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Reviews
Interview with the Vampire (2022)
I Won't Be Watching Season Two
I wanted to like it. At first I thought there might be some potential, even though the story is unlike Anne Rice's original narrative. But each episode became less and less interesting. While most of the characters became more and more annoying.
The problem appears to be in the nature of vampires. How can there be a character arc to creatures who never change? Lifeless and eternally the same. The show is not well cast. Lestat is so unappealing, that I found myself looking away from his character. He is not seductive, but alternatingly catty, imperious, needy, pompous, manipulative and petty. Worse yet, the promise of his first episode powers is never explored. The actor playing Louis is talented, but the mopey misfit characterization in the script makes him more like Charlie Brown, than Louis from the book. Reporter Daniel is so one-note tedious, that I had to fast forward through many of his scenes. He scowls and verbally attacks, as if his only director's note is to "play it angry." The owl-eyed, long-faced Armand made me cringe, with his skulking, charmless presence - so unlike the cherubic muse I envisioned.
Claudia is an exception. I found her portrayal and situation to be compelling.
Without going into an elaborate comparison to the book, I will only say about the script, that where it strays, it does not improve on its source material. Part of the magic of the book is its long-view of a vampire's existence. In truncating the timeline, the show loses the depth of perspective shown in the book's antebellum South, with its cruel charm and doomed future. Which fittingly describes the vampire life - where nothing is truly immortal.
The Tender Bar (2021)
Lacking
A flat, pointless story, with no payoff. Although I liked most of the songs on the soundtrack, it felt like the music overwhelmed the weak narrative. When I saw that George Clooney was involved, it makes sense. His approach feels vague and obtuse, like many of his productions.
Being the Ricardos (2021)
Kidman can't act
Wow! These people who give Nicole Kidman a good review must be watching a different movie. Not only does her face look revoltingly odd, but she doesn't remotely capture Lucille Ball's mannerisms, physicality or personality. Kidman is too lanky and hard edged, in every way. The story is manic and overwrought...forced. Watching Being the Ricardos is like falling into icy water while wearing coarse wool long Johns.
And Just Like That... (2021)
Postmenopausal Syndrome
Agitated and angry is no way to make comedy. These tired hags used to be funny and cute. What happened to turn them into dislikeable imbeciles?
Absurd plot lines and half baked explanations...the only time you'll laugh, is at how stupid the writers are.
Yellowstone (2018)
Western potboiler, with some good and some bad
Complex relationships on the frontier, with some irrationally stubborn characters, who seem married to bad choices, which are simply plot devices. The dialogue is often poetic and philosophical, which I like...but at times lacks authenticity.
The characters of Rip, Beth, Jimmy and Jamie keep me watching. There is so much killing in this show, it gets numbing. How no one gets caught is a mystery. My biggest complaint is with the Native American victimhood and reservation politics plotline, which doesn't interest me.
Crystal Inferno (2017)
Plan 9 from Outer Space has competition.
The little girl in the movie was so dislikeable, that I wished her character was killed off. When I see a movie this amateurish, I wonder if the actors, writers and the director realized how awful the project was going to turn out.
Appointment with Death (1988)
I'd rather have an appointment for a root canal.
Sloppy, unfocused and tedious...with zero suspense. Piper Laurie and Lauren Bacall overact unconvincingly. Such an incredible cast, wasted.
Army of the Dead (2021)
Two hours too long.
Dislikeable characters skulking across squalid set pieces doing boring stuff, filmed with no imagination or vision. If you like that sort of thing.
I Care a Lot (2020)
Vapid, boring and utter nonsense.
The characters aspire to be one-dimensional, but fail even to achieve that. The old school dapper, sleazy lawyer is the only interesting character, and has just two brief scenes. What a waste of talent.
Moonlight (2016)
When fast-forward isn't fast enough.
Trite, slow and cliches abounding. My biggest gripe is with casting. Adult Chiron looks and acts nothing like his younger selves. I actually didn't realize it was supposed to be him, until his mother called. This is a talking head movie, fraught with unsatisfactory conversations that go nowhere. Writers and directors need to realize that every single shot and bit of dialogue must propel a movie forward. This movie sits in idle for 90% of its run time.
The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
Unrealised potential.
Out of sequence storytelling can be effective. In the case of Bly, it is an unnecessary contrivance. That strategy led to redundancy and slow-pacing. Supernatural narratives often have inconsistencies in physics, as well. In The Haunting of Bly Manor, why does Hannah have the ability to interact normally with the real world? How does a ghost murder people? Why does Dani experience a period of normalcy after absorbing Viola's spirit?
Other bothersome issues for me, include: Henry is just not believable, as portrayed. His motives seem unnatural. Wouldn't he be more attentive to his niece (daughter) and nephew, if he felt guilty? Also, the way Dani's dead fiance suddenly disappears from the story is not fully addressed.
Then there are the dolls. So much emphasis on them to start, but no satisfactory pay-off for their inclusion. All that production value and moving performances can't fix the disjointed script. I found Hannah, Owen, Jamie, Miles and Flora to be particularly compelling - portrayed flawlessly. Yet, I was disappointed in this season, overall.
The Boys: Nothing Like It in the World (2020)
What happened to this show?
A tedious, dull, waste of time. I couldn't keep my eyes open. In fact, all four episodes this season have been odious...just all downer, all the time.
Come to Daddy (2019)
Mental equivalent to fingernails on a chalkboard.
Itchy bit of rashy filmmaking. I disliked everything in it - from Wood's inexplicable haircut, to the cringeworthy story. Sorry, but this is no absurd comedy. It's just absurd...and pointless.
The Boys: Good for the Soul (2019)
Slowest episode so far.
Too many "agenda" driven scenes - slowed the story down. I fast-forwarded through parts, for the first time with this series. The "secret" lesbian trope had me yawning. I'm not against the concept, just how it was (poorly)done. The silly Christian festival was tedious. What really bothered me, was the Starlighter arc, which felt forced and preachy, in its own right. Homelander's going rogue speech had me fast-forwarding, too. Overall, it felt like the writers were proselytizing their beliefs through underdeveloped or unnecessary plot points. Give me more killer baby carnage, please! I'm tired of agendas putrifying good storytelling. It's like hiding brussel sprouts in an eclair.