pmitsi-1 Reviews

The Holdovers (2023)

The best film of the year!

[10/10 · 31 December 2023]

I have just watched the best film of the year!

There is nothing to dislike here. Performances, story, settings, music, atmosphere, meanings are all there - wonderfully performed.

One of the movies that displays all the dramatic and painful realities of life without withholding the abundant humor and joy that every situation can give.

To be honest, I would not mind watching a sequel!

Without giving away anything of the plot, I would like to find out what happened next and how those characters went on.

I know it is already nominated for many Golden Globes.

It would be a complete robbery if it will not be also nominated for at least the same number of Oscars.

Good Witch: A Perfect Match: Part 1 (2016) Season 2, Episode 9

How Tara became so irritating?

[7/10 · 15 July 2023]

I liked this episode but I am really tired of the plotlines involving Tara!

She became the one character in the series that every episode she is worried/upset/sad/hurt/annoyed etc. By a reason a third grade kid would find ridiculous.

• upset she might was pregnant
• then upset because she was not pregnant.

• then sad because she was relieved
• then for some reason angry to hubby because he was also relieved (she was allowed, he not, apparently)
• driving him crazy in the house
• driving him crazy for having visitors
• busting his... patience because she was jealous of them
• crying because she stopped her PhD
• crying because her mother left her... 1 million years ago
• etc
• etc

I really hope she leaves the series.

Write Before Christmas (2019 TV Movie)

I could not stand her.

[1/10 · 19 December 2022]

I am surprised that this has a rating almost equal to 7/10!

How could I watch a film with a leading character so.... stupid?!

I know this is a Christmas movie but even in these films that we do not really to expect to see something totally believable or even total fantasy.

However the... heroine is not taken by the season spirit, she is not trying to be positive, she is not trying to cheer out she is just totally and unbelievably stupid.

She is the reason I could not proceed with the film.

She is obviously misreading practically everyone around her and she speaks thought thinking most of the time and I believe the reason she does that is because she cannot think!

I found myself totally disliking her instead of empathizing therefore I just stopped watching it.

Unless if you are 12 year old or below then avoid this one at any cost.

Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater (2020 TV Movie)

Sorry, but the 'my dad is a soldier' theme was repeated too times too many.

[5/10 · 10 December 2022]

The plot was okay, the cast adorable but I believe they oversold the 'my dad is a soldier' theme way too many times.

I have the outmost respect for people who risk their lives and spend holidays away from their families, but having that kid saying every five minutes 'my dad is not here for Christmas' made me feel that something was being pushed down my throat...

To be honest, I could even see it in the actors performances that what they were saying on that topic was sugar covered clichés.

That theme would be fine for a children movie, but this is supposed to be for general audiences....

Please don't use movies for preaching.

Dashing in December (2020 TV Movie)

Totally recommended

[7/10 · 26 November 2022]

A good old-fashioned feel-good Christmas movie with an obvious twist. It is nice, easy to watch, not a second overlong or overdramatic, and just... perfect for a lazy afternoon or evening that you wanna spend indoors either alone or with company.

Yes, it is not 'It's A Wonderful Life' or 'The Christmas Story', but watching it it would make your heart warm. Maybe, in the same way that when you were little you were enjoying the festive season for more than the days off school, the sweets and the gifts: for that special type of magic that almost disappears once you reach puberty.

In any case, if you want to enjoy an evening without over-analyzing. Overthinking and over...something, this is your find. Enjoy!

My Salinger Year (2020)

Good film to watch on a rainy day

[8/10 · 17 October 2022]

When I heard about this film I was intrigued by the inclusion of the famous reclusive author in its title and the fact that it involved a person trying to become a writer, both of which I usually like a in good film. Having checked both the viewer ratings and critical reviews - which clearly pointed out that this would not be one of those movies that do not deliver what their titles promise - I decided to watch it.

I was not disappointed. It has an easy flowing and interesting plot, engaging characters that live the scene they are playing in, either this is one of 21 in the entire film, and it delivers it promise: An inside in both the writers' world and to the life of the person in the title.

