AdamJACox Reviews

The Watcher (2022– )

A PG version of AHS: Murder House

[6/10 · 25 October 2022]

I really don't know what to score this series as i've never been so hooked and so disinterested in any show. The premise is based on the real life case of the watcher (including some of the key case details) where a family moves in to a home and starts receiving threatening letters and this is basically a series of them trying to find out who 'the watcher' is (along with some other largely inconsequential side stories).

The show reminds me so much of the first season of AHS (albeit a much less graphic version) from the neighbour who seemingly has access to the house, to the random characters who suddenly appear and you only find out the details about them after, to the ending 'scares'. This perhaps shouldn't be that surprising considering Ryan Murphy's involvement in both but it does feel like lazy writing to have such obvious similarities and my opinion on this is largely the same as with my opinion on all the AHS series i've seen, the first few episodes draw you in, then you get some filler episodes to bulk it out and the ending feels a little anti-climatic.

The show did have me hooked as i was curious as to who was sending the letters and they definitely do a good job at making the other characters as creepy and as suspect as possible. I loved the private detective character and she was key in keeping the story moving at a good pace initially. Although i have to say i found it less intriguing as the story goes on (Episode 4 is basically the tipping point), the twists or 'reveals of evidence' become entirely predictable, the characters start to make more and more stupid, irrational decisions and on top of that the things that they do seem to just get forgotten by the next episode.

**Minor spoilers in this paragraph** One such example of how inconsequential everything is: (minor spoiler (not related to the main storyline): The daughter accuses her father of being racist online, this leads to him having a meeting with his boss and being shunned by the country club, but she apologises at some stage and all is seemingly forgotten (by everyone). Another (again minor spoiler) is when the wife finds out about a phone call having been made from inside the house, this is enough evidence to raise her suspicions of her husband but he never admits it was him and as such why does she seem to instantly forget about it (or was she fine with somebody random making calls from inside her house whilst she was away).

Ultimately it's okay and has some redeeming qualities but the ending is very unsatisfactory and without giving anything away does make you feel like you've wasted your time somewhat.

Monster (2022–2024)

Well made, some interesting parts but I don't get a lot of the hype this got

[7/10 · 19 October 2022]

Dahmer is a very well made and well acted dramatisation of the life of Jeffrey Dahmer, as if there wasn't a character that Evan Peters couldn't portray but overall it was hard work to watch and not because of the unpleasant subject matter. The series bounces around exploring Dahmer's life as a young man, his serial killer years and then his life in prison, it also focuses on

The first thing that irks me about the series is that it skirts around the more horrific, gory details. That in itself isn't a bad thing but it means that you don't really get the feeling for what a monster Dahmer was and as such there are times you almost start feeling bad for him, the lack of horrific detail also means it can get quite repetitive with each case almost identical. He goes to a club, picks up generally a gay black individual and drugs them (it's then just implied that the person is killed and disposed of).

The second thing is that it feels very slow paced and drawn out with lots of scenes largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The episode featuring Tony (Silenced) was excellent it gives you a feel for the victim beforehand, as you get to see his life and build a connection before he is eventually introduced to Dahmer and the inevitable happens but the following episode focusing on his neighbour (Cassandra) feels very repetitive and unnecessary, in the opening episode we see her shouting and screaming at the police that she has been warning them for ages about Jeff, this is enough to set the scenario and having multiple scenes about her complaining about the smell and the noise just feels excessive (as a viewer, we get it). There are also many other scenes which feel like they don't add anything to the story.

Into the Deep (2020)

Compelling case but could be condensed into a much shorter show

[6/10 · 11 October 2022]

I didn't know the case beforehand and haven't looked further in to it subsequently so i cannot comment on the accuracy of the documentary and whether key information has been missed or excluded but overall it's an okay documentary, that does cover the accused in detail and ticks all the boxes in terms of explaining how he had means, motive and opportunity that said it feels very dragged out to cover a 90 minute time frame.

The case instantly grabs your attention in building up a mystery. A fairly well known inventor and a journalist are onboard a submarine, which disappears (found wrecked, sort of) and the journalist is reported missing but it becomes very clear that there is only one person of interest in this case and although he doesn't outright say it, the fact he changes his story so often based on the evidence he is confronted with, almost certainly confirms his actions.

