sdgnz Reviews

The Last Ship (2014–2018)

Average, Skip it.

[4/10 · 28 May 2024]

Based on the IMDB rating I put this on my watch list, when I got around to watching the first episode it seemed ok so moved onto the next, which was a little more average.

By the third episode the cracks were beginning to appear.

There's a global virus that wipes out 80% of the population, however there's a gun battle with the ex-prisoners of Gitmo. What? Really?

All seems a little formulaic, the writers are trying to tick all the boxes. Attractive female scientist, over bearing ships captain, bad Russian.

Production values seem high but it's no Jack Ryan or The Last of Us. It's not terrible but with so much high quality viewing available, there's better options. Skip it.

The Terminal List (2022– )

Reacher or Ryan provide better value, but worth a watch

[6/10 · 15 April 2024]

The Terminal List is another Reacher & Ryan type of get revenge and sort out the world type of show. Chris Pratt does a good of job that elite military tough guy that can't be defeated and generally it's a pretty good show with a good pace and plenty of action.

Apart from one small (predictable) twist at the end it's a pretty linear and simple plot line - basically just kill everyone connected.

The disappointing aspect is the script and plot, while Reece starts out as a true American - setting out to right the wrongs done to him and only deal to those involved, it seems to gradually slip towards the last couple of episodes, and he's wiping out all sorts of military that are just doing their job and unconnected to the conspiracy.

Worth a watch.

Fargo (2014–2024)

Brilliant... mostly

[7/10 · 17 December 2023]

Fargo was an cracking show, at least until we hit the fourth season. That's when the show took an unexpected turn, and not in a good way.

The first two seasons were pure gold - impeccable scripting, stellar casting. Season 3 kept the momentum going. But then, brace yourself, here comes Season 4.

I couldn't quite decipher what went wrong, but Season 4 turned out to be a complete disaster. It's not just slow; it's a marathon-level slow, a real snooze fest. The casting choices were... well, let's say they missed the mark. The characters lacked that spark we fell in love with, and the plot twists felt like they took a detour into a maze of confusion.

Gone were the subtleties and nuances that made the earlier seasons shine. It's like they threw everything out the window, including coherence.

My advice? Skip Season 4, binge-watch the others, and revel in their brilliance.

Fingers crossed for Season 5 - let's hope it's a return to the show's former splendor.

The Menu (2022)

Fails to deliver

[2/10 · 9 June 2023]

The Menu has an interesting premise but it fails to deliver.

It starts off well and delivers a suitable suspense and foreboding that builds nicely at the start but it really doesn't go anywhere.

Fiennes and Taylor-Joy are great and do most of the heavy lifting and the rest of the cast is somewhat dull and in fact most have few lines.

The script is the a big problem, without giving anything away, the characters seems to just accept their fate with little concern or resistance, maybe it is brilliant satire and a commentary on the world today.

The ending is unfulfilling. It lacks any surprises or plot twists and at times is quite slow listening to Chef Slowik monologues.

There were so many missed opportunities and hints at what could be going to happen but nope, just all fairly slow and boring.

The Reluctant Traveler (2023– )

Bit of a disappointment

[3/10 · 5 June 2023]

When I saw this advertised I had high hopes for this travel show as I general enjoyed Levy in his other roles and travel shows, but it quickly became apparent that this isn't really up to the calibre one has come to expect. Frankly I'm surprised how this gets a rating of 7.5.

While there are some interesting places there certainly isn't anything special here - each episode seems to be heavily structured to promote the accommodation and/or sponsored by the local tourism board. At times it feels like some of the script has been written by the accommodation provider - don't forget to mention the floor to ceiling windows, or the size of the bathroom etc... On the upside the filming is great and looks beautiful.

The on-going joke from Levy showing his hesitancy and ignorance about, well, everything doesn't stop and gets tired quickly. It doesn't help the travelling American stereotype either. If they pulled that back a little and showed a little more of the real location rather than 'wow look at this swimming pool/breakfast/bathroom', it might be more appealing.

If you want a more interesting, genuine and humorous travel show (providing you like British humour) check out Karl Pilkington's shows - An Idiots Abroad and The Moaning of Life.

Dark Tourist (2018)

Expected more

[4/10 · 10 March 2021]

In Dark Tourist, David Farrier takes a look at the unusual often macabre 'tourism' spots around the world. It's a travel show with a twist - the focus on the dark side of tourism.

However, that's the problem, a lot of the places Farrier visits are not really Dark Tourism rather just a little bit quirky, for example the WW II reenactment, although he repeats the phrase endlessly perhaps in an effort to justify the content or genre.

And most of the stories are arranged by the production team rather than being actually tourism.

The show could have been created with stock video and a voice over, Farrier being there didn't add a lot to the show, apart from creating some unnecessary fake drama or risk. I guess it was an excuse for Farrier to travel the world at the expense of Netflix.

Instead of 8 episodes it would have been better as a one-off documentary that selected the best bits.

Farrier says it best with his line that he's 'a cheap version of Louis Theroux'

After Life (2019–2022)

Great, but season 2 could be better

[5/10 · 30 June 2020]

After Life focuses on Tony, a grieving widow, who lost his wife to cancer, but this grief is taken to the extreme.

Season 2 fails to live up the standard set in season 1. Ok, we get it - Tony is sad and misses his wife, we don't need the constant reminder and all the slow panning clips of him looking sad watching some clip of his wife on the laptop while some melancholic music plays. I think this is overdone - give the viewer some credit.

It's the normal cast of characters that Gervais has worked with in the past. Joe Wilkinson as the postman is fantastic, and his character really stands out - his characters develops has some touching moments as well as being funny.

