benntune Reviews

Einstein and the Bomb (2024)

You can skip it

[4/10 · 17 February 2024]

This was average at best. I wouldn't call it a documentary. It was a drama with some documentary film added in to try and give it some clout. Made to try and capitalise off the renewed interest in the subject thanks to Oppenheimer, you can tell Netflix rushed out to create anything it could with predictable results. The bomb isn't even mentioned until about 30mins remaining and nothing new or interesting is depicted. Letters are portrayed in person just to try and dramatise the exchange. If the purpose of this was to inform and/or entertain, it did neither. So as far as I'm concerned it's not worth watching.

The Mandalorian: Chapter 17: The Apostate (2023) Season 3, Episode 1

Not a promising atart

[5/10 · 3 March 2023]

First up, I feel like I've missed a season somehow. Was there a season 2b I'm not aware of? Mando has been stripped of his identity and Grogu is back with Mando. Didnt he hand him off at the end of Season 2? That's why he took his helmet off in the first place. That whole sacrifice was for nothing. Anyway once I Googled what the hell was going on (I'm not suffering through the debacle that was Bobba Fett), it became apparent that nothing happened in this episode. It's 30mins long and nothing happens. This is what was disappointing about season 1. Nothing really happened and nothing was tied together. He just went from place to place looking for a mcguffin while they dedicate a stupidly long time focussing on Grogu trying to be cute and making cooing noises. This episode made me feel nothing but frustration and concern for the reat of the episode. It is starting to feel like they have cobbled this together to sell Grogu merchandise and try and milk the IP cow. I hope they prove me wrong.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Unwatchable

[1/10 · 27 September 2022]

I was surprised to see the overall rating for this series at 7 out of 10. I genuinely can't fathom how anyone could watch this series and rationally rate it above a 3. And scrolling through the actual reviews it's become very obvious to me that the reviews are an accurate take on the quality of this series as opposed to the rating, which has obviously been propped up by the network. This show is unwatchable. As a Star Trek fan I've tried multiple times to give it a go and just can't get past the first season. So I guess season 2 to 4 could be much better than I expect, but again having read the reviews, which are people who have taken to time to articulate why they don't like it as opposed to just hitting a rating button, confirms my suspicion that the subsequent seasons are just as bad as the first if not worse. So my review is this...don't waste your time. This is a vanity project for social causes and not entertainment by any definition of the word.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Embarrassing

[5/10 · 9 August 2022]

I only gave this a 5 because of Bale. The writing is horrendous and childish with a thousand plot contrivances. It's just lazy. Taika has let his past success go completely to his head. I honestly can't believe we've gone from Infinity War and End Game to this and the other phase 4 Marvel rubbish in only a few years. I doubt I'll pay to watch another Marvel movie at the cinemas. It's just not worth it anymore.

Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

Disappointing Taylor

[5/10 · 3 August 2022]

I was disappointed in this given it's a Taylor Sheridan movie. Wind River is one of my favourite movies but this doesn't come close to the gravity or class it had. It's shallow and pretty average by his standards. It's still fairly entertaining but my expectations were a lot higher.

Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)

Sienna Miller

[6/10 · 24 July 2022]

This isn't really a review. The TV series is watchable but has many faults. But is there a more attractive 40 year old than Sienna Miller? My god she gets better with age. What a stunning woman and a very good actress. Worth watching just for her IMO.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

Who wrote this?

[3/10 · 7 July 2022]

I was genuinely surprised just how bad this was. I get the PG13 rating but this sounds like it was written by a 13 year old. The script is horrendous. You can literally see Tom Hardy's distaste for it as he is saying his lines. And to make things worse it's not even entertaining. Not even a little bit. What a disappointing experience.

Any Questions for Ben? (2012)

One big advertisement for Melbourne/Victoria

[5/10 · 16 June 2022]

Not much of a story here. You can tell the story was crafted around the advertising for Melbourne and Victoria who paid for the film. As a result the story is flimsy at best. It's entertaining enough if you don't want to think too much.

Gladbeck: The Hostage Crisis (2022)

Parasitic media

[7/10 · 12 June 2022]

This is a bizarre and enthralling watch. I recommend it. But what it confirmed to me is how the media are parasitic scum and only getting worse. Yes it is their job to report on something like this, but not get involved in it and not place themselves right in the middle of it hindering any attempt the police would have of controlling the situation. Disgraceful, and we've seemed to have learnt very little as the media are still doing this crap to this day. Becoming the story not just reporting on it. Journalism is dead. Has been for a while now.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2022– )

Netflix's need for producing their own content

[5/10 · 14 May 2022]

Whilst I completely understand Netflix is in a world of hurt and needs to produce a mass of it's own content quickly, this is a classic example of quantity over quality. They need to at least come up with a few new concepts every now and again. You can't just take every remotely successful book or anime series and hope to turn it into a successful tv series. There is a reason why Bosch works and this doesn't. Character development and more importantly acting. This lacks both. While this is watchable it comes across as desperate and therefore unsatisfying.

