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Reviews
Andor (2022)
Not "good writing". Just slow. Not Star Wars.
Andor is boring. Plain as that. There's not much to it, really.
Strategically placed between Favreau's shows, which currently carry the Star Wars universe, Andor presents a waste of budget and time, and is not worth trudging through.
Throughout its dreary 12-episode run, you will watch more bowls of cereal get eaten then tie fighters destroyed. You will see whiny, uncompelling dialogue intent on filling up runtime instead of furthering the plot-line or the Star Wars story. An anticlimactic heist and a drawn out jailbreak did not compensate for any of the show's repetitiveness or lack of good writing.
Star Wars' vast library of characters, fascinating societies and expansive worlds provide ample ground for both a riveting political narrative or a suspenseful spy thriller. Andor delivers on neither, instead providing a dull, blabbering mess of exposition, bland characters and waaaay too many humans (more diversity please!)
People may refute these opinions, saying that the show possesses "complex characters" and "deep messages". When compared to the other well-written, slow-paced series of the year like "Better Call Saul", it becomes obvious Andor is nothing more than an attempt to try something different in the Star Wars universe by drawing out mediocrity. It would certainly be ideal if Star Wars shows could take different artistic directions, but unfortunately Disney does not seem to be able to do that. To the "fans" of this show: fashionable appreciation of this dull, mediocre drama does not reflect personal sophistication.
As for the positives of this show, they are few and far between. Lutheren is a decent character with a moderate amount of intrigue. The CGI is good. That is about all I can muster.
This show, in my opinion, is unequivocally bad. I do not recommend it.
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
So bad it's good!
Cheesy dialogue from start to finish ("tell me where the girl is or I will HURT PEOPLE"), cheesy effects (namely the flight scenes and the penultimate fight), cheesy plot (superman rounds up all the nukes in a big net), and so much more cheese! If you enjoy cheesy movies, this is required viewing!
The Mandalorian: Chapter 9: The Marshal (2020)
Great episode!
It was worth the wait!
The episode has a lot of quality action from shootouts to slaying dragons. The CGI and special effects are very good as well. The music also compliments each scene nicely.
It also gives us a deeper look into many aspects of Star Wars and we see a lot of callbacks and homages.
Also, BOBA FETT!!!
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Box (2012)
One of the best clone wars episodes!
This episode has a very intriguing premise. Multiple bounty hunters compete to survive in a mechanical labyrinth. The cast of characters is also very interesting, as we meet old and new bounty hunters, including Boba Fett, Cad Bane, and Embo. The simplistic plot is what helps make this a great episode, along with the fast pacing.
The Simpsons: So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show (1993)
A Good Episode
The plot leading up to the clip show part is good, and the April Fools theme was clever. They choose good clips to put in the clip show.
The Simpsons: Mr. Plow (1992)
A mediocre episode
This episode isn't bad, but it's nothing great, especially for season 4, which is generally considered to be the highlight of the show. The plot is nothing special, and there are a few funny gags, but nothing like some of the other episodes.
The Simpsons: Radio Bart (1992)
Stellar Episode!
This is one of the Simpsons' best episodes. It is very witty and funny, and the voice acting is great. You can see many of the characters begin to look more like the final product.
Bart's pranks in the first half are hilarious, and the second half where he gets stuck in a well is very funny.
This episode also introduces Willy, one of the Simpsons best characters.
Overall, it is a fun and entertaining episode.
Home Alone (1990)
Nothing special
I think this film is quite overrated. It is kind of a drag through most of the movie, and the end (where the kid beats up the robbers) is not as funny as people say. There are much better Christmas movies out there, why this one is so acclaimed is beyond me.
The music, however, is great!
The Mandalorian: Chapter 1: The Mandalorian (2019)
A great start to an outstanding series
The first episode of this show immediately sets up the entire feel of the show right off the bat. It does a splendid job introducing all the characters, locations, and the premise of the show. And it manages to do all of this without affecting the fast pace of the episode.
This episode has a lot of good fan service, but anybody will enjoy it. There's carbonite, gonk droids, imperial stormtroopers, an ugnaut, an assassin droid, and more in the FIRST EPISODE!
