jmat40 Reviews

Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed (2002– )

I loved learning the tricks of the trade

[9/10 · 10 May 2023]

The one thing I learned from this show is that magicians have very little to do with most of the tricks or illusions, if you will. The assistants do 95% of the work. If the assistants mess up the illusion fails.

It's a fascinating show and it's really shocking how simple many of the illusions are. I can't believe I never figured out how truly easy it is. The right camera angles and the magician keeping you from noticing what's actually happening while the assistants, the real stars of magic, twist their bodies into crazy small spaces. It made magicians like Kris Angel and David Blaine look like the phonies they are.

Storage Wars: Texas (2011–2014)

It's fun

[6/10 · 28 January 2023]

Storage Wars Texas is fun. The buyers are for the most part likable although Victor comes across as quite creepy at times.

Ricky and Bubba are excellent buyers and obviously really know their stuff. I get a lot of laughs and actually learn things from them.

Jenny is OK and likable but she never gets the lockers she really wants and buys lockers that make me say "why Jenny?". Jenny loves, loves, loves to paint everything.

Moe and Mary are an interesting duo. Moe is a podiatrist surgeon as a real job. As a buyer he is a hoarder. Mary loves projects and does have a good imagination. Plus she's cute and funny. Moe has to give up buying lockers because he's such a hoarder. Mary is better on her own.

Lesa Lewis is, as Ricky calls her, the Wicked Witch of East Texas. Not very likable and quite nasty and she comes with her sidekick Jerry who has to be a Saint to put up with Lesa. She's only on the show for a season or two.

Victor is an OK buyer but as I said earlier he's the "bad guy" buyer but he's not that bad just creepy at times.

They bring a few other buyers in in later seasons that I wasn't too crazy about, Matt Blevins and then Kenny Stowe who is really a jerk and some partnerships development that you won't expect.

Monk: Mr. Monk Is Underwater (2008) Season 7, Episode 5

Great episode except for one thing....

[8/10 · 9 August 2022]

It's the worst CGI you'll ever see. I'll give the episode itself 10 Stars, it was cleverly done. Well written, acted and directed.

That CGI though. Good grief it was awful. Minus 2 stars for that.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)

Outstanding!

[10/10 · 5 August 2022]

I watched the first episode lastnight and it is outstanding. The actress playing Woo Young-Woo is suberb. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of this series.

Keep Breathing (2022)

It's either 1-3 stars or it's 7-10 stars

[4/10 · 4 August 2022]

This is a very devisive series. It's not as bad as the 1-3 star reviews but it's not as good as 7-10 stars reviews. I gave it 4 stars. I think it could have been much better. The constant flashbacks are the stars of this series and they get old fast. The lead character Liv, while being very attractive, isn't very likable.

Luckily each episode is only around 30 minutes long give or take and there are only 6 episodes. I'm writing this review while watching episode three. I can see why people gave up watching by this episode.

I may revise this review after I finish the series.

Steelmanville Road (2017)

Steelmanville Road

[5/10 · 6 June 2022]

From the reviews and articles I've read about this edition of Bad Ben, I believe Steelmanville Road is underrated and gets disrespected. This is a good prequel. I liked the cast. I liked the story. Having Tom Riley show up at the very end after he closed on the house was perfect and worked well for me.

Now the next movie, Badder Ben, I really didn't like.

The Darkness of the Road (2021)

What a Fitting Title

[6/10 · 4 April 2022]

This is a movie that I'm going to have to watch again so I can appreciate it more. I thought I knew where it was going and I did but Eduardo Rodriguez threw me a curve. Well done. Well Acted. Very dark.

Last Radio Call (2022)

I liked it

[6/10 · 28 March 2022]

I thought this was a pretty good FF flick. It kept my attention the whole time. There's some good creepiness and tension going on. At 75 minutes it's just long enough.

Operation Repo: The Movie (2009)

Repo this movie

[1/10 · 4 March 2022]

The series itself was entertaining even for as fake as it was. The movie is just awful. Pizzaro is obsessed with his nasty rude entitled daughter Lyndah and she ruined the series when she was in any episode and she hurts the movie.

The acting from everyone is really bad. They definitely take advantage of the R rating so be prepared. The movie is much rougher with the language.

The sound isn't very good. The camera work is all over the place.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Courtship (2007) Season 7, Episode 6

Witt ruins her episodes in season 7

[5/10 · 4 March 2022]

I've always generally liked Alicia Witt, but her Lola Falacci character is very unlikeable and she doesn't play well with others on Criminal Intent. For me, she pretty much ruins the episodes she's in even when it's a good episode. I just don't care for her character at all. Happily she's not in many episodes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Seeds (2007) Season 7, Episode 2

Falacci........

