely more likable. And Sam being the big brother and taking care of Dean was lovely. Poor Dean, weird follows him. But to be honest, it's kind of his wheelhouse.
It was full of Mystery Spot/Yellow Fever moments. Sam reaching the point of being completely done when Dean said "Light stick" or trying to sit him on bed to watch TV. The moment "n-n-n-no Brother! - Witch!" was just hilariously perfect. I expected a verbal battle between them.
Holy mother of Jensen Ackles! He's a freaking legend. What an actor! How come he's not won an Emmy yet? His reaction faces are priceless. He's amazing at exploring the dark side and the funny one. No one ever looked so hot while being slapped.
It was all cool until the bathroom scene. #Who'sDean "My name is Dean Winchester, Sam is my brother, Mary Winchester is my mom, and Cas -Cas is my best friend". Tears in my eyes. It was tragic watching him while his memory was fading away and Sam was tearing up in another room. That mirror scene was the most heartbreaking shit I've seen in a while and he didn't even need to speak. Awesome acting!
And Rowena's confession. I bet Dean remembers all. And the post-it in the grenade launcher. Even without memory, Sam knew it. Damn, Dean's predictable.
"And our best friend's an angel. Whaaaaat!?" has to be my favourite quote. That and "Dory? I'm not gonna apologize for loving that fish. Not to you, not to anyone". Dean's my spirit animal. "A: the Rat Pack partied 'til the day they died. And B: I can still kick your ass". God bless you, Dean.
And Larry the Bull! That montage was awesome, mirroring Eye of the Tiger. That song fits perfectly with Young Dean. Bravo.
Remember, "Now salsa, you mittens". The question to life, the universe and everything. Forget the number 42.
Now I'm an old Marvel comics geek so my opinion might not be completely unbiased I know. Still for that same reason I'm pretty critical about this show and sometime I feel like that is not written that well, though constantly saved by a truly amazing cast, and not only Matt, Foggy, Karen I mean. D'Onofrio too as Kingpin was simply great, but Berthal...oh boy...he delivered a truly unforgettable Punisher.
So, yes sometime screenwriting to me feels a bit lazy, like if writers know they can always rely on great cinematography and a top notch casting to patch everything up and make the whole thing work almost by itself.
But...whatever my opinion can be, you must give up to the fact that Frank Castle monologue was simply one of the best acting performance I have ever seen. Period. And god knows any actor would crawl on its knees to get the chance to play a role with a scene like that. Berthal hopefully will get other chances to show his acting skills again, but honestly sometime such things happen once in a lifetime. In a full long career De Niro had just one "Taxi Driver" mirror monologue. And who knows...it will be not impossible, but quite hard to get another Punisher monolgue like that. Good luck Mr Bernthal...
I believe that I am about to disagree with quite a few people now. You see, I did not like this movie.
Not that this came as much of a surprise to me. What I got was pretty much what I expected. From a technical point of view the movie is quite well done. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart are doing good jobs as always. The action scenes are good. The cinematography is not at all bad. If you are into tragic drama and do not mind the super hero twist of the movie then this is a movie for you. The technical qualities is why this movie gets any stars at all from me. If I would judge it by story only then it would have gotten zero, null, nada, nicths, rien, ingenting.
For me it was depressing, boring and not at all fun to watch. The only reason I watched it is because I, as a X-Men fan, simply had to watch it as well as having it in my collection but I would have been happier it this movie had never been made.
Wolverine is more or less an unpleasant drinking bum clad in filthy ragged clothes. Professor X is half insane and apparently dangerous to himself and the people around him. We get absolutely no explanation as to how this sad state of affairs.
The entire movie is dark in spirit with the X-Men all but died out and Wolverine and Professor X just waiting to die. Then in comes this female child who later turns out to be a female version of Wolverine. She pretty much lacks any form of charisma and she and Wolverine spends almost the entire time in a state of conflict, much due to Wolverine who seems to think everyone should go fuck themselves so that he can continue to self destruct.
The bad guys are the usual evil corporation doing experiments on X-Men, genetics etc. Supposedly they were behind the almost extermination of X-Men but of course they keep their own little army of “enhanced” humans that doggedly harasses Wolverine & Co. There are some nice action sequences but there is really no good overall boss. No one with enough Charisma to take the role of the main adversary unless you count X-24 who only took part in a few parts of the movie.
