rubya Reviews

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Style over substance

[6/10 · 10 September 2023]

I quite enjoyed the first episode Into the Spiderverse and went into this installment very open minded.

The style and graphics are nice but I felt like it was made by or for people with ADHD given the speed at which things were flashing and flying around on screen. It's fine in parts but over extended periods it's tiring and boring.

And then there's the feelings... They want everyone to talk about their feelings... All their feelings, so much! And we don't speak enough about our feelings... Apart from that, the story doesn't really advance much and I found myself checking my phone several times waiting for something interesting to happen. The second half of the film is better than the first half but as my teenage son called it, it's a filler episode.

The Mandalorian (2019– )

It gets old after a little while

[6/10 · 22 February 2023]

The series started ok but once you get passed the early on episode where the Mandalorian goes back for baby Yoda, it feels like every episode is the same or a close variation of it.

Arrive somewhere for repairs or looking for a contact, get asked by locals to help about some issue, help, baby Yoda does something cute or slightly funny, leave to start again elsewhere.

It's not awful and there are some amusing moment courtesy of baby Yoda but the rest is a bit dull and after 2 seasons I struggle to care for the characters. It's also quite predictable.

It will appeal to children and teenagers, die hard Star Wars fans who know all the lore, and to people who want to watch something that is not too complex (nothing wrong with light entertainment!). If you enjoy series with more substance it will get boring quickly.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Sequel or reboot...

[7/10 · 28 August 2022]

Let me start by saying the film looks good, it's entertaining enough and pretty much everything you expect from a Tom Cruise film.

You don't need to to have seen the original Top Gun to enjoy this one but if you have, you'll get added value and nostalgia with the flashbacks and the appearance of Val Kilmer.

But... If you have seen the original, you won't fail to notice the strong similarities between the films. More like a reboot than a sequel:

• Maverick is still defying orders and getting away with it
• There is still a bar with piano playing, singing and a pretty lady "will they won't they" love interest
• "Students" once again don't realise they're dealing with their teacher until the next day's slight embarrassment
• Hangman is Iceman 2.0.

• Topless beach handball is now topless beach rugby
• Someone almost doesn't make it during an exercise and again Maverick gets them back on track and to base.

I liked this film enough, especially the second half of it, but think the first installment had more charm.

Top Gun Maverick is not a 10/10 or masterpiece but a good 7/10 worth your time.

Bel-Air (2022– )

I reserve judgement for now EDITED

[6/10 · 15 February 2022]

If you grew up with the original Fresh Prince, it may be quite hard to watch this reboot without it feeling wrong and to give it an objective chance.

I watched the first episode so far and I can see why some people hate it: it has the same base characters and back story but it's different in a way that makes it almost unrecognisable and some people will definitely be disappointed not to get the old 'vibe' again.

I knew it wasn't a comedy, but that was a massive part of the charm of the original so personally I missed the likeable cheekiness of Will in this episode (maybe it comes in later).

Aunt Viv, Hilary and Ashley feel familiar if only more modern, however Carlton is different and not in a good way in my opinion. The original was a lovable square, the new one so far is an unpleasant, drug taking jackass.

Geoffrey is also very different, no witt or funny sarcasm so far.

The family as a whole looks less 'posh' and classy than before and more MTV Cribs style rich.

I will give this a chance and watch more, trying my best to not compare with the original, before I can decide if it's good or bad.

EDIT

I've had a chance to watch more episodes and shake off the link with the original Fresh Prince so I'm able to appreciate this show as a standalone one.

The cast are doing a decent job and it's got good moments.

Many people have touched on the woke stuff and yes, it's annoying because it comes across as tokenism, clumsily and heavily done rather than an organic and realistic part of a wider story.

But the thing I feel most uncomfortable about is the barely hidden racism in making the handful of white people on the show bad people: the white privileged friend of Carlton who turns out to be racist and an a**hole, Lisa's white step mum who is self centered, wanting all the attention at an event celebrating the saintly black mum and was the mistress while said mum was dying, the white cop who doesn't believe Carlton could be living in that house and keeps asking who the home owner is, Hilary's white boss who just cares about views and will exploit her, the white haute cuisine execs who don't want spicy food because they say "black people aren't their target demographics".