[5/10 · 2 March 2022]

Alicia Witt who I normally like is extremely abrasive and unlikable and rude as Nola Fallaci. She believes everyone works for her and her only. She is easily my most disliked person on Criminal Intent.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Man Fights Tiny Woman (2021) Season 11, Episode 6

Freddy Funkhouser

[8/10 · 28 February 2022]

I like the episode but I'm really not crazy about Vince Vaughn as Freddy Funkhouser. He seems to have just shown up and taken over and I don't understand why he's been so prominent in the series over the last couple of seasons.

Inventing Anna (2022)

Too long, too slow.

[3/10 · 27 February 2022]

I've been a Julia Garner fan since I first saw her in The Americans. She's awesome in Ozark.

In Inventing Anna, Garner just doesn't do it for me. She's very annoying and I can't stand whatever the heck that accent is she's using.

If it wasn't for Anna Chlumsky I would have given up after 3 episodes.

A very disappointing series.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Terrible

[3/10 · 23 February 2022]

Words can't do justice to how bad this movie is. So many plot holes. There really is no rhyme or reason for this movie to have been made. Leatherface is now an indestructible monster that can't be hurt and he sledge hammers a wall to find a 50 year old chainsaw that starts right up. It's the greatest chainsaw ever made.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024)

Curb Your Bathroom Breaks

[9/10 · 8 February 2022]

Absolutely no human being goes to the bathroom more often than Larry David. It's embarrassing to men how often Larry goes to the bathroom. There isn't a single episode that Larry doesn't use a bathroom at least one time per episode.

Ozark: City on the Make (2022) Season 4, Episode 3

Ozark

[25 January 2022]

I really really hate Jonah. That kid needs put down. What the heck is Marty even doing in this series right now? He's doing absolutely nothing other than allowing his 14 y/o son to do whatever he wants over the objections of Wendy.

Ozark: The Beginning of the End (2022) Season 4, Episode 1

Jonah

[9/10 · 25 January 2022]

It's time to put Jonah and Ruth on the hit list. What a back stabbing no good piece of work he is. Jonah is going to get in waaaaaaay over his head.

I have to keep typing until I get 150 characters.

Dexter: Are We There Yet? (2013) Season 8, Episode 8

Hannah

[3/10 · 23 January 2022]

Yvonne Strahovsky killed Dexter. The show went down hill bad when she showed up. I thought it was bad when Lumen showed up in season 5, Hannah really did a number on the show.

Dexter: The Big One (2010) Season 5, Episode 12

Lumen

[3/10 · 14 January 2022]

I really disliked the Lumen character. Season 5 was a chore to watch. I went from not being about to watch seasons 1-4 fast enough to making myself watch Season 5 just to get it over with.

Dexter (2006–2013)

Deb

[8/10 · 11 January 2022]

There is just about no one, other than Vince Masuka, that Deb won't sleep with. It gets ridiculous and rather disgusting how many guys she beds.

Dexter the show itself definitely starts going down hill in season 5.

Deadwind (2018–2021)

Karppi/Deadwind

[7/10 · 31 December 2021]

This is a damn good show. The photography and scenery are a star in their own right. Very engaging story. Good acting. Good characters.

Piihla Viitala is mesmerizing.

Corner Gas (2004–2009)

From 9 stars to 7

[7/10 · 28 December 2021]

I've watched Corner Gas several times since it's been on IMDb TV. The more I've watched it the more I dislike the Wanda character. She's mean spirited and very vindictive and self centered. Everything has to be about her. Her know-it-alliness is irritating.

Also how does Brent not weight 600 pounds with all he eats on that show. Chili Cheese Dogs constantly.

I also get the sense that Karen and Lacey don't really like eachother and Karen definitely has the hots for Hank.

Dexter (2006–2013)

Lila

[8/10 · 27 December 2021]

They should have changed the name of the show to Lila in season two. Jaime Murray took it over. Everyone else was second fiddle to her including Michael Hall.

Faking A Murderer (2020)

Different

[7/10 · 2 December 2021]

I thought this movie was lot of fun. It took me a bit to warm up to the characters and story but after I did it was a good time. Some decent laughs where I didn't expect them.

Monk (2002–2009)

You'll thank me later

[9/10 · 24 November 2021]

Monk is one of the best shows ever.

The only problem I ever had with the show is the Randy Disher character. He is one of the dumbest and most moronic characters in TV history.

Everyone else is terrific but Disher is staggeringly stupid.

I'd also take Natalie over Sharona any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Natalie opened up the doors for the writers to really expand and they were the best episodes the show ever had.

How can anyone not love Captain Stottlemeyer.

Monk of course is in a class by himself.