By the way, why the fuck do Wolverine, Laura as well as X-24 have to grunt like horny monkeys when they fight?
The story is rather predictable with no major surprises, little depth and low on logic. A typical Hollywood drama. Not really anything to write home about.
The movie is just so depressing from start to finish. As a last farewell to Wolverine and Professor X it is almost insulting. I know a lot of people seem to like it but I cannot understand why. At least not if you are a X-Men fan.
This is the Unforgiven of superhero movies, a brutal yet tender portrayal of former heroes growing old. Logan is tired and world weary, waiting for death to take away his pain. Charles is 90, riddled with drugs to mute his mind, his "super weapon." Despite their friendship their relationship is fractured. Into their lives comes a new mutant and a road trip begins.
I don't want to say much more, having given away a little of the premise already explored in the films trailers. This is a tough, violent and sad film with few moments of humour. There is action but not of the blockbuster kind, one key car chase is like something from a 70's thriller.
This is the swan song of Logan and Charles, both actors giving it their all in their final performances as these characters. To bring them back after this film would undermine their work and the story here.
The film is brilliant and I can't recommend it enough - don't expect a traditional X-Men movie and you will be blown away. If the film itself were a mutant I would say its genes had been spliced with Mad Max and Shane, with a little bit of Children of the Corn (and I mean that in a good way). Excelsior!
A much stronger film than the previous Wolverine film, it's nice to have a summer film that doesn't forget to develop the characters and is willing to take the time to do so. Whilst essentially another standalone film from the X-Men films, it does pick up threads from that series and Famke Janssen makes a welcome cameo. The action is rather bloodless given all the blades flying around, but It does feel grounded, which is a welcome change from CGI destruction. Jackman can play this role in his sleep now, but he is great to watch and he has great support here from his largely Japanese cast. The final confrontation is a little anti-climactic and also predictable if the audience has been paying attention, but it doesn't spoil the film. A mid credits teaser is also sure to have the audience smiling in anticipation for the next X-Men film, already undoing some of the damage from The Last Stand in one fell swoop.
Extended Cut : doesn't really change the review but the additions are welcome as they make the fight sequences a little less bloodless. It is difficult to see why anything here was cut, except to maintain a lower rating.
The Five Emojis of X2
:heart_eyes:
Amazing opening sequence, introducing us to one of the more interesting mutants from the comics, Nightcrawler.
With the base set in the previous film, Bryan Singer puts focus on developing characters further and fleshing out the world, while keeping everything interesting by adding new elements, of which the greatest one is the magnificent Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler.
The visuals have been hugely improved from the first film and still look really good.
X2 is a funnier and more exciting film, with higher stakes and a faster tempo.
This film some of the finest scenes in the franchise, such as the opening scene, the assault on Xavier's and the visit to Bobby's parents.
All the regulars are still amazing and we get a lot more beautiful Wolverine action.
Bigger, bolder and more natural action scenes really help make this sequel worth a watch.
Great to see humanity, lead by the tragic Stryker (expertly portrayed by Brian Cox) as the main villain of the film, since that deepens the main theme of the franchise.
The other villains are also more compelling compared to the first one.
Amazing score adds just the right tone to the more intense scenes.
Feels a whole lot more like an X-Men team-up film, with the script allowing the characters to complement each other.
That whole final act by the lake is dragged out but very well-paced, creating one of the stronger finales in the genre.
Incredibly powerful ending.
Hits the right emotional notes by being funny, touching and exciting.
:smiley:
Anna Paquin feels a lot more comfortable and natural as Rogue this time around.
Significantly better paced and divided between the school stuff and the X-Men stuff.
Bobby Drake and Pyro are given bigger roles and complete the cast in smaller roles.
Cool to see the uneasy alliance between Magneto and the X-Men as well as the build-up to the the third film.
:neutral_face:
The film kind of forgets about Storm, Cyclops and Jean for large parts.
Mystique still isn't particularly interesting.
Nightcrawler is sadly undetutilized.
:frowning2:
:face_vomiting:
The Final Emoji: :heart_eyes:
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘Scream 3’:
I hesitated rating this entry a 9, but it’s definitely somewhat inferior to the first two… HOWEVER, not by much AND there’s a lot it gets right. It pays homage to the original in more ways than the second did. The character development is on point. Sid gets some great moments (“I’ve heard this shit before!”). And the ending is literally perfection. The series truly could have ended here, with the biggest and most beautiful bow on top.
