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Falling Skies (2011)
It's lost its way.
A show that started out showing us how a group of Americans were resisting an alien invasion in a post-apocalyptic world just appears to have completely lost its way and become about how many times we can save Tom Mason's family. Who really cares anymore?
In Season 4 it appears that Earth's only surviving group of resisters are in about 4 camps. One of them is lead by Anne Glass, Tom Mason's partner who leads them all on a merry go round searching for her daughter (like they all don't have missing family of their own). Another of the groups is now lead by said daughter - who have laid down all arms by the way. A third group has just escaped from an alien camp and have the unfortunate deal of having 2 Masons in their group. Father Tom goes off to search for his youngest son leaving first son in charge of the rest of the resistance who have to wait for him risking alien abduction. The final group are being indoctrinated by the Aliens with the 4th Mason Matt being one of the only resisters.
Its fascinating how some of the aliens have gone from being indestructible with guns in season one through to being killed by knives in season 4. Completely lost its way in my opinion. Lets get back to Earth Council, organised resistance, real military not all led by Masons (is there a hidden message there?) and please is there any other resistance anywhere else in the world? If the future of the world depends on this group of 100 odd people led by Masons, then the aliens might as well kill them all off now!
Under the Dome (2013)
Extremely poor!
Its interesting that a lot of the reviews here are critiquing that the show deviates so much from the book. Can we start with poor dialogue and unbelievably poor acting please. This one is all over the place. I haven't read the book but I guess if they had stayed with it, they might be a plot. I stayed with it till season 2 episode 2 but I'm done. Big Jim hero? He has confessed to killing 2 people!!
Eggs, the dome wants us to kill big Jim, there isn't enough food for everyone (I must have missed the bit where they started the collective). This really reminds me of a game we used to play as children where one person starts the story and everyone takes over to tell a part of it with no plot and each bit is made up by a different person as it goes on. A couple of 'major' characters were killed off this season and it almost seems like mercy killings. If I were in this show I'd beg to be killed off too!
I really can't understand how Dean Norris goes from Breaking bad to this. If its true that the majority of the votes here are based on reviews of episode one then IMDb really need to sort it out. I'd be surprised if anyone could objectively rate this show as a 7 right now. My rating of 2 is probably generous!
Picket Fences: Forget Selma (1996)
Detective film noir parody
Douglas Wambaugh visits his estranged wife Myriam ostensibly to get her to sign divorce papers, but with a secret plan to get her to reconsider their separation. The plan goes horribly wrong when he is introduced to Miriam's new boyfriend, a retired stockbroker from out of town. Wambaugh then finds out that most of his friends already new about the the relationship but were unwilling to inform him in order to spare his feelings from being hurt. He then develops a theory that the suitor is up to no good, so he launches his own investigation, seeking the assistance of Kenny, Kimberly and Carter. His suspicions cause his friends to question his mental health, suspecting that he may be suffering from senile dementia. This causes Wambaugh to tail Hal Klosterman (Myriam's suitor), leading to unforeseen revelations.
12 Rounds (2009)
Poor Man's Die Hard 3
If you've watched Die Hard3 with Samuel Jackson and Bruce Willis then I'd suggest giving this a miss. Its a high energy action movie with poor dialogue and lots of explosions just for the hell of it.
Aidan Gillen (Councilman Thomas 'Tommy' Carcetti from the Wire) is completely unconvincing as psychopathic bad guy Miles Jackson. Det. Danny Fisher (John Cena) is inadvertently responsible for the death of Miles Jackson's girlfriend when he arrests Miles. A year later Miles escapes from jail kidnaps Molly (Danny's girlfriend) and puts him through 12 rounds of tests to get her back.
The dialogue was quite bad and when special agent Santiago says "one more time for the cheap seats this is not a test" while on the phone to the electricity company I almost walked out of the cinema.
I've only given this a 6 cause of the "speed"esque action scenes. John Cena did a better job than I would have thought though. And when Brian White (Detective Tavon Garris from the Shield) shows up as the sidekick is there anyone who couldn't see what happened to him coming? I was glad when it was over...
Hancock (2008)
Will Smith saves Los Angeles (is he downsizing?)
Will Smith as the Superhero who needs a makeover. Its entertaining and has a slight twist half way through. Definitely worth watching but don't expect too much.
Hancock despite regularly saving people is hated by the public and the police. The police are actively asking him to butt out of rescues as he ends up damaging property when he does any rescues. Oh and he hates being called an "asshole" (a bit like Mcfly from back to the future).
One almost wonders why he bothers and from the opening scenes it appears that he doesn't always bother. But as its Will playing the role somehow through it all you see his humanity and know reformation is just around the corner...
