Martypies Reviews

Infinite (2021)

Fun action scifi flick

[9/10 · 13 June 2021]

I feel compelled to write a review of this movie in part because of the many 1 star reviews. Anyone who gave this movie 1 star out of ten really needs to re-evaluate their life. Ratings that low should only be given to very low budget garbage with unknown poor actors with dirt cheap special effects and no story, this movie does not qualify for 1 star.

It's probably an 8 but I threw in an extra star because of all the one's! Maybe the poor reviews are from those religious nuts who are offended by reincarnation? As a scifi action movie it is quite good with polished performances and excellent special effects. Enjoy it for what it is.

Ted Lasso (2020–2023)

Outstanding show, binge watched all 10 episodes.

[10/10 · 15 November 2020]

I have very little to say as it has all been said by all the other 10 star reviewers. The first thing I do after I have read and seen so many 10 star votes is to look at the 1 star votes to see why they got it so wrong and it nearly always comes down to prejudice. In this case the handful of 1 star votes, I think there are 5 or 6, are from viewers from England who feel slighted and insulted by America trying to do British accents and poking fun at their beloved game of soccer and their love of a cup of tea. For those of you who don't know, we in Australia call these particular breed of English folk "whinging poms". Loosely translated it means Brits who complain about anything and everything.

If you're not a "whinging pom" and don't hate our American friends, just watch this show, it is funny, clever and heart warming.

The Queen's Gambit (2020)

This mini series is worth the Netflix Subscription alone!

[10/10 · 2 November 2020]

What a wonderful show this is, great performances from all and the characters are extremely likable. Brilliantly done, the first episode is certainly not the best but it is enough to have you wanting more and the entire series is perfectly paced.

Don't miss this one.

Altered Carbon (2018–2020)

5 out of 5 for Season 1

[5/10 · 1 April 2020]

Don't you just wish you could talk to the producers, writers, directors etc.? Sit down and ask them, WHY? Questions like, "Why did you make another season of a brilliant show so badly"? "Was it deliberate to make it so poor or do you really believe this season is as good as the first"?

I'm sitting here at my desk wondering what to write next, I'm so disappointed I just want to forget. I think I will re-watch the first season, maybe that will help me forget the punishment I just endured even though I didn't commit any crime.

I'll simply finish with "Thank you for a wonderful first season, it was truly a joy to watch".

The Mandalorian (2019– )

Jon Favreau truly is The Ultimate Fighting Champion.

[10/10 · 24 November 2019]

Firstly, for the people who watched one episode and gave this one star, shame on you. Those people are an embarrassment to the Star Wars universe. They are probably the same people who gave that JJ Abrams abomination 10 stars!

What a brilliant show this is, written, created and directed by a true Star Wars fan. After watching three magnificent episodes I am already dreading the end of the season. Next up, another Abrams nightmare which will probably make 3 billion dollars. Star Wars fans are like Apple fans, they will continue to queue up for the next installment even though there are plenty of other superior items out there. Or maybe their like teenage girls at a Justin Bieber concert, all 5 foot 9 of no talent.

Anyway, no need to talk about this show, just watch it and enjoy the ride!

Ready or Not (I) (2019)

Fun horror comedy definitely worth watching

[7/10 · 23 November 2019]

I gave this movie 5 out of 5 after only watching the trailer, I have now added another 2 stars after watching it.

It was fun with a few good laughs and pretty good gore. Well acted by all. It had a few of those cringe moments when our hero fails to finish off some bad guys, you know those frustrating moments when you are screaming "don't run, kill him first" and of course the guy comes back a couple of times but she eventually wins the day and it's a satisfying ending with more good luck than good management in the end. 7 stars.

Ready or Not (I) (2019)

5 out of 5 for the Preview

[7/10 · 22 November 2019]

I absolutely loved the trailer and cannot believe that the entire movie can go downhill to only score a 1 or 2 like so many have judged it. This is the first time I've written a review for a film I have not scene but I will report back before the weekend is over and hopefully I will be adding, not deducting stars to my rating!

Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019) Season 8, Episode 6

I am emotionally saddened by this season and finale.

