[tdockweiler]

City Slickers - 5/10

I tried my best to enjoy this, but it's just not very funny at all. All the lines are just so poorly written. There's a few good parts towards the end but it's not really worth watching. They even put a clone of the Ben and Jerry people in this. Apparently the guy who wrote the script thought that was a good idea. Even has a scene where they have a "stand off" on which ice cream is best paired with specific meals. No, totally serious. This might be the most unfunny comedy i've seen since "National Lampoons European Vacation".

I remember when I was a kid I clearly remember not liking this but did like the sequel. I still remember seeing that in this theater that was in an abandoned mall. Anyone remember that kind of mall? They had them everywhere here! There was one where you could hand in your ticket stubs to get some free tokens at the Arcade. Remember those? Those don't exist anymore. They had 3 total here once and all in...an abandoned mall! I still remember my friends and I blowing like $20 on the Ninja Turtles Arcade game.

Another not so interesting fact. There is still a couple video rental stores here! Do any exist in your city? Probably not.
The best one I ever went to was on Western Michigan University campus. It had THREE floors. The top floor was a coffee shop and an International films section.
They actually started to do poorly here it seems when Redbox was everywhere. Streaming eventually killed them off.

 

[tdockweiler]

Breaking Bad (Season 4) - 9/10

I've been slowly rewatching the entire series from the start. I've now seen it maybe 5-6 times and now I find it a chore now to sit through most of it. The pacing is just off and 75% of it is family drama. It basically moves at a snail's pace. No, this isn't the case when you've only seen it once or twice. It's just that now I know everything that's happening and even most of the dialogue. Plus I really don't like many of it's main characters and find them all annoying. Somehow my favorite is Hank.
Dang it, I forgot Mike! Ok I didn't actually like his character here but he's much more likeable in "Better Call Saul" before he turned into Gus' bodyguard.

I've found that in the episode "Bugs" of this season is when it gets really really good. They actually seemed to have added more comedy too. There is a lost of smaller funny parts. Not lol comedy, but still pretty funny. During these last few episodes you really think that this is where they started coming up with ideas for "Better Call Saul".
It uses some similar sets like the parking ramp, nursing home etc. Even the bingo even going on in the nursing home (like in BCS).

Favorite episode of this season is "Crawl Space". I bet you can remember that exact episode.

BTW Season 5 has lots of great episodes but there is one character I wish they would have kept alive. Plus I don't like the idea of the white supremacist group added into the story. For me it's just not a very satisfying ending to the story.

My unpopular opinion is that they should have wrapped things up on Season 4! Sorry!

Can't say it enough but every Season of Better Call Saul to me gets a 10/10.
I can watch that series dozens of times and not get sick of it.
My least favorite season though is strangely the last one!

Manhunt - 4/10

HBO documentary about hunting down Bin Laden. I actually fell asleep during one part but started it again and finished it.


BTW Season 11 of The Walking Dead is pretty great. Best season since Season 6 IMO!
Why does it have to end?! Season 10 was very boring until the last half.

 

[Whazzzup]

The witches net flix 2020. October month



secret like for Ann Hathaway , but witches albeit campy, freaky, and new take to me on witches. Was amusing, a little interesting, and visually unexpected. Nice accents. I’d give it a totally unserious 3.5 puffs out of 5

 

[Whazzzup]

Sea wolves net flix 2022



Canada you say? Vancouver island you say, sea wolves? What are sea wolves? watch and enjoy 4.5 puffs out of 5

 

[MeiLing]

The story of the search for Sixto Rodriguez who sold more records than Elvis was more popular than the Rolling Stones, and of course untold bootleg and pirate copies of his album Cold Fact in the hands of mostly uni students army conscripts sort of a rite of passage. I attended his Cape Town concert in 2016 and most of the audience was my age and younger. To me it is an emotional story and always leave me angry at the record industry, but it is also a showcase of humanity at it's best. The full movie is on Youtube if any are interested.
9/10