It is one of those films base on true stories and persons that makes you to check the basic facts and how did they eventually turn out. One of the assets of the film is that it does not alter the story. It does though leaves certain things out.

Now what I did not enjoy in the story: The stereotypes about the leading character that we have seen in a million other films and which could be easily removed:

For example, when she was found out she was violating a series of rules and laws by replying to the funs, but she is still not getting fired because the boss sees she is special blub bluh bluh. I personally find that part about 'I am so special I will break the rule and I will get away with it', both insulting to the young persons watching the film and also potentially dangerous for their future or current employments.

Also that despite being obviously self-confident and strong-minded she has a boyfriend that belittles her in an astonishing degree and still believes that nothing series happened (if the boyfriend is that stupid AND arrogant, then what we think of her is not true either). I guess this was in order to keep the demographic of persons with a streak of bad choices to watch the film - not to feel intimidated by the eventual success of the leading character.

Murdoch Mysteries: Patriot Games (2022) Season 15, Episode 18

A nice episode

[9/10 · 21 September 2022]

A nice episode with one but very interesting plotline where the culprit is not immediately guessed.

Many elements make your heart warm, such as the Brackenreid couple's interactions which are lighthearted as funny, like in the good old days in the first seasons, the purity of Crabtree that lands him a dinner that few at the time would be invited to and the short but delightful dialogues involving Detective Watts and Terence Meyers.

Something that I have seen in Trivia and has to be made clear: The music heard when we are introduced to the Russian agent was not composed in 1957 for Disney's film 'Sleeping Beauty'. Disney actually adopted it from the classical ballet of the same name. Therefore, is not an anachronism.

Murdoch Mysteries: It's a Wonderful Game (2022) Season 15, Episode 16

Inconsistent

[6/10 · 19 September 2022]

Young Harry's mother is alive but Julia openly says he's her son.

Young Harry was slightly less annoying than before, but he is still not a character I like in the series.

Mr. Carmichael is a wealthy and powerful man, but he needs his totally controlling/abusive wife (that made him a junkee in the first place) to give him his dose? Actually, nothing is believable about the way she trapped him and sill has him in her hand.

Cassiopeia is an obnoxious character from her first scene. It is annoying both to see her over and over again and also the fact that Mrs. Hart has allowed her to be around so far.

The character of Jack Walker deserved better treatment. To be honest, I have started to dislike Milo Strange the moment he convinced a police detective to sneak illegally into a show. He would be disgraced if he got caught - you don't risk the wellbeing of your loved ones.

I am becoming one of those fans who keep missing the episode format of the first seasons, with only one plotline and with less sneak views on the constabulary's men lives.

To say something positive: I do like the use of Crabtree's character - even he has less screen time than before and - and the cameo of the real life basketball coach.

Also, I liked the dialogues, especially when they describe how childhood friends grew apart and ironically became worst enemies.

I wish by the end of this season the ... abundance of annoying characters (e.g. Cassiopeia, the lunatic twins, Mr. Fellows, Mrs. Hart) is reduced.

Murdoch Mysteries: The Lady Vanishes (2021) Season 15, Episode 9

Get the rid of the Newsomes!

[5/10 · 18 September 2022]

Every episode that involves the new family of Constable Higgins is at times entertaining but at times irritating as h**l.

We came to appreciate the qualities of the unassuming constable and enjoy (most of the time) the twists of his wife which prove there is always more than meets the eye with her.

However, her brothers (played by the same actor), are just pathetic and irritating without an entertainment element for me. Lucinda, is the same, multiplied times ten!

This episode initially raised my hopes that the characters would somehow improve, since we see Newsome indicating some common sense and even brave features in the first few scenes. All these are gone by the end of the episode that we see he is the same individual.

I would had preferred if Lucinda was indeed murdered - it would be deserved if that had happened in her own plan gone wrong and, maybe, having a somehow wiser husband behind, or that husband leaving the place (and the series) for good!

Instead of that, as with the twin sisters who haunt poor George, we know the entire Newsome family will remain for future episodes...

I believe that the series accumulated too many irritating characters. They should leave.

