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Reviews
Dönersen Islik Çal (1993)
A story both humorous and heartbreaking.
The story of a transvestite and a dwarf blended with drama, comedy and sadness. In addition to the extraordinary friendship of two outcasts, the movie represents the picture of a corrupt society while telling its story of two friends. Fikret Kuskan and Mevlut Demiryay harmonize well. Kuskan is a very talented actor, especially during 90's, and in this movie he supports the break of yet another wall for Turkish cinema. The last frame is bold. The story is not untold in Turkish cinema, but it adds another cultural and tragic layer to the overall picture. The director and producer are brave for their time for making this movie.
Düttürü Dünya (1988)
A highlight for 80's Ankara society and overall Turkey.
About 80s Ankara night club culture and the socio-economic structure of the country through the eyes of the clarinetist nicknamed "DütDüt". It is a film that makes us smile with its dialogues and smacks in the face for reminding that we couldn't have made any progress in nearly 40 years with its subtext. Perhaps one of Kemal Sunal's most serious works. In his other films, he mostly makes us laugh, but this one has more subtext than others. It is also a good film for people like me who were born in Ankara in 80's and don't have any memory about the city at all. The night club culture of the 80's and 90's of Ankara was a whole new ball game... :)
Succession: Connor's Wedding (2023)
Great writing, acting and directing. 10/10
In my country, the classical Turkish series narrative takes such an event that happens in Connor's Wedding and stretches it to at least 1 or 2 episodes, finalizes it at the end of an episode. In Succession, specifically in Connor's Wedding, the biggest twist happens at the 15th or 20th minute, and the rest is pure, well written and acted drama. It is unexpected, as everything in real life actually is! Sometimes you must face the consequences, and in this episode, all the characters face the consequences. Bravo to the writer, actors/actresses and directors. This series will end in high note and it is what makes Succession, and thus HBO, a success.
Good Night Oppy (2022)
A magnificent docu-film about Opportunity rover that made me cry.
I've known its 14 years of duty, and how its mission and live had ended on Mars. But seeing it on a docu-film like this broke my heart. :( Her 92-day tenure and overcoming it, serving for 14 years... just wow! And at the end, saying goodbye to her breaks our hearts. It kinda has the soul of Wall-E, so if you're familiar with the Pixar-type of storytelling, you'll love this film. Unarguably one of the best productions of Amazon Prime Video of 2022! If you're a space enthusiast and curious about Mars, you should definitely see this film. Maybe one day, they'll make her story an animation film, who knows... :)
Nope (2022)
Don't be fooled by high rating on IMDb users and Metacritic, this movie is bad.
The only two things that are good in the movie are the different and strange UFO design and its creepy sound, that's all. There's not a complete story to follow, no clearly developed characters, just nothing. There are some scenes that don't even work for the overall storyline. It's just an UFO creating a mess. The first 40-45 minutes of the movie is extra boring. Go watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind and/or Signs, they are much better about suspense and thriller and containing UFO's. This is the only bad movie of Jordan Peele. His Get Out and Us movies are much much better; this movie is just him trying to make an UFO movie that is about an UFO storming around and killing people, and 4 people trying to capture it.
Black Bird (2022)
A good quality crime drama that reminds and makes us long for Mindhunter.
The story is based on real life events. Taron Egerton plays a casanova criminal that fits for his outlook, but he doesn't lay on his outlook/body and punches above. Paul Walter Hauser's performance is also beyond words; his voice, mimics, the way he performs only by staring are phenomenal. Although the series of mostly based on dialogues, it won't bother you if you're already a Mindhunter fan. One of the best works of 2022 in my opinion, give it a chance.
The Offer (2022)
One of the best series of 2022, an excellent tribute to The Godfather
To be honest, I only watched The Godfather (and it was a long time ago), and didn't watch the sequels for no reason at all, but I've been hearing everywhere what a great trilogy it is. I'm interested in the production process of any movie or TV show, so I really enjoyed watching this mini series. Not only the story, script and the acting is great, but a big applause to the great casting - every actor portraying real life producers, actors, director etc. Really let you see them perfectly in the series. Had no idea how Mario Puzo began to write The Godfather, how the book was managed to be adapted to a movie, the struggles etc., so watching all that process for a movie that is older than me (my father was 24 when the movie came out!) was phenomenal. I highly recommend everyone to watch the series; you'll love it either you're a Godfather fan or simply a movie/series fan.
Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)
The acting is good, the story and script is meh for me.
