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williamtseng
Reviews
The Last of Us: Look for the Light (2023)
Way too Short
An incredible ending to a fantastic series, but why is it so short? In the very basics of Filmmaking, we're taught to have a rising action, climax, and falling action. But as a result of the tiny 43 minute runtime, this very basic framework feels rushed over. The climax of the episode isn't fully developed. And what should have been the payoff for the full series felt insignificant to what the previous episode did better. The choice to gloss over the action sequence was a poor choice as it would've shown the passion, significance, and tension. The dialogues are never given full time to marinate and we never see the emotions that the actors seemingly gave during production. Overall, the writing and acting are still incredible and what you expect. But it seems like a lot of the episode's problems stem from the editing and their decision to make this episode, the FINALE, to be the shortest episode of the series.
Loki: The Nexus Event (2021)
Wow
The plot twists are insane. This episode was worth the wait. Can't wait for the next episode and what results.
11/10.
Malcolm & Marie (2021)
Repetitive
Fantastic acting by John David Washington and great acting by Zendaya.
But the writing is weak. I see what the movie is trying to do but it does it quite illogically. After the first argument is over and they're happy again, they start arguing about the same thing again for no apparent reason! Even though they seemed like to have solved the situation at first, the argument starts up again out of no where. The arguments are emotional and seems realistic. And the movie is a great character study. But the way the arguments start are ridiculous. The movie seems like a boxing match except with arguments. One wins some rounds and the other wins some rounds. It just seems forced.
I applaud the movie for being experimental. But the writing could've been better.
Raised by Wolves (2020)
A great character study
This tv show is more of a character study than it has a linear fast story. The point of this show is the concept between Religion vs No Religion. The show has 3 groups: the Atheists, the Religious, and the Children. It is the children that act like us the viewers to make the conclusion on whether or not to believe in religion or in science.
The show starts off by showing religion in a bad light. It shows the Religious people being delusional and in certain situations leading them closer to their doom. Whereas with the Atheists, they are completely fine. However, after a few episodes, the narrative swithes. The narrative starts to go into the primitive nature without religion. The characters with morals start to question the morals of primitive actions. Whereas, it starts to show the religious to be more civilized. Even in the title, "Raised by Wolves" is an indication of being raised primitively as Atheists.
With these ideas, the show concludes with the main idea about ethics. The saying "Without rules, we live with the animals" is prominent. Whether to be atheist with no greater power authority to judge your actions or to be religious with what seems to be delusions that leads you to prioritize in the wrong things. At the end, the show lets the viewers decide. There is no wrong answer.
Dark (2017)
Season 3 tho
There's something about season 3 that just makes it seem so... eh. I love seasons 1 & 2 but season 3 just seems different and isn't as grounded and realistic as it was in the previous 2 seasons. Or maybe there's something about season 3 I don't like that I don't know about. Everything seems the same for season 3 but it's somehow different. Not only that, season 3 has wayyyyy too many unnecessary scenes. All in all, seasons 1 & 2 are done perfectly. But season 3, it seems redundant and that mysterious tone doesn't seem to work.
Succession (2018)
Master of Subtle Hints
This show is amazing. It leaves the audience always guessing as every episode leaves subtle hints to something grander behind the scenes. Thus so, it makes the audience invested in the outcome. 10/10
Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse (2007)
Too Many Plot Holes
SPOILERS
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If it wasn't for plot holes, like every other episode in this show, this episode would've been an easy 10/10 for me. The character development for Zuko, the comedy, the dialogue, and the animation is splendid. However, this episode's writing isn't strong and leaves many plot holes. Before getting into this episode's plot holes, there was one major and massive plot hole leading up to this episode: the solar eclipse and its effect on the Fire Nation. Since Fire Bending has been around for centuries, the Fire Nation would have definitely had experience with solar eclipses in the past. It would be common sense to assume that the Fire Nation would anticipate an attack when they're powerless! So when the characters of the show acted surprised when they found out that the Fire Nation anticipated their attack, it made the characters seem dumb to think that way. It was even more dumb for especially Sokka to assume that the Fire Nation who HAVE BEEN TO THE OWL WAN SHI TONG'S HIDDEN LIBRARY to not know about the solar eclipses effect. Another plot hole is how underpowered Toph's seismic sense to locate things in this episode. In episode 8 of this season about Blood Bending, Toph was shown to be able to hear people screaming from a really far away distance under a mountain. But in this episode, she was unable to locate the Fire Lord who surely wasn't even that far away and was tricked into finding Azula instead. She could've easily have heard the Fire lord talking or Zuko talking to his father, the Fire Lord, and located them. Not only that, Aang probably didn't even need Toph to use her seismic sense since Aang previously was shown having the ability as well. In addition, another plot hole is Azula's manipulation. In this episode, Azula showed and stated that she was a great liar and someone to not be trusted. So when Azula was talking about Suki, it was stupid for