What might make it feel inferior is that it felt a little too Hollywood, with its rando cameos and over-the-top scenes and plot points (that voice changer is quite a stretch). But this could be excused by the fact that Hollywood is a big part of this chapter, and that this series is ALL about making movies. In the end, it gives the franchise a fresher feel… something sequels tend to fail remarkably at.
Another reason why it doesn’t reach the heights of the last two is the supporting cast (minus Parker Posey, of course). But the truth is, our legacy trio are the heart and soul of this franchise. Every other new face, since the original, will always and forever pale in comparison.
Bonus Thought: Roger Jackson is an icon. This whole series would be nothing without his Ghostface voice.
This movie could be so much better, I am not saying it is a bad one but here is THE one point that made me feel extremely uncomfortable:
This part is going to sound like a pure rant mostly because someone has to explain to me how the hell Darwin's death is within logic? Let me get you see the serious flaw of logic here. Darwin's supernatural power is making him to adapt to anything. He can literally adapt to everything and anything. One time his powers realized that it would be so dangerous to fight with the Hulk so they ended up teleporting him to another country. Another time he became a cosmic ball of energy and then rematerialized as a human being to you know.. not die? And another time he was shot with a gun that was made to kill anything that has a nervous system, and you know what he did, turned into a freaking sponge. He literally touched a goddess of death once and his powers turned him into a death god himself to prevent his death. And after all of these, seeing him die because of a pathetic ball of kinetic energy from Shaw? Seriously guys, am I the only person who sees the flaw here? They killed the mutant whose power is about nothing but SURVIVAL. And Shaw says "Adapt to this"?? well, he should have been able to! I will never get over his death, in my mind he turned into an energy ball and ascended to another existence so he would not have to deal with this nonsense.. okay, rant over.
Thank you for reading my rant.
It's seems this movie has garnered a lot of hate, I can say that as a person who use to hate Ben Affleck with a burning passion (No clue why really) He's been pumping out movies that are making me like him. I'll admit that yes this movie needs to kinda get its timeline straightened out or at least use the 2 hours to maybe explain things better or maybe run 2 hours and 30 mins for some more explanation the ending feels way too rushed. Now as for a shooting movie goes it's not bad I've seen better and I've defiantly seen worse honestly it works out for me I enjoyed it. Brax being the brother I caught pretty fast I think we all did, I also think they should have not made it so obvious until the moment they meet more suspense that way Some good actors overall with some B-rated actors throw in cause you know budget or whatever.
Over all:
Story: 7/10- Kid with a form of autism becomes the most bad ass accountant and elite assassin! can you get any better than that? Nah, but maybe if you put the time skips in a nicer order, change some of the scenes around and explained some more stuff this would be a better film.
Visuals: 8/10- Who doesn't like the outdoors so outdoorsy that you can shoot off your sniper rifle at a miles distance without anyone complaining so backwoods that shit, you name your company ZZZ and you laundry money through a fucking laundry mat! wtf
Over all, anyone who doesn't like this film is either not a big fans of guns blazing films or isn't a big fan of the story. Like I've said the story needs work but I still like this movie.. Adding it to my very very very small list of movies that star ben that I like
wow. thist was unexpected. this movie is greaT!!!. if you love oceans and have nothing against women. then youre gonna have a blast.
it manages not to be a re-hash of the original. it REMINDS you of the original. and adds its feminist touch.
the performances are mostly great. and rihanna of alll people.... believable performances!!!
the presentation cinematography. all top notch.
there is an ocean tag on the movie. so yes. there will be some automatic comparisons with the movie. and it just barely does not live up to the original. but its right there.
what it lacks is a bit chemistry. and some of the lovely ladies are underused. mindy kaling especially. she is underused!! . could have been better. but wont dissapoint for sure. im going to see o11,12,13 all over again now.
there was also a tiny issue where it just seemed weird that danny ocean(george clooney) is dead and now her sister is mourning her. the thing is she is added later in writing and its difficult to believe it and u simply miss george clooney
there are some genuine twists of the "oceans" standard. it will be like . HAHA GOTCHA. its cute. and you can just have fun in that.
will repeat, all performances are superb and movie is watchable alone for that. the writing is smart. music is perfect.
hate to bring up that movie. but this is not a Ghostbusters 2016 nonsense which ive read somewhere. this is a great movie. and ghostbusters 2016 was a disaster.
please go watch in theatres!! we need to support such films with ensemble cast and fun themes. ocean's 9!!!
