Reviews

This was both easy & hard to watch.

Easy because the pacing, narrating, acting were spot on. None of the dull pointless fillers. And the way the story unfolded and revealed things will keep you hooked.

Hard watch because well, it is dark, very dark. Plus it's based on a true story with the main actor as the same guy in real life. The human complexity & psychology, the vulnerable subjects were all handled quite well.

Sometimes you can't believe this happened to a person, but then you remember life is stranger than fiction. The ending really moved me.

I highly recommend you give this a try. I didn't expect it to be that good.

Ok I'm bummed as I've wanted a series like this, but sadly, absolutely zero chemistry between the leads, sorry. Therefore I felt nothing watching it and definitely not rooting for them.

A cast with great chemistry could've made this a decent watch regardless of the screenplay. But without that, it's unwatchable for me.

Ideally, I would finish the series first before giving any rating/review, but I just couldn't get myself to watch it and be happy. Why couldn't they see the utter lack of chemistry before greenlighting this? Nope, not finishing this one. Removed from my list.

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I tried to get into the anime before, just to see why it's so popular, but by then there were just too many episodes to get through so I didn't bother anymore.

I'm also not that into anime, although I can watch a bit here & there (movie/short series), but very picky and definitely not going to invest that much time in one with over hundreds of episodes.

I'm also over the fantasy genre in movies. I just mostly get bored. But this... I'm surprised I enjoyed this live action a lot!

At first I thought it was going to be cringey for me. There were some cheesy parts, but I was surprised I actually couldn't stop watching!

Excellent world-building, the characters are spot on. Heartwarming, inspirational, entertaining throughout.

I need the next season asap.

I liked the premise, full of nostalgia, musings on fate, soulmates, what ifs, paths not taken, and "the one that got away". I also liked the sense of realism in this film, but sadly, I didn't feel emotionally connected or invested in the characters. And this part to me is where it all depends on.

I wanted to believe that there was something deep and meaningful between them, but their scenes together felt bland, boring and superficial, that by the end I didn't feel the ache or longing I was supposed to feel.

The characters seemed like strangers to me. Maybe the depth of their relationship wasn't shown and just implied, but I needed to see that happening for it to have any effect on me at all.

When I finished this, I felt like I didn't get what all the hype was about. I understood what was happening, but it was so slow, dull, and just about nothing much really.

But then I also get that it wasn't meant to be plot driven. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't satisfied, I didn't feel any emotional connection, that maybe I was missing something that others saw that made this movie have such glowing reviews.

And then it happened slowly, started to sink in as I began reflecting more about what I saw. And then I felt very sad and heartbroken.

The reviews are right, it takes a while for it to fully sink in, to see what the fuss was about. It took some reflection for me to feel the emotions, the depth, to realize how heartbreakingly realistic everything I saw was, and thats when I appreciated how it was made, even if it was yes, slow & dull. It's meant to be that way and I don't think it would have had the same impact any other way.

To be clear, the ending wasn't vague to me, I already understood what happened. But it still took a while for me to appreciate the film to that level, to get what the other viewers were saying. The beauty is in the subtleties, the things not said or explained. It's as if I was the daughter, recalling the memories of her father at a point in her life where she could meet him where he was (at a similar age & being a parent) and finally being able to understand his silent struggle and appreciate what that vacation really meant for them.

I will say it's definitely not for everyone. If you want to be entertained go elsewhere. This almost requires intentional reflection, looking back, seeing and feeling things from their perspective.

While watching I found it slow & dull, right when it ended I felt like it didn't live up to the expectation & hype. But a few moments later, it actually became beautiful.

I know this is not historically accurate and the novel it was based on was not meant to be factual. I also understand the reimagining to fill the blanks. But this was so heavily fictionalized, some scenes unnecessarily invented & sensationalized it bordered on trashy.

I commend Ana for the acting, it's incredibly difficult to portray an icon. Though most of the time, I honestly just saw her as Ana de Armas made to look like Marilyn. The vibe just wasn't there, especially when she's speaking (mostly the accent). The frequent crying also got tiresome for me. A lot of disjointed scenes through almost 3hrs and by the end I just felt hollow and indifferent about it all.

I guess I wish they made a biopic more worthy of Marilyn. Because this is not it. I wish they didn't use this highly fictionalized novel at all.

Wow. This is how it's done.

