rmkellync Reviews

Killing Eve: Hello, Losers (2022) Season 4, Episode 8

Not as bad as it's scored

[7/10 · 26 September 2023]

Mild mild spoilers

All of season 4 was a train wreck, I thought. The obvious different tone and direction throughout the season I did not care for. I don't like where Konstantin was taken, or not, as a character - or which director advised him to start laughing like that.

But the finale: I think it scored so low here not because it's just an ok episode and finale, but not the 3.whatever score it has here, but because of viewers reaction to the ending itself.

Seasons 1 and 2, amazing. 3 is the transition to whatever the main next story (the 12) was, but 4 botched the landing immediately and this wasn't Keri Strug shaking it off either. Every moment of the Christianity conversion story line was a total waste of the viewers time - maybe it was great and funny in the book.

NOW i have heard there is a spin-off in the works for everyone's fave old female spy: Carolyn (who after Villanelle is the absolute star of this show, stealing scene after scene). I'm down for that.

Overall: Killing Eve in total all 4 seasons: 8/10. The first two seasons were good enough to carry the rest. You CAN stop after season 2 or 3 and be ok. Lol.

The Idol: Double Fantasy (2023) Season 1, Episode 2

Ummm

[2/10 · 13 June 2023]

Her agent, her "team", and the drama around the music video were/are great. The leads suck, Tedros was and remains super cringe every time he's on screen. Yes, he can't act: we've established that.

The shame is that there really is something here. This concept is really good but it's trying to have that euphoria shock vibe, and it's turning viewers off unlike with Euph. I care not a whit about joss and tedros. I care about the machinations of her agent maybe signing another singer... that was interesting.

I'm watching this for a person I love, he can't seem to pay attention and is in his switch playing Zelda after begging we watch this. Two episodes was enough for me. 👋

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Cite

[6/10 · 26 March 2023]

My initial score of this movie was an 8.

So someone really enjoyed Sense8 it would appear. This movie was well made and visually appealing, performances are good - I'm not personally seeing Oscars here. It was cute and fun, but it's a get high and watch it once kind of thing for me. Equal parts trying too hard and really well executed meta. Then a stupid slapstick butt plug element. Perhaps I am not seeing something everyone else is - yet i still think it's a 7. It's a fun movie.

But in my opinion its the Matrix + Sense8 (so, Wachowskis influenced) with some sort of half heartedly executed family drama/comedy underneath and a dash of Scott pilgrim meets Kill Bill? (That may be a stretch)

My rating is dropping as it goes on and somehow is making me sad. Someone's playing a piano with their feet now, for reference.

This movie should perhaps be the beginning of the end of the multiverse concept - which itself is really played out. (Movies still going .. at least 20 minutes since I started writing)

They haven't wrapped the battle or the family subplot. So, I'm gonna be here awhile... (11 min later) I think we're nearing the end now.

Hmm. What was this? Was it good? Ya. Was I entertained? Yes. Did I like it? No.

The Last of Us: Long, Long Time (2023) Season 1, Episode 3

Nearly perfect

[10/10 · 31 January 2023]

There is not much I can add but that won't stop me from trying. I resisted watching this, don't know the game, many of these game related reboots are stupid. I wasn't a Walking Dead guy nor got "bit" by zombie fervor over the last 10-15 years.

That said: this made for tv drama about two men living and living through the fungal epidemic was moving and beautiful. The cinematography, set design, effects (the fence scene), writing, directing - but mostly the amazing acting from Offerman and Bartlett.

To find love in a terrible place and hold on tight is something anyone can release to. Making tough choices - ya, we get that too.

I could write a novel. I cried, I cried hard. A good ten minutes. I saw where it was going before it did and I really like how they did it.

This is top shelf - masterclass level television. Emotional, funny, raw, and shockingly real.

Swardson deserves a nomination if not the win. Playing so far outside the "Nick Offerman" character that I expected was so unexpected. An amazing job by all parties.

Do Revenge (2022)

Runner thrown out at home...

[7/10 · 29 January 2023]

With just a few changes and a better ending this would be a 9 from me and not a 7.

A clever revenge story with a twist, always nice. Wrapped cleanly, too cleanly.

I said to my husband about five minute before it ended that it seemed the movie, about kids, was written for adults as is so often the case (see euphoria). It had a childish ending, like it was written for a younger audience.

It was so close to being a touchstone movie akin to Heathers, Clueless, Mean Girls, etc. But it just missed the landing. If you took the tech out, it's visual look would have you asking what year it is, at time. The costume design is great.

It's paced well, funny, good acting, the young women all are great, it's better than the mid 6 average score it has. I'd go 7.5 if it had been an option. Cute flick, thumb and half up.

