pm-griffiths-956-445192 Reviews

Vikings (2013–2020)

Ivar storyline ruined later seasons

[8/10 · 22 April 2024]

Loved the first 3.5 seasons. But the Ivar storyline dominating everything ruined the series. There was so much lore and history to plumb, but they wasted on a character that NEVER would have existed in the 800s - a cripple in a position of power. Never would have made it to their 20s. And then turning out to be a psychopath. Come ON!!! What a friggin' waste of a production. Earlier, they had stuck to some historical elements. Later seasons, it was just warring and pillaging and the angst in between. And the Floki storyline was a bust. And then the characters stopped evolving, becoming 2D cutouts. What a pity.

Kandahar (2023)

Great spy flic

[9/10 · 18 December 2023]

What a pleasant surprise! A really good spy film with some gritty realism!!! The writing is great, with a complex tale involving players from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, and mixing in current situations in those countries such as the suppression of women in Afghanistan courtesy of the resurgence of the Taliban. The night chase scene was particularly effective. And how complex the environment is in this region, such as the references to cranes and what they're used for.

The cinematography is amazing as well - both the action scenes and the scenic overviews.

And it's not just black and white, us vs them. Lots of gray to deal with.

I enjoyed it. Hope you do as well.

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Worth it just for the cinematography

[8/10 · 11 December 2023]

Wow, what an odd flic. Keeps you tense trying to figure out what is going on. Great performances from a stellar cast. The cinematography and editing is amazing - like a character of the film itself. Very different use of angles and points of view. And brilliant editing when three characters are in different locales.

Oh, and Tesla isn't going to be happy about this film!

It tends to focus on the uncertainty the characters are dealing with rather than story development. Which unfortunately means you loose the tension they should be dealing with. And too much chit chat in the middle portion. Looses momentum and interest.

And the dancing scene (yes, I said a dancing scene at the end of the world!!!) is Ridiculous!!! Wth!

Great EotW ending! And da tweeners bury their head in the sand!

The Killer (2023)

Out of the park

[9/10 · 20 November 2023]

Another home run from David F! Amazing film and well worth the watch. The cinematography is friggin' brilliant - worth watching just for that.

The story is nothing new. But you really get pulled into the procedure for each target, and the steps to complete it. Michael F. Does a spectacular job as the man with no empathy. The ending was unexpected. To some, perhaps a disappointment. To me - a pleasant change from the predictable. The voiceover dialogue is a lot of fun as well. It's not Hitman - it's not supposed to be! It has its own trajectory so enjoy the ride. Would love to see a sequel to get into his backstory - how did he get here?

Violent Night (2022)

The new Christmas clay

[10/10 · 13 November 2023]

Love this film! It's our new Christmas classic, up there with Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. And who would have ever thought of Saint Nic as the anti-hero? David Harbour does a grand job. Just a pity John L did one of his worst performances when he coulda owned it! The violence is in true Bugs Bunny/Stooges tradition. Very linear story but it's entertaining and a really good chuckle. If you like that kinda thing 😀. The offing of villains in imaginative ways is worth the watch - tree ornaments, lawn decos, etc. Here is hoping the do a VN2! And you know it's a Canadian production because of the secondary characters and the amount of snow!

The Good Stuff with Mary Berg (2023– )

Stepford wife

[1/10 · 1 October 2023]

Ohhh, I do detest this show. Why? It's a re-do of the brainwashing silliness they had back in the 1950s about being the perfect entertainer, cook, etc. Its Martha Stewart without the style and panache. The format appears to be all about how amazing she is. It's like watching a YouTuber influencer with massive studio equipment and funding. Suspect this is part of satisfying or meeting the Canadian content requirements. While I love the cooking segments, it's the over-the-top emoting that curdles any attraction to this program. It is the being-the-hostess-with-mostess that is the most annoying pressure to be perfection. Reminds me of the Stepford wives.

Deadloch (2023– )

What an amazing romp!

