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KahlilHerring
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Primal: Echoes of Eternity (2022)
Really a Masterpiece
Once the episode started with Spear's flashback, I thought "great we're finally getting to know why spear is the way he is". As the scene went along I saw it was setting up some type of harrowing foreshadow, referring to Spear's dad.
I don't know why we say "looking forward to this episode/finale" knowing what type of show we're watching. And that this show is unforgiving.
As the episode continued it was painfully obvious that the entire tone was ominous even though the situation the gang was in was considered "safe". Strung together with moments of Spear and Fang's (+babies) unwavering dynamic, along with emotional moments of Spear re-telling his journey through cave paintings, finishing off with a heart-strung action packed fight, this episode was 100 percent perfect and encapsulates everything that Primal is about.
Spear's story is sadly over yes. But Fang and Spear cheated and beat death multiple times, so it was only fitting for his story. And he also went out the way he wanted to, protecting his only family. This was emphasized when Fang was being burned alive, Spear went full Primal to ensure everyone else' futures.
R. I. P Spear, and looking forward to new adventures with Mira, Lil Spear, and the lil Fangs. Genndy, i'm pretty sure is ready to knock S3 out the park as well.
The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
Perfect extenstion of the Sopranos (ignore 1&2 stars)
"Felt like 2 top-notch episodes in a row" were my thoughts as soon as the movie finished.
You can tell everyone really wanted to do this name justice, it felt like I was watching the legit younger versions of our beloveds, then add in the continuity of the direction, (alan/chase) it was like I was right at home binging the show.
To start and end with the only negative I have. It should've been a 3 or 4 part mini-series for sure. I was really warming up to Dickie in all honesty right before the movie's last moments. Other than that I have no complaints. Everyone did better than great. Especially to be transported back into a 20+ year old world w/o a hitch, that's gotta count for something in itself, to the actors specifically. Like a natural extension.
I was skeptical because of the low score here, but glad I went. It's either a lot of new comers expecting a gangster tony soprano prequel, or "fans" who may have to rewatch again and understand why you enjoy the show in the first place.
All the actors were able to sit in the characters comfortably and a lot of subtle characteristics from the 1st gen shined through them easily.
I wouldn't mind more stories from the past that unlock more keys to the show's questions. Just don't milk it and keep the same continuity. I really couldn't have asked for a better prequel to the greatest show of all time.
Also Harold was a very welcomed addition. An extra 30min would've gave everyone more breathing room to do their thing. But I get why David kept it right at 2.
(really an 8, but evening out the reveiewbombing)
Animal Kingdom: Loose Ends (2021)
"Pete flushed the ___"
This means WAR.
In all honesty, this season has been a pleasant surprise once again. With the departure of Smurf, I expected a decent drop-off, though at the same time they ended the season so well with so many things hanging in the balance. It was only right that it was time for the Codys to develop on their own.
When I rank great shows I usually look for one or two things that the show is exceptional at, with the rest having to be very good at least. Animal Kingdom is exceptional at intertwining timelines with the new/old cody families. What i'm really hoping for as both stories develop/unravel, the new Codys(J, Pope etc) sharpen up as much as the old Codys.
All of the old Codys heists go off without a hitch and they score BIGTIME almost each time, with only 3 of them. We can't say so much for the new Codys, though they are improving and with this next heist, if the intertwining continues, i'm looking forward to them stepping up to the plate.
As for characters I think boths Old and New Smurf are exceptional characters, both versions of Pam as well. Pope is getting his shine and showing up, J is still J from last finale (good thing). I say that to say this show is close to reaching G. O. A. T status, we just need a few more characters that can become irreplaceable in televison history. I think both Janines & Pams did that, with Pope on his way, with J a close third. I'm excited to see what happens.
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Everything wrong with the industry today...
Man oh man. I don't even know where to begin. All I know is once I saw the cast for this movie, it was either going to be sneakily very good, or absolute garbage, and i'm sad to report it's the latter.
