as_santos Reviews

About Time (I) (2013)

Quite boring and predictable

[4/10 · 1 November 2013]

I'm very surprised to read so many good reviews about this movie, which just reminds me of the beauty of difference of opinion. Nevertheless, I found this movie absolutely boring. Really, very boring indeed. It's just a story of an not interesting every day life with a supposedly deep meaning. I'm sorry, but The Dead Poet Society delivered that same message way better for me. I had no trouble staying awake during that one.

I don't remember in recent times ever been so aware of the time passing, because the movie just kept on dragging, and dragging. It felt like a 5 hour movie with nothing memorable. Rachel McAdams is so underused, but then again, the story is rather bland. I see that many people enjoyed the dialogs. I did not find them charming, witty or interesting. I really thought I was going to see a comedy and what I got was a total waste of time.

Three Rivers (2009–2010)

Expecting more

[4/10 · 20 October 2009]

I was expecting much more of this show. Instead the pace is so fast that I can't feel sorry or like any character. Nor even the doctors (and I think Alex O'Loughlin is a great actor). I kept watching, hoping it would became better, but I'm getting tired of waiting. So soon and it's becoming predicable: we see someone have some kind of accident and soon the family knows they are organ donors and that they're brain dead, then we see someone waiting for that organ and getting it, then we see the doctors making the transplant with success. Hmmm... Where is the fun in it? Where is the drama?

We need to know more about the characters, about the doctors, or this show won't work. Besides, with this kind of storyline it can't take off to far enough. Add more patient waiting, let us know them, suffer for them, see their struggle, see the relationship appear between the doctors, the staff and the patients and then give an organ to one. Explore the happiness for getting an organ, the despair of the wait, the jealousy that "he's got a new organ and I don't", the relationship between the families of the organ candidates that are bound together by the same struggle. Let us know them throughout many episodes (remember Denny in Grey's Anatomy). Have many Dennys in Three Rivers! This show isn't a "Cold Case" that can survive fine with a story for episode. For it to survive is has to have a story arcs. It's getting late so they better worry.

Legend of the Seeker (2008–2010)

Fun fantasy to watch

[9/10 · 29 November 2008]

I heard about this series by a friend that said "Just don't read the comments before you see it". Of course, that was the very first thing I did, and let me tell you how afraid was after I read them!! I though this series was going to suck big time, but had to see it by myself and guess what - I loved it! OK, it's not phenomenal, but it's quite good. I was kept interested, the photography was awesome, the costumes, too. I've only just seen the first two, but I sure am going to see the others and if they continue like this I'll be a fan. I'm not sure if I'd would of liked it had I read the books that this series is based on, but I think I would have. I've always been good at separating the books from their interpretations to the theater or television. When I watched "Legend of the Seeker" I watched the show for itself and therefore I enjoyed it very much. It's good entertainment for a fantasy series and I was actually quite surprised by the excellent performance of the actress Bridget Regan.

Blindness (2008)

It could have been so good...

[4/10 · 24 November 2008]

The idea for this movie seemed wonderful: how would people, society behave if suddenly they couldn't see. I haven't read the book, so I went to see this movie for the movie itself. And it was disappointing. I understand that they wanted to show misery and chaos and despair and helplessness of the one who could see, but the movie, and the story as is, as is presented to us, does't quite get there. It wasn't because it had violence, or sex, or rape, or because it makes blind people look bad (I don't understand this view, since this isn't at all about bad blind people or even people going bad just because they've gone blind), it just that the story is poorly presented. I really hope the book is better than this and give us some answers. We never understand who gives them food, we never understand or accept the reason why they're being treated this way from the start. I would understand if things started to go worse of a) people blamed them for being ground zero and/or b)after the epidemic spread they forgot about them and it became more difficult to supply food or any kind of help whatsoever. But this shouldn't have happened from the start, when so many people out there could still see and behave normally. Moving to the place where they were being held, I didn't bothered me the dirtiness of the place, it was expected (Why clean if nor you, nor anyone elses can see, and it's difficult?)but it bothered me the images. I'm no expert, but it was the color and the light and close up's that I didn't like. It seemed... too much. They just didn't nead to show us those images THAT way. And it was poorly explained or showned how people outside were dealing with it. Danny Glover's character seemed to fall there and have this lines completely out of context. The rain scene was pathetic. Someone close to me asked "can they see? Did the rain cure them?" so i wasn't the only one confused about it. The big home shower for 3 in a role was ludicrous, too. Overall, the movie wasn't good. I could have been, but it never made it, despite some excellent performances.

Ghost Rider (2007)

"Ghost rider" didn't make it

[3/10 · 21 March 2007]

Frankly I though it was incredible how Nicholas Cage ended up doing such a lame movie. The plot is ridiculously simple, no surprises what so ever. It seems to be a all special effects film, where you just have to add a famous face and a pretty lady and everyone will like it. Well, that formula doesn't quite work anymore. The details, which makes a film more interesting, went straight to oblivion, because "who cares about them if the special effects are cool"? "And let's add some action, too, so they'll be happy". News flash, action does't cloud the eyes of the seer. In fact, I even though the actions scenes could be highly improved.

A bad movie, in my opinion, and I regret the money I paid.