Change Your Image
les-mcgowan
Reviews
Vampires in America (2022)
More like bull**** in America
Turned it off as soon as the "rancher" gave his interview. Obviously an actor. Discovery+ rolled right into this thing after another program. Now this garbage is stuck in my "continue watching" queue. C'mon Discovery... stop faking it. There's plenty of credible teams trying to do real work in fringe science and the paranormal. Get some of them already!
Metal Lords (2022)
Total fan service to metal fans- and I'm ok with that!
C'mon...it's a "coming of age" teen movie. Manage your expectations here. That said, I thought it was fun and well executed. The cameos alone are worth the watch. And there was a moment in the movie where I thought "well good for him!" ...Thank you Rob Halford of Judas Priest. All in, if you've got a couple hours to kill, enjoy the last 50 years of of metal, and want to see a positive spin on the genre, give this a shot.
Eternals (2021)
What was the point?
Sure, it was reasonably well made... but man, what was the point? It's not really new territory as far as concepts go. Seems like a "connector" movie that's going to bridge the gap in a bigger story. The casual use of classic rock makes me think it will double back to Guardians or Thor. And the mid-credits 'reveal' made me want to burn my eyes out of my head. Also, I may be mistaken, but I thought Angelina Jolie was an actor- not a mannequin. She was under-served in this film. Not sure why they wasted the budget for her role. Anyone could have pulled off what they gave her. Her 4 lines of dialogue land flat. Watch this because you need to. It's part of the whole MCU. But don't bother pausing for bathroom breaks. You won't miss much. Maybe even skip to the last 30 minutes.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2021)
WTF even is this?
The names are the same. There's a sword and a cat. Animation is overly processed. The tone is more sitcom than action/adventure. Granted, I expected some updates after 35+ years, but there's barely anything left here. The Transformers: Siege series was updated and Prime is a whiny emo kid, but it's a faithful representation. This... not so much. Pass.
Punky Brewster (2021)
Could've been fun.
Buried in political correctness. It's nice to see old characters, but like everything else today, it gets bogged down in trying to "represent" everyone and every hurt feeling.
The Unholy (2021)
Ok movie, but maybe better as a TV pilot
The movie was average. More thriller than horror. But it felt more like a tv project than a film. The cinematography looked like something made by CBS. And honestly, I think this would work as series. The Walking Dead is about to run its course and JDM needs a new tv vehicle. This would sit well on FX, AMC, or maybe streamer. Obviously, other stories would have to be explored, but 'Gerry Finn' could certainly carry a demon-of-the-week series. Yes, it would feel a lot like "Evil (CBS)" or "The Exorcist (Fox)" but I think it could be its own thing. Surely we could squeeze 3 or 4 seasons out of it.
As for the movie, it was exactly what I expected it to be. Reviewers who said they walked out, or gave it a 1 star review just expected more than this was ever meant to be. It's not going to make movie history, and I doubt it will win any awards, but it's 90 minutes of something to do that doesn't wholly suck.
The Crew (2021)
I mean, it's fine...
It's a Kevin James sitcom. That pretty much tells you all you need to know. We aren't breaking new ground, fixing the issues of the world, or being nominated for an Academy Award. That's absolutely fine. It's got a solid cast, a good-enough premise, and the usual setups. I just hope they don't blow it by trying to shoehorn Leah Remmini (?) into this cast, too. If you're looking for a tv "snack", this could be it. Dig in.
Dad Stop Embarrassing Me (2021)
Why all the hate?
Ok, it's not going to win an award for best sitcom of all time. But, it is "classic" Jamie Fox. This reminds me of all the 90's-2000's sitcoms that ran in heavy late-night syndicated rotation on our local Fox affiliate. I don't watch things like this for award consideration. It's light fare, that scratches the surface of current societal problems. It's a fun 20 minute shot of something besides the heaviness that sits on the world right now. But mostly, it's about family, single parenting, and Foxx's cadre of absurd characters. That said, it's everything I think it claims to be. Maybe it's the nostalgia that sells it for me, and that's ok, because I'm buying it.
Kung Fu (2021)
C'mon....it's not *that* bad.
Sure, it's very light fare. I don't expect much from The CW. As far as The CW goes, this is ok. It could pickup once it finds its footing. And it's still better than "Walker".
Clarice (2021)
I think it can be good
There's something a little "off" about this series but I think that's why I like. It's also a bit nostalgic. It's odd seeing the 90's on screen, having been there firsthand. (Plus, I like Cudlitz. Had a chance to meet him in person once. He's really warm and kind to the fans.) The main character of "Clarice" needs to find a little more strength and authority in the character. But, I'm hoping that's part of the character journey in the series. Thanks to COVID, the tv offerings are sparse these days. This has been a welcome change so far.
Nancy Drew: The Scourge of the Forgotten Rune (2021)
Excellent episode!
This show has become a surprise favorite for me. It's sits a little above the standard CW offerings. It's not overly forceful with the whole "woke" movement, a problem that now hinders most of The CW's current offerings. "Bess is into girls." See...that's the way to address it.
As for this specific episode... the pace, the action, the whole attitude was just better than usual. The series could do well to adopt this momentum as a standard. Season 2 has leaned heavy into "the monster of the week" format, and it has been a good fit. This episode will be a high water mark for episodes going forward.
Resident Alien (2021)
Best thing on tv right now
Probably the most original thing on tv right now. Great cast, a twist on the classic "fish out of water" troupe, not forcefully 'woke', and genuinely funny without stooping to full on toilet humor . Definitely the best thing SyFy has had in ages.
