Seltheus Reviews

Jessica Jones (2015–2019)

Marvels sad excuse to please the PG18+ crowd.

[7/10 · 30 November 2015]

I will try to keep this very simple. If you are an avid TV series watcher, this TV show will most likely entertain you, but not satisfy you.

Jessica Jones is not a bad TV show by any means. It has everything it needs to be "entertaining".

But Marvel is trying WAY to hard with this show to close the gap between the shallow entertaining MCU movies and the more "demanding" deep meaning TV show crowd.

In the past few years the entertainment industry learned, that with deeper, more meaningful content, people can be baited into watching TV, as shown with Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones etc. And there is a LOT of money to earn with this kind of demographic and this show tries to pitch in on that demogrpahic, without actually accommodating the demographic.

It barely scratches the surface of "what could be" and sadly relies on "what already is" right from the get go. It doesn't take longer than episode 4 to make the ENTIRE series rely on the MCU(Marvel Cinematic Universe), to please the crowd. Referencing the Hulk and Thor directly, which is just sad. As if the whole genre couldn't exist without the success of the Avangers movies...

Once again, Jessica Jones is not a bad TV show by any means, I feel like I have to emphasize on that. But it's not nearly as good as it COULD have been, if it wouldn't rely on the MCU that much.

The cast is well chosen, especially Kryten Ritter as Jessica Jones seems like an obvious choice, and David Tennant as the antagonist is almost like a match up made in heaven. There is so much potential in this cast alone, that the generic plots and average scripts, based on todays quality of TV shows, just makes you think of what could have been and what actually is.

In the end it all boils down to Marvel being more than confident that whatever they throw towards their demographic, they will eat up happily, without any complaints, but compared to actual "original" TV shows, Jessica Jones is just what the majority of the MCU movies are. A people pleaser, without any real depth.

That by itself is not a bad thing by any means...there are a LOT of TV shows out there who could wish to be on the level of quality of Jessica Jones, but that doesn't change that Jessica Jones is missing out on a LOT of potential.

If you wish to be entertained, give this TV show a shot. It is on the level of TV shows like King of Queens, or the early TBBT and TAAHM seasons. But aside from that it doesn't have much to offer, just be aware of that and you should be fine. This won't be another Breaking Bad, or ANYTHING like that. As long as you are aware of that, you shouldn't be disappointed.

Maron (2013–2016)

At first it felt like a "Louie rip-off" but it works on its own merits!

[7/10 · 5 June 2015]

I'm a person who gets more laughs out of cynicism and pessimism(sp?), than the average kind of guy.

I'm not a pessimistic person in real life, not even close. I'm one of those people who will look for the slightest shred of hope and optimism in the most little things, but when it comes to comedy, I like the "negative" approach.

Much like Louie, from Louis. C.K. this comedy show focuses on the "negative" parts of life. And let's all be honest...we all had those moments. What makes the difference is, how we let those moments affect us in our every day life. If you are an hopeless optimistic like I am, this show will do it for you, just like Louie does, but if you are a cynical "the world sucks" kind of person, this show still works for you, much like Louie does. Because no matter how optimistic you are as an individual, you have to be realistic and see that this "negative" approach" hits a nerve in current society. It IS funny and it makes some good points in what is wrong with our current society. Compared to "Louie" though I have to say, that Maron has a little less emphasis on the "negative" things on life, so if Louie was "too negative" for you, give Maron a try, it has a slight more up beat nature to it, than Louie.

But even as a person who wants to see the positive in all things and won't let "that kind of reality" bring you down, you have to admit they got a point.

This doesn't make it any less funnier. For me personally, comedies that draw their "comedy factor" out of every day life situations, feel more genuine and more "heart felt" than any of those generic sitcoms out there that air every season, like New Girl, or "stuff" like that.

If you want to feel a real connection between the show and your every day life, give this show a chance. It might not be a revelation, but it is well worth watching and if you liked shows like "Louie" or "Happy-ish", this show is just for you.

