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Dexter: New Blood (2021)
Beginning and middle were good, but of all the endings they chose THAT?!
The whole drama with Kurt and his son was probably the best part of this show, it felt like classic Dexter which I haven't watched in 10+ years. Once that saga was closed it went downhill fast.
Why didn't Dexter take the gun out of the deputy's holster before he had a chance to grab it? Because the show needed Dexter to break his code so that we, as the audience, didn't feel as much sympathy for him when he dies at the end. Dexter was always so careful, then suddenly he blunders at the end and kills a good man/cop. I'm just not buying it.
I would have much preferred if Dexter and Harrison ran off into the woods together & became an infamous duo. Killing his Dad would have messed him up more than anything else - he basically drives off into no where after just having killed his Dad, now an orphan with a darkness inside him with no one to guide him.
I was so looking forward to a Batista and Dexter confrontation, so even if they went in the direction of Dexter going to prison, just watching those 2 go face to face would have been epic. But nope, they dangle Batista's character on the outskirts & then make you think he is going to make an appearance at the end, then they snatch that away from you as well.
Its entertaining if you want to watch a series over a long weekend or something, but this ending failed to do the show and the character justice, and with no hope of revival its just the ending we're going to have to live with.
The Good Doctor (2017)
Started off well, then the liberals and PC brigade had to come and suck the soul out of it
I was really excited for a new medical drama from the guy that gave us House. I was even more excited when I read that the actor who played Norman Bates in Bates Motel would be playing an autistic surgeon. A part from some of the acting being average & the side plots rushed, this show was developing well. The protagonist was captivating and watching him try and tackle being a surgeon & form relationships was interesting.
Then I watched episodes 12 - 14 and the show just took a spectacular nose dive from entertaining new drama to liberal propaganda.
In the space of these episodes, the themes were as follows:
1. An egotistical and overbearing male doctor makes an inappropriate sexual advance on one of the female characters. He said something inappropriate but there was no physical contact. She makes a complaint, the guy gets transferred to a crappy assignment...but that's not enough. She has to have "the eye of the tiger and roar" and feel her womanly empowerment and make it her mission to destroy the career of a guy who saves lives over 1 inappropriate encounter.
2. A guy has a stroke and is admitted to the hospital. His wife decides not to consent to an operation that will save his life because he hits her. Never mind that they have a 10 year old son and for better or worse he is the only father that kid will ever have, but this show is portraying the wife as IN THE RIGHT! The wife is too weak to leave him, and thinks that killing him is the happy alternative.
3. A young girl, no older than 10, is admitted to the hospital. Oh, but wait, she isn't really a girl because she has a penis and 2 testicles! Annnnnnnnd cue the transgender issue! Basically, his medical issue can be resolved if they just take his testicles off now. But what if he is too young to make that call, and decides he wants children when he is an adult? To this, the kid replies "Why is everyone so obsessed with having bio kids? If I want children later, I can just adopt".
Never mind that when you look at your child's face, you won't see your eyes or your hair, or your partners cheek bones & same symmetry in their face.
Genetics matters. It helps come to terms with your identity all throughout your life and makes you kinda feel a part of this giant oak tree that stretches back generations. I won't be watching the show anymore if they continue to plunge this backwards thinking ideology down our throats. I started watching the show to be entertained by how an autistic guy copes with being a surgeon...not to be made to feel guilty for being a man.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
Never thought I'd long for the days of Jar Jar Binks & little Anakin destroying the droid control ship on a fluke....yet here we are.
After re-watching episodes 1 to 6 for the first time in a while, it just puts into perspective how BAD this film was, and how it betrays everything Star Wars stands for. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a "die hard" Star Wars fan, but even I know this was trash. I remember when I was 5 and my family were staying up late one night to watch A New Hope. I only managed to stay awake long enough to see Luke & Obi-Wan meet Han & Chewie, but it wasn't for lack of trying because that film had my undivided attention. And it was no different when I got older. I hadn't seen Revenge of the Sith since the cinema...and I have to admit it wasn't as bad as I remember it being. Sure it was rushed and there were holes in the plot, but I didn't feel my IQ dropping or the need to leave the cinema. Jar Jar Binks would have been a better lead character than Rey. Not only was she shallow & 1 dimensional as a character, but this Daisy Ridley cannot act to save her life. Every time she was on screen, I KNEW she was acting, it was so obvious. JJ Abrams must have thought "in order to really make this movie terribly bad, I'm going to go out and find the worst actor/actress possible to play the lead", well mission accomplished JJ. And whenever Kylo Ren would have one of his "sith tantrums", it just reminded me of a liberal guy being triggered - not intimidating, not awe inspiring like a REAL villain should be. If Darth Vader just stood there and did nothing, he would still be a better villain. I'm honestly trying to find 1 positive thing to say about the movie, but I honestly don't remember it that well since I haven't seen it since the cinema and don't ever plan on watching it again via my own free will
Mr. Holmes (2015)
The realism of The Dark Knight franchise comes to the Sherlock Holmes franchise...minus the bat cave & action scenes
No SPECIFIC spoilers, I just describe themes in the film, don't know if that is enough to get me banned but you can't ever really tell these days.