I'm sure there are a few white people in the US who aren't completely bad so why make it look otherwise?

So all in all I can enjoy the show for what it is but would appreciate less of the BLM agenda.

The Matrix Resurrections (I) (2021)

The best part is the trailer

[3/10 · 24 December 2021]

I'm sad to say this one is a hot mess and the only good bit of it is in the trailer.

Where do I start... There isn't much point to the story: there was peace between humans and the machines but still they go and get Neo for no apparent good reason, causing trouble.

Neo, the hero, is now weak and not able to do much except a shockwave every 2 seconds. In fact he doesn't do much at all in this film other than be there. If he wasn't, it wouldn't make much of a difference.

The other actors are just bland and forgettable. I've just watched the film and already can't remember what the new agent Smith looks like. I certainly didn't feel any threat from him, or the architect for that matter.

Unfortunately Jada Pinkett Smith is back and unfortunately she's even worse than in the previous installments. The caricature of the old woman is laughable, seriously.

Too much of the film is about watching the first film on a smaller screen inside this one. Not flashbacks, no, just scene after scene of the 1st one projected on surfaces. Is it to pad it out to make the run time or to try and give fans something to like?

And then the characters having to explain and spell out the back story, and the plot, and their plans, and intentions, and feelings etc. You know it's a bad film when the characters explain the story and what they do to the audience.

Overall it feels like this film is to The Matrix original film what Scary Movie is to Scream.

New Amsterdam: Radical (2021) Season 3, Episode 10

How can we help?

[5/10 · 23 September 2021]

New Amsterdam writers want to show just how really really woke they are. They need us to know they are totally tuned in to every single case of social injustice, racism, sexism, homophobia, historical wrong etc. So they turn each episode in a mini demonstration rally to lecture viewers because obviously we can't possibly be as aware as they are and need to be taught lessons even in our down time.

I mean, there's no doubt that these are serious subjects and shouldn't just be brushed under the carpet, but we don't have to address them all in one episode or even one season. We also certainly should address them in a clever manner, not put big clogs on and trample the subject in the most unsubtle way possible so it turns it into a farce.

Who is going to believe a medical director would run around trying to rename a hospital because one patient complains, and he sees it as "justice" for what happened to native americans? And then he settles for renaming a lobby and thinks it's all good? Please! Give him his brain back!

And why do all the patients in this hospital have to come in to then refuse treatment because of some big issue that isn't solvable in the 30 minutes they have before they die? And they complain but let Max run around like a headless chicken without telling him what they actually want or need to accept treatment.

It's OK to deal with real world problems but there are much better ways to execute it. And it's also OK to sometimes have a break from the lectures and just write a decent medical drama.

Star Trek: Discovery: That Hope Is You, Part 2 (2021) Season 3, Episode 13

Let's fly?

[1/10 · 9 July 2021]

Most people have covered the many issues of this episode and the season in general so I won't repeat them.

I stuck with Discovery to the end of season 3 out of misplaced hope it could improve but Michael Burnham is going nowhere so that may be the end for me as she is the most unbearable character.

As for "let's fly!"? Oh my god no!

Coming 2 America (2021)

Cringeworthy

[4/10 · 7 March 2021]

This films looks like a parody of a comedy where everything and everyone is like a caricature or looks forced. The first 10-15 minutes are just cringeworthy with jokes that fall flat and make you feel embarrassed for the cast. I'm sorry to say but the acting is just not good enough, from everyone involved. Eddie Murphy didn't have his natural unforced humour and charisma. It, at times, felt like he was not happy to be there and forced the smiles and jokes in the scene to get it over with. The camera work and editing in the fight training scene are shocking. I can only assume the product placement is a joke a la Wayne's World. The CGI is truly awful and the string of cameos is just bizarre as if trying to fit as many people as possible in a short time. Throw everything at it. I was expecting Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Jamie Fox and Kevin Heart to show up somewhere in that party. I didn't hate the film and I watched to the very predictable end but it feels like a missed opportunity.