 

[tdockweiler]

McMillion$ - 5/10

Do you remember that Mcdonalds promo where customers would collect Monopoly pieces to win cash prizes?
This documentary was about how one man was able to steal pieces and give them all away to people in order to make money. Lots of people were involved.
He worked for the company that made the pieces. He was only able to do it because he was given some security stickers on accident (to detect tampering).
Really, this documentary for me was one big confusing mess. It's by far the most bloated documentary i've ever seen. It's like 6 episodes or something.
So much time was wasted on such unimportant details. Get the series down to 3 episodes and it would have been much better.

 

[Whazzzup]

Cowboy bebop net flix 2021



im part of this was a hilarious, intriguing, visually interesting with descent character development. Anotherwords I was one of the minority that thought dam this should get another season. But hey maybe it’s just me. Pineda was amazing. Hope to see her in other stuff.

 

[dougms3]

Cowboy bebop net flix 2021



im part of this was a hilarious, intriguing, visually interesting with descent character development. Anotherwords I was one of the minority that thought dam this should get another season. But hey maybe it’s just me. Pineda was amazing. Hope to see her in other stuff.

I thought it was a great show too and deserved another season but the haters hated John Cho so much without giving him a chance.

I think he was great at the role. I'm not sure why they chose to go with him instead of a younger actor but I thought he was great.

 

[tdockweiler]

The Stranger - 7.5/10

New release on Netflix. Worth watching and I would have rated it a lot lower if it wasn't for the pretty good last half.
The style of the movie is kind of annoying though at times. Most of the movie is really dark too (filmed at night).
PS I liked Sean Harris in this one as "Henry". Only character I found interesting.
Also...this film may bore some people to death. It's very slow paced.
I actually think this might have been better as a TV series.

Breaking Bad (Season 5) - 8/10

I'm not a huge fan of this season. I wish one of my favorite characters didn't die. The ending isn't very good. You knew something bad would happen, but I still wish they could have come up with something better. I mean did they really have to have Walt become THIS bad. I'm not convinced he would have done all the things he did. Just added all that extra non-sense for drama. This season is really like inflicting pain on yourself during some episodes.
The acting though is some of the best there is in the series for sure, especially from Hank.
Also, this season does feel a bit bloated too. They should have ended it much sooner.
I do love this show but I don't think i'd rate any season higher than a 9. The best is Season 4 IMO.
Every season of Better Call Saul gets a 10 from me. OK, maybe not the last season. A few of them were so pointless and rather dull.

 

[dougms3]

The Peripheral (9/10)

So far, first two episodes have been a little slow but entertaining.

Sci-fi show with some interesting twists.

Very interesting concept and unique premise, which is very rare these days.

 

[tdockweiler]

I just can't resist posting this. Funniest thing i've seen in a long time.
OK maybe not so much if you haven't seen "Mac and Me"!
It's considered by many to be the worst movie ever made.
I actually watched it recently and enjoyed it and found it hilarious!
Nowhere near the worst i've seen. And no it's actually a kid's movie

 

[SilverEars]

Orange (2015) - (7.8/10)

This was good. It's listed as one of the top Japanese romance flick, but I wouldn't consider it a typical one. The story is more about suicide, and it's a bold and strong topic to delve into, and done in an effective way.

I really like the movie emphasizes regrets in terms of regretful choices people can make and how that has an effect on how things turn out later in life. I found this to be a very strong theme in this movie, and makes it quite distinct.

But in general, I didn't like the over dramatic way the acting is represented. It's very TV J-drama style, in which I kinda cringe at. Also the characters are too flat and idealistic, which doesn't deter from the theme of the movie, but feels very unrealistic.

Still, I'd recommend this one for other to watch. It's not a typical cliche romance flick, but a lot more than that in the issues it tackles.