[7.8/10] I absolutely love Michael trying to prove that he is, in fact, charitable, and then inadvertently freaking out and kidnapping a complete stranger. As I’ve said before, the show does such a great job of setting everything up with Michael’s little car escapade, from the skeleton, nail polish, and burnt seats serving the multiple purposes of making it look like the car a serial killer would drive and showing how George Sr. was right that his kids would treat the car poorly.
The whole escapade with finding the car is very amusing. And there’s even something mildly sweet about Michael bidding on his sister when realizing that she, however half-heartedly, tried to do actual good in the wetlands. (Though I’ll admit to getting a big laugh out of Lucille’s “You’re not supposed to go as the wetlands” line.)
GOB trying to break into the permit office and eventually “delegating” to George Michael was good for a laugh. Plus all the bits with them negotiating over the rights to Mr. Banagrabber are outstanding.
Last but not least, I continue to enjoy the Buster/Lucilles storyline. Again, it’s the perfect setup and payoff with Buster finally being able to follow directions, only to accidentally deliver the “grand romantic gesture” that Lucille has been waiting for.
Overall, tons of laughs and well-written comedy in this one.
The Boys does its job best when they jab at mockery of how the show biz operates. The first thing Vought does then they know that Queen Maeve is bi is to capitalize it: make her sexuality as a performance in their newest movie. But not only that; they need to make Maeve not just a bi, but a lesbian, and her partner - Elena - has to be made to wear men's fashion. Because "lesbian is a bit more easy to sell" and "Americans are more accepting of gay when they are in clear-cut gender role relationship". Companies like Vought, like its real-life counterpart (Disney), cares much more about how something sells than the nuance behind it. This parody is even funnier considering that they have a Jon Favreau look-a-like and a guy named Joss (Whedon?) who handle the Dawn of Seven movie production.
Aside from that, the episode continues the tense relationship between Starlight and Stormfront, and we start to see how Stormfront attempts to pull strings to maintain her position in The Seven.
Two things I notice though: the part where Homelander murdered a bunch of civilian in the public, that turns out to be an imagination feels a bit like cop-out, however it is interesting that it parallels Hughie's frustration when he lost Robin back in the first eps. of Season 1. The way Noir and Butcher confrontation is handled also feels a bit too easy, especially after the big build up about them being Vought most wanted in earlier episode.
:pray_tone2:63% = Fine! = Skippable!
Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!
THE ONE WITH THE ALBINO SIMON PEGG!
The Long Game is a satire on the media and a commentary on technological advancement, both themes that are prevalent in Series 1. It has a similar aura to Vengeance on Varos, but it’s not quite as bleak. It also seeks to teach us about the responsibilities of time travel and the consequences of misusing it.
Christopher Eccleston continues to show interesting sides of his Doctor, such as when he decides to break the Laws of Time to try and help a future civilisation improve, or when he determinedly throws Adam out. Billie Piper is also on a roll, so it's a pity that this one is so focused on Bruno Langely's unlikeable and idiotic Adam. Though having Adam be the one who wanders off and gets himself into trouble allows Rose to stay with the Doctor, where she is at her best,.
Simon Peggg is deliciously campy as the Editor, one of the more memorable Eccleston-era villains. Christine Adams is good as Cathcica, a likeable and intelligent supporting character.
From the beginning, it is evident that Nine and Rose share a close bond and primarily use Adam for amusement, as evidenced by the Doctor assisting Rose in demonstrating her time-traveling abilities to Adam. Nine also treats Adam much like Mickey, and at times much worse. This inadvertently makes Adam feel unimportant and prompts him to make a foolish choice that leads to his expulsion from the TARDIS. I know I should feel bad for him, but I don't because I have never been able to stand his nosy and attention-seeking persona.
Oh, Russell and his silly aliens. The Jagrafess is hardly one of his most memorable or effective ones (a blob with teeth hanging from the ceiling) and is overshadowed by the Editor despite being the main baddie of the story.
