lirmihn Reviews

Barbarians (2020–2022)

Suspend the Obvious Comparisons...

[7/10 · 7 October 2023]

And try to view it as it is.

I'm enjoying this series, but had a wee struggle to "bond" with any of the characters.

When I did warm to them, avoiding comparisons to Lagertha and clan & Uhtred & clan were more difficult.

What costs this series major stars from me are the lapses into modern day phrases. They'll be going along nicely, sounding relatively like what we want this period to sound like, & a character blithely delivers a 'ride 'em cowboy,' or 'oopsie daisy' gem & blows the entire flow.

I really don't like time-traveling dialog in my period pieces.

That aside, it's a decent series & I'm hoping for a third season that has less misplaced jargon!

Don't Listen (2020)

"Don't Listen"

[3/10 · 9 September 2023]

Not bad at all until they killed a pet for shock value. Just over this tactic. Turned it off immediately.

If people weren't sufficiently emoting after the death of a child, forget it. Needless, hurtful, advances animal cruelty in some humans*.

Apologies to the humans who were acting in this, as they were decent & quite watchable. Would've rated at least a 6 otherwise.

Not bad at all until they killed a pet for shock value. Just over this tactic. Turned it off immediately.

If people weren't sufficiently emoting after the death of a child, forget it.

Needless, hurtful, advances animal cruelty in some humans*.

Apologies to the humans who were acting in this, as they were decent & quite watchable. Would've rated at least a 6 otherwise.

Not bad at all until they killed a pet for shock value. Just over this tactic. Turned it off immediately.

Significant Other (2022)

I was better off as the deer!

[7/10 · 11 August 2023]

Slow starter, felt predictable but I kept watching.

Some will detest this because it's not a slasher, no constant adrenaline, does have a lot of "feelings" leading in.

The chic is needy, the guy is quirky, they're both trying really hard. A bit of a "dude, this relationship is doomed, sack it & book" creeps in.

But it picks up.

Some cliff diving ensues.

WTF moments follow.

I'll admit, until the next full plot turn, I debated watching something else. But spontaneous regeneration occurred, Harry is reborn, there's major goo-age & some silliness.

It's not the Shining or Hostel or Hell Raiser ... so what?

Not awful at all & the metaphysical debate of Not-The-Deer is pretty funny.

Probably a 6, but 7 because it didn't try to be something else.

Hill Street Blues: No Body's Perfect (1982) Season 3, Episode 11

Fetch? Seriously?

[1/10 · 12 May 2023]

This otherwise 8-star episode is completely trashed by the propensity of writers who find it a comedic moment to use animal characters suffering as "a light, humorous twist." There is nothing funny about Howard thoughtlessly rolling the just-found Lhasa apso's ball out the window while saying Fetch. I detest the use of contrived death of Hollywood animals as a most-often cheap, sentimental manipulation. It's beyond lazy writing, at best. At worst, it condones animal abuse.

A funny oops moment should not involve pain & death.

Throw a human animal out the window next time & see how funny others find it.

The Rookie (2018– )

Outstanding episode

[9/10 · 30 March 2023]

I love The Rookie, even when obviously glaring story blips make me crazy (Lopez on her cell at a blockade with suspect who killed the Captain 10 seconds out, first season episode), even when the What's Coming Next is obvious & entirely predictable. I've even developed a wee bit of fondness for the crazy Rookie FBI character who, one hopes, would never actually make it in the real FBI.

All of my nit-picking falls away when a pure, wonderful episode like this pulls everyone & lots of story lines together. And Don McManus was a perfect guest for this episode.

No spoilers, but if you're still irked over the last Dim/Tim episode, renew the love with A Hole in the World.

Unsane (2018)

Gar-Baaaahhhg

[3/10 · 14 February 2023]

There was potential of a good movie here. Decent actors, etc. Enough teasing elements that even as I was equally disgusted and amused at the glaring improbabilities, and then just impatient with the ludicrous dis-reality of Med errors, coed dorms, restrained yet unsupervised patients, and countless incongruities, I watched it til its blithering end.

