ratpackaustin Reviews

You: Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? (2023) Season 4, Episode 8

Too much handholding, too little logic

[5/10 · 4 May 2024]

The twist itself is fine. Very unoriginal and done to death, but fine. What isn't fine however is how it then proceeds to explain every little detail of how the twist worked in previous episodes. A good twist doesn't require 5 minutes of flashbacks explaining that yes, they actually did make it work. After the twist is explained Rhys ends up becoming a mainstay in Joe's head even though he wasn't before. It's kind of a cheap twist but whatever.

Then when Nadia finds Marienne and says she's going to call the cops Marienne stops her. Why? She gives no explanation for why Nadia can't just call the cops right there. This episode starts off really well but just falls into a pit of messy plot gaffes.

Station Eleven (2021–2022)

Great episodes in an otherwise average show

[6/10 · 14 April 2024]

Station Eleven is at its best when it focuses on the stories set during the outbreak of the flu and immediately after. The storylines featuring the traveling troupe just aren't good. The troupe is made up of unlikeable characters who can't stop making stupid decisions and acting dumb (including the insufferable adult Kirsten).

However, when this show does decide to focus on the outbreak storylines such as Jeevan and young Kirsten, Miranda, and Clark and Elizabeth the show is fantastic. You feel the intended emotions during these parts because the characters are relatable and you actually care about them. I really wish they would've spent more time on the earlier stories and less on the traveling troupe of boredom.

Succession: With Open Eyes (2023) Season 4, Episode 10

Shiv almost ruins the entire show

[7/10 · 3 March 2024]

For the most part I enjoyed this show. The characters being selfish and constantly screwing each other over fits the narrative. However, Shiv Roy is just on another level. Her character is so dead-set on ruining other lives that her decisions are stripped of logic and meet borderline anarchy. Any time something goes well for Kendall or Roman Shiv comes out of nowhere like a wrecking ball to topple it over, even if it benefits her none. She makes the show a chore to watch at times, as the episodes go from being about the family jockeying for power to mostly being about what wreck-less decision Shiv is going to make next.

With this episode being almost 90 minutes long I was hoping for a fleshed out conclusion. After all, we have spent 4 seasons watching these characters grow into the out of control monsters that they are. However, we get a very hasty board meeting, then 2 minutes of watching a few characters stare off into space, and then ending credits. No consequences of what just happened. How will this affect the relationship among the siblings? Is Kendall going to collapse? These could easily be addressed in a 5-10 minute span. And instead we are left to just assume that they all spend the rest of their lives staring at nothing. Good show, but the ending left me unsatisfied.

13 Reasons Why (2017–2020)

Should've been a limited series

[7/10 · 30 September 2023]

Season one was one of the better seasons of television out there. It was emotionally gripping, well told, and absolutely haunting. 10/10.

But then seasons 2-4 happened, each getting gradually worse. Season 2 tried to top what season 1 had done. And while it was not bad by any means it just wasn't great like the first season. 6.5/10

Then season 3 dropped and it was a train wreck. Ani is one of the worst characters ever put to television. And when you've been following a main character for 2 seasons whom you care about, only to then have it flipped to a brand new character feels like a punch in the face. 4/10

Then season 4 came and it just went into insane territory. Everything felt far-fetched and out of the realm of possibility for teenagers. I mean how much of this drama can happen at one high school? Why are we talking about murder plots?

If it was a limited series it would've been an easy 10 but the fact they came out with more bad season drops it to a 7. It's not a 4 solely because of season 1.

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace (2023–2024)

Worst documentary I've ever seen. 2 stars for an entertaining story

[2/10 · 7 June 2023]

Where do I even begin? I guess I'll just list the reasons why I hated this docu-series

• The timeline of events and interviews are all over the board. You're watching Michael talk in 2019, then 2022, then you have no idea when. It's extremely confusing.

• It feels staged. Like everyone is an actor. They're all over dramatic and try to evoke emotion, but it ends up being super cringey.

• The awkward reenactment and tone-setting shots. Why are you having the neighbor open their door and stare dramatically into the camera that's Natalia-height? It's weird and distracting.

• The tone changes every 10 minutes. First they talk about Natalia being a psycho, murderer, and manipulator. Then they talk about Natalia's neighbor being a manipulator. Then they talk about Kristine being a manipulator. Then Natalia actually being a little girl who was potentially a victim. They couldn't stick with a narrative.

