Change Your Image
zdd-94112
Reviews
Fallout (2024)
"Phonedin"
"Phonedin" the Amazon Studios adaptation of Fallout has major plot holes, is riddled with inconsistencies, and it totally fails in capturing the feeling of the source material. The dialogue is totally PhonedIn, the acting is Phonedin, animations are PhonedIn. The story suffers from a major lack of substance. With a TEN hour running time the moral of the story can be summarized to the banal "Intro to Phil" Trolley Problem.
The pre-existing universe should have made the job relatively easy for the showrunners instead they make huge blunders that totally defeat the purpose of the original story and what it was trying to achieve. The worst aspect of the show, even more awful than rendering the story meaningless, are the absolutely horrid attempts at humor and acting. The showrunners repeatedly try to use the original humor of fallout as a crutch for introducing all sorts of awful lines, jokes and socially incompetent behavior. All 30, 40, 50, 60yo act like teenagers? Hey Bud don't question it! It's because it is a postapocalyptic world.
Wherever you look in PhonedIn, whether it be the story or the experience, you won't be left disappointed if you come knowing it is PhonedIn.
Shôgun (2024)
Awful show
I reserved my judgment during the first 2-3 episodes because I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt after seeing the various trailers and articles. Dropped it half-way through episode 4 when I started questioning why I was watching this meandering fanfic.
The political/religious angle is very poorly fleshed out and overly simplistic. The writing and acting is at times unbelievably cringe.
There are a few good performances but they are not enough to salvage the show.
Does the show look good? Yeah but that's every other show in 2024.
Is the show hollow and devoid of depth? Yeah just like every other show in 2024.
3 Body Problem (2024)
another Netflix Monstrosity
As an adaptation - don't watch it, it's not worth your time. Go watch the Chinese adaptation as it is much much more faithful to the source material in every aspect.
As largely its own thing, and this is what it is clearly aiming at, it's a failed pastiche. The cinematography, pacing, dialogue... none of these are particularly well done, some of them are absolutely atrocious, bordering on unwatchable. In fact, it has all the earmarks of every other cookie-cutter Netflix sci-fi series without any real depth added to it.
If you have watched other Netflix shows and you know the most superficial ideas from 3 Body Problem you don't have to try too hard to imagine what this adaptation looks and feels like. Do yourself a favor and use your time on something better.
The Zone of Interest (2023)
Hot garbage
Just when you thought A24 couldn't come out with more totally derivative garbage... they go and outdo themselves!
Stylistically, the movie is extremely forceful. If you think "The Zone of Interest" is "subtle", in any way, you might as well not notice repeatedly getting hit over the head with a hammer.
Considering the catalogue of movies that A24 has come out with in recent years this just makes the nth addition in a long line of identical movies... which really makes me wonder what they are paying the directors for exactly?
This is Marvel for people that think they are above Marvel but fall for the same exact formulaic garbage.
The Devil's Plan (2023)
Wow I haven't seen a show like this in YEARS
Let me start by saying that I loved the show from start to finish. The intro theme to each episode is extremely catchy and fun. Totally sets the tone for the show and what you are supposed to expect.
The cast was excellent they all had their own strengths and personalities. Each of them felt unique and personable in their own right.
The games were challenging but not difficult to understand. If you are looking for shows with mysteries/puzzles you should at least expect them to offer novel puzzles that can keep both the audience and the players on their toes. I appreciate that the creator, director, producers felt confident enough to hold the audience to a standard. If you are looking to watch something that microwaves your brain into mush, like most other shows on netflix, this is not the show for you.
The game itself, overall, never leaned too hard on either side of cooperation or direct competition. This is perhaps the biggest reason the game felt so balanced. The challenges ranged from highly cooperative to much more individualistic.
The Devil's Plan is leagues above other game-shows like Big Brother, The Amazing Race...
I enjoyed the whole show, I was at the edge of my seat the whole time. I highly recommend it and hope that it gets 10 more seasons with hopefully more novel games, intricate puzzles, and with just as interesting and personable of a cast.
Gen V (2023)
Who okayed this dumpster fire?
I can't believe Amazon was able to produce a show that is by all accounts worse than "The Boys". The titular comic book on which the original show is based is complete garbage that lacks creativity and is gratuitously gory with little to no substance. The fact that someone thought it would be a good idea to make a spinoff as devoid of meaning or subtlety as this speaks volumes about the current state of entertainment and culture.
The target audience for Comic book, TV Show, Spin off is clearly intended to be kids but unfortunately I'm sure that it will actually be 40 yr olds without an ounce of self-awareness or depth. I'm trying hard to think up of some positives about the show but so many of the plot twists and plot lines are so throughly played out that it's hard to come up with anything.
Genuinely regret wasting my time.
Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs (2023)
outstanding comedy special
No idea who had to get strong armed into releasing this but I'm glad it happened. This was hilarious and a breath of fresh air. Gillis never missed a beat, he took chances and delivered on them, it was so fun that it ended before I knew it. The transitions between bits and the handling of what some might consider sensitive issues was masterful. This special is up there with the Norm MacDonalds specials and Sandler's 100% Fresh. Is it worth it a Netflix subscription considering how much garbage they produce? No. I would rather pay Gillis and have him retain total creative control than support Netflix and their steady stream of unwatchable specials.
One Piece (2023)
another Netflix Failure
The Netflix live adaptation of "One Piece" feels drab, forced and doesn't manage to capture ANY of the feeling you had reading the manga by Eiichiro Oda or watching the original anime. The CGI is horribly shoddy, out of touch, and looks like it was made by the same people who worked on "The Witcher". Comparatively speaking, the CGI on the "The Pirates of The Caribbeans" movies that came out two decades ago is leagues above this. The action scenes don't feel realistic whatsoever, in fact, the characters look like they are performing dances or acting out the scenes on a stage rather than actually engaging in combat. At points it seems like it would be more natural for the characters to actually break into a musical than hit each other.
Netflix's live adaptation streak continues with another great original series left behind maimed and bruised.