Reviews
Molli and Max in the Future (2023)
The best movie I've seen in ages
First, this is a movie that requires you to pay close attention (or you will miss the laugh outloud jokes). Second, there is some subtlty that requires some thinking on the part of the viewer. There are no gratuitous sex scenes, no explosions, no car chases, no fight scenes (except some robot carnage!). It's all about the characters. There's a lot of social commentary as well that probably "cheeses" off a few people (you'll get the joke if you see the movie). I haven't laughed so hard at a movie in a very long time. The writing and comic timing is excellent. I thought the two main characters were fantastic and I hope to see more of both actors in other films.
Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose (2023)
Disappointing
This movie was barely funny and had a very thin plot. I even paid to rent it from Prime and didn't bother watching the last 30 minutes because I didn't care what happened. The actors are wasted in this. There is a summary of the Gef mongoose incident in Wikipedia. Read that if you're curious. I don't watch movies for gorgeous camera work, unfortunately, so to me this is a solid 4. I'd rather watch a gripping story on videotape. This could've been cut down to an hour, easily--not that much happens! Editing, costumes, and camera work do not make up for a poor script. If you have insomnia, this could be a good choice for you. Normally I love Simon Pegg but this was just a very boring movie. I even enjoy Jane Austen movies, and "costume dramas," as they're called, with dense dialog and no action. There was just very little to hang onto here.
Vengeance (2022)
A surprisingly good film
I started out watching it thinking it was going to be one type of movie, but then it rapidly switched to become a completely different, totally unexpected movie. It starts out as entertaining, chuckling over various stereotypes. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but let's say that it doesn't continue that way. A surprisingly deep movie about a very shallow character (initially, at least). It's funny and witty, also convoluted and engrossing with a really gripping plot and interesting social commentary. It's a genuinely good and different type of movie. The best I've seen in a while. Kudos to everyone involved--writers, actors, director. One hundred percent!
How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017)
Cringe-y awful mess of a movie
I love Neil Gaiman's work. I loved the story this steaming pile was based on. Come on, people. This is an awful movie. It reminded me of watching Rocky Horror or Phatntom of the Paradise. It is a movie so bad that I want to unwatch it so I no longer have bits of it in my head. The first 30 minutes alternated between being cute and being annoying. I would have stopped there but I paid to "rent" it from Amazon, so I kept on going until the end. If you could extract Nicole Kidman's part and watch it in isolation, I think she'd be very good. She was a lot better than this horrible movie deserved. I'm surprised she didn't pay to have the master copy destroyed. My recommendation is RUN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. Watch someting else--anything else. The plot of Rocky Horror actually made MORE sense. I would not want to know anyone who thought this was a good movie. Rattling off the pedigree of the cast and production crew does not make it good. Good people can produce crap. This movie is ample evidence.
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (2022)
I had high hopes
I was not familiar with the novel before watching this series, so I had no expectations going in. I did expect some light humor with Hugh Laurie as the writer. There were some parts that were light in tone, but be forewarned--there are no laughs here, except with the plot is extremely silly... And it is... The first episode was crisp and snappy, and I hoped the rest of the episodes would be similar. However, the source material was the big failure here, I think. The plot became bizarre with people doing very illogical things. I laughed out loud at several dramatic moments because they were so ridiculous. The plot drags a bit and there are a bunch of mostly irrelevant sub-arcs. Suddenly, the number of characters doubles, and then it's the end. I picked up on a few of the plot elements at the end, but honestly I had to look up a synopsis on Wikipedia to figure out who did what to whom. I'm still not sure who hired the thug in the bowler hat. Anyone who wants to watch this should probably read the book or watch a different production first. The leads were OK, but nothing special. The sets were very pretty, and obviously a lot of expense went into obtaining the autos, based on the number of loving shots of their chrome and highly waxed paint. I rate this as better than an average Father Brown episode, but just a little.
The Wheel of Time (2021)
Solid three (mostly for the scenery)
I looked forward to this show for a couple of years, having read the books and mostly enjoyed them. I thought, maybe I got my hopes up too high and that's why this seems so bad? I asked my husband what he thought--he read none of the books and knew nothing about the story prior to watching it. He agreed that it was terrible. The writing is poor and the acting is very bad. For those of us who read the books, it's not consistent. For people like my husband who did not read the books, it's incoherent. He didn't understand several plot points that weren't explained at all, but the show seemed to assume everyone would know. I don't know who this show is for. I suffered through the first season and won't be watching any more episodes.