The visuals are also amazing. This show was groundbreaking in some of its VFX techniques, and it shows.
The score is great, the main protagonist has a good theme. The composer luckily didn't try to sound like John Williams; anybody who tried that would be doomed to failure. As a result, the music is very creative.
Overall, the first episode is enjoyable and action packed.
The Simpsons (1989)
One of the greatest Television shows ever!
There are so many things that are great about this long-running series, where to start....
The characters. The amazing cast of characters in this show is truly outstanding. Ranging from pranksters to rambling old people to veterans who live with their mother to a sarcastic movie enthusiast running a comic book store to weak sinister Billionaires, all the characters are very interesting and weather their plots intertwine or they go on solo adventures, the result it always entertaining.
The plots. This show consistently, throughout its entire run, has provided quality entertainment. The episodes themselves are very diverse, sometimes they deal with two characters trying to improve their relationships, while sometimes they chronicle grand adventures. Either way, it is very funny.
The jokes. Many fans believe that the quality of the jokes has deteriorated over the years, but I disagree. They are always hilarious. The humor itself contains one-liners, slapstick, situational humor, ironic humor, and more.
Overall, The Simpsons is an extremely funny and entertaining show with amazing characters and outstanding writers that has been consistent in quality throughout its entire run.
Futurama (1999)
A quality show, not as good as The Simpsons
This science fiction animation comedy show has some funny moments and great characters (notably bender), but it is not as good as Matt Groening's other series, The Simpsons.
The first season is the best, but the quality seems to drop after that. It seems like they loose track of the central theme (the crew delivering packages) and goes into weird territory.
Overall, the show is very entertaining, and it definitely has funny moments, but better TV series exist.
The Simpsons: Stark Raving Dad (1991)
A solid episode, not quite spectacular in any way.
The beginning of the episode is really funny, with an Indiana Jones like escape as Homer rolls down the staircase after Bart. The part where Homer is taken to an insane asylum is funny as well, but the episode deteriorates in quality when Micheal Jackson steals the show. The musical numbers are a bit weird. This episode is skippable, but I don't think it should be removed from streaming services.
The Simpsons: Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (1991)
A very good early Simpsons Episode
This is a very entertaining and a very funny episode, and really sets a high bar for later seasons. Homer finds his long-lost rich brother, and The Simpsons briefly live a luxurious life as a result, and the result is very funny. Then Homer ruins it in the end (as always.) Solid episode.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
A mediocre (yet fairly entertaining) movie that tries to represent a perfect character
Han Solo is one of Star Wars' greatest characters. However, in this movie he doesn't feel at all like Han Solo. Perhaps it is the lack of Harrison Ford, or perhaps it is the new actor somewhat fumbling the role. The confident and suave Han Solo that existed in episodes 4-7 doesn't feel like he's in this movie. The character seems more along the lines of Luke Skywalker.
Another issue I have about this film is that it doesn't explore Han and Chewbacca's relationship that much. Chewbacca is forced to be a background character so the new characters (Qi'ra and Beckett) are given more screen time. At times, Han is sidelined to make way for these new characters.
However, Danny Glover's outstanding portrayal of Lando Callrissian truly makes this film. His character is consistent with that of the original trilogy, and he is the most entertaining character in the movie. His droid companion, L3, is also a very interesting and entertaining character.
Overall, Lando fans will appreciate the film more than Han fans, but it is an entertaining show for all audiences.
Rogue One (2016)
Epic CGI, Storytelling, and Characters! An utter blast!
This film is great. You can tell fans were heavily involved in the production, there is a lot of fan service. However, non-fans will have just as much fun due to the stunning visuals and non stop action.
It dives real deep into Star Wars lore, and we learn so much about various interesting things in the galaxy.
The film is action packed. There are shootouts, explosions, huge ships ramming into each other, hand to hand combat, and more. There are also thrilling space battles and heists. This movie delivers!
It is also the funniest Star Wars film to date. This is mostly due to K2S0, who totally helps make this film. The other characters have some humorous lines, but K2S0 delivers the best ones.
The only reason this film does not get 10/10 is because the movie score is no where near the quality of John Williams. There are still some catchy themes though.