Give it a try.

Cinderella (I) (2015)

From the perspective of an adult without kids.

[6/10 · 8 April 2015]

If you watched recent real action adaptations of Disney classics, like Alice in Wonderland, or Maleficent, who tried to highlight a new perspective of these well known stories with new angles that are targeting not just kids, but also young adults and adults alike, don't set your expectations too high.

While real action adaptations like Alice in Wonderland or Maleficent tried to entertain demographics of all age, Cinderella is a classic take on the original fairy tale, close to what the original animated Disney cult classic tried to portray. It's a very subtle approach to basic values like kindness and equality towards all individuals, no matter their background or heritage.

It doesn't try to find common ground with values that are in debate right now, or "problems" that we have in our society at this point, rather it is a portrayal of the original Cinderella story as most already know it.

If you are off age and are familiar with the original Cinderella animated movie, or the fairy tale in general, there is gonna be nothing new you get out of this real action adaptation.

For me as an adult in my early 30s there was nothing I got out of this movie experience that I haven't seen or witnessed a dozen times already. If I had kids though, preferably in the 6-10 year bracket, I would definitely recommend watching this adaptation though. Despite it having nothing new to offer for "older" audiences, it is a genuine adaptation of the original without trying to blind you with stupid CGI effects, or explosions and unnecessary action. It is an "old school" fairy tale portrayed in a genuine fashion, that will most likely be very entertaining for young audiences and your own kids.

While it has nothing much to offer for experienced adults, this is a great movie to show your kids, without having to worry about the "now a days action/superhero movie" kind of thing, which is a two edges sword. Cinderella is a kid friendly and well portrayed adaptation of the original we all got to know and hopefully love and your kids will hopefully too with this adaptation.

If you want a satisfying movie experience or a nostalgic journey back to your youth, give it a try, otherwise this is definitely suited for young audiences and your own kids without having to worry about todays focus on action and style over substance.

You got kids (especially in the one digit area) go watch it with them, you won't regret it.

The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015)

Falls a little short in comparison to Divergent.

[5/10 · 8 April 2015]

For someone who hasn't read the books, I can only comment on what the movie itself portrays and what it actually is.

As I personally thought Divergent, the first adaptation of the book series, was surprisingly entertaining and decently performed, I have to admit Insurgent was not really a disappointment (that would be too strong of a word) but a small letdown in general.

Insurgent really felt like the middle of a book series, without having a real climax. It pushes forward the overall story arc, but doesn't work on it's own merits. There is too much emphasize on "already knowing" the characters and their motivations back from Divergent, than actually establishing them throughout Insurgent itself. So unless you still have an emotional attachment to the characters back from the first movie, it will be hard to really care about the characters here.

The movie itself has no mayor flaws in it's screenplay. The biggest problem the movie has, is establishing enough context for the characters so they actually "matter" outside of that context. You don't really feel close to the characters, unlike in Divergent, or feel a real need for them to be there. They do a well enough job at delivering the story, but it just lacks genuine care. The characters are portrayed around their most basic personality established in the first movie, without giving them any more depth in this sequel.

Aside from that the movie is generally entertaining, but lacks the emotional range and depth the first had.

What really starts to become "annoyingly" obvious for regular movie watchers though are the continuity mistakes that are scattered all around the movie. While at first it's not a big deal, they start to pile up in such a short amount of time, that you can't ignore them anymore. Plus wasted screen time for things that really don't matter at all in the movie. These two things are what had the biggest impact on my rating in general.

Overall it's a decent continuation of what Divergent started, but I really hoped it would be able to continue on the same level of quality as Divergent, which sadly it didn't.

If you watched Divergent, give it a try and see if it is still interesting enough for you to go and see the final installment of the movie which is gonna be divided into two parts (since that's a trend) but if you already didn't like the first installment that much, chances are Insurgent will not convince you to watch any further. If you liked Divergent, give Insurgent a try and see for yourself.

