Change Your Image
jazzy611
Reviews
Boy Swallows Universe (2024)
Faithful adaptation of the book
I love all of Trent Daltons books, so I was excited to hear that Boy Swallows Universe was being adapted for Netflix. But also a bit cautious, as the elements of magical realism might not have translated so well to screen. Thankfully they did a brilliant job.
The casting was superb. Fantastic Aussie icons like Bryan Brown, Simon Baker and Deborah Mailman. Travis Fimmel was brilliant as step-dad Lyal, a heroin dealer with a heart of gold. But it was the two youngest cast members that really shone, as Eli and Gus, and I can't wait to see what they do next.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series.
The Witcher: The Cost of Chaos (2023)
More faithful to the books but people still complain
First everyone complained that the show deviated too far from the books. This season was a much more faithful adaptation, so of course everyone complained more. Either they forgot what happened in the books (yes Geralt was sidelined for quite a while while healing from his injuries in the book too) or they didn't realise that actually the books themselves are pretty crap. They are not a masterpiece or a piece of art. The books have interminable sections of characters just wandering for ages, same as the show. The books have significant sections devoted entirely to other characters and not Geralt. The show is being faithful to this.
Yes this show has faults, but so did the books.
The Witcher: Out of the Fire, Into the Frying Pan (2023)
Well at least it's faithful to the book
I'm so bored by this episode that I'm reading reviews while it's still on. What I find really funny is all the people complaining that it's ruined the books. Actually, it's just like the books. Ciri wandering aimlessly for ages, yep all from the book. Could have done without her narrating her own actions though. We can see what's happening!
Wait until they get to next season, because if that follows the book then it will just be Geralt, some dwarves and Cahir walking through a forest for episodes on end. At least it will be faithful though, right! The books were terrible, and this show is a reflection of that.
The Crowded Room (2023)
Enthralling
This was much better than I expected given some of the negative reviews. Like many people, I picked the 'twist' simply from reading the opening credits. Big mistake putting the title of the book it is based on, it totally gives it away. Still, knowing what was likely to come made it really interesting viewing. Tom Holland was superb. Great to see his dramatic acting chops. Didn't love the hair ha ha ha. Amanda Seyfried was also extremely good. I got emotional every time she got emotional. Some of the content can be quite harrowing so be prepared. Hope to see some Emmy awards come out of this one next year.
Secret Invasion (2023)
It was fine
I didn't hate it, I didn't love it, but it was fine. I feel like so many people are just watching the MCU now so they can dole out the hate.
I liked the storyline. Loved the familiar characters and the new characters. Olivia Coleman as Sonya Farnsworth was fabulous. I loved every minute she was on screen. Emelia Clark was also great.
The finale was fun. I enjoyed the big CGI fight, watching the different superhero dna come through. Sure, bit of a silly plot point to get it to that point, but do we always need to take our tv shows and entertainment so seriously?
Overall, not a bad way to spend a couple of evenings in.
Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea (2023)
Of course it has to be the humans in space and not the replicas
It seemed so obvious to me, so I don't understand why most of the reviewers here seemed to have missed it. If the replica on earth 'dies', then the human can still complete the mission in space. It doesn't affect the mission. But if the human is on earth and something goes wrong (for example, the link between the human and replica is broken) that's the end of the mission. The replica doesn't work on its on. The human does.
Great performance by Aaron Paul, and good to see Josh Hartnett back again. I think I would have appreciated it more if it wasn't set in 1969. But overall it was pretty solid episode.
The Night Agent (2023)
Don't think too hard
Fun if you just go with the flow and don't think about it too much. Do not compare to the Bodyguard, that show was much better quality.
Cliched and predictable. You just know that as soon as a character starts talking about his estranged daughter that he's going to take camping, that this character is going to die before the end of the episode. Check!
Poor acting almost all round. The actress playing Rose doesn't change facial expressions during the whole 10 episodes. Scared, angry, about to kiss Peter, every expression is the same. There is zero chemistry between the leads.
Cringey dialogue. 'My aunt taught me origami in this room'. Seriously!!
Ridiculously poor decisions made by characters just to move the plot along. Makes the secret service out to be imbeciles.
People just able to break out of the White House or into Camp David with no problem at all. I mean honestly, breaking into Camp David in the boot of a car! It was laughable.
