dothancore Reviews

Detective Anna (2016–2017)

My first Russian TV Show

[9/10 · 28 September 2020]

I didn't expect much, but after the first couple episodes, it really got my interest. It is an excellent show, fascinating script, great acting/chemistry, beautiful Russian countryside scenery, and realistic periodical background. Granted, watching it with subtitle was not easy, but it didn't take away the brilliance of the show. I think it'd be much more well-known and popular if the show is on Netflix, such underrated gem!

Tenet (2020)

The quality of Nolan's movie is trending down

[6/10 · 8 September 2020]

The music/sound is extremely loud, to the point that it overwhelms character's dialog 70% of the time, I have never seen anything like this. I thought it was just me, but I saw quite a few reviews complaining the same thing. It makes an already overly-convoluted plot even harder to follow. At certain point, it starts to feel that the director is making it complex for the sole purpose of complexity. It doesn't really make the story more interesting or engaging.

Altered Carbon (2018– )

Season 2 Is a Huge Let-down

[6/10 · 10 June 2020]

9/10 for S1, 5/10 for S2

Season 1 was edgy, tense, exciting. It has beautiful cinematography, supported by great acting, twisted story line, and plenty suspense. I didn't read the book, but still thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was a big winner for Netflix.

All of which has changed with Season 2. It felt like just another tired Sci-Fi flick we have seen a million times. Not sure what happened.

Joker (I) (2019)

Great Film!

[8/10 · 5 October 2019]

Wow! Truly impressed, nothing more to say.

To Slate, Associated Press, IndieWire, TIME, and all these idiots who call themselves "film critics" - GFK yourselves. No wonder "journalism" are on decline these days, it simply don't reflect people's true opinion anymore. If it not PC garbage, it's no good to them.

Men in Black: International (2019)

Sony Did It Again

[1/10 · 7 September 2019]

Apparently Sony has learned nothing from the disastrous Ghostbusters, it produced yet another empty vessel infested with PC garbage.

By the way, so many trolls giving fake 10/10 reviews here, even though the Box Office and audience have already given the verdict. It's just hilarious.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

It's not what I have expected at all!

[9/10 · 30 July 2019]

I didn't watch the trailer because I want to see it first hand on big screen. I walked into the cinema expecting to see a "traditional" QT film, I kept waiting and waiting for about 40 minutes, before realizing this is different (Yes, the last 30 minutes or so of towards the climax did capture the classic QT: plenty suspense, blood-shed and violence)

I can see some fans be disappointed, since this film is no "Kill Bill", or "Inglourious Basterds". But, I am giving it 9/10 for two reasons:

1) The acting is brilliant. Both Pitt and Leo gave an extremely convincing performance, true to their characters. Leo's delivery of a struggling aging star was some of the best I have seen on the big screen.

2) This film is so diffident than today's CGI infested, action packed, cheap commercial cinema. It's a TRUE classic. It brings back what making film is all about - to submerge the audience into a real experience, deliver the background and atmosphere down to the finest details, making it so authentic and believable.

I did feel the film was a tad too slow, and it wasn't aimed to build around a central story. But, it doesn't take away the brilliance. I give it a solid 9/10, despite being an action fan who'd love to see a classic QT movie.

Trial & Error (2017–2018)

Such a great show

[8/10 · 21 July 2019]

I am writing the review long after the show was cancelled.

Just want to say I really love the show, it is funny, witty, with fast pace and some unexpected, hilarious twists. The main and supporting actors all delivered stellar performance living up to their characters.

It's a shame that a good show like this got cancelled way too early, while plenty mediocre ones live on.

The Expanse (2015–2022)

Wow!

[9/10 · 20 July 2019]

Wasn't expecting much but immediately got hooked after the first couple episodes. The show is really stunning: the story is interesting, complex but not convoluted, screenplay well written, pace of the show is intense, great acting all around.

It's simply one of the best Sci-Fi shows in recent years, no question about it.

Had my doubts about all the raving reviews being written by paid trolls, but no longer. Great show like this grows its fan base and followings naturally. The high rating and positive reviews are duly justified.

Captain Marvel (2019)

A film with no character

[2/10 · 28 May 2019]

I really don't know that is the film about. Normally behind every super hero story there are some character developments, showing the ordinary side of a super hero, their daily life, struggles, weakness, emotional bondage, intellectual property, etc., which make them more relatable to the audience.

Really not much in this one. The heroine is already god like, she has all the powers, blasting through everything in her way. The only small object blocking her from achieving greatness is in her mind.

Beside total lack of character depth, both directing and acting were quite boring. Larson is a miscast for this role.

Killing Eve (2018–2022)

Wow, what a show!

[9/10 · 15 May 2019]

I had my doubts about the raving reviews before watching the show. But once I started watching, pretty much binged the whole first season. What a show! Definitely above my expectation. Comer and Oh gave a convincing performance, so did many of the supporting actors.

