brucethomson-47872 Reviews

Hundreds of Beavers (2022)

A failure

[2/10 · 20 April 2024]

This is trying far too hard. Every cheap trick, over-acting, stupid animation, historical silent movie piano work.

It adds up to an abuse of the viewer.

I equal this to a 12 year old's cartoon drawing. It has no attention, lots of boredom, failed attempts at storytelling. People in the snow dealing with animals - dull.

This is awful. An attempt to recreate a Buster Keaton boredom, it succeeds if it intends to offend.

I recommend nobody watches more than 30 minutes, as it gets progressively worse.

I don't know how this was made, presumably financed by fools. It is a complete failure.

Forgive yourself if you watch it all.

The Day of the Triffids (1963)

Almost nothing true to story

[29 April 2022]

Triffids were farmed for some sort of oil production. Whole story was set in England (not France, nor lighthouse). 12-y-o girl was not present, main woman was 20 something social unicorn. Main character was a triffid-breeder/farmer. Where are the socialists wanting to run sighted workgroups?

This movie is a complete rework, and not for the better.

Silverpoint (2022– )

This is junk .. nothing like Stranger Things

[3/10 · 17 March 2022]

Weird to see high reviews here. This is extremely slow, unlikeable pre-teens, nothing happening by episode 3. I won't be watching any more. I guess a 10-year-old might like it.

Upload (2020– )

Series 1 OK, 2 is off to a very bad start

[3/10 · 12 March 2022]

If you worked your way through series 1 this was above average. Series 2 has gone very wrong, sadly. I can't see any point going back to even see part 1.

The Cuphead Show! (2022)

Boring, sadly

[3/10 · 19 February 2022]

I didn't play the game. This was boring. Some sort of old-worldly Disney style drawing but without story. You thought you saw Mickey driving a boat etc, this was worse. Don't bother watching.

Severance (2022– )

Boring

[3/10 · 19 February 2022]

Saw 1 and 1/4 episodes. Completely boring. Perhaps something will happen later, but I'm not waiting for it. Idea has some merit, but nothing is happening, characters are unappealing. Could it be better ... naturally, because the first two episodes are terrible.

Creamerie (2021– )

Terrible trash

[3/10 · 31 December 2021]

An unacceptable combination of feminist tripe, multi-culti, and cringe. This is an awful offering. This makes New Zealand like it has accelerated 100 years and current policy has all come true. I don't eat offal, but I would rather do that than watch any more than 3 episodes.

Don't Look Up (2021)

A modern failure

[4/10 · 25 December 2021]

About 1 hour in, but I think it's safe to offer a review now. This is supposed to be some sort of biting satire, but falls flat. It does a disservice to viewers. Junk. I would prefer to have this comet hit the Earth than to watch the end of this garbage.

The Matrix Resurrections (I) (2021)

This is not a good movie

[5/10 · 25 December 2021]

I watched 30 minutes, that was enough. Boring, crap about the gaming industry, nothing happening beyond the first 5 minutes. It is possible something occurs later, but I'm not waiting for it.

Hit-Monkey (2021–2024)

Stunning and bold

[4/10 · 14 December 2021]

Stunning and bold, according to a self-described strong female speech-writer. This started well for a couple of minutes, then went down hill. I didn't wait to hit rock bottom with it.

Anne with an E (2017–2019)

Slow decline

[6/10 · 1 July 2021]

Starts off very well. Beautiful location. Heartwarming story. Unfortunately, by the middle of series two, we have a number of story arcsintroduced that I highly doubt were in the original books. Perhaps it is due time we all moved on from the late 1800s and into a modern re-making.

If you like your classic childrens books progressively advanced to cover LGBT and feminist positive content then you will enjoy this production immensely.

As usual the main male characters are deeply flawed - cowards, thieves, prideful, bullies, drunks, or sanctimonious (plus a MAP). They are appropriately brought to their knees or self-recognition of their failings.

I won't rate it lower, as I didn't continue watching beyond S2E5, and I'm happy to leave it with some good memories. Who knows where it goes from there.

As usual, a series can rapidly go downhill. This seems to be one of them.

Sweet Tooth (2021– )

Eco propaganda

[5 June 2021]

If you like your eco-propaganda presented with mutant children then this is for you. Very well shot and realistic CGI.

If you want to know that 'very bad people exploited the earth' and the bogeyman is still out there somewhere to get you in your log cabin then you have come to the right place.

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

"The world is hurt, broken. Unexchangeable"

[6/10 · 3 May 2021]

That's where I was at 3hrs 36 minutes where I started typing this review, and I was feeling the same way about this movie.

It is far too long. For example, I don't care about the 10 minutes explaining how one hero's mother has an accident and the related difficulties with the father who had nothing to do with the issue - just let her be dead and we can all fill in the blanks as we wish.

It starts slowly, and ends poorly and slowly with some extended Epilogue. The middle is pretty good, with excellent CGI throughout. Soundtrack is well chosen.

One of the few comedic moments questions what Batman's powers are - "I'm rich", explaining his basic uselessness compared to the true superheroes.

I guess if you know and like these characters this movie may provide an extensive explanation of their back-stories and motivations. I have a casual interest in them, and only the robotic cyborg Victor was new or interesting.

While typing out this review I've watched the last 20 minutes, took the battery out of a smoke detector that was going off randomly, and used the bathroom. Have a guess which one of these activities was the least satisfying or rewarding.

