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danieljackthomas
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Black Summer (2019)
Underappreciated show
Was a bit skeptical to watch this given the poor ratings, but my GF insisted it's good - and to my surprise... it is!
I really don't get the low ratings it received, it's got far more going on than most other zombie shows. The action scenes are well done and they do ALOT of one-shot sequences. The camera work generally is great throughout both seasons and in my opinion, is what really seperates this zombie show from the rest of them.
The only possible downside i can see people getting tired of is the story structure. The back & forth timeline works amazingly for some episodes, but for others it just feels unnecessary and can actually get a little annoying.
Overall i'd love another season, even though it's unlikely that is going to happen. But these two seasons were far more entertaining than the vast majority i've seen from it's genre and the zombies/world it exists in actually does feel terrifying.
The Mist (2007)
Most infuriating ending of all time
I'd rate this film higher as we thoroughly enjoyed it throughout almost it's entirety. The story was gripping, the acting was decent.
The sheer amount of actors i like popping up was cool.
Sure the effects are a little dated but nothing you can't tolerate and then BOOM...
One of the darkest endings of all time, but to a point where it left me with a sour taste.
I honestly can't get over how much the ending annoyed me. It was unnecessarily evil to the characters and made me realise that every likeable character in this film met a horrible fate and every dislikeable character had it better..
The Continental (2023)
Enjoyable but left more questions than answers
Before I list off the pro's of the show, I want to start with the negatives (or at least unanswered questions).
1 - why the heck does winston not have a british accent? I assumed by the end of the show they'd tie up why he has a british accents in the films but an american in this series... yet it never gets addressed?
2 - were frankie & yen john wicks parents? It certainly hinted that they might be, with frankies appearance and fighting style being very similar to johns. Keanu is also mixed white/asian heritage so this would make even more sense. I really liked the idea that Winston is Johns uncle and never told john but watched over him (this never gets addressed either, despite being a popular fan theory).
3 - the 2 members of the high table are extravagantly empty. Both the woman with the mask and her right hand man are stand out characters yet have absolutely zero backstory or development. Struggling to think of why the heck they were made to stand out so much when they added so little.
Ok, now for the pro's.
The setting was great, there felt like a lot of homeages to oldschool martial arts films and the sheer amount of different styles was fun.
The characters are generally all likeable and it's certainly more quirky than the JW films (in a fun way).
The action choreography was pretty good throughout, wouldn't quite say as on par with the JW films BUT still very good and better than most TV shows.
The camerawork was also good throughout, a few nice one shots and always some creative movements as well as nice cinematography.
Overall it was enjoyable but i feel like it needed just an extra 20 minutes to flesh some of the story archs out.
Pearl (2022)
Did I watch what everyone else watched!?
This film was a colossal let down!
I was a big fan of "X" and when I saw that this was getting fantastic reviews from both critics & fans I couldn't have been more excited.
But seriously... what was that?
A dragged out character study filled with moments that ultimately amount to nothing.
A solid five minute portion of the film is a monologue after which she immediately kills the character in the most cliche way ever.
I literally said "if this girl trips i'm giving it a 3".
We know absolutely nothing of Howard, his reaction to her behaviour, how anything really happens until "X".
The only possible pros of this film are Mia's acting and maybe some of the editing.
Extremely disappointing. I'd recommend X to most horror fans but wish I didn't even bother with this.
Barbarian (2022)
First horror in a long time to actually scare me
This film had a lot going for it. The soundtrack/use of sound effects. The cinematography was good and the acting was generally good too.
Yes, the film had some jumpscares, but it was more the slowburn tension that is what made it scary.
Although some moments in the story are cliche, i could not have predicted that plot at all and i thought some parts were disturbing.
Easily in my top 5 horror films of the past five years.
The only issue i have with the film is the way some of the characters behave, in particular the cops.
Aside from that minor issue, i really liked the film and would recommend for all horror fans.
The Gray Man (2022)
I wanted to like it...
Pros:
- the cast
- the fight scenes are generally pretty decent and well choreographed
Cons:
- predictable plot
- build up of chris evans character only to have an anti climatic finale
- the action sequences just get ridiculous and unbelievable the further into the film you get
- annoying flying camera that was initially cool but eventually just looks poor and actually ruins shots (the scene of evans jumping off roof in specific)
- the girl has a pacemaker and has to be careful apparently, yet seems to survive the most stressful situations known to man, just fine.
Overall for a film by the russo bros and featuring gosling, evans and ana de armas - this was extremely underwhelming and i wouldn't watch a sequel.
Eternals (2021)
I wanted to like it more than I did
I really wanted to like this film, and whilst I did think it was "good" (or "okay"), it should have been "great". For a start, the film felt way too long, some parts dragged and there was just so much going on. It felt non-stop yet still managed to feel slow in parts. There were also so many plots constantly evolving that it made it difficult to fully appreciate any one given moment.
The first half of the film was definitely more enjoyable for me than the latter half, though I do massively respect that they have at least tried to do something different here and not follow the MCU formula that so many follow.