[10/10 · 18 June 2023]

What a great series so far - at episode 4. The premise is fun - a serial killer in a resort town with a prominent segment being lesbians. A wacky and unpredictable police officer from the mainland. Throw in a raft of secondary quirky characters, and you have a recipe for a fun and entertaining romp with multiple twists and turns.

The dialogue, especially by Eddie and with Dulcie is AMAZING! And colourful! No holding back at all!!! Love it. Kind of a fun mix between Black Adder and Sherlock with a bit of Red Dwarf with the ensuing chaos. Madeleine Sami (Eddie) is friggin' amazing! What a fun performance with the facial and physical performance that really explodes into a memorable character on screen. And a grand cast of flawed and normal twits making mistakes. Looking forward to the rest of the series! Strongly recommended!!!

The Menu (2022)

What a fun ride!

[9/10 · 17 January 2023]

What a deliciously absurd film! And played and directed to perfection!

It's been awhile since I've seen a dark comedy with such dry wit. Usually it just turns into some gorefest. This is a lovely subtle trip with quirky characters in a ridiculous situation that starts small and ramps up to a brilliant climax, not only for the story but a stark statement on the rampant consumption that we've evolved into.

Not a big fan of Anya T-J, but gotta say she does a good job here. And Nicolas H is fun as a clueless twit. The best bit is the human s'mores at the end. Don't expect it to make sense. Just enjoy the ride!

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022 Video Game)

Campaign mode is a waste

[3/10 · 3 January 2023]

The overhead for this game is ridiculous. It took over 4 hours to download the update to the core game. And then another 2 hours each for two packs for the campaign mode. When I had finally downloaded enough for the game to play, I completed 8 of the 17 missions in 2 hours at Regular. Not very challenging at all. While a little fun, nothing amazing. Pretty bloody generic. And the mazes for each mission were pretty small. In short - the campaign mode looks like it's being completely abandoned in favour of the more simple coop and multiplayer modes.

Really a pity because the campaigns I have played in the past were fun. Now it's no longer in the business model. Just not worth it anymore. Especially the bandwidth to download the damn thing!

The Challenge: USA (2022– )

The WORST Challenge EVER

[3/10 · 18 September 2022]

I've been following the Challenge for years, with many memorable moments such as the final leg in Iceland where someone broke their ankle and the contestants trekked across rugged landscapes, ending on a mountain peak and a win for CT! Amazingly hard challenges and bouts that put Survivor USA to shame!

This season? Oh, what a bunch of narcissistic blowhards who make grand claims to their robustness, ruggedness and ability to win. But, when it gets down to delivering, what do they do? Cheat (Angela - kicked out because she manipulated the brief for the leg and decided to get some beauty sleep than doing the challenge) and QUIT! FOUR people quit in the final because there is an inch of snow on the ground. Ohhh, ohhh, my fingers are cold! Come ON! First thing you learn as a kid in Canada is put your hands in your armpits and keep MOVING!!! Tyson, for all his bragging, can't finish a simple and very junior Sudoku and then QUITS! And this was the EASIEST Challenge Finale EVER. The last competition was a cake walk!

Really disappointed in the producers letting this program's reputation take such a hit when it gets into the production big leagues with Paramount. So, if the The Challenge-War of the Worlds follows the same can-do-it-in-my-sleep challenges this one had (that a 60 year old could do!!!), you can bet I'll be giving it a pass. Such a let down! The finale was NOT worth the wait, not worth the meaning of the world Challenge and it was far from epic. Survivor Australia beat this one hands down for toughness.

Please, please, PLEASE bring back the big challenges for War of the Worlds. Get back to what made your productions famous - robust, hard challenges requiring contestants to stay in top shape to complete, taking hits, really tough competitions (like navigating thru a moving and rotating plane fuselage suspended over water). And a bit of drama.

Btw - the drama on this one was non-existent. Just a bunch of players from other so-called reality shows puffing out their chests and going "Look at me". No good rivalries to spice things up either.

So, in conclusion and overall score - Dreck!