The Flash: Mother (2021)
Ralph Dibney got a raw deal
All of this snowflake PC fluff has gone too far. Everyone needs to get over their hurt feelings and stop trying to "cancel" everything, or else everything is going to get canceled!! Get the DC Universe back to basics. Greg, move your head... and pull it out of your a$$.
Walker (2021)
Motion sickness
Why the shaky cam? As if this show wasn't lacking enough, the long zooms and "raw" shaky cam is just over done and unoriginal. Jared P. could be doing so many other things than a thin reboot. Here's hoping for a better season 2.
WandaVision: On a Very Special Episode... (2021)
Let's see how they make it all stick!!
I shipped my pants! If this is, in fact, what it looks like, the MCU is finally becoming whole. I've read that this has direct ties to "Doctor Strange & The Multiverse of Madness". I get it now. I get it, now. Bravo you mad geniuses, you.
Helstrom (2020)
When does it start?
I'm not entirely sure what I'm watching. It's kinda boring, and the story is thin. Mom is possessed- kinda. Dad is a serial killer, maybe, might be something else (not even a plot twist). Someone is gay. Someone is a hipster / millennial / social addict. Someone is emotional. Someone has a stupid haircut. Like another reviewer said, it's "Prodigal Son" plus "Evil" (or maybe the Exorcist series that aired on Fox). This doesn't seem much like a Marvel property either. Whatever- there's literally nothing else to watch right now, and it's certainly not the worst thing I'm watching at the moment.
Staged (2020)
What a treat!
Lots of familiar faces if you are a fan of British TV. Absolutely hilarious. This godforsaken pandemic has spawned so many of these Zoom-style projects, but this one ... oh this one. Top shelf stuff! Tennant and Sheen are so natural with each other. It's the best buddy show show I've seen in ages and it's basically homemade! I hope this somehow lasts beyond this.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020)
Fresh, modern take
This was a great installment to the Superman catalog. It felt new, and yet, somehow vintage. The animation style is very saturated with heavy handed brushstrokes (but probably all computer animation). Zachary Quinto as Lex Luther was a clever choice. Quinto will forever be that quintessential (pun) villain type. Lots of little nods to the rest of the DC Justice League universe. It would make a nice starting point to expand that universe in this style and continuity. Perhaps even a weekly serial on HBO MAX / DC Universe.
Harley Quinn (2019)
Ya know, if Margot is feeling tired...
...Kaley Cuocco could step right in. Add some pig tails and grease paint and bob's your uncle. I love this Harley. Lake Bell as Ivy is just as great. I hope there is some weird "real world" crossover thing where Kaley and Lake get to dress the parts and play the characters in real life, if even for one very thin episode. Alan Tudyk would have some real heavy lifting for an episode like that!! Man, love this stupid little cartoon!
Stargirl (2020)
Incredibly well made
The production values in this episode are top notch. Hopefully this is the new standard of things to come. With the exception of Wonder Woman (and maybe Aquaman) this could be one of DC's best properties. Let's face it... DC's game is on the television. Leave the theaters to Marvel. I'm ok with that.
I Am Not Okay with This (2020)
Good, quick binge but of course it would go there...
There's nothing new here. It's "Carrie". It's "13 Reasons...", it's "Impulse", it's "X-Men". It's a good story and nicely produced. But, of course she had to be gay or bi or whatever. It's more of a gimmick than a statement anymore. Yes, everyone needs equal representation in media. These days there IS NO equality because all the characters that matter just have to be non-straight or whatever the buzzword of the week is. This may as well air on The CW.
Don't misunderstand me- I enjoyed this! Can't wait for another season/series. I feel like it deserves longer episodes, but the quick pace also keeps things moving. Maybe MORE episodes would be nice. Or release them weekly instead of dumping them all at once. I'd really rather not binge on a show, but when it's so good and it's all there for the taking, there's nothing left to do but binge, as is the American way.
Titans: Jericho (2019)
Ok episode, but why ....
I get that the kid couldn't speak, and therefore used sign language. But, why did everyone sign back to him? He wasn't deaf- just mute. He could hear just fine. Just seems like a huge misstep in the writing.
Ok episode otherwise. I'm surprised Berlanti went back to the Deathstroke material after spending so much time with it on Arrow. And I believe Deathstroke is getting a movie appearance. Again, why?
Modern Love: When the Doorman Is Your Main Man (2019)
First episode
Good lord. I'm a grown man with no feelings, but episode one brought me to tears. I'm sure the rest will be incredibly, and equally poignant.
The Professor (2018)
A raw caricature of what we all *should* be thinking. Depp wins.
I loved it. Jonny Depp brings an unflinching charter to life. He's broken and bemused, unapologetic and unwieldy, but also laser focused. I really thought he'd go off the rails a bit more but it was just enough for this story. This reads a lot as "Dead Poets Society", but also stands alone. Depp is fun. The one liners land well. The story is a dry eulogy for a life half lived, and all but over. It won't get much attention from the masses or the Academy. There wasn't enough boobs or capes for that. Granted, I love boobs and capes, but it simply would have cheapened the value of the film. My only complaint is that it could have used 30 extra minutes to explore his closing escapades just a bit more.
Ghosts of Morgan City (2019)
Transform and roll out... the ghost helmet!
Oh this show. I want to love it (kinda do!), but good lord. I don't k ow what to say or what to believe. I had a real LOL moment when "The Ghost Helmet" came out. I thought it looked familiar... it's a modified Optimus Prime toy dress-up head. We own one. I'm gonna glue some magnets to mine, paint it bronze, and go ghost hunting.