FilmnTV Reviews

Hunger (II) (2023)

Too long, too stupid

[2/10 · 21 January 2024]

They didn't need over 2 hours to deliver the message of this flick but they took it anyway. So we get to see it over and over and over again. If you can't tell where this will ultimately end up then you most likely have never seen a movie before. A lot of cliches about chefs being so angry and violent in their passion. Even as a valid POV, it's been done to death and far better. Her later displaying that same behavior in a scene was an eyeroll.

It was often very cringey in it's "shocking" moments but the most irritating aspect was scene after scene after scene of the lead silently tearing up. It felt like she cinematically cried every time she entered a room or someone spoke to her. Ridiculous and so time consuming. Also, there was just never anything convincing to establish that she was this amazing chef apart from tossing noodles a lot and making good fried rice.

Felt like it was written by teens. Not sure where all the good reviews are coming from.

Deadgirl (2008)

Cringe

[1/10 · 13 November 2023]

I think how offensive this movie is has been written elsewhere. So yes that's a given. But I mean I'm not watching this movie for political correctness because you know what you're getting into when you're watching a low budget car. I watched it because I had read about it being extreme. And that it is. Extremely bad. The most ridiculous dialogue combined with painfully bad acting results in an incredibly unwatchable thing that is dead girl. So many embarrassing scenes. So so many. It's the kind of movie that all of the actors could rightfully talk about later on in their careers as a regret. DOA.

The Next Best Thing (2000)

So awful it will make you angry

[1/10 · 5 February 2023]

Dumb, homophobic, superficial, badly-acted garbage.

To be sure it's a fascinating watch but only because it's so staggeringly inept and embarrassing. You know within the first 15 minutes that you're in for a ride...to a dumpster fire. In that time, not one but two male characters - for different reasons - tell Madonna (oh sorry, I mean the character she is "playing") what an incredibly sexy and wonderful woman she is even though she may not think so. Now THAT's acting!

And you can try very very hard but you will fail to ignore the bizarre accent that Madonna enunciates with that is supposed to indicate - well, I'm not sure what.

The only thing moving about this is that it was sadly John Schlesinger's last film. To have come from movies like Marathon Man, Midnight Cowboy, and Day of the Locust to this is a little heartbreaking.

Dopesick (2021)

Mostly excellent

[9/10 · 21 September 2022]

I concur with many of the raves but I have to add that a lot of the writing was not up to par. Obvious exposition directed at people who would already know. Bad guy vs good guy dialogue was awkward at times.

The personal plotlines of the character especially Peter Sarsgaard and Rosario Dawson's homelife were a bit cringey and unbelievable. We don't need the soap and there was ZERO chemistry between Dawson and Esparaza - fine actors though they are.

Michael Stuhlbarg is an excellent actor but his performance felt demonic and over the top. Like a dangerous sociopath about to snap. And he didnt need the weird contacts.

I mention because these things took me out of the show but apart from that - riveting. Keaton and Dever were amazing in their roles.

Watcher (I) (2022)

I give it a 6 with buts....

[6/10 · 10 July 2022]

I didn't think it was slow though I don't think it broke any amazing new ground. Still I was never bored. The husband seemed miscast and I wish they had given her something to do rather than just be a housewife. It was odd despite the explanation.

It's worth it for the portrayal of the watcher. He was great even in his final creepy moment.

BUT the biggest head scratcher was the end. He sliced her neck though it doesn't really look sliced afterward BUT she's bleeding a lot BUT she crawls for the gun and is obviously weakened BUT THEN he stares at her face until he is convinced she's dead and we see a pool of blood getting larger beneath her. BUT she was faking it and was full of energy enough to stand, grab the gun and shoot him? Whaaaat? Why didn't she do that in the first place?

I doubt her little lie-down gave her the added energy she needed seeing as she was practically hemorrhaging all over the place.

In the last shot she looks ready to have dinner. Come on!