Morbius (2022)

A rare stinker in the MCU

[3/10 · 16 August 2022]

Usually, films with this type of banking and backing have some redeeming qualities. Unfortunately, there're few in evidence here. The story is a retread that has been do SO many times before - two teenager buddies become adversaries. But there were so many production mistakes here. The wispy special effects when moving was something from over 20 yrs ago. The slo-mo shots mid-scene for no reason. The lousy CG for the faces from the 90s. The waste of the talents of Jared Harris and Matt Smith. And Jared'a wooden delivery. There was so much material to draw from for what ends up as a retread of Darkman! Thank goodness I watched this on a flight. Would have been furious if I'd bought tickets to this travesty.

Dog (I) (2022)

What an unexpected gem

[9/10 · 12 June 2022]

Okay, first off - not a comedy! Definitely drama. But a damn good one. Realty great road trip story of revaluations, growth and evolution. Worth it to just see Channing doing an amazing job! Well worth the watch.

The Happytime Murders (2018)

Why so serious?

[9/10 · 27 March 2022]

Certainly not for everyone. But if you love tongue in cheek comedy and a new spin on puppet films, you'll enjoy this. Given the premise, don't know what all the hate is about. They delivered a funky comedy with its own style which is better than a lot of other dreck out there. Just enjoy the ride!

Continuum: Second Time (2013) Season 2, Episode 13

Why the same family issues?

[8/10 · 9 December 2021]

Oh, God, no AGAIN! Alec, I'm your father! Really? You couldn't come up with something more unique to the Continuum world? You had to do a Star Wars retread??? Ugh! No wonder the series dies in 1.5 seasons. Like the series to date but it's definitely going soap opera and not in a good way.

Passage to Marseille (1944)

Great story telling

[10/10 · 7 November 2021]

Yeah, I know it's a WWII propaganda film. But those were the time.

Great story telling with a story within a story within a story told thru flashbacks. And the film noir is amazing with lovely contrasts, shafts of light, etc. And the ship is an amazing set piece. And it has a practical and realistic ending. No wander-off-to-the-sunset here. Well worth the time to get a feel of the times with the treacherous and cowardly Vichy french. When you consider the entire film was shot in Hollywood, the sets for the storyline in French Guiana are amazingly detailed and realistic. Shows the impacts of practical effects and great set design. Well worth the watch.

Prey (VI) (2021)

Bit of a slow one

[7/10 · 12 September 2021]

Don't know what is up with all the haters. Obviously they have NO idea how difficult it is to secure the funding for an indie film, casting, script development, outdoor production challenges, etc. Bunch of couch-potato critics will no actually film industry experience. Such a pity they effect the ratings of all the hard work that went into this one.

On the film itself, the story line is familiar. Two nice little twists. Great outdoor filming and knocking off characters one by one is fun and unexpected. And you won't see the rationale for the killing spree coming. Total 90 degree turn! Not a romp but a fun watch. There's tonnes worst stuff on Netflix than this.

Sweet Girl (2021)

What a fun romp with a great twist at the end

[8/10 · 23 August 2021]

Jason M does a good job on this one, especially the scene early on in the hospital. There are a few subtle clues to the twist but they slipped by. And some unexpected turns in the story itself. Some nice touches. A reasonably entertaining journey. Worth the watch.

Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

Best gun fight ever!

[9/10 · 25 July 2021]

Very stylishly filmed. Worth the watch. Best of all - hilarious gun fight at the clinic. What a hoot!

The Gunman (2015)

Reasonable espionage flic but ...

[5/10 · 3 May 2021]

Starts out as a reasonable espionage actioner. The usual hidden but known bad guy (not hard to figure out). But the ridiculous romance interest and love triangle at the halfway mark grounds out the pic's energy and believability. Promising story about corporate greed and avarice ends up a happy-ending farce. You can hear the rubber snap as they just stretch it too far.

Chad (2021–2024)

Bloody horrible

[1/10 · 25 April 2021]

Are you kidding me? A 30 year old female actress playing a 14 year old male kid? What deluded group of producers invested in such a broken concept? Must be a tax write off. I'd rather watch Wipeout - at least I'd get a laugh or two.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

How far it has fallen from Part 1

[3/10 · 10 April 2021]

The first film was such a joy and a fun ride. The suspension of (dis)belief was not a huge stretch and it was an entertaining watch.