[3/10 · 17 July 2019]

I cannot give any episode of Game of Thrones 1 star because the actors don't deserve it and nor do the sets. I'll be brief because everything has already been said ... I have watched every season of the show multiple times with the exception of season 8 which I will never watch again. As for the finale, I'm lost for words, I just wish I could forget about it and move on with my life but after almost two months it still haunts me. I suppose like everything in life, time heals all wounds.

Time After Time (2017)

2 Stars for reasonably good acting but that's it

[2/10 · 6 March 2017]

One of the other reviews I read pretty much said most things I wanted to say but this is another bad time travel show, even worse than Timeless. Science Fiction writers need to understand that they're not writing a sitcom and that we the viewers are quite intelligent and see all the plot holes. Like Timeless, Time After Time is another "chase" time travel show. In this one, HG Wells is chasing Jack the Ripper and even though Doctor Jack is leaving a pile of dead women in his wake, nobody seems to want to kill him. In the single most pathetic scene in the pilot, our 2017 heroine disables Jack by hitting him over the head with what looks like a heavy ceramic candy bowl. Jack is down for the count and does she go over to him and bash his skull in with the bowl? No, she races to the bedroom to get the other girl Jack has tied up and gagged in there, then she carefully grabs Jack by his legs and drags him out of the doorway so they can make a run for it. Of course he soon wakes up and catches up to them before they even make it to the stairs. This could very well be the most insulting piece of story writing I have ever seen in my 57 years. This is Jack the Ripper, she knows who he is and she is happy to run away when she has him unconscious! Anyway, I fast forwarded after that just in case they kill him in the end but he manages to escape after getting tasered by a security guard. He then calls HG and tells him he is going to kill one woman every day until he gives him the key to the time machine, blah blah blah, let's watch another 9 episodes chasing Jack and just missing him at the end. He will probably have killed 50 women by then and all because our dumb heroine didn't hit him harder with the candy bowl. The acting is quite good, it's not their fault they're working with a woeful script. If you want to watch a good time travel show, take a look at the first season of Travelers. It's excellent with strong characters and very good story telling.

The Walking Dead: The Day Will Come When You Won't Be (2016) Season 7, Episode 1

Interesting, brutal, intense but not perfect

[8/10 · 29 October 2016]

Where to begin? It's always interesting to read user reviews, littered with many one stars and many ten stars ... why so diverse? Looking at all the reviews of this first episode in season 7, some people are blown away and others are disgusted. I loved the episode but I'm not squeamish and I don't care about eye balls hanging out etc. The brutality of the episode was necessary because Negan needed to "break" Rick and it's not easy to break someone as tough as Rick, added to the fact that he's survived the apocalypse for seven years. In the end he did break him with the combination of Glenn's death and finally being ordered to chop off Carl's hand!

The reason the episode gets only 8 stars from me is because of Glenn's death. Not because they killed him off or the way it was done ... it should have been done at the end of last season when people really cared. It's difficult to get the feeling of love back for characters when you haven't seen them for six months. I don't have a problem with cliffhangers but killing Glenn in the last episode of season six would have had much more impact because we would have lived through the season with him and with Maggie and it would have really hurt like it did when Hershel was killed by the Governor ... I still haven't got over that one. The best writers have cliffhangers that also have some measure of closure attached to them.

Overall an excellent episode but not the best.

Timeless (2016–2018)

Average Time Travel Show

[4/10 · 18 October 2016]

I will never submit a review until I have seen at least 3 episodes and I have now seen those 3 and after the latest episode I have dropped the show from 6 stars down to 4.

The sets are quite good and the acting is also passable. My biggest problem is with the character that I initially thought I would like the best, the Delta Force guy, he's a complete moron! From the moment he goes back in time to 1937, he wants to change things by saving the pretty blonde girl which is breaking the only non-negotiable time travel rule, DON'T change the past! But even worse than that, he is supposed to be the greatest military guy on earth and I was expecting a cross between Jack Reacher and Mitch Rapp. You would think he'd be the toughest guy in the world and not only does he repeatedly fail to kill the bad guy who is not even a trained soldier but he keeps getting beaten up, in one scene he gets beaten up by a woman who hits him over the head with a telephone, seriously folks, could you imagine that happening to a trained Delta Force Commando? He has the discipline of a 5 year old child.

