musiqliblessed Reviews

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024– )

Nooope...

[4/10 · 2 February 2024]

Major disappointment. Unlikable, seemingly sociopathic lead characters. Dark, seedy undertones, weird (albeit fully clothed) sexual scene I had no intention of watching, explicit sex scene I had no intention of watching (TV-14 how??), a post murder scene I also had no intention of watching. The absence of any action or thrills or comedy leaves me questioning why it's titled "Mr. & Mrs. Smith".

All I can say is, Glover and Erskine are great actors. Definitely capable of performing these character-driven scenes-the most compelling thing about the show. But that still doesn't leave me wanting more, so after having to skip through three scenes in the second episode, it's evident this show isn't for me. Therefore, I am done.

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Season 3 is EVERYTHING!!!

[8/10 · 14 August 2023]

Seriously, I want to give this 9.5 for season 3 ALONE! But I don't want to mislead, because I have to account for the first two seasons.

Listen, it was a good series. But first season was like 5.5-6 stars. It was REALLY hard for me to get through it, tho it wasn't terrible. It just lagged and failed to really reel me in. So I watched in short installments. It was kind of what I watched in between other binges. I had some issues with casting. The male antagonist and female protagonist especially. Which as you can imagine could make watching a tad difficult. Still it wasn't a complete loss. I was for all basic purposes, entertained. Keep reading!

Season 2 was a marked improvement, it was binge-worthy, but still had the propensity to drag on. So much so, it felt like they didn't have enough written for a series. It was the season of aimless subplots. The subplot involving Picard's childhood was agonizingly drawn out and overly dramatic. And the subplot had little if anything really to do with the major plot line.

I feel like they pulled the relationship between Seven and Rafaela out of a hat. They didn't build up to it well so it just felt like it came out of nowhere. Especially when most of Raf's backstory/love life was steeped in estrangement from her family (ex-husband and son/son's wife and child). They spent the whole 2nd season with Raf lamenting over her lack of connection with Seven, with little recognition from Seven's character at all. So there's also little reward, when that subplot reaches its conclusion.

It was honestly a little difficult to swallow just how poorly the team managed their expedition. They just failed at like every turn and failed to really do anything well. That said, it was an exciting ride and the setup in the first episode was definitely satisfied in the final episode. 6-7 stars. (But keep reading tho!!)

And then there was Season 3!!!

I don't know what changes they made to bring in this magic, but they made all the right changes, all the right moves.

They seemed to kind of ignore a lot of what happened in season 2 and left nearly all of season 1 firmly in the past. A part of me wants to count it against them for continuity's sake but as I stated before, much of what was ignored was inconsequential to the story anyway! So we press on into a brilliantly crafted final season, chalk full of the reunion we deserved, new characters that are Halloween/Cosplay worthy, and a storyline that had me on the edge of my seat pretty much the whole season. THIS was a fast binge! It had all the heart, all the thrills that measured up to Discovery and Strange New World. It was so good, I have the desire to watch it again. I just have to let it sit for a bit and let all the feelings run their course. Because of how untethered the season is to the previous seasons I can watch the 3rd season again all on its own.

I don't expect I'll ever watch season 1 again, maybe season 2 with some fast-forwarding involved?

But for new watchers, I nerdly recommend watching the full series because there are indeed some significant events and character development you need to fully appreciate season 3. You'll otherwise be confused in some places. Like I said first two seasons weren't a wash, just not strong, just not what they should have/could have been. That said...if you're less forgiving than me and you just can't take it...I honestly think you can get away with watching season 3 on its own and you can still appreciate its greatness. Just might not hit as hard.

Season 3 alone makes this show worth the watch.

My only qualm is that they didn't start off like this!

UglyDolls (2019)

Music was better than the movie...

[7/10 · 14 August 2023]

And the movie was super cute and fun. Great message, vibrant and colorful, funny, heartfelt. The final scene was too precious and might have tugged at my emotions a bit (I'll never tell :p).

Loved the voice cast.

Janelle Monae and Kelly Clarkson duets were a duets I didn't know I needed and I founded in a kids movie.

There really wasn't a single song in the film I didn't like.

Soundtrack has definitely been added to the playlist.

My daughter danced so sweetly to the credit song which had a beautiful message.

Okay, I should probably say more about the movie...

I don't really have anything negative to say. It was a solid, sweet musical kids film with fun characters for the kids and parents to enjoy.

Worth a rewatch.

The Little Mermaid (I) (2023)

Best Disney reboot to date!

[8/10 · 14 August 2023]

I'm definitely the original film's generation kid. So it had a lot to live up to. And I can be pretty critical. I was delighted the entire time. I loved the cast. And while the film stuck very closely to the original, the cast managed to deliver some of the most famous and favorite moments flawlessly and yet with their own excellence, no regurgitations, no pandering.

Halle's voice was beautiful. But, of course! Her vocal reputation has preceded this film. She was also endearing in her portrayal of our title character.

Bardem was also unsurprisingly excellent and delivered a heartfelt portrayal of our king.

Aquafina as Scuttle was just a joy. She brought the laughs Scuttle should, but perfectly in her way.

So colorful, vibrant, lively. Under the Sea was beautifully animated and choreographed.

I was definitely fighting the urge to sing along for the sake of my daughter having her first Little Mermaid experience from scratch.

Loved "The Scuttlebut"!

Loved Sebastian and Scuttle's back and forth. Daveed and Aquafina were a great pair and brought new comedy that distinguished this iteration from the original film.

Poor Unfortunate Souls was EXCELLENT! So surprised by McCarthy. She embodied the role perfectly. The only thing I missed was the "Body language" line. Not sure why that was cut.

My criticisms:

Eric's solo song was overly dramatic and long. Melodically it failed to really go anywhere, perhaps due to peaking too early and plateauing musically/emotionally. Was the weakest musical moment as well as the weakest scene in the entire film. I skip it when we listen to the soundtrack. Oh yea! We listen to the soundtrack often.

Ariel's new song was also a tad lackluster but not a bad song at all. Just doesn't measure up to the originals for sure.

