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Top10 Studios: True Detective: Night Country Season 4 Episode 1&2 (2024)
3rd World Types Run Amok
I should have known from the very outset when, on two or three occasions, Jodie Foster's permanently angry third-world-type partner opened her mouth and started slamming white people. But I stuck it out basically because the atmospherics were good and the mystery was good too - that is until it got explained and my mouth dropped open in shock to hear the phenomenally lame explanation of that mystery. Politically correct mavens will love this season of True Detective as it grindingly winds towards it's almost comical end wherein the entire female sector of said third world community erupts in one madcap explosion of revenge against the scientific community of white men who are of course the demons of this piece. I fast forwarded through the entire sixth episode until I saw the designated heroes of the story - several handfuls of brown-skinned, round-faced women slowly gathering, one by one, for the purpose of making some kind of statement about their power over white people, at which point I instinctively knew to just cut it off altogether because it was going to get so silly it would be unwatchable.
Feud (2017)
Did anyone do any research ?
Everything about this show is inauthentic. The hair is all wrong. Instead the hairdo's are some kind of bizarre amalgamation of modern blended with 1990's hair. The signature mannerisms and way of talking are completely absent! Neither the director nor the actresses have made even a tiny bit of effort to portray these famous actresses. Do they think we won't notice how they've just not bothered to put the effort in? It's annoying. The only costuming that even remotely resembles the era is Hedda Hopler's. The clothing of the two leading ladies is just some kind of slacks and shirts or bland dresses. Nothing was done here to capture this wonderul era in Hollywood. No wonder Rotten Tomatoes refused to even review this show. Nobody cared about authenticity - the show was thrown together to make some money while expending the least amount of effort.
Don't Breathe (2016)
Tedious and Monotonous
Tedious and monotonous with gratuitous violence.
Watching this movie, or rather two thirds of it, gave me a distinct deja vu feeling that eventually became too much to bear and I had to throw in the towel. As each scene unfolded it was as if I'd already seen it a thousand times.
Maybe I've been spoiled by some seriously ingenious and original cinematic fare. Maybe I thought these veteran actors had finally been given something of worth in which to display their skills. But disappointed and frankly bored silly, I just couldn't watch another second of it.
What's hard for me to figure out is how on earth this movie earned itself a fair amount of stars from reputable sources.
Men (2022)
Gotta Hand It to the Brits
Sorry to all you Spielberg fans out there, but the Brits have it hands down when it comes to creating atmospheric, high quality films and this talent lends itself beautifully to the horror genre.
Wonderfully written and, as always, top notch British acting chops. The story is gruesome and chilling, and would have been chock full of surprises and shocks had I not accidentally read a description that contained a giant spoiler. Please don't do that to us you who are responsible for creating those things !
I also admire the way the British do not place such a premium on 'looks' when it comes to their top movie stars. There's something of way greater quality and deeper meaning when it comes to the famous British actors, and that's the way they excel at their craft.
Kærlighed for voksne (2022)
Gotta Hand It to The Scandinavians
I've loved every single Scandinavian film I've ever watched and this one from Denmark is no exception.
It has a suspenseful build up, a shock midway through and lots of twists and turns to keep the audience interested.
The psychology element is not missing so this movie definitely falls into the category of Psychological Thriller, my favorite genre.
Was pleased also to see that Netflix finally decided to depart from its heavy boatload of men's action thrillers and cartoons. There's so much good stuff out there and Netflix always manages to miss out on it all because of its biased insistence on pleasing the males in the audience.
When I Consume You (2021)
Is Horror Becoming a New Art Form?
I'm amazed by the gorgeous quality of a few recent horror movies, this one included. The horror genre used to be the number one place to find hackneyed themes and chiched tricks.
With movies like this one,however, the genre has matured to a point of refinement and even beauty without sacrificing any of the scares and thrills one would expect.
We can now look to horror movies that are of this level of accomplishment to provide competition for any serious film or film-maker.
