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Monte Carlo (2011)
A fun movie to watch in 15 or less minutes on Fast Forward.
The problem with cinemas and movie theaters is you have committed your time and it's no longer yours until the movie ends - or you leave. If I had watched this one in a cinema, I would have hated it for being more silly and "Hallmark" even than a Hallmark movie. It's a children's movie and it SHOULD be marketed as one, because no self-respecting adult will want to see it. I have no problem watching Disney and Pixar animations, kids' shows, even Sesame Street, but this movie relies on so much cringe and public humiliation that I simply can't. But by the magic of Fast Forward, I saw all the good scenes (yeah, I don't mind cheesy when it's dosed right) and glide over all the filler and cringe that's supposed to make it "memorable". As a stark contrast, the three main cast girls make a solid performance and hint at how much more they are capable of. I would love to see each of them in more substantial productions.
A Gentleman in Moscow (2024)
It may turn out to be one of the best shows for 2024
The first episode looks really promising and the cast and the set are stellar. People who say it's not realistic have just nothing else to dislike, which speaks miles about the quality of the production. It's a show about the Gentleman, not the aristocracy or the revolution.
It's the aftermath of the end of an era, where worlds collide and peace is only on the surface with so much going on right under it. They manage to represent quite convincingly what living on borrowed time actually feels like, and how loss goes much deeper than just possessions and status.
It also accurately represents what PTSD and abuse can do to people, and how you feel trapped and hopeless and even though you know nothing good will ever come out of it, you feel compelled to stay or just be frozen and timeless.
I'm looking forward to how the story will unfold.
Constellation: These Fragments I Have Shored Against My Ruin (2024)
I loved the beginning of the season and hated episode 6, now I'm back on team "Constellation"
Another episode, another polarized audience. People either love it or hate it. It feels like the writers weren't sure what the target audience is, so they tried to hook up both the sci-fi fans and the drama fans, but couldn't do that at the same time for some reason. The story isn't compelling enough for the audience to get so drawn into it that the shortcomings become forgiven. On the contrary, making such sharp turns only exasperates the lack of commitment and leads to viewer fatigue and a lot of disappointment.
With that out of the way, I personally enjoyed the season finale a lot. I realized the show is not about space or fiction, or even science. So I left this expectation back at episode 6 (which I rated very low).
This show is about one thing, and one thing only: Grief. Every single character has lost something dear to them, knowingly or not. The space setup is just a random setting that could have easily been anything else, with no repercussion to the story or the experience. I think the writers chose "space" both as a way to forcefully expand the audience (hence why so many people didn't enjoy watching), and a way to conveniently limit the scope and circumstances of the phenomenon that created the "switch". If they were cave explorers who encountered a "magic" cave, it would have been the same (I've actually seen such a movie, now that I mention it).
But leave all space and fiction aside, it's just a background and some noise. I love the main characters and the supporting cast. And especially Alice. They are all grieving, in their own way and coping however they can. It's a struggle we all go through. Pets, parents, friends. Old relationships. People we thought we know well. Careers. Projects. Colleagues. Ideas.
It's tough living a life of loss, filled with the constant "what if". And the purpose of this series is to expand on the "what if" and spin it in ways we haven't really though of, and leading us through new aspects of loss that luckily we can only imagine. And how everyone is quick to put a label "mental illness" on anything unexpected and out of the ordinary. To the people living the horror, it's 100% real. Be kind, you don't know how much the other person may be suffering in silence inside.
Constellation (2024)
I really wanted to like this, but the pacing is atrocious
I waited with the review as the plot was still unfolding. I gave it a chance and my initial rating was 8/10 with inclination to increase it later on when I've seen more. I had really enjoyed the show up until now.
Now I've corrected my rating to 5/10 and I even consider lowering it. It's not because I don't "understand" it like most reviews defend the series. I've seen one of the greatest quantum-related shows ever made - "Fringe", a pinnacle of TV mastery. I'm very familiar with the concepts, theories, paradoxes, correlations, entanglements and causalities.
The reason I've lowered the rating is episode 6. What could have been a 5 minute sequence to bring us up to speed with the "alternate side" was extended to 57 minutes of re-watching pretty much the same material we've already seen or guessed. The show-runner is so concerned we might not understand what's going on that they decided to make us watch it twice. Why? Because torture, that's why.
No matter how much I enjoy the characters and the acting, I do value my time. If the writers are so starved off material, just make less episodes. If they think we're so dumb to have to watch it twice, just nail it the first time.
EDIT:
Ok, I've watched the season finale. I have this to add.
