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Eat. Race. Win. (2018)
Interesting idea, but doesn't quite work
Caveat that I'm reviewing the first episode and will update this if later ones are better. The idea seems intriguing -- cooking for an elite sport team. But for me it didn't quite work, mainly because of the constant switching back and forth between commentary on the food and commentary on the cyclists (and the race).
There was never anything that really brought the two together. The chef repeatedly talks about the importance of nutritious food which is interesting, but the cyclists are simply shown eating it. None of them ever 'wow, this food is great!' or gives any indication that the food matters even though that is the premise of the show. I'll watch more; hoping future episodes are more interesting.
Ready Player One (2018)
Sigh, books and movies
I think I need to stop reading books before watching the movie adaptation, or I need to watch the movie first. This isn't a bad movie. And it's not that it's just different than the book. It's the fact that I can't help compare the two and honestly, the book was better.
Tomb Raider (2018)
Fine for a long-haul flight
Entertaining but somehow not very exciting despite all the action scenes. Good for taking up time on a long flight but I'm really glad I didn't see this in the theater or even stream it.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
Worth watching
I really liked this movie. Fun action scenes, and just the right amount of humor.
The Orville: Into the Fold (2017)
Like the series, but found this episode annoying
I don't usually write reviews of single episodes, but this one just bugged me. The zombie apocalypse sort of inhabitants were not well done; more b-movie than the series is in general. What I found really annoying was the fact that Dr Finn killed the one inhabitant of the planet who was actually trying to help her! And worse, she later tells her kids that "killing isn't our way" (really?); and comes up with an antidote to the disease killing the other inhabitants and sends the cure back to help them. Meanwhile, the good guy is long dead.
Justice League (2017)
Predictable but fun
Justice League was pretty much what I expected. But that's not a bad thing. It was entertaining and fun.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Dissapointing
Not as entertaining as I had hoped, but the set had great scenery
Dunkirk (2017)
Worth watching
Found the pacing a little slow (surprising for a war movie), and the timeline confusing. Great cinematography though- overall enjoyable.
Portlandia (2011)
Wish it wasn't ending
Far too true in too many ways. Best enjoyed while drinking home-brewed Kombucha and eating chia seeds soaked in coconut milk...
Stranger Things (2016)
Wow
Really great. There are not a lot of series I'll binge-watch over a weekend, but this one is worth it. Great acting, great plot. Definitely worth the time.
A Cure for Wellness (2016)
Started great, but...
How could a movie that started so well, end so badly? Great cinematography, and what seemed to be a really interesting plot (at the beginning). But somewhere near the middle it all went very, very wrong. The last half of the movie took strange (unnecessary?) twists, the pacing seemed off, and to me it went on far too long-- kind of like that New Yorker article that you wish had been 5 pages shorter...
The Orville (2017)
Not amazing, but fun
I started watching this not knowing quite what to expect given Seth MacFarlane's other projects (some of which I've liked, some I haven't). I was expecting more sarcasm and cynicism. The fact that it contains less is to me a good thing. The series is really well done--definitely humorous, but it also posits interesting challenges for the crew as they explore.
The Last Man on Earth (2015)
Another dark comedy
Funny, dark, and occasionally surprising. I sometimes think the main character (Tandy) overplays his 'doofus' persona to the point of being tiresome but it's balanced well by the rest of the cast. Great episodic writing too, as new characters are iteratively introduced, constantly changing the group dynamic.
The Mick (2017)
What can I say, I like it
I probably shouldn't admit how much I enjoy this show given that it's impossible to feel sympathetic towards the characters and and their actions. The sitcom plot lines are equally painful. But it's currently my go-to favorite because it's so over-the-top.
The Good Place (2016)
Looking forward to season 2
I binge-watched season 1 long after it was available and was a little surprised I hadn't heard about it before. The concept is creative and the plot (and twists) entertaining. The episode structure does a great job of making viewers want to keep watching the next episode; or at least it worked that way for me.
Baby Driver (2017)
Not my kind of movie
Where to begin... this movie was, to me, an utter disappointment. I had high hopes at the start - interesting concept, great styling -- kind of music video meets Tarantino-- But as it went on, the movie became completely predictable and honestly, kind of silly. I found it a bit stressful to watch at the beginning and felt more like 'OK, let's just get this over with' at the end.
Sharknado (2013)
Mindless fun
Wait, I really rated this a 7? Yes, I did. Is it a great movie? Absolutely not. But it is definitely fun and funny and sometimes that's enough.
Lady Dynamite (2016)
Weird in a good way
This is a really weird show. If you, like me, watch the first episode and think "what the heck is this about?," try and stick with it -- I watched most of season 1 before I really liked it. It's not the content that took time to grow on me, it was more allowing my suspension of disbelief to kick in sufficiently that I could enjoy the quirkiness without trying to over think what was happening. If you're looking for something that is pure entertainment, give it a try.
8½ (1963)
One of my favorite films
I have seen this movie more times than I can count. Even the first time I saw it I was struck by Fellini's masterful opening scene and the use of sound & silence. The movie is clever, funny, and poignant. Definitely worth watching.
Elf (2003)
Add it to your annual holiday movie rotation
Elf is a great movie to watch as the holidays roll around. It's not a fantastic movie by any means, but it's funny and heartwarming, and carries a 'feel good' holiday message.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
Disappointing and unconvincing
I had this film on my watchlist for a long time based on a trailer I saw when it first released, but missed seeing it in the theater. I was excited to see that it was available to stream.
I read the trilogy first and loved it so was curious to see how the three books would be condensed into a single film. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed and that disappointment didn't stem solely from the book-to-film transfer.
While the cinematography was effective and definitely captured the mood conjured up by the books, the characters felt really flat to me, and badly cast. In particular, the characters of Emma and Miss Peregrine were not convincing. Even Jacob seemed stilted and less 'filled with wonder' about his new world than I expected. Similarly, the story line felt increasingly disjointed and unconvincing as the film progressed.