First off, movie starts off with no kind of character building and just straight word vomit of exposition, versus the stylish ways they introduced us last iteration. And then first couple lines in, you can tell what kind of new age nonsense this was going to be, nowhere near the vein of any top superhero films. Or even strictly DC films lol.
Tone, right off the bat felt super weird and try-hard. Almost as if James intentionally made a very bad mock version of Guardians of the Galaxy. A "blockbuster" movie with Pete Davidson and John Cena couldn't be destined for greatness imo, and I think I was right. Cast also seemed like they had a hard time with the lifeless script, Idris especially.
Another thing with these new-age blockbusters, none of them make us think anymore, feed us everything like we're dumb. Last movie that made me use my brain in an enjoyable way was "Knives Out" and that was a needle in the haystack.
All in all, this movie comes off as if a new graduate film student had access to a Hollywood budget, and went with his first crazy with his "idea". Nobody told him this was a flaming pile of mess. And I personally enjoyed the first one better. Realistic dialogue, meaningful action, some enjoyable characters.
Only got up to an hour with this version because I couldn't sit through the stiff jokes/acting anymore. This movie relies heavily on shock factor, slapstick humor, and looking good rather than focusing on the characters FIRST. Which a lot of blockbusters are doing now, because apparently we're dumb and eat up anything. Hopefully this is the start of not rewarding mediocre material, but judging from this rating....
Oh and DC always goes overboard with the live-action villains for no reason.
B: The Beginning (2018)
Please REWATCH from S1!!
Just like others here, S1 seemed very confusing to me on the first watch, and netflix didn't help by making us wait 3 years for SIX more episodes. Because S2 is so short, I did the due diligence to re-watch from S1, and boy I was not paying attention on my first watch, or I was too enamored by the concept of it, I basically speed-watched off excitement.
Not only is S1 good, it is a very strong mystery, especially going into S2. Character development, action,and loose ends (other than last episode) are tied up and executed in a very tight knit fashion. I'm guessing because they only had 6 to do it. If you aren't paying attention from the start, you will be very lost, so was I, but the show stayed interesting enough for me to finish, which doesn't happen often when I tune out from a show usually. S2 is well-improved, stakes are increased, and it's exciting to actually see the "Jet Black King" story play out, and the tension in S2 is a few notches above S1 if you know what's going on. Very underrated anime, and I think the low ratings are from those who didn't pay attention, as I also rated S1 relatively low off confusion. Glad I went back though, and everyone else I feel, should give it one more shot.
Your Honor: Part Two (2020)
If it weren't for Cranston
Man oh man, I don't know what's been going on lately with the campaigns behind these shows, but this show is nonsensical to say the least. If it wasn't for Bryan Cranston, this show would be marked as garbage.
First off in ep1, the kid could've EASILY pulled over for a quick second when he was on the open road, with no car behind him yet, to bend down to pickup his inhaler. Skip to the laundry scene, you're telling me he forgot how to do that now too right? In other words, the kid is an idiot.
Second, it was an accident no? And if this guy is supposed to be a crime boss, surely he would have some kind of understanding that this wasn't on purpose if they came right out with the truth, I mean he does weld some kind of power over life or death in his field, so he's familiar.
Third, I honestly feel no emotions toward any character in the show, that was thrown away in episode one via the stupidity of the son, along the with vomit of exposition by Cranston's character, left no room for emotional buildup since we know everything now. I don't know how they're going to stretch this 10 episodes for real.
Oh I know, they're going to hatch a lot of contrived plot points/holes for the sake of "entertainment". Like let's have this kid locked up based on no analytical evidence, for no reason, other than to clear the son. Oh but wait we need 8 more episodes, so let's have the son be remorseful, let's see where they take this .
Sex Education: Episode 8 (2020)
I'm ready for S3, ending explained?
I think we were all thrown off by the uncanny musical, but as it went on longer, I understood they were using the musical as a vehicle for almost every character to develop. Jackson, Otis, Lily & Ola, my poor guy Raheim smh, literally every character if you paid close attention. And I also found the musical moving & enjoyable by the end for all these kids worked their asses off to get the reception they got at the end of it.