Overall, this is a thrilling and entertaining edition to the Star Wars saga, and indicates that the future of the franchise would benefit more by veering away from the mainstream Skywalker saga.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
A satisfying addition to the franchise in a format that has already been perfected
The Force Awakens is definitely an entertaining movie, with an entertaining hero, villain, and storyline. The problem is that it is all too familiar.
The (spoiler-free) plot is: a force-sensitive hero who dreams of escaping their desert homeworld is visited by outsiders who fight for a rebel alliance against an oppressive force that rules over the galaxy. They team up with Han Solo, and fly away on the millennium falcon. There is also a power-hungry antagonist and a planet destroying device. This is the plot of both The Force Awakens and the first installment of the saga, A New Hope.
Other than this blatant lack of originality, the movie is totally enjoyable. Stellar CGI, outstanding music, good characters, good creature designs, witty lines and creative new planets are littered throughout this film. It doesn't ruin any existing characters (although I do wish some characters had more screen time) and it adds some interesting new characters, both good and bad.
Overall, if you ignore that the film is essentially a remake, you will have a blast watching it.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Not the greatest Star Wars film, but it still has good moments
At times, this film can come across as bland, boring and preachy; while at other times the film can be thrilling and witty. It deserves some of the criticism it receives by the fanbase (whom it disregards from time to time), but not all of it.
There is a lot of stuff that weigh this film down, so I'll start with that.
Rose. Her character tanks the quality of this film. Her character feels extremely unnecessary, and she seems like she is there only to preach to the audience and stop the plot from going anywhere. And unlike Holdo, a character I wasn't too fond of either (although I believe that her character was written with the intent to be disliked by the audience), she doesn't add anything to the plot.
Secondly, Luke Skywalker's character ark was disappointing. His character arc seemed twisted by the end of this film, and the character himself feels completely different from the original trilogy. He seems grumpy and pessimistic throughout the whole film. It seems like his whole character was used as fuel to boost the new protagonist, Rey.
The space chase that occurs throughout most of the movie is also quite bland, and I think we could have explored much more interesting settings and characters with the time that it took to do a slow space chase.
I'm not a fan of the Broom Boy scene, it is useless and doesn't add anything to the plot, but it's relatively short so I won't go discuss it too much.
There is quite a bit of stuff I enjoyed in this film as well, and it would be unfair not to list it.
Some new characters. I didn't mind Holdo, and of course I disliked Rose, but I really thought DJ was an interesting character. Not only was he entertaining, but his character was very unusual and really added a lot to this film. I also liked the porgs, but they seemed like they were there for merchandising purposes only. Snoke was also interesting, although I wish he had gone out with more of a fight.
Certain scenes were enjoyable. While the Canto Bight subplot is generally disliked by the fanbase, I personally enjoyed it for the music and the various creatures. The Yoda-Luke scene was also very nice touch, and the cinematography is great.
The music is great. Of course, I say this about every Star Wars film, but John Williams has never failed us and this installment in the franchise is no exemption.
Overall, the film is mostly entertaining, but it suffers from multiple bland subplots and scenes. Non-fans will enjoy it more than fans.
The Simpsons: One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish (1991)
The acclaim for this episode is somewhat confusing
I do not understand why this episode gets so much acclaim. The only funny part is the beginning, where the family is at the diner. Other than that, the only reason this episode gets hoisted to two stats is because of the great voice acting.
Other than those things, this episode is rather unfunny and depressing. Homer orders a poison fish for no reason, then eats it, then finds out he only has so long to live. He tries to do everything he enjoys doing at the end of his life, then goes to jail and gets bailed out by Barney. At the very end of the day, he listens to a Larry King interview and doesn't die. And that's it. I may have gotten the plot a bit wrong, because I only watched the episode once.
So, why the acclaim? The plot doesn't seem too great, and there are much better episodes in season 2 and beyond. This episode is depressing and mostly unfunny.
The Simpsons: Bart the General (1990)
The First Great Simpsons Episode!
While the first few episodes of season one don't seem to have quite reached the show's potential, this is the first episode that does. Succeeding the episode There's No Disgrace Like Home (another highlight of season 1, but it feels somewhat experimental), this episode introduces classic Simpsons characters that are still active decades later. The plot is good as well, just a simple revenge mission against the school bully, yet it is very entertaining.