Emily the Criminal (2022)

Yup

[7/10 · 8 January 2023]

Hey I liked this. Here's the skinny, the real real short: your got Aubrey Plaza who is right smack in the middle of here first real "moment." Starring roles in a few projects and it's all not April Ludgate: score. You got a short run time: a good ninety some minutes - perfect. Premise makes sense, it's not super over the top except for the moment or two where she does something really out of character for the person she's playing. The extremes we go to when we must can make anyone do almost anything. Emily isn't a criminal, she doesn't set out to be one, but she is one. She's showing women can do whatever men can - it's dangerous, it's unfair, you can score big, or lose it all. You care about her character and the outcome. The ending, again, made sense and is within the scope of logic for the person, the crime, and how it played out in its final scenes. Plus - did I mention Aubrey Plaza. Man she really is gettin her due, getting some parts, and showing she can hold a scene and be The lead of a feature. This movie is not perfect. But it's short and fun and worth your streaming time. 👍🏼

Don't Worry Darling (I) (2022)

It is a way to spend time that is a movie

[4/10 · 29 December 2022]

It were as though Ms Wilde decided "let's make a movie that's bright and looks old but isn't". Let's roll out ten seconds of every oldies hit, and retread tropes that Truman show, WandaVision, even the matrix have done. I didn't see what all the fuss was about either way. Fan average it in the 6, Critics in the 40s, trust the fans are being a tad generous. It's pretty, it's Chris Pine playing Chris Pine, it's a movie. It's steaming so you already paid for it with your subscription- you already wasted time on Glass Onion, go ahead and waste it here too. Just don't wait for it to elevate itself to anything more than it appears to be.

Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022)

Horror lite

[5/10 · 6 October 2022]

When I went back and saw it was PG-13 I think I realized this was basically a YA "horror" movie that rolled out Donald Southerland and dropped Stephen King's name to great effect in getting this 40something to sit through this. When the credits rolled I was confused by several aspects and not in the Kevin Spacey loses the limp at the end of the movie amusingly enjoyably confused or surprised. That was it? Low body count. Creepy aspects, yes, but this is closer to modern suspense with a small commentary o modern society/screens/devices thrown in. It's watchable, but there is little to really sink your teeth into. Donald Southerland could read the phone book and i would have given it a 4, so my 5 for the flick isn't great. Try Joe Hill's The Black Phone instead.

Evil (2019–2024)

What exactly is this?

[8/10 · 25 July 2022]

I'm new here and we plowed through S1, I was against it. It started on CBS, I think CBS shows suck. That's just me. The premise seemed dumb and hard to execute properly on network CBS. Problem solved by going to steaming, they really can push it.

This is one part x files, one part workplace drama with requisite will they/won't they romance, one part comedy, one part horror. We're all adults watching here in my house and I've been legit creeped out more than once.

I'm also a lapsed catholic so that's fun too. It's really fun binge it type show with an arc storyline going through it all.

Oohhh! I just had to turn away from it! Haha (s2e7).

It's good, give it a few episodes and remain skeptical but open minded. It's funny, profane, well made, and well thought out. I'm a big new fan, excited for s3. 👍🏼

The Society (2019)

Why one season?

[8/10 · 15 June 2022]

Haven't finished yet, but I know it didn't get renewed which sucks - I hate an unresolved story, especially one like this. There was a LOT of world building and character building, and the arcs for 2-3 more seasons exist here already.

So, mindful I don't know how the finale ends yet, it's been a few years - and Covid. Someone buy this script and let's really pick up in the real world amount of time that has passed (can explain actors ages) where whoever is left, or joined, or moved on, or whatever.

The Stand (2020–2021)

It's worth your time.

[7/10 · 29 May 2022]

I don't understand the scoring some are giving this.

That five point something overall score must be for people who only watched one or two and slapped a low number on it. This should be averaging 6.5 or higher, I think.

Three adult men watched it, all liked it. One had read the book and is super King fan, he was pleased. This was after he ripped recent Firestarter and hasn't stopped since.

Easy to follow plot. Seems to be logically broken up for a mini series. I tried a mini series version as a kid and loathed it.

I didn't expect to like it, I really really liked it.

7/10 : do not need to have foreknowledge of the story at all.

The Girl Before (2021)

Stick w

[7/10 · 2 April 2022]

I had it figured out, until I was totally wrong. The twist exists. The ending makes some sense which I always like. I had to go back, was told the last ep had an after credit scene that matters. The characters will annoy you, and the premise is just silly.

It is not a haunted house kind of story, the AI isn't a character, so don't run away just because of that.

The visuals are great, there is tension, its not wholly predictable. Not everything is fully answered, but it has a clean ending.

