nixymail Reviews

Star Trek: Prodigy (2021–2024)

The best of Star Trek for every generation

[9/10 · 13 April 2024]

Wow, just wow. They've managed to cram so much into short episodes and a rich story arc with well developed characters. There's emotion, there's growth, there's comradeship, danger, creativity and fun.

I'm impressed this is Nickelodeon as at times it feels like it's pitched at older teens, or adults while the characters were clearly designed for the teen market.

Is it a bit silly at times? Sure, but give me any series of Trek that didn't push boundaries of plausibility or had a couple of doozers.

The final showdown felt epic. I'm eagerly awaiting season 2 and think this is a fitting way to continue the adventures of Admiral Janeway and crew. Go bodly, go fast!

Last Train to Christmas (2021)

Quirky, thought provoking, better than expected

[8/10 · 10 December 2023]

I picked this randomly and didn't have particularly high expectations. It borrows the Xmas-feels vibe from 'It's a wonderful life' and 'Groundhog Day' (and I'm not saying it's in their league) but throws in a good dose of originality. I really enjoyed it. Watching the styles change from each carriage is great gun. That pink suit, those white shirts, the hideous hair. 😂

Plus Michael Sheen and Cary Elwes do a terrific job. Each time Tony changes carriages it gives a piece of the puzzle - it's clever writing and the character transforms brilliant. A solid, unusual and worthwhile feel good feel. Recommended.

You People (2023)

Neither a comedy nor a romance

[2/10 · 14 May 2023]

Wow, expected this to be crumby background noise while multitasking but it was even worse that I expected. To call it 'romance' and 'comedy' is woefully misleading - the leads have about as much chemistry as a room full of argon (Ar) and the whole thing is about as funny as my salacious Uncle Ged after 5 too many beers.

Eddie Murphy - what I thought would be the saving grace - was wholly unpleasant using the N word like it was going out of fashion. By the brief moment of redemption at the end I'd already detested his presence enough not to care. Donkey he is not.

David Duchovny was under utilised and the only reason this is warranting 2 stars is one for Julia Louis Dreyfus (cringe Mum) and 1 for Jonah Hill's attempt to look like Charlie Hunnam from Sons of Anarchy. As a portly chap myself that was the one message of hope I took from it. Oh and the fact Muslim black folks and Jews CAN marry. A point delivered with the subtlety of a brick through the window.

Like one big LA inside joke - lost on the millions not living in LA, black or Jewish.

Samaritan (I) (2022)

So-so fun but silly Marvel wannabe nonsense

[6/10 · 21 April 2023]

Stallone looks in great shape for a dude his age. Managed to pull it off convincingly. The kid did a good enough job. Villain, kinda lame, little character development or understanding of his motivations. Just generic anarchistic goons a la any other film of similar ilk. It was watchable - but only when you need something dumb to turn off the brain at the end of a long week.

What was more incredulous, however, than any super hero silliness? The ending where they're almost engulfed in flames for nearly 10 mins straight and nobody is even coughing! Like, smoke inhalation, searing temperatures and jeopardised structural integrity would have wiped out the kid in an instant. And the whole magic hammer thing? Er.. Thor best you to it.

So lame, dumb, fun, easy. Not terrible but not great.

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Simple and surprising

[8/10 · 25 March 2023]

Enjoyed this far more than I expected. The plot feels both incredibly simple and deeply symbolic. So much so it leaves you pondering it's meaning long after the credits roll.

What's better - to lead a simple but honest, good life or be remembered for something deeper and more far reaching - and indeed why should there be a choice between the two?

The love for the animals gives the characters a sweet charm and innocence, and they're all still likeable despite strangeness and flaws.

It is strange, at times funny, poignant, sweet, and most certainly watchable. Great acting all round and a breath of fresh air.

Inside Man (II) (2022)

Unintentionally hilarious

[5/10 · 31 December 2022]

Dumb, dumb, dumb. Some of the choices of the characters just made me LOL they were so stupid. Why not just be honest with police from start and explain about the creepy vester perv and the memory stick!? One look at that sweaty mummy's boy weirdo would show the guilt. Dumb. Nice idea trying to take two completely different shows and merge together but in reality confusing, incredulous, ridiculous and frustrating. Not hatable but I'm glad it was only four episodes.

Some class talent but wasted here. Think Stephen Moffat should stick to Dr Who or have chucked some cyber men into this shambles!.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: A Shadow of the Past (2022) Season 1, Episode 1

Dire-logue riddled nonsense

[3/10 · 2 September 2022]

How could they get this sooo wrong. The script is utter drivel, the music absolutely infuriated me -it's intrusive, unnecessary and possibly only added to obscure the cliched riddled dire-logue. The directing relies on follies and cranes to add 'sweeping drama'. Once you're past the snow troll it goes downhill like a Hobbit riding a snuttlepuck sled on midworrow's eve! If it were pantomime I'd be clapping and cheering but at $400 squillion production I feel someone somewhere deserves a refund and I need my hour back. I hope it gets better - maybe some slaying might help starting with the music director.

Remember, 'a rock faces the ground whereas a boat faces the sky'. I'll be facing anything except the TV if this nonsense doesn't improve quickly!