I love crime-drama-mystery movies and series, and this mini series began promising. But as the episodes followed up, the series became kinda boring for me. It has too much religion/cult issues that it made it hard for me to follow. It's based on the book that is based on the real events and I'm not saying the story is bad, or the script - it's just TOO MUCH religion and cult for me. The final episode was good, though, and both Andrew Garfield and the rest of the cast are acting successfully. If you're not bored of extreme dozes of religion, you might like it.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
A movie that is hard to watch, heavy to digest, and impossible to forget.
I waited nearly 10-15 years to watch this movie. First intended to watch it in 2006-2007, but my mom passed away in 2006, so I was scared this movie could affect me. After watching it, didn't think it is much scary, but more of a painful experience. The fast cuts, close ups and the last 10-15 minutes are what makes this movie sick and excellent. I recommend to watch something funny or joyful after this movie.
Lightyear (2022)
Liked it, could've been much better, not for every Pixar lover.
This movie is kinda District 9 type of Pixar movie; limited characters, a simple/basic story to follow and etc. It's very much for the adult viewers, no kids or teenagers will like it I guess. They could've decided a much different way to do it. Time travel, space and (of course) Buzz Lightyear are my kind of things, so it didn't annoy me 'that much'. But if you're just a Pixar lover or animation lover, you might not like what you get. Well at least they tried! :D.
The Black Phone (2021)
A gripping thriller that reminds short stories of Stephen King.
I wrote King's name on the title, because the film is adapted from King's son Joe Jill's short story of the same name. It mixed real and mystical, so you don't need to find answers to everything. It's kinda like real life escape-room game story, but a bit scarier. Ethan Hawke is good, but young talent Mason Thames is much better IMO.
Better Call Saul: Point and Shoot (2022)
I've never been thrilled to watch a BCS until 6x08.
There have been very tense episodes and even seasons of Better Call saul, but 6x08 has put my back on my heels - wow, what an episode! And surely 50 minutes of every single episode won't be enough for the last episodes of this show.
Watcher (2022)
Go watch Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock, the original is better
I don't want to shame the movie by saying it is a re-telling of the Hitchcock classic Read Window, but it doesn't add up to the genre and to the horror movies strongly or loosely based on Rear Window. The ending and the twist weren't even shocking - you could even predict it coming. One of the mediocre horror movies of 2022.
Man vs Bee (2022)
If you miss the old Atkinson and original Mr. Bean, go watch it
My rating is if you're willing to find great adult comedy in this show - because it doesn't have! Good for maybe watching with the family (kids must be included in any case!), children might like it. Netflix probably tried to make a modern version of Mr. Bean, but why?! The character is not even as naive as Mr. Bean. How can a man burn down an entire house for JUST A BEE?! Ridiculous story and screenplay. Atkinson probably accepted the role for the sake of Bean lovers and to perform as Bean again, but it doesn't help the show any bit.
Boîte noire (2021)
A great French action and suspense thriller
A successful French film that uses suspense, action and suspense very well. I watched with great curiosity and tension until the end, especially the voices and sounds heard from the black box and the silence following these noises made me very nervous. I didn't expect the movie to be that good.
Dexter: New Blood: Sins of the Father (2022)
Neither good, nor bad. Good things happened in a weirdo way.
I'm a Dexter fan (not hardcore) and was unsatisfied with the season 8 finale. When I heard that they were gonna make a new mini series about the aftermath of s8, I thought, "Now is time to make things better," because the show was better for the entire 6 or 7 seasons.
Lots of things happened in this finale; lots of "necessary" things happened in so many "unnecessary" ways that I neither liked nor disliked it - OK, dislike is more of how I feel than like. The resolution between Dexter and Harrison was very weak, it could've been much better. Seriously, killing a serial killer is the only redemption he/she deserves? I don't think so! If it were to be, then why didn't you kill him off in s8, after he lost Debra? Just to bring his son 10 years later and make him kill his father off? And a resolution to Bay Harbor Butcher in this way?
It all could've been better. Can't say it was the worst (damn I still like Dexter Morgan!), but many things happened in the worst way possible. :(
Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)
Not horrible, but won't satisfy the lovers of the original movie.
As most of the users have written in previous critics, the movie has a lame/poor screenplay - and it is written by dozens of people! The movie is not very bad, still watchable, but won't satisfy the lovers of the original movie. I was a child when I watched the first movie; this one seemed like a pack of popular culture references overall. This is totally made for the gen Z or the newer one (Alpha). Loved the Michael Jordan - Michael B. Jordan joke, that's it. :)
Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021)
Why to keep killing the Saw series with every now horrible sequel/reboot?