Very little is told about the victim, other than she was a journalist who was moving the following week. The documentary spends most of its time covering the accused through the use of interviews and talking about his background developing submarines and rockets.

It's only really revealed late on what his motivations for committing the crime were and how psychologically messed up he was (could have revealed this stuff earlier, as you spend most of the documentary wondering why? Why did he do this? Was it planned? Etc. But i guess there would be no reason to continue watching i guess).

D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?! (2022)

Could have condensed the good bits in to a half hour show

[3/10 · 15 July 2022]

The opening 20-25 minutes are great, they cover the general strokes of what happened during the D. B. Cooper case, and highlight some of the most notable suspects. The problem is that episodes 2 and 3 are basically main investigator Tom Colberts vendetta to prove that his chosen suspect Robert Rackstraw is D. B. Cooper.

The biggest red flag for me is in the very first episode when he says that "i started to document the investigation, so that I could eventually sell it as a documentary", this to me suggests that his motive is to prove his point and potentially overlook contradictory evidence, after all nobody is going to buy a documentary about some guy who isn't D. B. Cooper. This concern is bored out over the next few episodes, for example when Rackstraw's estranged sister is interviewed she says it couldn't be him because he has green eyes, not brown as eyewitness evidence suggests, this is dismissed as it all depends on how you catch them in the light and the flight attendant only had a moment to glace at him. It was reported that the FBI had looked at Rackstraw as a suspect but "they might, have for a good reason at the time, ruled him out", hence it was a CIA/FBI cover-up (the proof he was CIA - "There must be a half-dozen women he bragged that he was in the CIA", cause nobody has ever claimed that and lied about it. Colbert claims he has 93 pieces of compelling evidence but as far as i can tell the only evidence he has is that he knew how to use a parachute. He has no evidence that he was in the area at the time before or after the crime was committed, that Rackstraw was suddenly $200k richer after committing the crime and there is certainly no physical evidence that places him on the plane.

Overall not a great documentary, the opening is good as mentioned and i also thought that the Canadian angle they looked at in the beginning of episode 4 was interesting and new to me but overall it descended in to basically a witch hunt with some ludicrous conspiracy theory logic thrown in, such as the final line of a D. B. Cooper letter, when a numerical value is attributed to each letter and added up it comes to 269, you get the same number when you add up the line 'I'm Lt. Robert W. Rackstraw' therefore this is conclusive proof it must be him.

A Killer Next Door (2020)

Very low budget rear window style film

[3/10 · 14 July 2022]

The acting isn't great, the plot development lacks, the sets are littered with inaccuracies, the start supposedly set in 1970 could probably pass for 2000, characters jump to illogical conclusions and very little is explained but it must be remembered this is a low budget film and comparing it to the likes of Rear Window/Disturbia will always make this look bad.

I thought there were some redeeming features. The plot albeit poorly delivered is interesting and unlike the aforementioned films, you get the additional character of a cop who is looking to solve the case and i did like the murderer monologue letter at the start (although it would have been better had the camera not just focused on a picture on the wall the whole time (maybe inter splice that with shots of the crime he has committed and each time you revert back to the picture you zoom in on his face, just something to capture your attention).

My advice, read about or watch a documentary on John List and save yourself the hour and a half.

The Happytime Murders (2018)

Largely forgettable but not without positives

[5/10 · 10 July 2022]

Is this a masterpiece of film making? No. Would I recommend everyone sees this film? No, but it does have a somewhat compelling mystery and i liked the dialogue references to other films.

The Father (I) (2020)

The heartbreaking truth of dementia

[6/10 · 2 May 2022]

The acting is exceptional, the subject matter is important but also heartbreaking.

The film is shot basically from the POV of Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) a dementia sufferer who struggles to decipher what is happening. This is a clever way of directing the film and certainly helps the watcher to understand more of what it is like to suffer like this. Anthony Hopkins is brilliant in the role and really hammers home the emotional impact (the ending is truly heart breaking).