Pros:
The Cast were awesome and all round i'd say the acting was pretty good.
Plenty of likeable characters.
Fight scenes were enjoyable.
Some beautiful shots throughout.
Cons:
No real solid villain.
Pacing was up & down and tbh... kinda off.
Kind of killed off some of the more likeable characters? Felt like they shot themselves in the foot a bit for future installments.
Kit harringtons character, whilst completely fine, kind of just felt shoehorned in.
Wasted some of the "bigger" actors in my opinion.
Mortal Kombat (2021)
Kinda disappointed but I want more
The writing & editing really let this film down, it's pacing & tone were all over the place.
Moments that I felt should have been epic were either turned comedic or straight up cheesy.
The action was good but could have been better. I was hoping for it to be more like "The Night Comes for Us" yet this felt way more tame and, well, generic.
There were several moments in the story where I felt like it took the worser direction from what it could have.
Without spoiling it, they killed off one of my favourite characters (and arguably the one who was best portrayed) which really bugged me, i'm hoping they can return for sequels somehow as they're pretty big in the games.
On the plus side however, I will say that the casting is great & the costumes/set designs are really good.
Overall I wouldn't say it was bad but it was definitely underwhelming considering how hyped I've been since it was announced.
PLEASE give us more tho! 🙂
WandaVision: The Series Finale (2021)
Absolute disappointment
I'm afraid the rumours, "leaks" and hype absolutely ruined this finale for me. I am so disappointed that I've been looking forward to this episode for so long.
Firstly, why the hell did Paul Bettany tease a big actor he's never worked with? He trolled the fans completely.
Secondly, that's seriously what they're going to do with "Quicksilver"? Why the hell did they cast Evan Peters knowing the fandom would clearly speculate the Multiverse? What a total kick in the teeth. So far the MCU has handled Quicksilver horrendously.
Thirdly, I thought the main rumour was the final 3 episodes - or at least the last - would be an hour run time? 49 Minutes with almost 8 minutes of credits... WTF!
And finally - how is this the most expensive TV show of all time? The Mandalorian has way better effects!
This isn't entirely their fault as the expectations set by fans was so ridiculously high, but even with what happened - this finale really did not stick the landing for me, giving i've watched it every week religiously on the dot when it gets released.
Cannot fathom how disappointed I am.
Tayna pechati drakona (2019)
For something so bad, its actually enjoyable
It's weird because this film actually has a lot of enjoyable elements. The costume and set design are pretty good, as well as the cast they somehow managed to hire (though notably, the more expensive actors are in it the least).
For a film with both Arnold and Jackie, you really think they could have integrated them better, though just seeing them have a cheesy 1v1 was entertaining enough.
The plot is pretty much all over the place and extremely random.
I'd probably recommend watching this with your kids or something to pass time, it's actually quite awful the more i think about it but again, definitely enjoyable.
Ghosts of War (2020)
Everyones being too harsh
I was hesitant about this as i've read all the reviews about disliking the ending... to be clear, you may not enjoy the twist - but it was NOT a bad ending. I've watched so many horrors now, and i know what a bad ending is. As far as I'm concerned, the story was fairly closed, and i would have been more annoyed if it was an unexplained, open ended ending...
Great cast, fairly decent acting. The films main let down was the sheer amount of twists and how complex it's concept got.
It was like a mashup of 4 different genres.
I would genuinely recommend though as theres some interesting concepts for sure
Warrior: The Blood and the Sh*t (2019)
Maybe one of the best episodes of any show ever!
Uh... wow! Can we just have the whole series like this ep? I loved the many nods to the Western genre as a whole, as well as another iconic Bruce Lee homage moment.
The ensemble of characters, the bar fight, the riding into the sunset... amazing! Favourite episode of this show so far.
The Old Guard (2020)
Yes it feel formulaic, but its an awesome concept & i want more!
I get what people mean, it did have the general structure of countless fantasy/sci-fi films/series we've seen before.
BUT
The concept is awesome and the fight scenes are superior to most of todays blockbuster films. I really enjoyed it.
I also think they managed to have a diverse cast without forcing it, it all worked well.
Excited for the sequel.
What We Do in the Shadows (2019)
Genuinely my new favourite TV Show
It's awesome seeing prolific UK comedy actors get the chance to shine in America, aside from the main vampire cast, the American characters are also really awesome. I was a little worried the series wouldn't live up to the movie, but i'd actually argue it's better.
Season 2 was even better than season 1, it's the gift that keeps on giving.
It's essentially a vampiric "The Office" meets "The Mighty Boosh" - love it!
The Borderlands (2013)
I feel like I just got trolled? Worst ending ever
I don't recommend this film at all. I watched an hour and a half just for it to end abruptly like that? What a joke.
The acting was pretty decent, especially from the main two characters. The story and tension was actually really interesting, i was enjoying it and then when it got good... it ended.
No real explanation. No satisfying conclusion. No completion of character arcs.