This movie is not a direct sequel, I got it. Happens in the same Saw universe. The "killer wants to serve justice and makes every guilty person pay for their mistake" formula is fine, we've been used to it since the very first Saw movie. But the storyline of this movie was even worse than the previous movie, Jigsaw (2017). And even the 4th and the rest movies from the original series were awful. It's like each time they make a Saw movie, they torture the original series, 1-2-3. If Leigh Whannell and/or James Wan won't return for the series, just don't make anymore sequels/reboots, please! Or at least come up with a much better idea and more creative and painful trap/death scenes. The first 3 Saw movies were legendary, had changed the genre in a bigger scale. These reboots are just... lame.
Jigsaw (2017)
Why to keep killing the Saw series with every now horrible sequel/reboot?
This movie is not a direct sequel, I got it. Happens in the same Saw universe. The "killer wants to serve justice and makes every guilty person pay for their mistake" formula is fine, we've been used to it since the very first Saw movie. But the storyline of this movie was even worse than the previous movie, Jigsaw (2017). And even the 4th and the rest movies from the original series were awful. It's like each time they make a Saw movie, they torture the original series, 1-2-3. If
Leigh Whannell and/or James Wan won't return for the series, just don't make anymore sequels/reboots, please! Or at least come up with a much better idea and more creative and painful trap/death scenes. The first 3 Saw movies were legendary, had changed the genre in a bigger scale. These reboots are just... lame.
Run (2020)
Very predictable if you've watched The Act before.
Has the same story with The Act. Don't want to spoil too much, but you'll get it if you've watched the mini-series. Only Sarah Paulson's acting is kinda-remarkable; the rest is just... meh. :) The ending could've been stronger, but not bad. After predicting the movie from 15th min., that ending couldn't satisfy me. But if you're a fan of the genre, you should give it a try. ;)
Criminal: UK (2019)
More than just interrogation room conversation.
When I began to watch the series, I didn't expect to find out that the entire episode happens to be in an interrogation room. Yet, the brainstorming, the acting of each criminal and detectives, the clues during the interviews are all great! Glad that I've watched the entire 1st and 2nd seasons, and waiting for the 3rd season. Great crime-suspense series on Netflix that's worth to watch.
For All Mankind (2019)
Boring for a couple of episodes, yet satisfies in the end.
To be honest, the first episode was gripping and good, and after a few episodes, towards the middle of the show, got a bit boring (2-3 episodes were REALLY boring!). But the last 3 episodes and especially the season finale was AMAZING! Watch the show if you're onto space, journey to the Moon, Cold War between US&Russia, and all the rest of poltiics & drama, because the show is mostly about of this topics. It was 7/10 for me, but after reading rude and cruel comments and seeing all those 1-2-3/10 rankings, wanted to give it 8/10. This is not a documentary, it contains poltiics and hardcore drama. So give it a try if you're onto these topics.
Time Loop (2019)
Not very bad, good idea but needs a better brainstorming.
The main character and the French(?) woman are actually good on acting, but the main character's father has a poor acting. The movie does not have any visual effects at all (just the machine) and it tries to tell a time travel story. The main idea is good, but it could've been directed better with a stronger script. Not a bad movie at all, didn't disappoint me; but I expected it to be more dynamic, since it is a time travel movie and promises action.
Masum: Episode #1.1 (2017)
Great TV series from Berkun Oya and Seren Yüce.
Since a single Turkish TV series episode has been around 120 to 150 minutes and impossible to be followed each week, I haven't been watching Turkish dramas and generally Turkish television for 4 or 5 years. Besides the very long episode lengths, episode counts for each season are also very high and it affects the quality of the story negatively.
However, "Masum" (Innocent), produced directly for BluTV (paid streaming media company), consists of 8 episodes with each episode 50-55 minutes long, the series can easily be followed without any interruption and any distractions. The story belongs to Berkun Oya, a successful Turkish writer/playwright that wrote the stage play of this series few years ago and now adapted it into a series. The director, Seren Yüce, is also a successful and also award-winning person. And this duo has come up with a crime-drama-mystery series that draws you in. The cast also consists of successful and famous Turkish actors and actresses: Haluk Bilginer, Ali Atay, Okan Yalabık, Serkan Keskin, Tülin Özen, Nur Sürer, and Bartu Küçükçağlayan.
The intro of the series is very good, and the episode lengths are good (and not long) enough to catch the story and the acting. I hope this gang, together or in another way, will make other great series as well.
Hubble 3D (2010)
A beautiful and astonishing documentary about the universe.
The documentary, which lasts 45 minutes, does not only present us a look to Earth from space, but also enlightens about the greatness of the universe. The question is: if there are more than a 100 billion galaxies far, far away that contain billions of stars, is it possible that there might be a planet in such greatness as Planet Earth?
The narration of Leonardo DiCaprio is also effective for the documentary, which I wish I would've watched in theater- not on my 15 inch laptop!
The researches and developments in technology and science within 5-10 years at least might give us an in depth look about the universe than we do have now.