If it's the only movie available to you, then go for it. Otherwise?

If it's the only movie available to you, then go for it. Otherwise? Scrub your bathroom.

If it's the only movie available to you, then go for it. Otherwise? Count a box of rice grains.

If it's the only movie available to you, then go for it. Otherwise? Spare yourself.

Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story (2019 TV Movie)

Read the book!

[7/10 · 11 February 2023]

7, because Christina Ricci Judith Light Nellie "Bly"

When Lifetime does a movie, we know a lot about what it will be like. Lifetime movies are their own genre. I haven't watched one for probably 30 years because: vcrs, dvds, real cable, streaming.

Almost didn't watch this, but Ricci & Light were a draw for me.

It's a passable movie, decent sets etc. Categorised under Horror/Thriller, I was surprised to find it a Based On.

Don't expect Eli Roth level scares, although it's a truly horrifying fact that women were treated like this. The movie is generalities & smoothed edges.

Best about it was discovering the real story, of which I was totally ignorant. If this was complete fiction, it would be a 5 for me.

A watchable movie for a day you need good actresses, decent sets, & a story you can glide in & out of.

If it piques your interest, read her actual story!

1923: The War Has Come Home (2022) Season 1, Episode 3

The Veldt

[6/10 · 14 January 2023]

Loved 1883. Love Taylor Sheridan.

Mirren, Flynn & Ford, ditto.

While I'm enjoying the ranch side, REALLY struggling with the Africa line. Let's come home from the war & try to single-handedly wipe out big cats & hephalumps. And make sure to show dead animals so there is no doubt they're dead. And instantly fall in love while we're about it.

And please, save me the killing animals was what it was all about back then parsing.

If that continues, it's going to be a much shorter story for me, as I'll be ff-ing thru it.

I was rooting for the elephant to just step on the jeep.

Ray Bradbury fans will understand my review title.

The Catholic-run school scenes are going to be really difficult for all kinds of folks as well. True stories, absolutely brutal to sit thru. If we warn watchers abt language & drug-use, this might warrant a heads up as well.

This is ep. 3, hoping they leave the African Continent soon.

9/10 for the ranch team, 3/10 for Africa side.

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities: The Viewing (2022) Season 1, Episode 7

Nope.

[4/10 · 4 December 2022]

1 for Peter Weller 1 for decent if far tooooooooo long setup 1 for some effects. Not all. Some.

1 for the very, very end when the monster/demon/alien glides out of the sewer into an amazingly constructed HPL vista.

I spent the bulk of this episode reading reviews to see if I was too tired or too grumpy or really missing something. The spoilers were all that prompted me to watch the end because there was hope SOMEthing was going to conclude from all that came before.

Was it gorgeous? Yes. Was it boring as fk a great deal of the time? Yes. Do I love a good slow burn? Yes. But there was no burn. Just a lot of goo.

This had great elements.

I loved the end shot, it was pure Lovecraft.

It's pretentious and empty otherwise.

The Handmaid's Tale: Useful (2019) Season 3, Episode 3

The Balance

[9/10 · 24 November 2022]

I'm rewatching from the very beginning before diving into season 5, so I've seen this episode 3 times now. Some viewers find it more filler than substance it seem. But what I see is why I continue to love this series.

June in all her Of-iterations & Serena Joy continue to be diametrically opposed, then come together. It frustrated me once, I was caught in a simple June good Serena despicable loop from being overwhelmed by the first season.

Now this episode reminds me that neither woman is perfect; June can be transactional (Commander Lawrence) & Serena Joy still has quite an intellect despite having subverted herself for Fred. (An aside, don't think I'll ever be able to watch Finnes again without a knee jerk projectile vomit response. He played his part far too well.) Serena reflects on her husband willingly and self-righteously beating & mutilating her, June is given the opportunity* to save five women.