A slow burn thriller goes increasingly tense and uncomfortable. As a viewer you are annoyed, frustrated, angry, bewildered, agitated. You may end up shouting at your screen because you can't believe what you're seeing but eventually you're helpless to do anything about it and you're left to witness the horrors unfold.

And that's the point. Despite the absurdity, the way it gradually happens seems believable, realistic even. I've seen my fair share of thrillers, yet i found this hard to watch. After the credits rolled, I felt like i was out in the cold.

Brilliant.

I had very low expectations from the get-go considering most of the teen garbage shows netflix churns out. I also can't seem to tolerate high school movies or shows anymore. This one was surprisingly done right.

Teen tropes turned on its head, not so predictable, not so vulgar, plus excellent soundtrack and a great cast. Less cringey than most teen woke shows out there.

The whole revenge angle is also really cathartic at times and I was rooting for them the whole time. Not without flaws but hey, for what it is, I had a good time!

90s teen movies were really superior, but this almost has that same vibe, and it pays homage to some of my favorites. This to me is possibly one of the best teen movies in years.

Everything about this show grated on my nerves. It was trying so hard to shock, to be cool and talked about, to seem important, wanting to be taken so seriously that it does the opposite-it's laughably pretentious.

All I see is an overhyped, overrated, overstyled, over-the-top crap.

The characters are so ridiculous. Their dialogues & monologues are so cringe my eyes hurt from rolling. I struggled to get through each episode, but I wanted to see what the fuss was about, if maybe it would have some payoff by the end cause why was it rated so high? Well, nope. Waste of time.

2 seasons and it felt like I just watched one very long mess of a music video.

It's not meant to be complex and deep. Watch it for what it is, a 2-hour escape from reality and enjoy the ride.

Was it a bit predictable? Yes. Could they have done without the love interest? Damn right.

But, all things considered, I guess the ratings are really high not because it's a perfect movie, but because of how this movie makes people feel. I personally felt nostalgic and just plain happy watching Tom Cruise do his thing.

Apart from the stunning visual & the thrill of the mission, this sequel (which is better than the original) just ticks all the right boxes. Great cast, awesome music. Just enjoy it.

Took me a while to get back to this series because it's really so painfully slow. I don't mind a slow burn, but this one frustrated me.

All that buildup was just for the last 2 episodes which happened quicker than I hoped, so quick you'll miss it if you blink. And was the payoff worth it? I'm not sure.

First, I wasn't all shocked, not even surprised. It was quite easy to figure out. I wanted much more from the final episode. After all those prior episodes (mostly fillers) you'd think they'd give you just a bit more for the finale. Instead, they went by it so fast and then randomly inserted a vital scene in the after-credits. Just why?

No doubt it's beautifully shot & acted. Final episode could've been better to compensate for the very very slow burn.

Paul Hauser, Sam Rockwell & Kathy Bates - the reason to watch this film.

I did not expect their masterclass acting to pierce through the heart & make my eyes weep.

They're so believable I almost forgot they were just portraying real people.

Overall an amazing drama that makes you feel & actually care, which is rare these days.

Bravo.

At first I thought the ratings were probably too high. I'm used to being let down based on imdb reviews. This time though, it's just right. So glad I went ahead and watched this.

First episode in, nostalgia hit me & I couldn't quite describe why. Maybe it's the superb music, the tight group of characters, or that same vibe with 90's / 2000's tv shows about life.

No grand plot, just day to day ordinary life. And yet it has a lot of heart. It keeps you watching the next episode until there's none left.(Season 2 now pls!)

But. It's not going to be for everyone. It isn't plot driven. Much of the same thing happens each episode.

And that's alright.

Sometimes I just want to watch something about ordinary life, with likeable characters, awesome music, plus visually arresting shots of food.

If you're the same, then maybe you'll like this too.

EDIT: Review above was for Season 1 only.

Downgraded rating because of season 2 (3/10) The whole season 2 just felt like all filler episodes. Disappointing.

I didn't have high expectations and knew it was going to be a bit soapy. Nevertheless, i enjoyed it.

I got invested in the Bandeira family, and really wanted to see it through the end.

Nemo, Ferro & Mario carried this show.

I cared for everyone in that family except for Lara.

She was the worst actress & character (much worse than over-the-top Carlos) and quite undeserving how she was placed on a pedestal.