One of the best shows in 2018! Highly recommended.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2020)

Simply great

[9/10 · 21 March 2019]

I don't think the current IMDB score does the show any justice. Season 1 was slow, but over the next seasons, the show really gets much better - both the plot, and character building. It is not really a super-hero show, the main characters are (mostly) human, but this is where I feel it is better, because there are something to relate to. The screen play is well written, characters feel like flesh & blood, instead of just empty vessel. Highly recommended for anyone that is into sci-fi flicks.

The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

The Umbrella Academy

[9/10 · 24 February 2019]

It wasn't even on my to watch list, but I decided to give it a try after seeing some positive buzz. Truly above my expectation in each and every way. The story, acting, screenplay, music, and intensity, what a brilliant show! It's a show about superheroes, but without all the cliché. I feel this show is a class of its own.

Highly recommended.

A Million Little Things (2018–2023)

This is comedy ... how?

[5/10 · 9 January 2019]

I had high expectations from the all-star line up, Roday, Giuntoli, Livingston, Park ... disappointed in a big way. This show can not be labeled a comedy, the plot is just too serious and depressing even for drama. The entire pilot is without a single funny moment. It seems to be modeled on shows like "This is Us". Maybe it's a decent show for some, but I found it quite boring.

The Kids Are Alright (2018–2019)

More like drama than comedy

[6/10 · 9 January 2019]

I was expecting something like "Modern Family" with plenty of laughs ... not really, this is more like drama than comedy, falls way too short of my expectation in terms of humor for a comedy show.

Krypton (2018–2019)

Average

[6/10 · 8 January 2019]

Predictable plot + uninspiring dialog. Most of the characters are just one dimensional, lacking depth and charisma. Why TV networks keep producing this kind of boring characters again and again? Having some shades & greys instead of pure black vs. white, good vs. evil would have made your show more attractive.

Camping (2018)

Had to stop

[1/10 · 8 January 2019]

Soldiered through 3.5 episodes, had to give up. The show is neither sexy nor funny, none of the characters is attractive or being portraited in a lovely way. It was just bad, even as pass-time.

Corporate (2018–2020)

6 or 7

[6/10 · 6 January 2019]

It's a fine show but overall fell short on the humor. Most of the jokes are not super funny, and the "dark" part of comedy totally lacks subtlety or after-thoughts. I think this is more to do with the writers than actors.

The Mick (2017–2018)

Hilarious, Much better than I thought

[9/10 · 4 January 2019]

I didn't know what to expect before watching it, but once I got started I pretty much binged the whole first season. It was hilarious, both Olson and D'Elia did a fantastic job, MacArthur's performance was also rock on.

It's a pity that Fox cancelled the show only after two seasons. Fox has a long history cancelling great shows (cough, Firefly, ... )

Scorpion (2014–2018)

Devoid of logic

[4/10 · 5 December 2018]

I watched the entire 1st season and half way through the 2nd - the show is completely and utterly devoid of any logic. It's almost ironic because it's a show about a group of geniuses. The screenplay was soooo bad I frankly don't know if the writers ever gained their high school diplomas. None of the stories make any sense. None of the supposed "high tech" solutions make any sense. None of the actions taken by the Scorpion team (and their enemies) make any sense.

I am writing this review after the show was cancelled, so you know I am not on an agenda. It's just that bad.

FBI (2018– )

Pretty Average

[1/10 · 27 November 2018]

Nothing against the actors, but I found the show pretty average. My main issues with the show are that:

1) Like a lot of reviews pointed out: some main characters lack depth and meaning. For example, Sisto's character can be easily mistaken for a Wall Street hedge fund manager than a FBI agent in charge, always yelling at a group of analysts in the middle of a room of some seemingly obvious facts, is this really how FBI works? Ward's character, the profiler/lead agent, is also lacking depth, I really don't think this role has contributed much to the supposed police work or the show. Noel's role, the geek/analyst, is so typical in today's crime shows, it's pretty much a carbon copy of Patterson in Blindspot, I don't think audience can really tell them apart if they are played by the same actor, nothing really original or interesting.

2) Unlike Dick Wolf's other shows, FBI is not based on actual events, and thus the writing / storyline has become extremely stereotype. All the major, complex cases, like terrorist bombing, mass chemical attack, need to be solved in the span of 40 minutes, thus the agents seemingly made no effort while all the clues were just hand delivered to them so that they can claim the ultimate victory. And the perpetrators were always revealed to be the most stereotype you can expect. It has become so predictable and boring.

I think the show needs some shake up, otherwise it won't past Season 1.

Charmed (2018–2022)

Can the show be any worse? I don't think so

[1/10 · 6 November 2018]

Whoever cast the show should never get a job in this show business. What a disaster, out of the 3 main characters, they succeeded to get EXACTLY ZERO right. The original show, despite being produced 30 years earlier (correct, 30 years), are one million times better than this crap.