I do enjoy hearing and seeing the history, thus the four stars but the premise of the show is badly flawed ... chase the bad guy back in time and kill him. That is the whole show and you know they are not going to kill the bad guy because that would be the end of the show. Add to this that the bad guy doesn't even seem that bad and the future does not look bright for this show. Our "hero" soldier has been in two or three fights with the "bad" guy and had his butt kicked every time, he really is giving the U.S. Special Forces a bad name!

Containment (2016)

Brilliant

[9/10 · 17 May 2016]

Firstly, I do love virus movies and shows like Outbreak and Last Ship but this one really has a soul, you can't help but feel along with the characters. The human element is not lost like what happens in so many Zombie shows and movies. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love The Walking Dead but this show is just as good but in a different way.

To let you know where I'm at, I have just finished watching the 5th episode. The show is building at a perfect pace and the character development is wonderful. If this was to really happen in a city in the U.S., this is how it would probably be handled, it has a very real feel to it. Some characters started off cowardly and scared and have developed into brave and helpful people while others have gone the other way. Some, like the lead police character have pretty much been the same person from the beginning. Lex is a genuine good cop who just happens to have the love of his life inside the danger zone or what the show calls the "Cordon". This is not a spoiler, you find out very quickly in the first episode how they get separated on either sides of the cordon. This is very painful to him but he does not let it interfere with his duty to the people of Atlanta.

Don't buy into those silly reviews that are always race, creed or religion biased, those people will never be happy. This is not about the Syrians being evil or the black people being gang bangers or the white people being the goodies, there are all types of people inside the cordon and they are reacting very much like they would if this was real life, most are good, some are bad, enjoy the show.

Agent X (2015)

Jury still out ...

[6/10 · 20 November 2015]

I love political thrillers and spy and superhero shows etc. The best however, are always in books and I am yet to see a series yet that compares to books like the Mitch Rapp series and here's why. They are always to tame, whether we are talking about Agent X or Person of Interest or Daredevil etc, they are all about shooting the bad guys in the knees. You know what Mitch Rapp does when confronted by an amoral killer or a terrorist? He shoots them right between the eyes so they can no longer hurt anyone else. Arrow started that way, in the first season he killed the evil doers, in the seasons since then he ties them up for the police to take them away to jail where they later escape to continue their evil ways, so tedious and boring. Agent X has started this way, he is supposedly the most highly trained agent on Earth and he misses baddies when he shoots at them and he goes out of his way to not kill them, this is unrealistic and would never happen in the real world. I've only seen the one episode though, hopefully it will get better.

Ash vs Evil Dead (2015–2018)

I knew it would be good but I didn't think it would be this good!

[8/10 · 3 November 2015]

What a pilot! Everything about this show is first class, the story, the humour, the awesome gore and of course the cast. Bruce Campbell is brilliant of course, this show simply would not be so good without him. Often I find that horror movies or shows don't get the right balance between comedy and drama, Ash vs Evil Dead gets it just right. The last time I saw such a good balance between the two genres was Zombieland. The cast is truly excellent, it's not Bruce Campbell and the rest. Dana DeLorenzo, Jill Marie Jones & Ray Santiago are all fantastic and we all know how good Lucy Lawless is. She only makes a brief appearance in the pilot but I expect her to have a stronger presence from now on. I have to add one little spoiler, Ash releases the demons because he is drunkenly showing off to a girl and trying to get laid, it's a little flashback scene and very funny. Anyway I have to go, talking about the show has made me want to watch it again.

Fear the Walking Dead (2015–2023)

Fantastic start

[9/10 · 24 August 2015]

It looks like, from the small number of reviews so far, that this show is going to be subject to that new growing breed of "would be" film critics who continue to write reviews as if they're auditioning to be the next Roger Ebert.

Let's set the record straight, it was a very good first episode that is building nicely without going to fast, setting up the characters very well. Some people will probably complain that it's more of a drama than a horror show but as my son wisely pointed out to me, "I'd rather watch a zombie drama than any other kind!"

The casting and acting is top class and it was quite suspenseful for a first episode. Just like the Walking Dead, you are simply not sure who is going to live or die. The pace of the show was perfect for a drama that is being told from the very beginning of a pandemic.