Leave all space and fiction aside, it's just a background and some noise. I love the main characters and the supporting cast. And especially Alice. The show is all about grief. They are all grieving, in their own way and coping however they can. It's a struggle we all go through. Pets, parents, friends. Old relationships. People we thought we know well. Careers. Projects. Colleagues. Ideas. Dreams. Each of us knows loss in some form or another.
It's tough living a life filled with the constant "what if". And the purpose of this series is to expand on the "what if" and spin it in ways we haven't really though of, and leading us through new aspects of loss that, luckily, we can only imagine. And how everyone is quick to put a label "mental illness" on anything unexpected and out of the ordinary. To the people living the horror, it's 100% real, illness or not. Be kind, you don't know how much the other person may be suffering in silence.
As a conclusion, I stick with my initial rating of 8, so I'm changing it back to it. The writing is surely lacking in committing to a single audience and delivering a solid experience for everyone watching. But I'm willing to forgive episode 6 and the overwhelming (at times) filler, even the fact that half the episodes are just a repetition of previous episodes. I'm willing to do that because the struggles of each character were put out beautifully at the end. Nobody is a villain, yet we manage to unintentionally hurt the people around us, especially the people closest to us. We shouldn't forget to care about each other even when we're at our lowest and darkest. It's a strong message with a solid delivery, and this is a reason enough redeem the show and hope the writers take a note on focusing on one strength/audience and stick to it, to deliver an amazing season 2.
And give the Coleman sisters an award! Awesome performance!
Alice, Darling (2022)
Painfully real
I get the low ratings. People want their breath taken away, getting excited and entertained. Well, this movie is true to life, and life rarely does any of these. At least not in a good way when you live with an abuser. It sucks all happiness out of you and makes your life anxious and miserable. The movie is kind of slow and uneventful so the hidden emotions can sink in and open your eyes. It's subtle, but spot-on. The three girls are all stellar! The abuser feels flat and hollow, because that's what abusers are - fake and pretending, until they think they've got you and show their real face. I have to admit, I did not enjoy the movie. It's not really meant to be enjoyed. But I enjoyed the superb acting, the setting, the genuine friendship and love, the little gestures. Anna Kendrick is killing it! And the supporting cast too! Remember to just be kind to each other. You don't know what the person in front of you might be going through or dealing with.
Bodies (2023)
They DO make movies and shows like they used to. This one is a true gem.
I am really glad I gave this show a chance. It quickly became one of my all-time favorites. Brilliant acting, appealing story, meaningful twists. This is such a rare experience with the new shows that we get flooded with. I had really low expectations as I had totally forgotten when or how I've added it to my watchlist, and criminal stories don't usually appeal to me. But boy was I wrong about this one. It started slow and confusing, but the acting was really good so I got pulled into each character's story and found myself rooting for them. Another rare experience these days. By the middle of the season it looks like the typical layout for this genre, and I had certain expectation how things will unfold, rather boring probably. Boy was I wrong again. Episode 6 feels like the season finale and concludes the story and the mystery 100%. But wait, there are two more episodes? And this is when the real fun begins, a rollercoaster of emotions and such a beautiful development, breaking the cliches and giving immense satisfaction. I would gladly watch the whole show again, any time. A true gem.
Fukushima 50 (2020)
To me low budget equals realistic, but this movie is more of a political statement that the government did no wrong.
I am glad I saw the movie, it was really straight to the point and without unnecessary drama. The event itself was horrific enough, and so heartbreaking for everyone affected by the disaster. People who complain it's low budget, please remember it's more of a documentary / reenactment type of movie. It's made to honor the pain of everyone who got affected and show utmost respect to the heroic efforts and professionalism of the staff. Not to entertain the public and generate massive revenues. A hydrogen explosion doesn't require massive special effects.
Now, what I didn't like is the atmosphere of shouting and belittling the person beneath you, it is abusive and hostile, two things you want nowhere near a work environment, as you can see if you google "Airblue flight 202". Especially the scene with the PM. It felt so forced and political, like "hey, see that the government was REALLY angry!" statement. And yes, I am aware shouting is not unusual in Japan, but come on. People in power should know better and do better. Then going in front of the camera and acting all humble, again it felt forced but also two-faced. Now that I think of it, casting for the head of TEPCO emergency council is rather political as well, as the person is clearly made to look a bit crazy and stereotypical. Again, it's more of a political statement and trying to gain the society's good will and understanding. This definitely puts me off, personally.
But overall, I liked the movie for what it is. And it does keep you on your tiptoes the majority of the time.
