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Reviews
Devil in Ohio (2022)
I've never seen a show with less payoff. Amazing.
What an utter bore.
I don't know how you could make a show about an insular demonic cult in midwestern America this boring, but they managed to do just that.
There's three or four subplots all revolving around the main plot about the cult, and amazingly none of them manage to generate an ounce or iota of tension before the whole lumbering bus falls off the cliff in the final episode.
I've never cared less about characters in a TV show or film before. No one here stands out as an especially bad actor, but no one here elevates the performance above "dull" either.
Any person from the cast could have been shanked or sacrificed to Satan at any point and I don't think my heart rate would've nudged a single beat in the upwards direction.
It's strange, because nothing seems wrong or offensive from a production standpoint. It doesn't look very good, but it also doesn't look especially bad.
Even if you really, REALLY like true crime or cult themed stories, stay away. There's absolutely nothing here to sink your teeth into. This show is the equivalent of a piece of pepperoni between two unflavored rice cakes when what you really want is a big mac.
Thanks for wasting four hours of my life, Netflix.
Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
Who would've thought a Bruce Willis action movie could still be so much fun?
Yeah, it's not deep. Yeah, it doesn't really advance the world of film anywhere past what it was in 1980. And yeah, Willis is getting a little old for this #@$! (his words, not mine).
But guess what? You won't care! Die Hard 4 (as it might as well be called) is so much fun that you will be hard pressed to feel guilty for enjoying it.
First, the plot is actually decent. No, it's not GREAT, or original, or anything notable outside the genre of action movies. But it's pretty solid for what it is. With no glaring plot holes, it moves the movie along at a breakneck pace and opens up a little of "oh my god, could it get any worse?" situations. It adapts the Die Hard formula to the modern age very well, opening up several hilarious scenes with Willis trying to get acquainted with the idea of computers and technology. It was easy to see coming but the snappy one liners and balls to the wall Willis performance make for a few cheap laughs. It's often a little hammy, and fairly cheesy, but it's Bruce Willis and he's at the top of his game still.
A pleasant surprise comes with Justin Long as Matt Farrel. Originally, casting a nerdy computer hacker as McClane's sidekick seemed like it would be more annoying that entertaining, but Farrel's a great Yin to McClane's Yang. It helps that this seems like the exact sort of role that Long should be playing.
Die Hard 4 delivers. The action is constant and manages to top itself continually right until the end of the movie, climaxing with the ridiculous but still downright cool duel between McClane in a tractor trailer and a FIGHTER JET. It's just as over the top as it sounds but you'll enjoy every minute of it.
Watch the flick with an open mind. It's a summer action movie, through and through, but it's about the best we've had in quite awhile. Sometimes watching a movie just for fun is alright.
History Bites (1998)
Surprisingly excellent!
This is a real gem of a show that never got the widespread attention it deserved. History Bites is the brainchild of Canadian comedy legend Rick Green (of The Red Green Show fame). Essentially, it asks the question "What if TV had been around for the last 5000 years?" Each episode picks a major point or theme from history and then acts it out as if our modern television and culture were back in that period. Rick Green lends his talents in narration by offering up educational tidbits in between skits.
The show could easily have stunk but instead shines thanks to absolutely stellar acting and writing. Each cast member is a genius in their own right in that they manage to pull of near flawless imitations of pop culture icons like Don Cherry, Jerry Seinfeld, Martha Stewart, Regis Philbin hell, even Judge Judy. You really have to see it to believe it.
Just another gem of Canadian TV that sadly will likely never get the fame it deserves.
Futurama (1999)
It really, really grows on you
This is one thing that got better with age.
When it first came out, I watched it sometimes. It wasn't the Simpsons, no, and it wasn't Family Guy. But I still enjoyed it to some extent. But, it got canceled, and sadly I can't I noticed it gone.
Until I started watching the series again recently.
Wow.
This is one show that grows on you. Maybe I got older or maybe my sense of humour developed but I find every single episode to be well done. The comedic timing is excellent and every character has a developed and interesting personality.
But one thing really stands out. Futurama does not seem to be afraid of emotion, unlike recent Family Guy, American Dad, and Simpsons episodes. Many of the stories in Futurama involve personal battles of love and friendship, and often the show ends on a intelligent or introspective note rather than a gag. Episodes like "Godfellas", "Jurassic Bark", and "Leela's Homeworld" really can touch you if you're open to what the creators are trying to say.
So give it a shot if you haven't before. And if you have and didn't care for it, another viewing might open your eyes to what is likely one of the best animated series ever aired.