At four episodes, if you're a limited series kinda person- do it. You'll laugh bc it's stupid how stupid these people are, but boy are they pretty.

The Dead Zone (1983)

No coin flip

[8/10 · 29 March 2022]

If you're even a little on the fence about watching this, just watch it.

Walken is great. The story makes sense. It would be made longer if made today, too long. There were a few questions I had that watching it that being with someone who knew the novel well was helpful. I liked the pacing, I liked the way the passing of time was handled. Would liked a little more here or there, but that's way better than the alternative: here's blood and a jump scare. Martin Sheen playing a total blowhole is nice, and is double funny if the name Josh Lyman rings a bell.

Fun movie. Runs fast. Will satisfy. Thumbs up.

Calls: It's All in Your Head (2021) Season 1, Episode 4

I see myself in this one: which isn't great

[8/10 · 14 March 2022]

I'm a little whiny when I get sick, sorry. Mom was too, her mom too. If you are or have been one, or have an annoying hypochondriac in your life: kick it up several levels for this chick. "I'll have what she's having definitely," definitely applies to the blend of whatever she's taking to report these symptoms. Keith Richards said lay off honey.

So bc it's this show and nothing at all is what it seems, no one is acting normal. If this were real world you'd joke mars is in retrograde over Uranus, you know what I mean. There's more to it here. Something happens reminiscent of something else we've encounters. That's why the previous episode stood out at first for not having these clear creepy overtones - which is leading to it being creepier now.

This one has family drama based on pain created by man, and the extra something something that will drive many viewers to a one evening binge of these bite sized episodes.

Calls: Pedro Across the Street (2021) Season 1, Episode 3

Whodunnit meets 'who am I?'

[8/10 · 14 March 2022]

Pedro, if that is his real name, has a plan. We have talked about this one since, I wasn't immediately sure it fit the twilight zone like feel. I will need to see where this story fits in the overall story of the show to be certain of my theory. Less overt sci-fi feel, more caper like. Something is off, as usual, people are not acting in a wholly normal way. This one it's a little less obvious, nothing feels otherworldly. But maybe some questions on timelines. Good story, good vibe. More to come.

Calls: Me, Myself, and Darlene (2021) Season 1, Episode 5

Yowza!

[8/10 · 14 March 2022]

Great place to end my night 1 binge. Trippy storytelling that has a callback to earlier episode themes - the arc is gently showing itself. But I don't have a clue what's actually happening, but we get confirmation that the stories are tangentially related. The types of events we have seen are not normal, something must be influencing these event. How? I don't know. Great story here, more excellent performances. Interesting ending! Really good. Because..... well, that's up to you.

Calls: The Beginning (2021) Season 1, Episode 2

Trippy

[8/10 · 14 March 2022]

It's a scant twenty minutes since I reviewed e1. Bite size episode = nice. E2 totally different, same story telling technique, story unrelated to 1 entirely. Twilight zone vibe, first one had some horror/suspense to it, e2 got to me emotionally to be honest. Nice ending, left me wanting more. Was left in a satisfyingly unanswered way. Enjoyed. The binge continues as we speak.

Calls: The End (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

Gripping

[8/10 · 14 March 2022]

I didn't like it until I loved it. Starting e2 as I type. Lots of potential meat on the bone, depends on how this structure of the phone calls plays out. I set my phone down and was captivated by the last few minutes. I HAVE to know if e2 explains more of the ending of 1. Huge potential. Stay tuned I'll let you know.

The Batman (2022)

I'm not a superhero movie person...

[7/10 · 6 March 2022]

... which was a good thing because this isn't a super hero movie. Caveat: I haven't seen a Batman since before the Nolan's.

This worked for me because the story made sense. The villains were believable with the master criminal element mixed in with some mafioso subterfuge. It's dark and brooding, not overly violent. The Bat has been behind the mask two years, and works with Jim Gordon - some cops don't like this. So he's still establishing himself and who he is and has a little "am I doing more harm than good" vibe. If you needed to know anything about any other movie, I couldn't tell.

So: RPats in the mask is a striking Batman. Interesting backstory on the Wayne parents, so if you're a passerby on the story - fills in some holes. It's not the exact same Wayne story I knew, I liked that. His delivery as both Bruce & Bat was cool, fights looked good and weren't overdrawn. Adding to the reality of it, it's not an interstellar or super power villain - it's a mystery. A pretty straightforward murder happens, Bat investigates. He asks questions and we're off into the layers of Gothams seedy underbelly.

Selena Kyle has a personal connection of her own to the crime, and yes - the ballyhooed chemistry between them is a thing. You want to see if it could go somewhere.

The Riddler is creepy but not on screen for too long. His ending doesn't answer everything clearly, which you'll like.

