JabbaTheHans Reviews

Death to 2020 (2020 TV Special)

Expected Black-Mirror Level Entertainment, but got Liberal-centric "comedy"

[4/10 · 2 January 2021]

I waited in anticipation for this show since I am a huge fan of Black Mirror.

However, the "comedy" special turned out to be a mostly political criticism that catered to a Liberal audience, with a few funny one-liners to classify it as a comedy. Topics include Black Lives Matter, ripping on Trump and Boris Johnson, ripping on anti-maskers, justifying the BLM riots, etc. I wouldn't have minded its political content if only it was balanced, like how they do comedy in South Park.

The target market of this disappointing "comedy" show obviously are people who consider themselves as Liberals. If you are sick of politics forcibly inserted in your comedy or if you are a Right-Winger, you are not going to enjoy this.

Medal of Honor (2018)

Will make you emotional. Has decent battle scenes.

[8/10 · 21 December 2018]

Medal of Honor tells the stories of how some American soldiers during WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the war in Afghanistan earned the highest military honor a soldier can get: the medal of honor. It features interviews with the actual medal recipients, their relatives, friends, and actual soldiers they fought with. Reenactments of the battle where the medal recipients displayed extra-ordinary courage and care for their unit or mission beyond the call of duty are also shown.

The unbelievable courage displayed by the medal recipients and their impact on their communities, family, friends, and fellow soldiers will touch you. I teared up in most episodes of this series.

A negative thing about the show though is that an episode is actually just 20 to 30 minutes long only, and the rest of the episode features outakes and actual footage of the awarding of the medal of honor to the recipient in the White House.

Bird Box (2018)

Cheap thrills.

[6/10 · 21 December 2018]

Bird Box will give you a proper suspense that will make you hold your breath. It also has great acting, very good actors, good cinematography, and quality music. Bird Box also has some very good thriller scenes.

However, there are a lot of idiotic events and situations. I know this is fiction, but post-apocalyptic fiction is supposed to be fiction only up to the cause and driver of the post-apocalyptic event. The reactions and limitations of the characters still have to be realistic. Some things that the characters do in Bird Box are not supposed to happen if this fictional scenario actually took place IRL. The title is also pretty lame since the bird box has very little to do with the plot.

Watch this only if you're pretty bored or you've run out of thrillers to watch.

The Wire (2002–2008)

May be a 10 back in the day, but not in 2018 (watched from season 1 to 5)

[8/10 · 19 December 2018]

The Wire tells the story of the Baltimore crime/drug world from multiple perspectives. The casting, acting, script writing, and shooting locations are excellent. However, only season 1 was intense. The intensity and thrill plummet beginning season 2. The show also follows the same formula every season so it could become predictable by season 3 onwards. The story is slow-paced, which is not good for the attention-deficient 'yungins of today. The Wire will blow your mind back in 2002, but with all the great shows that we have been exposed to nowadays, The Wire is just worth an 8 or 9 at best. But don't get me wrong-- despite my many negative comments, this show is still a masterpiece-- a quite dated masterpiece.

Age of Tanks (2017)

Rich Documentary About the History of Tanks (Watched Whole Season 1)

[10/10 · 14 November 2018]

Age of Tanks is a series composed of 4 episodes (about 50 minutes each). It delves into the early history of tanks, their impact on various major wars, political conflicts, and their possible role in an emerging era of more advanced warfare. It is very informative, appears to be minimally biased towards Americans, and tries its best to include other nations in the conversation (Iraq, Israel, Russia, Germany, etc).

However, the documentary features more of events that occurred in Europe, and some inclusion of Israel, Iraq, and Korea. It also failed to include tanks developed by other nations and tended to focus more on U.S., Russian, German, and French technology. Despite these limitations, it was still very enjoyable and informative.

If you love military and war history, this is a highly recommended series.

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

Political Fantasy Full Of Intrigue (Watched All Seasons Except The Last)

[9/10 · 11 November 2018]

Game of Thrones is revolves about certain characters vying to get control over the fictional world, and the domino effects those desires have created, driving the whole story forward. The story is mainly set in a world similar to the European Middle-Ages, but with magic.

