Change Your Image
fireheart-04778
Reviews
Lilyhammer (2012)
Underwhelming
"Mafia guy goes to a small town and has comedic situations with the locals" should be both a funny and an action-focused trope. This show fails to strike the balance and ends up falling short on both. None of the characters are likeable and their interactions feel very inorganic. The constant shuffling between Swedish and English dialogues distracts from the already poor writing.
I was excited to binge this given the lead is Silvio from The Sopranos (which I loved), but boy was I disappointed. After struggling through all 8 episodes of the first season, I couldn't bring myself to continue and I've only heard it gets worse.
Save your time. I'd recommend Tulsa King for the same flavor.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
A Masterpiece of a Hidden Gem
Where do I begin? There's just so much to talk about this absolute masterpiece of a movie. The action, the drama, the humour, the subtext, the cinematography, the emotions-and most of all, the weirdness.
I will try my best to put into words how beautifully this movie was brought together with a neatly wrapped ribbon on top. I don't do movie reviews but this is something I just cannot resist writing at 4 AM because the pure adrenaline will not let me.
Intro
I will admit that I need to watch it 2-3 more times to fully grasp every drop of what the directors poured into the 2+ hour runtime of the movie.
When I started watching it, I was so confused as to why this movie came highly recommended as it seemed very crude and bare at face value.
But the more I watched it, the more I delved into the multiple realities the movie takes you through. It just draws you in and you cannot stop watching with every obscenity, every chaotic scene and every inexplicable moment that passes. It's a steadily meandering curve of insanity and chaos from start to end.
Action and Choreography
Violence is usually depicted as a raw amalgamation of gore and barbaric roughness. This movie polishes a scintillating diamond through the beautifully choreographed fight scenes. Creativity knows no bounds and nothing is repetitive in any of the confrontation scenes as people are killed off in the most elegant ways imaginable with the help of colourful visual effects.
The movie somehow manages to antithetically depict the other side of the coin, addressing violence with kindness and compassion in a truly unique way.
Writing & Characters
There is a perfect balance of comedy, action and heartwarming poignance.
At the start, you are introduced to characters and plot points seemingly unrelated to each other. Right until the end, all of these characters are thrust into each other's lives in the most unfathomable ways and each character plays a vital role, no matter how small.
The overarching plot seems somewhat fundamental at the surface level. It's the plethora of underlying plotlines and abstract messages that really form the core of the movie. The science fiction aspect takes a backseat to the more pertinent themes that are constantly overlapping sporadically.
To put that on a scale, Doctor Strange is a 6-year-old's art homework.
Emotions
The story explores the lives of 3 separate generations of a family who hate as much as they love each other. The generational gap is evident right from the start, with each one having nuances in stark contrast to the others. These various relations burgeon into something indescribaby wholesome across their shared experiences.
Coming to the quirkiness aspect of it, I have no words. I am inexplicably drawn towards zany and quirky plots and sequences that make superficial sense to the common viewer. I found myself uncontrollably laughing every 2 minutes while simultaneously being absolutely bewildered at the nonsensical shenanigans transpiring in front of me.
Cinematography & Direction
The director duo of the Daniels, responsible for another one of my all-time favourites-Swiss Army Man, absolutely smashed it out of the park yet again. The way one scene shifted to another while my brain was stuck processing the earlier one really captivated my full attention. They've also thrown in a little treat for fans of fourth-wall breaking, completely novel and never seen before.
There are also a few segments within the movie that give you a breather to take in everything and contemplate the meaning of life along with the characters themselves.
I would be gravely remiss if I did not mention that the VFX team was comprised of only SEVEN people entirely, an outstanding feat for what they've achieved.
For simple-minded Marvel fans, this is produced by the Russo Brothers. Do with that information what you will.
Shoutout to the Actors
The acting, on the other hand, felt a little less than organic, if I had to criticise just one thing about an otherwise flawless production.
For Asians to have such brilliant interaction on an English medium is remarkable on its own, as seen with Crazy Rich Asians. It is with that same energy that Michelle Yeoh brought her A-game and really flourished. The other cast members also carried their role to their fullest in their own idiosyncratic ways.
The Verdict
This movie had me at the edge of my seat, processing several emotions at the same time. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a completely new experience that pretty much condenses an entire cinematic universe in just 2 hours. It's a refreshing change of pace from today's hackneyed Hollywood industry that seems to care more about profits than quality, and offers a hidden gem unlike anything you've ever seen before.
It was wholesome. It was thought-provoking. It was alluring. It was insanely mind-bending. It was everything, everywhere, all at once.
If you actually read all of that, I appreciate it. If you just skipped to this part, shame on you. Either way, go see it asap. It's a must-watch masterpiece that I'm definitely gonna find myself re-watching over and over again.
How I Met Your Father (2022)
How I Wish I Never Met You
This is by far the worst reboot of any show I've ever seen. I don't know which knob approved this at Hulu. It's extremely cringe with terrible writing and 13yo Disney show acting. I didn't laugh even once and felt like stabbing myself at every scene. As a Himym fan, I'm beyond disgusted and it's my obligation to warn all others (Himym fans or not) to stay away from this torturous nightmare of a show, for your own good.
Pennyworth: The Lion and Lamb (2021)
What just happened...
The whole season was slow paced and not really enticing. The penultimate episode finally showed promise, only for the finale to disappoint.
A lot of things happened too quickly in succession and the big build up to Stormcloud over 2 seasons is played off as a comical plot device.
