cmthomps-28253 Reviews

Dead Boy Detectives: The Case of Crystal Palace (2024) Season 1, Episode 1

Not The Sandman

[6/10 · 25 April 2024]

I love The Sandman and was hopeful that this would be in the same vein.

It's very Netflix - if you've watched Sabrina, you'll get similar vibes. It's not bad but as a 33 year old I don't think I'm the right audience for it.

It's pretty bad about telling you instead of showing. It also spells things out even when they're super obvious - eg Death is about to come to claim a ghost and one says "We have to hide before Death comes to collect him" followed by "or she will take us too".

This kind of overly explanatory stuff might be ok if you're a pre-teen or teenager but as an adult it gets tiresome.

Land of Storms (2014)

Well done but no happy ending

[6/10 · 10 December 2023]

Beautifully shot with sparse dialogue and apparently based on a true story, it's a great film as long as you're ok without a happy ending.

Taking place in a small village in Hungary, there's some homophobia which could be triggering but then again that's the world we live in. It might not be pretty but life isn't always.

This isn't an American film so don't watch it if you're expecting one. Shots are long and there can be stretches where not much is said but the actors do a commendable job regardless. I would give it 7/10 but I had to deduct one for the ending. It was literally jaw dropping and left me feeling a let down. That being said, if you don't mind dark endings, then it's definitely worth a watch.

History of the World: Part II (2023)

Fine But Not Necessary

[6/10 · 8 March 2023]

It has its enjoyable moments and some laughs but it's hardly up to par.

The biggest issue is it's too scattered/there's a lack of cohesion. It would have benefited from some streamlining - there are too many sketches per episode. Jumping around in time instead of going chronologically is weird. Also, it would have been better without trying to include modern references (not crazy about Anastasia live-streaming).

A nice effort but only rarely does it capture what we all love about classic Mel. If you go into it with an open mind though, without expecting it to be Part I, you might at least get a few laughs out of it.

Interview with the Vampire (2022– )

Different but Good

[8/10 · 10 October 2022]

Let me start off by saying I've read the book multiple times and am a huge Anne Rice fan. The show obviously isn't the most faithful adaptation but it manages to have the same spirit as the book, at least most of the time.

Casting Jacob Anderson as Louis and bumping the time period up by over a hundred years seems like an odd decision but he does such a good job that I really don't mind. Louis isn't as human as he is in the book but he's still a very likable character.

Sam Reid IS Lestat. He's the perfect Brat Prince in a way that Tom Cruise never was. He's just as seductive, predatory, and petulant as he should be.

Given how attitudes have changed, the show is incredibly gay and is explicit with things the movie only hinted at. The relationship between Lestat and Louis has much more depth and complexity.

The only thing I can't stand is Daniel. He's completely wrong. It feels like the actor is doing a weird Anthony Bourdain impression. Having him be an old man completely changes his dynamic with Louis. The present day scenes with him are the low point of the show.

For book accuracy, it's lacking but it's an excellent show regardless.