AsellusBorealis Reviews

Jane by Charlotte (2021)

I enjoyed it, but I wish I had more information

[7/10 · 18 February 2023]

I really enjoyed this documentary. I loved the very intimate and delicate atmosphere all around, especially the very last minutes: Charlotte very articulately expressed what I fear many of us feel as we reach adulthood.

It might be a bit slow at times, but I didn't mind it as I seem to have a soft spot for this kind of documentaries where the daughter or the son records the life and anecdotes of their parents with no other purpose,or so it seems, than to make them immortal for a little while.

Having said that, I just wished we had been given more context to better understand some scenes. At times I wasn't sure what I was seeing and I'm sure that with a bit of information everything would have made much more sense. But that's my only complaint, really.

Very recommendable if you like this sort of films.

Autodefensa (2022)

It needs polishing but it's entertaining

[7/10 · 6 January 2023]

Autodefensa is the story of two young women struggling to figure out who they are and what they want out of life while enjoying their youth.

I've really enjoyed this show so far, despite the fact that none of the characters are really very likeable. They are very contradictory, chaotic, irresponsible and immature. However, they also seem to be profoundly lost and overwhelmed with life, and that is something that probably most of us can relate to.

While it doesn't look like a very big production it succeeds at creating a very realistic intimate environment. It has a very indie vibe that I really enjoy. The performances are really good and the soundtrack is also great.

If you like quirky shows and characters, I'd give this one a go!

An American Crime (2007)

Unconvincing

[5/10 · 29 September 2022]

I found this film terribly unconvincing, and given it is based on true facts it is a greater fault as it fails to do the real victim any justice.

Firstly, I feel the character of Gertrude is not portrayed dark enough. She doesn't have the weight or the intimidating presence a sadistic torturer like her should have. Gertrude seems too "clean", too " normal" to be believable at all. Secondly, we are never shown or really made to really realise the severity of Sylvia's injuries and pain. We see how she is mistreated and burnt with cigarettes,yes, but as bad as that may be, at no point did I get the impression that her life was ever on the line.

Considering the agonic days the real Sylvia must have endured, I found this film to be a watered-down and therefore an unfair portrayal of that horrible horrible crime.

The House That Jack Built (2018)

The last ten minutes make it worth it

[7/10 · 28 September 2022]

"The house that Jack built" is quite difficult to rate. This film is made up of some very interesting bits, very disturbing ones and then some others that seem to drag on and on and that in my opinion don't really add anything to the story. And then there is the ending: those last minutes contain some of the most visually shocking and beautiful imagery I have seen ( kind of remind me of Melancholia). That epilogue alone takes the film to a whole new level and makes up for the less interesting parts of the film. Still, I would only recommend "The house that Jack built" to LVT's fans that " get" his "sick" way of seeing and presenting stories.

Run Lola Run (1998)

Amazing and unique!

[9/10 · 9 April 2022]

I absolutely adore this film. I remember being blown away by it the very first time I watched it many years ago. I have revisited it many times since and I'm never disappointed. It's so entertaining and original! Every time anyone asks for film recommendations I always say this one because I know they will be at the very least entertained. I highly, highly recommend it and in my opinion the less you know about it the better the experience will be.

And Just Like That... (2021– )

It does get better after each episode ( thank goodness!)

[6/10 · 28 January 2022]

When first episode started, with that horrible pop-y music, I feared It was going to be nothing like the series and much like the films ( to be completely honest i even stopped watching the first episode halfway through because i couldnt bear another disappointment- very dramatic ,i know) but i fortunately gave the show another chance, and im so glad i did! The themes are different, thats for sure, but so os their audience, and the characters do feel authentic ( unlike in the films, imo). In fact im in the fifth episode and im quite enjoying it! I Hope It continues that way!

The Hole in the Ground (2019)

Decent, but it could have been so much better

[6/10 · 18 September 2021]

The hole in the ground has many things going for it: a very interesting premise, it's beautifully shot, gorgeous settings and great intimate and spooky atmosphere. However, I found the last third of the story very unsatisfactory and almost anticlimactic. Such a pity!

Ghosts of Sugar Land (2019)

I found it very interesting despite its lack of structure

[7/10 · 1 September 2021]

I enjoyed this very short documentary despite the fact that it had no apparent structure or objective. I think it missed a great opportunity to explain in depth why his closest friends think this man radicalised,how it impacted their lives and how they think it could have been avoided.

The Dead Don't Die (2019)

Imperfect but somehow very entertaining

[7/10 · 21 April 2021]

This movie falls short in so many different ways: some of its story lines are not properly concluded, the plot seems pointless at times , some apparently important elements are never explained,... and yet I found it thoroughly entertaining! I loved the environment, the slow pace and the silly dialogue.

