wktsnqms Reviews

The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985)

Knew what it was, didn't try to be anything more

[7/10 · 1 October 2023]

I'm biased because I was the of perfect age (and mindset, I LOVE car culture) to grow up with shows like this and Knight Rider. But this show was one of a kind, and took advantage of the car cult flicks of the 70's. While I'll admit some of the episodes were downright cartoonish (actually, most were!), some episodes were really attempting to tell a decent story. As predictable as every episode was, it still had a charm to it that made you want to engage. The main actors were all really good in their portrayals, and you felt like Hazard county really existed somewhere, and to a certain degree, I bet it does, without the jumping car, of course. Bottom line, this was an era where shows were comfortable in what they were, and that alone holds value with me. No agendas, no propaganda, no hidden messages, just "turn your brain off" fun, with eye candy for both sexes. And a fast car to boot. That was all you asked for back then, and honestly, I'd do anything for us to be living in that time again.

The Cars That Made America (2017)

Reeks of modern day fluff

[3/10 · 20 September 2023]

The production of it reminds me of "The Offer"; lots of Hollywood fluff, in regards to the wardrobe, the way it was overall presented, just, everything. It was obviously looking to reel in more mainstream with this approach, but whenever this approach is taken, you're going to lose out on the demographic that's really interested in the topic, and has enough of an i.q. To know when they're being bamboozled. Everything is dumbed down and watered down, and it honestly feels insulting to view. As other reviewers have stated, should have and could have been so much better. If you're a gearhead like myself, especially one that's drawn to this era, as tempting as it may be, don't waste your time.

A Star Is Born (2018)

Just didn't resonate

[6/10 · 13 August 2023]

This is a bit of a rant, I'll go ahead and apologize ahead of time. I'm watching an old 80's flick about a form of dancing, (came out in '84, figure it out) and while this wasn't what would be considered a great movie, boy, was it memorable. Because it had moments in it that you'll always remember, and I know it wasn't just me because I've read reviews here that have said the same thing. My point is, while many older movies didn't have the greatest or most believable plot, they were ENTERTAINING. They made memories with you. They found a way to tug on your heartstrings somehow. Many of these movies made in the last 10 years or so, they just can't pull that off. No matter how great the editing, cinematography, lighting, WHATEVER. And this is coming from someone who worked in that world and has a ton of respect for it, so I'm not bashing what Hollywood is about. I'm just bashing the level of quality it has fallen to.

This movie was just a snoozer. Made me appreciate La La Land that much more. Whatever made that movie click, this movie didn't have it. Acting was fine, and Gaga is easy on the eyes, but...not much more. It couldn't make me care, not for one moment.

Transporter 3 (2008)

Why do sequels often regress?

[4/10 · 11 August 2023]

Let's say the first Transporter was about a 5 on a scale, with 1 being fast and furious believability, and 10 being almost a fact-based, serious toned product. This one goes down to about a 2, and I ask why? Why dumb something down to the point where it's almost a cartoon? If this series had gone the other way, making the sequels more like maybe a 7 (I would give the first three Bourne products a 7, for instance), you wouldn't have lost potential fans like myself. I love the aforementioned Bourne series (except the last one, it regressed to about a 5, at least), and if this series had went in that direction, it would've kept some dignity & grown it's fan base. Or at the very least, not lost people like myself.

The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

What happened to original critiques??

[8/10 · 13 July 2023]

More than half the reviews of "once upon a time in Hollywood" will contain the line "love letter to la". With The Transformers, the same holds true for the line "it was a toy commercial". Good grief, people. Does it really hurt to think that much these days and come up with original thoughts?? No one respects or cares about your ability to repeat the next person's words. And if you're watching this for the first time as an adult, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you probably aren't SUPPOSED to like this movie. It was aimed at children, it was a CARTOON. From the 80's. I was 13 when I saw it, and it was a great experience. It wasn't overhyped like todays diluted entertainment; it had just the right amount of publicity to let all of its fans know it was coming, but by no means was it being shoved down your throat. It was less than 2 hours, and it came off like an actual feature film, not a longer episode. You could see the time and effort that was put into it. Was it a great movie? Not in the traditional sense. Was it entertaining? Absolutely. People still discuss it almost 40 years later, so what does that tell you? Ask yourself this: does anyone discuss the fast and furious franchise? No, they just go see them because of fomo and the need to belong. Every movie doesn't need to be great, imo. But to make a lasting impression on someone is priceless, and this movie did that in droves. Cartoon movies weren't being done in this Hollywood-type production in the 80's.