Toast of London (2012)
Offensive, uncomfortable, and hilarious
This show reminds me of the Mighty Boosh, Green Wing, or maybe more of Bottom (but even edgier). You have to enjoy surreal "cringeworthy" British comedy to like this show. It is one of the strangest, awfulest, yet funniest things around. It walks a fine line between being terrible and brilliant, as Matt Berry often does. If you're not offended by a bit of bad language, nudity, and "adult situations," give it a go. Anyone familiar with British comedy of the past few decades will be delighted by the familiar faces.
I Care a Lot (2020)
Awful
I wish I had not finished watching this movie. I kept hoping for something to happen that would save the plot, but no... that never happens. The main character Marla is completely hateful. I liked Peter Dinklage's character compared to her, since he was at least nice to his mom. The day after I watched this, the horrible characters stayed with me and also ruined the rest of my weekend. If you're bored of watching good movies and want to watch something simply because it's different, then watch this trainwreck. Yes, the plot is not your typical Hollywood plot, but it's also not entertaining and it's very depressing and completely unbelievable. I don't see how anyone gets "dark comedy" out of this mess. I didn't find any aspect of it even mildy humorous.
American Gods (2017)
Slow and boring
During season 1, I jumped on each new episode. But for season 2, I am looking at the clock while watching and thinking, "Is this almost over?" Honestly, the book was huge and so full of (better) material I don't know why they feel they have to pad it with fluff. The book is fantastic. If you're not much of a reader, get the audiobook. It's WAY better than this series. The series feels like it is trying for shock value with gross-out scenes, violence, and naked women instead of providing a well-written story. Some episodes are so slow my mind wanders to work tasks and household chores while watching.
Lazy Susan (2020)
Call me an optimist
I watched this movie until the end, hoping that the lead character would do something redeemable, but this movie isn't about that... It's about watching a detestable character do detestable things. I was a little confused at first, since a man is playing Susan. I wasn't sure if she was trans or what... but no, it turns out it's just a dude playing a woman's part. If there's any humor in the movie, a lot of it comes from a guy playing a woman. The rest is just the pathetic, unlikeable main character irritating her family and taking advantage of the few friends she has. It isn't witty at all. I guess you could call it quirky, but not in a smart or fun way. If you thought "Married With Children" was a lot of laughs, this will probably appeal to you.
Holidate (2020)
Entertaining and fun!
This was exactly the movie I was looking for on the day before Thanksgiving. It is funny and clever, and isn't TOO crude (though the jokes are for adults). Not insulting to your intelligence in the way Judd Apatow or Dane Cook movies often are. If you liked Palm Springs, you will probably also like this one. Of course you know how it ends--do people really watch movies only because they want to see how they end? The point of a movie is to enjoy the time between the titles and the credits, not to stick around for the last 15 minutes of resolution. And this is a very enjoyable movie.
Love Wedding Repeat (2020)
Entertaining!
There aren't any gun battles or car chases, and there's no gratuitous nudity. Is that why people hate this film? I thought it was an adorable film shot in an exquisite location. Loved seeing "Demelza" in a modern movie, along with "George Warleggan" (Poldark references). It does put characters into uncomfortable situations--that "squirmy" British humor that seems to be an acquired taste for Americans. Maybe that accounts for the division. If you enjoy British comedy (real British comedy, not stuff filmed in Britain but written for Americans) then you'll enjoy this movie.
The Witcher (2019)
I don't see the appeal...
This series reminds me of the terrible fantasy movies of the 1980's, except with better special effects. The dialogue is DREADFUL. Honestly, for all they spent on this show, they could've spent a little cash on a better writer (or screen adaptation, as I guess this is a decent book series) and a decent director. I don't watch series for pretty pictures--I watch for the story. I couldn't get through the first episode. About 20 minutes in, my husband and I looked at each other and pretty much said that the same time that we wanted to go watch something else. The dialogue seems to depend on snarky comebacks, which just made me cringe and feel embarrassed for everyone in the show. It looks like an expensive mess to me. If not for the nudity I would think this was targeted at children or young teens.
Just Friends (2005)
Fluff, but very funny fluff
While this isn't going to win any Oscars, this is an excellent movie to watch if you are in the mood for a light romantic comedy. This is a very funny movie - some of the humor kind of slides in under the radar, and you have to listen closely and pay attention to catch it all. I think it's a story everyone can relate to - you're madly in love with someone in high school who only thinks of you as a friend. You grow up and get that second chance we all hope for deep down inside. A lot of it is trite, such as deciding between a flashy, shallow lifestyle and a close-to-your-roots (but more real) one. Still, it is fun to watch and immensely entertaining. Much funnier than standard relationship movies, and with some bizarre detours. Some of the plot is predictable, but other parts are definitely not. I'm sure many reviewers will pan it as fluff, but I laughed a lot and enjoyed the characters.