Characters were all over the place with their motives changing ever so quickly. I honestly don't see anything coming from season 3. They should stop before they further embarrass themselves.
Truth Seekers (2020)
Seeking the Truth? Here you go
This is one of the worst ever shows I've wasted precious hours on. It genuinely doesn't know whether to be a comedy or a horror that it fails in both aspects.
I've loved everything Simon Pegg and Nick Frost did together. In fact, they're not even in many scenes together. They're usually accompanied by director Edgar Wright, and he is what this show lacks. Absolutely nothing scary about it and the jokes are very few and far in between.
Don't buy into the Halloween appeal or what others tell you, this is not worth the binge. Trust me.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
I'm Thinking of Ending This Movie
Don't listen to the pretentious 10 star reviews. I don't know how I got through these excruciating 2 hours. It's essentially a bunch of philosophical thoughts about relationships being drawn out into a barely tangible plot. I'm a simple guy, I like to watch movies without having to analyse each and every scene for its dEePeR meAniNg.
The main characters don't have good chemistry, the acting is all over the place, the pacing is slow and not the good kind. It's about a girl who wants to end things with a guy who, with every scene, makes it easier and easier for her to end it by being a boring whiny awkward sack. One would wonder how they got together in the first place.
Maybe it's just better off as a book. If you haven't watched Eternal Sunshine yet, I suggest you watch that instead of this drivel.
Unbelievable (2019)
The only thing Unbelievable about this is the rating
8.4 for this tripe? Are you kidding me? I watched the whole thing in one sitting and wasted 7 hours doing so when the whole story could be told in 3 hours.
A very slow, dragged and uninteresting plot. The only good parts were episodes 1 and 7. The way they catch the bad guy is so stupid and came out of nowhere. All the characters seemed bland and lifeless.
Give this one a miss. In lieu of this, you can check out the docu 'When They See Us'
Alex Rider (2020)
HONEST UNBIASED REVIEW
For Non-Alex Rider fans :
This would be a good show for you to pass the time with. Has no dull moments and the pace is quick with a neat, unique plot and interesting characters. That being said, do not watch the Stormbreaker movie as it is unrelated to this.
For Alex Rider fans :
Kindly don't watch it.
Alex Rider is one of my favourite book series of my childhood. After the movie adaptation flopped, my expectations weren't that great for a TV series. Having seen initial reviews say that it's good and sticks to the book's plot, I feel deceived entirely. It hardly does so. Here are some of the differences :
- Uncle Ian isn't supposed to be in Point Blanc. He is killed nearly the same way he was in the Stormbreaker novel but the situation had been shifted to Point Blanc as his death was a huge turning point in Alex's life and the writers couldn't ignore that.
- Instead of convincing Alex to join MI6 with money as in Stormbreaker, Blunt openly threatens to deport his au pair Jack, which makes them seem evil.
- Smithers is supposed to be the tech guy, but in this series he's somehow an active field agent as well
- None of the gadgets used in the novel are used in the series, which accounts for most of the plotholes
- ALEX IS 14 YEARS OLD. HE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CONSUMING ALCOHOL AT PARTIES.
- Alex's best friend in this show is Tom, who he doesn't meet until Scorpia (book 5) which makes no sense
- Hugo Grief is supposed to be South African but he's just another British bloke, and they hardly shed light on his motivation
- In the Stormbreaker novel, Alex befriends Wolf and they're of similar age. In this show, Wolf is a bearded middle-aged man who wants nothing to do with Alex and also tortures him.
And so many more, you get the point. Just don't watch it. I hope there isn't a season 2. I barely made it through this one. The only reason it's getting good reviews is because it's better than the movie, which doesn't set the bar very high...
Space Force (2020)
2020 : A Space Tragedy
Comedy has been on a gradual decline, and Space Force only adds to it. Steve Carell is clearly at the end of his career and this horrendous brain fart of his can testify to it.
Lots of talent in the cast, gone to absolute waste as the ridiculous plot is supplemented only by ridiculous jokes that appeal to a 6 year old. This had so much potential to become great, but the writing is terrible and there's absolutely no positives in this show whatsoever. We get it, the space force sounds stupid, this show takes so many jabs at the POTUS administration which come off as juvenile and plainly dumb.
Don't go by anyone who thinks this is good. They're watching it blindly for Steve Carell. Just rewatch the Office while his reputation in your mind is still intact.
Defending Jacob (2020)
An Absolute Masterpiece
Having finished all 8 episodes, I can say with surety that this is one show you shouldn't miss out on.
The acting, cast, suspense and plot twists are incredibly done and it's not just Chris Evans who carries the story. It starts out with suspense and draws you in with each episode as it increasingly gets more intense.
The 8 episode format makes it the perfect open-and-shut entertainment piece for anyone to enjoy. Looking forward to watching it 10 times over!
Solar Opposites (2020)
Doesn't Have To Be Rick And Morty
This seems like one of the shows Rick and Morty watch on the Interdimensional Cable.
It's extremely random with similar amounts of swear words, gore and meta jokes as Rick and Morty. If you like that, then you'll like this.
It isn't as funny as Rick and Morty but that doesn't mean it's bad. It's not a rip-off either. It's entertaining and has its own moments. Do not compare the two.
Murder Mystery (2019)
Adam Sandler should quit acting
Seriously, directors. Hire anybody else.
Sincerely, everyone.