marlenebrooks Reviews

Outlast (2023– )

Poisonous and toxic

[1/10 · 25 January 2024]

I've seen plenty of reality tv, competition tv and love some survivalist tv. This none of those, just trash tv with too many horrible people and a couple of really unstable crazies.

I was looking forward to scenery and stories of survival, instead we get people who can't hunt, can't build but definitely can steal and destroy.

The show even lies about its own rules, episode one saying that no one can be voted off, then just before the end a person gets voted off and misses out on their $250,000.

Absolutely despicable and toxic television, not only would I not recommend, I would and am recommending against watching it.

The Twilight Zone: Miniature (1963) Season 4, Episode 8

Unfinished, but understandably.

[7/10 · 9 March 2023]

Of course the idea is superb, of course Duvall is exceptional and of course his mother is atrociously annoying (rightly so that's how she was written!) but the story is missing a proper ending.

If Beaumont was at full force we would have had re-writes that completed the story. For example Charley would have had a hobby requiring attention to detail, making ships in bottles or something, an obsession like so many people with autism have. Then that hobby would later be applied at the end by him carving his own figure, probably from the same wood from the same house from the same balcony, probably whilst listening to the Mozart which was musical motif throughout the episode. With this magic he manifests within the dollhouse where, ideally, they all see him there and resign to the fact that he is happy where he is.

This would be a satisfying ending to the story and to the allegory of his mental issues. Letting him be happy even if he's not 'normal' (as we should do with people in the real world) instead of trying to make him an average person.

It's a shame that all the breadcrumbs of the story were laid out but instead of the sweet cookie a the end, Beaumont's horrible illness blew away the remaining parts of a lovely story.

So, yes, many exceptional parts but a tragic episode for the story off screen as much as on.

The Twilight Zone: The Invaders (1961) Season 2, Episode 15

Literally, laughably bad

[2/10 · 6 April 2022]

Stormed through season one and enjoying season 2 thus far but then I came across this...holey-moly.

I could barely watch with Moorehead's monstrous overacting, I get it you don't have words you don't have to shout with mugging and body language. The maddening thing the lack of dialogue was just a trite constraint to hide the utterly obvious twist. Just use words, aliens would have language, the audience can understand the ending with just the logo without hampering the actress, plus the spell it out finale was playing to the cheap seats.

That all said, I laughed my backside off when she started slamming that sack, comedy gold. So I'll stretch and give it 2/10

Looking forward to the rest of the season.

Cold Sweat (1970)

Bronson on form but the whole film barely comes together.

[6/10 · 19 March 2022]

Charles Bronson in the prime, bouncing around Nice and dealing with villains whilst keeping his family safe.

Looking at the virtues, the scenery and car chases are marvellous, should have had a touch more bonnet POV and at a lower angle to catch the close driving on tight mountain roads though.

But much as I love James Mason his accent with equally pointless and terrible but he played the part well otherwise, although his character was far too tolerant of idiotic henchmen.

Weird thing is they didn't actually conclude the plot with with the doctor, he was kidnapped at gunpoint which might be a police issue and he never had a moment where say he's walk out of the building giving a headshake to the departed's love interest. I guess they just forgot.