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Reviews
Heart of Stone (2023)
Straight to streaming is for a reason
I see many comments bashing movies 'produced' by streaming giants, complaining of more Netflix/Apple/Amazon filler.....Common sense says these movies have been identified as box office flops or niche where studios know they can't recuperate marketing costs etc. Thus are sold to one of the streamers as a win/win for both parties.
The studio offloads something without taking a bath, and the streamer gets something with (somewhat) star power they can push and know people will still consume it due to the streaming model, even if it's not worth attending a cinema for.
I don't understand why people assume these movies are going to be good and disappointed when they're not? And then blame i.e. Netflix for continuing to 'make bad movies' and wanting to jump on the hate bandwagon. This is all analysis driven business decisions, they are not attempting to win any awards with these films or they would be in theaters with Oppenheimer etc. Making you pay full price instead of being included in a small monthly fee.
You get what you pay for.
Extrapolations (2023)
A missed opportunity
I knew nothing about this show, but was completely onboard after the initial minutes seeing the subject matter and the message it was relaying, I was hoping they knocked it out the park and became a culturally ubiquitous show that everyone had to see.
Unfortunately it may have been better if they had someone else execute it because despite the huge budget it looks like was allocated, the sheer boredom anyone who likely watches it will incur means it won't get much exposure. Judging by the initial ratings anyone looking for entertainment will quickly skip this, missing a huge opportunity to combine something compelling with a meaningful and current rhetoric.
I can see why they released the 3 episodes together, the first two were painful to get through and the lead actress Sienna Miller didn't do the show any favors (not that anyone else stood out). It was hard to take the whale talk seriously and had to skip that altogether. The third episode provided some respite through the young girl's character and though I don't have any bias towards or against any religion, I seem to have an inexplicably good understanding of Judaism despite not knowing any Jewish people or having any interest in it. After watching Steve Carell in The Patient I thought I had my fill but apparently not...
This view is based on the first 3 episodes, but it didn't take long to realize this as a big miss and am sorry I wasted my time being preached to for something I wholly support that won't resonate the way it needed to due to its misexecution.
As a side-note the production quality on Apple's shows are impeccable but I wish they'd put a bit more thought into making something of substance, as this is becoming a predictable pattern with their releases.
Night Sky: To the Stars (2022)
Filler first episode?
Way too much filler for a series kick off, I think JK Simmons fans may stick it through but they'll likely lose much of the audience before giving the series a chance. I felt like fast forwarding to see if my time watching the irrelevant interactions were justified. Surprised they didn't make a sci-fi premise a bit more compelling to keep people invested.
Lisey's Story (2021)
Losing faith
SK adaptations have always been an auto view for me since the 80's, I've found enjoyable elements in all the recent Castle Rock, Stand, Outsider, Mr Mercedes, even critical duds like Cell & 1922
After watching this series to the end without enjoying it at any stage I may not have the same blind faith in the next SK branded release.
What We Started (2017)
Misleading title
Maybe watch Detroit Blueprint for Techno before calling it something like 'What We Started'. Pretty sure UR, Inner City and Juan Atkins should be credited with that title.
Star Trek: Discovery: Forget Me Not (2020)
Losing faith after Season 2
Season 2 really got me back on board after an odd first season so couldn't wait to see the other side of the wormhole. 3 episodes in this is getting pretty dull, I can understand throwing in a filler episode, but when none of the preceding ones were interesting hopes for this season are dwindling.
Not only is the story line uninteresting, the two most compelling characters from the last season weren't replaced with anyone equivalent and are missed badly. Thinking of it I don't find myself interested in a single character on this show, I watched the Mandalorian current episode straight after this and the contrast in entertainment was stark.
Raised by Wolves: The Beginning (2020)
How to undo the series
I can't speak highly enough for the series and couldn't wait for the finale, all the theories and possibilities of what was alluded to up to this point. Wow.....I looked at the time during the episode and was literally saying there's no way they can recover this mess let alone give us any conclusions, little did I know they would go off on a completely different path and not even attempt to resolve what it had built up, did they change the writers or were they just 'Lost' on where to take it?
I recommended this series to every one as one of the best this year, I humbly have to rescind any recommendations as this left me more frustrated than Prometheus.
I don't think I liked anything about this episode. 9 for the series and Dad, 1 for the finale.
The Jesus Rolls (2019)
Just don't a Disco Bean spinoff
As most have said this could've,should've and was begging to be a cult classic with a side character from an iconic comedy that had us wanting more...
No bowling, no plot, no laughs and no point. We just ask that Disco Bean in the Hunt for One Eyed Willy back in the 90's is left how we remember.
If your a Jesus Quintana fan and want to do the same, don't watch this movie.
Castle Rock: Caveat Emptor (2019)
I've enjoyed Season 2...
The focus on Annie and Joy made the first half of the season spectacular.
Sadly this episode reverted it to a cliche Walking Dead style body count and the back story of the adopted kids and father seems tacked on and isn't that compelling in a Stephen King story. I'm hoping the producers realize how engaging Lizzy Caplan's screen time was for the audience and has carried much of the material, having her character feature so little in this episode I like others was simply waiting for it to finish. Here's hoping for a strong finale and this was the needed filler to bridge the conclusion of Season 2. Still love the show.