Overall worth a watch. One of the better spanish series in netflix.

Oh, and that very last scene.. bravo Ferro.

The movie seems better... I really wish this had a different female lead.

There's just not much from her to get me emotionally invested. Not quite likeable.

(Rachel McAdams was hard to top)

Will give this a chance.

Update: sometimes, even when the plot or script is not to your liking, as long as you like the leads (character & chemistry) it can still be very enjoyable to watch.

Not in this case.

After ep 2, emphasizing again that Rose Leslie shouldn't have been the lead. Zero chemistry. Bad acting. Very unlikeable. Dropping this.

Nothing to see here.

Just predictable from the very start.

Like really predictable.

Joe clearly has anger issues, acting crazy with rage over the phone and lashing out at everyone around him. It was just too much. I wonder what had happened to him?

Oh right, this all happened after he talked to the whining, crying, irritating emily on the phone.

No wonder he was pissed.

She's so annoying she can trigger anger issues you didn't know you had.

This ruined my day, brought out feelings of rage and made me have murderous thoughts. everytime Marla opened her mouth I wished she would get slapped. She is just evil.

The plot was ridiculous, too unbelievable to go along with. I'm all for anti-heroes, but this was just too much, and I couldn't care less what else happened anymore because all I wanted was for this girl to be gone.

Me while watching: Why was this even made? (proceeds to question the sanity of some friends who said it was nice. makes a mental note not to trust them ever again)

Even just as background noise, I cringed.

Watched it all in one night. I didn't think a story about chess would keep me interested. But this one got me deeply invested. Because this is not just about the game of chess, it's so much more.

Ultimately, what I cared about wasn't just the game anymore, it was the person. I was rooting for her. I really cared what would happen to her and that's probably the most essential thing for me when watching any tv series.

What made me attached to this character was how I saw her grow up from a little orphan girl, witnessing her from the first chess game all the way to the end and everything in between. I was enthralled, inspired, moved, proud. Had me in tears too. Excellent cast, story, cinematography, writing, everything. Thank you for this. Thank you.

My favorite Black Mirror episode (along with San Junipero) This beats majority of the romance movies out there. You only have less than 1 hour, enjoy it while it lasts.

I really don't understand the negative reviews, but to each his own. I will say pls. watch this with an open mind, this is a satire after all, and an excellent one at that.

I don't think it's meant to give you an accurate depiction of all the horrors of hitler/nazi and that time. This is not another Schindler's List and it's not trying to be. And for me, this movie didn't minimize the horror either.

What it did though, is to make me feel the horror in a more subtle, restrained way, but equally heartbreaking. More so, because I was feeling light one moment, maybe even smiling, then in the next moment I was overcome with unbearable sadness.

By the end, I didn't quite know what I was feeling, it was several emotions all at once. And that's exactly how I wanted it to be. Real. Bittersweet.

The parting words at the end moved me to tears. It was perfectly placed.

I applaud this movie for being brave & brilliant, and having a lot of heart. Experiencing this through the eyes of a child made it very endearing and deeply moving.

Do yourself a favor and watch it.

I love this show. I love it.

None of the nonsense.

Just sharp, witty, sarcastic, funny, wickedly delicious dialogue with deeply flawed selfish characters.

But no matter how damaged they are, you'll love them. You'll care what happens.

The plot is clear & focused.

The whole cast is perfection.

Did I mention the script is utterly brilliant?

When they open their mouth to banter or insult, it's just pure entertainment.

This show is GOLD.

And I never skip the opening credits, it's addicting.

Bravo. 10/10

EDIT: Reviewed for Season 1 (10/10) The following seasons knocked it down to a 7/10.

I was really looking forward to this. I wasn't expecting much, I knew what it's supposed to be. But wow, it's just so so bad. I had a hard time finishing this.

I like Lily Collins so I thought it would be easy to like the character. But from the start I was already feeling a tinge of annoyance. And when she got to Paris, ugh. It's downhill from there.

Wth is wrong with her? I had the same reaction toward her as her french boss/colleagues. I think I hurt my eyes from the constant rolling.

This whole show tries too hard and fails. No wit or humor. Stereotypes and clichés abound. Awful script/dialogues. And no, the fashion is not good. Everything is cringey & annoying especially the main character. Why they made her this ignorant & ditzy I don't understand.

The only saving grace is Paris.