I personally will watch the movies to the end once they hit the theaters, but after Insurgent, my expectations are a little lower than what they were after Divergent.

Trust Me (2013)

Don't expect a comedy, but expect to like it. Trust Me.

[8/10 · 6 May 2014]

I can't tell if the trailer is false advertisement to reach a bigger audience, or if it was done on purpose to surprise the viewer, but either way, this movie is far from a comedy and is hands down a drama with even a few metaphorical tid-bits and some film noir influences.

Plot: Howard Holloway(Clark Gregg, mostly known for his role as Agent Phil Coulson in S.H.I.E.L.D., Avenger etc.) is a former child star who, after his career went down, started his own agency to represent child stars of his own. Business is running slow and to make things worse, his most promising clients are getting poached by his "arch enemy" Aldo (Sam Rockwell). His love life is not doing well either, as his approaches on his crush and neighbour Marcy(Amanda Peet) are not leading anywhere either. This all seems to change abruptly when he manages to land a promising new actress, named Lydia(Saxon Sharbino), without his doing to be honest.

What does start off and sound like a "stereotypical" underdog hits big comedy plot couldn't be farther away from that.

Clark Gregg (who also wrote and directed Trust Me) is taking you on a ride that starts as a mild comedy with some shades of drama and step by step turns it into a fully fledged drama that will leave you surprised.

The acting throughout the whole movie is solid and really lives off the great chemistry between the actors. Especially Saxon Sharbino is standing out with her great performance that will go from childly innocent to devastated to treacherous in a heartbeat.

I can't stretch this enough, but don't expect to end the movie with a smile or laughter. It really is not a comedy. The movie even has a few metaphorical tid-bits that don't really stand out at first, but at the end you get what they were supposed to mean. And on top of that the movie even has a few film noir moments that don't seem to fit at all if you got the trailer in mind, but they are scarcely spread in the movie and really fit the mood.

Overall I can definitely recommend this movie.

That Awkward Moment (2014)

That "forced" Awkward Moment.

[4/10 · 30 April 2014]

That Awkward Moment tries to portray the struggle of 3 young but flourishing men(Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Mike B. Jordan), who are trying to find their place and their path in life.

As already mentioned, it "tries" to do just that, wrapped in a series of comedic events and situations that "try" to make the audience laugh. Humour is a very subjective thing, so let me say this. If you liked comedies like 21 & Over, there is a chance you are gonna like this movie as well. If not, save yourself some time.

Plot Summary: After Mike(Mike B. Jordan) is struck by surprise with an unhappy event in his life, his best friends Jason(Zac Efron) and Daniel(Miles Teller) try to cheer him up and go out partying, when they make a pact to stay single and enjoy life together for as long as possible and deny any kind of serious relationship for as long as they can.

Without giving away any spoilers here, you can imagine that just after that incident some of them happen to meet the love of their life.

The biggest issue of the movie is, that none of the relations between characters in the movie seem relatable or even believable. The 3 so called best friends do have some chemistry, but watching their behaviour affect each other in a very "un-best friendly" way makes it hard to believe that they have ever been more than just drinking buddies.

This is only topped by the "funny" moments of the movie, who are gulped down your throat with forced situations who are only results of stupidity and miscommunication, or at least so they even claim as their movie characters.

Throughout the whole movie you rarely even care about any of the characters and/or their actions. It manages to deliver 2-3 genuinely funny/romantic scenes throughout the 94minute ordeal, but other then that, you are better off watching a rom-com from the past who did it's job right. And for Zac Efron fans in particular...if you liked 17 Again, this movie is not even close to that.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Very entertaining, but not compelling.

[6/10 · 30 April 2014]

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 manages to give a nice and entertaining 2 hours and 22 minutes, but don't expect this movie to be on par with recent comic adaptions like Avengers, or Captain America: The Winter Soldier on a pure "movie enjoyment" level.

While The Amazing Spider-Man 2 does deliver on the entertainment part, it fails to deliver on the same level in character development and generally speaking anything besides the pure entertainment part.