Ultimately the fact that the film is all seen from Anthony's point of view, is also the reason my review is so low, i found it confusing to follow and although you can piece together the real truth by the end it just wasn't to my taste.

(Please don't think the score is a judgement on how well made the film is)

The House That Jack Built (2018)

American Psycho vibes (with some particularly graphic scenes and interesting philosophical debate)

[8/10 · 28 April 2022]

I really liked this film, yes it's a little sadistic at times and there are some scenes which some may find disturbing but as someone who generally dislikes graphic gore in horror films, I didn't find this too bad (largely because it cuts back and forth from the acts rather than making it the sole focus for any length of time and the desecration of dead bodies doesn't bother me as much because they're already dead).

The story is based around Jack (Matt Dillon) recounting five 'random' incidents from his past to a man named Verge (Bruno Ganz) in reference to the poet who took Dante through hell . These incidents revolve around murders committed by Jack over a period of 12 years. The account of these incidents exposes Jacks disregard for life but most notably for women by almost dehumanising them, the first 3 victims are simply credited as Lady 1, Lady 2 and Lady 3 and the 4th he refers to almost exclusively as simple. The film also does an excellent job of exploring the psyche of Jack, from witnessing first hand his struggles with OCD to more thought provoking and philosophical debates around what Jack defines as art.

This might be strange to say for a horror film but it was the non-horror parts that piqued my interest the most, the discussions between Jack and Verge that take place between 'incidents' not only as a palette cleanser for the horrors that you have just witnessed but also act as a history lesson and provoke interesting philosophical arguments, the way Jack describes his need to keep killing through the use of a shadow metaphor is a particularly noteworthy moment as it can be applied to almost any circumstance (as Verge points out at the time) and really helps you as a viewer understand Jacks psychological disposition. I also love the bursts of David Bowie's Fame that come and go throughout the film and completely change the atmosphere of the particular scene (again this may be a way of Jack expressing how he feels about the actions he has just carried out).

Ultimately there are a lot more things that could be said about this movie from a purely intellectual viewpoint before you even get on to the directing and acting, which although I feel under-qualified to talk about, I must say are excellent in their own right.

The Village (2004)

A confusing mix of period drama, thriller and horror which lacks enough definition to appeal to any specific audience.

[6/10 · 27 April 2022]

This film is on the cusp of a high-6, low-7 for me, I wasn't a huge fan of the storyline, the basics of which are that a 19th century village is 'terrorised' by 'beasts' they simply refer to as "those we don't speak of", and as such they have formed a truce of sorts by which they never go in to the woods. I did however like the characters, the soundtrack and the suspense.

The story largely revolves around 3 main characters Ivy Walker (a blind girl and love interest of the other two) Lucius Hunt (a brave if reserved character who wishes to pass through the woods to get medicine from a nearby town) and Noah Percy (a young adult with apparent learning difficulties). The main 'conflict' of this film comes when Noah stabs Lucius multiple times seemingly in retaliation for the news that Ivy and Lucius are due to be wed, the wounds get infected and the only way to save him is to cross through the woods to bring in medicines from the nearby town.

There is a fairly strong cast of actors with the likes of Joaquin Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Brendan Gleeson and Adrien Brody, all of them have their moments but it's Ivy Walker (Bryce Dallas Howard) who becomes the star of the film, her acting really impressed me, not only was she able to convey multiple-emotions through her character throughout the film but she simply stole the limelight from her more famous co-stars in every scene (I do take slight issue that her being blind is a big character trait and yet she is able to run unimpeded through a wooded area for example).

As you'd expect from M Night Shayamalan it's deceptive in it's delivery, leading you down a particular road before a twist ending, in this case it has two (sort of) twists, first revealing that the creatures or "those we don't speak of" were actually a rouse designed by the village elders based on old rumours to keep the inhabitants within the confines of the village and the second that the village itself is not an isolated 19th century village as it would seem but a carefully designed 'wildlife preserve' intent on keeping it's inhabitants isolated from the outside world (all of it's elders having been a victim of crime or murder in the outside world).

