sterhill-1 Reviews

Security (I) (2017)

Great cast: good story

[10/10 · 8 October 2023]

Can't believe it's got such a low rating. Yeah there's some 'willing suspension of disbelief' but that's true of all movies. Antonio Bandaras and Ben Kingsley couldn't make a bad movie. Bandaras is an out of work army vet who took a job - all he could get - as a night security guard at a mall and Ben Kingsley is a really bad guy. Kingsley has destroyed the FBI convoy taking the one witness who can put him away and he aims to kill this child. It's set up where you think the good guys and the little girl will never make it out but with a lot of shootings and fires and edge of your seat chases, they do. Feel good ending too. I loved it!

Good Omens: Chapter 6: Every Day (2023) Season 2, Episode 6

Very strange and unsettling ending

[3/10 · 31 July 2023]

Hideous ending. Having Crowley kiss Az and say they could have been a great couple, could even divorce themselves from heaven and hell and run off together just like Supreme Angel Gabriel and Belzbub just did ???? You just gotta sit there and say WTF??? Archangel Gabriel holding hands and grinning at The Lord of the Flies like a couple of teenagers in love ??

Metatron - ok??? -' Metatron, or Mattatron, is an angel in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam mentioned three times in the Talmud, in a few brief passages in the Aggadah, and in mystical Kabbalistic texts within Rabbinic literature.'

Looks like they didn't want God anywhere around.

I am puzzled as to why a review has to contain a set amount of words. Not everyone needs use that amount of words to ge heard.

65 (2023)

So Bad, so BAD. Watch on FF if you must.

[3/10 · 12 July 2023]

Calling it 65 and having this space ship (carrying cryogenic passengers) crash on 'Earth' some 65 million years ago would sure make you think 'hey! Humans? Started life?' But no... They crash after being hit by an asteroid field. The pilot finds a 15 year old girl still alive (but speaking no English - only speaks Mis Kat) and they trudge through prehistoric forests and foliage AND a variety of dinosaurs to find the escape ship that broke off when they crash landed. They walk, fall, shoot dinosaurs, walk, fall, shoot dinosaurs. Not much conversation as she speaks no English.

They came. They saw. They left. Total end of story.

Inside Man (II) (2022)

Great actors can't save poor writers

[2/10 · 3 February 2023]

I think most people get sucked in by the great cast but it's a nasty, frustrating nightmare. Nobody with any sense whatsoever would wind themselves up in this unbelievable plot. I watched a lot of it on fast forward. Long scenes where you know exactly what's happening. Or a character sits and moans and shakes their head and looks out at the distance while listening to sad piano music. That a real waste of time and film. It's a real shame because when you see David Tennant or Stanly Tucci on the bill - let alone these two together - you know it's going to be great. You cannot save a stupid plot. Save yourself and read the reviews.

Warrior Nun: Proverbs 31:25 (2020) Season 1, Episode 2

Beautiful except for the main character

[5/10 · 16 November 2022]

With all the money and preparation spent on this series - beautifully lighted and gorgeous sets - you'd think they would have more thoughtfully cast the main character. Think of a dark, demonic entity being fought by beautiful, strong warrior nuns and then drop silly Gidget Gets the Halo right into it. I wonder if anybody who has been a quadriplegic for 12 years, wheelchair bound, spoon fed, living with harsh nuns would be suddenly ready for wheeling and dancing in the Spanish discos? Yes, she has the improved body but the mental attitude is bizarre.

I'll give it one more shot but I have to say I don't hold much hope.

Warrior Nun: Psalm 46:5 (2020) Season 1, Episode 1

Main character seems weak

[5/10 · 16 November 2022]

The sets, costumes, actors - except the main character Ava - are phenomenal. Ava has been an orphan quadriplegic for 12 years. She has been wheelchair bound and spoon fed and yet once she has the Halo, she's like every other teenager on earth. Bouncing and wheeling around discos and dances and wearing spangly clothes. You'd think a person who has been shut up in an orphanage all those years would be a bit more cautious and approach this change a little more slowly (?) Yes, the Halo has imbued her body but her mind? I just think they really overdid it. She makes me think of the old Gidget movie character!!

The sets are so gorgeous and the priest and the warrior nuns so very well cast. The lighting deserves mention as it brings a real depth to the look of this production.

The Sandman (2022– )

Do not like the casting - regardless of Gaiman

[7/10 · 29 August 2022]

The sets were perfect. The designs everywhere were stunning. Really awesome. BUT Gaiman is defending his casting decisions on all corners? I feel he would not have to defend them so vigorously if more people agreed with him. Tom Sturridge is perfect as Morpheus. Just PERFECT. But placing Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer? NO. She is an excellent actor but a woman as Lucifer? No. Gaiman's just pushing w o k e too hard. Death? I'd want someone a bit tougher and also not a woman. The Fates - always women so that's fine... The Prophet, fine casing. Lucienne? Excellent! I feel like Gaiman really does need to defend most of his choices.