While it seems there are not as many story points here, this episode bolsters the where-with-all of several characters with some great reminders that even in Gilead, it's rarely black & white.

Vanishing on 7th Street (2010)

Nope

[3/10 · 22 October 2022]

Good premise. Decent, watchable main characters. Several good actors.

But no carry-through.

It took twenty-five minutes for any meaningful engagement with the plot.

During that time, it is established, re-established, and re-re-established that almost everyone is gone, it is getting preternaturally dark, and shadowy things are about. The survivors are grief-crazed or angry, and gas & batteries are at a premium.

The actors seem to be doing their best but they barely have bones to work with. "Croatoa" is waved about.

The story* meanders, backs up over itself and fizzles.

On a more positive note, the trailer was good.

American Horror Story: Thank You For Your Service (2022) Season 11, Episode 2

The naked Cowboy in interrogation.

[21 October 2022]

Reserving judgement on a rating until I've seen a few more episodes. I am definitely missing the usual cadre of AHS actors.

Two episodes in and we've had some interesting scenery, with two very distinct hats-off to Cruising: the leather bars and subterranean meet ups, and the giant mostly-naked cowboy who silently waltzes into interrogation, slaps the detained guy to the floor, and waltzes back out.

We have a sadistic killer and a rich photography patron. There are some good starting dynamics with the cop & reporter.

In spite of all that, it feels slow when compared to early seasons. Fingers crossed for the rest of NYC.

American Horror Stories: Necro (2022) Season 2, Episode 7

Um, Cold pack?

[4/10 · 17 September 2022]

Started at a 7 for me, ended at 4.

It takes some finesse to do the whole mortician story thing. 6 Feet Under, good example. In the Flesh, although not on perfect point, was very watchable.

I thought this started well, it had flow, she was interesting, there was reasonable tension.

Enter co-worker, yep, cute & creepy, lot of great possibilities. Boyfriend/fiancé doesn't like the way she smells, yep, creepy & reasonable.

But it's a wedge. Her girl friends see problems. Wedge. All predictably leading up to dead cute-creepy boy. With whom she has sex (kind of). Yep, gross, creepy, read the title. She has an epiphany & goes back to marry the boring boyfriend. Wedding is a sabotage cluster****, and in the aftermath of her confronting creepy-cute-not-dead-Guy who is completely in love with her it Just. Fell. Apart.

A great premise only remains great if it can be nicely wrapped up with less than 2 wtf moments. Many of these stories have suffered the same fate for me. I did like Dollhouse, Aura, & Facelift this season. I loved several of the original AHS seasons. So many of these short stories just seem tired, and a waste of the good talent that they've had. And the endings bomb.

American Horror Stories: Milkmaids (2022) Season 2, Episode 4

AHS Bingo

[2/10 · 16 September 2022]

Character bill Good male actors (Gable & Fern). Check Period piece setting. Check Strong female characters, 1 self described "old" milkmaid, 1 riddled with weird affliction she turns to her advantage. Check ** Spoilers**

Plot hooks* Historical plague. Check Misogyny. Check Self righteous pastor. Check SR pastor is a monster. Check Widower with cute creepy kid. Check Afflicted m maid is actually saving her town thru prostitution. Check.

Lead men engage in weird ritual cannibalism to save themselves from being zombies. Check Female leads are gay. Check Widower rejects milkmaid because she's gay. Check Milk maid younger is actually creepy kid's mom. Check.

Pastor is actually not religious, but is a manipulative homicidal maniac. Check Creepy kid is apparently related to Damien Thorne, cue Omen music. Check Creepy kid kills his real mom after blasting her as defiled & unclean. Check

If this was intended to be a total parody, & all the actors were told to be over the top & ham handed with their parts, well then job bloody well done.

Two stars because I really like Seth Gable, like Fern, & had hopes this season might return to some former glory.