Game of Thrones has A LOT of characters that I cant even remember the names of 90% of them. Because of the HUGE world, the story is expected to be usually dragging during the first half of the season as it tries to set-up the final episodes-- which I will tell you are truly magnificent! Even the earlier seasons are set-up for the grand final season that will surely be one of the best final episodes in the history of modern television series.

If you are a fan of shows that deal with politics, fantasy, family, drama, and intrigue, you definitely need to see Game of Thrones.

Ozark (2017–2022)

Realistic Crime Thriller That Will Keep You On The Edge Of Your Seat (Watched Seasons 1 & 2)

[9/10 · 11 November 2018]

Ozark is an underrated crime series. Unlike in many shows of the genre, the protagnists (a dysfunctional family of four members) do not have above-average abilities like martial arts, marksmanship, weapons and tactics, intellectual genius, or perfect charm. The protagonists are very normal, flawed, vulnerable, relateable people-- like most of us. All the characters are driven by realistic motivations and adapt to circumstances in the best and most believable manner that actual people in such conditions and situations would do.

Everybody in the show is pressured: the protagonists, the side characters, and even the antagonists-- and you will feel that pressure so much so that it is actually sort of stressful to watch. Each episode will effectively hype you enough to motivate you to watch the next episodes, without the need to use underhanded tactics like explicit sex and gore.

The twists are well thought of and not over the top, the protagonists do not rely much on deus ex machina to save them, the story is well-written, the actors are great, directing and cinematography are really good. All in all, Ozark is a highly recommended dark drama for fans of the crime genre. This is a must watch!

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (2016–2018)

Hilarious Comedy Centered Around (Possibly) Anime's Strongest Character

[9/10 · 9 November 2018]

Saiki has ultra strong psychic abilities, which makes me dare say that he is the most powerful anime character of all time (even more powerful than One Punch Man or Goku). However, trying to live your life as an ordinary kid among ordinary people will surely produce so much tension-- which is the where The Disastrous Life of Saiki K revolves around.

Saiki is a very introverted, extremely self-reliant, boring teen, but his commentaries and how people (and animals) interact all around him make this show hilarious.

The show does not follow a linear storyline and features several mini-episodes for each 24-minute episode. There is no culminating plot and the series doesn't require you to invest too much time to see the next episodes to understand a grand story. This anime is light to watch and is very entertaining and enjoyable. Highly recommended anime!

The Disaster Artist (2017)

Inspirational Biographic Comedy About A Very Passionate, But Misunderstood Artist

[9/10 · 9 November 2018]

The Disaster Artist is about the people and process behind the making of the "best worst movie of all time." It is hilarious because the person being portrayed (Tommy Wiseau) is such an unbelievable person that really exists in reality-- his passions, manner, vision, and how he deals with discouraging events are truly "abnormal" and out-of -this world. I gave this a 9/10 because of the integrity of the portrayals made, the dedication of James Franco, and the real-life story behind this film.

James Franco really did a great job in trying to imitate Tommy. I can feel James Franco's dedication to the role. However, the other actors couldn't keep up to the high level of James, and were just at decent levels.

While watching the movie, I felt inspired to imitate the passion and dedication of Tommy Wiseau: even if the world (literally everybody in the world except his friend, Greg Sistero) told him that he couldn't do it, he just went doing it anyway. Most of the people in our lives, including us, are too terrified to step into the void and pursue our dreams while putting everything on the line to achieve those dreams.

The impressive quality of some of the most iconic and marvelous people in the history of mankind to overcome internal and external obstacles in the pursuit of their vision is truly amazing-- which is the highlight of this movie.

The Room started out as a failure, but eventually was honored to become one of the bests... of something. And this, my friends, is one of the cases when reality become more absurd than fiction.

