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Reviews
For All Mankind (2019)
Gradual Decline
Starts out strong. Sense of national purpose somehow turning bad judgment into accelerated progress as compared with our baseline world now inhabited. In some ways a much better place overall for the USA. As progressing into Season 4, the soap opera elements take precedence. Many of the main characters are revealed to have irredeemable flaws, hidden until becoming fatal to others as well as/if not, themselves. These amount to deliberate sabotage of what they are supposed to be doing, or bad choices that might as well be--from Season 1 ep. 1 onward. Even the engineers do not think straight sometimes.
Manifest (2018)
Sometimes Good, Sometimes Unbelievable
The underlying major theme is totally inspired. Using the plane's unhinged from reality major divergence from linear Earth as structural base, many characters play out their always easily surfaced emotions in an alternate New York City of present day. Sometimes the actors (visibly!) struggle with corny bad dialog, but then turn relatable and rational. Almost everyone is of above-average intelligence. The good-side folks are very tolerant liberals with their own non-MAGA flawed features. There is carryover of irritating non-rational behavior and belief from main actors in their series ONCE UPON A TIME (ONCE). Things turn theological. The concluding episode wraps everything up nicely with warm feelings, though.
Silo (2023)
Fantastic, believeable sci-fi.
If you liked "Ascension," this series is conceptually very similar so far in Season 1, only better. Conspiracies on the path to survival for the few, last, hopes of humanity's survival. A murder, leading some to question the mission"s implementation; then the mission itself. Don't question authority, don't go opening certain doors hidden in the walls of the large cylindrical living space, don't find and handle some objects. Points of view/protagonists turn out not to be those most prominent at the beginning. Technically, the CGI sets and audio are superb. Acting of course is equally compelling.
Midnight Mass (2021)
Any horror can be justified in the name of religion
How an isolated community too small to sustain its economy can fester and turn rabidly religious as a displacement. Instead of watching television like the rest of America, residents philosophize about the big things in spiritual terms typical of the 19th century revivalists when faced with (negative) changes.
Deadly cult is building around perversions of biblical quotations to justify anything, some of which are irrelevant and others reversed in their meaning. Sort of Stephen King Salem's Lot and elements of his other writings, turned sideways. I am turning away from evangelism and churchianity after seeing this one.
Devil's Island (2021)
Not fully finished
Filmmakers apparently ran out of funds. One more day of filming with a finished script filling in the gaps would have been helpful.
A few days after viewing, I have come up with ex post explanation fill ins. Wolf Cult had an internal falling out, in which its leaders the grandparents were killed. They recognized killer who had house key at the start. As others have said, Dad was estranged from his parents as they were cult leaders and he was "normal." Heroine had a security-type job in tough Vegas, liked open air/water/solitude sharp contrast so that's why she refused to be pushed out. Some locals were low level cultists so they tried to make her leave by staring. Unhelpful Sheriff was a new cult leader. He also LIED about the man with the hammer having "worshipped" her, wacko actually hated the young lady throughout and regarded her as disruptive to the cult and preventing their ritual use of the island. Mute lady was also a new cult leader whom others in it killed. Days after first defense of house/killing hillbilly, the sheriff triggered house bell string alarms by home invasion and got shot to death. Our Heroine would then carry on as whoever was left in the cult was not murderously vicious. Nobody really liked those two she shot; there was no investigation later.
The Orville (2017)
Inconsistent Plot and Characterization
Interesting premise diverges into odd pathways. Show starts out as a parody of STAR TREK as many of the characters are kinds of inversions or analogues of beings from THE ORIGINAL SERIES, DEEP SPACE NINE, even VOYAGER. That wears thin as a story line fast. Captain is presented as amiable incompetent yet intuitive genius solving warlike crisis when needed, go figure. Show tries being-- comedy, straight drama, pure science fiction exploring new worlds, soap opera, presentation of LGBQTIA tolerance, redemptive evolution of characters show, you name it. Found myself fast-forwarding through obvious scenes that could have been written by/for a child, only to find something highly creative following.
The Mandalorian (2019)
Superb!