Baby Driver (2017)

True Romance meets The Transporter

[3/10 · 12 June 2023]

If it weren't for the totally unbelievable gun battles, I would've overlooked the other holes in this movie. But they just kept getting more ridiculous, particularly the ones where Jon Hamm escaped. The fact that Hollywood thinks it's ok to produce this type of content that you would've laughed at on any given 70-80's cop show shows how little they respect us. And I just paid $4 to watch it, so I guess I'm no better. Eliminate/replace 30% of the content with more realism, and you have something that at the very least doesn't insult your intelligence. It's movies like this that make you appreciate Tarantino that much more.

TMZ Investigates: 9/11: The Fifth Plane (2023 TV Special)

Typical modern day hokey production

[3/10 · 23 March 2023]

It seems there was a time that only certain types of programs received this type of production, but now it seems as if nothing as safe from it for the most part. I realize it's a tmz production, so it's not as if my hopes were high. But the constant suspense music, is that really necessary for this type of show?? Thousands of people died during these events, yet it's played out like it's just typical prime time drama. It really goes along with today's media, how almost everything is dumbed down and diluted. Like I said, I didn't expect much, and yet even that level wasn't achieved. Some of the information just doesn't add up, and I wonder how much of it is actually true. Don't waste your time.

Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000)

Weird regression

[6/10 · 5 March 2023]

The last 2 seasons, the characters almost seemed to age backwards in regards to their behavior, particularly the last season. It was like they turned into teenagers right before our eyes. The meetings amongst each other, the constant hanging out at the same diner they gathered at in high school, and just their overall behavior. The female characters acted cattier, the males lamer and more predictable. If you read some of the interviews by the people involved with the writing/production process, you can see why. It almost became a spoof of its former self. Definitely makes you appreciate the first 5 seasons more. Losing Shannon was something it never recovered from imo, as every dark haired villain became more predictable and cartoonish. Probably went 3 seasons too long. If you eliminate some of the trash from seasons 8-10, you probably could've had a really good season 8 and not turned it into a cartoon. Still had its moments, but definitely became a predictable soap opera.

Breakin' (1984)

If you're under 40, you might not relate

[7/10 · 17 February 2023]

I can remember being an 11 year old, and my sister taking me to see it at Evergreen Plaza in Chicago (same summer as Karate Kid and Purple Rain), and how happy it made me. Was it a great movie? I'd be lying if I said it was. But it was full of feel good moments, & that was pretty acceptable in a more simpler time. The dancing was top notch, however, along with the choreography. I'm pretty sure it was Ice T's first big screen appearance as well. My rating is very nostalgia influenced and based on my personal experience. And many in my age range probably thought it was corny, especially compared to Beat Street, which was a totally different vibe than this. But the soundtrack had some memorable tracks, and it was a typical 80's movie. It's remarkable that things have changed so much, and it's impossible to watch a movie like this and not feel that way.

Brown Sugar (2002)

I guess I'm biased...

[8/10 · 19 December 2022]

I was probably about the same age as the characters being portrayed when the movie came out, I'm black, grew up in hip hop, etc. So there's an excellent chance that I'm biased in my opinion of this. But for everyone giving it a low rating, I ask you, sis it not seem realistic? Because it sure did to me. Of course there's some Hollywood stuff going on, I get that. And yeah, you could say it was kind of predictable. But doesn't the execution deserve some merit? The acting? Even the genesis of the plot?? Again, when I look at the current state of music, hip hop in particular, this plot seems more realistic by the day, and I honestly think this movie is timeless. But I'm probably just a "get off my lawn" dude, because I really miss diverse, quality hip hop, & other genres of music. And I dearly miss the era of the 90's to early 2000's where you had movies centered around black people that didn't act so hard to seem black, didn't fit stereotypes, & were relatable to other blacks. Seems like those days are forever gone.

Black-ish (2014–2022)

Appreciate the effort, but...

[6/10 · 29 July 2022]

Let me just get this out of the way; I'm a black dude in my late 40's. Grew up during the 80's watching shows like the Cosby show, family ties, etc. With that being said, Scrubs is probably my all time favorite sitcom, by a large margin. The writing, cast, everything was spot on. And it ended right before shows started going in a different direction imo. No show has been able to balance comedy & drama as good as Scrubs, & I see black-ish as another effort to do so. An almost blatant copy of its humor if you ask me. I don't remember any other show doing the whole "flashback" thing before Scrubs, at least not as often. Black-ish pulls it off slightly different, but really similar nonetheless. It's cartoonish in a way that isn't well balanced, where again, Scrubs knew how to make that somehow work and not come off so...silly?? I feel kinda weird saying that considering how ridiculous some of the stuff on Scrubs was, but anyone that watched it can relate to what I'm saying. Scrubs had a few episodes that have made me actually sad, like REALLY struck a nerve and resonated with me, Black-ish has never come close. It just doesn't know how to make you get emotionally invested most of the time, even when visiting important topics like race, equality, etc. One of the writers (Deon Cole) is one of my favorite comedians, & his humor usually hits its mark. But as a show, it's just more of todays snark without the feeling. The Goldbergs is another example of this.