I stumbled upon this film & decided to watch it 2 days into a miserable detox. I very much desire to have a clear mind once again, and I thought what better inspiration for that than Sherlock Holmes & Sir Ian McKellen that portrays him.
Firstly, you can forget about this being similar to any Sherlock Holmes you have seen in the past. The film is a very realistic look at Mr. Holmes during his retired years & the struggles that come with getting old (especially with a mind as great as his). You see him vulnerable & almost helpless, which is a fate that awaits us all. But even more heartbreaking, you know that he has regrets, and no short supply of them. I guess that was put in to show that even a mind as great as his doesn't always make the right choices, and that no matter who we are, when our number is about to be called...I'm sure we'll have no short supply of regret either.
I enjoyed the film, and I recommend it to anyone who likes to watch a film on occasion to be moved. If you're looking to just relax with a movie you don't have to think about too much, then maybe put Mr. Holmes on the back burner for the moment, because chances are you will walk away from the film with all these heavy questions in your head.
Angel (1999)
What to say about the show that was my bible throughout High School?
I was 13 or 14 the first time I ever saw an episode of Angel (now 28). I was at a friends Birthday party, and we were down in his TV room just being guys, playing video games, messing around etc. After it got late, we turned the television on and all my friends fell asleep almost instantly. I sneaked the remote out of my sleeping friends hand, and started to channel surf, when suddenly I landed at the end of 2x19 "Belonging". I had seen Buffy on cable a few times at my own house, so I knew who Cordelia was and she had just been sucked through a portal into a demon dimension! Well, I had to see how this turned out. After that...I was hooked. I waited for Slayerfeast to start on Cable so I Could watch season 1 & 2 of Angel and watch it in order. Though I still kept watching it from the end of season 2 on normal TV because I just couldn't stay away.
With no other moral compass in my life at the time, Angel gave me what I needed to point me in the right direction, sometimes I think it worked too well however. I always had a sharp sense of right & wrong, and do unto others before I even watched Angel. Sad reality is, people don't like strong moral figures, because it reminds them of how A-moral and rubbish they themselves are. This is a show with something for EVERYBODY. I guarantee if you watch it, you will walk away with something you didn't have before.
The characters and the use of language are 2 big things that made this show as successful as it was. To those of you who have watched Buffy but not Angel...you are familiar with Angel, Cordy & Wesley. The other awesome additions to Angel include Doyle, a sadly short-lived character in the series that doesn't make it past season 1. Sadly, 3 years later, the actor Glenn Quinn died of a heroin overdose. Doyle was the lovable Irishman with a drinking problem & a haunted past. I really enjoyed the chemistry & throwing of insults between Doyle & Cordelia. Doyle is half-demon and carries the burden of The Visions with him, a burden which he passes on to fully-human Cordelia. Charles Gunn, an orphan in his early 20's, living on the streets with his sister and a bunch of other street kids...and oh yeah, they hunt vampires! Gunn has been hunting vampires since he was 10, he is not a fan of the undead. Which obviously creates some interesting character tension between him and Angel. But Gunn who is a smart guy, is able to see that Angel is not like every other vampire, and assists him on some jobs at first but is slowly assimilated into the cast. Winifred Burkle (or Fred) is more or less the "Willow" of Angels group. She is highly intelligent, a little socially awkward (well...a lot when she first appears), and brings the tools of science & physics to aid Angel Investigations. Did I mention by season 5 she is SMOKIN hot? The last actor to join the cast was the late, great Andy Hallet who played the fun-loving, let the good times roll demon Lorne. Lorne is a much more important figure in the show than a lot of people give him credit for. Lorne doesn't fight for good or for evil, he is totally neutral. Yes, he has a good heart and doesn't like or wish to do evil or violence, but he is not invested in one or the other. Which sums up the majority of people on this planet in a nutshell. They don't wish anyone harm...but they are not going to risk their own skin or put extra effort into making the world a better place. Lorne owns a karaoke bar sanctuary in LA, where Demons, humans & whoever else can enter where there is strictly no violence allowed. When people sing, they bear their soul and Lorne is able to look right into it and see and know pretty much everything about them, a power that aids Angel Investigations time & time again. Forget the Wesley & Cordelia you think you knew in Buffy, because these characters undergo so much personal growth that by the end of the last season of Angel, you think back to how they were in Buffy and just can't believe it. When people ask what my favourite episode is, I usually try and give them an answer within 10 minutes. I related heavily to "Epiphany"...and who doesn't love "Smile Time"?