The Gospel (2005)
Top Notch Gospel
Its saddening that a lot of people have just voted '1' just to ruin the rating of this film on IMDb. I doubt if anyone really believes it is that bad as there are very few films (that I have chosen to watch) I would give ratings below 2. Equally a few people have given it 10 to counteract the 1's sadly they are out numbered. I have rated it 7 as I believe it had its highlights but also a few shortcomings.
I don't think you need to be a Christian to watch the film and not even black (I can remember seeing only one white character that spent more than two seconds on screen, what a change). One requirement might be to enjoy music though.
The film starts with a very good mass choir rendition of a popular gospel tune 'Our God is an Awesome God' (has about 5 minutes of screen time over the opening credits) and later there are at least 2 other performances of equal duration. Sadly the performance by Fred Hammmond of Commissioned fame was interspersed with acting. There was also singing from Yolanda Adams and Tamyra Grey (former American idol contestant).
As the story opens, Pastor Fred Taylor has a thriving church in Atlanta which his son David is leading in praise and worship. David's mother dies and he blames Fred for never being there for them. David leaves the church and 15 years later becomes a successful R&B Singer with a hit on the charts called "Let Me Undress You." David's friend, Rev Charles Frank (Idris Elba)who was also in youth ministry stays behind at the church becomes an associate minister and is now in line to take over the church which happens to now be having financial problems.
Pastor Fred develops cancer and David returns home to be with his dad and the rest of the film focuses on his internal dilemma whether he should focus on his music career or the church and the leadership battle between Frank - who has now developed a great ego - and Associate Pastor Terrance Hunter (Donnie McClurkin).
Boris Kodjoe (once voted as one of the 50 most beautiful people on the planet) was very good in the lead role as David Taylor however there were a few areas where his acting came across as being stiff when he was out of his comfort zone. I was impressed by his acting when he was leading the choir. Omar Gooding was also excellent as the Manager/sidekick. Other members of the cast were very good including Idris Elba, Clifton Powell and Donnie McClurkin.
The movie attempted to explore church politics in a very realistic way, however I was a bit disappointed at the sudden reversal of Frank. (Perhaps it will be explored further in the deleted scenes on the DVD. (And to the reviewer from earlier - yes some of us do want to see the deleted scenes).
I must admit I don't see links to the fighting temptations as that was mainly a comedy and this was a powerful drama.
My main criticism is that they tried too hard to give the film a happy ending that would please all but it didn't strike me as being very realistic. Overall though a very good film worth watching.
Birth (2004)
Poor
I really can't see the point of this movie. In a nutshell Anna (Nicole Kidman) is just about to get married 10 years after the death of her husband when a 10 year old boy shows up claiming to be the reincarnation of her dead husband Sean. Everyone expresses strong disbelief except Anna who after a while starts to believe the boy is her dead husband.
Now here is where I have difficulty with the film now even if the bloke showed up 10 years later exactly as he was would they just be able to carry on from where they left off? People Change. Now Sean is only 10 years old and she is still interested? Now I have got some of my major gripes out of the way I think the Director and the actor have done a great job out of a pathetic script and a pointless premise. The acting was very good especially from the young Sean who didn't have much lines but carried off the Parotted responses 'I am Sean, I am Sean' very well. (This boy must have been watching some old prisoner of war videos where the POW keeps repeating his name and serial number over and over again instead of answering the questions put to him).
The Flirtation with Paedophilia obviously made me uncomfortable and I really can't see why Hollywood produce films with moments like that (Now why would I want to shell out £10 to watch a film that a bloke kisses his sister or a grown woman flirts with a 10 yr old?) Since the whole film revolves around how troubled Nicole Kidman's character was WHAT WAS THE POINT? To prove that a grieving widow could flirt with paedophilia out of grief? Come on I'm sure there are a whole load of scripts that haven't seen the light of day in Hollywood that are more deserving of the talents of Kidman and Bacall.
The Notebook (2004)
Fantastic
It's my film of the year so far. Forget about the clichés, the seagulls, Allie the elder's tasteful turnout etc, this is a first class love story. The mix of the present and the past was exceptional, Noah and Allie present and past was acted very convincingly.
An exploration of senile dementia and the test to see if real love can break the barriers that medicine can't. Can a teenage summer romance last a lifetime?
I thought the scene where Noah's girlfriend comes to visit was very well done, even though later on Allie's fickleness is a bit upsetting. And while you know or think you can guess how it will end there are a few subtle slight swerves to keep you guessing. Will Allie have an accident, who is the old guy Duke, Noah or Lon? And Gena Rowlands was fantastic as the Allie the elder, I almost fell in love with her myself and I am 30 years younger. Definitely worth the $10 entry fee and if you see it on DVD cuddle up with your other half and be prepared for the sniffles cause it's touching if you have a heart.