nightkayleen Reviews

Dan Vs. (2011–2013)

Dan Vs. the IMDb User Review Section

[8/10 · 22 July 2015]

I'm not sure if I'd show this to a child. While the cartoon violence is comparable to that of many kids' shows, there are some mature jokes (including references to bestiality, lots of arson, and mention of that godforsaken Canada) and very few decent role models. If you're a parent, I'd at least screen one or two episodes before letting your child watch it. This is a very clever, funny show, vastly underrated and appealing to a wide range of ages. Sure, there's the potential for offense, but I'd say it's definitely worth watching. While character growth at some point would be nice, this is one of the shows where, at the end of twenty minutes, everything is back to normal. As long as you're aware of the difference between fantasy and reality, I doubt watching Dan Vs. will drastically affect the amount of crime you commit on a yearly basis. Of course, I cannot speak for everyone: there will always be those so easily inspired/influenced/provoked (take your pick) that they interpret mention of corrupt politicians in a song as a cue for them to smear blood on the walls of their victims' houses.

Contracted (2013)

Somewhere between good and decent.

[6/10 · 27 November 2014]

A satisfactory film. I watched it on Netflix after finding nothing else and came in with low expectations. While I wasn't blown away, I also wasn't disappointed. The main character is really the only developed one. Her dialogue and actions are interesting, but the other characters can simply be ignored. If you are looking for a movie with a good plot, look elsewhere. If you are looking for a movie that shows an interesting take on how one person can change in a short time in intense situations, look no further. "Contracted" is a good character profile, but is severely lacking in everything else. Character development here is great, but it's all that stands out in this movie. There are definitely better things to watch, but if you enjoy character analyzation and depth, "Contracted" is worth a look.

The Ring (2002)

A brief review of "The Ring"'s plot.

[4/10 · 17 October 2013]

To begin, I have neither read the book or seen the Japanese movie, so my review is about this version only. "The Ring" was artfully filmed, with good color choices and lots of tiny features that were fun to find. Visually, I loved this movie. But I watch for the plot, and there wasn't much of it here. "The Ring" is the detailed story of a chain letter. It is one of the "pass it on or die" stories that I'm sure we've all seen at one time or another. Yes, this is much better written than a usual e-mail, but it's still, in my opinion, an overused and cheap plot. I laughed at the first few scenes of the movie, but from there it went downhill. There were clichéd characters (the skeptical detective, the all-knowing young child, the creepy little girl) and unoriginal exposition techniques. As the story progressed, I began to enjoy "The Ring" a bit more, but it left many unanswered questions and loose ends that I feel should have been tied up. Many interesting characters are introduced, and their histories are extremely important to the plot, but we only receive the very minimum information. So many ideas are introduced and never properly explored. I was left wondering at the end of the movie--not thoughtful, more exasperated that they hadn't included more information. Throughout the movie, I never related to any of the characters and never felt like we got a grip on who they were. Each character has a role in the movie, but their stories feel not fully developed and I think this could have been improved upon. If you are looking for a beautiful film with good colors, interesting shots, and carefully placed details, "The Ring" isn't a bad movie to watch. But if, like me, you care more about the plot than anything else, I wouldn't recommend it.