Oh, and a warning: Pay attention to reviewers who discussed not eating during this episode's beginning.

The Witcher: Before a Fall (2019) Season 1, Episode 7

A true Witcher should never abandon poultry in distress!

[9/10 · 11 September 2022]

I knew if I kept at it I'd figure it out & really like it, or throw my hands up in disgust & stop watching.

It's the former.

.................... Spoilers......................................................

Pros & Cons (imo) Pro: Henry Cavill, Superman to some, Charles Brandon to me. His gruff monotone was a bit off-putting at first, but it grew on me as I got to know the character.

MyAnna Buring, beautiful madam from Ripper Street, perfect in her role as magical Headmistress.

Seriously gorgeous & immersive scenery & sets Many other good actors Really a Good story

Cons: Coming in with out a clue (no novel, no game knowledge) is CONFUSING. Many reviews re this, so I won't belabour it.

If a story really takes you to its universe, I find it superfluous & painful to kill off animals & animal-like creatures just for the shock & gore value. Not crazy about graphically dead infants either. Scene & setup did just fine imparting Yennefer's longing without it.

Some of the dialog feels really clunky & awkward at times.

Overall, I'm pretty hooked here, no story is perfect & there's a lot to really enjoy. I've finally "clicked" into the forward backward sideways rhythm of the time line, although sometimes I have to see the next episode to be sure it's what/where I thought it was.

Excited to see the next seasons!

Supernatural: Yellow Fever (2008) Season 4, Episode 6

"That was SCAREY!"

[10/10 · 8 September 2022]

Love this episode!

......................SPOILERS..........................................................................................

Dean goes neurotic from ghost-juice; kitty cats & yorkies send him screaming.

Bobby speaks fluent Japanese!

Sam manages to be sympathetic, just because he's Sam, but also perhaps he remembers too well being cursed by a rabbit's foot & losing his shoe...

Gumby again makes a guest appearance (Lisa was "Gumby Girl"), but presages a brutal death for the ghost.

Childe-Lilith also reappears to Dean, revealing the not-hilarious memories of Hell he's dealing with & denying.

Jensen's/Dean's most excellent air rendition of Eye of The Tiger removes most of the bad taste left from the method of killing the ghost & plays in the end credits, don't jump too fast into The Great Pumpkin!

Supernatural: Bad Day at Black Rock (2007) Season 3, Episode 3

I'm Batman!

[10/10 · 3 September 2022]

Levity & hilarity dish out a new favourite Season Three guest while adding to the lore & the mythology.

*********SPOILERS*************************************************************************************************************************************************

Bella hits town, Gordy sits in jail, Sam steps in gum & gets shot, but don't worry darlings, she can aim & it's a shoulder shot. Dean briefly gets to "be" Batman, & Bobby saves the day.

This episode along with Tall Tales & Mystery Spot are my absolute favourites of the lighter Side.

Totally 10 of 10.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Supernatural: Roadkill (2007) Season 2, Episode 16

Nope.

[1 September 2022]

I love this series. I own it. I stream it. Some episodes I can do dialog with. Not an exaggeration to say I've seen many of the seasons at least 12 times.

This episode I skip. Every time. The acting? Not an issue. The guest star? Tricia Helfer; loved her in Battlestar, & more recently in The Rookie. ( And many in between.) Another reviewer mentioned the twist is "annoying" after the first couple times; I agree. The story also pushes some personal buttons, so I won't ever rate it, I don't feel that's fair. I wouldn't even argue with people about it: love it if you love it, I don't. One episode out of 300+ still leaves me with a best-beloved show!

Game of Thrones: The Broken Man (2016) Season 6, Episode 7

"Swegen" the Septon

[9/10 · 14 August 2022]

Spoilers!

Every time I watch this episode, I cringe at his demise. Knowing it's coming doesn't help a bit. Ian McShane would've been a lovely addition as a regular, but at least he graced an hour. It was a lovely balance to the Hound's character, or a boost depending on your feelings about him.