-The unanswered questions. This docu-series literally ends on a cliff hanger. Wtf? How do you have this guy have an explosive accusation about Michael that enrages Michael, but end the series before saying what it was? Then saying they threw out Kristine's case with tiny text in the closing seconds of the series? Are you kidding me?! Plus what happened to Natalia's 911 call? Or trying to sleep with patients at the hospital? Or touching her neighbors grandchild? Or trying to seduce the old man? All of these pivotal points are brought up then completely forgotten about.

Overall this docu-series is terrible and I am sorry to those who watch it.

The Serpent: Episode #1.3 (2021) Season 1, Episode 3

This episode saved the show

[8/10 · 24 May 2023]

This episode is miles ahead of the first two. The first two episodes are fast paced with a slow developing plot and never-ending time jumps. While this episode doesn't cut down on the time jumps, it does amplify the intensity and has acting that feels much more authentic.

Dominique is the best character of the show so far and the actor portraying him did an excellent job. The neighbors getting fleshed out more also adds to the plot.

It is tough to grade the show so far as I know it needs to set itself up and explain the location and time these people lived in, but this episode was an easy 8.5/10.

The Whale (2022)

An absolute wrecking ball of emotions

[10/10 · 22 January 2023]

The best way I can describe what watching "The Whale" is like is if you stared at a black tv screen or mirror showing your reflection for so long that it makes you uncomfortable. Even if you don't have an eating disorder or addiction of any kind it still creates this feeling. When you think something about yourself is disgusting and get it in your head that it's all others see when they look at you.

This movie is about the consequences that trauma and addiction (frequently paired together) have on both the human mind and body. Fraser gives one of the best movie performances I've ever seen as Charlie, a man who has a food addiction and as a result is morbidly obese. Immediately some may hear this and assume it picks at the fat guy, a trope that Hollywood shamefully frequents. However, here you feel nothing but empathy for Charlie. Fraser's Hollywood hiatus is completely forgotten about as he seems like he never stopped acting. His performance is probably the best I've seen since Heath Ledger's in "The Dark Knight". Anything less than an Oscar nomination, and possible win would be shocking to say the least.

Without getting into spoilers I will say this is the most emotionally provoking movie I've ever seen. Also one of the better movies in general that I've ever seen. I haven't cried to a movie in 15 years, and "The Whale" came dangerously close to breaking that streak. I cannot say the same for others in the theatre however. I could hear sniffling from some and bawling from others.

Finally, there was a negative thing I noticed about the movie. It is a screenplay adapted from a play which is immediately noticeable. Characters pause at the door or exaggerate their movements, common ways of portraying emotions on stage to an audience sitting hundreds of feet away. This was the only negative however and does not deter me from giving a solid 10/10.

Barry: all the sauces (2022) Season 3, Episode 4

Great episode, but Katie is annoying

[8/10 · 2 September 2022]

This episode had a little of everything. Great comedy in the customer service scene, deep sadness in Barry and Sally's relationship, and an awkward and hard to watch Sally premiere speech. The only gripe I have with this season so far is Katie's character. She sees Barry act like a complete jerk one time and labels him violent. It makes her character kind of the opposite of what she wants to be. She wants to help women and avoid men with bad tendencies. But just like how her and sally are fighting to remove the victim label from women, she's throwing labels onto men after only meeting them once. She's of course right about Barry being violent, but there's no way for her to know that. Just seems like she only exists for the subplot.

Prey (I) (2022)

Really deserved a theatrical release

[9/10 · 6 August 2022]

From the moment I first saw the trailer I was hooked. I'm a big fan of the predator franchise and was hyped to see it go back in time to the roots of the predators time on earth. I was not disappointed. The action choreography is terrific and the sound editing is just masterful. Predator looks badass and is a killing machine. The only thing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth is being forced to watch it on Hulu instead of a gigantic screen with the sound blasting.

The Boys: The Instant White-Hot Wild (2022) Season 3, Episode 8

Such a good season with such a terrible ending

[4/10 · 20 July 2022]

This season had such an amazing build up. We finally had a threat to Homelander in Soldier Boy, and temporary V allowing our normal boys to finally take the fight to the supes.

Just when they were FINALLY about to complete their goal of dethroning Homelander......butcher says no? It didn't make any sense and so many characters act out of character. Butcher knows supes aren't killed by Soldier Boy's blast and turned normal, so why stop him? Every character knew what Soldier boy's intentions were, but they don't have a real problem with it until the last second? Ryan approves of his dad being a homicidal maniac all of a sudden?

Overall this was clearly a "let's just get another season" episode. Massive disappointment.