Unknown (2011)
I really tried to like this movie
The movie heavily relies on confusion and cringe. In order to like it, you have to completely suspend your disbelief for the first 2/3 of the duration. I had to skip at least half of it fast-forwarding through cringe, filler material and bull****. But wait, in the end it totally makes sense! This is one of these movies you need to watch twice to be able to fully experience. At first I thought it's kind of bad, especially when the American scientist stepped into a car with manual gears and just drove like he was born in one. But the twist totally got me. At the end I like the movie and, cringe aside, I really liked it. Taking 2 stars off for making me endure 1+ hour of filler.
If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power (2021)
Almost there, but still nice
I'm conflicted about this movie. There are beautiful moments and great vocals. I love Halsey, her life story, her voice and her dark creativity. This is a good representation of the challenges of mental health and how we think the mistreatment is all in the past ages and nowadays it's all modern and empowering. You have to fight for what you love, and most times it feels like the whole world is against you. The impeding feeling of doom is not a thing of the past, and living as a shadow in order to survive is just as contemporary as you reading this review right now. It hits deep and hard. I think the idea behind the movie was not to convey a story and a message, but to convey a dark feeling. To resonate with us and help us live in it and relate to the author. And this is why the movie feels a bit lacking and unfinished as a movie format. It gets the job done and that's it, just another dark story for the sake of showing a dark story. It could have been more. It should be more. But the job is well done anyway. If you read between the lines and between the frames, you get the whole experience. Thank you Halsey. I feel you.
Raised by Wolves (2020)
Original and compelling
One of the best SciFi shows and concepts I've seen in the past 10 years. I love how the killer android is more humane than the actual humans. Exploring faith reveals its dark secrets that nobody wants to know. Pretty much every cliche is turned upside down in a beautiful twist. The thing that moves me is Campion and Paul's dynamics and how the two kids deal with trauma, moral dilemmas, socializing on an alien world and the mysteries the place has to offer each day. It's a really nice take on AI and the future of humanity.
HBO made a huge mistake cancelling this gem. I really wish another network picks it up and finishes this awesome show.
Black Adam (2022)
If Rachel's dessert (F.r.i.e.n.d.s.) was a movie, THIS is it.
The only good thing I can say about the movie is it's very apparent the actors are having a lot of fun shooting it. It's always nice to see someone enjoying what they do best. As a stark contrast to the forced "humor" the writers dumped onto the public.
With this out of the way, let's address the elephant in the room. I had zero expectations and was still let down.
I am not familiar with non-mainstream DC heroes and had similar experience when I first saw Watchmen. This movie gives the same vibes, or to be precise - it tries to. But while Watchmen has the d-r Manhattan and the brutally charismatic Rorschach, here we don't have anyone to root for. Watchmen starts like a parody of more famous heroes, slightly altered due to copyright. But the more you see, the more you realize it is its own thing and you get drawn into it. Black Adam starts weak, continues mediocre and after a brief moment of hope and cheer - it goes straight down. And when you are already numb from the salad of unnecessary characters, bad acting, school break humor and forced "twists", you think it can't get any worse and the end is near. WRONG. IT GETS WORSE. IT GETS MUCH WORSE. It gets "a parody of Tenacious D crossed with a parody of Shazam" worse. I couldn't stand the second part of the movie and I fast-forwarded through most of it. Thank God I did not see it in a cinema.
I really want to see Watchmen again just to take the bad taste out of my mouth.
You can't just dump a ton of characters on the public, DC. This is supposed to be a movie, not a communal latrine. Do some character development. ANY character development. Exposition and narrating don't count.
The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World (2021)
And I thought the Winter Dragon prologue was bad ...
I can't believe I'm giving a Wheel of Time episode one star rating. I've been on board since 1998 and waited more than 20 years to see it on TV. I've mustered the strength to give every other episode a 10, as a loyal fan cutting them some slack and supporting the show. But episode 8 was just ... BAD. Sorry, Rafe, but please don't write anymore. After GoT final season and WoT ep. 8 it becomes apparent showrunners shouldn't write. Ever.
Dark Matter (2015)
OK start, strong mid, weak wrap up, even weaker second season
I tried to like it, I gave it a lot of chances. I really enjoyed the middle of first season. Then it ended badly, and the second season started even worse. I am extremely annoyed by everything at this point - weak plots, weak sets, weak "twists", weak acting. They recycle plots, actors and sets from Stargate Atlantis. They have the whole universe and all actions happen either on the bridge, in the mess hall or the infirmary. Sometimes on the same space station set or some random forest. I feel like 4 stars is too many, while at first I was ready to give it 8-9. No wonder it got cancelled so early.