Get Out (2017)
A Masterpiece
Slow burn on this wonderfully and tautly constructed thriller. He's a great actor, sensitive, but able to pull out the gut instincts and fierceness when it's called for.
Beautifully made piece of work.
Watcher (2022)
Excellent Film
Beautifully done. Sparse for heightened effect. Tightly constructed with all elements contributing to an integrated and taut unfolding of the story. Acting was superb. Suspense was top notch. A wonderfully realized piece of work.
Pahanhautoja (2022)
A Spectacular and Thoroughly Unique Viewing Experience
Everything about this movie was over the top engaging and surprising.
I found it totally absorbing, and hyptnotic in its effect, from start to finish.
The story itself was jam packed with metaphorical content and symbolism, but without this eclipsing the excitement or intruding upon the story as it does in so many films these days.
And for once, a work that doesn't disappoint at the end the way so many films do. A perfect ending for a perfect film !
Prey (2022)
Kids Would Love This
Interesting combination of Comanche lore and Sci Fi, bringing video games to the screen minus the audience participation.
Hard to get past the bad acting though and somewhat of a jolt at first hearing the voices and language of our own time coming out of those costumes. By the way she was better at acting than the person playing her brother.
And last but not least I have to repeat how sick and tired I am of seeing women portrayed as being capable of doing what in reality only men can do. It's just a lie - a fantasy - and it's getting more worn out as each day passes.
A Banquet (2021)
Mentally Ill Mothers and Their Mentally Ill Children
Although I personally am a little suspicious of "women's movies" because of the frequent over-the-top emotionalness, this one was interesting.
My personal interpretation of this film is that it's a story about a mother who is too weak in character to be an authority figure and properly care for offspring and therefore produces a couple of off-the-wall type daughters one of which grows into full blown, catatonic mania, which it turns out is a sort of duplication of the mother's own difficulties as a child (but worse).
The mother's inexcusable (she shouldn't have had children if she is too ill to care for them) decision, to believe her eldest child's insistence that her hallucinatory delusions are signs that she has been "chosen", is deplorable and prevents the mother from getting her into an institution where she can be properly cared for. And the mother's cowardly way of letting the children call the shots, even in life-and-death situations, precipitates her daughter's extremely painful death from anorexia.
Then there is an almost unwatchable scene at the end in which the child is endlessly writhing and convulsing in excruciating pain whilst the addled mother redoubles her efforts to believe the child is having a spiritual breakthrough.
I found the character of the mother to be contemptible and the film to be quite a testimony of generational mental illness and its devastating effects.
Thank god for Child Protective Services.
You Won't Be Alone (2022)
Was That Five Suffocating Hours That Just Passed ?
I looked at my watch and was amazed to see that only an hour and something had passed because it felt like easily twice that much time. Whoever thought one could feel so utterly bored with the tedium of unending visual poetry and stilted speech.
God, I was glad when it was over. Why did I spend so much time on it then? Well . . . To be honest I didn't want to waste the $5.99.
One of the reviews said "You've probably never seen anything like it before and you probably never will again." To which I say, "Let's hope not."
The Shallows (2016)
Five Stars If It Weren't for the Annoying Lead Actress
Special effects were amazing in this film and for that 5 stars are well deserved but I had to take 2 stars away because of the super annoying lead actress, fresh from her spoiled, pampered, little-miss-perfect middle class life and straight to spoiled, pampered, little-miss-perfect Hollywood starlet.
Chloe (2022)
Watched only a few minutes
This show is offensive for obvious reasons which appear a few minutes into it. Which is exactly how long I watched - a few minutes and I had to literally rip the thing off the screen,
The Land of Steady Habits (2018)
Almost Perfect
Marvelous drama that's almost accidentally funny in all the right places. As with all the movies he in, Ben Mendelsohn creates the impression that he was made for this part and the part for him and that no other actor could pull it off. And with his always understated panache and low key manner Mendelsohn succeeds in doing what all actors crave to do but mostly just don't understand how to, and that is to keep an audience riveted throughout the film and wish there were more at the end.