The first half of the film does an exceptional job at building tension and suspense, with an awesome score that really sets the mood perfectly and I liked the way that the characters are portrayed and the village itself has a sort of charm to it that you get with more period style settings. The second half of the film is a bit more of a mess, as they start to reveal the twists it takes a lot of the suspense out of the film (like revealing that the creatures don't actually exist whilst Ivy is still in the woods, kind of kills a lot of the suspense that had been built up) and for me the ending feels like it's a mixture of ideas all thrown in together.

Overall, I think a lot of the reviews are quite harsh, this is in no way a bad film but I wouldn't be knocking peoples doors down to tell them to watch it either.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

A lot of fan service but still a great film

[8/10 · 14 April 2022]

There are a few things that annoyed me about this film and i'll get them out of the way early. Firstly this film could and perhaps should have ended after an hour, the notion that spider-man won't let strange sent them back to their universes because they will die at some point is stupid, i get that spider-mans weakness is his morality but really that's what you're going to do. Secondly the fan service of this film is too in your face, yes it's great to hear Willem Dafoe say "I'm something of a scientist myself" and calling Andrew Garfield's spider-man "amazing" in reference to his film franchise but these lines feel forced and shoe-horned in (the interaction between the spider-men is also kinda cringy).

With that out of the way though, what a great film this is.

Tom Hollands spider-man (naivety aside) is excellent, in this post avengers world, he can no longer be the friendly neighbourhood spider-man and as Doctor Strange so accurately says "I always forget your just a kid" and that is what this film focuses on most, he is trying to be just a normal kid, excited to see if he and his friends all get in to university together and yet he is thrust in to this constant spotlight having had his identity revealed.

*i will update this further later.

The Tourist (I) (2010)

I don't know why this film is so hated

[7/10 · 14 April 2022]

I really liked this film, I thought that the plot was good and for all that the twists weren't totally unexpected, It kept you guessing until the end (was Frank Tupelo really Alexander Pearce all along or was he just a hopeless romantic caught up in the web of lies and deception). If i had to guess, i'd say expectation killed this film, it's just a nice carefree film that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Reading some of the other reviews for this film, i'd have to totally agree that Angelina Jolie pulls of the smouldering high glamour look really well but i'd have to disagree with those that have pointed to a lack of chemistry between her and Johnny Depp (or rather their on-screen counterparts) I feel like that was the whole point of this film, that they were in love with each other but trying to avert the British authorities and other interested parties attention. The scene where they met on the train 'for the first time' had a certain charm to it and was the perfect example of their on-screen chemistry, both characters had a different energy but the interaction felt very natural.

The ending did leave me with a sense of what was the point of all that but as I write this actually think it makes total sense, Elise (Angelina Jolie) had to clear her name because Inspector Acheson (Paul Bettany) was obsessed with using her to get to Alexander (Johnny Depp). Alexander had to give the money back to clear his name (but obviously he had to make it so it wasn't worth the authorities pursuing him any more, he would have still been persecuted if he handed himself in) and the authorities killing Reginald Shaw (Steven Burkoff) was an added bonus (He probably could have killed himself but then he'd be on the run as a murderer). This was the only way Alexander and Elise can sail off in to the sunset together.

Overall I would recommend this film, just don't expect a gritty thriller, it's a lighthearted film, set in a beautiful city with a sort of old school charm to it.

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Not a bad film but an unnecessary one for sure

[5/10 · 14 April 2022]

I am very familiar with the story of the murder on the orient express and as such that may have taken away from what should have been an explosive final expose as Poirot but either way this film really struggles to get past mediocre at any stage.

There are a whole host of stars cast alongside star and producer Kenneth Branagh but none of them really get enough screen time or interaction to prove memorable, in truth there is a complete lack of memorable scenes through out the film, largely as it all feels so inconsequential. Perhaps it would have been nice to have an additional character (in a change to the original scripture) or have scenes of Poirot conversing with himself (he has an internal monologue at the end of the film, so maybe this could have been added throughout?) explaining how or what he knows but isn't sharing with the others, instead we get a bunch of meaningless 'interrogations' which reveal absolutely nothing and then a final scene where Poirot reveals that all of them were connected to the deceased (or rather the girl that he kidnapped under a different name) and that he knew all along that the series of clues that had been left were basically red herrings (each clue incriminates someone but everyone has a alibi for the crime).