Still my favorite Japanese romance film is still, "Crying Out Love in the Center of the World," which done so well with excellent photography with just perfect actors/actresses, especially Masami Nagasawa. Photography with this one is more soft cliche drama type looks.

 

[SilverEars]

Your Eyes Tell (2020) - (8.8/10)

Wow, this is good. I liked this one a lot. The ending got me in the way it circled back. This is a tragic romance story, and it's done quite well.

This is actually a Japanese remake of an original Korean movie called Always (2011), but after seeing the trailer for the Japanese version, I decided on the Japanese remake, and it has not let me down. It's because I saw Yuriko Yoshitaka's performance in the trailer. She is very very good playing the role. Her performance is Oscar worthy.

I highly recommend if in a mood for an emotional movie.


The original Korean version called Always (2011). This movie has been redone in many countries. So Ji sub looks like an Asian James Dean. He has that kinda quality.

 

[tdockweiler]

Boundless - 9/10

2022 Amazon Prime series. In Spanish but subtitled.

Loved this series. Found it so good I managed to watch all of it in just 2 days. It takes 2 episodes to get you hooked on it.
It's a historical drama about Ferdinand Magellan's 1st circumnavigation around the world.
I don't know how much of it is accurate.

The series looked so realistic. I don't know how they got the weather and waves to look so perfect all the time. Visually it's pretty impressive IMO. It doesn't feel like there was much or any CGI used too. Felt like I was right there with them. It does feel sort of like a survival story in a way.
I can't imagine being at sea for over a year in those conditions. Lots of food shortages, scurvy, mutiny and lack of wind etc.
Found it interesting how a lot of the time they had to wait around for wind.
During one part they actually had a celebration when the wind started to pick up.

Anyway, I now need to read up more on my history I guess.

BTW another very very good survival story series based on true events is "Shackleton" with Kenneth Branagh.
This one reminded me of that somehow.

Trailer is below but I have no idea why Amazon never bothered to put out one with English subtitles.

 

[SilverEars]

Your Eyes Tell (2020) - (8.8/10)

Wow, this is good. I liked this one a lot. The ending got me in the way it circled back. This is a tragic romance story, and it's done quite well.

This is actually a Japanese remake of an original Korean movie called Always (2011), but after seeing the trailer for the Japanese version, I decided on the Japanese remake, and it has not let me down. It's because I saw Yuriko Yoshitaka's performance in the trailer. She is very very good playing the role. Her performance is Oscar worthy.

I highly recommend if in a mood for an emotional movie.


The original Korean version called Always (2011). This movie has been redone in many countries. So Ji sub looks like an Asian James Dean. He has that kinda quality.

Always (2011) - 8.8/10

I decided to see the Korean version as well. I think the original definitely deserves higher marks due to being the original. All the plot events in the Japanese version was in the Korean version, so this tells me that the story was well made in the original. I think the original screenplay is very well done. One of the best I've ever experienced.

The photography is much more detailed with the Korean version. Much clearer imagaging. I don't know why, but it seems Japanese films don't do super detailed images, perhaps due to cultural reasons? Colors are usually soft and perhaps the details are subdued as well.

I find that the Korean version is more direct when telling the story, as you get a stronger feel of the intentions of the characters, but events happen pretty much the same. Japanese version doesn't shove at you all that's happening.

One example is that in the Korean version, the walking up the long stairs, I understood the humor more effectively. It the way the situation was expressed.

Also, when I watched the Korean version, there were events that I probably didn't digest in the Japanese version, I understood easier due to the more direct way of expressing.

The Korean version actors are much more emotionally expressive. But, that doesn't mean it's more effective. For example, the Korean version's blind girl is much more expressive, and I find it to be too much. I think the Japanese actress just fit the role better. She helped carry the mood of the film really well.

I found the Korean ending overly dramatic, and like the way Japanese version ended better. Japanese version ending was tweaked slightly and I find that it worked really well.