I could write about this show until it caused a fatal error on IMDb, but I will try and wrap it up. This is a timeless show, that can be watched over and over & you find something new each time you watch it. It is darker than Buffy which is what drew me to it. Keep in mind, that Buffy was the "chosen one", it was her calling to fight evil. Angel has no such calling, he doesn't NEED to fight evil, it is his choice. That was one subtle truth that I thought was really relevant. It is more violent than Buffy, but hey, we have shows like Game of Thrones & The Walking Dead now, Angel is like Sesame Street in comparison. I have all 5 seasons in the original collectors edition box sets, and I will be giving them to my son for his 15th Birthday.
I'm here to make the decision easy for you. Are you thinking about watching Angel? Do you have season 1 episode 1 on DVD or loaded up on the PC? Then there is no more thought required. If you're not sold by the first episode, hey, thats fine because its an introductory episode. I challenge you to watch the first 4 eps and not be compelled to watch more. Happy viewing
Everything Must Go (2010)
Was looking for an easy comedy to help me sleep...what I discovered was invaluable
OK so, no this movie did not help me sleep. It kept me staring at the ceiling for an hour after the credits started rolling, then compelled me to wake up and write this, my second ever review on IMDb. To those of you who have or have ever had trouble sleeping...you know when your brain just won't shut the hell up & everything is running through your mind a mile a second? Well, I figured I needed something light and funny to soothe me to sleep...instantly I thought of Will Ferrel. I wanted to watch a film of his I hadn't seen before, and then came Everything Must Go.
Remember Adam Sandler in Reign Over Me? Get ready to be wowed by another comedy actor turning to a more serious role. Ferrel plays Nick Halsey, a middle-aged professional working in a senior position for a top corporation who also struggles with alcohol. What happens to set the stage for the film is every mans worst nightmare. All in one day, he loses his job, his wife & his home and has all his possessions tossed onto his front yard with no access back into his house. With no car, no money and no where to go, he takes up residence on his front lawn. With the help of a neighbourhood kid, a new neighbour & an old high school acquaintance, Nick embarks on a journey to discover how his choices got him exactly where he is today. Because although the writers fool you into having sympathy for our main protagonist at the beginning of the film, the dots slowly connect and you discover that maybe Nick himself is largely to blame for his current circumstances.
What spoke to me is Nicks addiction. The first thing he does on his front lawn when everything has gone to hell is crack open a beer. Which sad to say, is what I would've done, although alcohol is not my poison. At first, his drinking just seems like a reaction to his bad situation, but it turns out it has been a major influence on his life for a long time. Each character plays a specific role in his self-discoveries. The neighbourhood kid gives him a purpose, someone to teach about sales and helps him reflect on his relationship with his parents. The new neighbour is a representation of how Nick and his wife started out and the "compromises" that had to be made (and I say this in the least creepy way possible, she was the most beautiful pregnant woman I've ever seen (even though she obviously isn't really pregnant)). While the old high school acquaintance (again, I heavily related to this) was someone from another time in Nicks life who saw him as this larger than life character with a big heart, who was sure to be destined for great things. And Nick is desperate to be reassured that he is still that guy. The thing I noticed is...Nicks encounters with these 3 characters is always one on one (except at the end when there is a walking scene but no dialogue), and I tell you, each encounter with each character will have you hooked to your screen. I can't explain it, it was nearly like the adrenaline rush you get with an action movie but a lot more subtle. You never knew if the exchange was going to be positive or negative.
The theme of the movie can be summed up like this: "how did my choices in life lead me to now?". I relate to Nick in almost every way...except for the choices he made. Because it was my lack of making choices that led me to a similar place that he finds himself in. It was freaky how in almost every scene I would have reacted the same as he did, and I kid you not, right before he says to the cop "There's a law that says I can't drink a f#$%ing beer on my lawn?", I thought in my head "there's a law in the US that says you can't drink a f#$%ing beer on your own front lawn?" I can't really recommend this film enough based on entertainment value alone, but if you're looking for a movie that is sure to trigger some self-reflection also, then you have really stumbled onto a winner with Everything Must Go. The humour is scarce but you get 2 to 3 laugh out loud moments, the rest will either make you smile or chuckle (depending on how sensitive your funny bone is).
I don't get all the hater reviews on here. A lot of them are complaining that they were "duped" because they went to see a funny Will Ferrel comedy but got this instead...Awwwww, poor baby, need me to kiss the boo boo better? Grow up! If you were dumb enough to not look into the movie you were going to see (regardless of the lead actor) then you brought it on yourself. Even I read the short bio on this website before I watched it, after I read the part about him struggling with alcohol I knew it wasn't going to be all moon beams and my little ponies. And you didn't like that the movie was 'depressing' did you? You one of those warm fuzzy types that always has to have their head up with the fairies? Life can be depressing, life can be hard...this isn't news. And for a movie to bring these truths to light in such an artistic, engaging and REAL fashion...inspired. And you didn't like it? I'm sure if I ever met you I'd punch you in your 1 dimensional head.