The film does do some things well in fairness, the whole film is very well made, it looks gorgeous and the style is very appropriate for what is supposed to be a higher end train in the 1930s. Although not to everyones taste (mine included) Branagh certainly gives Poirot his own identity rather than trying to copy previous film and tv Poirots, whether it be through his ridiculous moustache, his slightly confrontational perfectionist (in my mind he is more contained, charming but arrogant) or the fact that he is more energetic and physical than other Poirots (as shown by a brief physical confrontation with Dr Arbuthnot).

Overall I probably wouldn't recommend this film, i'd suggest reading the book or for those otherwise inclined listen the audiobook.

The Professor (I) (2018)

A bittersweet take on the worst news of all

[7/10 · 16 March 2022]

I don't know if this was a brilliantly emotional film or whether it just hit me hard but I loved the monologues from Johnny Depps character Richard, who realises how precious time is once he is given just months to live after a positive cancer diagnosis. It really does a good job of making you connect with the character and although not done quite as well, it definitely gives off Dead Poet Society vibes with Richards unorthodox teaching methods and how he connects and interacts with his students.

A Knight's Tale (2001)

A little bit of everything all rolled in to one.

[8/10 · 8 March 2022]

This will never be ranked amongst the best films ever made and I can fully understand why some people have scored this film lower than me (the historical inaccuracies, the cheesy script, the clichéd story-line etc.) but in my opinion this is one of the most all round complete films that i've seen.

The film crosses boundaries in terms of genre, at heart it is an adventure comedy but has a romantic element as William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) falls in love with an tries to win the heart of Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon) and an emotional element as William returns home to his (now blind) father, years after he left to squire for Sir Ector (Nick Brimble).

The film is obviously based and set in various parts of Europe and London during the medieval time period but is given a modern twist by the use of popular mainstream music such as Queen's We Will Rock You, David Bowie's Golden Years and Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back In Town.

I also love the inclusion of Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany) as a character, probably better described a caricature, not only does he steal the limelight in almost every scene, especially when he is ring announcing before the jousts but his elegant use of words and poetry is beautiful (the love letter scene being a prime example of the power of words when used well).

Emily in Paris (2020– )

Gorgeous and fairly entertaining but it's charms wear off quickly.

[6/10 · 4 March 2022]

I quite liked the first few episodes to the point that I expected to watch both seasons in double quick time and probably score this an 8.

Those expectations quickly dissipated though. The style that was introduced in the first few episodes, focusing on Emilys rise in Instagram fame and struggles with the language were fairly quickly done away with (as you'd expect there is only so much you can do with that but there wasn't anything to take it's place). The introduction of new characters (or rather giving existing characters more focus) and the massive change to Sylvies character (or at least her attitude towards Emily) in the second season seriously impacted on the whole dynamic of the show and means that the only ongoing conflict in the series is Emily and Gabriels on again, off again relationship (which feels a little overdone and clichéd for this type of show).

It is refreshing to have 30 minute episodes whilst most shows seem to target the 1 hour (inc. Adverts) time slot. The scenery is obviously gorgeous focusing on the better parts of Paris and the style and clothing of the characters is absolutely on point (although it has to be noted that they seem to change outfits far too frequently).

Overall I'd say it's a nice enough show, that is fairly fun and enjoyable to watch but I wouldn't be rushing to see more.

My Lover, My Killer (2021– )

Middle of the road true crime documentary series

[5/10 · 8 February 2022]

The cases themselves are fairly interesting, given a very detailed build-up to the eventual murder so you can really get a feel for the people involved and the narrator does a good job of tying everything together but there often lacks detail of how the actual event transpired (understandable as only the killer knows what happened in each case but it sort of glosses over it in some cases, just simply a they killed them and that's it).

There are other issues which lead me to give this a middle of the road rating. Firstly it can be quite repetitive, often repeating quotes or rehashing the story (presumably because it was made for advert breaks and there aren't any on netflix) and the portrayal of the killer/victim seems very biased and one sided. Always describing the victim as innocent and the killer as out of control or psychopathic which may be the case but no way as black and white as this documentary implies.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

A brutal visualisation of ww2 but I think there are better films on the subject.

