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Reviews
Heart of Stone (2023)
Ignore the detractors, this is a good movie
I didn't know what to expect after reading those bad reviews but I like spy action movies so I thought I'd give it a try. It's about an MI6 agent (Gal Gadot) who is moonlighting for another "secret" agency. I can't say too much because I don't want to give it away. It's a very interesting premise though.
There is a lot of action and I would say the vibe is similar to the Mission Impossible franchise (with Tom Cruise) except with a female lead. For me, this movie was better than most films in this genre.
There are a lot of twists, turns and unexpected events that will keep you glued to the edge of your seats. The ending is emotional but not "sappy". Kudos to the director. This is a very well done film. Don't let some of those negative reviews dissuade you from watching it. If you like action movies you won't be disappointed.
The Exchange (2021)
If you like unconventional, cryptic movies, you'll like this
Although the plot is completely different, the way this movie was directed reminded me a lot of Upstream Color. It's about alien beings who can travel between dimensions. The main character is a hybrid soldier who falls in love with a human woman. There are no space ships or anything like that. A watch seems to be the only device used. Switching between black & white and color is used as a storytelling device.
This is far from a conventional love story and it doesn't even fit that label. It is more about the interaction between characters. There are virtually no special effects but it doesn't need any. The director allows you to figure things out yourself and doesn't give you a lot of explanation.
If you like deep, cryptic movies like Upstream Color or Donnie Darko then you will probably like this.
Who Is Erin Carter? (2023)
A Female Jason Bourne
This was quite good actually. Definitely worth watching. It takes a few episodes until we find out who Erin Carter really is. The director does a good job at unraveling the puzzle piece-by-piece. They start off as an English-speaking family living in Barcelona. Erin (a school substitute teacher), her husband Jordi and their daughter Harper. As the mystery unfolds we see that Erin Carter is not who she seems to be. The story is quite intricate and keeps your interest throughout the 7 episodes. In fact, the story (and the action) gets more and more intense with each episode. The cast of characters is pretty diverse and each actor brings something to the table. If you are looking for some tender moments along with some great fight scenes, then this is the series for you. Erin really reminded me of Jason Bourne, so if you liked those movies than this will be a satisfying experience.
Intersect (2020)
Well Thought Out Movie
This is not a bad movie at all! It certainly doesn't deserve a 3.5 rating and I'm glad I watched it in spite of that (I almost didn't).
Good acting. Good dialog. Good special effects. Where it falls down a bit is in the way the story is told.
It's about 3 gifted friends who grow up together and wind up creating a time machine once they start attending a university. I can't say more than that or I'll give it away. There is a lot more to the story though. Very well thought out and by the end you pretty much understand what is happening. It reminds me of the Butterfly Effect in tone but not in substance.
The only problem is that much of the story is told in flashbacks which are way too long and sometimes boring. It does go somewhere though. Just be patient and you'll be rewarded.
All in all, it is worth watching. Just don't expect a lot of excitement (although there is some). It's mostly very cerebral and methodical. If you like that kind of thing, give it a try!
Native (2016)
Classic Sci-Fi
If you like Science Fiction anthology magazines then you will probably like this movie. The writing and the acting are top notch, otherwise it wouldn't work. It's very original but it's true that it doesn't have the action elements of Star Wars (closer to Star Trek). It does have a good premise though along with great dialog. It even has a fight scene! The special effects are above average so that helps draw you into the story. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about the story or I'd give it away. What I can say though is that you will probably figure out what's actually happening within the first 30 minutes or so. For me it was an enjoyable experience, similar to Solaris. It deserves a higher rating but in today's fast paced action era I guess some people just didn't get it. If you're a fan of classic sci-fi though, I think you'll like it.
Pasión de gavilanes (2003)
Infuriating, Cheesy and Awesome!
Infuriating:
Although there are many good points to this series, there are some bad ones as well. For example the writers will ramp up the tension and then create a possible resolution to whatever the issue is. The writer will get your hopes up and then dash them time and time again. I'm not a big fan of this writing style. By the time you are deep into the story you naturally start to care about the characters. Then you have to wait 20 episodes for a conflict to be resolved. At the same time they throw in lighthearted moments as well so that tends to balance things out a bit.