The only thing that confused me was the ending, until I saw a different review saying they (Maeve and Otis) were both smiling at the end. Maybe she did hear the voicemail already? That would explain why her phone was already unlocked. Either way, I thought this was one of the very well paced episodes, tied up a lot of loose ends, and opened more for S3. And don't even get me started on the Otis/Jakob/Jean dynamic.
This show is one of the best coming of age series I have seen so far, very relatable, acting is always on point, not once have I cringed, unless it was meant for me to do so. I believe this was rated low because we were all thrown off by the end, with that aside this episode is a 10/10 for me, 9/10 with it.
Joker (2019)
Slow Burn
I cannot even find the words to describe this movie, especially the last act of it. Joaquin tore this role to shreds. I was very very afraid that it wouldn't live up to the masterful trailer, but the journey you take with Arthur is so engrossing that by the time you get to the end, you want more.
And for an origin story to do that, world-build, character development at its peak, neutral stance on political topics, topped with Joaquin. The late night talk show scene is the Joker I hope to see more of in any kind of way.
It definitely takes its time building but by no means is it boring at all, especially when you get to about halfway through. It all makes perfect sense. In reality 8.5/10. It reminds me of "Batman Begins" the perfect origin.
It Chapter Two (2019)
IT was a worthy sequel
The Horror in this movie is untraditional so that, for one, is going to turn a lot of people off. I didn't read the book so I can't compare, but I can tell it came off of the book's page because of how the events were transpiring in the movie.
For a NEARLY 3 hour movie, I never felt bored, pacing never dragged, though in the final act things did kick into high gear, but we didn't lose any info while it was happening. As for all the effects I genuinely jumped more than a few times (Dolby Cinema), though I found Pennywise more horrific in the first one.
The only main thing I can complain about is letting the characters have their own adult lives, we saw them AS adults but they revert back to their childlike mentalities. I just wish we learned more about THEIR lives, so they could've added character, the movie mostly drew off of flashbacks.
Other than that, dialogue, acting, were above average, script is the only thing that was ok. But of course the cast elevated it.
Really an 8/10 but I'm evening out the rating.
Animal Kingdom: Ambo (2019)
J IS HERE
By far the best episode of the entire series, yes even ahead the killing of Baz, R.I.P. But wow just wow, I was not expecting any of that to go down.
I even re-winded the PIE scene before the job because Craig was so adamant about the pie, and throughout all these seasons we're probably able to count the amount of times the Cody's failed a job on 1 hand. At the beginning of the season I didn't want Janine to die because so many things were happening CAUSE of her.
But the writers deff warned their way out of this. Well well earned wow. And I'm glad Mia met her fate.
Men in Black: International (2019)
Average Reboot (which is good)
We don't get a lot of AVERAGE to GOOD reboots anymore. They're either pure garbage, or surprisingly really good.
It's weird for a reboot that's actually decent to get bad exposure. Being an original fan of the first trilogy of the MIB, I wasn't blown away by this movie and no the charismatic leads couldn't hold a candle to Will and Tommy, but I DO WANT TO SEE THEM GROW INTO THESE ROLES.
Tessa and Chris had some good chemistry and the lines they were given were passable at best, but they did their best with what they had and exceeded the script. And their charisma was there too, obviously only bits of it, and I like Pawny/Steven, I think he's just as good as Pug from the originals. Giving them time, I guarantee they can keep this Ip alive and even give it a chance for this generation.
The movie itself I felt kept all the attributes from the originals, of course there were newer things also. The world is still entertaining and so were the supporting roles. Only thing that disservice this movie is the boring plot, which I think they can easily overcome the next one especially with the oversea success of this one.
True Detective: Hunters in the Dark (2019)
PREMIUM television
This episode made me realize why I don't mind paying for premium television. First off the episode came out online right at 9 which is a plus for people like me always on the laptop.
2nd, the acting, script, dialogue, (sorry my friend is singing in the bathroom right now and it's so bad), misdirections, puzzles, this show is GOING THERE. Just when I thought to myself, as events were unfolding on the screen, this cannot get any deeper and tenser than it already is. And it just.... blows you away.