Castlevania (2017–2021)

Decent anime-- Ignore the reviews of fanboys, anime noobs, and haters (watched seasons 1 & 2)

[7/10 · 7 November 2018]

Castlevania is a decent anime. You will love this anime if you are no older than a teenager because of the edgy elements: gore, controversial topics (bigotry of the church during the middle ages), double crosses, and shallow humor. But if you are an adult who has watched tons of anime already, Castlevania is pretty basic with its corny one-liners, weak script writing and directing, often lazy and sub-quality animation, and somewhat shallow characters. However, Castlevania will still entertain you. despite its many shortcomings.

And to those who gave this anime a 9 to 10 out of 10, please go watch real 10/10 animes like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop. This anime cannot even begin to compare with true anime masterpieces. On that note, ignore those who give this anime a rating of less than 6 because Castlevania is not a garbage anime nowadays.

Black Mirror (2011– )

Arguably the best sci-fi of this generation (watched until season 4)

[10/10 · 2 November 2018]

Black Mirror is sci-fi high on shrooms: a very thought-provoking show, that will leave you with strong and very different thoughts and emotions after watching each episode. Some episodes will uplift you, some will depress you. I personally cannot binge watch Black Mirror because it is just so draining to watch. Each episode induces you to reflect on your humanity, your personal life, how you deal with society, how technology affects your connection to society, the future of technology, and many other things.

Each episode is a stand-alone episode (but is said to be occurring in one cinematic universe) so you can jump episodes and seasons (except for the last episode of season 4-- watch that last). Different episodes have different characters (and I think writer and creators).

Black Mirror is the modern version of the Twilight Zone. It combines various genres in a predominantly sci-fi theme, while providing a utopian or (mostly) dystopian satire of humanity's technology-dependent present and future.

I highly recommended that you watch this show, especially if you belong to the young generation (after the Millenials) who were born with all this "high technology" we now depend on. Just be patient with season 1 because that's a pilot season-- most pilot seasons usually are just building the series' steam.

Bodyguard (2018)

Exciting action-conspiracy series (watched whole season 1)

[9/10 · 2 November 2018]

The series has nearly perfected the mix of romance, action, thrill, drama, and mystery and will surely make you demand for more. Awesome acting and action scenes. No need for explicit nudity to drive the point in the romance. Protagonist is also not over-powered and very vulnerable. Bodyguard is a highly recommended watch for action/conspiracy fans out there.

Note: Had to turn-on subtitles because the Scottish accent is quite heavy (English is not my 1st language so it's an extra effort to understand the conversations real-time).

Daredevil (2015–2018)

One of the best superhero series ever made (watched until season 3)

[9/10 · 29 October 2018]

This series has many good points: good script writing, above average acting, good cinematography. decent character development, nice directing, among many others. The show steadily hypes you to look forward to the next and culminating (climax) episodes and seasons. The inclusion of other Marvel characters like Elektra, Kingpin, The Punisher and Bullseye are very exciting to watch and to look forward to. The superheroes and supervillains are also not overpowered-- they get fatigued quite easily, like most normal people do. The motivations of the characters are believable and relatable. To add to the challenge, the people behind the series have also added continuously shot fight scenes (like 10-15 minute long scenes without cuts!) which are insane to just even think about. Overall, this superhero series was done right and is on the right track so far. Looking forward to season 4.

Off-topic recommendations: The spin-off series of The Punisher is also a must watch! You can forget about Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Jessica Jones is quite enjoyable.

Breaking Bad (2008–2013)

One of the best shows ever made (watched all seasons twice already)

[10/10 · 29 October 2018]

Brilliant story, amazing characters, plot twits that will personally affect you, realistic and riveting script, excellent acting, relatable characters, amazing cinematography, creative directing-- this show is just a masterpiece!

The show is slow paced at some parts, but this show is still a gold mine.

Highly recommended: watch Better Call Saul if you still have a hangover from this show.