The one thing that Amazing Spiderman 2 suffers the most from is sadly similar to Spiderman 3 of the former trilogy. It is too packed with villains, plots and story lines that on their own would have made for a very nice story if developed correctly, but due to the amount of them in one movie, all of them fall short of being really "compelling".

Some people tend to argue exactly the opposite, that the amount of story lines and plots were delivered well and it wasn't too packed, but fail to mention the downside of it. Almost all interactions between Spider Man and the villains in this movie and even some characters that are supposed to have a deep impact on his feelings and decisions, are limited to 2-3 encounters over the whole course of the movie. Of course this makes it easier to build in several plots and story lines, but it doesn't manage to deliver them compelling enough, that you actually have the feeling this is a fundamental story part at all, and then it's already over before you really had the feeling it began.

SPOILER AHEAD! For example they try to build a pre relationship between Electro and Spider-Man that is actually meant to describe the reasoning behind Electro wanting to fight Spider-Man later on. This is done through one encounter scene between Spider-Man and Max months before he becomes Electro which lasts for around 45seconds. Their relationship is put to the test on their first encounter fighting and ends with their 2nd encounter fighting. There literally are no more than those 3 scenes I just mentioned between Spider Man and Electro. The very same thing goes for Peter and Harry. They meet once to give the audience the sense of "they are best friends". Then they briefly meet another 2 times before Harry is out to kill Spider Man.

SPOILER END! While I do get that they managed to implement several plots w/o the movie feeling overcrowded with information, that's also the biggest flaw in the whole movie. There is not enough information to make the whole characters and their actions reasonable but if they had done that, the movie would have had the problem of being overcrowded with information. So either way...they were out to lose that one.

Besides this I only had a problem with the very very many logical errors in some basic things happening during the movie, especially towards the end.

But odds are, if you liked Amazing Spider Man, you will also like Amazing Spider Man 2. It does deliver on entertainment, but fails to deliver on compelling story, so just be prepared for that and you're good.

Disconnect (I) (2012)

Disconnect! A very powerful movie that should have gotten a lot more attention.

[9/10 · 30 April 2014]

Disconnect tells the story of three different cases of internet related crimes(cyber-bullying, identity theft, child pornography) and how the people involved struggle to solve them and/or live with them.

Instead of focusing on the actions that led to those crimes happening and building up to them, the movie focuses on the relations and actions after those crimes were committed and how it affects the people involved.

This really lets you build a quick and relatable connection to the main characters and their actions, as you watch their stories and reactions unfold.

Henry Alex Rubin(Director) and Andrew Stern (Writer) did a really great job of putting this on the big screen. By focusing on the emotions of the characters and relations between those characters you really start to feel for them and are entangled by their struggle.

The cast itself did an outstanding job here as well. Every member of the cast was able to catch the spirit of their character and really play them out as if they were them and whatever happened to them, really happened and they reacted in a genuine and believable way. Besides the pretty well known main cast (Jason Bateman, Paula Patton, Alexander Skarsgard etc.) you really see a very good performance of child acting as well. Jonah Bobo(Crazy Stupid Love) does a great job as the misunderstood child that feels out of place in this world, so does everybody else of the child actors.

Where Disconnect really starts to shine though is how it manages to deliver the story so subtle and genuine, that you can't help but feel for the characters and even the characters that are supposed to be "bad", based on what they did, have a layer of guilt but genuine kindness underneath that you feel for them too.

The soundtrack matches perfectly throughout the whole movie. It underlines the tone of the scene, but never gets ahead of the scene so you would feel distracted by the music.

Other then that Disconnect is a really really powerful movie that leaves you thinking about it hours after you watched it. It gives a genuine view on people who were struck by fate but in the same moment gives you hope, that things can change for the better.

Even though it didn't get the much deserved attention, this movie should be watched by anybody and everybody who wish to feel a genuine Connection to characters in a "Disconnect"ed world.