Murdoch Mysteries: Love or Money (2021) Season 15, Episode 5

Out of character

[6/10 · 14 September 2022]

I don't agree with the approach of promoting personas such as Aunt Zinnia as likeable. She is a crook and unscrupulous, taking peoples' money and humiliating them, and this makes the sympathetic approach of Murdoch, Watts and Brackenreid to her as out of character.

The same I can claim for Julia's director. He have seen him following the evidence of Julia's actions, despite initially disagreeing with her, and eventually thanking her for saving the hospital's reputation from the gutters. Here, the director directly ignored the obvious evidence that the other doctor was criminally wrong, and that Julia saved the woman's life and demanded for her to apologize, also ignoring the fact that the said doctor went into the surgery room during the operation, putting the patient's life yet again in danger.

Despite that I have seen this episode described as 'fan' I did not enjoy it the least and I hope the writers will not put the protagonists sympathizing crooks ever again.

Murdoch Mysteries: Manhunt (2021) Season 15, Episode 3

A nice old-fashion episode

[8/10 · 13 September 2022]

A nice old-fashion episode, like the likes that were the norm in the first few seasons of this series, since here there is one strictly defined central story arc and any other scenes are minor and not very related with the plot line. The whodunit element is very good developed and is one of the few times that... the responsible party completely escaped my attention.

On top of that I will also say that the conclusion of the particular episode is satisfying, but I would like to see some other plotlines from the last season concluded. I don't mind occasionally to have stories that continue in two episodes, but too many of them will make this a soap opera. I am more of a fan of the traditional one story at the time, format.

Murdoch Mysteries: The Things We Do for Love: Part 2 (2021) Season 15, Episode 2

Annoying elements

[7/10 · 13 September 2022]

• Dt. Watts empathizes for a family that was faking and lying from the very first scene of episode 1. They all belonged in the cells.

• The abused wife goes back and murders her husband after she put her whole family in a mess to get away. What is the point of it?

• Both lunatic sisters escape - so we would have to endure that ridiculous story arc even more!?

• Dt. Murdoch got out of character twice. He had made a child before marriage after so many seasons about his chastity. And then we learn he went back on his word - something he had never done even when talking to the worse of the worse.

• For some reason I could not get into liking of his son. The is an entitlement in that boys manners that made me actually dislike him.

• After so many fuss about Anne Furlong, we deserved at least a glimpse of her or a direct token of he being alive. I would expect her to directly contact Murdoch once she was in NY, since he was supposedly with her son.

• The script writers went into so much fuss to make Mrs. Hart a character that we can slightly relate to. And then make her a fully-fletched psychopath, sociopath and I believe she will soon become a merciless killer.

• To be fair, there are some elements that I did like:

(a) The counter-art of George Crabtree that helps Murdoch.

(b) The fact that they did not give the story with Julia's patient a fairytale ending. Too many pleasing conclusions would make these two episodes even worse.

(c) That Inspector's son is incorrigible. It would be very unreal if all the relatives of all the main characters are model citizens. This is the same reason that I welcomed the fact that both Murdoch and Watts had sisters that so many issues that pushed them to completely abandon their families and then show zero amount of regret.

Murdoch Mysteries: Everything is Broken: Part Two (2021) Season 14, Episode 11

This series could also be about all George Crabtree!

[9/10 · 13 September 2022]

Despite that I do not always enjoy cliffhangers, I found this episode very satisfying.

The fact that the all too clever and direct girlfriend of Constable Crabtree failed to see what her boyfriend (who is wrongly perceived as her intellectually superior) recognized immediately, is yet another indicator that the character arc of George Crabtree may be the most significant in the series.

Detective Murdoch, the namely protagonist, is enjoyable and interesting, but I believe that his character did not really progressed through the series, maybe because he was admittedly very whole and settled on his way and manners from the start.

Then you have Crabtree, a character that was introduced as a deem witted sidekick with the primary role of emphasizing the superior intellectuality of Dt. Murdoch and for comic relief. As the episodes and seasons started to increase we started seeing that the constable was maybe simplistic, but not so naïve, that he has deductive reasoning strong enough as to solve puzzles even before his superiors and also that he was slowly yet steadily gaining respect as their equal.