Probably the best thing on Disney+. For all ages. Very few plot holes or characters acting against themselves deliberately to stretch running time. Protagonist eerily recreates the persona and motivation and even voice of PERSON OF INTEREST lead righter of wrongs "John Reese!" Also, clear presentation of the lonely existence of one of film critics favorite beings--the type is of cast-adrift Japanese "Ronin," samurai who lack a leader and must validate themselves through defined "missions." The other characters are very faithful to Star Wars settings; purists must nitpick to detect "errors" inconsistent with their religion-like "canon."
Outer Range (2022)
Goes Off the Rails
Sets up intriguing premise. We start empathizing with the characters and understanding their positioning in time, space, and the local socioeconomic society. Then secrets pile up upon secrets and they start acting in impossible ways losing our positive feelings until perhaps only 2 of the 10 are still portrayed positively. Murder as a character trait and acting against rational self-interest, even instantaneous reversals of behavior from homicidal to allying, mount up with further episodes. Presentation is such that if some protagonists were to be forcibly eliminated that would be merited. The concluding episode is, frankly, not believable.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Children of the Comet (2022)
Better than what was spun off from.
1. Ensemble problem-solving is excellent while maintaining a strong central leader. 2. Does not spend half of each episode's time overdramatizing the specifics of wokeness.3. Welcome change from Ms. Michael who is always the savior of the entire space-time continuum all by herself. 4. Technology seems more advanced than in the Kirk TOS period which it supposedly precedes even while Kirk is introduced as a young Lt., is this a slightly altered timeline?
Suspicion (2022)
Almost believable, increasingly coincidental and murky
Suspension of disbelief OK for first few episodes. Increasingly the plot holes and double-double-crosses and lapses of clear thinking become more prominent, by the last episode I could not believe--or follow all parts of--the "resolution." It remains unclear who the protagonist was supposed to be and I could only identify 2 unambiguously "good" main characters.
The Murders (2019)
Unreal becoming Ubelievable
This is a police drama outclassed by most any other Commonwealth sleuth show.
Just general observations.
Starts out well enough, then descends into incredibility (not in a good sense) being gone beyond belief by Ep. 108. Character motivations are not very clear or self-destructive. There is a plethora of wrongly accused suspects--OK we expect that second or third-order thinking applies in detective shows. Female lead is allowed to continue on apparently as daughter of important politician who ignores some of the life-affirming basics. Coincidences, coincidences, Vancouver must be a small place where everybody interacts. One villain uses technology that does not exist yet. Events of one episode are treated as never having occurred in the next sometimes. There must be a shortage of actors in Vancouver as somebody plays 2 very different people.
The Little Drummer Girl (2018)
Somewhat Internally Contradictory
I really tried hard to get through this one. Good actors generally, great source book writer generally. But it seems overthought, with much extraneous detail and unnecessary preparation, and more and more unlikely into #3. At which point the lead actress seems not to know who she is anymore having been treated with alternating kindness and psychological identity transference and the male lead goes in and out of character unpredictably as well. I gave up.
Endeavour (2012)
Classy. Until it implodes in Season 7.
Great procedural/character study mysteries solved by young detective Morse--of future fame and irascibility. Shows how descent into alcohol pit started. I can now stream the series through then-time 1970. These 3 episodes of several separate stories all converge rather too neatly yet leaving a loose end-- they have only our hero as the common element in an unbelievable kind of hurried concurrent resolution. Units 1-6 are of high quality though.
Scorpion (2014)
Cartoonish
Starts well then descends into childishness soon. Characters are poorly defined, inconsistent, yet capable of doing mental and PHYSICAL impossibilities. I could see where each episode was going after a few at the beginning, although not the many glaring plot holes necessary for some kind of resolution. Watch HUSTLE instead if you want ensemble of intelligent outperformers facing impossible situations resolving them both cleverly and positively by each episode's end.
Line of Duty: The Probation (2012)
A Major Disappointment
Series starts well, then major characters often reverse their behaviours adversely without reason. Graphic violence, language. Filmed with low colour delineation which is consistent with storyline. Even the protagonist is frequently nasty and/or self-destructive and I cannot identify with him; only one character in the first season appears virtuous. Portrays an evil, corrupt police culture that I have no desire of revisiting by watching any further after the bad endings of Season 1.