The Sandman: 24/7 (2022) Season 1, Episode 5

Non-Morpheus Episode

[3/10 · 12 August 2022]

Well we did see a little bit of Morpheus but mostly this episode was about John (in his slippers from the psych hospital) stroking The Ruby and causing people to tell "the truth". So all these people go from cheerful to weirdly bitter and strangely enough, several change to LGBT. Dunno about that (?).

I think this series is absolutely brilliant and Tom Sturridge is pulled right off of the pages of the book. So perfect. But I think this episode was extremely slow paced and showed that - in John's view - people are mean, lying, lonely, repressed, murderous and gay.

Could have totally done without this one or at least it shouldn't have been dragged out soooooo long.

Wizards and Warriors (1983)

So happy to be able to buy the DVD

[10/10 · 9 February 2022]

How many times have I remembered some line from this show!!

Princess Ariel was in the dark, gloomy haunted castle and getting more terrified by the moment when she suddenly brightens up and says "I don't want to be here anymore. I want to be at a ball where people are saying 'that's a gorgeous dress she's wearing' and 'doesn't she have beautiful teeth'... no, I don't want to be HERE anymore."

Whew! Was thinking that just this morning and was so pleased to find the DVD for sale on Amazon. Love it!!

Black Summer: Human Flow (2019) Season 1, Episode 1

Slow, painfully slow

[4/10 · 20 January 2022]

Ok we know this is a zombie movie. In this episode, we get to meet a few people and watch them walk and walk and walk and sometimes run. Mostly we watch them walk. Boring. Well filmed though. Ok if you have a good fast forward where you can see what's happening.

The Expanse: Redoubt (2021) Season 6, Episode 4

Fast forward too much

[4/10 · 4 January 2022]

I like the Amazon fire stick as I can fast forward through the interminable scenes where one character is explaining something to another character that could have been done in 30 seconds but now is lasting 3 or 4 or even 5 minutes. It's like the director has spent time setting up this scene and by golly he wants his money's worth. BORING.

The Expanse production group has repeatedly said that they've spent so much money, they could only do 6 episodes but I have to say if they had NOT poured buckets of money into that terrible front end animation, AND really paid attention to the story, they could have easy done 10 episodes. 10 GOOD episodes.

Putting those scenes on the front end from the Strange Dogs novella into this complex storyline was just insane. Plus the animation is just plain bad, no matter what they paid.

I have loved the books and the audiobooks and the first 5 seasons but this season 6 is a dog. Ends with a whimper?

Station Eleven (2021–2022)

The book was fantastic; this adaptation not so much

[6/10 · 30 December 2021]

The book delivered an original, interesting, compelling story of how this terrible plague evolved and how the people evolved with it. The Prophet guy was a major part of the plot and in episode 6 they just took the story totally sideways. Why? I guess the movie people - like a dog marking his territory- wanted their - and only their - particular stamp on it.

They really did not need to change this rich and complex story. They didn't. I can't watch anymore of this mess.

The Wheel of Time (2021– )

Can't deal anymore with the overacting actors

[6/10 · 26 December 2021]

TWO in particular - the woman who plays Wisdom is CONSTANTLY scowling and posing and more scowling and more posturing. UNTIL she decides to seduce Moiraine's Warder. That gives her a minute of smiling. It's hard to tell with this actor: was it on purpose or what? Just can't tell with all that constant, unabated anger. The guy who plays Rand, also constantly scowling and posing and scowling and posing... hey! Enough! We finally lost Mat who was another scowler and poser but I have a feeling he will be back. I won't. I've had enough of this heavy handed acting. Rosamund Pike and Daniel Henny and some others are really great but even they can't hold it together.

Santa Inc. (2021)

Nasty, Just plain nasty

[1/10 · 8 December 2021]

The language is beyond nasty. It is not possible to believe anybody would put together a film like this with this kind of shocking, filthy language. I cannot imagine who the target audience is for this piece of garbage.

Balthazar: Noces rouges (2020) Season 3, Episode 8

6 or 10? But the ending in a horror

[6/10 · 28 June 2021]

Same great writing and acting and camera work but the end is a screaming horror. This left me with very unhappy memories of this show. WHY?? WHY did they want to end it like this?

Sweet Tooth (2021– )

Far too predictable - waste of time

[3/10 · 20 June 2021]

The only thing I can say was good was the photography. I have to believe all these 8 and 10 star reviews are from people who either worked the show, are related to people who worked the show or are people who invested in the show and are desperately trying to beef up the reviews.