The Boys: Herogasm (2022) Season 3, Episode 6

Possibly the best episode of television of all time

[10/10 · 20 July 2022]

Admittedly I was not excited for this episode after hearing the title "herogasm". I will never judge an episode by its name again. This episode alone makes this entire season worth it. It has literally everything a boys fan could want. Nudity? Check (although not overdone), gore? Double check, supe on supe action? Hell yeah! Character development? Surprisingly yes and it's very well done. Even though the rest of the season disappointed me, I'm happy that I was graced by the presence of this episode.

Inside Out (I) (2015)

It's okay to not be okay

[10/10 · 16 July 2022]

Inside out definitely doesn't fit into the feel-good storylines that Pixar usually creates, but that's okay. Everyone thinks kids should be these energetic beings who are only seeing the glass half full. While sometimes this is true other times they feel down and can't explain why. Seeing this film and showing them it's normal and not unusual is extremely important. I recommend everyone watch this.

Stranger Things: Chapter Nine: The Piggyback (2022) Season 4, Episode 9

Really good, but an issue persists

[9/10 · 15 July 2022]

The season 4 finale was so good and we couldn't have asked for much more. Only issue is that they're too afraid to kill off main characters. Most of this whole season was about max and her struggle with grief and guilt, while Vecna was using it against her. Then her bones break, eyes bleed and she starts crying to Lucas how she doesn't want to die yet. It was so emotional and really well done. But then Eleven just revives her? It felt so cheap. Honestly would've been 10/10 with max staying dead.

The music and sound editing in this episode might be the best mix ever put to tv/film it was that well done. Every sound added something to each scene and made for a stimulating watch.

Stranger things would benefit from doing a few episodes with this length rather than chopping it up into hour long episodes like they normally do. This felt like a movie and in my opinion was a much better experience. Bring on season 5.

It Comes at Night (2017)

I get it, but I don't like it.

[5/10 · 9 July 2022]

I'll make this review short and spoiler-filled.

I can appreciate how little the film tells the viewer about the disease. I even like it because the characters themselves don't know much, so it puts us in their shoes. I also appreciate how fear is built through suspense and making the viewer uneasy instead of jump scares. I can even appreciate that what comes at night is fear, I get it. The characters are terrified at night because they don't know what's out there and they don't want to find out.

What I don't appreciate is how let down the ending makes you feel. It just feels like you were lead on to an incomplete finish.

Sinister (I) (2012)

Great horror that doesn't rely on jumpscares

[9/10 · 3 July 2022]

"Sinister" is one of the most effective horror movies out there. It sets a creepy atmosphere with a dark and dreadful tone that keeps the viewer uneasy throughout. It creates horror through building suspense, a chilling score and not over-done jumpscares. Overall this is one of my favorite horror movies to rewatch and I recommend it to everyone who says they enjoys them.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Just. Wow.

[9/10 · 28 May 2022]

I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of the original Top Gun. I thought the cheesy story and feel good atmosphere just doesn't age well into today. So i inaccurately assumed that the sequel would just carry that over. I went to the theatre mostly for the Jet action sequences. What I got however was a movie that had a well-written story with emotion that I wasn't expecting. This was a pleasant surprise and I strongly encourage everyone to go see it.

Firestarter (2022)

Very average

[5/10 · 21 May 2022]

In short this movie was pretty boring and mediocre to say the least. The two things it did well were the special effects and the acting. I especially found Zac Efron to be an excellent fit for the movie. Everything else however, was just not very good.

Black Mirror: The Entire History of You (2011) Season 1, Episode 3

Haunting

[10/10 · 19 May 2022]

With companies trying to manufacture chips that go in our minds and ever increasing possibilities of technology I find this episode to be one of the more realistic ones. If we had technology capable of this it wouldn't end the world or create a dystopia. It would destroy relationships and make life unbearably dull for some. This episode is extremely well done and the best of the series.

Paranormal Caught on Camera (2019– )

Mindless entertainment

[6/10 · 27 April 2022]

I have no doubt that 90%+ of these videos are deliberately faked. But they are still nonetheless entertaining to watch, and some of them are probably legit. The "experts" are not necessary and avoid simple explanations for the outlandish. Trying to figure out which videos belong to the 10% are the best part. The show would be much better if they had skeptics on instead of hardcore believers. This way the skeptics could try to see if the videos are legit or pick them apart. A fun show to just throw on.