I quite like the Satellite 5 setting. It feels more lively and crowded than a lot of space station sets in early Modern Who, and you can clearly feel the contrast between the upper levels and the lower levels. The filming and editing techniques further enhance the authenticity of the setting. Despite the dated CGI, the production design maintains its exceptional quality.
Parts of this give me The Macra Terror or The Krotons vibes, in how unsuspecting people are used by their masters for nefarious purposes, only for the Doctor to shake up this power balance.
The Long Game is surprisingly slow. It manages to move the main plot of Level 500 forward while also developing the Adam-enteric B-plot without rushing things. It takes time to build the atmosphere and set up the encounter between Nine and the Editor.
The Long Game delivers a climax that swiftly escalates, failing to evoke a genuine sense of tension or dread prior to the fleeting resolution of the threat. The real climax, however, is the fallout of Adam's actions, which serves to show that this incarnation of the Doctor takes his work very seriously (and that final shot is priceless).
This is the first story in Doctor Who where the Doctor explicitly kicks the current TARDIS companion out of the TARDIS due to their bad behaviour.
The troubled production of this episode contributed to the introduction of the companion-lite and Doctor-lite episodes that were commonplace during the RTD and early Moffat eras.
We will return to Satellite 5, the setting for this episode, later on in this season, in a narrative development similar to the one from The Ark in Space to Revenge of the Cybermen or the first half of The Ark to the second half of it.
Keen-eyed viewers might notice that this episode has been shot on the same set as The End of the World. That's a cost-cutting measure for you!
Unless you're a devoted fan, The Long Game is mostly a typical, skippable filler episode, raising some good points and looking great in places.
Amy's very intimate, very close story explains her personal involvement in the case.
Women sometimes have difficult situations simply because they are women. It is a fact.
Men are sometimes accused by a woman who lies. That's another fact.
I was amused (and by "amused" I mean "I found it disappointing, especially considering this is Brooklyn 9-9") that at NO time, NONE of them suggested "hey, since the whole company says he's a good guy, and 3 years of e-mails suggest the same thing, is it POSSIBLE that the chick is lying?". Nope. None. 20 minutes they have needed to address this issue in such a perfect way. I'll take the "we can be different and still champion the same cause" (accurate), the "this stuff has happened to literally every woman I know", and the "every time I think I understand how bad it is, it's so much worse than I imagined". I can understand that from ignorance and misinformation the thought is "it's impossible for it to happen that much because it would be horrible" but it just is, it just happens as often as it's told. Less denial and more fighting all together against this, because as Amy says, to a greater or lesser extent, it has happened to all the women I know. All of them.
Good for Jake admitting his ignorance and wanting to learn, which is the important thing. And, of course, them for telling and having to deal and live with it. It's a no-brainer for those who are aware, but new people will always come along and that's why it's important for the series to address these issues. You can talk about it and you can make humor without being offensive. Brooklyn Nine-Nine proving, once again, that it is a great series.
Anyway, it was good.
Ah, Kokomo revival, perfect little detail in the Don't Look Up-ish finale.
This series is "tiny" but cozy, comforting and heartwarming in its simplicity, tho not banal, not trying to force laughter nor surrendering to cliché. There were lovely moments, characters grew closer and worked, interacted and learned as a team with a nice camaraderie. In each episode there are little bits, small jokes and puns and physical comedy - but in a chill way, not having to fill every single bit with attempts at funny situations or over-dragged jokes, all without taking itself too seriously.
The team spirit and subplots, friendships (Tony and Chan tops the season) and mentoring (Adrian and Chan, Adrian and Erin), small moments (like the father-daughter sweet scene on the couch in ep. 3, or Tony protecting Chan) inside jokes - take over the crave to be funny at any cost. They seem to prefer creating an atmosphere, a place you wish to see back rather than feeding endless jokes or comedy bits to the audience - and I appreciate it.
I have a hard time finding shows that aren't either too gritty/realistic, or bland and predictable on the other side. This one is a good balance of relaxing after a long day, without getting dazed by stuff, jokes and situations you've watched a thousand times on a thousand shows and sitcoms.