An obvious sign that his character was progressing was when they started casted characters (such as Henry) that emphasized his qualities even more. Even though the story arc of Crabtree becoming detective led not to that result, it still indicated to the viewer that he already had all the qualities to become one, even if his misguided morals cost him that chance.

I conclude, therefore, that in terms of character development, the real protagonist of the series is Constable Crabtree.

Murdoch Mysteries: The Future is Unwritten (2020) Season 13, Episode 18

A very good episode

[8/10 · 11 September 2022]

Apparently some fans did not like this episode and I am not one of them.

It manages to close many story arcs - some of them having started in previous seasons - with a believable and pleasing way.

Also, maybe I do not agree with all the decisions but I do understand why they were taken.

Last, but not least, I liked the apparent philosophical theme of the episode that we should first try to understand and then pass judgments and make convictions.

I understand that the source of the 'disappointment' of at least some of the fans may be the homosexual story arcs. If that is the case, then those fans should better leave the series and pursue ones that is more supportive of their... lets say life philosophies.

Murdoch Mysteries: Staring Blindly into the Future (2020) Season 13, Episode 11

Enjoyable, but somehow disappointing also.

[7/10 · 10 September 2022]

Ever since Mrs. Pendrick was revealed as the real villain more than 10 seasons ago and then escaped, I was waiting when she would made her re-appearance.

The plot to have her kidnapping the most brilliant minds of the world becomes her - one of the few persons to have tricked Murdoch in the series.

However, the Mrs Pendrick in the first series was a multi-dimensional villain, changing facets all the time (sweet, deductive, emotional, intellectual, etc). Her re-emergence is more like a one-dimensional ruthless villain. I believe the script writers wrote this episode in a hurry.

To be fair, though, the portrayal of the real life geniuses and their interactions with the cast was enjoyable enough as to make the episode a good one.

PS: What happened to Mr. Pendrick?

The Great Christmas Switch (2021 TV Movie)

Idiotic plot

[3/10 · 27 December 2021]

I am getting tired of films whose plot is based on a an idiotic decision. They could easily avoid all these conception (breaking a dozen of laws being the least of it) by just telling the truth. Since the hubby and kids would be away and since Kay would be de facto substituting for her sister in her job what would be easier than just telling to their family/job that they would be exchanging homes with their sister? I gave it a 3/10 only for... I don't know. The plot deserves a zero.

Hailey Dean Mystery: Hailey Dean Mysteries: Killer Sentence (2019) Season 1, Episode 9

Unrealistically Naive

[8 February 2021]

I have been watching a lot of the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries in the past few months (too much time on my hands because of the Covid measures and restrictions, I guess) and I find this the most interesting for 2 reasons: a) it is more realistic for a former DA to be able to solve crime mysteries than, for example, a librarian, a lecturer or a cook!(?), and b) Hailey Dean suits better for the part rather than other sugar-coated heroines.

This particular episode I found a bit unrealistic, and thus less easy, to follow mainly due to the character of Paulina.

It is hard for me to believe that a person with so much lack of good judgment can end up in a DA position (even if there are real-life examples of that, I guess).

She was stalking an ex convict... She was messing up her job... In the very first scene of this episode we see her being reprimanded on the phone by her superior in frond of her staff... She is naïve enough to believe that when they found the murder weapon in her car her former member of her staff (Alex) was coming to exonerate her...

At some point I stopped empathizing with her. I was thinking that a person as incompetent as she maybe it is not so bad to be stripped of her duties.

The Blacklist: Gordon Kemp (No. 158) (2020) Season 7, Episode 15

An insult to the viewers' IQ

[1/10 · 21 November 2020]

Having a person like Redington preaching against violence is like having Hitler preaching against war.

As every other fan of the series I am fascinated by Red's character idiosyncrasies, but I believe in this episode the writers went ahead of themselves, maybe in order to gain sympathy from viewers who are against gun possession.

