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Reviews
Billy the Kid: The Road to Hell (2023)
Good start but for one mistake
I'm not sure why Benjamin Sutherland could not be included in this season. Perhaps, it was a scheduling conflict with his other show. Either way, the casting change could have been more agreeable had they chosen another actor of the same age. Not that Linus Roache did a bad job but, as with other depictions of the Tunstall-Billy relationship, they played up the Father Figure angle, not the true Mentor aspect. A mentor can be anyone, at any age (something very evident in my years of military service), and the younger Tunstall would have been a more relatable mentor to Billy, teaching him that good and decent business practices and values can be adopted at an early age.
Plus, it's more historically accurate, as Tunstall was only 24 when he was murdered.
1923 (2022)
Great show, when it sticks to the story.
I enjoyed 1888 and, of course, Yellowstone but this show stretches episodes with unnecessary sex scenes. Stick to the story. It's great enough without all of that fluff. Honestly, the additional 3 minutes are not worth it.
As for the rest of each episode, I am enjoyong each part of the story. The interactions between Jacob and Cara are amazing. Teonna's journey is mesmerizing. And, Spencer and Alex have had one of this most exciting and unfortunate adventures that has aired in recent years. I can't wait to see how all the stories eventually merge and explode onto the screen.
Best if luck with the strikes. Hope to see you back on the schedule soon.
American Horror Story: Bad Fortune (2022)
Everything is starting to come together
As the season continues, my mind has started to decipher the clues as to who is who.
Whiteley is clearly the killer that has been abducting and mutilating some of the victims in the city.
Big Daddy, on the other hand, is only seen by some, not by others. As the show has progressed, I am starting to think of him as the manifestation of the AIDS virus. Only people with the rash can see him. When he was standing outside Sam's apartment, he couldn't see him but a few others (like Stuart) could see him.
Also, at the park, Fran didn't see him (not infected) but Hannah was frightened by him (infected).
Another weird detail is that Big Daddy was hiding in the closet at Barbara's place, where Patrick hid his secret for so long. In the end, the virus was contracted by Barbara anyways and Big Daddy got another victim.
I also think that his morning star weapon used by Big Daddy symbolizes a virus (seen enough pics of them spiky orbs over the last few years).
I can only assume that the other people going missing in the city are victims of the virus and that their "disappearance" is some kind of symbol of the gay community deaths being swept under the rug.
We'll see... the season is actually coming together nicely.
Tales of the Walking Dead (2022)
Made in Stone Mountain Park
I enjoyed the entire series. Each was a different, outlier story that added a little to the WD universe. It was also nice to see a few new faces enter the franchise, even if just for a single episode.
As for the individual stories, my favorites were the first 4, underground bunkers, Groundhog Day, Alpha, and National Geographic. The last 2, the Maniacs and the Witch, were a little too outside the WD realm to matter too much to the complete picture.
Most of all, I liked seeing and recognizing ateas of Stone Mountain Park (covered bridge, lake, old water wheel). I went there a lot as a teenager but now live out-of-state, so that was fun.
How I Met Your Father (2022)
Almost there...
I enjoy the crossover with the apartment but they need to make the show like it's on a network.
Too many crude references just to be crude. If it's not related to the story, you can leave it out.
Hopefully, the next season will be better.
Late Afternoon (2017)
I pray for those who rated this beautiful story low.
I pray that they never have a loved one cursed with Alzheimer's. By their comments, I can only fathom that, at this point, they have not. Having your loved one not recognize you is a painful experience. My grandmother would shift in and out of our timeline mentally, thinking she was a young girl to imagining my grandfather coming home from the war to having that spark of recognition that spread across her face, when she realized who we were.
This story reminded me so much of those visits. It was heartfelt and satisfying.
The Stranger (2020)
Salvageable Thriller
While the beginning was good and took a sudden twist (something that has to happen with these shorts), the middle seemed to take a few liberties with reality and the end was implausible.
Early on, everyone knows that the killer was tracking the phone. After that, everyone should have guessed that he was somehow tracking the dog (the only other constant).
The GPS tracking of the dog would need to be from her collar, not internally (as these don't exist). The fact that he adopted the dog so quickly and that they gave him the dog fully clothed with the original collar is a stretch.
Blah, blah, blah... many plot holes... etc.
All of this could have been cleared up with one additional scene.
The car stops at the airport.
Clare says, "So, what do you think?"
Carl gets out and looks in through the window.
"Not bad. A little twisted but not bad at all."
"Thanks."
"No, thank you for the story. I'll see your work on the big screen some day. I'm sure of it."
Carl turns and heads into the airport, whistling his tune.
Clare smiles as her Origin app chimes with 5-star review and her next fare.
She pulls away smiling.
- Fade Out
If she had made up the entire story on her drive to the airport, I could forgive some of the plot holes... just saying.
Room 104: Avalanche (2020)
Damn Dave...
I expect these episodes to be weird, crazy, creepy, or basically "out there" but this episode had me tearing up and I blame Dave Bautista.
Dave put it all out there and it showed.
Great, great episode with a superb performance.
Warrior Nun (2020)
Reminds me of Impulse because...
Great story, great premise, good acting by everyone except the main character (just like in Impulse).
I will say that, in the last 2 episodes of Season 1, things got a bit better and maybe her grating personality was built into the character.
We'll see in the next season... hopefully.
Into the Dark: Crawlers (2020)
Quality B-rate Horror Flick
This is what I expect from this show.
A quality B-rate horror movie that is made to air as a TV episode.
It was fun, quick, and enjoyable. Huge improvement from last month.
Into the Dark: My Valentine (2020)
Story had potential, then went off the rails
You had me until Julie got stabbed and no one called for help. It spiraled into a crater after that happened.
Eddie, clearly the larger guy, cowering in the corner, with 911 on the line, and not telling them where and what was going on. Then, getting killed by Royal (somehow) after he had already stabbed Royal with a corkscrew. Come on!
Rosa and Nick somehow get back into the "guarded" club and then Rosa abandons Nick (back through the guarded door) to die while Val and Trez just watch (debating on who should kill Royal).
And finally, Val somehow is able to impersonate Trezzure flawlessly enough to fool all the fans, producers, managers, and entourage. Does no one ever look at her in the face?
Plus, what is with all of the music video interludes in this episode? Was there that little story to tell? No one else to kill off? Or, were there just SO MANY holes in the story that you just gave up?
This made me long for the Treehouse episode in last season (and it was terrible).
Please do better in March.
Impulse: The Moroi (2019)
Best episode of the season, so far.
Great backstory for Nikolai, lots of action, and no angst-ridden, whiny Henry in the episode.
No Escape Room (2018)
Suspenseful movie but...
The movie has a good premise and I enjoyed the concept, as I don't have to be spoon-fed my plot. They do make some of the typical mistakes for characters (ie. splitting up, poor communication, etc.) but these are to be expected by people in general, especially when most of you have only just met. Not everyone is Sherlock Holmes.
My only gripe and suggestion is DO NOT watch this ON DEMAND. Every commercial break was just as the suspense built to a breaking point and something was about to happen. You feel the tension build and then BAM, SHAQ ATTACK (and he's selling Icy Hot) or BOOM... butterflies in an ad. It really kills the mood.