Missed "Les Poisson". But they didn't have a chef character at all. Unfortunate, but if they couldn't pull it off, they couldn't pull it off.

I missed the chorus of singing sea creatures and background vocals, but this is a nostalgia-based statement. Not a critique on the excellent re-arrangements of the music. I was here for the ride. If or when I need to hear the originals, Disney+ and Apple Music are there to provide.

I felt like the finale fell a pinch flat. It was kind of visually obscured. Made me think maybe they were unable to carryout the animation in a way that they could vibrantly showcase. Big Ursula was super dark and her audio was just kind of low...I'm not sure what happened there.

But overall, they told the story and it reached it's satisfying conclusion, with an added heartfelt touch to the final scene. And the musical renditions (apart from exceptions stated above) were delightfully executed.

I loved it and it was awesome getting to see my daughter introduced to the story for the first time, and with a mermaid who's skin looked like hers. I didn't have that growing up.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

A win for even the D&D clueless viewer

[8/10 · 23 April 2023]

I thoroughly enjoyed this and could even see the honor they were giving the game...it's a game, right? Lol...don't judge me. I know nothing of D&D beyond 'Stranger Things'. It seemed like this was a worthy contribution and it even stands on its own merit, something I can say having an unbiased experience. I went in completely blind and had a blast!

I kind of wished there was a bit more chemistry between the father and daughter, but that didn't affect things too much given the nature of their relationship.

I absolutely loved Holga. Rodriguez was the true gem in this film. And that's saying something because Pine was ever so delightful. Smith was so endearing and delivered a satisfying arc, though I would have enjoyed a more emotional triumph. It came and went quickly, but as I said, still very satisfying.

The "heist"-esque portion of the film was delightful and clever. Won't say more for spoiler's sake.

You can't really lose adding Grant to your cast.

The cast was stellar, great story, great comedic moments, fun graphics and fantasy elements.

Job truly well done.

Ghosted (I) (2023)

Thoroughly entertaining

[8/10 · 21 April 2023]

Absolutely absurd and fun!

Evans and de Armas back together again. Love their chemistry and fun seeing their dynamic as romantic interests after their work together in Knives Out.

It's predictable and that's okay. It's meant to be. It's a joy ride. They took a fun concept that's been done many times over and did it their way, like True Lies and Knight and Day. The gave it their own spin and it was fun.

What if your date ghosted you...but it's actually because she's a spy? Love it.

The cameos were utterly, intentionally and hilariously ridiculous. I loved all of it. Some major bonds were made in the MCU. 'Cap' will forever be Evans' legacy. We know that, they all know that, and they played with this. Super fun. Reminds everyone-performers and audiences-not to take Hollywood TOO seriously. The entertainment world's mission is still to entertain. Actors are meant to play varying roles, light and dark, fun and serious.

This time, it was a fun time. I had fun.

I enjoyed watching Evans play an asthmatic former wrestler who had to yield to the expertise of his female counterpart with all the special skills. Refreshing watching him play the Fella In Distress.

The action was fun, thrilling and ridiculous. The comedy delivered. I'll definitely rewatch.

And I'll stop now because I've said "fun" enough times.

The Night Agent (2023– )

What A Nice Surprise!

[8/10 · 28 March 2023]

Well, I almost overlooked this one and I'm so glad I doubled back to have a look at this. What a fun ride. Excellent cast. Great writing. Delightful surprise to see "Martin" from Super 8 all grown up and playing the leading man. Very much enjoyed seeing him in this role.

So many twists and turns. Lots of mystery and suspense. Great action. A satisfying number of edge-of-your-seat moments.

I really liked the performed believability of each character's experience.

And of course, a good underdog story is always enjoyable.

Well-developed characters you could root for or against. I connected emotionally with the characters, even the antagonists.

The show had you going from start to finish. Was sad when it was over cuz now I'm not sure what to follow this show with, but the season had a very satisfying resolution. I'm definitely here for another season.

True Lies (2023)

Confused and disappointed...

[5/10 · 21 March 2023]

I'm confused because this is a remake...the work had been done. All they had to do was recreate what was already there. And yet somehow they either abandoned or bowled thru all the elements that made True Lies so special. That's confusion #1.

The magic of this story was not just the writing but also the comedy and the well-crafted characters. The only thing this show truly adapted from True Lies was the title and the bare bones premise-spouse finds out spouse is a spy. That part of the True Lies plot has been done and is not what made the movie so fun and unique.

Confusion #2 is the cast. They actually pulled a very competent cast and somehow dumbed down and washed away what makes them special. I'm speaking more specifically about Steve Howey than anyone. He's a proven funny man with the ability to be serious. Naturally when I saw he was the leading man, I just KNEW it was because he was going to funny and fun to watch in action as was Schwarzenneger. And yet, his performance has been completely dry and flat. Instead of the highly competent agent with a jealous streak, who deeply loves his wife. We're barely shown what makes him the agency's most capable agent and his chemistry with said wife is also missing. And ZERO laughs from this guy. Okay, one laugh, one very light chuckle at a funny look he made. That's it. No improv from this guy, no written funny dialogue, no physical comedy. Nada.

And then, the rest...it just feels like I'm watching him recite a script. A boring, poorly written-at times, virtually plagiarized-script.

Seriously-the chemistry is so absent between him and Ginger, there was a moment where he puts his arm around her Ginger as they walk away from a harrowing scene and it was a jolt for me, like "oh yeah, that's right, they're a couple." No kidding. It was the first time it felt like they had any kind of love or relationship. It was the first time they seemed relaxed and bonded.

The guy in the van. Omar Miller. Also known for his ability in comedy and drama. Filling the shoes of Tom Arnold who drew some of the heartiest laughs of anyone in the film. And yet, Omar's performance is not only unfunny, he's almost unlikable as well as contrived and flat. Instead of the fully competent tech guy who wishes he was in the field, is Harry's best friend who lovingly yet bitterly oversteps with marital advice, he's just a tech guy in a van who confusingly also bosses everyone around and gives information where needed. The poor quality of the script often causes Miller to appear as an over-actor.