The Babadook (2014)
What a wonderful cdelebration
Of what if means to be different, to not be normal and to have a little monster in the basement of one's soul . . . One that definitely has the advantage at the outset but becomes more docile with time and perserverence.
Take Shelter (2011)
Michael Shannon Never Disapoints
This marvelous film held me in its grip from the very first frame and never let go all the way through to the end. And amazingly this level of suspense was created and sustained with the barest minimum of effort. Its enduring scene by scene simplicity was truly stunning and the soundtrack played such an integral part of the ominous mood throughout. Can't say enough about this gem.
Habit (1995)
I'll tell you what
Indie films with 4 stars or upwards are pretty durn reliable as far as being gripping and original with that wonderful mesmerizing effect I look for. This lead actor is a dark horse for me personally and turns out to be like so many of them, especially gifted and off the charts convincing. I'd always only seen him in the supporting cast and like so many from that category he really delivers. Why are they always so superior to the Hollywood star type ?? I also really enjoyed and liked the couple who were best friends of and always concerned for "Sam", the male half of this couple being an intellectual who was just show-offy enough to be entertaining and lovable. Beautifully written, everyone involved in the making of this film was creative and inspired.
Welcome Home (2018)
Beautifully Done
The story here was not entirely an original one. But the staging and the acting really bring it to life as a first class thriller.
I like the sensuous style of the beautiful lead actress contrasted against the rougher more aggressive style of the male lead creating a classic counterpoint.
The gorgeous scenery and settings were captured and showcased perfectly by the cinematography.
This film had me in its grip completely through to the very last minute and even through some of the closing credits.
Bug (2006)
This is a 10 for me
What a litle gem of a film ! Beautifully written and acted. Atmospheric. Thoroughly unpredictable and original story. Right up there with films like "Usual Suspects" in its own quirky way.
Halston (2021)
Decent show but flawed
The major flaw for me came from Ewan McGregor's performance. It was so over the top that listening to his character became totally annoying. He succeeded in causing the viewer to focus only on him and his irritating, overly-flambuoyant, overly-loud voice. He never once toned it down. It was like the actor was enjoying hogging all the attention and having his voice drown out everything else in the show.
In this way McGregor created an extremely unlikeable character who was such a stone cold and arrogant individual that it was impossible to feel any sympathy for him - impossible to relate to him - way too forceful in a ridiculously artificial way.
McGregor was completely wrong for this role as he hasnt a clue about the personality of an artist.
I'm sure the real Halston spoke in this exaggerated way at times but I'll bet he didnt lay it on that thick ALL the time.
Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy (2018)
Perfect Film for a Non-Actor
Yes, I'm daring to say it. Kirsten Stewart, who can't act, has found her perfect vehicle. All she has to do through the whole movie is keep her head down and her face hidden. And to be honest, even this seems to demanding for her and therefore comes off as very unauthentic.
It's a ridiculous farce of an attempt at a film which, gratefully, no on seems to like. Laura Dern was annoying as usual.
Tell Me Your Secrets (2021)
Disgusted
Could not get past the first half hour of this clunker despite repeated efforts to do so. The problem for me was trying to figure out what the main character was trying to 'be'. Was she trying to be gay? Was she trying to be tough ? Whatever it was that she was trying to be, I'm pretty sure it wasnt obnoxious and fake, which is the impression she was making on me.
Also the storyline that was unfolding was trite, cliched and uninspired.
Decided to use my time more wisely and switched to a much more reliable and far more intelligent British detective series.
The Face (2013)
Good Show but Bad Break for Brooke
Yes, bad break indeed that she happened to be born white because it was clearly a case of blatant racism on the part of Naomi when she chose the totally vacuous and terminally dull Eliane who is completely incapable of showing any expression whatsoever on her face.
Still/Born (2017)
Beautifully Done
Excellent horror movie. Even the 'demon' was well done and frightening (for a change). The production values were perfect and so was the acting. A flawless and wonderfully crafted horror film.