This is not a philosophy class, but a criminal who killed so many persons using illegally purchased guns to shoot down a person who sells guns legally is not what I call just, fair or even logical. Just a propaganda intended for those who have a low IQ.

By the way, I am against gun possession.

The Blacklist: Newton Purcell (No. 144) (2020) Season 7, Episode 13

Prelude of two dislikeable characters leaving the series

[2/10 · 21 November 2020]

Certainly not the strongest episode - after a series of super-villains who produce genocides here we have a guy who just hates noise!

However, one great positive IMO is that it prepares us for the leave of two annoying characters - Elodie and Alina Parks.

In my book, Elodie is already heinous, but poor Aram sees the light only after he realizes she can be deceitful (I guess the fact that she was de facto cheating on her husband the whole time went over his head).

About Agent Parks, she never fit into the series. So, I am willing to oversee the fact that here they have her contradicting her self for the 100th time in her short stay in the series: She didn't want to break the rules and now she is the one breaking them and then being cheeky about it. Don't get me wrong, she is right to say that to Liz, but her being in the team for, 10 seconds or so, constantly criticizing it, I believe was the way of the writers to make her kick-out of the series more smooth.

Well. At least they have done it!

The Blacklist: Victoria Fenberg (No. 137) (2020) Season 7, Episode 11

Why Elodie is still in the show? Why Aram is so stupid?

[21 November 2020]

I am surprised the writers keep Elodie after so many fans (me included) disliked her.

Plus, Aram has proven to do a lot of idiotic mistakes despite his intelligence through-out the show - giving a death warrant to the love of his life only one of them. The man just doesn't get the message: Be careful what information you share with and with who.

And then this episode opens with a scene letting us know that the good boy shares the top classified info from his work with the least reliable person ever: the one who gets on by doing stupid things.

What does the series want at this point? To push its fans away?

The Blacklist: Dr. Lewis Powell (No. 130) (2019) Season 7, Episode 6

Too many dislikeable characters

[1/10 · 20 November 2020]

The fact that Elodie twice escaped death and still continues to pursue dangerous situations was already making me disliking her. However, seeing smiling full of joy after she gets caught with Aram in that poor old lady's house make me wish she will be the next to betray Redington.

The same goes with Agent Park who the writers try to push down our throats. She is neither interesting, likeable or even logically consistent enough as to want to see her in another episode. They should just keep Francesca, a character introduced gradually and the audience learned to like.

Last but not least: The young Katarina Rostova was acted in perfection in all flashbacks, making us realizing her as a complex yet interesting and fascinating woman which we could not easily neither like r dislike. The elder Katarina Rostova though makes that dilemma much easier, being utterly annoying to watch. I find her disgusting, exactly the opposite of what I think about the youngest version of the same character.

Maiden's Cheek (1959)

One of the most popular Greek films

[8/10 · 16 August 2016]

A comedy focusing on the love of a wealthy student girl (Liza) for her limited-means professor of Ancient Greek (Panos Floras). Despite the girl's best efforts for him to return her affections, the poor man is morally bound by his profession. Eventually she goes too far and then he responds in a manner which brings the film to a climax and a merry conclusion. Everything else I may say would be a spoiler.

The highlights of this still popular film include the famous scene where Liza recites 'Antigone' ("Eros Anikate Mahan...") and the school-trip where she performs two songs by the famous composer Manos Hajidakis. (The vinyl which contained those songs was the 1st Golden Record ever awarded in Greek discography.) You might also enjoy the 'multible slapping sequence' (especially if you know that all slaps were real!).

Some trivia: The biggest Greek box office success of that year (1959). An unofficial sequel followed in 1963, where the same actors portrayed slightly different versions of these characters. Despite the fact that the leading stars of this film loathed each other at the time it was filmed, they would eventually marry and have a son together.

Constantine's and Helen's (1998–2000)

The Queen of Re-runs in Greece!!!