Flint Town (2018)

Ultimately this was a little boring

[6/10 · 12 May 2022]

I watched the whole series because I like this type of show. There were some interesting parts and some of the backstories were good, but ultimately I found the series boring. Not much happened at all. Lots of social commentary which I don't watch these shows for, and not much excitement which is why I watch these shows. I found myself fast forwarding chunks of it which is never a good sign. A bit disappointing.

Riders of Justice (2020)

I love me some Mads!

[7/10 · 8 April 2022]

There are two actors that I'll literally watch any movie they do. Mads and Viggo Mortensen. Anything they do I will watch. And this one has Mads in it and he's awesome. I love his character. This movie is funny as well as a thriller/revenge movie. I really enjoyed it.

Sherlock (2010–2017)

What did they do to Moriaty!

[6/10 · 28 February 2022]

This is watchable. The fact it's rated 9 on here makes me question the taste of most of the planet but whatever. Each to their own. The only thing that really annoyed me about this was the Moriaty character. I can't think of one reason why anyone would want to make the character like they did on this show. It's a cartoon character. Not menacing or brilliant or witty or cunny. Just insipid overacting.

The Good Wife (2009–2016)

This is how you write and act a strong female character

[8/10 · 11 February 2022]

This is my favourite law/court drama serial. Well written, well acted, well paced, good stories. It's the only one of these types of shows I've watched multiple times.

Chicago Med (2015– )

Did they seriously just play the violin in an ER!

[3/10 · 9 February 2022]

My god this is cringe worthy. I knew it would be going in but I didn't think it would be this bad. I lasted 3 episodes. I'm out. And apparently I'm meant to use 150 characters as a min for this review but I refuse to waste anymore of my brain on this.

The Expanse (2015–2022)

What happened to this show

[6/10 · 5 February 2022]

I had this rated 8 at the end of season 4. I really don't know what happened to this show. It was going so well. And then it devolved into a slow melodramatic soap opera with long drawn out dialogue with poor acting and disjointed plot lines. Devoid of everything it got right the first few seasons. I never thought I'd say this but I'm glad they aren't doing another season. This show is dead. Another case of what could have been.

Home Team (2022)

This is bad

[3/10 · 2 February 2022]

This really isn't a good movie. It's not particularly funny or heart warming. The only thing I found remotely interesting about this movie is the fact it's very loosely based on a true story. A story I didn't know anything about so that's something I guess.

Crimes That Shook Australia (2013–2018)

Media helping or hindering?

[5/10 · 1 February 2022]

Apart from the obvious tragedy and digusting nature of these crimes, the thing that stood out to me, and was consistent in every one, was the involvement of the media in hindering the police investigations of these crimes.

The Staircase (2004–2018)

Way too long

[7/10 · 26 January 2022]

I found this interesting but it dragged on way too long. It could have been 8 or 10 episodes. I found myself fast forwarding all the one on one interviews with the defendant towards the end because I'd heard it all before multiple times.

Mother/Android (2021)

I missed Kick Ass

[4/10 · 17 January 2022]

I got 30mins into this and it made me miss Kick Ass. So I put that on instead. I'd recommend that. I love Chloe...she's awesome. But this is a boring story done a million times before.

Papillon (I) (2017)

Probably ok if you haven't see the original

[5/10 · 7 January 2022]

This isn't even in the same stratosphere as the Steve McQueen version. I'm sure it's an ok movie when watched in isolation, but if you've seen the original this is just B Grade. Do yourself a favour and watch the original. It's one of the all time classics as far as I'm concerned...that and Paul Newman's Cool Hand Luke. Couple of things...Henri is French and a member of the french underworld...not American. Anyway... look I'm sure this is ok. The brilliance of the original just wrecked this one for me.

The Expanse: Strange Dogs (2021) Season 6, Episode 1

Nothing happened

[5/10 · 14 December 2021]

Nothing happened in this episode. Literally nothing of consequence. Bad acting and time filling. This is the last season...they should be struggling to fit everything into every episode. At least Game of Thrones attempted to wrap things up by condensing 3 seasons of action and storylines into one (albeit poorly). This is not a good start. I hope it picks up and quickly, as it's running out of time (and maybe budget going by this episode).

Titans: Souls (2021) Season 3, Episode 9

Lazy

[4/10 · 11 December 2021]

When you bring characters back from the dead the audience loses an emotional attachment to them. When there are no lasting consequences to killing off a character it's very difficult to buy into the show. Nothing is permanent so nothing really matters. It's lazy and sloppy and cheap.

Gods of Egypt (2016)

As an Australian I'm embarrassed

[2/10 · 18 November 2021]

I wondered why I knew so many Australian actors in this movie. Then I realised it's an Australian movie! Australia has created some incredible movies with incredible stories and incredible acting performances...this monstrosity is not one of them. This is CGI drivel with a script my 10 year old could write.

Official Secrets (2019)

How hard is it to dye hair?

[6/10 · 31 October 2021]

This is pretty minor and I didn't mind the movie as a whole. It wasn't an edge of your seat drama but it was entertaining enough. But I don't understand why the lead actress couldn't have dyed her hair blonde to even remotely look a little like Katharine Gun. Not a difficult process and shows a general lack of commitment as often seen when Keira takes on a role. Anyway it's not a bad watch.