Dexter: New Blood (2021–2022)

Was so good until the ending

[7/10 · 8 April 2022]

I was cautiously excited when I learned they were making a new dexter. The ending was so disappointing, but it had been years and I finally got over it. After the first episode I was pleasantly surprised. Dexter had evolved, both the character and the show, in a good way.

Harrison showing up was unexpected but good. There needed to be something that transitioned from the original show to give it some final closure. And the plot line of his dark passenger creeping out was a good plot device to make Dexter an actual compassionate father. Then the ending happened...

Dexter is probably the most intelligent man in any room, and he exhibits this in both shows. So why in the finale is he dumbed down so badly? He murders a cop because they found weal marks on a few drug dealers? He has to know that would never hold up in court as it's literally the only thing tying them together. He just isn't the same person in the finale that he is throughout the rest of the show.

Going into this I knew Dexter was going to die. Michael C. Hall had said that's how he wanted the original to end. So I knew he wouldn't come back unless it happened, but Harrison shooting him dead because he broke a code the kid only learned about 2 days (ish) before? It just didn't sit right. Good try Showtime. At least the first 9 and a half episodes were solid.

The Fall: What Is in Me Dark Illumine (2014) Season 2, Episode 6

Incredible acting and dialogue tainted by a poor finish

[9/10 · 26 November 2021]

This deserved a 10/10 rating 99% percent of the way through the episode. Sure there were some unbelievable things (mainly jimmy's part), but still a great episode.

THE GOOD: The interrogation scene between Stella and Paul was everything we hoped it would be for two seasons. The dialogue between the characters is intelligent and believable. Stella tried to get the whole story while Paul tries to leave his mark in her mind. Overall an excellent scene.

THE BAD: Jimmy. Why is this still a thing in the show? I haven't cared about Jimmy or his wife's story for a long time, and yet the show still treats it as crucial plot.

THE UGLY: Did we really end the second season with Paul getting shot by Jimmy? All the while he gazes up at Stella in her arms. Just a weird ending.

Overall this is a fantastic episode even with the weak finish.

The Walking Dead: What We Become (2020) Season 10, Episode 13

And please don't come back

[4/10 · 16 November 2021]

So happy to get rid of Machonne honestly. She was an awesome character the first 2 seasons she was in, but then after that her character got incredibly soft and less intriguing. How many times in this show has she captured a terrible person only to let them go, and that person kept doing terrible things? She became incredibly pointless. Even as Alexandria's leader she really does nothing. This episode was nothing but filler and a waste of an hour.

Hoop Dreams (1994)

"People always say to me, 'when you get to the NBA, don't forget about me.' I should've said back, 'if I don't make it to the NBA, don't you forget about me.'"

[7/10 · 31 October 2021]

I'll be honest and start with the fact that this movie is overrated. Sure there is a lot to love, but some hail this as the greatest sports movie ever which it is certainly not.

With that out of the way I can also honestly say that this is still a great documentary and is well worth the watch. It is important because it's not just about sports like other movies are. It's about the struggle that kids in poverty stricken areas and families have to go through. And it's also about expectations that we place on young people and how it affects their lives, and how quick we forget about them if they don't meet these expectations.

As someone who loves basketball it is easy to watch this and get entranced by the actual game scenes. However, as someone also from Chicago I can tell you it is important to focus on everything in between the dribbles, dunks and clutch free throws. This movie is raw and emotional. It is not afraid to be real and that's something that everyone needs to see. People see Chicago's skyscrapers, parties and sports teams. What they don't see is the darkness that swallows families up every day.

Please watch this.

Halloween Kills (2021)

Why does this movie exist?

[3/10 · 28 October 2021]

Nothing is accomplished in this movie. It feels as if this was just a cash grab and they had no intentions of developing the story further. I am also aware that people are dumb in horror movies, but this one takes it to illogical levels. The townspeople believe that this 5"4 deteriorating man is Michael Myers? And that he would run away from them screaming as they gave chase?

Even when a slasher flick has poor plot and dumb characters you can at least expect awesome kills that make up for it right? Well in this movie that is missing as well. Most kills in this movie you get Michael stabbing something off the screen as there's a million cuts, fake blood splashes in the air and it zooms in on the victims face. It feels cheap and very poorly made.

Dude, Where's My Car? (2000)

The original hangover

[8/10 · 2 October 2021]

This film laid the groundwork for movies such as the hangover series. It is a hilarious and entertaining "stupid" movie, where the plot is thin and the chaos is high. Personally I'm not a major fan of most of these movies (this and Hangover excluded). However, "Dude, Where's My Car?" is well worth the watch. Ignore the negativity, relax and enjoy.