kathleenmcdowell Reviews

The Northman (2022)

Wow!

[10/10 · 21 May 2022]

This was a truely visceral film . Gorgeous, engrossing and gross. The performances were great. The weaving of myth, religion and brutality was really well done. I like the plot twist. Truely cinematic and I didn't feel like I had seen it all before. Really worth a watch.

The Woman in the House (2022)

Different kind of parody

[9/10 · 29 January 2022]

Most parodies hit you over the head at a rapid pace but this hits a note that is just above the types of movies it satirises which makes it a bit more clever than it seems to be getting credit for. It makes for more biting commentary by sitting between parody and satire. It isn't exactly subtle but it isn't pure comedy either and it seems to be making more fun of the audience than the genre it is satirising. I think this series actually is pretty brilliant and Kristen Bell is great.

Angela Black (2021)

Miscast and missed the mark.

[3/10 · 26 December 2021]

There was no believability in the key relationship in the story, no dynamics, no connection. Firstly I know Huisman can play menacing, charismatic and seductive from seeing him in The Other Lamb. Where was that in this? He just stands around. Froggert is winey, weepy and one dimensional. I have liked her in everything previously, including liar which had done similar themes. Perhaps neither of them wanted to be onset or something. Very odd and very very boring.

New Amsterdam (2018–2023)

Predictable. So so predictable. And so cliched.

[1/10 · 26 November 2019]

This show is predictable. The writing is lazy. The characters are annoying.

Unbelievable (2019)

Absolutely fantastic performances elevate ordinary writing

[9/10 · 13 September 2019]

I am not saying the writing is bad. The writing lacks nuance. The exposition is very heavy and treats the audience basically as an idiot. However, the performances are so so good. This elevates the script and really makes this an excellent show. The direction and editing are clearly top notch. It is really well paced. It also doesn't wallow in the creepy grittiness and sadism that so many crime dramas focused on sex crimes seem to fetishize these days. Unbelievable keeps the horror of the crime at the centre of the story but doesn't glamourize it like some of the more "artsy" shows do.

This is a very good show, let down just a bit by the writing but still really watchable. It is fantastic to see this subject matter handled in earnest, lead by great women actors and direction that pulled performances that elevate a lumpy and kind of preachy script significantly.

Another Life (2019–2021)

Give it a chance

[9/10 · 28 July 2019]

The show definitely starts out pretty weak but really improves. Give it a chance. It gets through the cliches and dives into the story and characters. There is a good balance between reveals and mystery. Season 2 is really well set up. I hope it I get to see what happens next.

Instinct (2018–2019)

I've already seen this show. It was called perception.

[5/10 · 10 July 2019]

If I hadn't seen perception I may have liked this show better. The main characters are pretty annoying. I love Alan Cumming but it all seems really forced. The characters in perception were far more relatable. The female lead is written really unevenly. There seems to be a seething hatred between the characters. Everything is just really snippy. Have watched 4 episodes. It has potential with some good actors however, I am not optimistic.

The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015)

Great performances, thought provoking.

[10/10 · 22 June 2019]

Great little movie. Great performances with well developed characters. You feel empathy for relatively unlikable people. Pawley and Skarsgard are particularly strong. Def worth a watch. We need more films like this.

Lucifer (2016–2021)

Great because it doesn't take itself too seriously

[10/10 · 12 May 2019]

I love the show because it doesn't take itself too seriously. You actually root for the characters. I really like that Chloe is sort of sarcastic and cynical and no nonsense and Lucifer is actually the more earnest and overtly sexy one.. I really appreciate the gender role reversal in that sense. I also love that Chloe's character is womanly and attractive and that is acknowledged but she is not overtly sexualised or objectified even with Lucifer coming onto her all the time. She also plays the straight guy well with all this kooky stuff happening all around her. The show is good with character dynamics.

I also like that the show is just kind of weird. It is from a comic book and I am happy there are comic book adaptations now that don't take themselves so darn seriously. I am thinking Preacher, Legion, Thor Ragnarok, etc.