3rd The last scene between Roland and Hays, if you paid closely attention, gave away and told SO much about both characters, their relationship, and the entire story. Good luck waiting...
Creed II (2018)
Creed 1 was a KNOCKOUT, while Creed 2 is an Uppercut
Act 1 was inconsistent as it tried to recapture the magic that Creed 1 showcased so effortlessly. The tracking shots Coogler is known for doesn't have the same effect as it did in the first one. And it feels like this entire fight is contrived and relies more on the DRAGO shock factor rather than building unto the character of Creed instead they kept him stagnant until certain things happen. And those certain things happen REALLY FAST. (No SPOILERS)
Act 2 was okay at best. One of the big differences from this movie versus the last one is that in the first one all the actors had room to breathe and actually act. This movie especially in the second act sets up the characters for that but doesn't really give them the screen time they needed. We see Creed basically get to rock bottom but the film doesn't expand on that and dedicates maybe a scene to that situation and then it just moves along. While somehow and someway they're able to build on Drago's story and make Viktor more likeable and I feel for him more than I do for Creed. Not necessarily a bad thing but a thing I noticed.
Act 3, in which the movie finally feels like a CREED movie. It captures some of the magic from the first Creed and the emotions and stakes are really high for both fighters. Can't say much without spoiling but this act is really good.
Overall I feel like they rushed to put 2 movies into 1 instead of doing what a Rocky 1-3 did. The script lacked here and the acting was a step down from last movie. This includes all cast members surprisingly except the mother. There wasn't enough time to process what was actually happening in Creed's life while juggling other subplots and they TRIED to match the tone of Act 3 the entire movie but it didn't work. Still an enjoyable movie and worth the watch if you want to continue the Creed story
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Many Missed Opportunities
Saved by it's supporting cast and a good antagonist, this movie falls flat in all the important spaces.
Pros: Awkwafina, Family Members, Showcasing of Asian Traditions
Cons: Plot, Weak Protagonists, Predictable, Plays it too safe, Jokes are flat.
Without spoiling. As a rom-com it checks some boxes but the script holds it back tenfold. With a moderately paced Act 1 we start to get to the good stuff helmed by creative family intros. You would think the movie will pick up from there and showcase the family and how they relate to the plot itself.
But that never happens, a lot of things don't happen in this movie as it plays too safe for anything interesting to happen. The climax was at least 1hr and some change into the movie..
What does that cause? A quickfix resolution, as we see the movie rush to wrap things up and backpedals so fast. But overall the shots and costumes, sets, etc.. were top notch. But so much wasted potential as the supporting cast couldn't get their proper shine.
The Intern (2015)
Good until end
Robert and Anne killed it with their performances obviously. But i got really mad when she got back together with him at the end. SO STUPID MAN. This promotes staying with a cheater, and the mindset that everything can go back to normal in the worst situations. I was loving this movie until she got back with him I was so mad. Anyways if you're looking for a good movie to just pass time (which I was doing) it is a great movie, until the end of course. Overall it is a nice movie Anne and De Niro's chemistry was off the charts I also love the little girl, and the group of interns, very nice comradery. between them. I think the replay value of this movie is medium and I will be will looking forward to seeing it again one day.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)
A finale that you will never forget!!
This is exactly what i expected it to be. For the people who say that this movie haves no character buildup and details for the book... Well THE CHARACTER BUILDUP WAS DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 and the other 6 movies before it. What they wanted to do in this movie was to LET EVERYTHING OUT. The previous movies just did this one justice. It was an all out war in Hogwarts. I mean they gave almost every student a fighting scene if you was paying attention in the background. Some people might say there was too much Harry and not other characters. I MEAN COME ON this is THE FINALE ALL I WANT TO SEE IS HARRY AND HOW THIS FANTASTIC 10 YEAR EPIC ADVENTURE ENDS. The only part they could have probably improved on was the epilogue and that is probably it. Overall the acting the emotions and the scenes were very well played out. 10out of 10. PERFECT MOVIE