dockie-94105 Reviews

Missing Crown Prince (2024– )

lead actors disappoint

[5/10 · 17 June 2024]

I have watched several/many historical K dramas set in the Royal Palace. I appreciated this unique storyline of not one but two scheming old men trying to usurp the throne. Another unique plot was the secret love affair of the queen dowager. How shocking! The duality of the love stories between the older and younger couples was interesting. Kudos to the writers.

However, whereas the more mature actors/actresses were great in their roles the lead couple not so much. Suho might want to stick to singing and the FL might want to change careers. I think Suho did his best but .... Sixteen episodes would have sufficed for this series. I always prefer a happy ending, but this one was too prefect and a little too cheesy.

My Dearest (2023– )

Will never forget this series.

[10/10 · 16 April 2024]

In the past I have always disregarded review scores of 10 as i thought they could be submitted by robots, AI or paid submitters for them to be that enthusiastic.

Now for the first time I am giving a score of 10 for this series. Fantastic writing, casting, acting and cinematography.

I have seen the female lead in other series and really appreciated her but her acting through this role's character arc is just so good. I had never seen the male lead before and wow! I have been missing out on a great actor. His character is every woman's dream and every man's role model.

Watch this show!! You will never forget it.

Captivating the King (2024– )

Ho Hum

[6/10 · 4 March 2024]

I gave this a six because I still have fond memories of the lead actor from the "Hospital Playlist" series. I have seen the FL before. She always looks like it would kill her to actually smile. The plot was good, cohesive and well played. Even though it was well written it was a little boring. The ML depended on intent looks too frequently instead of actually acting in his role. The romance was barely there. I missed having the traditional second couple romance. The secondary characters were all good in their roles. I dropped off points due to the vague unlikely ending. Yes, I want a happy ending too. But how? He can't marry her or make her a concubine as she is the daughter of a supposed traitor and everyone in the palace saw her when she was pretending to be a man. That is an act of treason. They would not recognize her in a dress?? Too many people know that she is a she. All in all...immediately. Forgettable.

Night Blooming Flower (2024)

Not that great.

[5/10 · 15 February 2024]

I find this show to be mediocre. Again, we have a small female beating up bigger stronger men all the time....silly. The age discrepancy in appearance between the leads is too much. The ML looks likes FL younger brother or even son. It is admirable for the series to show the ways woman and especially widows were abused. I am finding the second male lead to be more interesting. I think his romance with the little maid will be more interesting as well. The King is almost playing his role as in a comedy. The MLs superior is supposed to be comic relief but his overacting is annoying. I am impressed with the villains. They are frightening with their facades of righteous goodness. Though I don't blame the one woman for offing her husband.

Argylle (2024)

A fun ride!

[8/10 · 15 February 2024]

Henry Cavill needs to be cast as James Bond right now. He is perfect. James Craig was a dud. The entire cast did a great job. It took me a while to warm up to Sam Rockwell as the ML. But he was good. A fun movie. The multi-colored smoke dancing/shootout scene was fabulous. How did they do the ice-skating scene?? The moral dilemma of the FL having to choose between an evil or good self was interesting. If we completely lost our memory what kind of new self and life would we now choose? The twists and turns of the plot and action were fun. We did not know Dua Lipa was in the movie, but she did good. Loved her as a blonde.

Destined with You (2023)

The leads are a cute couple.

[7/10 · 15 October 2023]

I liked the past life/current life plot line. The two lead actors were good together. They had great chemistry and teased and argued well together. Rowoon did a good job of trying not to like her when under the influence of the spell. I especially liked how comfortable they were physically. Most Rom-Coms show the leads being very stiff with each other. Acting as if a touch on the hand is a big deal. The scene where she jumped on him on the bed and they rolled around laughing was fun. I did feel it was a little slow and really wished they had not included the two female co-workers who were supposed to be comic relief. They were just annoying. When will the writers and directors ever stop making the female leads so unbelievably dumb! That is my biggest complaint with this show and others. At least she wasn't crying constantly like in other shows. I think S. Korea TV must use more gallons of "Fake Tears" than any other country. One request......yes, Rowoon looks pretty with lipstick on but not more lipstick than all the women,,,okay!

Retribution (I) (2023)

Ho hum

[4/10 · 8 September 2023]

Liam Neeson did his best I guess. Did junior high kids write the dialogue and script? First big plot hole was villain saying he had put pressure bombs under kid's seats when obviously he wouldn't have and did not. Next one was having the wife give money to a stranger. Why? How was villain following them? The villain gave himself away immediatelyy by talking too personally to "Matt" and calling the wife by her first name. Plus, who else could it be? The cop was a semi idiot. When the car smashed into other cars and a metal bridge the bomb doesn't go off! Why didn't villain just unhook his seatbelt and climb out. On and on.... I did tear up when the kids found out that their parents are getting divorced. Which seemed to be worse news than the fact they were probably going to be blown up. I wanted the movie to tell me if villain would have let them live or not. Even the car chase scenes were not fun like in other movies. Ho hum.