It's easy to see why some people hated it. Just give it a go. You might actually enjoy it.

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

Starts off great, then it falls flat.

[6/10 · 1 March 2021]

First of all, I have to disagree with those reviews that complain about Bly Manor being too slow or not really horror. I didn't think it was particularly slow ( at least at the beginning, but halfway into the show the pace is probably the least of its problems) and I personally think it's accurately marketed as horror- it does have many gothic elements and a creepy dark atmosphere all around. It might not be as shocking as the The haunting of the Hill House and it certainly lacks the string of ( mostly) cheap scares that are so common in present-day horror, but it's still horror nonetheless.

Having said that, The haunting of Bly Manor is far, far from a worthy successor of Hill House. My main complaint is that it doesn't seem to know where it's going or what it wants to tell: first,the story revolves around a young au pair (Dani) and her traumatic past, then it's all about the kids and the manor, then it's about the previous au pair and her tormented love story, then it's about Dani and her romance with the gardener, then about the faceless ghost in the manor and how she came to be there, and then again about Dani and how ( out of nowhere, tbh) she takes the place of the faceless ghost. And all these shifts didn't feel like the show was developing the supporting characters and storylines, but rather like it wanted to tell too much but too loosely tied together. All of those plots separately could have been ok, but unfortunately they didn't work well together, imo.

I appreciate the idea behind this installment, but it almost feels like we got an unfinished unpolished version of what it should have been.

Holidate (2020)

It works

[7/10 · 30 October 2020]

It's the same formula we've seen a million times, but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. And this one surely does. It's funny, sweet, original ( for what it is) and the main characters look great together ( and I have to say it, Luke Bracey is just gorgeous in here!)

Nice feel-good film overall.

Modern Love (2019–2021)

Just an easy watch

[6/10 · 3 December 2019]

I just finished the last episode and all I kept thinking was that it felt unnecessarily sappy. The anthology is overall ok ( I did enjoy Anne Hathaway's episode and the one about the gay couple and the surrogate mother) but the rest were nothing I hadn't seen before. Predictable, unoriginal and the pop ballad montages were just too cheesy for me.

I'd recommend it for those days were you just can't be bothered to watch anything too complex.

Six Feet Under (2001–2005)

A masterpiece

[10/10 · 12 October 2019]

My old- time favourite show, I can't describe it in any way other than a complete masterpiece. Each episode was an experience and a lesson on its own. Such a delicate, well-crafted show that will have you reflecting on the meaning of life or lack thereof. It has the full package: interesting characters, intelligent dialogues, great dark humour and the best finale in history ( and I'm not even exaggerating) Well worth your while.

The Big Bang Theory: The Stockholm Syndrome (2019) Season 12, Episode 24

Meh

[7/10 · 9 October 2019]

The big bang theory, although not my favourite sitcom, is a show that I enjoy quite a lot. But not this season. I thought this season was below average, almost like an eternal deja vú. Situations and dialogues we've already seen many, many times before. And to top it off I think the ending was pretty disappointing: I didn't particularly like what they did with most of the characters: I found it quite annoying that Penny was pregnant in the end when she had made it clear she didn't want to have kids, I thought it wasn't very skillful writing when they all seemed to get mad at Sheldon ( simply for being him one more time) just to justify the emotional final speech, plus, I felt like many stories like Raj's or Stuart's were left incomplete.

It's very confusing to me that while sooo many were soooooo harsh with GOT finale ( which I agree is not perfect, but greatly elaborate and smart) soooo many others find this to be a satisfying ending. Might it be because we hold comedies to lower standard? That's what seems to be the case, I think.

Years and Years (2019)

What nightmares are made of

[7/10 · 29 August 2019]

Just finished watching the first episode. In short, it's all the fears of modern Europe and Europeans encapsulated and a little over an hour. I'm looking forward to watching the next episodes, but I may have to ration it for the sake of my own mental health!

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2019)

It gets better and better!

[8/10 · 23 June 2019]

The unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is silly, weirdly absurd at times and somewhat corny, but funny, light-hearted and unpredictable.

In my opinion the protagonist, Kimmy Smitch, is ok, but Jacqueline, Andrea and especially Titus Andromedon are honestly hilarious and definitely my favourite part of the show!

Initially I thought The unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt wasn't going to be anything special, but I'm so glad I didn't give up on it after a few episodes because it truly is worth the while!

Fleabag (2016–2019)

Loving it so far!

