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jhonculada
Reviews
Dampyr (2022)
Fans of Buffy will like this
I've never read the comic series but I've seen my fair share of vampire movies. This was good enough with plot line and acting and graphics. Somewhat cheesy in the way the 90s Buffy the Vampire Slayer was but definitely entertaining and now I want a sequel. They definitely leave the ending setup for a possible 2nd film but it seems like for now there's no movement on that. My biggest gripe is the villain is so cheesy in his greasy long hair and old man garb. Not sure why they wanted to go that route. He wasn't very intimidating - just gross in that exhausted old vampire trope. They should've given him a different look.
Reptile (2023)
Slow and unoriginal
This movie aims to be smarter than it really is. With a rather impressive cast, this film squanders its potential on a bad script and slow pacing. There are no surprises in this movie. The guy who appears to be the bad guy is, in fact, the bad guy. Even the dramatic music can't save this slooooow burn that really fizzles out. Timberlake's performance was mediocre. Benicio del Toro does the best job at acting in this and Alicia Silverstone was fun to watch. Apart from that, the movie still feels like a work in progress. It needed some good editing. Lastly, I couldn't figure out why the movie was named Reptile, but after further exploration I see it as more of a metaphor of the shedding of the main character's skin.
Spirited (2022)
Needed more editing
I thoroughly enjoyed the songs, dancing, plot, and of course the acting. But this was a 90-min movie that they stretched to 2+ hours and that made it drag on at parts. My kids (ages 9 and 6) really enjoyed it, and overall it really wasn't bad, but it's not going to be remembered as that top tier Christmas movie like Elf or Home Alone. Also, there's an outtake song at the very end that was excellent and should've been in the movie while some not-so-memorable songs should've been cut. It's a shame that bad editing dragged this down. The dancing was the star of the show and now my kids have the itch to see Broadway.
The Peripheral (2022)
Exciting, bingeable sci-fi
I am so glad Chloe Grace Moretz is finally in something good and worthy of her! This show is exciting and action-packed, while at the same time slow to give away the layers of mystery surrounding what's really going on. The CGI is great at depicting a futuristic London and the fight scenes are plentiful. I've binged my way through 5 episodes and hope they renew this one real quick because they've got a winning series on their hands with this show. It's a fun, new take on the metaverse with all the possibilities that come with the gaming world. I also love a show that has multiple plots going on. They're taking time to really develop each character so we can start seeing things from multiple perspectives. Also, having strong female leads is a bonus - the women in this series can definitely hold their own.
From Scratch (2022)
Achingly beautiful love story
From Scratch is one of the most honest portrayals of love, marriage, family, and work, that I've seen depicted on screen. The main characters don't become super successful and rich after years of hard work - rather their lives take a very different turn when a major monkey wrench is thrown their way. They grapple with adjusting to each challenge that pops up, much in the same way many of us do. Their superpower is in their family and connections they've made along the way. They stumble but there's always a loved one there to help them find their way. The very last episode took me by surprise, once again, by portraying Amy's grief in an honest way. This series doesn't try to reassure you that it will all turn out ok, but it does show you that if you live life open to all the possibilities then you will be fulfilled. More importantly, you will possess something far greater than material wealth - you will find your story will become woven with others' and you will make the most beautiful tapestry with each new encounter. Do yourself a favor and grab a box of tissues (you're going to need all of them) and watch this gem. This is a love story for the ages.
Barbarian (2022)
Horror w/ social commentary
On the surface, this movie bills itself as a horror film but most horror movies I watch have no moral to the story and often lack happy endings. Barbarian cleverly takes the seemingly obvious monster and turns all of that on its head. I'd say this is the thinking-person's horror movie. The story is told extremely well. Pay attention to how the women navigate the entire film versus the men. For the first time, I actually smiled at the ending, because it was more about the plight of women and less about being truly scared. To those who watched this movie in the hopes it would be gratuitous violence or something else have missed the point. The title begs us to question, who's really the Barbarian? This movie makes for a great discussion afterwards.
Severance (2022)
Stick with it!
If this show didn't have such a high IMDB rating, I would've stopped watching a few episodes in based on its weirdness. It doesn't really hit its stride until the last few episodes, but boy oh boy, when it gets interesting, you will be hooked. I keep revisiting the theme in my head. The idea that we could enslave a part of ourselves and our reasons for doing so. In some ways, it's almost borderline horror. Either way, I can't wait for season 2 because this show has so much potential and is so haunting at the same time. Don't expect all the plot lines to be resolved but they give you enough answers to satiate you and get you excited for what's to come.