Suspects: The Enemy Within: Part 4 (2016) Season 5, Episode 4

Boy is Jack overacting in this one !!

[5/10 · 20 May 2021]

Since his "daughter" was kidnapped- not a spoiler as it was set up in the last episode- he is just hopping and screeching, pulling his hair and questioning everything the other cops say. He's completely forgotten all police procedures and acting like an outsider with saying (over and over and over) "why aren't you out there looking for her ???" As they go through all the KNOWN steps to find her.

And - big question here - why is he so suddenly the devoted father? He didn't even know she existed until a few hours ago and NOW he is overwhelmed with grief and fear? She is a total stranger. He does not know her. He got her mom pregnant in a few minutes of fun and never even heard about her for 16 years?? And now he is in an absolute fit about her being missing?

Hey, Jack, you are really, really jumping the shark!

One Lane Bridge (2020– )

By episode 5, you just want it to be over

[2/10 · 13 May 2021]

Opened with promise. Then the story started wandering and asking more and more unanswerable questions. Not even that spectacular scenery can make up for a limp, garbled story. Throw in all the psychic and mysterious and empty pieces, but it just doesn't work. You get where you don't care about any of the people, the story makes no sense but you've invested enough time to slog it out to the end. To see "who done it". Thankfully there are no more than the 6 episodes. This dog is definitely a time waster. Started out so well...

Being Human: Though the Heavens Fall (2011) Season 3, Episode 7

What a depressing episode!

[2/10 · 29 April 2021]

If the ghost Annie wasn't already dead, somebody should take her out and shoot her. I've always thought her the weakest, most inane and silly character but for her to backstab Mitchell like she did and tearfully claim It was for "love" (?) as she thinks this makes her so superior... I dunno. I am at a loss as to why the writers wanted to get Mitchell out of the story. He was most people's favorite character and golly, the cruel way they did it.

Very disappointing.

A Monster Calls (2016)

Oh boo hoo hoo - far too predictable

[3/10 · 29 October 2020]

The animation was lovely. I'd give 10 stars for that. I am guessing the story appeals to people who need to FEEL and there are evidently a lot of these, counting the high reviews and raves for tears. So horribly predictable and they just dragged it out longer and longer and longer. I am a great fan of Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking) and understood he took this on to round out the career of his dying friend, using her structure and characters outlined but not written. Well, ok, but his books are appreciably better than this Lifetime for Women tear jerker. Had a hard time finishing.

Profilage (2009–2020)

We'll Spiral it Ain't!

[6/10 · 17 October 2020]

Interesting enough to keep watching. Most of the characters are well done except for the profiler/psychologist and she simpers a bit too much. ALL of her dresses are made from the same pattern in different fabrics/colors and she even has the same coat in two different colors. I find that very peculiar, plus she drags a giant yellow handbag everywhere, even all the crime scenes. Everyone relies on her judgment, regardless of how dumb and unfounded her ideas are. I may keep on or not. If you are looking for a kiss ass French crime show, look up Spiral. Awesome!!

Beforeigners (2019– )

Where can I stream season 2?

[10/10 · 16 September 2020]

I am so hooked on this incredibly creative show. I just watched the last episode of season 1 and google says yes there is a season 2🙀 So Ok but where can I watch it...?:

pant, pant... got to watch season 2 but WHERE??

HELP??? TIA!!

Lovecraft Country (2020)

Yes, monsters here - called white people

[4/10 · 10 September 2020]

Lovecraft? Really? The old ones? Really? Where?

The only monsters I've seen on this show are the white people. I feel like HBO took everything they could find that was harsh and cruel about 1950's black living and crammed it into the first episode, jacked up everything wrong about this time - 65 years ago - and then called it Lovecraft County? Why?

Well filmed, well set, good actors... but no Cthulhu or the Great Dreamer or Yog-Sothoth? Just a cracker sherif and a lot of mean, scowling white people.

One thing that surprised me was casting Jurnee Smollet, sister of Jussie Smollett, as the girl in the trio of "blacks looking for answers" as Jurnee looks white. Are they making a statement?

Night Hunter (2018)

Can't believe the low rating (?)

[10/10 · 26 August 2020]

Excellent cast, very twisty story, filmed well, edge of your seat stuff. I read some reviews to see why it got low ratings and it seems people thought it was too complex with sub-stories. All I can say is if you are intelligent enough to hold the complexities together, you will love this film

Billy the Kid (2013)

Student film?

[3/10 · 2 May 2020]

Nicely shot. Nicely dressed. Strange lighting. The story just doesn't hold your attention and the actors seem like they are cold reading their lines. What a mess.