[9/10 · 12 June 2019]

This is probably the best first episode I've seen in a while. I loooove the quirkiness and cheeckiness of the protagonist. This show feels fresh, it's surprisingly funny and unlike anything I've seen before. Very excited about the next episodes!

Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019) Season 8, Episode 6

The story comes full circle

[7/10 · 20 May 2019]

It all makes sense.

I'm left broken hearted for poor Jon, for the stark family who seem to fulfill their destiny albeit reluctantly, and for all the characters that I wish had lived to see a better, fairer world, but I'm very happy with the ending. It all makes sense and that's all we can ask for to the greatest show of the decade.

Despite Everything (2019)

Just ok

[6/10 · 7 May 2019]

"Despite everything"is a light comedy about 4 sisters and their search for their respective fathers.

This film is far from being memorable or original, but it does the trick. It is entertaining, so long as you don't expect anything profound. It does have a few good moments here and there, but it's overall pretty average.

The best thing in my opinion is the performance of the leading actresses, who do a nice job, except for Amaya Salamanca, who I've always found too artificial, like she's trying too hard, but it might be just me.

All in all, just watchable.

Dead to Me (2019–2022)

Great!

[8/10 · 3 May 2019]

I'm five episodes in and I'm actually enjoying it quite a lot!

Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini are just great. The show is original, funny, witty but suspenseful and even deep at times.

I've seen other people compare it to Grace and Frankie ( but darker), and I see the resemblance as both are comedies based on the friendship of two women who could not be more different from each other, but for some reason its atmosphere keeps me thinking that this is probably somewhere near where Santa Clarita Diet was going ( but sadly failed).

My only concern about this show is that the plot may not be able to stretch for more than a season, maybe two, but let's see what happens. Other than that, if you like dark comedy, give this a go!

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

A game- changer... and I'm not even a big fan of fantasy

[10/10 · 15 April 2019]

Game of Thrones is simply unbeatable: There's no other TV show with such complex yet perfectly tied together story lines, unexpected twists (that actually make sense!), such well- developed characters, clever dialogues, amazing photography and ever better soundtrack.

I'm sooooo glad GOT happened in my generation because I feel that this is a once-in-a-life time kind of thing. I'll be forever grateful to be experiencing this first-hand, as I assume future generations will not be able to appreciate the impact that this show has had on the TV industry and will inevitably talk about GOT in the same uninterested way ours does about "Cheers" or "upstairs, downstairs", to name a few.

GOT is a 10/10 for me. And again, this comes from someone who doesn't usually enjoy fantasy all that much.

The Office: Casino Night (2006) Season 2, Episode 22

One of the best love stories on TV

[9/10 · 1 April 2019]

I love the Office, but probably my favourite part of it is Pam and Jim's love story. It feels so real! And as far as their story goes, this episode was sad, and then sweet and then all things combined.

You can tell it's really good TV and inspired writing when they make you care soooo much for the characters and what happens to them. I can't wait to watch the rest of the episodes and see what happens!

After Life (2019–2022)

What a sweet, sweet show!

[8/10 · 24 March 2019]

After life is a heart-warming, funny, clever show about death- and life. But it is also more than that. In just six episodes, it manages to touch on so many different topics: from loneliness and grief to friendship, love and second chances. And it does so in such a way that you'll find yourself tearing up one moment and laughing the next one.

I very much enjoyed the witty dialogues, the deep reflections about the meaning of our existence ( or lack thereof) and Gervais' classic dark humour. Yes, sometimes it was a bit too sentimental for my taste and yes, some bits were predictable but it is still most definitely worth the watch.

Love, Death & Robots (2019– )

Pretty on the outside, empty on the inside.

[5/10 · 21 March 2019]

Short films are probably my favourite type of film. They're really the very essence of a story, stripped off of anything that is not essential, and it is because they are so condensed that they will leave you feeling very intensely about whatever is told.

To me, this anthology, however, was a very nice animation around a whole lot of nothing, really. In general, the plots were very shallow, predictable and most of them made me feel like they didn't even have a proper ending! And I'm all for open endings, but I'm talking about no ending at all! And if no film is any good without a proper conclusion, this is even truer of short films. Take "fishy night" for example: what a disappointing way to ruin such an interesting starting premise and gorgeous animation!

In short, you can really tell they've invested quite a lot of money in the CGI. Hopefully, in the future they'll invest in the plots too.

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

Not great, but probably the beginning of a new kind of film

[7/10 · 28 December 2018]

The plot was ok at most, the film as a whole was decent but I was pleasantly surprised by how they used this new resource and incorporated it in the actual story!

I would definitely give it a go because of the novelty, but I'm sure many better choose- your- own- story films will come along sooner than later.