Devil in Ohio (2022)
Very disappointing
Where do I start? I kept hoping this show would get better, but instead it disappointed me tremendously with its ending. I will say it was binge-able, but I'm also not a quitter unless the show is truly abysmal. Even the opening credits music was grating on the ears and the reason "skip intro" was invented. Emily Deschanel, who I enjoyed watching in Bones, was uninspiring in this. She had no emotional connection with her daughters and it was awkward to watch her playing this wounded mother who would ultimately go on to inflict hurt and pain on her own daughters mainly because she hadn't taken the time to confront her own childhood trauma. The ending was the most unsatisfying part. The whole time this series is playing like an after-school special, so I figured we'd get the minimum cheesy, happy ending... but NO! The ending fit in line more with a horror movie, when all along this show was never scary or thrilling. Why then give us an unhappy/sad ending? I feel like I wasted my time. You can toss this show in the ever-growing pile of Netflix shows that aren't very good.
Partner Track (2022)
Bad start, but gets better
In the beginning, this show felt like a poor copycat of other shows like Emily in Paris and Suits. The acting in the beginning was cheesy and bad and I found myself not liking the main character, Ingrid, or her sleazy love interest, Murphy. However, the bad first half of the season takes a turn with a much better and much more interesting second half. We start off the show with young, extremely successful lawyers who are living the life and, although that's fun to watch, it's much more relatable to see characters fail and flounder and gain a conscience, which was why the ending was so satisfying. I only hope this show gets a season 2 because it was just starting to get interesting at the very last episode. I would definitely watch a season 2 because I want to see these characters become successful on their own terms.
Old (2021)
Not one of his best
Considering the low rating, I expected this movie to be worse. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't terrible, there was a plot and a point, and I got my somewhat happy ending. What I didn't like was the weird, awkward pacing of the film in the beginning. The casting of Krieps and Garcia Bernal was lacking chemistry and Krieps' acting left much to be desired. Still, the movie was never boring and posits an ethical question at the end, as does much of Shyamalan's films - what do people do with certain valuable pieces of information?
Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)
Enjoyable and binge worthy
I binged this show in 2 days. The acting and plot kept me thoroughly engaged. There's a major twist that I didn't see coming and although at times the show might've been somewhat predictable it also left you wondering exactly how it would end. It's also one of those shows that does make you think about consent and the blurry lines about he said/she said. Whoever was in charge of Sienna Miller's wardrobe deserves an A+. She was impeccable throughout.
Outer Range (2022)
Too many unanswered questions
I binged this first season and overall enjoyed it. The family drama reminded me a lot of the Netflix show Bloodline. Josh Brolin did a great job of heading this series and overall it was well-acted and remained intriguing. What I struggled with was the lazy writing. It's one thing to come up with a cool plot with a big mystery at its center and fun twists along the way but to leave your audience with no answers or any idea of where the series is heading after 8 episodes makes it feel like the writers don't even know where the story is going. Furthermore, we don't even know if we're getting a second season and without it, this show doesn't hold up as a standalone season. I'm rooting for a season 2, which I hope brings some much needed answers.
Euphoria: Stand Still Like the Hummingbird (2022)
Perfect
Give Zendaya all the awards for this one. This episode was one powerful performance from every single actor. I was blown away by the depth of Zendaya's portrayal of Rue. My heart broke for her and everyone who is affected by her choices. It's been a few months since I've watched it and I still think about it.
Moon Knight: Asylum (2022)
So well acted
This episode is the meat of the series, thus far. You get the backstory and a true understanding of why Marc is the way he is. The acting by Oscar Isaac is fantastic (as to be expected). Can't wait for the season finale!
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
The kids will love it!
This movie is for the Sonic fans (who are either kids or kids at heart). It's got humor for the adults and action and fun for the kids. Despite the fact that it's pretty long for a kids movie, it'll keep you entertained the whole time. We took our sons to see it (ages 8 and 5) and they loved it. All the kids in the theater seemed to enjoy it, too. My 5yo normally can't sit through an entire movie but he made it through this one. It's more fun than the first. Stay for the end credits scene that sets things up for Sonic 3.
Archive 81 (2022)
Such a shame it was canceled!
This is a binge-worthy show, that's for sure! Solid acting and solid plot. It has an open-ending that sets it up nicely for a season 2 and maybe we'll get it on another platform - just not Netflix, since they canceled it. Boo! If you like Stranger Things, you'll like this supernatural, occult thriller. It kept me guessing and coming back for more.