Rose breaks a glass door to reach in and unlock the door to get into the house. Then she locks the door behind her. Why??!! The glass is broken, anyone can just reach and unlock it
then she stares out the window and keeps staring even though the assassin is right there. She keeps staring until she's sure he's seen her
Peter constantly yelling at people about his innocent father. Boring
Why was the VPs daughter still bleeding right through her bandages and trousers? Enough to get a heap of blood smeared on the bannister? Made no sense
even the premise of a single agent sitting in a room waiting for the phone to ring. Who answers if he's on the loo or having a meal break lol. I mean, it's an 8 hour shift!
The Last of Us (2023)
Brilliant adaptation
Having played both games, I absolutely love what they did with the series. It stayed faithful to the core story while adding new elements to enhance the world building and give some antagonists backstory, rather than just being a roadblock like in the game.
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were sensational. Perfectly cast with great chemistry. You really felt their relationship developing, all leading to Joel's decision in the finale. The final episode was so faithful to the game, and even though I knew what was going to happen I was still on the edge of my seat. The tension!!!
Can't wait for season 2. The 2nd game absolutely traumatised me, and I expect the show will do the same.
The Last of Us: Left Behind (2023)
Copied and pasted bad reviews?
There are literally dozens of 1 star reviews for this episode that use the exact same words. Not similar words, but the exact same, just copied and pasted.
People complaining that the show is supposed to be about zombies. It's not. It's about 'the last of us', being the humans.
This episode was a perfect representation of the dlc. It gave us the backstory of Ellie, not long before she met Joel. It develops Ellie's character and we understand so much more of why she is the way she is. But I guess some people don't actually care about characters, they just want jump scares and pointless action. They should go watch something else, this show is perfect as it is.
Willow: The Battle of the Slaughtered Lamb (2022)
Too dark, literally
I might have rated it higher if I could actually see what was going on. It was filmed in such darkness that it was impossible to make out most of the second half. Except for the random scene with the woodcutters (and my only thought then was that the shame shame shame woman, also from Ted Lasso, has been whisked away from the Wild West and dropped into Willow for some bizarre reason).
The teenage characters are annoying and just don't fit into the fantasy Willow world. It's like they're from 2022 and decided to play dress ups.
And poor Warwick Davis, given some of the worse dialogue ever. It's like his is the only character that knows he's in a fantasy show and so totally overdoes it.
Station Eleven (2021)
Thoroughly enjoyable
I definitely liked this more than the book. Great performances, and although using different timelines is becoming a tired trope, it works really well here. Not your typical post-apocalyptic story, but one that will stay with you.
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021)
I've read all the books and played Witcher 3
And I laugh about the people complaining about politics in this movie. The books and game are full of politics! The persecution of non-humans in the books and game are an allegory for the persecution of minorities in our world. And there are so many more examples. Honestly, some people are dense and blind.
Although this was different to the original story, I still enjoyed it. I liked how they took elements from Season of Storms (mages combining and making new monsters). The action was pretty cool.
My only real complaint was the sound. Sometimes the dialogue was difficult to hear.
What If...?: What If... Captain Carter Were the First Avenger? (2021)
An enjoyable first episode
So much hate from incels who love to invoke the word 'woke' any time there is a female starring character. Honestly, when I see 1 star reviews and the word 'woke' it makes me want to watch the show more.
I thought this was fun, with some great action, a fast moving plot and clever throwbacks to the original Captain America. Thoroughly enjoyable.
What If...?: What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord? (2021)
What's with all the complaining about The Collector
So many reviews here saying the original actor was not used for The Collector. Yes he was! Benico del Toro was the original actor AND the voice actor in this episode.
Sheesh, pay attention people.
Mr. Mercedes (2017)
A great adaptation
The Hodges trilogy are not my favourite King books, far from it. But I loved this adaptation. Casting was spot on. The changes that were made enhanced the story. The annoyances from the book were removed. I'm interested to see what they do with season 2 (based on book 3) as it introduces a supernatural element not existing in the first book/season.
A side note. I've read every single one of Stephen Kings books, and more often than not screen adaptations aren't great. I find it's always better to not expect page to screen to match, you'll only be disappointed. So many reviews here complaining about changes from the book. Who cares if a different breed of dog was used?! Seriously.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Best avengers film so far
The culmination of all that came before. Can't wait for the next one!
Ready Player One (2018)
Better than the book
I read the book several years ago. Being a child of the 80's the pop culture references were right up my alley. I enjoyed the book but didn't love it, it was poorly written and there was no suspense at all. The film was much better in this regard, and I really enjoyed the changes made. They made sense given the film needed to be for a wider audience, and you can't fit the whole book into a 2 hour movie (I get very tired of reading reviews where people are disappointed about things being left out. I guess they all want a 5 hour movie?) Overall I really enjoyed this. It captured the spirit of the book while being its own thing entirely.