It was very dramatic but that's a lot of disbelief they're asking us to suspend.

I still enjoyed it. Maybe I like "slow burn" flicks.

The Bear (2022– )

Excellent with caveat

[9/10 · 26 June 2022]

Love the energy and set design and the cast. Hoping Abby Elliott grows a bit more into this dramatic role. Taking its cue from the excellent film Boiling Point, episode 7 was a one take rollercoaster.

I'm being very picky here which is fair since overall, I'm hooked and look forward to see where this goes in S2. There are a few too many "actory - bro" moments. They are a great showcase for the talent on screen but after awhile they start to feel like they're only there to spotlight the talent. We get it so hopefully, the show can give us more credit as an audience and let us figure some stuff out on our own. It's right there on their faces. You're good.

BUT - great show!!!

Lisey's Story (2021)

Boolish

[2/10 · 3 August 2021]

This is one of those shows where people speak in incomplete thoughts and ideas with the assumption that you can't fill in all the holes. Well, I certainly could not. It's sooo slow and meandering and unclear. Although I watched it through to the end, I was lost through most of it. I never read the book it's based on so I don't know if it makes more sense in print. As a series, it's beautiful to look at but it felt like a missed opportunity.

Separation (I) (2021)

Separate Yourself From Seeing This

[1/10 · 3 July 2021]

TERRIBLE, CLICHED dialogue. NONSENSICAL, MEANDERING plot. Sorry for the actors in this, it is so poorly constructed. It's as if the director lost all interest in telling any kind of an interesting, coherent story. Bad is being kind so I will kindly say, this is BAD.

Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

Those Who Wish Me Dumb

[1/10 · 26 May 2021]

Those would be almost everyone involved in this idiotic film. I won't rehash comments about the plot holes, horrendously cliched dialogue, and a title that belongs on some forgotten Western. Angelina Jolie - what in the name of all logic is she doing in this? She looks NOTHING like a smokejumper unless that smokejumper is brittle thin, sports long flowing hair, and a full face of makeup to go work in the mountains. This isn't a Marvel film where we throw all disbelief out the window. I know she may "want" to be an action star but as Clint once said, " a man has got to know his limitations." Glamorous looks are a curse if she truly wants to play someone approaching real, and she doesn't help it with her beyond lean physique (sorry she could do something about it for a role) and her hair and makeup. I was so distracted by the preposterousness of her in this, that it did help distract from all the other problems. What a terrible script. The kid was good and has all my sympathy as there was no chemistry between him and AJ. Here's to better roles for him.

Kid 90 (2021)

Mmm, no but proves a point

[2/10 · 24 May 2021]

The point being, Hollywood and "celebrity" is not a place for anything close to a real relationship. This had potential but ultimately it felt like some odd type of narcissistic tone poem. We quickly skate over people who were friends of hers and who are now dead. She waxes romantically over an odd relationship with Charlie Sheen whose name for some reason cannot be mentioned. We see footage of 90s celebs and hear poetic musings. There is some acceptance of having not really listened to people's pain but frankly, it feels like lip service. It's not her "fault." They were all kids f'd up by Hollywood and not seemingly capable of deep and true friendship - at least as far as this doc shows. It made me sad in a way that was not its intent. She just seemed to gather celebs around her and had the perfect personality to keep them in her orbit i.e., not one to get too emotional or invested in someone else which leaves them free of any kind of feelings of responsibility for someone else. Perfect. But the few who saw the emptiness and couldn't take it? They're dead.

Ted Lasso (2020–2023)

Too much cheese and corn

[2/10 · 13 May 2021]

I see all the "heart" reviews but this is just corny stuff. There's very little realism and I know it's a sitcom but there is so much cheese, it belongs on Hallmark. For this sentimentality to work, you've got to earn it. This show just pours it on from episode 1. I watched the entire first season and felt myself shifting uncomfortably from all the awkward sweetness, the perfect resolutions, the cliched underdog who finally gets recognized, the gruff anger covering a bowl of warm milk that is Roy Kent. Yikes. All that's missing is a lost puppy episode or an orphan in need of a family. I get it - it's not for me. I like sweetness and warmth but this is too simple. Know that going in and you'll give it 10 stars if that's your cup o' tea.

