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Reviews
Time Bandits (2024)
Disappointing
I was really excited for this. Time Bandits was a classic movie for me growing up, and I still show it to friends that hadn't seen it before. Hearing that Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement were involved just ramped up my anticipation. And then... disappointment.
The first episode was quirky, not at the same level as the movie, but I was willing to give it a chance and see it through. Clement as Pure Evil is a great match. But Lisa Kudrow can't act, and certainly isn't capable of carrying a show on her own. She's a one trick pony, and I half expected her to break into "Smelly Cat" at any time. I never have high expectations for child actors, Kal-El Tuck wasn't bad in the role, but he certainly didn't add much. Some of the supporting Bandits were fun in a quirky way. The show really started to fall apart once Saffron took on a bigger role, the writing for her was cringe-worthy and the chemistry between Kevin and Saffron was non-existent.
The writing is really where the show really falls apart. Running jokes that aren't particularly funny the first time are beaten to death, repeated scenes where people shouting over each other constitutes "dialog", and a premise that has shown it can be fun is wasted.
It was really difficult to make it through all 10 episodes, especially when the original told a better and more entertaining story in under 2 hours.
The Menu (2022)
Full points for being unique
I really don't want to spoil anything about this movie. I didn't know what to expect going in and I don't want to give a review that creates any expectations. That being said, there is a LOT of uninspired and unoriginal drivel coming out of Hollywood these days, movies that are formulaic and predictable, and run about half an hour longer than they need to. This movie is not one of those. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and it kept me glued to the screen because I honestly couldn't predict what might happen next. Yes, it's weird and bizarre, almost along the lines of Being John Malkovich, but it's a fun ride and definitely worth checking out, especially if you want something different.
Spirited (2022)
Fun take on the story
I was a little skeptical of it being a musical, but I'm going to say after watching "Spirited" (and I thought that required watching it with spirits, so in full disclosure, I obliged), Will Ferrell is the king of Christmas movies. I dare say I wouldn't need the alcohol to enjoy it, the best thing about the movie is that it knows what it is and actively makes fun of it. Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds are both very charismatic and have the ability to carry a movie on its own, and together their magic is additive. And while I expected this to simply be a retelling of "A Christmas Carol", it's actually much more, more of an extension of the story. Is it perfect or without flaws? Of course not, it could have been half an hour shorter, easily, as most movies these days. But it's an enjoyable watch.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Could have been a great 90 minute movie
The idea behind this movie is fine, and with even semi-decent editing, this could have been a great satire with an important message about politicizing science. Unfortunately, it suffers as a lot of present day movies do...it was an hour longer than it needed to be, and as a result it becomes boring and pretentious.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
It is what Star Wars always has been
I know lots of people are going to be analyzing this film frame by frame to point out all the faults, but why? This film is what Star Wars always has been: a kids movie. Even the original film didn't have Academy award winning acting or a complex story. It was made to wow 8-year-olds. That the story didn't somehow "mature" over 42 years isn't the fault of the movie or the writers. Take your kid or your grandkid, and you'll see that they are still doing what they did when we were kids: wowing 8-year-olds.
The first movie was a simple story and mediocre acting, albeit with groundbreaking special effects for the time. While the rest of the industry has caught up in the special effects department (but their job bringing Carrie Fisher back to life was amazing), this movie isn't really that much different. To the people giving this 1 or 2 stars, I'm not sure what you were really expecting, but it certainly says more about your expectations than the movie itself.
This was one last ride for the 8-year-old in me, to hang out with some old friends, as well as new acquaintances that have been picked up along the way. It was a satisfying conclusion to a 42-year journey.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 6: The Prisoner (2019)
Like a throw away Buffy the Vampire episode
Points for reminding me of bad Buffy monsters, but weakly written, poorly acted, and does nothing to advance and story arc of the overall series. At this point, I'm starting to question if there is an overall arc, or if it's just going to be a series of random pointless encounters. Loved the promise of the early episodes, hope it gets back on track. But if you miss this episode, you really haven't missed a thing.
Watchmen (2019)
Engaging
Well cast, good pace, engaging right from the start, visually well done. I'm hooked after a few episodes.
Bonding (2018)
One of the most accurate mainstream portrayals of kink to date
Episodes are short, you can binge the entire season in less than it takes you to watch a movie. This is a show about people that live kinky lifestyles (BDSM, fetishes, that sort of thing) and the psychology behind them, but does it as a comedy. It's actually one of the better representations of the topic, even though some of the scenes will come across as "outrageous humor" and "shock value" for those people with more vanilla tastes. It is much more entertaining than other productions that have tried to address the topic and butchered it (Fifty Shades, I'm looking at you).
I'll admit that I bumped the rating by a point just for bringing topics to the screen that don't often get talked about in any serious way. But then I deducted the rating a point for some sloppy and rushed writing in the last couple episodes, and I always have a pet peeve when a show can't take 20 seconds to Google the difference between psychiatry and psychology.
Overall, it's worth a watch to see an entertaining look at a commonly misunderstood topic.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Even the "exciting" parts are boring.
A dull movie without tension, the characters really give you nothing to care about. The first movie was entertaining, but this one adds nothing to the Harry Potter universe.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Mac Finds His Pride (2018)
Wow
For a show that has thrived on shallow, horrible (albeit hilarious) characters in outrageous situations, the ending of this episode was really moving. It is completely out of character with the rest of the show, but that stark contrast makes it even more powerful.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Embracing change while staying the same.
With the possible exception of Rogue One, Star Wars movies were always made with kids in mind. We loved it as kids. Now the new movie is not ground breaking like the first (er, fourth) one, but it's still an entertaining movie. Could it have been better? Sure, almost anything can always be better. But it could have been a LOT worse. For the adult in me, sure, I can pick holes in the plot and see the Star Wars formula play out over again, but the kid in me still gets goosebumps from the opening crawl onwards, and there is enough tension to keep it exciting. Moreover, my kids loved it, and they are the target audience. Watching my son vibrate with excitement in the seat next to me was worth the price of admission alone.