Which is why the second film is such a let down, especially as it is from the same director. The problem with working with material from comics is that you have to be selective on what will translate well to film, where you have a completely different audience.. Case in point - Green Lantern (personally, loved it - a true Comic Book film, but not well liked due to keeping true to the material). The audience for comics has already bought into that world. But the film audience is a completely different beast. And it can bite back!

Turning a person into an Aladdin's Lamp just does not translate well to a script with a decent plot, characters, etc. Kristen Wiig is just wasted with lackluster CG effects and impossible physics near the end. And just dreaming/wishing Steve T. Back into existence is just too much pushing on the suspension of disbelief. And then WW turns into Spidernan, web-slinging from cloud or lightning strike to cloud/lightning. And the ending where TV transmissions can physically change everyone on the planet. That, with WW now out-right flying - it was just so far beyond the impossible that the tone of the film entered the realms of treating the audience as idiots. Other examples over the decades - Superman III and IV, The Blackhole, Batman and Robbin (1997), Pixels, Flatliners (2017), etc.

Sorry to say this one was pure dreck. Advise you to stay away. Not much worth watching here. A sorry letdown for what was a promising franchise. The curse of the sequel with too many expectations.

Shadow in the Cloud (2020)

Promising start, then a slippery slope to a Miserable Ending

[1/10 · 10 April 2021]

I was so intrigued by the trailers for this film that I thought it would be worth a watch. Ohh, how wrong I was. It had a promising start with an interesting introduction of the characters. Now that I look back on it, was likely due to the low budget! But when it go into the story development and action about 2/3s the way thru, there were just too many impossible actions/accomplishments which added up to just being stupid and ridiculous. First - climbing across the underside of the wing of an in-flight bomber. Two - impossible physicals of a hanging basket in wind speeds exceeding 250+ mph. Three - falling OUT of the plane and an explosion pushing the heroine BACK INTO the plane. Oh, and the silliness does not stop there. A ludicrous crash landing AND an idiotic ending with the heroine being the mom who accomplishes all and still takes care of the child and defends them from evil. What horrid awful DRECK!

Normally, I'm pretty tolerant of silly stuff (i.e. Evil Dead), but this was SO ridiculous it doesn't even qualify as entertaining anymore, verging on the insulting. What I don't understanding in how Ms. Moretz went along with so many obvious plot and mechanical issues with the storyline.

Most directors working with material from comics typically work on building up the suspension of disbelief so that we go along with the impossible breakages of the laws of physics, thermodynamics, conservation of energy, etc. But this one goes so far beyond these limits (measured in light years) that the film just comes across as being stupid and ludicrous beyond possible definition. Strongly recommending giving this one a pass!

Cold Blooded (2012)

What a great little film

[8/10 · 1 March 2021]

Wow, the title is quite appropriate. What a great little one-set flic! Some narly characters doing a surface examination of human nature, good vs bad. Got some nice twists and a good ending (ie. not everyone makes it in one piece).

Memory: The Origins of Alien (2019)

Good doc until the white tower crowd showed up

[8/10 · 4 October 2020]

Loved the movie. And was loving this. Until ... the ridiculous white tower crowd over interpret the film into "fantasies of male pregnancy, rape", rage against the patriarchy, blah, blah, blah. God, people, STOP INTERPRETING the film to suit your agenda/platform. What dreck. You might want to verify your interpretations with Ridley Scott. My bet - he was just trying to make a good movie and perhaps a new genre. Completely ruined the middle of this reasonably good documentary.

Armageddon (1998)

Wow. Armageddon is a remake!!!

[9/10 · 4 October 2020]

What a shocker. Armageddon is a re-do of a film from 1968 called "The Green Slime" where they go a blow up an asteroid headed to hit earth in the first 30 minutes of the film. And, yes, they have drilling equipment! Btw - Danger - TGS is pure B movie schlock!!! Just goes to prove there is nothing new in Hollywood Land.