Don't expect an identical show to the Walking Dead, after all what would be the point of that? If they wanted an identical show all they would have to do is change Walking Dead to a 32 episode season! This show is set in a different time, a time where people know nothing yet about walkers. The facial expressions are superb when they see walkers for the first time, the total disbelief in what is happening. It is very convincing and riveting viewing.

I loved this first episode and cannot wait until next week.

Zoo (2015–2017)

A promising start and an interesting premise

[7/10 · 2 July 2015]

I love IMDb reviews because you are dealing with average Joe's like me who love movies and television. I never read movie critics reviews any more because they are to judgmental and often trying to make a name for themselves. Unfortunately, some of the IMDb people are the same so I have a hard and fast rule, if at least 20% of IMDb reviewers give the movie or show a good rating then that is good enough for me! I try not to get annoyed by some people who write on this site but that's what you pay for in a democracy. There have been a number of reviews for Zoo which state that it is awful because it is unbelievable. Do those fools realise this is science fiction ... that means a made up story, not real, fabricated, sometimes silly but it is entertaining. One reviewer said it best, if you don't like science fiction then please, please, stop wasting our time by reviewing these titles! Enjoy Zoo, it's a good pilot.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

Good representation of the book, but not perfect!

[8/10 · 27 June 2015]

Many people have slammed this movie, pretty much the same people who hate all the Twilight films. For a franchise that made over 3.3 billion dollars, they certainly cop a lot of flack. It is not fair and most of the criticism comes from immature boyfriends who can't sit still long enough if there is nothing blowing up on the screen! I feel sorry for all directors of these movies because they are hamstrung by ratings censorship. If they were able to make the movies with an MA rating they would have been much better received by a wider audience but because the books were loved by so many young girls, they could not make the movies violent or sexy enough to do the books justice. Eclipse is a very good film but please don't go if you can't keep an open mind, especially if you have not read the books.

Dominion (2014–2015)

Breathtaking!

[10/10 · 23 June 2014]

I've just finished watching Dominion and I felt compelled to let you know what a brilliant show it was. I never saw the movie "Legion" so I have no frame of reference and I can't tell you whether or not the show synchronises with the movie ... what I can tell you is that as a stand alone series pilot I was glued to my seat and even though it's now after 11:00pm and I have to be up for work at 5:30 in the morning, I simply had to let the world of IMDb know that we have a new show that could be the next anything! Most other user reviews have been glowing but there are a couple of one star reviews, please ignore these as they have been written by "would be" film critics using big words in an attempt to show off. All these people have done is embarrass themselves, please watch the show and enjoy, it is quite simply magnificent. It can be likened to a zombie apocalypse show but with dark angels in place of the zombies. No spoilers, just watch!

The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

Simply the best!

[10/10 · 15 February 2014]

Believe me when I tell you I do not say this lightly ... The Walking Dead is the best television show ever made. Maybe I should say it's the best television show I have ever seen, I shouldn't really say best ever as I have not seen every show ever made. I have however been watching shows since 1963 when I was 4 years old, that's more than 50 years worth and this little gem is the best.

If they continue to handle the show as brilliantly as they have so far, it literally could run forever. An entire new world has been created and the scope for stories is endless. I think the single most important feature about the "zombie" disease compared to others is that it is part of us now, it is in every single human being and when you die, you change into one of the walking dead, you don't have to be bitten to change. Think of what that means, the "walkers" can never be killed off completely because every time a person dies they return as a walker. Even if you establish a safe area and no zombies can get to you, if a member of the household dies in their sleep they will wake up as a zombie and kill everyone else in the house ... how could you ever get a sound nights sleep again? I know a perfect way around it, everyone would need to sleep in a kind of cage with a combination lock ... if you wake up dead, you wont remember the combination and cannot harm anyone!

Enough rambling, watch the show, it's numero uno.

Gravity (2013)

So So Disappointing

[3/10 · 4 November 2013]

My wife and I were so looking forward to this movie after reading all the glowing reviews, what a massive mistake that was! The 3 stars I've given the film is for the special effects, that's it! I don't like movie reviewers, never have, but so many raved about this movie I thought they couldn't all be wrong ... they were. Trust me, I'm not one of those people who picks apart plots and believability, I go to the movies to be entertained, I don't care if "that can't happen" or "as if anyone could do that". For crying out loud I loved all the Twilight movies! The biggest problem with Gravity is that you feel no sympathy or empathy for the Sandra Bullock character, nothing at all. It is impossible to enjoy any movie if it does not illicit any feeling for any of the characters. It cost me $50.00 to see this over rated piece of garbage, next time I'll read IMDb first and continue to ignore the "experts".

Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Like everyone else has said, Great Movie, Terrible Ending!

[5/10 · 13 August 2013]

This movie is in two parts ... the first 94 minutes and then the last 15 minutes. The first 94 minutes is without a doubt a 10 out of 10 or should I say 5 out of 5. The last 15 minutes is 0 out of 5, if I could give it a minus score I would! I must have watched it 10 or 12 times and I've only watched the ending once, the first time obviously! It almost makes me cry to think about how badly they butchered this film at the end, it could have been one of the greats of all time, quite seriously! I decided not to put a spoiler in about the ending, I suppose it's only fair you should watch it like I did. I bought the Bluray as soon as it came out, convinced that it would have an alternate ending but alas that was not the case, they must not have written one. I pray that they remake this film one day with the ending that 99% of movie goers want to see and when you see the film, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Fast forward two years and I'm now editing the review I wrote in 2013. I've just finished watching most of this movie again and I wanted to explain to you the emotions I was going through while watching. The ending truly does haunt you, knowing that it's coming. I have never felt this way about a movie before, it causes physical pain knowing what's coming. I suppose it's because it could have been so great and in the end you feel betrayed by a director and writer who quite frankly have no feel for what movie audiences want. Do they have any idea how detestable a character Jamie Foxx plays. All you want is for him to come to a painful end and I'm sure they have no idea. I don't know if anyone will ever read my review and it doesn't matter, I just had to vent my feelings before they totally consumed me!

World War Z (2013)

Outstanding "Zombie" Drama

[9/10 · 20 June 2013]

What a surprise this movie is. I am always skeptical of "M" rated horror films (PG-13 in the U.S.), they are usually to tame to be scary but this film was genuinely scary and suspenseful. I have been watching horror movies since I was 3 years old (over 50 years ago) so very little scares or surprises me ... this film did! I felt compelled to write this review because I saw there were many negative reviews on IMDb and I simply don't understand why? I suppose most Zombie buffs would be looking for more gore but do not be put off by that, I nearly made the mistake of not going after reading some of those reviews, however the lack of real gore is not an issue! This is an intelligent Zombie/Virus movie and certainly about as realistic as you could get and I've seen probably every Zombie movie ever made. By realistic I mean that if we did actually have a Zombie apocalypse, I believe it would be very close to what is portrayed in this film, it is believable in that way. It cost me $50.00 to see it last night and I went away thinking it was money well spent, that doesn't always happen at the movies!

Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980 TV Movie)

A wonderfully "feel good" movie!

[10/10 · 8 May 2012]

This is one of may favorite movies. Not only is is extremely well written and acted, it is also quite lovely visually. There are some beautiful scenes depicting the English country side as well as some vision of the less fortunate majority who are not part of the aristocracy. The gradual way in which the adorable little lord wins the heart of the grumpy old Earl (played to perfection by one of the greatest actors of all time in Sir Alex Guiness), is superb and their blossoming relationship is definitely the highlight of the film. Connie Booth (from Fawlty Towers fame) is also excellent as Ceddie's kind and loving mother who always puts the well being of her son and the less fortunate tenants before her own. Star Trek fans will be surprised to see Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) in one of his earliest roles ... by the way he is still bald which makes me wonder if he ever had hair! A wonderful movie, anyone who doesn't enjoy it simply doesn't have a heart beating in their chest!

The Man from Earth (2007)

Incredible, unforgettable movie

[10/10 · 12 December 2011]

I have been watching movies for nearly 50 years and I have never written a review until now. It's not that this amazing piece of film making needs any more reviews, it already has over 400 and 99% of them are 10 or 9 stars. I just need to let people know that those few reviewers who canned this film are either children without the yet developed intellect to understand it or religious fanatics who don't like their creation theories questioned! I am a very spiritual person and I was not at all offended by the premise, it is simply a magnificent piece of science fiction that will keep you thinking about it for weeks after you've seen it. I have seen thousands of movies in my lifetime and this is the only one that I watched a second time right after it finished!