Season 2 seems like a series of disconnected clips - Tony meeting the women on the park bench, Matt talking to the physiatrist, Tony visiting his dad, Lenny and Tony writing a story for the paper. With clips of Tony being sad thrown in to pad out the episode. There's not much more story or character development.

Paul Kaye as the psychiatrist is at times entertaining but mostly cringe worthy and doesn't seem add anything, he virtual doesn't appear anywhere else other than in his office, and almost serves no purpose other than writers showing how crass they can be. I thought Matt (Tom Basden) would have gradually developed and then stood up to him, but no he continued to be downtrodden. It seems out of character for Tony, who lambasts everyone in his path but when he meets this obnoxious character just shrugs his shoulders and walks off.

However. despite my criticism the show is still great, and a nice change from the trying to cram a predicable gag in every minute. The show is mostly swings between being touching and sweet often with a great music selection to great British humour. And just when you think you have got it figured out it catches you with something you didn't expect and a delivers a poignant moment.

Hopefully season 3 can return the quality of the first season.

Jerry Before Seinfeld (2017 TV Special)

Same old material, just a higher pitched voice

[3/10 · 11 June 2020]

He's trying too hard and something is missing here, almost seems a bit desperate.

So... what's the deal with his whinny voice? Once you notice the high pitched voice it starts becoming more and more apparent, I thought men's voices got deeper as they aged? Not this guy.

And his "I'm telling you for the last time" special needs to be updated, since he's telling us again. A good chunk of the material has been used repeatedly and apart from some extra hand waving, a higher voice and a little more story around the joke it's the same old material most of us would have heard several times already.

I enjoyed the TV show and it has provided me with many hours of enjoyment, and still a great show today, but this was below average and even cringeworthy at times. Skip it.

Sully (2016)

Light on story, plot and characters

[6/10 · 11 June 2020]

Fairly light on story, plot and characters, not surprisingly it's a fairly short film, unusual for Eastwood.

Long sequences of Hanks running through New York streets help pad out the minutes, throw in a few flash backs here and there and you can stretch out a 4 minute event into a whole film.

However that said, it's an enjoyable and easy watch.

Transsiberian (2008)

Enjoyable but don't think too much

[6/10 · 13 April 2020]

Transsiberian is an enjoyable crime thriller movie set (mostly) on the Transsiberian Express which. The film is a slow starter as you get to know the characters but did make me wonder if it was going to get anywhere interesting, but things do pick up and then really holds your attention. The story develops well and has a few good twists and turns to keep things interesting.

BUT you really have too not think too much regarding a couple of massive plot holes. The main one I found the hardest to deal with was why did Jessie need to kill Carlos? - The way the scene plays out is she seems to have dealt with the situation but for some reason decides that isn't enough and continues to finish him off. None of which makes any sense, especially at the start of the film the writers established Jessie and Roy are a good all-American church-going couple on the way home from a overseas church trip, even with the brief discussion explaining her a bad-girl childhood, it doesn't really work.

Most plot holes are not usually a big deal for me and can be easily ignored as they usually facilitate the movie for the better in some way, but this is such a key story point - the whole story is largely based on this event.

Harrelson and Kingsley are well cast and do a great job of their roles.

Overall a good watch but annoying the writers didn't fix such a big issue with the murder.

The Mule (2018)

Another great film from Clint Eastwood

[9/10 · 17 March 2020]

Another great film from Clint Eastwood. A slow paced story that has you invested from the start. Similar in some themes to Gran Torino, I wonder if there is some redemption aspect going on with Eastwood's real life comparison to these characters.

Great film, definitely worth watching and a don't miss if you are an Eastwood fan.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Fantastic & enjoyable film.

[7/10 · 17 March 2020]

Fantastic and very enjoyable movie to watch, which has a great sense of humour about it and at times quite unpredictable in its direction. Great casting also, the characters really fit and all do a great job.

My only gripes is the language seems crazy and over the top in terms of swearing, do people really speak like that in Missouri? Maybe the do. There are a number of major plot holes that don't seem to make sense but don't focus on them otherwise you detract from an otherwise very good film.

I didn't look at my watch once. Which is a good sign.

Amazing Grace (2018)

Great... if you like the music

[4/10 · 17 March 2020]

This is a interesting documentary, showing some of the worlds great Gospel singers doing their stuff. You really are watching history being made -- however that said if you are not a music fan there isn't much else going on and can be a slow or difficult watch, there isn't a Werner Herzog voice over to keep you interested.

Pacific Rim (2013)

Just terrible

[1/10 · 27 July 2013]

This is the worst movie I have seen in a long time. Sure it has crazy creatures battling it out in the oceans which is just fine with me but so many elements just let the movie down. It could have been so much more.

Why did the drivers of the Jaegers need to actually be in the Jaeger at all? and why are the controls linked to massive mechanical devices, surely this would be electronic. And the head is fired onto the Jaeger via some massively complicated lift type procedure? Yet they can clearly just get out the head when needed?

It took 8 days of tanks and planes to take down a Kaiji but one shot into the eye from an auzi clearly causes it some distress? ONE SHOT?

The oceans are about 4 stories deep, which seems to change or the size of the Jaegers adjusts during the movie.

What's with every bit of steel needing to be rusty except for Ron Perlman's shoes? and massive bulkhead doors being used for the living compartments.

The acting, sooooo bad.

Let's send the helicopters to go and pick-up the two survivors, but lets send 20 helicopters, that makes much more sense, especially since this is a military program that has been shut down so ready access to dozens of helicopters becomes easier.

They can build Jaegers with some sort of amazing sword device that comes out of nowhere but forget to tell the drivers?

Charlie and the professor, just random cast choices there!

It's set in the future, some things are hi-tech others are retro rusty junk, it doesn't make any sense.

There's just so much more. How this movie gets a 7.8 is beyond me. Don't waste you life and avoid at all costs.