And Ginger's performance is the most disappointing of all. But I don't blame that on the actress. Helen's character in the film was by far the most interesting, and what truly made the premise behind True Lies so fun and different. She wasn't just some housewife who finds out her husband is a spy, she was a closeted thrill-seeker, DESPITE being a sweet, clumsy, vastly naive and unassuming housewife who finds out her husband is a spy. Instead they made this Helen a highly skilled teacher with conveniently acquired agent-level skills, who was very simply dissatisfied with her life and marriage, finds out her husband is a spy and boom that's it, she's a spy now?

I mean they completely ruined the fun in her finding out. Hardly any shock, or moments of coming to terms with this new reality. No tears, or intense emotion in any capacity.

A slap, a heated conversation about what he was really doing when he said he was doing such and such, and then she's expertly partnering with her husband to escape peril and that's it. She's, VERY unrealistically recruited. When I say unrealistic, the irony is not lost on me. But that really is how poorly they crafted this very unrealistic scenario. Bad guys attack her and her husband, forcing Harry to reveal his true identity, they fight their way out of it, he takes her to the agency for a "debriefing", his boss tells her she's a spy now, she agrees.

Scene was completely void of emotion. No fear, no anger, no excitement. No deliberation over such an incredible life-changing event. Scene just essentially played out like, "I can't be a spy." "Yes you can." "Okay." There was no moment of proving herself. No overcoming and rising to the challenge. No surprising us and herself. Zero metamorphosis.

And they just completely did away with the Bill Paxton character and scenario. They replaced it with Helen speeding in her minivan for thrills, and a brunch with a friend who suggests Harry's having an affair. No joke. That's it.

Like I said...all they took was the title, character names and basic premise. Nothing else about this show is actually True Lies.

So I guess, if you were a fan of the film, I'd strongly caution against watching because disappointment abounds. If you never saw the film...well, you're likely to still be disappointed actually. This show is really poorly written and performed. And, again, I don't blame that on the cast. Like I said, they're all proven actors in their trade.

My biggest beef really is with the misuse of Howey. Geez Louise, what a missed opportunity. It don't make a lick of sense for this man to be so unfunny and uncharismatic in this show. Howey has ALL the charisma and timing you could want from an actor. Highly doubt this is his fault.

Oh and I could care LESS about those other two agents. They bring zero to the table. Again, no character development, nothing special or unique about either of them. They're just there. It feels like their characters were created to fulfill a hiring quota.

Oh! The kids...I forgot about the kids...because they're forgettable. Again flat and lifeless character development.

Confusion #3. As most of the other reviewers have stated, the writing is so puny, lackluster, and void of originality, it really does feel like auto-generated dialogue. A computer really could have written this. Uninspired dialogue and plot structures. There's literally NOTHING you haven't already seen and heard in this show. Painstakingly cliched dialogue, "wheels up in...", "we only get one shot at this"...

Dialogue is so unfunny, I didn't realize they were actually trying to be funny in places until I read a review.

Dialogue is so boring and void of character development and feeling, you have to check your own pulse.

Dialogue is so unoriginal, it lacks any quality that typically keeps an audience member hooked to the story.

Again, this story was already fleshed out. Why? I'm so confused why this is written so poorly. Why did they abandon so much of the original story? They had everything they needed for this to be an easy success.

I wonder if this is kind of another Lethal Weapon scenario...where company hired all the actors before the actors knew what the show was and the actors found themselves roped into a project they don't care for...all of they're performances feel like they don't like being on this show.

Also, those graphics are overbearing and campy.

The Last of Us (2023– )

This Isn't The Walking Dead?

[5/10 · 26 February 2023]

I got 5 episodes in and was waiting for what made this show a unique enough experience to stand on its own amid a pool of adaptations before it. But the moment never came.

The show drags on...it's paced well enough but still I just feel like I'm going nowhere fast.

Nothing happens in this show. Nothing of substance. It's your classic if zombies take over, humans will become more horrible than the monsters and kids will die sad and horrible deaths.

Just indulging the nightmare.

And for what reason? What is the reason? I'm honestly curious why this story is so appealing it has be told again and again...

Casting, acting, and production are all solid. Zombie concept and design is all very intriguing, but after 5 episodes of little revealed about the zombies and the focus being much more on the humans and the many ways they fail each other, it's clear what the true focus of this show is...much like The Walking Dead-excellent show, but very fatalistic, very doom and gloom, very people are inherently horrible. And I'm not interested in that.

I write this review purely for those like me. If you prefer World War Z zombie films...something more redemptive, this is not it.

And in general, a caution to others, just be careful what you feed your soul. This may be fiction, but stories are valuable because they make us feel things. So be careful with shows like this. The tone is sad, depressing, lonely, dark, hopeless. Depending on your personal/interpersonal struggles, this may not be a healthy choice for your viewing.

Mental health can be affected by the media you consume. Just a word for the wise.

The Marksman (2021)

Good but sad

[6/10 · 2 January 2023]

'Sad' really is the word ringing thru my head right now. Just the whole tone, the characters, all sad. I don't necessarily say this as a mark against the film. That's just the vibe here. So I'm sharing it for those interested in watching, be prepared, there's just a consistently sad air about this film.

One character is broke and grieving their dead spouse. Two characters are grieving the recent deaths of their mothers. A gang of men leave a lot of innocent victims in their wake. And even the gang leader's backstory is one of sorrow. While these things don't have much to do with the film's plot, these sorrows are behind the characters' eyes throughout the film.

The situation for the lead characters before and during this film are sad. The cartel...and their destruction and evil that drives them to do horrible things like hunt down a woman and child, sad.

The death of a precious creature...sad.

Even the music was sad.

The story is simple. A man is helping a boy to safety with great odds against them. And in true Neeson style, he comes with a set of skills that make him a force to be reckoned with. Even as a retired and less than physically fit man of the south. But they reserve the display of these skills throughout the film. Don't expect Taken, don't expect fast-paced action. There's much less action, shooting, and thrills than expected. This film tended to lean more on the heart and this heart was sad.

