Reviews

Starts outs with a mighty pop then fizzes out with a script that leaves you tired of the characters and this overworked plot.

I really wanted to love this and what is not to love? Barcelona? Yes, truly one of Europe's most magical cities. The mob? Never a bad idea to write a mob story. Family drama? Always a narrative pull since King Lear and the Bible. Betrayal? A cornerstone of storytelling.

Yet, it all became tiresome and slightly confusing. Too many flashbacks that were supposed to reveal plot points but, instead, negated any real character revelation.

I don't mind cinema violence and this series shines most authentically in its violence. The nephew and uncle showdown is as real as it gets. Many other scenes evoke the same realism and emotional spell.

The last episode was a shark jumping mess. I know that the producers are just angling for Season 2 but jeez.

This could have been great. It had some moments. Had it been cooked down to four episodes instead of eight then moving forward to the second season, I might be excited to follow the story.

But, they kind of wore me out.

Charming! It's an anti-mystery show much like Columbo. The killer is revealed in each episode before Natasha shows up on the scene in her beat-up Plymouth. But she's not a cop. She's on the run from some very bad folks, accused of crimes she did not commit, much like the Fugitive and Thelma and Louise.

Each episode is stand alone, which is refreshing, but the chase allows for some pretty interesting reoccurring characters. And the episodic crimes and characters are all fresh and believable.

Charlie, our main protagonist, has a gift for sniffing out lies and liars and liars sometimes kill people. They'd better hope they don't cross her path.

I am a sucker for anything do with spies in Berlin during the Cold War so this series scratched an itch. I lived in Berlin as the wall was coming down so it's intriguing watching it go up. Also, I'm a fan of Prague where the show was actually filmed. The whole thing feels authentic.

No one is reinventing the wheel here but it's all good genre fun. Double-crossers, guns fitted with silencers, vintage cars and stock footage circa 1961 that's interspersed with the new narrative footage. It's all really well done.

It's quite cat and mouse with the added jolt of not really knowing who the cats are. I dug it. Hope the make another season.

This series and its follow up, "Narcos: Mexico", are so well made and captivating. They've been a binge frenzy for me for the last several weeks.

Of course, the stories themselves are fascinating but the writing, acting and photography are all top notch. Everything resonates with authenticity and depth. Storytelling at its pinnacle.

Usually, these types of shows drag out the series just to make more episodes. Not here. Every single frame is compelling and there for a reason. There's zero fat in the content. You're constantly being pulled forward into the next scene and its really satisfying.

Highly recommended.

Despite the absurd title, I chose to give the first episode a few minutes in hopes that it might grab my attention. Six hours later I had binged the whole series. I was giddy and enthralled.

Eery and stylized but with a fresh take on the suspense genre. It's not really supernatural but it is...in a way. I don't want to spoil it or give too much away.

A single mother with a serious curse of déja vu wakes up every night at 3:33 shaking off horrible dreams. Are they dreams or harbingers of things to come? It's complicated.

You'll have to suspend disbelief on several fronts here but this series is first rate and well worth your time. Acting=riveting. Writing=original and captivating. Maybe even thought provoking.

Highly recommended.

Film noir was always light and shadow. Contrast. Black versus white. Or, perhaps, dark gray versus light gray. The higher the contrast, the higher the drama.

This series is in color and colors also have opposites just like black and white and they also create stylized drama.

Ratched uses blue versus orange and green versus red in just about every scene. Red hair is really orange hair. Hair is not really red. It's orange and the way to make it pop is to set it next to a blue shade, whether it's a nurse's uniform or a background set of curtains and carpet. And, whenever you see something truly red in this show you can rest assured that there is something green shining as well.

It's a great look. Over the top. Creating conflict and interest for the eye and brain. It's the new film noir only light and shadow is contrasted with color. It's kind of a satire but the look is exciting.

Much akin to the storyline. Unreal and super-real at the same time. It's a trick but it's satisfying, visually.

It's fun to watch.

Okay, this not high art but being high wouldn't hurt your viewing experience, I suspect. Think Jason Bourne meets Cheech & Chong. A goofy hour and a half of bad government versus likable stoner twenty-somethings.