So hobbits were Irish and didn't wash their hair and Elves are descended from bit-part Shakespearean actors. Oh deary deary me.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022– )

Exactly what's needed!

[9/10 · 10 August 2022]

This pays homage to the original series brilliantly. Well cast, interesting characters, sufficiently 'woke' without being OTT like Discovery. Very eager for season 2. Eps 8, while in the spirit of TOS, was weak and eps 9 was a blatant rip off of alien, it can be forgiven for giving us 8 further episodes that rocked! 👏👏👏👏👏👏🖖🏼

The Orville: Twice in a Lifetime (2022) Season 3, Episode 6

Bestest episode yet! Deep, funny, perfect!

[9/10 · 28 July 2022]

Wow, this hit all the right notes. Good dose of that much need Orville humour, some real 'feels' and deep themes, adventure, relatability. Yeah it's basically Star Trek: The Voyage Home cliche but, well just done bloody well! Bravo!

The Wheel of Time (2021– )

Boo to the naysayers. Good rendition that warrants your time.

[10/10 · 23 July 2022]

Like another reviewer I've given this a 10 to try and tip it towards a more favourable overall rating. Prob a 7.5-8 though. Having read the books 20+ years ago I'm fuzzy on details but feel it's a fair reflection on what I remember - bit GoT meets LotR. On its own merits the casting seems good, acting fair and apart from a few iffy CGI moments it's got good pacing, character dev and storyline. I found it thoroughly enjoyable and not at all disappointed. Some meaty moments of gore and violence give it enough oomph to lift it from the Shadowhunters-esque style of pantomime. Yeah there's a few woke embellishments but it needs to be relevant to modern audiences. Really, it's not that bad.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Pointless montage of cutting room clippings

[5/10 · 20 June 2022]

I thought I enjoyed this. Until I left the cinema. Then it quickly dawned on me that I'd just spent over two hours watching exactly the same scenes as I've seen in the other five films. What started well with a Star Wars Mos Eisly-esque bazaar and black market trade quickly descends into the all too familiar run, chase, hide. Disappointing dino-snore-us.

The Pentaverate (2022)

Good dumb silly fun

[7/10 · 19 May 2022]

It's Mike Myers! If you're expecting high brow, deep storytelling you're in the wrong place. But it's funny AF and doesn't take itself at all seriously. Def worth a watch. Worth watching for the funny Jeremy Irons intros and Rob Lowe cameos. Give it a go and LOL!

Inventing Anna (2022)

Tedious first half, gets better. Sorokin is quite loathsome.

[7/10 · 11 May 2022]

This should have been a six parter at most. Second half is good but first few episodes are repetitive and slow.

The character gets quite loathsome as she ramps up her sociopathic delusional tendencies. I'd prefer a 6.5 but can't do halves. Give it a go, get past the first few eps and be glad you're not hanging around a bunch of shallow dimwits like some of these wealthy weirdos. Money can't buy class.

The Bubble (2022)

There's far better things to do with two hours...

[3/10 · 5 May 2022]

Don't be fooled by the quality of the cast. This is one major bore-fest! I have in all honesty gone to funerals that had more laughs than this stinker offered. It felt like an in-joke to Hollywood B-listers. Though I must admit to not getting past the first 40 minutes. A very long and disappointing 40 minutes.

Slender Man (I) (2018)

Worst film I have ever seen. Total poop.

[1/10 · 30 April 2022]

This is one absolute stinker. Boring. Zero character development nor sense of 'legend' as found with superior classics like Candyman. It was like being an unfortunate fly on the wall of a teenage girls sleepover. I wanted them all to die just to get it over with. The horrors start with them watching a video, ironically much like me at the start of this 90 minutes of detritus.

Lost in Space (2018–2021)

Torn, loved and hated

[7/10 · 20 April 2022]

Let me be straight. I watched every eps. I enjoyed the thrills, the edge of your seat action, the 'will they make it' moments. But then, after the umpteenth time it became an expectation that of course they'll make it. All will be well. And that's where it really grated. The episodes are so formulaic it's like the writers have paced it on the heartbeat of a jogger treading their same daily route through the park.

And nothing bad actually happens. I understand the moralistic schmaltz is part of its brand but there were times, many many times, I just wanted someone to utter an occasional profanity, kick someone in the nuts or just die for gods sake! Even the chicken survives. Well, that I'm relieved about. Wholesome fun. Just a little too wholesome. Like plain humus on rye bread. Give me some full fat cheese dammit!

Manifest (2018–2023)

Stick with it. From bible studies to bonkers sci fi.

[8/10 · 3 February 2022]

Initially I struggled, thinking this was some religious promotional flyer from a bunch of churchy bible peddlers. However, it gets waaaay more sci-fi-ish as it goes and becoming very edge-of-your-seat. Pretty far out towards the end and now I simply MUST know what comes next. It does develop a good mix of rounded characters. I do wonder how the heck they maintain jobs when they are running all over the place playing hero.

Infinite (2021)

A dumb cure for insomnia

[2/10 · 12 September 2021]

I can only assume the actors needed the pay check. While it's an interesting premise, it gets utterly ridiculous after the first 10 mins. Like a mutant love child of the matrix, highlander, Kingsman. But really really dumb and confusing. That's two hours I won't get back. Avoid like a concert during Covid.