Affirmative_Dave Reviews

The Gray Man (2022)

Could as well cost 1 billion

[3/10 · 22 July 2022]

Whatever the money you put in a movie having the best actors, as long as the direction is bad the outcome will suck.

The plot itself is ok (a mix of Bourne and Taken), but its rendering, directing, editing is really bad.

If you only want to watch action scenes (and skip the rest), that's fine.

Otherwise, watch something else.

Money Heist: Válvulas de escape (2021) Season 5, Episode 6

Netflix-ed

[6/10 · 18 February 2022]

This filler episode is unnecessarily stretched, like many, especially from seasons 4 & 5 (and 3).

You see, with 200 million subscribers Netflix needs lengthy dramas. Adding 30% time to any series, keep people more connected, subscribed.

The problem is that directors don't always know how to produce 10 quality episodes from a plot made for 7.

Fortunately, the next episodes, till the end, are pretty good.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

The Amazing Rating Men

[4/10 · 30 January 2022]

How that movie got to 8/10 is a deep mystery.

• Painfully predictable.

• Unreliable story.

• Lengthy boring scenes.

Granted, that movie qualifies for the most suspicious high rating ever.

Spider-Man (2002)

This, is the real Spider-Man.

[9/10 · 12 January 2022]

However I'm not the biggest fan of the TMG+KD couple to incarnate Spidey and MJ, these 3 movies represent the actual characters and story from the original Marvel comic books.

Peter Parker is the regular student, nice and shy, nothing particular, until he's bitten by an experimental spider ; then he's blessed with some extraordinary abilities.

The original atmosphere of the books is well captured in the movies. No Avenger BS here.

The Americans: Stingers (2015) Season 3, Episode 10

Powerful episode

[10/10 · 13 August 2021]

This is where "The Americans" make a difference.

Such a powerful episode, wonderfully played by the Jennings family.

Saying more would spoil its highly emotional scenes, so I'll just rate this excellent episode 10/10.

Gemini Man (2019)

Not so good

[6/10 · 8 December 2020]

A couple action scenes are worth a watch (they're all in the trailer). Other action scenes look like they come from a cheap video game...

initially I thought that the bad reviews were a kind of GoT S8 revenge... But, unfortunately, the script is just bad (could have been so much better). Besides inconsistencies, it lacks these important small scenes between the main ones that keep the viewer interested. And way too predictable.

How to make a good show? Easy... look at masterpieces, like Breaking Bad, and, hum, GoT!

The Boys: What I Know (2020) Season 2, Episode 8

Wondering...

[6/10 · 11 October 2020]

Congrats to The Boys for having the benefit of high ratings, despite serious consistency issues, and plot weaknesses.

In the finale (and season 2 globally) the more CGI scenes and brutal actions there is, the higher the rating becomes.

Nobody cares about the plot? A botched finale (like a lot of S2), where most of it is highly predictable?

Nobody cares about consistency? Throughput the season 2, and especially in the finale: in past episodes, some characters are incredibly strong, and yet, when that's convenient (for the writers) these supers become surprisingly vulnerable (with no explanation whatsoever).

Currently 9.6 ... like an episode of GoT, or BB... Seriously?

Ratched (2020)

What a waste :-( Could have been much better

[6/10 · 19 September 2020]

Acting, especially Sarah Paulson, is excellent.

Then,

• why that constant overdramatic music that doesn't fit most of the scenes?
• while some scenes are beautifully photographed, why these ugly oversaturated images?

and, mainly,

• the totally botched script...

Didn't someone check that before shooting? Guys, this is the most important by far! Not only the story was seemingly written by a 8 year old, the shots are thrown to us and follow one another without any subtlety.

Could have been so much better :-(

The Boys (2019– )

From a great and creative S1, to an ordinary predictable S2

[7/10 · 5 September 2020]

It was to be feared... We had an amazing S1, with a great and original ending.

But it seems that perfect ending didn't left much room for creativity in S2. So, besides some great CGI, we are back to something that comes from the ordinary, seen 100 times elsewhere, predictable, that doesn't always make sense.

For instance, it's easier to kill time and fill much of an episode with a useless and irrelevant discussion, than trying to build a solid script that keep us interested from beginning to end.

(based on S2, eps 1,2,3. To be updated...)

Give S1: 9/10 and S2: 7/10, that makes an average of 8/10.

Better Call Saul: The Guy for This (2020) Season 5, Episode 3

Good, but

[8/10 · 20 July 2020]

There is a 5 minutes scene with Hank and Steve interrogating Krazy-8 (and Saul).

The writers probably tried to revive some of the famous Breaking Bad scenes, with Hank + Steve and Mike interrogation for instance (BB S05E02). That BB scene was fantastic, with a humorous Hank and the cherry on the cake at the end (money).

On BCS, unfortunately it was not fun, it felt long, almost embarrassing.

Money Heist (2017–2021)

All in all, excellent

[9/10 · 31 January 2020]

Excellent new concept.

Seasons 1,2 were amazing, 3,4 were ok.

Season 5 is an extraordinary ending, having some unpredictable moments that are really enjoyable.

Love Without Pity (1989)

A very well made societal portrait of the 1989 France

[10/10 · 20 November 2019]

Hippo and Nathalie, an unlikely couple in Paris. She is a top gun student. He resembles a loser. So different... Actually, really different? This is what Eric Rochant portrays brilliantly in one of his early movies. On one side stands Society with its practical and economical rules. On the other side is life, simply. Love, tricks to subsist in a society obsessed with the economy. Will Hippo success in his attempt to bring Nathalie closer to his simpler life?

Living with Yourself (2019)

Very bad script!

[5/10 · 22 October 2019]

Paul Rudd is a great actor. And the global idea is interesting.