Hope they will return for season 3
Wisely retaining the visual aesthetic of Azkaban, albeit with a little more colour, this does lack the visual flourishes and background details that characterised the previous entry. The filmmakers have also recognised the need to streamline Rowling’s novels and keep the focus largely on Harry, though Brendan Gleeson is also a great addition to the secondary characters as Moody. It’s a shame then that a large portion of the plot focuses on a tournament that offers very little except some fun set pieces and the coming of age themes involving teenage jealousy, friendship difficulties and attraction don’t feel as integrated into the plot as last time. Part of the problem is that much of this feels largely inconsequential to the impending return of Voldemort. His return has been teased for three entries and right from the start, it’s clear the film is building to it. Fortunately, the final portion of the film doesn’t disappoint and Ralph Fiennes is deliciously arrogant, evil and appears to be having a great time. There is an intensity and ultimately a sadness to the end of the film as the central trio are faced with mortality and death that takes the series forward into more uncertain times and a recognition that a darker more adult world awaits them beyond the seemingly safe confines of their environment.
Harry and friends return for a second term, where they're quickly caught up in a long-standing plot to rid the school of so-called "impure" students. Between the celebrated, absurdly deep cast, the charming, nuanced world at large and the constant manipulations of a shadow-clad foil, this picture had an awful lot going for it right out of the gates... so why does it feel like we're just treading water? A large swath of The Chamber of Secrets seems inessential and redundant, which isn't to say it's without merit, just that it could be using this time to fry much larger fish. Did we need to reinforce the idea that Harry's adoptive parents are cruel people? Didn't our hero avoid an attempt on his life on the Quidditch pitch last time around? For that matter, wasn't the entire endgame eerily similar in the preceding installment? Too much time smelling the roses when there's a fire down the block.
Of course, it's not all bad news. The CGI, though still not without the occasional hiccup, has vastly improved since the last picture. That doesn't excuse the force-fed inclusion of an all-digital supporting character, but at least these appearances are kept mercifully short and to-the-point. Although it's the longest installment in the Harry Potter franchise, this chapter skims along at a strict pace and feels much shorter than it actually is. Though seemingly inconsequential as a whole, the plot does drop frequent hints at a darker side of the Hogwarts mythos before, ultimately, allowing such things to continue lurking in obscurity. It shows promise in spades, and will certainly capture the hearts and minds of the younger audiences it's primarily there for, but more demanding viewers will likely find it too thin and sugary for serious digestion.
Hogwarts. A boarding school where children...:
– Are placed in four different houses and pitted against each other.
– Learn how to fly in a broom, without any safety measures and supervised only by an incompetent professor.
– Are rewarded every time they break any rule.
– Are allowed to play a brutal sport in which serious injuries are quite frequent.
– Are punished by being sent to an "strictly off-limits" forest at midnight. (I wonder what would be the punishment for wandering in the Dark Forest without permission...).
– Are scored through all the year, earning or losing points for their houses... only to have the least scoring house win at the last minute, because of 4 people.
Seriously. What's with the House Cup? How many students are there in Hogwarts? 200, 400? The whole Gryffindor scored something like 360 points in the whole year. But since our trio decided to go on a (completely forbidden and extremely dangerous) adventure, they are rewarded with an extra 170 points and win. From 4th to 1st. If I were any of the other students, I'd feel betrayed, to say the least.
What's worse, there wasn't any need for the adventure. The stone was actually well protected, Quirrell couldn't get it from the mirror. So... well done, guys.
:zany_face:
One of the best "pilot" episodes I've seen. This episode is a great introduction of the show's principal team of Matt, Foggy and Karen. Introducing Karen as a victim of the underbelly of cop corruption, while Matt and Foggy work to right the wrongs of society as lawyers is a great setup to the premise of the show. Together the three underdogs willn work together to help the injustices of the law. Matt as Daredevil will be the hero who helps those who cannot defend themselves from the corrupt underbelly of the city.
This first episode feels more like an opening chapter of a great book, than a pilot episode that is just testing the waters. "Into the Ring" jumps head first into the water and swims with a strong and crisp story, that does not leave a single minute of screentime or dialogue to aimlessly wander. Each shot, each word is a much needed brick in the foundation of the show (in story, background, character, visual style and expectations for the shows amazing fight scenes, which Charlie Cox is supurve at).
Favs: The friendship between Matt and Foggy, and the ease with which Foggy talks about Matt's blindness to the point of joking about it.; Matt's softness with Karen as he works to gain her trust, even when he knows she is lying and hiding something from him.