It ends on a predictable positive note. Leaving you with a brighter sense for the lead characters' tomorrow. But until that final moment, sad.

A cast of great performers. The young man playing Miguel was excellent and had me really feeling for him throughout the film. Neeson is as consistent as ever. And the actor playing the villain of the film is quite the chameleon, I barely recognized him as the sweet fire-powered inhuman from Agents of Shield.

So, expect a decent, well done film, with no exciting turns, surprises or twists. You won't call anyone on the phone and say, "Omg, you've gotta see this movie." This is a movie you watch when you have time to kill and nothing else to watch.

But prepare for a very sad tone, with essentially zero comic relief. There are some smile moments, tender moments, but that's as close as you'll get.

May want to watch a comedy after.

The Santa Clauses (2022–2023)

Absolutely loved this!

[8/10 · 22 December 2022]

As a fan of "The Santa Clause" films I was all for this series. But I was on the fence after watching the first episode. Not because it was bad, just felt a little too campy and too far removed from the original cast and atmosphere, but I came back to it and man did this turn out to be just an excellent sequel.

I laughed just as much as with the other films. Tim Allen was his great and hilarious self, really came to love the new cast and loved seeing some old.

I love how they answered questions I didn't even think to ask about the original films and characters.

It was delightful.

I highly recommend watching all the movies beforehand. It really enhances the joy of watching this series.

And as always, love the way they tie in the message of upholding the spirit of Christmas and belief.

Definitely adding this to my annual Christmas watching list.

Merry Christmas!

The Hip Hop Nutcracker (2022 TV Special)

Excellent cast of directors overshadowed by...

[6/10 · 1 December 2022]

An excellent cast of dancers overshadowed by excessive editing and camerawork.

I thought we'd learned how to film dancers by now. But I suppose it's still not common knowledge among all directors.

Great way to kill a dancer's performance is with too many quick cuts, especially on all the major hits, and worse, cut to showing them from the shoulders up. So we literally have zero clues what their feet are doing. Dancers use their whole bodies, head to toe. Why? Just why?

And then the overbearing (at times unimpressive) effects and editing. I was stunned by the unnecessary effects applied to the Jabbawockeez performance. I mean if there was ever a group that has proven all you need to do is hit record and hush, it's the Jabbawockeez. Instead, the editor forced on us filters, and reversed speeds, and as mentioned before, too many cuts on most of the important musical moments in their performance.

Cutting away from the performances to show people watching the performance is also a great way to kill a performance. You had too many amazing dancers on this project to make us look at anything else besides them.

The camera did too much! The movement we wanted to see was with the dancers, not how many ways the camera can pan and zoom and what not. Some of that, I imagine was the editor, but some of that was intended camerawork and it was unnecessary. It truly ruined what should have been really impactful moments in the dancers' performances.

ALL of these dancers have amassed a significant presence on social media, filming themselves, partnering with filmmakers who have mastered filming them. I don't know why these people weren't consulted for this project.

And this is no dig, it's just honesty about the art of acting. If a dancer is not also an actor, trained in the craft, it shows. There was too much "acting" imposed on a cast of dancers. It made for dead air, awkwardness, and it wasn't needed to fuel the story. Should have kept it simple and just told the story with dance. That would have been enough. You know, like the Nutcracker.

All in all it was certainly a feel good project and I enjoyed the heart and joy of it. Def loved seeing all my favorite dancers, but just wish I could have seen their FULL performances, uninterrupted and uninhibited.

I would love to see this become a holiday tradition with improvements and better care shown to capturing the art of dance.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

My God, what a jaded and ungrateful audience!

[9/10 · 4 November 2022]

I'm legitimately baffled by how much hate this film has received. 5.7 stars makes about as much sense as liver ice cream!

This was an awesome film! Good...Lord!

This is coming from someone who is an extremely critical cinephile, mind you. But, good grief, I at least know how to keep it in the pocket.

To lambast the actors and writers...I'm just-all I can think to suggest is maybe ya'll should just to stop going to see movies.

Any reviewer who claims that this cast of actors performed poorly should be immediately disregarded. We're talking about Christ Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, and Laura Dern. If these people haven't proven their abilities as actors by now to audiences, that's on the audience.

This film had all the makings of a great Jurassic film. I was delighted to see the original cast mix with the new. Loved the new adventures and action, the dinosaurs, the characters, the heart. It had everything I wanted in a final installment.

It's a franchise. There's a reason for that. It is the continuation of an umbrella plot line. If you're tired of it, don't watch the movie. Simple.

Those of us who still enjoy the new developments of a continued story, the nostalgia, the new dino designs and adventures, had a great time.

What I find hilarious is people blasting this film for doing what they laud in the original film. If you maxed out at the first film, watch the first film then! It is available for purchase to watch repeatedly at your heart's content. Leave the new films to those of us who can appreciate new approaches to a continued storyline.

I get varying opinions. I consider this film to be a delightful 9/10 personally. But I can understand someone giving it an 8, 7, even 6. I disagree but a positive, if not more critical rating, I can understand. No film is perfect and no film reaches various people the same way.

But calling this film trash, giving it a 1 star, calling it boring...sorry, but I'm looking at you and wondering what's wrong with you! Boo, who made you so angry?? 'Cause that makes literally zero sense.

If you found THIS boring, you made the wrong choice for yourself from the jump. Check your pulse maybe? Idk!

This was a great & thrilling film. Great performances, stunts, action, graphics, & nostalgia.

It's a movie about humans and dinosaurs existing together...*blink *blink...it's SCIENCE...FICTION...suspend some derned belief for crying out loud.

MY.... GOODNESS... Phew!

It's a good thing actors get paid well, ya'll would kill the industry with these over-the-top, unjustly harsh criticisms. I used to be able to trust user reviews of movies and ignored the critics. But now it just looks like everybody's angry and bitter and jaded and taking it out on films by writing seriously ridiculous reviews. So much so, I'm literally starting to interpret 5 stars as a 7, and so on.