The Batman is too long. That said the first 2 hours really clipped along for me. It sets itself up nicely for at least 2 more of RP wants to.

Euphoria: All My Life, My Heart Has Yearned for a Thing I Cannot Name (2022) Season 2, Episode 8

Season 2 won me over.

[9/10 · 28 February 2022]

Really well done. This whole season. I don't love love this show, I hated it for a minute. This season was really good. Great development among the characters that allowed for investment whenever and wherever the viewer wanted it. Your opinions on the characters can vary dramatically from episode to episode, three friends watching can walk away thinking something different. Blah.

So this episode. We all cried. If you've lost someone, you probably cried. If you're under 40 and lost a parent, you cried. If you saw the Shakespearean setup that was going to play out with the sword of Damocles ending of the Fezco storyline of the last episode, it was better than I thought. What I expected was CLOSE but I was wrong. It was a very well done scene. Top notch.

The play: for me, I would have done the play as one long episode - that's just me. Loved it, like everything else in this show: over the top, dark, funny, on point, thematically correct for the show and where the story was at this point. As a theatre kid from a lifetime ago, anyone who was, you laughed at how stupid the production and its billion dollar budget with no oversight at all is: suspension of disbelief is a key part of euphoria

Nate: PlushCare has counseling services and you can get meds for some of these issues.

Mackay: did you go to Europe to fight Putin? Where'd you disappear to?

Nate's dads posse: dude put a shirt on, that guy. You know which one.

Lexi: you're amazing, Maude: you're amazing. Just can't say enough.

The ensemble, I could rave about each girl, maddie's shoe - that's all I want to say. Shout out to all the great young actors, the young Black girl playing the stage manager is a star waiting in the wings.

Love her, hate her: zendaya is here and she's going to remain on the radar. I'll be watching to see what she does, Break more legs.

Lastly: to everyone's favorite white boy Fezco, you're my boy. I see you. I get you. I know "that" guy, he's been one of my best friends for 20 years.

Fantastic season, I have eaten and will continue to eat crow.

The Book of Boba Fett: Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

Deja vu

[4/10 · 2 January 2022]

When the final credits showed I literally said "is that it?" Hero defeats sand creature to gain acceptance and credibility is ground it feels we just covered. Visually great. Liked some of it a lot, will watch it all. Didn't love this.

(Revised: never watched again and only regret that mando current season lack explanation without it (apparently, re: grogu).

No Time to Die (2021)

Something for everyone...

[7/10 · 18 October 2021]

... to both love and hate. I'm a long term Bond guy, and I really do like all the movies. Each has its own merits bc each used to sort of stand alone, until the Craig ones. I like what they did. I like that it's taken me until 2021 to really appreciate Solace. I love Craig, I grew to love his Bond. But this felt like a let's wrap the series kind of movie to me. I just don't know where the franchise goes from here except to a new 007 (not that chick please), and make these the further adventures of 007 and not James Bond. But then it's not really the same, is it? Next Generation movies weren't the same as Capt Kirk movies, they were just fundamentally different. So much so they had to go back to the Kirk model for the reboot. MUCH harder to do here esp when they killed off Blo and Felix; that's a whole other thing, killing Felix and James? No. Didn't love that.

All in all it was good. It was too long, but it was good. Not great. Rami malek? Not needed at all, wanted more blofeld. What a shame.

American Horror Stories: The Naughty List (2021) Season 1, Episode 4

Yikes

[2/10 · 31 July 2021]

I'm watching this bc my boyfriend loves AHS, and I love him. My god this is bad. This is like CW fluff meant for kids. Is this supposed to be scary? It's not. It's not funny or edgy or anything else either. The kid from Glee grew up, and Danny Trejo: yay? I guess. There's no meat on this bone, sorry.

Cruel Summer: Hostile Witness (2021) Season 1, Episode 10

Emphasis on final

[9/10 · 20 June 2021]

I honestly did not love the finale. It did everything it needed to do to wrap the story. It made sense. It connected dots. I just didn't love it. Until the very final scene, which we here in my home are still discussing.

The series gets a 9, the finale gets a 9. I loved The Sinner s1, and this had vibes of that. Which makes sense. Great watch, very enjoyable. And of course it's Kevin Smith's (Clerks, Mallrats, etc etc etc) daughter named Harley Quinn.

Expecting Amy (2020)

It's me

[3/10 · 22 April 2021]

I rated it 3 bc I didn't enjoy it. The other person watching with me loved it. So, ya. I think Amy's funny, I've watched her career with interest and wondered where she'd "disappeared" to in the post movie era. I hate the low score reviews who can't say anything but "she's gross." I just didn't relate to the subject matter and thought it was too slow. It has some GREAT laughs in it. Just wasn't for me.