As a completist, I'm forced to type up something about "The Avengers". Here goes. It's big, it's fun, it's bright, it's exciting, it's funny. There. All done. Hmmm...that doesn't seem complete really.
The most compelling characters are the Hulk and Iron Man. The Hulk is great here. But, and this is going to earn me zero comic book geek points, I find Ang Lee's Hulk monster more appealing. In that movie, you can knock him on his ass and shoot him up. He takes a second or two to shake it off and then he comes back for more. The "Hulk smash" scenes in that movie are intense and real. In "The Avengers", he's just another indestructible super-thing. Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner character is much preferable to Eric Bana's, though.
Robert Downey Jr. is once again perfect as Tony Stark. He wisecracks and outsmarts plenty here and is the one who holds the whole thing together.
Captain America seems a bit under powered being that Thor is effectively a god. They try to add a superpower for Cap with the shield, but he's relegated to fighting with the other second-tier Avengers crew. Speaking of Thor, he misses out on a lot here. Like Superman, he's just too powerful.
For as many characters as there are, everyone has their moments. The story does feel a bit under told, but the movie is so viscerally exciting and bombastic that the lack of clever or emotionally impacting moments can be forgiven. This is an ideal summer blockbuster.
I don't know how many times I've seen this film but it never gets old, just gets better.
Robert Zemeckis has done a great job on this film. The film tells a story of a not so bright guys life and all the adventures he takes, the events that take place in his life, people he meets on the way, and his best friend that he grows up with Jenny.
They were like peas and carrots.
It shows you that he runs like the wind blows and It's got a bit of every genre, bit everything for everyone, It sets of sad and happy emotions, It's quotes are beautiful and always gives off positive vibes and good advice.
The picture in this film shows how beautiful are world really is, shows there's much more to explore and I think all actors did fantastic and had great chemistry, Also Tom Hanks showed off a great performance to show how great he is as an actor and he's proven that in future films ahead of this film.
I was sad that they've not made a book on this film, would love to read other than watch as the book they’ve based it on was about a guy called Forrest Gump that crashed landed on an island, where he was captured by cannibals but only the name Forrest Gump followed.
Life is like a box of chocolates because you don't know what you're gonna get. Well I'm glad i got to see this film for the first time years back because It's honestly a film to watch before you die and the best film I’ve ever seen.
From the comments here I think people are missing out the idea I think is behind the movie and it's actually a good one.
The level below doesn't exist. I think Goreng died at the bottom and threw the Panna Cotta because the rules of not keeping the food should still apply but didn't, as part of his illusion. The little girl couldn't survive the last level and was too clean for the place, also an illusion.
I think she's the Panna Cotta, which found it's way up and we see it in one of the earlier scenes, where the head chef tried to find whose hair is on the dish.
Goreng thought that his message doesn't need a messenger, that it will be clear - but it was missed. The administration, which I think is a analogy to God which is mentioned a few times in the movie and at every level the question of belief is asked, misses the whole point of it and is clueless to the pain and the suffering of the people below (Imoguiri worked for them, didn't know what the people really go through and thought there are only 250 levels).
They make everyone their favorite food of the highest quality and they probably think it's enough for everyone because each one should get his. The people being people, take more than they should or have to and as a result there's only enough food for the first 50 levels and the familiar hierarchy (the rich take most of the food that can be enough for everyone).
I'm very torn over the original Star Trek series. I'm too young for it; I grew up in the 1980s with the original cast films - which I loved and still do - but my real adoration for Trek began with The Next Generation and then especially Deep Space Nine. The original Star Trek is a very different show from any of that, and I have to look at it with a different mindset to try and appreciate it. I don't have any nostalgia colouring my view.
To put it bluntly, it's horribly dated and oftentimes difficult to watch or enjoy. It's campy and looks very cheap. BUT, it's saving grace is how good the actors, writing and characters are. They brought the show to life, and at points made it a complete joy. For the time it was made it did incredible things with progressive storytelling and strong special effects.
I'm never going to love the original series, or even really get it. It's not my Star Trek, but it has its place in history and that can't be denied. I feel it got it chance to shine when it moved into the film format (conversely, TNG and the rest of the franchise worked far better on TV than as films).