Unfortunately the script, dialogue, scenario all appear to come from a cheap computer algorithm. Bad making, timings, interaction between characters... "Living with yourself" tries hard to fit what makes a comedy, but it's hardly funny. The authors should have chosen a more "serious" path, adding some funnier moments here and there.

Aren't these authors watching Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones to get the most basic idea of what makes a show solidly interesting?

Dirty John (2018–2020)

Go past the first 2 episodes

[8/10 · 19 February 2019]

Very watchable from episode 3. Connie Britton plays elegantly that 50 years old beautiful woman who falls in love with Dirty John. Eric Bana plays convincingly John the sociopath, whom past life is unveiled gradually.

The negative reviewers probably stopped after the first episode ; though there are interesting developments after the characters have been introduced in the beginning.

I must agree, the two daughters are annoying when they talk ; they might have been "forced" to speak with an "OC" accent. Terra (Julia Garner) is more bearable in the excellent "The Americans".

All in all not a bad show, gripping at times, and a rather good making.

Fast Five (2011)

Finally, a good F&F

[8/10 · 19 February 2012]

I watched the first Fast and Furious, a few years ago (2001), and was very disappointed. This was the typical arrogant action-i-am-stronger-than-you-bunch-of-high-fives-with- muscular-hands-absent-script movie. For me, the F&F series would end at that number one.

But yesterday, intrigued by the 7.3 IMDb rating of F&F 5, I decided to give that movie a chance. And... action, action and action. Nicely done. Beautiful, amazing and, even, the unexpected: the movie has a lot of originality!

The first action scene is absolutely fantastic, and literally breathtaking. And the one near the end... I can just say amazing... while I'd like so much to talk about it - but this comment would be flagged as spoiler. Not only that scene belongs to the "never seen before" category, but also it was filmed from the right angles, and it looks real (maybe it is!).

The script is not from Agatha Christie, of course, and one may anticipate and guess some of the developments during the movie, find a few plot holes, but, clearly, this is not what you want from the movie. It is more than watchable thanks to the amazing action scenes, and the brilliant making that seized the most from those scenes.

Finally, Brazil, the Brazilians and the Favelas add a lot to the atmosphere, colors and photography. This is also why the movie looks "different".

If you need to get some more energy, to get 120% woken up, ready to run / work / whatever, watch that movie ; this is far more efficient than an energy drink!

The Mechanic (2011)

Not the usual Statham, but is bad?

[8/10 · 10 December 2011]

People used to Transporter (and the like) are gonna get a surprise in this movie. Jason Statham plays a professional killer the true, serious and credible way. The kind of role that is usually reserved to the "elite" actors of this kind of film genre, like Bruce Willis or more recently Matt Damon. The Mechanic gives Statham the legitimacy he deserves to play the same role in place of such actors.

In the Transporter Statham plays a hero in a movie where nothing, no situation and nobody is really taken seriously. The charismatic actor injects a lot of humor that matches perfectly his character.

In the Mechanic, we have a still charismatic actor who plays a serious role that doesn't allow the same humorous attitude. While some elements are predictable, the script is not bad, and even offers much originality. Also, Donald Sutherland plays remarkably the killer's mentor.

All in all, this is an enjoyable movie.

Transporter 3 (2008)

Unexpectedly good!

[9/10 · 6 February 2010]

Ready to watch an average entertaining movie, I didn't expect to see the best of the Transporter sequels.

For once the script has been designed carefully, action and fight scenes happen logically, there is true suspense and we believe in the story. This is not the regular high-budget low-brained film we have been taught to expect.

Valentina (Natalya Rudakova) has a nice touch of "Nikita", and plays wonderfully the captive girl half romantic, half moving. A very promising actress. Jason is excellent as usual, and, for once, gets his performance highlighted thanks to a riveting story. Fight scenes have something from the legendary Jason (Bourne) movies. Camera effects give fights some necessary depth, compared to other movies.

The best of Luc Besson back at work.

Do not pay too much attention to the low rating: It looks like the Transporter aficionados - used to pure raw action/no story "Chuck Norris" like - were disappointed. Well, this is probably the best thing that could happen to this movie: Transporter 3 definitely got its level upgraded and targets a different audience.

My advice to the producer: keep on the good work, and create a new movie based on the same pattern, but just don't name it "Transporter 4", so that you don't disappoint the "Missing in action" fans.

Waitress (2007)

Misandrists will love the movie

[6/10 · 1 July 2009]

It is refreshing to view new faces from time to time. I like "Waitress" for that: a decent movie that tells an interesting story based on original ideas where not-that-famous actors play.

Russell and Sisto do really a good job. They are convincing and rightfully cast for their respective role.

So, where is the problem?

While the editing of the film is "funny" at times, the script is the problem. In several places the situations are irrelevant, not credible. The reactions of the people are often ridiculous. And men act strange...

The message intended from the director becomes quickly very clear: simply put, she hates men. From half of the movie it appears clearly that the director is a woman, and during the second half, it becomes obvious she must have some sort of revenge to take on men...

I liked the ending though and gave the movie a 6 instead of 5.

Serving Sara (2002)

M.Perry saves the movie

[7/10 · 3 October 2008]

This movie is originally based on some good ideas. And many elements of it are not so predictable.

But, unfortunately the direction and the script are so bad, that all in all, the average result is a rather clumsy movie. Most of the actors do a lousy job (direction problem) and the lines do not match well the situations.

Nevertheless, thanks to Matthew Perry the movie is still watchable: 1. His enjoyable jokes, à la Friends. 2. His perfect play. 3. His match with E.Hurley.

Elisabeth Hurley is also enjoyable (and so sexy...).