Star Trek: Discovery: Scavengers (2020) Season 3, Episode 6

And the Oscar goes to...

[2/10 · 23 January 2021]

Michael Burnham is the Bishop Heahmund of the future: the loud whispering, the permanent intensity, the idea they're on a "holy" mission. I mean even her eyebrows are acting hard! You can't help laughing every time they start talking/whispering. Can you imagine anybody in the Star Trek universe acting like Burnham? She was raised by Vulcans as the sister of Spock (should at the very least manage to control her emotions), then joined Starfleet (where following Captain orders is the most basic of rule everyone is expected to respect) yet spends her life going against orders, talking back to superiors, interrupting them and argueuing. And to top it off, she goes and gives her captain her understanding approval for punishing her so he doesn't feel too bad? Please! Oh and the punishment is to go back to her old position from like 45 minutes ago, 'so harsh!' Cap. Picard would have blown a fuse if LaForge had pulled something half as bad.

Star Trek: Discovery: Forget Me Not (2020) Season 3, Episode 4

Star Trek: Disney

[3/10 · 6 December 2020]

The show seems to have been written by a teenage Disney fan fiction wanna be writer. Every single scene becomes a soppy emotional, watery eyed 'inspirational' (vacuous) speech full of hope and positivity and love and kindness and cuddly unicorns (Ok that last one is made up) with the dramatic music in the background. Making each and every discussion look dramatic ends up making none of them exceptional, meaningful or important.

Something a bit darker or challenging happens (e.g. argument at dinner)? Don't worry your little head!! It is all made better after 30 seconds when we all apologise of our own accord to each other and make up because we're good people.

Oh and more of Micheal being at the centre of everything, the saviour of the universe and everything within it. Who needs a crew, just send Micheal "superhero" Burnham to the rescue (even if it means letting her jump into a sacred pool in a forbidden cave when any of the other 5 Trills there could have done it instead.).

Space Force (2020–2022)

Not for everyone

[5/10 · 11 September 2020]

This is one of these shows where you have to like the type of humour or you just won't enjoy it. Unfortunately I didn't. I only watched 2 episodes and from what I saw, the humour is not subtle, more silly. Just not my type, and therefore it's painful and boring to watch. It will have its audience who probably will love it so it's worth giving it a chance to see if it works for you, but it's not universally funny.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark (2020–2021)

Misleading description

[6/10 · 5 September 2020]

This series is advertised as being a true cime story about the Golden State Killer. Very quickly in the first episode, you feel like it's rather an advert for Michelle McNamarra's blog, podcast and book. The blog's URL is repeated multiple times like these bad adverts for car insurance and we're told by various people how great Michelle is and how great her book is going to be. A lot of time is spent explaining how Michelle got interested in the case, how she investigated it, how she got access to evidence and sources, her thoughts and theories and how she wrote about it all. Is this just a badly disguised tribute to Michelle from her family and friends? If you stick with it, you do end up hearing from the victims and their story, and how the GSK operated but it does take a while. The episodes though are often a jumble of bits which don't seem to have a particular order or flow to them. You don't feel like you are progressing through time or through an investigation. It's more like listening to someone remembering parts of Michelle's life story in random order until you reach the point when the crimes themselves are discussed. This makes it difficult to get into and at times quite boring. Had they stuck to talking about the crimes, victims and investigations/evidence, it would have been a 2 (perhaps 3) episodes series but interesting throughout.

The Walking Dead: The Tower (2020) Season 10, Episode 15

Sigh...

[4/10 · 9 April 2020]

When you think characters cannot be more annoying than some of the ones we already know, Princess turns up... I don't know where to start on how annoying she is and I dread having to see more of her in the future.