Run Hide Fight (2020)

BANG!

[5/10 · 22 January 2021]

My goodness, people are downright enraged if you don't think this was a masterpiece of suspense. Calm down, gun people, I was just looking for some logic. There were so many insane improbabilities even within the universe of the movie, they were hard to ignore. Another reviewer here lays them out quite clearly so no need for me to list them. The performances were uneven. It was NOT boring just sort of a head scratcher especially that end event which was jaw-dropingly impossible. SPOILER: Nice touch that the most unstable terrorist is schizophrenic and gay. Ugh.

The Vanished (2020)

Devastatingly bad

[1/10 · 22 August 2020]

The acting - there are no words about how awful the acting is.

The script - there are plenty of words here though. Waaaaay too many. Endless amounts of words.

The ending - it explains things and you still don't understand everything, which is not fun. Not even a little.

I like Anne Heche because she seems truly certifiable - even when she's not in a movie - but this is crazier than even she is.

Ghost House (2017)

Endlessly dull.

[2/10 · 2 September 2017]

An entire movie based on scary makeup. The same thing happens over and over: girl left alone, has vision of scary Asian lady, screams, boyfriend comes running. Aaaaand one more time! Felt like a miniseries. This could have been a 10m short though it still wouldn't be original. It's so boring you'll want to hit something.

Jackals (I) (2017)

Not bad

[7/10 · 2 September 2017]

Clichés? Sure. Logic? Little. Still, for a horror, the production value is up there and so is the talent. No one gave an embarrassing performance and it has a nice touch of 'disturbing'. Deborah Kara Unger is beautiful and talented and made quite the impact in both The Game and Crash. I hope she can see beyond what Hollywood may think it needs from her and stop with the procedures. They hide much of her talent here in a way I was unable to ignore.

Friends from College (2017–2019)

Love Nat Faxon

[3/10 · 17 July 2017]

...in anything but this. Could not make it through one episode. Yikes, talk about trying so hard and failing. Through no fault of their own, this material makes these actors super annoying. As soon as I saw the scene of Fred Savage sitting through Keegan Key's not-funny accents in his office I was out. Insufferably desperate with no material to back it up. I miss "Married" - THAT was seemingly effortless with sublime performances. So of course it was cancelled.

Better Call Saul (2015–2022)

Hey now

[5/10 · 30 April 2017]

Love the idea of this show and you had me for the first two seasons but now me thinks it's a little too in love with itself. Episode 2 of season 3 felt like an hour of watching Mike watch cars driving around. Come on!!!! I'm as exhausted as he looks. Move it along. I have a serious attention span but tell me a story that pulls me, rather than drags me, along.

Rings (2017)

Dear God....

[1/10 · 12 March 2017]

...this was awful. Once again, underage, under-talented "actors" are put in adult- like situations and given terrible lines to recite unconvincingly.

If I had to hear the lead girl with the speech impediment say, "I saw something..." whenever someone asked her what was wrong instead of explaining what she actually saw one more time, I was gonna lose it. To be fair, it probably would sound so ridiculous repeating the gratuitous artsy footage we are shown.

And why does she make this sacrifice for her boyfriend Holt (rhymes with dolt)? Watching self- obsessed teens pretending to be seriously and deeply in love with someone besides themselves is a lot to ask. It is completely unbelievable that these airheads never stared at their phones for long periods of time or took selfies with victims and such.

As I said, totally unbelievable as mini-adults but completely believable as superficial, dumb teens.

There was no script. A monkey typed it for minimum wage. I will say the teaser poster almost gets it right. "First you watch it. Then you'll wish you had died before."

My heart goes out to Donofrio. He should be given better.