Cheesy:
Especially in the beginning this telenovela uses all the tropes and cliches you might expect. There are plenty of scenes with half dressed men and women but it never takes it too far. Even the sex scenes are tame by today's standards. There are also scenes that just seem completely ridiculous. Fortunately not too many of them.
Awesome:
Overall, I really liked this series! The writing is superb. Great character development and a unique and engaging story. This series has everything you can imagine, from death and destruction to intricate love stories. There is plenty of action and things that will keep you interested in seeing the next episode. Although a lot of deep issues are explored, it always remembers to have fun at the same time. Lots of ups, and downs, plot twists and harrowing situations. It managed to keep my interest for 188 episodes.
Update: I was able to get through 3 1/2 episodes of Season 2 before I just couldn't take it anymore. Although it was interesting to see how the characters look 20 years later, that wears off fast. This is more of a straight drama that revolves around Juan's 2 "bad seed" kids. The chemistry between the characters is gone and it's just not interesting. Remember Juan and Norma's blond haired child from the original series? Well, he's all grown up and now his hair is jet black. I guess that says it all.
Rating for Season 2: 5.
Wu Assassins (2019)
Hidden Gem with a Terrible Soundtrack
Although the first several episodes were a bit cheesy, once you get into the meat of the story it's very intricate and engaging! I don't want to give it away but it's kind of like a superhero movie but with a better story and character development. Great martial arts action as well! Unfortunately for about 50% of the series the soundtrack is truly awful. You get some explicit rap music which doesn't match what's going on with the characters. In some scenes the music almost drowns out the dialog. Thankfully, The other 50% of the music fits nicely with what's going on. I would recommend giving this a try if you like good storytelling that will keep your interest throughout the 10 episodes.
The Gray Man (2022)
Pablum
This is just too tongue-in-cheek for my taste. They lost me in the first few minutes with a conversation about Bubblicious gum. The dialog seemed to have been written for 5-13 year olds. Just not my cup of tea.
Mai Neim (2021)
Great writing, awesome acting!
This is a Korean crime drama that is extremely engaging. Very few shows give you this combination of great writing, acting and character development. The story really takes you on an emotional journey with the female lead. There's plenty of action but there are also a lot of more subdued moments where you get insight into what makes the various characters tick. I should also mention the director who is also excellent. Really knows how to ramp up the tension. If you like well done fight scenes within a compelling story I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Entrevías (2021)
I beg to differ, the granddaughter was great!
Wow, I can't believe all the negative comments about the granddaughter! Her acting was actually very good. I watched the entire series and most of the time she nailed it with her reaction to various stimuli within the story. The writing itself was pretty good but not great, which is why I didn't give it a higher rating. All in all this series will keep your interest. Make your own judgements about the granddaughter's acting. Personally, I think she did a good job.
Kate (2021)
Cartoonish
I wanted to like this but the unrealistic CGI car chase scene at the beginning of the movie was predictive of what was to come. Good action sequences but a morbid premise. It was somewhat entertaining though. I hope to see some of the fresh faces again in other movies.
La Promesa (2013)
An engaging story with great character development
This show is not what you might imagine it to be. It's more than a crime drama about human trafficking. It's a story of friendship and forgiveness. It's a story about withstanding adversity. It's about overcoming evil with good. To my surprise this turned out to be one of the most amazing TV series I have ever seen. A roller-coaster ride of emotions.
The direction is superb, the acting is flawless and the characters mature before your eyes. The only negative comment I have is with the opening credits which attempt to sensationalize the theme with a shot of chained women which does not even appear in the show.
I don't want to give too much of the story away but it's set mainly in Bogota, Columbia and Toledo, Spain. It follows the lives of three girls who are tricked into being kidnapped by human traffickers. The storyline also involves the life of a detective in Bogota whose daughter was among those that were taken from Columbia to Spain to be sold. Although there is some violence, the plot focuses heavily on the relationships between the characters. There are a lot of twists and turns that make you want to watch the next episode to see what will happen next. A very well done script! In fact I believe that at least some of it may have been ad-libbed. Interactions flow too naturally to be totally scripted. I guess a lot of that should be credited to guidance from the director.
For me this is about as good as it gets while tackling a very difficult subject. A solid 10.