This episode looked like it was made by amateurs.

• Somehow everyone found each other again and moved to an old hospital. Queue the long panning shot jumping from person to person showing them just standing there.
• Negan is now mother hen, bringing food, cooking it and counselling Lydia so she can grieve
• Aaron and what's his name are spying on Beta to find out where he's taking the horde like the worst sleuths on the planet; standing or walking 5 feet away from them and of course getting noticed.
• Eugene, Princess and co walk in to a concrete parking lot that somehow and for whatever reason has mines that they can't see and after 10 steps in they're stuck because, you know, going back is not possible as they can't remember those 10 steps.
• Oh the group's horses got scared away by Princess' shooting and found their way in to the minefield to get blown up, but the group never heard a thing of course.
• Judith, a child, can just walk out in to the woods on her own in the midst of a war of sorts; no adult minds or stops her, she's Ricks daughter you know so she'll be fine if she encounters the whisperers, unlike grown men like Aaron and what's his name.
• Daryl, the crossbow ace, can shoot all zombies with head shots without fail, except that whisperer because we need to see their pointless conversation and Judith's concern for people even when they've tried to kill everyone she loves.
• Carol has a chat with Kelly who's very understanding so Carol can quickly rejoin the group and not have guilty tears in her eyes in every scene.
• The group have forgotten past seasons about how you can attract a horde and move it to where you want with loud sounds because it would be too easy to defeat the whisperers if they did that.

I'm trying hard to find something positive to look forward to in the show but with the arrival of yet another character, annoying "tank girl from Fortnite", I can see we're not going to get more realistic and gritty stuff, just more ridiculousness.

The Walking Dead: Walk with Us (2020) Season 10, Episode 12

Finally!

[7/10 · 18 March 2020]

The show has been mediocre for quite a while so despite its shortcomings, this episode looked much better than many before it. It's not on par with the first few seasons of the show but there are a few scenes that were good enough to make me feel happy with it.

Judith has finally acted like a real human and not some kind of super child and the actress did it really well. It made her character endearing rather than the fake thing she was before. The scene with Earl was good.

The battle scene was 'meh'. The group seem to magic out some catapults from somewhere when the zombies were basically at the bottom of the wall. I'm also curious as to what exactly they were storing around the camp to make explosions all over. Maybe they should have used that to attack instead of their medieval tools.

The Negan scenes... How it seems many didn't see it coming is strange. You just knew he was going to do that. He seems the only one clever enough and capable of strategy and patience. Nonetheless, it was satisfying.

Finally, how many time can they miss killing Beta? They're making him look like a super villain when really he's not doing anything clever, it's them just being useless.

The Walking Dead: Stalker (2020) Season 10, Episode 10

They're just human

[5/10 · 3 March 2020]

What made this show great before was that, despite the zombies, it was sort of realistic when it came to the living humans. They were flawed, with human reactions.

Lydia in this episode tells her mother the group is human... errr... we've not been watching the same people here. Last week we had Carol who displayed a level of stupidity that blows your mind, even for a grief stricken person. This week Gabriel suddenly has super powers of truth detection (and is able to keep a straight face while saying it, I know I was laughing it was so cliche) and grown a big pair wanting to torture whisperers and "he talked to God". Daryl first gets a cut to the face (not clear where), can't see for the blood in his eyes, but would he try to wipe his face, would he?! Then he survives a blood squirting cut to an artery in the leg with a small bandage from Lydia and some sleep. Then one after the other, nobody seems able to cut, stab or shoot Beta in any way that could possibly slow him down just a little. Only Judith, a child, seems able to aim properly and that's through a door! I mean, your biggest enemy is in the house, he's killed some of your people, he wants to kill you and you don't stab him in the head the first chance you have?

They all talk the big bad-ass talk but most of them are useless.

And then you have the "Thriller" video of Beta's hand coming out of the grave/tunnel grasping at air and emerging like a supernatural monster to sneak around Alexandria Jason style. Please...

