ztempler Reviews

The Boys in the Boat (2023)

Begins with a preposterous premise

[5/10 · 18 April 2024]

I read the book just before watching the film. There are lots of differences but this is to be expected. Screen versions of books always change a lot of things. But there is one thing from the very beginning that is unforgivable. The opening scene tells us it is 1936. Then we see at least 50 young men trying out for crew. In the midst of this we are informed that it's an Olympic year.

Even if you haven't read the book this film assumes that it's entire audience is going to believe that an Olympic rowing team can be selected and trained up to a winning standard in the same year they will go to the Olympics. It's insanely ridiculously to expect even the most ignorant of audiences to accept this. Besides the years of training needed for any sport, what about the years of qualifying races? It's all just supposedly happening in this one year

C'mon George! It would have been the easiest thing in the world for Clooney as a director to show the boys in tryouts in a few scenes, then jump to "three years later" to focus on the run up to the Olympics. The way he's done it, the timing presented, makes no sense whatsoever and ruined the film for me from the very start.

Will Trent (2023– )

Don't expect this to be anything like the books

[10/10 · 8 October 2023]

Although I hadn't read the Will Trent series, I had read a few books by Karin Slaughter before watching the series and so it was immediately apparent that this was not going to be true to the books. I loved this series, the Will Trent character is charming, the stories engaging and the villains unlikeable enough without totally pissing you off. I liked it so much, I decided to start on the book series. Well!! As most of the critical reviews here have pointed out, the TV version veers so far from the books it's barely recognisable as the same series. A lot of the time the only similarities are the names and roles of the characters, although sometimes even that is changed (for ex Michael Ormewood). Betty the Chihuahua remains, Will is still dyslexic, a few crime plots are the same. But otherwise two completely different beasts. And that's the way I look at them. I enjoyed the show and look forward to season two. And I'm loving the books, up to #6 in series now. For anyone who hasn't read the books, I love that they are not as gritty as some of Slaughter's other books (and was there ever a better name for a writer of crime fiction?) and contains some moments of charm and pathos as in the TV version.

Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019)

Too many unnecessary distractions from main story

[6/10 · 7 September 2023]

I'd heard this show was great since it first came out but never watched it because I hate anything set in a prison. Finally, stuck at home recovering from surgery, I gave it a try. It sucked me in quickly, especially the first season, with great characters and, although sometimes not believable, a benign prison atmosphere. I especially liked the back stories, showing us how the main characters wound up in prison, many of whom don't seem to belong there. But then as it gets darker the back story become annoying and largely irrelevant. By seasons 5 and 6, they are using huge chunks of time to tell us about things like the oldest inmate's childhood and multiple flashbacks that have nothing to with what put them in the prison. This is where I started fast forwarding thru huge sections of each episode to get back to the main, and more interesting, story line. The other really annoying thing is how they show things happening without any due process or legal intervention at all. Even uneducated inmates would have a sense of what's allowed, certainly other more savvy inmates would inform. And tho things might fall thru the cracks, it wouldn't happen on such a large scale. So they take the unfairness of the system to an unrealistic extreme, whether for entertainment or to make a political statement, but it takes away from enjoying the show. Even so, I found it compelling and entertaining viewing. Take away these flaws and I would have rated a 9 or 10. Some really fantastic performances by actresses that moved in to bigger and better roles off of this.

Dear Edward (2023)

Poor casting for the lead

[5/10 · 24 August 2023]

This would have been a much better and more enjoyable series if they had cast someone else in the role of Edward. The young actor was just not very likeable and it was hard to be sympathetic to him or his plight. The rest of the cast was very good and the other stories made this show watchable. But I just couldn't stand Edward or the way his character is portrayed and treated in the story.

Edward is obviously screwed up and in pain but his aunt and uncle don't notice or seem to care. And Edward just acts out and is allowed to do what he likes. No therapy, no caring. And unfortunately the young actor isn't able to make me care, just to be annoyed by him.

This could have been so much better with better casting for the lead role of Edward.

Dance 100 (2023)

Where's the dance?

[3/10 · 18 March 2023]

This show is supposed the be featuring dancers - and there are so many really talented ones. And the competition is to select the best out of 8 choreographers. But instead of letting the viewers appreciate the dance, we get constant, and way, way too many, cuts away to audience reactions. Plus cameras zooming around and OUT from the stage so it's impossible to watch and appreciate these talented dancers. C'mon directors - I've tuned in to watch dance!! Not audience and not swooping cameras!! There is a really missed opportunity here for an entertaining show. If there is another season, I'm hoping they will take on board suggestions to feature dancers please. And calm down that camera.

West Side Story (1961)

Best musical ever!

[10/10 · 28 December 2021]

Best score and best choreography of any musical. I saw this first time as a child, have watched it dozens of times since and, as a fan of musicals, I still consider this the best one ever made. The negative reviews on here are really ignorant. The film is more than 60 years old so of course it will feel dated in some parts. But it is essentially an opera and a modern ballet. By that criteria, it has no peer. If Spielberg stays true to the music and choreography it will be outstanding, as that's what this film is all about.

Call Me Kat (2021–2023)

Can't watch

[2/10 · 11 November 2021]

Horrible. Stupid. Could barely stand to get thru the first episode. But the worst for me was Swoosie Kurtz. When she shows up on screen, all Hollywood emaciated and with that huge head, I knew I could not stand to watch something she was in. I have disliked her for many years and along the way she has become more and more unattractive in her failed efforts to look better. This emaciated look is pandemic in Hollywood and Kurtz really brings it to extremes. I don't need everyone on TV to be beautiful but I do want them to look somewhat like real people.

Domina (2021–2023)

Don't believe all the negative reviews

[8/10 · 19 July 2021]

I have to refute all the negativity about this series. I watched it over 3 evenings and, while not the best ever, yes it has it's flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this series. I have read a lot of Roman history from this era and this series stays close enough to the truth for a fictional TV series. And that is the point - it's not a documentary, it's not even docu-drama, it's fiction. I found the story engaging, the characters and acting decent, the sets were gorgeous even if not historically accurate. Rome, which this has been compared to, and which I also really enjoyed, was so much more inaccurate it was laughable. But that's not why you watch a series like this. I like to follow up after for the truth and the details. A simple Wikipedia search will fill all that in for you. My only critique is that it fell really flat in the last two episodes. The drama and action seems to drag when it should have had a more fulfilling ending. But there is so much more story to cover for another or even into a third season.

One tip to help you in keeping track of all the names and characters, especially in the first few episodes and when they change the principle actors - turn on your subtitles! Even when reading about Ancient Rome, it's really hard to keep the names and characters straight so this helped a lot.

Home Before Dark: Not Giving Up (2021) Season 2, Episode 1

Seems like Hallmark took over

[2/10 · 19 June 2021]

A surprisingly entertaining series in Season 1 turned into an all kids, all the time Season 2 with zero interest that belongs on the Hallmark channel more than Apple TV+. Watched the first two episodes in total boredom and won't be continuing. Very disappointed.