The Mosquito Coast (2021–2023)

Politically motivated padlum

[4/10 · 1 May 2021]

Starts off interesting and goes downhill fast. Bad people = law enforcement, business owner, bank, Patent office, border patrol. Good people = homeless, indigents, illegal immigrants, poor, criminals, smugglers.

The basic story is promising, but so heavily politically laden it grates. Some sort of Weather Underground shadowy organization looming in future episodes does not bode well.

Plus the 'science' of the genius but down-trodden dad is off. For example, you don't make a Faraday cage around a car with a single layer of aluminum foil. You have covered the windscreen with foil, so driving blind? Then you switch to another car where you don't do this at all.

This could have been good. Unfortunately I am abandoning ship after episode two.

StarTalk (2015– )

Politically weighted

[5/10 · 14 March 2021]

This is a generally informative podcast. Unfortunately Neil can't help but slip his politics into what should be an educational and neutral show. I don't think he even tries, it is his goal to improve your political thinking, by any means necessary.

His opinions on high school teaching methods and goals, world governments, corrupt motivations for historical NASA funding are recent examples of content that should not have been in the show at all.

I think that if the co-host Chuck Nice took over, and guest astronomers/related scientists were introduced then Neil could be deleted from this show permanently, with no harm being done. Stick to the facts, please, on the topic I was interested in.

If you are willing to use the 'skip' button frequently, or if you are interested in Neil's political views then this is a podcast for you. I have sadly found it so tiresome that I've had to delete it.

Bottle Rocket (1996)

Something of its time

[6/10 · 8 March 2021]

This is not a good movie. It has a deep problem, being that it is not really funny or having any dramatic aspect. Don't bother. Perhaps in 1996 people thought it had merit, but no more.

Vertigo (1958)

Failed concept

[7/10 · 7 March 2021]

The basic concept of a dead woman from 1850 being reincarnated as / mind controlling a modern woman is so ridiculous that it destroys this otherwise well directed film. Is it real? Who would have believed this nonsense even in 1960?

It looks great, has great characters, but as the whole thing is centered on nonsense it can only appeal so far.

The Crew (II) (2021)

The laugh track from hell

[4/10 · 17 February 2021]

Who can watch this? It's 1980s level laugh track, trying to disguise a pointless sort-of comedy as a family-friendly sitcom. Don't bother.

Coma (I) (2019)

Boring

[5/10 · 16 February 2021]

This was fundamentally boring. Off to a good start with some effective effects but slowly became less interesting. As the 1 hr 49 moved on there was less and less intriguing or engaging content.

This taught me nothing, and entertained me little. Avoid.

WandaVision (2021)

Abandoning after Episode 6

[6/10 · 13 February 2021]

You will see a lot of reviews saying that you have to watch past episode 3 to see what's really going on and enjoy the show much more. The show certainly improves and makes a lot more sense from episode 4 onward.

However it is still mostly pretentious twaddle, just less boring. The meta-plot and the revealed reality are interesting, but can't save this fundamentally flawed offering.

It is hard to say if the acting is bad, or whether the script and storyline make successful acting impossible. Is someone's cackling laugh a failure to act, or does the script instruct them to ham it up, exaggerate for comedic effect? The attempts at humor frequently fall flat.

Our trip through the decades of different sitcom styles has been done lazily. They are supposedly being simultaneously celebrated, criticized, lampooned, re-invented and refreshed. This is at best half-effective. There should be be a goldmine of material to work with, but we just get cheap impersonations of classic characters.

The slow pacing and lack of imagination on the writer's part is supposed to be excused due to flaws and boredom in the original sitcom formats?

I have no particular interest in Marvel comics or know the specific characters they're showcasing here, so I'm reviewing this based on its fundamental entertainment value. Perhaps a MCU fan would appreciate it more. I couldn't even recommend it for children as it is I think supposed to be for adults who can sit through this dull show.

After seeing 6 episodes I can no longer be bothered. Even 3 amazing new episodes will not be able to compensate for the time I have wasted so far.

The Drowning (2021)

Dull and ridiculous

[4/10 · 4 February 2021]

Based on half an episode - this has poor acting, a weak story, and nothing that I can see that redeem it. Don't bother.

100 Days to Live (2019)

Pretty boring

[5/10 · 3 February 2021]

Some sort of crime thriller. Not really worth watching unless you've run out of options. It could have been good. Reasonable acting, but the story lets it down.

Johnny Guitar (1954)

Unfortunate disappointment

[5/10 · 31 January 2021]

I love westerns. This was, by about 50% through, a confusing and boring production. Why are ratings to so high? Perhaps something happens in the last half. I'm not waiting to see.

Go for a true classic cowboy movie, this is a dull attempt.

Edit: rewatched, got to a half hour left and it is still nonsense. Perhaps one day I'll watch the last quarter.

The Good Doctor (2017–2024)

A slow decline, someone should diagnose what went wrong

[5/10 · 26 January 2021]

This started off in season 1 as an excellent show. The autism was a good story point. It was good in season 2, and has slipped to the point that I have ceased watching it. What rating does it deserve? I'd say a 9/10 for season 1, and a slow decline after that. I still recommend anyone watch it from the start, but be ready for disappointment if you get far enough. Depending on your mindset then two seasons of good content may be enough for you.

Walker (2021–2024)

Walker with Modern Content

[4/10 · 22 January 2021]

Not your traditional Walker. His new partner is a smart and sassy, short and strong woman. Walker intervenes to stop the deportation of an undocumented immigrant couple (not really the sort of lawman I remember). Other aspects of the story are promising.