I missed out on quite a few good films trusting user ratings in the last few years and have learned they can't be trusted anymore. Glad I didn't pay any attention to reviews for this movie. Gaaahlee!

Lighten up ya'll. It's entertainment.

Spirit Rangers (2022–2024)

Love this for how much my daughter loves it!

[9/10 · 25 October 2022]

She stops any and everything when the theme plays to sing and dance along. It is the most joyous thing to watch.

And personally I think the show is great. Excellent animation, positive storylines, the music is sweet and my daughter is already singing along...because, yea, with only ten episodes, she's re-watched the entire series multiple times now.

I always check casting with culturally representative programming and was pleased to see the proper representation and diversity.

And as a Cree Summer fan, I'm always delighted to hear her voice. It promises a certain level quality of entertainment whenever she's involved.

Looking forward to more from this show.

Parker (2013)

Not terrible, not great.

[6/10 · 16 August 2022]

It had its value as a action film. Kept me watching. Always enjoy Statham even when the film is just so so. But even for him the physical prowess he displayed was less than I'm used to. Don't get me wrong, it's Statham. So you see plenty of fighting. But he wasn't quite the untouchable fighter you might have come to expect. Still, very much unstoppable, tho.

The violence was extra bloody. Quite frankly, it was indulgent. And I don't mean in the moral sense. I mean in the-they could have definitely spent less money on blood and saved themselves the embarrassment of how fake it looked-sense. Eek! Pretty bad cgi blood that really wasn't necessary. It just felt like bts, they were like "we just want a big mess to clean up post-production! Bring out the ketchup bottles! And then go find someone cheap to animate the blood we can't fake with the ketchup!"

Nick Nolte's character and his "daughter, Claire" turned out to be fairly unnecessary. They had so much prominent screen time in the beginning only to have nothing to do with the rest of the more integral parts of the film. Alternatively, made no sense for Lopez's character to come in so late and essentially become the leading lady that Claire started out being. Lopez was not in any way the "Mrs. Smith" they make her out look like in the poster. Far from it.

They could have easily condensed the two female leads into one. They painted Claire very intentionally as Parker's one and only love and then suddenly she's inexplicably absent from the rest of the movie (save for one last contrived scene with the character). But then there's this back and forth sexual tension between Parker and Lopez's character that also amounts to nothing. So no love triangle. No significance. Leaving me to ask "why?" Why to any of it? Just why? Let Parker and Lopez's character just be partners in crime. Or let them be lovers, idk...just give us some well-developed characters and their relationships with interactions that make sense.

Lopez should have just been Claire, or nix Claire altogether and just bring in Lopez's character sooner. Or fuse the two! Claire was a pretty blah character. Nothing about her was interesting or important.

I find movies about high principled criminals a little tough to take seriously, as well as, finding it difficult to root for anyone when everyone deserves to be behind bars. But that's why you cast an actor fans are going to automatically root for...who's not gonna root for Statham?

I always prefer less nudity, as in none, but that's just me and, to whoever else reading this that agrees, fair warning, there are a few shots of boobs.

Everything else about the film was solid for what it is.

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Beware the very REAL & horrifying opening images

[1/10 · 1 August 2022]

If you want to be a civilian with PTSD, I suppose this movie is for you. The film opens with the most graphic and horrifying images from the Vietnam war you cannot imagine.

I'm thankful I had the quick sense to turn this off before I saw all the graphically dead children I read about in the advisory. But not before seeing the horror of a real man shot in the head at point blank range. Among other horrific images...I wouldn't even watch a movie with this degree of violence if it were fake.

I messed up, I forgot to read the advisory. I was just so excited by the cast of actors, I hit play. And this may be my greatest cinematic regret.

I was literally haunted by the image of that man dying for countless days. He was visibly scared. The evil of the men who killed him, laughing and celebrating what they had done. I will never forget it.

I am not a soldier. I was not meant to see these kinds if things. This is why our debt and gratitude to those who do serve runs so deep. They fight to protect us from these evils.

Then here comes Spike Lee just casually throwing these haunting images into a fictional film. I'm sure he was making some kind of point with the film because that's Spike Lee, but I will never know it. And I personally feel like it was in poor taste.

Rarely do I review a film I fail to watch, because I understand that cannot give a conclusive opinion of the film. It may have gotten better after all that. I don't know. From what I read, it sounds like it would have just been even more traumatizing and frustrating for me.

I chose to write my review purely as a warning to those who may also find the contents of this film too disturbing to shake. In just the first 2 minutes-that's right, I lasted all of TWO minutes-I walked away so traumatized by what I had seen, I was distracted, burdened, and full of tears for almost the rest of the day. I didn't sleep well that night as the images played in my head over and over again.

So, fair warning. If you have it in you to stomach this kind of thing, then by all means skip my review, go forward at your own risk. Just here to help prevent someone else from making the same mistake I did.

The Mist (2007)

Ruined by the ending...

[1/10 · 11 July 2022]

Man, I despise films like this. This one was for the fatalists, nihilists, and doom and gloomers.

I would NEVER willingly invest 2 hours in a story that's just going to end in everyone dying and for no clever or prolific reasons at all.

This is an "all people are at their core horrible" message masked in a sci-fi monster movie. When a writer crafts endings like this, it conveys one glaring thing to me: they have nothing clever or of value to offer.

They had an (only slightly) original idea. Not an original story to tell.

I go to watch stories like this to see how the hero(es) survive what feels like an impossible situation. Why on earth else would I watch something like this?? I understand that there will be failures and deaths. But I don't need endings like this. I can turn on CNN, and for much less time, learn about how people DIDN'T survive frightening and impossible situations daily.

And, of course, the one deeply devoted (professed) "Christian" is a psychopath. And, of course, she is able to turn a large group of diverse people into her moral-less, murderous clan. And the ONE character who also professes to believe in God but in opposition of her stance is one to die horrifically seconds later. Because per Hollywood, Christians are either crazy or dumb.