[7/10 · 28 January 2022]

As a piece of art and a reminder of the tragedy of war, this film is excellent. The acting is great as you'd expect considering the cast and it certainly pulls no punches when it comes to the brutality of war.

The reason my review is a little on the low side is that the plot makes little sense other than to give a reason for the characters to go where they do and for the events to happen. My main issue though is a serious underdevelopment of the characters. Captain Miller aside no character is really given any sort of backstory which somewhat limits any emotional connection to them, to the point where you only really know them by their looks and their last name (this could be intentional and is probably more realistic to how men from different regements would have put just thrown together in order to complete a mission but for an almost 3 hour film, I'd like to feel more of a connection to them) as such there is little reaction to any of their deaths other than the obvious tragic loss of life itself.

(And I also don't understand the casting of Matt Damon to play such a minor part).

The Midnight Man (III) (2016)

Interesting concept, disappointing delivery

[6/10 · 5 January 2022]

The basic idea is that the people who play the game have to survive from midnight to 3:34 whilst avoiding the midnight man and his shenanigans. The midnight man supposedly finds out your worst fear and intends on using against you. Each person playing has a candle which when lit means they are essentially safe but if it goes out they have 10 seconds to relight it (a nice way of introducing sudden jeopardy) or circle themselves with salt.

The problem with this film is it doesn't build up suspense well, each character only seems to come in to contact with the midnight man twice, *Spoiler Alert* once to reveal their fear to the audience and the second to kill them. Unfortunately a lot of the time this film feels tedious and lacking inspiration. For example it is revealed that Alex has a fear of blood and yet the midnight man never uses this against baring one scene (and for someone who's worst fear is blood, she sure didn't seem to mind the rather gory ending).

Obviously the characters are in a horror film so they have their stupidness dialled up to 11. Alex and Max find a box, open it and immediately start playing whatever it is they have found, to the point where they do a sort of blood ritual before they even finish reading the 1 page of rules explaining what they are committing to. Their friend Kelly (who knows a little bit about the midnight man game and apparently wasn't busy at 1am) immediately joins in rather than leaving and going home. Later in the film the characters go to the greenhouse for no good reason other than it's a way to introduce water (which is inconveniently great at putting out candles)

The film adds some star power with it's casting of Robert Englund as Dr. Harding (I like him as an actor but his character is so minor, it basically could have been played by anyone) and Lin Shaye as Anna. She is undoubtedly excellent as 'old lady in horror film' but her character motivations make no sense. She was one of the original kids shown playing the game in the introduction (and only survivor) and it's revealed she has since been getting others to play the game, but why? Is it like the film Truth or Dare where the only way to survive is to distract the 'bogeyman' with others, is she possessed into doing these things by the midnight man or is she just a horrible person (she seemingly showed no remorse for getting her daughter killed and certainly did nothing to stop the midnight man).

The Midnight Man played by Kyle Strauts is probably underutilised, he is a suitably creepy bad guy, he lurks in the shadows and passes quickly across the screen every now and again but it would have been nice to see him have more 1-on-1 contact with the characters. He has several creepy masks/faces (that's a good thing but I see no reason why he keeps changing his look at the end of the film) and I love the fact that he plays the game but he cheats (*Spoiler Alert* he forces Kelly out of her salt circle by tipping over pots of water ~just on a side note this whole scene was excellent~ and by changing the clocks to trick Alex and Miles in to thinking that they had survived)

Overall this was a disappointing film considering that I liked the concept and thought that it had all the ingredients to be good but was perhaps let down by poor writing.

Death to 2021 (2021 TV Special)

It's fine.

[5/10 · 30 December 2021]

There's a couple of good lines/funny moments and it's somewhat interesting to look back on some of the key events this year but certainly nothing special.

Only Murders in the Building (2021– )

Definitely a show that grew on me as it went on.

[7/10 · 25 December 2021]

The story is actually quite good as murder mysteries go, taking you on a journey before finally revealing what truly happened. I found the characters annoying to begin with and wasn't sure about the chemistry between them but they grew on me over the course of the season and I would happily watch more.