[10/10 · 8 May 2013]

The series has become a cult for the Greek audience of all ages. The main reason is not only its success when was first broadcasted (1998-2000), but also its very successful reruns. In Greece is very usual to rerun some series during the summer months, that is considered a dead season by the TV channels. However, with "Constantinou kai Elenis" the things were different: The reruns proved more successful than the original airing!! By now the series is considered as some-kind of summer tradition and many fans watch and re-watch the episodes every summer. The punch-lines of the leading character, Constantinos, are still used in Greek jargon.

The screenplay is about a classic "polar opposite characters have to live together" situation. The uncle of Constantinos, an over-conservative university professor, dies leaving behind two an-dated wills. The one of those testaments leaves his house to his nephew, the other giving it to Eleni, an open-minded foulmouthed waitress - that happened to be the daughter of the said uncle's beloved gardener. Since there is no-way to prove which testament was written last (and thus is the legitimate) the two characters, that loath each other, have to share the house until the situation is cleared out. To make things worse, their circles of friends and relatives clash and add to the already explosive situation.

According to the actress that portrays Eleni (Eleni Rantou), a very important reason for the everlasting success of the series is that the entire cast were in very happy periods of their lives while the series was being shoot (e.g. Eleni Rantou had just given birth to a baby girl and she and her husband were never happier). In that manner, all the actors and the production team became quick friends and were having a blast during shootings. So, some of that fan they were having was transferred to the screen. Also, Mrs Rantou indicated that nobody really believed that the series was going to be a smash-hit, so they decided to have a good time, at least - and their stress-free performances made it a success!

A some-how negative impact of the series seems to be its "type-cast": Despite all members of the cast having made many other works ever since (many of them very successful), the people STILL identifies them with the same characters. Mrs. Rantou even said that for a time she was thinking to ask the channel to stop the summer reruns...

Vammenos ilios

Nice Greek series

[7/10 · 25 March 2013]

A very good series, with nicely developed characters and a spree of future TV stars (including Papakaliatis, Charalampides and Koklas).

The leading characters are played by two very talented and respectful actors that manage to persuade us that a taxi-driver and a high-class rich successful woman can become soul-mates - their chemistry is obvious from their very first scene together.

I adored the character of Athina that is maybe the most difficult part in the film: A dynamic woman that many dislike, but also envy for her ability to claim what she wants at any cause, but also having the guts to actually admits her mistakes, deals with the consequences and starts from the scratch.

Nice paved story, based on a best-seller by the singer-turned actress, Yovanna. The ending will satisfy the most, however, it does seem a bit harried, as far as the Papakaliatis character involvement. I like though the fact that most of the dialogue is implied - avoiding clichés.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Fannysmackin' (2006) Season 7, Episode 4

Great by all means!!

[10/10 · 10 February 2013]

A great episode by all means. First: it shows more emotional (human) side in everyone: The actor portraying Greg shows his more sensitive side, when he becomes a Good Samaritan and he reveals he hides the truth about his occupation from his over-protective mother. He is also touched and obviously pre-caught by the scene where the family of the SOB he so rightfully run over is in mourning.

Sarah, even if she does not appear a lot, delivers very good lines, first when she goes to Greg telling him that she came for him not to investigate the scene and at the end, when she delivers the biggest insight (IMO): no-one blames the "kids", even if they WERE the ones responsible, no matter what they were told by the "Federline character".

Nick expresses the feeling of every "human" viewer of the episode by punching the punk (spoiler: THE punk, as we see later on) in the stomach. In any other circumstance I would be the first to shout "police power abuse", but in this case I said "Bra-vo!".

Catherine expresses subtly, as always her emotions, as we see through her reactions when the slut, sorry I meant the girl participating in the "funnysmucking", was providing the "reasons" she does it.

The rest of the actors also performed greatly in this episode (e.g. Warwick when both protects and reprimands Nick).

Last, but not least, I enjoyed the cameo of the "Supernatural" Uncle Bob, the passing-by of Daniel Franzese the and even the "over-emphasized" Federline.

Also, the discussion of the CSI team at the end about "where is the blame". And I wish not to hear that "things like these do not happen, nobody does that, this episode was just to portray violent scenes...". People! Don't you watch the news?!