The Uncanny Counter (2020–2023)

Season 3 please!

[8/10 · 7 September 2023]

I just finished season two. I really enjoyed the change of scenery from the noodle shop and the villains.....especially the female villain and main villain. Great casting. The story line was pretty realistic for now a days. I mean the real estate scam. My complaints are overuse of flashback scenes reminiscing about happier times. Too much of a good thing. The actor playing Mun is a cutie but the almost uni-brow is a little distracting as is curled up moustache of the Chairman. The addition of sniffer guy as comedic relief didn't work for me. Sorry for being mean. Mun and other actors make the audience care about the them. Please schedule season 3. Hint....a little romance for the detective could be fun.

The Lies Within (2019)

Again??

[6/10 · 7 September 2023]

I just found this series on Netflix. I started watching it because I like the lead actor. But I am done with episode 3 and ready to quit it because, again, the female lead is so badly written. Why oh why, do K-dramas and K Rom -Coms always make the FL so dumb and clueless. Even if she is a veterinarian, business woman, college student, etc. It also seems like it is a rule that they cry hysterically non stop. I don't want them portrayed as fierce warrior princesses who so easily beat up or kill 200 pound men like Hollywood likes to portray female characters now. I just want them to have average intelligence or something interesting about them. Also, are Korean police really that incompetent? The female police officer and captain are complete idiots. Is it worth my while to continue??

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

A score of 7 for a fun time.

[7/10 · 19 August 2023]

I was not expecting so much of the movie to be be underwater but really enjoyed it. It reminded me of "The Abyss" a favorite movie. Overall, was a fun suspenseful ride. I loved that all the villains got eaten by prehistoric creatures, especially greedy business woman. The concept of big business/governments funding research for nefarious/greedy reasons instead of the uses the scientists were hoping for is not far fetched at all. Please pay attention, all the noble scientists out there! I felt the role of the kid was over-emphasized and that the actress was not engaging enough to carry that off. Would have preferred a little adult romance instead of two daddy figures. They did not make the relationship between the captive meg and the scientist unrealistic which was fine. It was good enough she didn't eat him. Meg 3 will be about Meg 2's baby. Wait for it.

Black Knight (2023– )

Note to self.......

[4/10 · 11 August 2023]

I just got around to watching this show. Note to self....read reviews before wasting time. It was worse than I expected. Netflix is so inconsistetent with it's quality. What is really annoying with all Netflix shows is that subtitles either flash up in a micro-second or half of the dialogue isn't translated at all and is out of sync. Netflix, you can do better! I thought the show should have said the dystopian future was result of global warming instead of a comet hitting the earth. Set designs, costumes, CGI all ok. Dialogue is blah. Attempts at humor..meh. The boy did fine acting job but wasn't engaging enough to carry the show. Character 5-8 was surprisingly one dimensional. Like the actor but he could have done more if given a better script. A little romance would have helped. Would have been better to not kill off the teen girl and work her into plot line. Goofy friends not necessary. Plot line of boy being a mutant was ridiculous. Holding a Hunger Games type competition to hire one delivery driver was ridiculous. No explanation given why villain thought refugees were vermin to be eliminated. No explanation given of his mystery disease. Glad the earth was repairing itself in the end. All, in all, poor effort by writers.

DI Ray (2022– )

Couldn't finish first episode.

[4/10 · 21 July 2023]

Our PBS station is running reruns of "DI Ray". I watched about half of first episode and switched it to a K-Pop Rom Com. Why? Lead actress was terrible. Sorry, but what a dud. The best actors were the alleged killers. The actor who played her lover tried his best but how can you establish chemistry with a mannequin? Her collegues in police department may have become interesting later on but unlikeable in the beginning. The show seemed to take everything anyone said or did as racist. In the opening scene she was just lucky the crazy guy put his knife down. I have always liked and respected the quality of shows coming out out of the BBC until recently. They, like Hollywood movies, seemed to have been written by uneducated amateurs more recently. The casting has gotten terrible. "Vera" is an example of this. It was the same scenario with reruns of "Ridley". Maybe I should have been more patient but not see anything interesting about main character/actor. It is too bad.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Why can't other franchises do it like MI?