Sokka to give into Azula's manipulation. I understand Sokka's love for Suki, but it just doesn't make sense. It was also weird that Toph and Aang were just standing there watching Sokka yelling at Azula when time was running out. At the end, there was yet another plot hole. When the main characters were escaping, the people they brought with them was nonsensical. Why didn't they bring Katara and Sokka's father who was injured and the leader of the whole army? Why didn't they bring the inventor who without him, the invasion wouldn't be possible. Instead, they brought people who weren't essential and wouldn't make an invasion next time possible. And don't the Fire Nation have dragons and other fast flying creatures? Why couldn't they follow the main characters escaping like Zuko was? Finally, the biggest plot hole in this whole episode is how overestimated the Fire Lord is thought to be. Aang learned all elements except fire which makes him powerful and can very much counter fire. The only reason why the Fire Lord was said to be powerful was because of Sozin's Comet, but the comet hasn't even arrived yet, and thus the Fire Lord is just another Fire Bender. Albeit, if Aang alone can't beat the Fire Lord without the comet, at least Aang, Toph, and Katara together should be able beat the Fire Lord without the comet. Them deciding to not escape along with not having these nonsensical plot holes could've ended the season then and there. 5/10
Silicon Valley (2014)
One Problem: Jared
This show would've definitely have been a 10/10 for me. Its humor and interesting stories are always pulling me back for each episode. But one problem that was constant throughout the whole show's run was Jared. Jared is a great character whose formality and cringe is hilarious. However, Jared is a very inconsistent character. One episode, he would be telling Richard to be moral and to be of good heart. But then in another episode, Jared would tell Richard to go the "it's business, nothing personal" type of route. This always bothered me and often made pissed off at Jared's character. I would often think "Is Jared all about Business or all about Morality? In a show about not being able to have both, just choose one!" Obviously, the writers didn't choose and thus, the writing inconsistency.
Silicon Valley: Founder Friendly (2016)
Doesn't make sense
SPOILERS:
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Why would Richard look at other companies' job offers for CTO and consider it, when Richard was offered to be CTO and MORE at Pied Piper? Richard wasn't offered to be CEO at these other companies like Pied Piper. These other companies didn't offer a board member position while Pied Piper did. This is very unlike Richard's character. Even though they VERY VAGUELY addressed it by saying Richard wouldn't be "eating ****" if he left Pied Piper, but the only logical way he would think this way is because he wants Pied Piper to be a different company and doesn't want Pied Piper to become a cooperation like Hooli. But even then, that still doesn't make sense because the jobs he was considering was still from the same type of companies like Hooli. Richard also mentions being undervalued, but he wasn't being undervalued as a coder. He was being undervalued as a businessman which he wasn't even qualified to be from the beginning. He had no reason to fight such a reasonable decision from people who had more experience. This episode is still entertaining and funny though. 6/10
Jackie Brown (1997)
No Climax
The acting and dialogue is great. However, the story turned out to be way too predictable and had no climax. Very abnormal and unlike any other Quentin Tarantino film.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
Decent movie
The movie is decent. It's everything you expect from a superhero movie and the acting amazingly done. But what makes it inadvertently have a few plot holes at the same time is that it doesn't stay true to their source material. In other words, most of the plot seems abnormal compared to the previous X-Men movies. It could be argued that it's because of a new director. But X-Men First Class, as well as others, were executed very well even without the original X-Men director Bryan Singer. Another factor that prevented this movie from being a great movie is its pacing. Many of the action sequences seem to be cut short and the ending feels rushed. However, some credit has to be given to the editors for being able to stay consistent after all the reshoots. At the end, this movie could've been great but with a few factors, those factors did a lot of damage. "nOw ThAt'S a LoT oF dAmAgE."
Though not perfect, the movie isn't bad like critics criticize it to be.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
Based on the book but still an adaptation
I would've given it a 9/10 for the movie itself being amazingly good. However, as I am someone has read the actual book, the movie twists and exaggerates the story. But besides the source material, the movie connects with the audience and makes the audience feel the characters' struggles. The pacing is done well and the acting is great. In conclusion, since the movie did exagerate the story, while I was watching the movie, in the back of my head it just bothered me. At the end, 8/10. The movie is just as inspirational as the book conveys.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Disappointed. 1/10
1/10. Tobey Maguire doesn't voice Peter Parker in this movie.
This is a joke.
The movie is amazing. The animation style is original and very creative. Throughout the whole movie, there is conspicuous character development for many of the characters. The screenplay is very well done. The villain in this film is well developed as the audience can understand and relate to his motives. The movie is very funny and the animation style contributes to this factor. There is nostalgia throughout the film and makes us excited for what Sony has next for us in this trilogy. 9/10.The cast is great, though I disagree with the choice to cast Jake Johnson. This movie would've been a great way to reintroduce Tobey Maguire.
However, there is NICOLAS CAGE!