I personally wasn't a fan of The Boy from 6B episode (clearly a very divisive episode looking at the reviews) which is done almost entirely through sign language or through alternate means of dialogue (such as scrabble words or texting). I get what they were going for as the focus of the episode is on a deaf guy and there is nothing wrong with being more inclusive of people with disabilities but the silence feels forced in some scenes where it makes no sense not to talk and above all it's a TV show and this episode was not as entertaining as it should have been because of the lack of sound.

Bombshell (I) (2019)

A reminder of the exploitation of woman

[7/10 · 24 December 2021]

Bombshell deals with a very important issue regarding the sexist and exploitation of woman at fox news specifically by Roger Ailes as such you almost have to treat it more like a re-enactment documentary. It stays away from over dramatisation and comedy which means that it can feel a little boring as a work of film but the story itself is compelling enough to keep you watching and I certainly can't fault the acting of Charlize Theron who brings life to her character.

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

If you've seen chapter 1, you know what to expect.

[7/10 · 23 December 2021]

I don't think the storyline is as compelling as the first one, it can basically be condensed into 1 sentence. Bad guy uses marker to get John Wick to kill someone and then puts a bounty on his head. That being said it still makes for an enjoyable watch, there is an absolute abundance of high paced action and gun fighting.

House of Cards (2013–2018)

Good political drama but I just don't care enough to keep watching

[6/10 · 22 December 2021]

House of Cards is really well made, does a good job of evolving from episode to episode, the conflicts change as the main characters climb the political pyramid which keeps the show feeling fresh non-repetitive and it excellently treads the line between total fiction and believability. Robin Wright is excellent as the lead and I am a fan of Kevin Spacey (his work I should specify) but it's taken me almost two years to finish 40 episodes, hence the 6 rating. It just fails to hook me in and therefore I often decide there is something else I'd rather be watching.

If you ask me is House of Cards good? I would say yes.

If you ask me do you want to watch house of cards again? I would say no.

Elvis Presley: The Searcher (2018)

Interesting documentary, could have been better

[7/10 · 21 December 2021]

I love his music but knew very little of the man himself and this documentary does a fair job of documenting the key points of his life with a particular focus on his music and movie career.

Personally i think that it could have been better showcased, make it four episodes rather than two feature length episodes, split it clearly in to sections of his life as it sort of just meanders through his life which can make it feel a little tedious and boring.

My main takeout from the documentary is how different Elviss career could have been if he'd not been so controlled by those around him.

You (2018–2024)

Loved season 1, following seasons feel a little bit more generic.

[8/10 · 21 December 2021]

I really liked the first season, so much so that I watched all 10 episodes in a couple of days (for context, I'm not someone who usually binge watches shows). The storyline was dark and creepy yet it was done in a way that makes it seem more light-hearted than it's actual content. I loved the artistic style of being able to hear the main characters thoughts it was really effective at making you understand the characters motivations. The introduction and resolution of conflict is well developed and manages to build jeopardy whilst keeping you guessing as to what is coming next.

I personally found the second season a lot worse, largely as it felt like a transitional season. It started off with similar vibes to the first as the main character takes a similar job, uses the 'cage' same as in the first season and a lot of the characters felt copy and pasted from the first season with some details changed (the troubled neighbour, the conflicted love interest, the murder conflict and resolution) It also felt toned down from the first season (Joe is undoubtedly less of a stalker and his troubled upbringing is introduced maybe to help soften feeling towards him).

The third season acts as a continuation of the second with the same key characters in a new location. It takes a further step back from the first season in style and feels much more like a conventional drama (with murder, cover-ups and adultery).

I would probably give the first season a 9 but later seasons bring that rating down slightly. The main issue for me is that the first season didn't feel like it was written to be a multi-series show and as such it's a little disconnected from the other seasons and there is definitely a change in Joe's character, he becomes less obsessed with knowing everything about people and a lot of his inner monologue is about his feelings rather than justifying his actions. Those changes make the show feel more generic and although the story is still compelling it doesn't feel as fresh or different as the first season did.