I get it. I don't have blinders on. I know that people are fallible, blah blah blah...but a contrived plot line is a contrived plot line. All to serve a message: The message being that when truly petrified humans become the true monsters.

I've seen far better movies with a much more prolific and thought-provoking offering exploring the same sobering message.

It didn't make sense that the "hero's" neighbor-who is supposed to be of a high intelligence-would make the choice he made. Maybe he's in denial, maybe he's in shock. He's afraid and too much of a pragmatist to believe in the unbelievable. I get the picture being painted here. Still, it made no sense for him to choose to walk out of that building, defenseless, with far less proof that he is right than the mounting proof that he could be wrong.

MOREOVER, it made zero sense that the group to witness the first attack would not PICK UP the severed tentacle and WALK IT into the store for everyone to see. Nonsense.

Also, NO explanation as to why the severed tentacle melted into a black sludge. What was the point of that? I was expecting more to come to light about these creatures. That moment never came. Because this was not a fully fleshed out sci-fi tale. This was a 2hr soap box about how awful people can be when pushed to their limit.

Why create a set of characters that maintain their capacity for rational thought, fight tooth and nail to survive only to have them ultimately give up and agree to suicide and THEN have rescue come moments later?? Nihilism, fatalism, doom and gloom. A lack of clever thinking. A lack of originality. A lack of value in the human fight to survive. Humans don't have one of two modes. We're more complex than this. The pendulum swings in both directions. This writer would have you to believe that the ones who survived are the crazy, spineless, cult followers who forfeited their morals and sanity. While the ones who fought to maintain their good nature and sanity are the ones who die.

I can't stand that mess.

An intriguing story that flopped the moment the "hero" killed his own frigging son. No thanks, I refused to even watch the last few minutes. Might have just been a couple minutes, but they already stole 2 hrs from me. Gotta salvage what I can.

Highly regret watching this film. One star for the excellent casting, the excellent performances, and the interesting concept.

Men in Black: International (2019)

The ending failed to deliver...

[5/10 · 23 September 2021]

It appears they ran out of money or something. The film built up to an ending that barely managed scratch the itch.

The really cool twin aliens (Les Twins) very unceremoniously disappeared from the rest of the film after the big reveal about their characters.

The finale just had no steam. It was rushed and anti-climatic.

It certainly had some good moments, because like I said, great cast. Bunch of winning personalities involved. I def loved the hammer moment with Chris Hemsworth. Nice nod and fun-poker at Hemsworth's long-running portrayal of Thor. But even his performance and excellent improv skills seemed stifled at times.

Les Twins are incredible and it was delightful to see them make a blockbuster debut.

This was, unfortunately, just a very unfortunate attempt to revive the franchise. They had all the makings...great cast, good solid storyline, but it just seems like production had some failures and they couldn't see the whole thing through to completion.

I Do... I Did! (2009)

This HAS to be a prank...

[1/10 · 26 July 2021]

What an atrocious and confounding piece of dribble disguised as a film. Shameful, ugly, idiotic, degrading, immoral, even blasphemous. Poorly constructed. A mar on the careers of actors I can't even believe agreed to do this. Obba Bobatunde??? Obba Bobatunde!! He was being drugged for the entirety of this film's production, I'm absolutely certain of this. Shar Jackson...in the words of Nick Joseph "Baby, what is you doin'??"

If you want to be angry, watch this. Or if you're like my husband who gets some kind of twisted joy watching a train wreck for the comic relief, sure...watch this.

My personal recommendation, if you see a physical copy of this film, do the world a favor, be a hero, burn it! All efforts to erase this film from history should be made.

Unbelievable.

Veronica Mars (2004–2019)

Intriguing, heartfelt, endearing, problematic, inappropriate...the whole gamut.

[6/10 · 5 February 2020]

Overall, I liked this show. Didn't watch when it aired. Binged the whole thing including the newest season.

Quite interesting watching a show like this that aired JUUUUST before the "woke" era. There was a lot done and said that just wouldn't fly now. At least not without the proper checks and balances.

But much of the show's scenarios were also so outlandish, it was easy to shrug It off as such, without losing the ability to keep riding along. Like I said, intriguing. Outlandish and full of intrigue.

The characters were truly the heart of the show. Much to my surprise. So many characters you were initially convinced you would hate, you came to love. So many who were presented as tropes were later developed into complex humans you could empathize with, even when you disagreed with them. Of course, the character that stands out here is Logan. The character with probably the steepest arc of anyone.

There were a LOOOT of loose ends in this show. Especially in that third season. I haven't read up on this but it seems pretty clear the show got canned before they were ready. Boy what a cliffhanger. Original fans must have have been mortified. Perhaps it was the difficulty for viewers to keep up with the very tangled web the writers created each episode? It didn't quite start off this way, but after a while, they had about three or four different mysteries and subplots in ONE episode rolling in tandem with the season's main unsolved mystery. In other words, it got out of hand.

Then came the 4th season. A much improved visual format. Much more "woke" and presently relevant. They overhauled the terrible terrible theme song. Song was still bad, but they turned it into a vibe and that made it work. Loved the graphics of the opener. I was digging it. Veronica upgraded her weaponry, which I'd been fussing about since the end of season 2. 'This girl needs a gun!' I would say. :p It was pretty impeccable that they were able to get nearly every one of the original cast members. Even if for just a cameo. I was disappointed in the amped grit of this show. TV-14 is a joke. There was absolutely nothing about this show that's appropriate for 14 year olds. I've watched TV-MA programming cleaner than season 4. And the original iteration of the show was already extremely mature. It was as if Hulu said 'just because we can we shall.' The violence was less excessive than the sex, but also it neither was necessary to incorporate. Not to tell the story. Plenty opportunities to cut away were passed up to indulge some really base moments on this show. In the original seasons, there really wasn't much left to the imagination even without actually showing us the blood and the romps. At least rape wasn't as centrally focused in season 4 as the ones before it. If it had, with the liberties they took, I likely wouldn't have been able to finish the final season. #triggered

Still, the relationship between the Mars father and daughter was just as delightful and endearing. It was lovely to see the two on-again off-again lovers much more devotedly ON in this decade. I do fall in the category of those disappointed by the ending. BUT, I do appreciate the sentiment that followed the ending. Throw in some redemption and you'll always get a little grace from me. I just don't personally enjoy the whole fatalistic, tragically destined to always be tragic telling of a character. But the message of overcoming in spite of the very worst that can happen is not lost on me. It's an important message for sure. BUUT I was personally looking for 4 seasons of unending tragedy to end with some much earned relief. Instead it ended with just more grief. Silver lining offered, yes, growth, yes, but grief nonetheless. Just a little heavy-handed.