The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

Brilliant horror series, except for the last episode

[8/10 · 29 October 2018]

This horror movie was very well done: solid acting (except for the very young kids), very creative plot and timeline, great camera work, solid character development, and wonderful script writing. The occasional jump scares and horrific scenes are spread out evenly to keep you asking for more, but not so it will make you bored of them. You will be thrilled to binge watch the series because of the intrigue and suspense that is hyped by each episode, building in intensity as the culminating climax approaches to finally unravel the mysteries of the Hill House...

...but the series takes a slow decline in episode 9/10 and suddenly takes a nose dive at episode 10/10. It's a shame that Hill House could have been one of the best horror series of this decade if it were not for the last episode causing it to lose all its steam.

Despite my dismay for the last 2 episodes, this is still a highly recommended watch for horror fans out there.

Bleach (2018)

Fun to watch and definitely worth your time

[7/10 · 19 September 2018]

The movie focused on the 1st arc of the anime-- it remained loyal to the story, but changed some things too, so there's something to look forward to. Acting was not that great, but decent. Some plot holes and underutilized characters, but those can be forgiven. However those who haven't watched the anime / read the manga will have difficulty in understanding certain parts of the story because some of the explanations were incomplete (I think the writers assume viewers should have at least watched the anime already before watching the movie). When I first saw the trailer months back, I was worried that the CGI will be disappointing, but I was wrong. CGI was excellent and the hollows were awesome! This is a must watch for anime / manga fans!

17 Again (2009)

Enjoyable movie which induces you to reflect (if your'e 40+ish y.o.)

[8/10 · 7 September 2018]

This is a movie that can easily be enjoyed by both teens and adults (best watched as a family). The plot is simple, yet very solid. The characters act in a believable, realistic manner, while most of the actors did really great.

What's really good IMO is that the movie will not only entertain you, but will also make you reflect on how you spent your life so far. It will induce you to revisit hopes and dreams that you have forgotten or abandoned because of the trivialities your younger self had to face. For teens, this movie will also touch on traditional values without shoving it down your throat.

Highly recommended, underrated movie.

The 5th Wave (2016)

Enjoyable action movie for teens

[8/10 · 27 August 2018]

Just disregard the brutally low reviews of wannabe, frustrated film critics.

Overall: I rate this 4 of 5. This film is a post-apocalyptic action movie meant for teens so put yourself in that mindset (a teen) to enjoy this. This film offers decent elements which I have broken down below. If you enjoy watching teens falling in love despite a really big world-altering event is happening in the background (e.g. Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent), then you're going to probably enjoy this film.

I have categorized significant noteworthy elements of the film below:

Thrill: The protagonist will be running from and fighting off antagonists. The main protagonist (Chloë) is vulnerable and does not magically gain super powers to defeat enemies.

Intrigue (plot twist): The major plot twist is nicely done and will makes the movie more interesting.

Romance: Decent teen love story will be going on, with a set-up of a love triangle for a possible sequel.

Acting: Chloë nails her acting in most scenes. Supporting cast also do good acting, except for the younger kids. Younger kids were seemingly chosen more because they were cute, rather than merit.

Plot holes and unrealistic scenes: There are some unrealistic parts (yeah, even if it's sci-fi, it still has to be faithful to reality) like lighting camp fire in a forest filled with antagonists, making love while with an unhealed bullet wound in the inner thigh near genitals (that won't happen IRL), incompetent guards, passionate kissing when everyone should be running, teaching the wrong way of disarming an armed person... stuff like that. Not too major to compromise the film, though.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Cliché love story and just all hyped

[6/10 · 26 August 2018]

I rate this 3 out of 5. It's just a so-so film that doesn't add anything to the evolution of film-making and story telling, except for focusing on Asian themes and issues.

If you like romantic plots even if you've seen such a plot played out already in many movies and books, then watch this. If not, then don't bother watching this. You won't miss anything if you don't watch this, I promise.

This plot of the movie has been told multiple times already in other movies, but this just has minor tweaks like the Asia setting, Asian characters, the girl is not totally "poor" since she is educated, etc.

Most of the main characters act well. The flow of the story is typical Asian: a little chaotic, and side stories were inserted without real impact to the whole story.