CW - if you are reading this, if you have any shred of intelligence left, go ahead cancel this "show" mid-season, don't even let it finish, because it will only make the fans hate your guts even more.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

LMAO, there is a season 2 of this crap?

[1/10 · 20 August 2018]

I just can't believe it, The Expanse got cancelled and STD renewed? How?? Tried to like this show, at lease none-biased before I started watching, but just couldn't stomach it. All the negative reviews are right: nothing in this "show" seemed right. The characters are flat and cliché, the story is stupid, not even the "bad guys" are interesting. The dialogue ... there is simply no intellectual contents whatsoever. A lot of glares and senseless space battles, none of which helps build character. In the end I just couldn't care any less of all the characters. I wish all of them being sucked into a black hole so none of these crap would continue to ruin the franchise.

Braven (2018)

About Average

[6/10 · 15 July 2018]

Some scenery is beautiful but the movie is overall very slow, action scenes are about average, not really bad-ass or jaw dropping. Screenplay is plain awful - as many reviewers have already pointed out, big stick + axe >> machine gun in this movie. Also there is a scene where both Momoa and a villain were thrown off a cliff because the villain was dragged by a running snow vehicle and he dragged Momoa with him. It ends as Momoa plunged into the sea while the villain landed on a rock near shore. If anything, the law of physics dictates the momentum of the vehicle will drag the villain further away, therefore he should land in water while Momoa being the one smashed onto that rock ... but as many other twists in this movie, the law of physics simply don't apply.

It's an OK movie, nothing spectacular.

The Commuter (I) (2018)

Who is the genius wrote teh screenplay?

[6/10 · 15 July 2018]

Love Neeson but The Commuter has one of the most ridiculous plots I have ever seen, even for an action film. Nothing make sense, literally, NOTHING:

1) The nemesis, Joanna (played by Farmiga), who is off the train, seem to know every single move MacCauley (played by Neeson) made throughout the entire event, she was always able to call him at the exact moment each critical task was completed, how did she pull it off? No logical explanation is ever given to the audience

2) It's even more ridiculous, when Joanna called MacCauley to witness through the train window, a random passenger Walt (played by Banks), who just got off the train, being shoved in front of a bus, because MacCauley stealthily slipped Walt a note asking him to contact the police. How did Joanna find out? We don't know. How could Joanna time the whole sequence of events so perfectly (sent her accomplice after Walt, anticipate there will be a bus coming, anticipate MacCauley has a straight line of sight to see Walt being pushed on a street at least a block away from the train platform, how does she know Walt will even take that route, ...), we don't know.

3) Train derailed at 70 m/hr., but all windows intact, none of the remaining passengers seemed to have a scratch

4) After the train derailed, none of the passengers seemed too eager to get off the train. And they weren't being held hostage

5) While being surrounded by scores of police + FBI agents, a rogue police officer Murphy (played by Wilson), stepped onto the train, pretending to negotiate for hostage release, but with real intent to kill the witness. Keep in mind, there are at least 10 passengers on the train at the time, and the police seem to be using some sort of heat-signature technology to watch every movement inside the train car. So what is the end game here? Does Murphy intent to commit mass murder to eliminate all passengers, while FBI is watching outside? If not, how does he intend to get away with murder if the rest of passengers just saw him kill the witness?

6) Why the FBI send the witness on the train, instead of picking her up? Won't that put the witness in unnecessary danger?

7) If the rogue and "powerful" organization know exactly where the FBI will pick up the witness (Cold Spring), won't it be easier just send a hitman squad to kill the witness + FBI agents at destination? Why even bother to derail a train and kill everyone on board? Both carry a death sentence anyway

How? How? How? How? How? How? How? How?

Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)

So Bad

[5/10 · 27 June 2018]

You got to be kidding me. The Kaiju gave a much more convincing performance in this movie than all the main characters combined. When the Kaiju got killed by then end of the movie by the "fist of fury" from a flying Jaeger, I almost felt bad for him. That is how bad the movie is.

I mean, the 1st installment by del Toro wasn't pitch perfect but overall very enjoyable, this one is just way below bar. None of the main characters came to life, Spaeny as Amara is definitely a miscast, she tried way too hard in every single scene, what came out wasn't her character, but her effort to deliver the lines. Comparing her performance with Dafne Keen's in Logan ... not much comparison I guess, but to be fair, Spaeny wasn't alone, Boyega and Eastwood were equally bad. Part of that had to be with the dialogue - I don't know who wrote the screenplay but the entire dialogue were just laughable, and idiotic to a whole new level.

Halfway through the movie I realize that if I stop treating it as action/sci-fi movie but a comedy, it'd be more enjoyable, and that was what I did. Hope you enjoy as well.