It's like they decided they cba to finish it properly.
Really disappointed, it started off great.
Brahms: The Boy II (2020)
Took everything good about the first one and took a big crap
Really disappointed. First of all i'm surprised the first film even got a sequel, i personally liked it but know that it wasn't amazingly received and i don't know a lot of people who've seen it.
Without spoiling anything, what i liked most about the first film was the massive twist surrounding brahm & the doll.
This film took what made the first film standout (possessed dolls, especially anabelle, have become very popular) and it took a big steamy sh*t on it.
There is nothing original about this film, it's predictable, not scary & very underwhelming as a whole. The only reason I gave it 4* is because I liked the actors in it (even though no one particularly acted impressively) and the film did keep me engaged until the third act.
I'm just going to pretend this film isn't canon and the story ended at number 1.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 4: Sanctuary (2019)
An amazing episode, just less happened than the other eps
This ep seems to be getting mixed reviews - but i loved it.
I can see why it would be rated lower than the others because aside from meeting Cara Dunne, there was very little of significance that actually happened.
I however LOVED THAT - I don't want this adventure to end and I love that they are universe-building for the mandalorian.
I could happily just watch the mandalorian and baby yoda do civilian stuff for a few eps + the action was pretty decent.
9/10
Ghostland (2018)
Actually horrifying..
After watching pretty much every horror available on Netflix & Amazon Prime, we found this one on Now TV. It's worth saying that i've found the majority of recent horrors really underwhelming, so this was a last shot at finding something i'd hope would be good.
Me and my partner went into this completely blind, we hadnt seen a trailer, hadnt heard of it and briefly read the synopsis. - I'd recommend doing this too.
Whilst this film disgusted me, i appreciate that it was one of the best horrors i've watched in a while. Sure, the actual film could have been better (theres quite a few frustrating moments, e.g characters being dumb) but it was definitely a pretty good concept with a few great twists and non-stop pacing (literally not a moment wasted, its all go)! There were a few jump scares, but the actual context of what happens to the characters is what I found really disturbing.
Not going to say anything more, just give it a chance! Worth a higher rating than the one it has
La nuit a dévoré le monde (2018)
Frustratingly boring
Interest concept behind it, ranging from the setting & the zombies - but the film was just straight up boring. Essentially spent the entirety exploring a mans boredom as he's stuck in an apartment complex. Would not recommend.
Daredevil (2015)
Post-Cancellation Review
Okay, I rarely do reviews on here, and when I say rarely, I mean I've done two others before.
Can I just say, that it is 1. CRIMINAL that this show has been cancelled by Netflix and 2. LIKELY that it's due to the Disney+ Streaming Service (regardless of rumours) and will hopefully be continued on there (or at least the character).
This is genuinely such an AMAZING series. From the acting, to the story-lines, to the character development to the fight choreography.
Trying to keep it as brief as possible, it pays extremely respectable homeage to the comicbook source material (DD, Kingpin & S3 Bullseye are all far better than i could have hoped for) whilst also featuring some of the greatest martial arts fight choreography in Western Film/TV. It really is hands down the best superhero series out there, and in my top 3 TV series of all time (Game of Thrones first & Stranger Things third).
It is that grounded in realism yet respectfully invested in the Marvel/Daredevil Universe that i recommend it to friends who love Superheroes/Sci-fi and those who don't. This really is the "Dark Knight" of Marvel productions, yet with better action.
I really can't praise this season anymore than I can, and I can only hope that the MCU continues with the adventures of Charlie Cox specifically (and the actors of kingpin, Bullseye, heck even Foggy and Karen) as they really make the characters who they are.
9.5/10 (I rounded to 10 for my vote)
Daredevil (2015)
Post-Cancellation Review
Okay, I rarely do reviews on here, and when I say rarely, I mean I've done two others before.
Can I just say, that it is 1. CRIMINAL that this show has been cancelled by Netflix and 2. LIKELY that it's due to the Disney+ Streaming Service (regardless of rumours) and will hopefully be continued on there (or at least the character).
This is genuinely such an AMAZING series. From the acting, to the story-lines, to the character development to the fight choreography.
Trying to keep it as brief as possible, it pays extremely respectable homeage to the comicbook source material (DD, Kingpin & S3 Bullseye are all far better than i could have hoped for) whilst also featuring some of the greatest martial arts fight choreography in Western Film/TV. It really is hands down the best superhero series out there, and in my top 3 TV series of all time (Game of Thrones first & Stranger Things third).
It is that grounded in realism yet respectfully invested in the Marvel/Daredevil Universe that i recommend it to friends who love Superheroes/Sci-fi and those who don't. This really is the "Dark Knight" of Marvel productions, yet with better action.
I really can't praise this season anymore than I can, and I can only hope that the MCU continues with the adventures of Charlie Cox specifically (and the actors of kingpin, Bullseye, heck even Foggy and Karen) as they really make the characters who they are.
9.5/10 (I rounded to 10 for my vote)