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

It's not that bad

[7/10 · 26 January 2020]

I get why some people may be disappointed this film isn't the sequel to T2 they were hoping for but if you watch the film without any expectations, it's not that bad. Even the currently fashionable female power theme is not as bad as in other recent films, mainly thanks to Mackenzie Davis who I think carries the movie.

Ok, the future saviour of humanity who needs protection is now a woman. Some may be upset it's not John Connor but lets face it, he was never the hero of the films, he was what drove the main characters. His replacement isn't great though. Sarah Connor is still badass but also slightly annoying. Carl (Arnie) really is just for the fans as the explanation for his existence is a bit lame and easy, and as a terminator he doesn't make sense. But hey, can't make Terminator films without him! Coming to Grace (Mackenzie Davis): she really pulls it off. She's strong without trying to be a man, vulnerable without being weak, she's believable and the fight scenes don't look stupid. I particularly enjoyed the chain action. She's the kind of female action hero that I like and reminds me of Ripley in Aliens, not over the top. The film would have had a much lower score without her in. The bad guy has some cool moves but yet isn't scary compared to the first two films' terminators. He talks too much and looks casual most of the time rather than like a killing machine or a predator.

All in all it's not a masterpiece but it's not boring and there are some good action scenes.

When They See Us: Part One (2019) Season 1, Episode 1

Unbelievable but true

[10/10 · 16 January 2020]

This episode made me so so angry! I was too young when the real events occurred to know about the case so I had to look it up to check if it was a real story because it's so unbelievably sad and twisted and nasty. It's even worse to know it's real. What these children had to endure is gut wrenching and I can't imagine what they and their families went through. This episode will make you want to hurt the policemen and the prosecutor, want to hug and shield these boys, want to scream

The actors are all doing a great job and the sets, direction etc. are such that you feel you are watching the real thing. It's brilliant at showing the terrible world we live (lived?) in.

The Irishman (2019)

I was looking forward to this

[6/10 · 5 January 2020]

I was looking forward to this film so much but I don't feel it's the masterpiece it should have been.

Nobody can deny the skills of Al Pacino, De Niro, Scorcese and al, but I think this film was made too late. Too late not because people don't want this kind of story anymore (they do); too late because the actors are too old for the roles. While Al Pacino can pass as his character and the deaging looks ok on him, making him the most believable of the cast, the deaging really didn't work on Pesci whose neck is a dead giveaway of his real age, and both him and De Niro don't move and talk like younger mobsters with the bodies of younger men. Ultimately, they look like old men using a Snapchat filter, not multi million technology. Additionally the blue lenses on De Niro are just too distracting making him look he's got an eye disease, is high or both. Acting being also through the eyes, the lenses take away from that too much.

As for the story itself, it would have benefited from being shorter. At times it drags on too much making it boring. There are some really good moments, especially the scenes involving Hoffa (Al Pacino) where you get to understand the relationships and personalities. Other scenes don't feel necessary to advance the story or the characters.

It is a good film but with flaws. As much as I wanted it to be, it's not a 10/10

The Spy (2019)

Interesting

[8/10 · 2 January 2020]

I was not aware of the story about Eli Cohen so this series was interesting on a historical point of view and I learnt stuff. I didn't have any bias towards one side or the other before starting and I don't think either side comes out of it better or worse than the other as the story telling makes you at times feel sorry for some of the Syrian characters and annoyed at some of the Israeli ones, and vice versa. At times I thought the mentions of Saddam Hussein, Arafat or Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden may be gratuitous but it turns out not really. The latter in particular was really involved in the project.

All in all the costumes, sets, props and acting were good and convicing. Both Sacha Baron Cohen and Hadar Ratzon Rotem did a great job at their respective roles. The only actor I had a bit of an issue with was Alexander Siddig who plays Suidani and comes across almost like the Terminator, glaring seriously in every scene and looking obviously suspicious of Eli (even the worst spy would have noticed).