To all lovers of movies with substance that stimulate your brain, stop reading this review already and watch this movie. A movie that leaves you with a feeling of "new starts are hard, and they may not work out, but the only other option is to sink".
The 100 (2014)
Give it a chance...and you'll find it has a number of redeeming qualities.
If what you prize most is edge-of-your-seat suspense and captivating character development...then why the hell are you still reading my rubbish review? YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING THE 100!
From the start of the first episode you're pretty much gripping your seat, even though you haven't had time to form a connection with the characters yet. As other reviews have said, the first couple of episodes are the hardest, but its the characters that makes us not want to switch it off. Each episode brings a new challenge that the main characters have to over-come, which makes each episode as epic as the last. I swear, if my life was as eventful as those of the characters in this show...I'd probably just end it all now to save myself from dying slowly of stress. With each new challenge comes decisions that need to be made, which ultimately affects a characters standing within the group. Which is even more gut-wrenching in the first few episodes when you're unsure about each character. Basically, the first few episodes you'll be playing "pin the alignment on the character". But once you see their true colours, you'll be all "of course he/she is that way, how did I not see it". I could go on...AND ON, about all the good points of the story line and reveal how mind-blowingly awesome it is. But that would be telling. But I will give you a tiny taste into the characters.
Clarke: Blonde, blue eyed with a spectacular set of...*clears throat*, sorry where was I? Clarke is your protagonist, it is through her (mostly) that we learn what the F is going on. I would have to say one of my favourite heroines to date. A lot of strong, female leads these days just lay it on too thick. But I have to say, I kind of like Clarke. She has a good balance of brains and balls. She leaves space as a child and arrives on earth as an adult...and we see this progress more & more. She doesn't forgive her own weaknesses lightly, but is quick to forgives others for theirs. She puts the safety of her people above all else, sometimes stupidly so. You will, of course, see her pay for some of those decisions.
Bellamy: This guy...this guy had me hating him for almost the first half of the first season. Now he is pretty much my favourite character. He is the self-imposed leader of the group (well, co-leader with Clarke pretty much). The thing you need to know about most of the teenagers that were sent to earth, is that their lives have always pretty much sucked (with the exception of Clarke). Bellamy got the worst end of the deal. His duty to his sister, no matter how happy he is to perform it, is a burden he carries. As you will find out, he feels responsible for his sister more than he should and will do anything to keep her safe. He is a strong, sometimes ruthless leader, and those tough decisions are usually made with the well-being of his sister close at heart. A true ultimate bad-a**.
Kane: One of my favourite actors from Lost plays this character, and he does a fine job (Desmond, in case any of you are familiar, minus the Scottish accent). You are always so back and forth with this guy. Is he good or bad? Do I like him or do I hate him? If I met him, would I give him a hug or put my fist up his balls? His "villainous" actions really grind your gears. But there are moments with this guy that almost make you bloody weep! He is definitely not beyond redemption, its just whether he WANTS to get there or not. He hides his caring for any individual under a cold, corporate exterior. But when something truly matters, his human side comes out and totally takes you by surprise.
Chancellor Jaha: Like Kane, Jaha is middle-aged but is also the leader (Chancellor) of the Ark (the name of the space station everyone lives on, in case you weren't keeping up to date). The first few episodes show the Chancellor as this oppressive figure, the dominant government head who will stop at nothing for "the greater good", even if it is at the expense of innocent lives. I won't lie...his balls had a place for my fist as well after the first few episodes. But once again, we see massive character development, and he is one of a few characters to have a moment of clarity and see the "error of their ways". I ended up liking him, and there is no doubt he is a good man. He has just made some poor decisions.
OK, wrapping it up! Things that make me want to watch this show. No character is fully good or fully bad, definitely keeps things interesting. This show is like Lost, in a sense that a bunch of people are stranded in a strange place and have to compete with god knows what. Mystery lurks around all corners, and its not in a lame way either! Its actually fully captivating. You know how when you are watching Game of Thrones, then suddenly out of no where something really violent and shocking will just happen? Same thing in The 100, and I thought the only show that could shock me like that was Game of Thrones...boy, was I wrong! Finally...THE CHARACTERS! Seriously, despite the loop holes and plot holes...this show really is all about the character development. Even the more minor characters are interesting in their own right. So when you're not busy digging your finger nails into the side of your arm chair, just sit back and enjoy the chemistry and development between the characters. The 100 truly makes for an excellent TV experience.