Sansa grows ever more assertive, Jamie grows frustrated, along with the Onion Knight; Arya goes in the water.

Bugsy (1991)

Seriously fictional, but a good movie

[8/10 · 10 August 2022]

If you want to know his actual story, this movie won't do it, but if you want to see good actors, good sets and have a good movie experience, it will. Scads of great actors in this romanticised story, with wisps and hints of the history of Vegas' Flamingo.

I'd love to see an accurate portrayal of Siegel's life done, it was a fascinating time.

Lie to Me: Pied Piper (2010) Season 2, Episode 19

Shield Me

[8/10 · 8 August 2022]

One of my all time ever favourite series joins with another of my series loves when many major characters of The Shield do a great episode with Roth & company.

Seems like Cal is getting hammered a lot, though.

The 100: Red Sun Rising (2019) Season 6, Episode 2

Power changes people. All. People.

[8/10 · 3 August 2022]

9 for the story line & new world.

6.5 for the ham-handed dialog treatment: religiousity, us vs them ideology, & virgins coming of age, all devoid of polish & sophistication that equates to dumbing down the script. I like the story & actors, so I press on with the series.

So, respectfully, to all the Clarke/Octavia/Abby/add your hated character here haters, there are disposable villains, intrinsic villains we love, & primary characters who deal with the hero's journey that often results in some degree of corruption.

Philosophy AND Psych 301: leaders often buffer decisions with "We did what we had to." I don't particularly like some of Clarke's journey, but it was pretty real. And finding Maddy turned on Mama Bear hormones. Great ideals. Often disastrous results. Abby chose survival & ended up an addict; now she's clawing her way through bad decisions, horrid decisions, & behaviours while stoned. Results could be great or mediocre, depending on the writers.

O? Had to follow The Dictator's Handbook to bring her people through, not mature enough to realise what the road to hell looked like. Her truly horrific act for me? She torched the Farm. Dictators' Handbook. I have to hope she finds her way back, or she may be a casualty.

The lesson seems clear: Leaders (& everyone else) are doing what they "need" to. That has consequences for the soul, & if the hero doesn't re-assess, or has no chance to do so, they may find themselves the villain.

Revisionist history may amend that in real life. I suspect the box office & producers are more of an influence here.

Voyagers (2021)

Thoughtful beginning. Disintegrated predictably & speedily.

[5/10 · 31 July 2022]

I was initially hopeful. Decent characters/actors. Predictable, but after 65+ years of sci-fi, much is.

But - There were NO surprises, none. The genius kids figure out they're ingesting blue salt-peter, hormones rage, base urges win in some, & others turn into sheep.

It's cosmetically easy to watch, & it was a great background for the game I was playing.

Hope to see some of the actors in more challenging roles.

Mayans M.C.: You Can't Pray a Lie (2021) Season 3, Episode 6

Thank you & Good Night

[5/10 · 11 May 2022]

That's it for me.

I really enjoyed first 2 seasons. I very much like many of the characters. Several of the actors are people I follow when hunting new shows. But I just cannot take any more of the long, drawn out "there's something just over that ridge" styling. I wish it & all the great actors good luck.

Mayans M.C.: Hunahpu (2019) Season 2, Episode 10

Mirror, mirror

[8/10 · 9 May 2022]

I loved SOA. I watched & rewatched & still rewatch; it's a much loved story. Huge shoes for any spin-off to fill.

I'm just starting season 3 of Mayans, & I really like it, but sometimes it just feels like they're trying too hard to be what was. EZ's patch in was exactly like Rat's. The Sins of the Fathers storyline is natural, but again closely reflects the historical. The Bad Matriarch is put to rest in the desert instead of the rose garden. Glad she didn't ignite.

I do like the continuation episodes of life after Jax and LOVE that Potter is embroiled & embedded. The Mayan cast is great and I'm really hoping the next seasons get to be more original while still honouring the back story.