I am also so happy that the move to Netflix has made the show a lot tighter, kept the essence but turned the energy up a notch. And the season has a really good energy.

Also, love the Radiohead bit. And that they picked a Radiohead song that Radiohead hated for years because it was this crutch that kept them going but it was trapping them in a sort of box. I feel like there is a little bit of that message coming through in the new season with it's resurrection and being a bit freer to go a bit more balls to the wall.

What We Do in the Shadows (2019–2024)

Love it.

[10/10 · 27 April 2019]

Great update on the original. Captured the same vibe but the pace is quicker and the joke density is increased which is great. The new characters are all great. I miss the originals but growing to love the new guys. I hope it is successful. Not enough good comedies.

Aquaman (2018)

Wow. How can a budget be so high and quality of CGI so low

[4/10 · 8 March 2019]

Super expensive movie with super laughable cgi. For a movie all about the CGI it is pretty unexplainable. Always a shame to see a good cast in a pretty lame movie. The only redeeming quality is the sheer goofiness of it all.

Possible explanation...Money Laundering scheme?

Queen America (2018–2019)

Good Show Great Catherine Zeta Jones

[10/10 · 22 February 2019]

The show is quite good and it isn't preachy or boring. Catherine Zeta Jones is so good, just fantastic. The characters are well formed and play on types rather than totally rely on them. It is a sly show and the character development points are well paced. None of the characters are likeable but they are totally Lovable. I hope we get to see more because season 1 just scratches the surface.

Worth watching for sure.

The Punisher (2017–2019)

Great yet Uber violent 1st season. 2nd season is a mess.

[8/10 · 28 January 2019]

The first season was great although extremely violent. There was a good plot and a compelling drive to each character's motivations and actions. Despite the graphic violence the characters were really appealing. There was great choreography to the action scenes with stuff I haven't seen before. However in the second season everything falls apart despite a decent setup in the first few episodes. The character's drives in the second season are kinda dumb to be honest. The side characters are silly. The action scenes are just messy slogs of who can take the most punches. Frank and Medani just seem bored. It is a real shame given how well season one worked. So, I highly recommend watching regardless of season two falling short. I would love to see a 3rd season to find out if they can get it back online. Need some time to actually develop a strong story. So much promise regardless of the sophomore slump.

Venom (2018)

Good performances but timing off

[7/10 · 28 October 2018]

The movie was really uneven although interesting. The performances were really really good. Each of the human characters were well formed and pretty effortless. I think the whole thing falls down on the timing of the dialogue between Hardy and Venom. The voice work/dubbing for Venom is really laboured. It is just off and this really hurt the whole pace and flow of the movie. I think it is largely an editing problem, because the lines for Venom are kooky, menacing and over the top which is great. They just fall flat In the delivery. There was something really lethargic/sluggish about the integration of the CGI elements because all the scenes without Venom are seemless and comfortable and the Venom scenes are just sort of lame. Regardless of the timing issues which let our monster down, the kookiness overall was fun and Tom Michelle and Riz were great to watch. Even though it had a few glaring issues it is still way better than most of the crap out there.

The Conners (2018–2025)

Give it a chance

[8/10 · 24 October 2018]

Go back and watch the first few episodes of your favourite shows. They are often not quite hitting it. It is always hard to do serious topics in a comedy So once they get past writing out roseanne it can find a groove. So give the show a chance.

Don (I) (2006)

Best Movie I have ever seen

[10/10 · 24 October 2006]

This is now my favorite movie of all time. It is refreshing to watch a film that isn't cynical or smug. They throw everything in there and the kitchen sink and it is all the better for it. I have been a fan of Indian films for a while now, but this one was perfect Kitsch. It had lots of energy and was just fun to watch. It had a story but a story that didn't take itself too seriously. I have never been able to explain to people how good Indian movies are because trying to explain them never does them justice. Most people look at me like I am crazy. I took a friend who had never seen a "Bollywood" film and she couldn't believe what was going on on screen. Go see it if you have the chance. Shah Rukh's performance was excellent. It was multifaceted to say the least.