While some of the characters are a bit different from their final product, this episode is still very enjoyable.
Die Hard (1988)
A Classic Action Film that never ceases to be entertaining!
This ageless classic has everything that an action film needs. Blood, explosions, shootouts, and more!
It is fairly fast-paced, especially for a movie in that time period. Once the action starts, it doesn't stop!
John Mcclane, the lead character, is portrayed wonderfully by Bruce Willis. The villian, Hans Gruber, is also very interesting and entertaining.
Overall, the film is essential to watch for any action movie lover, or any movie lover in general!
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
A highly underrated fun superhero film!
This is one of the highlights of the X-Men franchise, losing only to Days of Future past and possibly Apocalypse.
The film is very entertaining and is action-packed, showing wars, secret operations, boxing matches, one-on-one combat, two-on-one combat, and more.
I personally could give or take character development, Logan was developed enough in the first X-Men trilogy and there is enough character development here anyhow.
It also answers all of our questions about Wolverine that were raised by the previous movies, and even teases future movies.
Very entertaining, definitely worth watching.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
An underrated marvel film
While not quite living up to it's predecessor, Iron Man 2 still has plenty of action, comedy, and interesting characters. In addition to that, it manages to set up future movies. All the characters are consistent with the first film, and the villain is also very interesting. There is a bland sub plot, but it does not dominate the film.
Overall it is entertaining and fun to watch.
The Simpsons: That '90s Show (2008)
One of the worst Simpsons episodes ever. It's not worthy of the title of the Simpsons.
Firstly, I personally don't think the Simpsons is declining in quality. I think it's consistent with earlier seasons, and at best is gaining in quality.
But this episode is really bad.
There is only one funny part in the whole episode, and that is the insulin gag. But now that we got the good part out of the way, let's get to the bad stuff.
Firstly, the characters don't feel like who you know. Homer doesn't act like homer, he acts like a normal 30-year-old, which is far from entertaining. Marge acts different too, not as kind or loving as before.
Secondly, the whole episode is grungy and pretty depressing. Homer gets real sad and starts a bad that plays sad and grungy music. Then marge becomes sad after she leaves Homer. Then Homer gets more sad. Pointless.
Finally, the episode explains something that DOESN'T need to be explained. They totally destroy the old story of Homer and Marge's relationship, and then try to shove this episode in. Why?!? The old story was fine, and this doesn't feel like the Simpsons. It feels like some grungy 90's show that only aired 4 episodes.
Overall, the episode is grungy, depressing, unfunny, unrelatable, and pointless. I can't think if a single redeeming quality. Skip this episode if you still can.
The Simpsons: Crook and Ladder (2007)
The Best Simpsons Episode of season 19!
I'll keep this rather brief, but I think this is a great episode! It has a pretty basic plot (Homer becomes a Fireman and begins looting) but lives up to every ounce of its comedic potential! It has slapstick, as well as clever one-liners. As far as I'm concerned, The Simpsons isn't declining in quality if episodes like this are being produced!
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
A Non-Stop Entertaining Movie With Tons of Satisfying Fan Service
This movie has gotten a ton of hate from critics and fans alike, and I don't know why. It has a bunch of good stuff, including:
-Epic CGI
-A great score (as always)
-Good pacing, a little too fast for some people, but I thought it was great
-Interesting new Aleins and Locations
-Good acting
-Good plot
-Tons upon tons of fan service (I don't get how fans don't like a film that literally panders to them.)
-A great space battle
-It sidelines Rose
-It corrects a whole bunch of mistakes made by the mediocre installment proceeding it
The film itself feels more like a Star Wars film, and actually adds to the current Cannon. I believe that this film was hated by fans because it didn't have Anakin Skywalker come back (even though he does, along with Windu, Yoda, and Luke.)
There are a few minor things that bring this film down one star. Leia's face CGI was a bit iffy and Palpatine having a fleet didn't add too much plot, and left more questions than answers.
Overall, the film is very entertaining and fun, and if you don't watch it with the intent to dislike it, then you'll probably like it.