I felt like they started weaving a little too many webs again towards the middle to end of the season, but they didn't steer from the main premise so I was able to keep up. Everything was connected and that was an improvement indeed from the former seasons. Bottom line, all of the people in Neptune are so inordinately terrible, everyone is a suspect. Makes it harder to solve a case. Lol...

I missed that brotherly/sisterly relationship with Wallace, but was happy he was there for parts of the show and that it was evident they still had that bond. Such a sweet friendship.

Anyway, not a bad show. Indeed imperfect, but I enjoyed this binge. Had to fast-forward through a couple things near the end, but happy to have hit the play button on the pilot.

*To be clear: I do not recommend this show for children. AT ALL. And for those adults that don't care for smut, just be warned, the show is (somewhat) safe until the final season.

Ad Astra (2019)

Yes, boring. Well-performed...and very boring.

[5/10 · 3 December 2019]

I know the positive reviewers would like others to believe that those that find the film boring are incapable of appreciating the deeper messages of the film or the high quality performances, but I can say personally, while recognizing and appreciating all of those things, I was still bored out of my mind. And I was also left wondering what genre they wanted this film to be. Drama, sci-fi thriller/horror, or action?

I caught the message in 'Roy's' narration. 'We're world eaters.' And I can appreciate Pitt's extremely nuanced performances of the character's emotional, psychological battles.

But Lordy, if this movie couldn't decide what it was about and led me on a very dissatisfying cinematic journey. The problem isn't a capacity for appreciating what they did right, it's the film's inability to tell a strong thematic tale.

And while this has no bearing on the rating for me, I felt the space scenery was nothing to scream about. The graphics were sophisticated, but someone compared it to Interstellar and that's honestly absurd. Nothing captivating about it, just a convincing visual representation of space.

There was an excessive overuse of slow motion. So much so it was glaringly evident how much storytelling was wasted and abandoned in place of it. In addition to slow motion, the extremely slow pacing also hindered the ability to fill the film with sufficient story. So instead we got things like a short, reoccurring nondescript clip of a child staring in the distance, nothing to reveal or further along the narrative or the plot. Just a kid we assume is Roy from context. I kept expecting something more to unfold with each showing of the clip, but the clip was the same nothingness every time. They legit paid this kid's parents and some unidentifiable woman to hold this kid for this shot. They did so much nothing in this clip, it could have just been a photo. I don't honestly understand why they paid to have Liv Tyler play a role that could have easily been performed by another capable non-A List actress. Her part in the film was extremely lackluster. She did her part with aplomb, but maybe if they'd saved what they spent on her check, as well as Donald Sutherland's, they could have put more towards better story-driven efforts. Donald Sutherland's character had even less to do with the tale and he eventually disappears from the film leaving me to question why was he even there to begin with, and why there was any focus on his character at all. Why not just be a supporting character, performed by someone less expensive, with less central focus, who escorts our leading man, offers a little glimpse into the mystery, and provides dialogue to build on the leading man's arc? Also he was supposed to be protecting Roy, but he was an old and unhealthy man, who did nothing close to protecting him. How'd he get the job??

Essentially, so much of this film could have been done away with...the space pirates had nothing to do with the mission to send a message and even less to do with the mission to stop Roy's father. They're mostly silent, action-oriented attack, didn't present a hindrance at all to the Roy's mission. Everyone else around him died by the end of the attack, but he still made his destination with no delay in his arrival. No injury or something to affect the events that followed. Not even the puncture in his suit. The mayday mission was also pointless. They responded and found nothing but some savage wild animals. Captain was killed in what fit more into a sci-fi horror genre. Captain/Captain's death bore no importance to the story, animal bore no weight to the story, that whole scene came and went with me asking, 'why'? The best I can surmise with these scenes is they wanted us to see how well our leading man could handle harried situations. But they took too much time with floating and internal lamenting and slow-paced space scenery. This could have been succinctly done in less time with more thematically connected scenarios. The animal attack did not speak to the destructive tendencies of man, or our leading man's emotional/psychological struggles, nor the plot.

Then this random new character spills the mystery behind his father in a very unceremonious/uneventful way. It felt forced. Again a character who was given either too much focus or not enough. It didn't make sense for her to tell him the top-secret information behind his father, when her feelings about the man aligned with the government's. They were planning to do exactly what she asked him to do. So why involve him at all? Her character also came and went. All of the supporting characters in this film were treated as props and so it felt disjointed and convenient.

It made no sense for the mission team to attempt to kill Roy when he stowed away. Attempt to detain him, yes. But they were legit trying to kill him and, while he was stowing away, he was being peaceable and non-aggressive. So their deaths were honestly a head-scratcher, and quite frankly a bit too convenient.

I think the more powerful moments were indeed when Roy found his father and lost his father. That closure/non-closure experience was very relatable to me. He didn't get to have the interaction he planned to have, but the interaction still gave him something to move on from.

I had a hard time believing that Roy would return home after disobeying orders, inadvertently but definitely causing the deaths of those three people on the ship he was unauthorized to board, and face zero consequences. Maybe they would have lessened the consequences since he did stop the surge that was killing earth, but no consequences whatsoever?

If the movie was meant to tell the story about a man lost and incapable of living and loving, that's what it should have been about. And it didn't need to be in the future, let alone in space, or have anything to do with stopping a psychotic space dad, with space pirates and killer space monkeys. It was just all over the place and unjustifiably slow.