Bridgerton (2020)
Sophomore struggles
Everything I loved about season 1 (the passion, the story, the chemistry between the lead characters) was lacking in season 2. The best plot lines in season 2 were for the supporting characters and not Anthony and Kate. It was really much ado about nothing in the end. I struggled to finish the last 3 episodes. I'm hoping season 3 will be more exciting because this got a bit boring.
The Gilded Age (2022)
Enjoyable period piece
I expected Downton Abbey but make it America and to some extent I got it. The big name actors (Coon, Baranski, Nixon, Spector) play their parts well. I feel Louisa Jacobson (Marian Brooks) is out of her depth. She delivers her lines poorly and with very little emotion. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the show because there's plenty of drama and the houses and costume design are spectacular. I'm hoping season 2 will be bigger and better.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018)
Pointless
This movie felt like only half a thought was put into making it. There was no background to the motives each character had. If it tried to be more of a character study, it failed at that, too. In the end, I was left asking, now what? Not sure why movies like this are even made. Also, the pacing got really slow at times.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Good political commentary for current times
It's obvious this movie is a political commentary for current times. Scientists come with data about a comet hurling towards the earth that will cause an extinction level event and no one believes them. Hmmm, does this sound like something currently happening? This movie portrays humanity in all its realness. No one wants the truth - all they want is more clicks, more money, a successful campaign, whatever's in it for them. In the end, it's simply sad to see what humans get literally and figuratively boiled down to - all the potential but clouded by greed and self-serving interests. If you're someone that doesn't like political satire then skip this movie because the message will be lost on you. However, if the current state of affairs make you feel like the world's gone mad, then you may enjoy this. Acting was great and the story was good. Overall I was very entertained.
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
John Hughes is turning in his grave
What made the Home Alone and Home Alone 2 so good was the casting, the acting, the jokes, the heartfelt spirit, and, of course, the classic John Williams score. Home Sweet Home Alone was downright appallingly bad.
I thought the premise was in very poor taste. A family that is struggling financially believes their rare doll (the solution to their financial woes) to have been stolen by a rich brat. This poor husband and wife spend much of the movie getting punished by this annoying kid. I was cringing at how tone deaf this plot was. Let's laugh at poor people who have to go to crazy lengths just to keep their home. Meanwhile, the rich annoying kid has to sleep in a BMW?
The acting was horrible. I can't believe Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) did this movie. They should've given it a different name like Homeless for the Holidays to complete the tone deaf narrative. This film doesn't deserve the Home Alone title in its name.
Red Notice (2021)
Other movies do it better...
If you're looking for dumb, mindless fun, there are still other movies that do it way better. Gal Gadot was a bit annoying in this role, kind of like Carmen San Diego. The script sucked. At one point I felt like I could almost see Ryan Reynolds annoyed with doing a movie that was so sub-par. The action scenes were meh. This is definitely the kind of movie that's so forgettable that a year from now I won't be able to remember the plot. Honestly, John Carter was waaaay better. Or any of the Rush Hour movies. Even Jungle Cruise was more fun. This felt forced.
Replicas (2018)
Yikes! This was bad!
This movie feels like it was put together haphazardly. Alice Eve's acting is pretty horrific. The characters seem to accept their weird circumstances quite often and just go with it, which doesn't make sense. It all felt very third-rate. The car chase scene, the stunts, the special effects - they all felt very noticeable and, therefore, not believable. Clearly this was very low-budget.
Infinite (2021)
Oof... this ain't it
First, Mark Wahlberg should never narrate anything. He sounds like a high school jock narrating. Second, the story was weak. Had they expounded on more (like various superpowers, why some people are granted the gift), it could've been decent. It really felt like they had a week to put this together and thought, why not? The action was about the only thing I felt they put the money into, but the motorcycle cliff jump onto a plane was very cheesy. Chiwetel Ejiofr also was acting a bit unhinged. Like he went over the top with the villain theme but there was no backstory. This really felt like a 1st rough draft. It could've been a lot better and they rushed it. And, lastly, Mark Wahlberg really only has one character that he plays over and over again.
Rakka (2017)
You need an ending!
Just because something is a short story doesn't mean you leave out the ending! Pixar can give 8-min digital shorts a beginning, middle, and end. This story had twice the amount of time and had plot holes! Aliens have taken over but then these mysterious fairy creatures appear. Are they gonna save us? Who knows because that plot line was dropped and another was picked up. Amir has the alien's abilities. Will he save us? Who knows?! Because it ends before we find out. What a waste!