6 Underground (2019)

Not for me

[2/10 · 31 December 2019]

I like Ryan Reynolds (and Deadpool) but even that's not enough to get past the first 15 minutes of this. Maybe I'm getting old but car chases involving one fancy car and lots of baddies black cars, that last 20 minutes with shooting in crowded streets and cars flipping over right next to people sitting outside at a cafe has been done to death, mostly in Tom Cruise's movies. Then the silly jokes are better, funnier and not as cringe worthy in Deadpool. It may be a case of "it's not you, it's me (and the other people I watched this with)" here but this was turned off after 15 minutes with not intention of giving it a second chance.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Disappointed

[4/10 · 28 December 2019]

I'm normally a fan of Tarantino movies and was looking forward to this one but unfortunately was disappointed. The acting was good, in particular Brad Pitt, the costumes, sets etc were fine too but for the vast majority of the film the 'story' was boring. The basic plot seems to be filming an actor at the tail end of his career making a few western films and his stunt double doing, well, not much. Peppered with a few Charlie Manson clan bits as some sort of bait to keep watching for something to happen, and a couple of Bruce Lee scenes that seem aimed at making him look like a very dislikable person which is puzzling. Then at the very end you get the usual QT violence but in a laughable and ridiculous way (the screaming running woman). I'm still not quite sure what I watched and what the point of it was, I don't feel amazed or surprised or even mildly entertained, just bored.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Kind of boring

[6/10 · 27 December 2019]

I'm sure teens will love it, there are enough battle scenes with lightsabers and ships, the Disney friendship bond and the "we can do it, together!" spirit. All very positive, light, predictable and ideal for merchandise sales. It's just that all of the above gets boring and cheesy. If you take out the fight scenes there's not much story left, and the little that is left you will have guessed early on in the film if not in the previous episode. There are no surprises or real plot twist with a bit of darkness for balance. If it was a dish it would be too sweet. It's not terrible and the visuals are good but it's not amazing either.

Joker (I) (2019)

Magnificent

[10/10 · 26 December 2019]

Everything about this film is just superb. The atmosphere, the photography, the pace and story itself but last and certainly not least Joaquin Phoenix. His performance is mesmerising and amazing. His body, thin and contorted, his face, his eyes... Although he's acting it never feels fake and every inch of his body is telling the story. It could almost be a silent movie and you would still get it. It is an origins film but it could easily stand on it's own as the close up story of a man's descent into madness. It is haunting and a masterpiece.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

By far the worst movie I've ever seen

[1/10 · 9 December 2019]

I've seen bad movies before but this is by far the worst. All movies are now measured against this one for a scale of 'bad-ness'.

I get the skills required to make it all like one shot, I get the good actors, I get that it's satire and meant to be clever, but it's pretentious, self-indulgent, the music becomes unbearable and it's simply not entertaining. It's just like watching a clique of artsy people patting themselves on the back for their inside joke.

Ad Astra (2019)

What was the point of it all?

[2/10 · 7 December 2019]

I was really looking forward to this one. What a let down. It's thoroughly boring, stupid and pointless.

Brad Pitt is an awesome astronaut (of course) who keeps his cool no matter what, controls his emotions to the point where he can ignore the woman he loves just to be good at his job. Very much like his dad who he really doesn't want to be like supposedly. Unfortunately anti-matter bursts coming from Neptune are causing havoc and he's asked to fly to the Moon, to then drive to the dark side to catch a flight to Mars to then send a voice message to Neptune where the dad he thought was dead is alive and crazy. Yes, it cannot be as simple as recording a message on Earth to then beam to Neptune... To do all this he has to single handedly fight off moon pirates (yes really), space rabid monkeys (Yes!), sneaking into a rocket in the last 10 seconds of the lift off countdown after swimming in a Mars lake before killing the whole crew. Long story short he still carries out the mission but his crazy dad floats off into space while he returns home deciding he will spend more time with his girlfriend.

The film is slow, with monotone voice over from emotionless Brad Pitt asking himself existential questions, nonsense science, and no point at all to the story really.