The pacing and aesthetic of this film was reminiscent of Arrival and Gravity, but those movies are proof that this style and pacing doesn't have to come at the sacrifice of story.

Brad Pitt was excellent, Tommy Lee Jones was excellent, Liv Tyler and Donald Sutherland were solid, if not left with very little to contribute. But they each have an incredible catalog of films under their belts that showcase their abilities with a far more substantive degree of impact and entertainment.

So yea...super boring.

In the Dark (2019–2022)

Best way to lose me...

[1/10 · 3 October 2019]

This may be a very good show. Judging from the ratings. But I'll never know. Best way to lose me is to start the very first second of your PILOT episode with somebody thrusting on top of somebody in bed. If that's how it starts, I have to assume the rest of the show is going to be filled with far more trash than that. This review is just fair warning to those who also don't care for such things, since I won't be able to contribute to the content advisory for lack of any further viewership.

Too bad, sounded like an intriguing story.

Paddington 2 (2017)

Dangit! Made me cry...

[9/10 · 2 September 2018]

I'll be derned if they didn't make my eyes leak on this one. It was all smiles and delight until the very end. They just had to go and smack me with the feels.

If Paddington did steal your heart in the first one (which he should have), he will in this one.

Hugh Grant was BRILLIANT!! I was honestly shocked by his performance. I've always respected his ability as an actor but he was just showing off in this one. Ha. So fun.

This was just a sweet sweet tale. Lots of giggles and smiles, and heartfelt moments.

Great cast. Great movie. Highly recommend.

Searching (III) (2018)

Excellent storytelling!

[9/10 · 2 September 2018]

I was just utterly entertained and delighted by this film. Because it was just SO well done.

It's innovative cinematography was not presented at the sacrifice of a well-crafted and compelling story. Unlike the Blair Witch Project, these filmmakers put as much time and care into their story as they did with this method of filming. They could have honestly filmed this in the traditional way and it would have still been a worthwhile movie outing. This was indeed a solid work of art.

Even with so many moments absent of dialogue or even human characters to watch, the film was always forward moving. The suspense and mystery continuously builds until the very last moments.

There were so many twists and turns, they made it impossible to truly predict what was going on. At one point we predicted one thing that did unfold but we were almost immediately surprised by another new turn.

There was a story, there was substance, there was intrigue, there was heart. And there wasn't a thing presented in the film that did not contribute to the story.

They made my heart break and my heart leap. Made me hold my breath and exclaim with surprise. Made me smile...even made me reminisce a little (due to my particular age).

John Cho delivers yet another excellent performance. It was a refreshing role to see him play. He just broke my heart the whole film. I just wanted to reach out and hug him!

It was also extremely refreshing to see Debra Messing in this type of role. Nothing I'd EVER seen her do and she was just great.

Great cast, in general, tho very small, given the story was told so exclusively from the father's perspective.

I really could just go on and on about this movie that I had oddly never heard of...very undoubtedly a hidden gem in the theatres right now.

I 100% recommend taking a trip to the theatre for this one.

Jack Ryan (2018–2023)

4 eps in and done...

[4/10 · 31 August 2018]

First a disclaimer: IMDB mis-labeled the rating for this show. Listed as TV-14, when it is actually TV-MA. Had I known this I would have never watched. While my review is not solely based on the unsavory content involved in this series, it is heavily influenced by it.

Four stars for John Krasinski alone, because he's spectacular but that has little to do with this show.

Firstly, I am pretty over the whole America vs. the Middle East narrative. But, it is a reflection of current events, so I I try to be fair and give a show a chance in the event it may be focused earnestly. I didnot get far enough into the show to formulate my opinion. It seemed like they were on the path of this whole there are no good or bad guys, everyone sucks kind of narrative. The terrorists were first victims of the "good guys". The good guys are a bunch of self-righteous bigoted jerks who just so happen to be on the right side of things right now. Doesn't really leave you with anyone to root for...Jack Ryan is of course, a truly good guy, but that's seemingly it. But for the title character, I felt like I was seeing far less of him than made sense.

It becomes clear that there is a vert seedy air to this show. It's not TV-MA because of the violence. The violence is pretty PG...so far. sure enough, the first occurence. Watching two people have sex. Because that was necessary and important to the story (sarcasm). A woman disrobed with FULL back nudity, some side boob, and then the thrusting. Pointless. The fact that I have to even make the concession, 'well it was shown from the shoulders up'... I begrudgingly toss out the first red flag and carry on. Next comes an entirely graphic and TWISTED scene of two men and a woman. Everything is shown except genitalia. From start to finish, loud moaning, groping of breast, all while one of the sickly men watches. I'm not sure how it ended or if got worse (or somehow better), because I tried hitting the 10 second button THREE times, but the scene refused to end and I had to just cut it off. Not only is this sick and dark and ugly, the act of displaying this behavior is also, at it's core, entirely base and immoral. There is NO reason to depict this. It serves no purpose-it doesn't assist the plot. It can literally just be mentioned. Show the moments leading up to it, show the aftermath or talk about the aftermath, whatever. This is entirely indulgent and unnecessary. And it's minutes on the clock stolen from telling me an actual story. Minutes that I could have been watching John Kraskinski, the lead, who again, I felt was getting FAR less screen time than sensible for the title character. Glorified pornography, masked as sophisticated story-telling, is still pornography.

I waited months, months, and months for this show to arrive. To the day. I kept watching that countdown on my fire stick. And I even chose to stay up past midnight to start the journey. I was SO excited to see Krasinski revive this role. I was so excited by the incredible rating and reviews and the fact that it was renewed already, leading me to believe it was a shoe-in. And yet, instead what I got was political agenda, a humans suck narrative, and smut.

I'm all for realistic, complex characters. But there has to be something redemptive. Or at least make me laugh in the midst of all the horridness I'm seeing. Something. Otherwise, I'm just watching what I hours of depression-worthy darkness. No thanks. I see enough of the darkness this world is capable of in real life. I don't need this dead horse beaten in fiction.

I'm sure Krasinski is just aces in this role. But sadly I'll never know.