chaseholden Reviews

Lessons in Chemistry (2023)

Intelligent until talking dog ruined show

[6/10 · 12 December 2023]

There were signs of intelligent writing until plot veered violently off the road with a talking dog.

The writing seemed at odds with itself in some counter productive, self-defeating story points deflating its own efforts to invest our attention.

Promising characters and story arcs are abruptly abandoned before we're even acclimated, budding romantic relationships evaporate, any traces of hope and positivity are immediately extinguished.

Then a talking dog just runs the whole show off the rails leaving us with the impression that either the creators do not know what they want to produce, or its producers sabotaged its writers at every chance. Within the first episodes, we viewers are left dejected and drained, wondering whether this show should instead be titled "Lessons in Script Sabotage" or Debbie Downer Kills a Story.

Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

Incomplete story of emptiness leaves this viewer empty, unsatisfied.

[1/10 · 5 March 2021]

Lots of pain about growing up, the cruelty of childhood, but the message seems to be completely missing, as if the writer were venting about the darkness of life and yet had no point, no message, no takeaway, no moral of the story or lesson or hope. It's like a depressing song without a chorus, or a half painted canvass. It's like young student in film school who hasn't lived life yet but wrote a screenplay anyway.

Wiener-Dog (2016)

Devoid of comedy. Dark. Disturbing. Pretentious. Cold. Callous. Lifeless. Joyless

[1/10 · 5 March 2021]

Dark. Disturbing. Pretentious. Cold. Callous. Lifeless. Joyless. Devoid of comedy. Very unnecessarily long and monotonous. Morbid ending. I walked away feeling bad about the movie, and bad that I made such a poor choice in wasting my evening seeing this. The only message I got out of it is that people are rotten, but we all already knew that.

The Twilight Zone: Six Degrees of Freedom (2019) Season 1, Episode 6

It's still getting worse. So intellectually insulting.

[1/10 · 4 May 2019]

This is like If Idiocracy had a space program. It's an insult to anyone educated, anyone who reads and certainly anyone who has ever written fiction. This one is also insulting, however, to NASA and our Space Program. Millennial Drop-Outs in Space.

The Twilight Zone (2019–2020)

The Idiocracy Zone: Insulting & offensive to our intelligence

[1/10 · 4 May 2019]

I had such high hopes as we all did, I believe. Each episode is worse than the previous.

It's more like The Idiocracy Zone.

The Squandered Potential Zone.

TV Written by Children Zone.

Joysticks (1983)

Unwatchable unfunny trash. Insulting.

[1/10 · 17 February 2019]

This is unwatchable trash that should never have breen made. It was most likely written by a 9 year old with a personality disorder. There are endless possibilities for what this movie could have been centering around an 80s video game arcade, yet any potential or possibility was squandered and ruined.

I watched hoping that there was something redeeming coming but nothing ever did...just the regret of wasting 90min of your precious life.

Downsizing (2017)

If you love Sci-Fi with love and comedy, you'll love this.

[10/10 · 29 December 2017]

For God's sake, don't believe any negative reviews unless you don't love Science Fiction or think that sci-fi means comic book movie, which generally none are. Science Fiction always means science and those who are hostile to science will likely not enjoy this movie nor most Sci-Fi.

This is a well done, first rate story, social commentary, comedy, love story, adventure without the action.

The three elements that make a true, great sci-fi flick are 1. science, 2. ethical issues 3. thought provoking message. This movie satisfies all three in a wonderful, feel good way.

It's satirical, humorous, and will appeal to anyone with a good soul. This is not political but I see many neo-conservative commentators here so sadly eager to bash anything which even mentions climate change, of which this movie features in a brief way.

It features first rate acting and cast, Matt Damon is a fantastic lead and nails the role, excellent direction, beautiful set design and a great flow from start to end with great laughs scattered about.

This movie is not about climate change. It is about people, love, philosophy, ethics, humanity itself and the choice of selfishness versus unity. If you are a biased toward unity and unselfishness, you'll likely really enjoy this movie and walk out feeling touched, as did this reviewer.

Pacific Rim (2013)

Perfect for Teenage Boys and War Lovers

[5/10 · 22 July 2013]

Another apocalyptic World War vs aliens movie that will make teenage boys and those who get sexually aroused by weaponry, war and destruction, very happy.

This movie is packed with non stop action and testosterone. If you're a Sci-Fi fan expecting to see a Sci-Fi movie, it is essentially devoid of science. It is basically mindless, mind numbing, loud, constant explosions and destruction.

It makes humans look so stupid and ridiculous, I found myself almost wanting humans to lose, and believe me, the alien protagonists do not inspire sympathy.

It is nearly 100% CG, 100% destruction, and 10% story. The acting is well enough but, again, this movie was written and directed for the immature, and teenage boys and those sexually aroused by weaponry and war. The 5 second back story of the aliens was only established as an excuse to show ginormous robots to fight hand to hand combat on a giant scale.

And god forbid aliens ever visit and see our movies like this, because they would almost certainly declare humans a lost cause. And rightfully so.