Midsommar (2019)
AVOID THIS. Why Things Seem to "Happen" Disconnectedly
Makes "sense" only if one assumes a rather odd dream or drug trip happening in the mind of the female lead. A physical and temporal journey from despair to total conquering of self and others, with odd interludes and characters--often without any known cause. The Hero's Journey from Dani's internal perspective without any social controls: from helplessness to being Queen over all, with sycophants echoing her every mood and executing unsatisfactory boyfriend . With disturbing images, previews within narrative, etc. characteristic of deep trance. Never going to happen in real world. Distasteful, unwatchable. (Yes, I watched WICKER MAN in both incarnations and thought them acceptable.)
The Hollow (2016)
Forget this mess
Repulsive movie with slimy characters--even the "heroes"--and sickening plot line. Makes no sense in a world populated by evil, corrupted, or broken people entirely. . Feel like decontaminating from falling into sewer after trying to sit through it, did not make it past 20 min. Left with bad impressions of Mississippi, small towns, even Federal Bureau of Investigation. X-files this is NOT!
Leverage (2008)
Remember Mission Impossible TV?
This is a very private-enterprise successor to the spirit of the con- men/women fooling evildoers under impossible conditions Peter Graves hit of many years ago. The Government is not involved in any way (except as bumbling or unable to act) and the action is much more domestic. The bad guys are the good guys here. Not sure yet quite how (1)criminals all work together for the greater good contrary to their basic natures, (2) how all the large expenses are paid for each medium con since sometimes the clients get much more than their original damages back with no commissions for the enterprise generally mentioned. Accept suspension of disbelief, have great fun watching.
Starhunter (2000)
Derivative but strangely watchable
Low-budget (Canadian syndication squidgy financing) future Western interplanetary meld of many threads. Try "Andromeda" with character reversals--everybody has "a past", move the technology back to maybe 2 centuries from now, limit travel to Mars/Neptune/Jupiter/Saturn (what ever happened to "Earth?") add episode inspiration from movies as series progresses. Ensemble cast gets to jell after disjunctions including psychotic sabotage from within; implausabilities and economy CGI easily overlooked as they do. Bonus: Star Trek/Gate actors occasionally guest star. Have fun identifying guest character actors who make a decent living north of the border from Tax Credits Canada.
Chinatown (1974)
Big profits from Big Government, stay out of the way
Watched several times. Finally figured out the message: big money is made out of corrupt municipal government activities/spending such as water development. Those unfortunate to uncover or stand in the way of the City Hall money tree thugs better watch out! But we knew this already then as today, is L.A. or the failed state of CA any better now? Lack of coherence, abetted by always-vapid Faye Dunaway obscures the kernel of truth here. Will vote against any government spending from now on, even though I in SoCal probably drink some of the water that resulted. As to existential subtexts, read whatever you want into this noir mishmash; we later found out what kind of person Director Polanski is. Happy Exile from LaLa Land, please do not trouble sensible folks' eye/brain coordination again.
Primer (2004)
Fine as student movie in film school
Made for less than my checking account, with free sets and crew as actors. An acknowledged learning exercise--no funds for what movie-making adults call "continuity" --that most viewers cannot and should not have to follow. Nonlinear, often inexplicable experimenting of tranquilized engineers in Texas into time-travel using equipment from commonly available objects, that leaks no less. They use staccato speech (personal verbal shorthand?) with unfinished sentences and gaps in logic to fall into a time-travel warp of many loops and unknown properties. Paradoxes obviously multiply as everything collapses in their lives, including the unreliable narrator device. Laws of physics are among casualties--the famous time travel paradox does not apply. Exestentiality controls their destiny and those around them (what would any Texas setting be without a gratituitous shooting reference?) My personal indicator not to netflix Sundance favorites.
Stargate: Atlantis (2004)
Recycled Son of Stargate
Where has this group appeared to defend Earth against the enemy aliens? TEAM: Cynical colonel with Earth air combat experience and ability to control alien electronics. Check. Asperger-syndrome scientist (male) of many talents theoretically and in emergencies, re-discovers his humanity. Check. Warrior alien (male) from world fighting common enemy speaks little, thinks fast, and prefers action. Check. Female alien warrior queen rediscovers sensitivity. Check. Second scientist (female) --the identical character-- promoted to run operations base(!) Theme music re-orchestrated from trailer to forgettable flick Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
So why is all this so good? It's the combination.