Set in West Virginia but, I think, shot in Louisiana, a hapless discount store clerk is activated by his former handler from an unnamed secret agency. He has no idea that he had been an operative as his memory had been erased. Hence, the Bourne analogy.

With only his long-suffering girlfriend to help him, the clerk goes on a rampage to restore balance and save their lives.

In turns comic and violent, I thought it was fun.

I was hooked from the first frame. Excellent writing and acting in a gripping story set in Nottinghamshire. Beautifully shot. Twists galore.

It also features and who's who of contemporary British actors recognizable to American viewers.

Three dimensional characters and unpredictable plot.

It begins with a feeling that this mining town is deeply divided over a strike that occurred decades prior. Old wounds still itch. Then, a murder happens and old secrets start to emerge.

A second murder ratchets up the tension and.thickens an already tasty story.

Mystery, betrayal, redemption. It's all here.

Taylor Sheridan is a genius. When I first heard that Tim McGraw and Faith Hill were starring in this I cringed. However, McGraw is compelling and Hill is brilliant. Sam Elliott is the stalwart he's always been.

Epic photography and story! The script is tight for a ten hour production.

I highly recommend this saga. Excellent.

The two main actors, mother and son characters, in this film are outstanding. Chillingly compelling. The feel of the movie is eery and on point. The story is tired. Too bad. I'd really like to see these actors again in something much fresher.

Intimate and revealing. Using only collected bits of narration, Brando lifts the curtain and expresses his deepest thoughts on acting and life. Wonderful archival footage. Highly recommended.

This is a sad and compelling story more about corruption in a small southern town than a murder mystery. Almost completely comprised of interviews with locals and mothers of the victims who repeat the same things again and again it just gets old after awhile.

This would have been more powerful presented in a two hour film rather than a five hour series.

Each scene, each shot is like a moving surrealist painting. If you're looking for a traditional linear narrative then this may not be for you but I loved it. Taken moment by moment this film is a weird and wonderful delight. The photography is breathtaking and the acting is deadpan, oddball and hilarious. Brilliant art direction. A bounty for the senses.

The horrible tragedy of mental illness assuaged by the healing gifts of art, love and community. A true story, that I had not heard of before, beautifully written, acted and filmed.

Not sure about all of the negative reviews. After a slow, tense start, it blossomed into a creepy jolt of scary fun. Maybe I was just in the mood for this type of dreary fear in an old English mansion. Nothing groundbreaking but I ended up liking it.

I truly don't understand all of the complaints about his use of wide-angle lenses in this movie. Those Coen Brothers have been using this effect for decades and nobody seems to complain about them. I certainly don't.

Was there some secret film school exam that the rest of us didn't know about?

I don't find it distracting at all and the look of the piece didn't distract from the story at all. At least, not for me.

Is is perfect? Well, no, but that willing suspension of disbelief was never hampered and the look of the movie and the cast were outstanding.

The story was intricate, surely.

If I'd have viewed it in an actual cinema, it might have been an even better experience.

I'm no auteur but it was good Tuesday evening viewing. I'd recommend it.

Kate's accent is RIGHT on the money. I love all of the small town relationships and dramas. It feels very real and authentic. I'm liking it so much more than I thought I would and I thought I'd like it. Looking forward to the weeks to come!

Compelling story. Good acting. The Oriental setting is fascinating. But, why do these streaming networks now insist upon stretching these series out so long?

"Serpent" runs for almost eight hours when it should have had its climax at four or five, max. This new trend is becoming irritating and don't think the filmmakers are to blame but it's a drag nonetheless.

Again, good show but more snipping would have helped.

This is an interesting series. Excellent acting. Twisting, turning plot. But...10 episodes. Should have been maybe 6. Lily Rabe is, as always, compelling.

Good hearted. Knowledgable. Excellent photography. What's not to love? As an American, I knew nothing about Fred and his travels but I'd like to see more programs. Please make more. In these times, we could use more. Merci beaucoup.

I have been in love this voice for decades. Didn't realize just how amazing she was. From rock to country to light opera to great standards, she blew the lid off of all of them.

I don't think you have to be familiar with her to be knocked out by these performances. Sadly, Parkinson's has silenced her professionally but this tribute will hopefully make some new fans.

Beautiful.