[8/10 · 20 July 2023]

Why can't other franchises like D. C., Marvel, etc. Do it right like MI? I have given up on D. C., Marvel and Disney completely. DId all the good screenwriters get wiped out by Covid? Anyway, congrats to Tom Cruise and friends. A super movie with amazing action and stunts. When are they going to give Oscars for those categories? I appreciated the Russian submariners talking in English. LOL! I waited for the obligatory MI Tom Cruise flat out run and was rewarded with two of them! Didn't mind how long the car chase scene was at all. The train car scenes blew me away? Does the Orient Express really run on coal? I was disappointed at Ilsa's death and her death scene. Why kill her off?. Mistake! Anti-climatic death scene. Really liked new character Grace. She and Tom had great chemistry but then he does with all characters. You just have to trust Ethan Hunt, right? But she had too much screen time with too many pick pocket switches. MI really has excellent casting for female roles! Happy Alana and Zola were back. I felt previous villains had more impact. MI Fallout is still my favorite.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Incredible!

[8/10 · 12 April 2023]

Incredible action choreography, stunt work, locations, set designs, costumes and action sequences. I was laughing in amazement at good they were!!!

It had every kind of action fight scene possible including a horse chase. Would the Academy just give them all Oscars right now? I was just wondering why we hadn't seen the mandatory stereotypical car chase scene when it started. Awesome. Loved that they continued the tradition with the dog. Great casting. New actress Rina was very good. I will always remember her fight scene with the big guy. Keanu Reeves is such a bad actor it's incredible. Thankfully, he only had to say one sentence every half hour. He almost makes me believes he can toss bigger younger stronger henchmen around but the other actors totally made me believe it. Donnie Yen...wow. Scene with Scott Adkins...wow. Sanada...wow. The movie went too far in making Wick indestructible...come on! Loved other characters scenes..welcome back McShane and Fishbourne. Can't decide if I liked new villain...the Marquise. If it wasn't for the dazzling suits and set locations for him I think I would have gone...meh! I loved how he ended. Two points off for Keanu Reeves himself and the writers making him impervious to harm, pain, exhaustion and common sense.

Crash Course in Romance (2023)

Points for emphasizing societal abuse of students.

[6/10 · 11 March 2023]

Many K dramas point out the lengths parents in South Korea go to in order to pressure/enable their children to do well on exams. (All for the child's own good, of course). This show emphasized that more than any other by showing suicides, mental and physical breakdowns, cheating, lying, fractured families and even obsessive murder. (Apparently even elementary school children are in after school academies until late at night on daily basis) However that theme did not mesh well with the romance storyline of the more mature workaholic leads. Other than the fact she sacrificed her own dreams to care for family members nothing about the lead actress explained why Choi fell in love with her. She was an annoying unlikeable person. Strangely, her and her employee were dressed like it was 1950s. The add on romance with Jae woo and employee was strange. The consequences of gossips, rumors and social media were also emphasized. The teenage characters, actors and storylines were the best! The lead actor did a fine job. But it should have been two different shows not one.

Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency (2019)

A 10 score for costumes, sets and scenery.

[6/10 · 7 February 2023]

A collection of very handsome actors who did a good job in their roles. The actresses were also good but it took me awhile to warm up to female lead. Villains were very appropriate. The costumes were fabulous! Wow! The sets were great and scenery beautiful. Does Korea have a code that actresses must stand like statues during kissing scenes? Very sad. There were so many close up shots of hun ma I started fixating on how one eyelid was different from the other. What let the series down was the poor writing. Thought high school kids could do better. Absolutely no back story on why former king sent away one of his children and it's mother and left them and commandant in absolute poverty and hard labor. If was a secret how did officials know to find the son. The story line of stolen arrowheads was ridiculous as was the idea hun ma's older brother really wanted to be a matchmaker more than anything. Gaettang fell for hun because he helped her but su lee helped her for years. The idea that a man who really loved women would fall for an unrelenting beatch was unbelievable. The brother being brain damaged meant his story line could go no where. What happened to "little sis" finding his mother? What's up with calling guys "sis". Wished they would have included a new girl for the king in the last episode as I really liked the character and actor.

The Law Cafe (2022)

Enjoying this rom-com!

[8/10 · 30 September 2022]

Lee sueng gi has screen presence. Can't help but like him. I was glad to see they included him singing as a fun little scene. Ms Han is way overacting but the female characters in rom-cons seemed to be instructed to do so. Not liking the main characters talking to camera. Makes me cringe. Also hoping Korea tv does away with silly emoji doll cartoons on the screen, etc. The supporting cast is good. The actor playing wicked uncle is always fun to watch. The hero being afraid to tell heroine he likes her for 17 years is ridiculous. Light touch on different social issues. Wish law cafes were real!

Little Women (2022)

Cannot decide!

[6/10 · 25 September 2022]

I cannot decide if I like or dislike this series. I am half way through and like how the two sister's mysteries are apparently intertwined. It is still uncertain if the male characters are bad guys or good guys. But I really disliked the ridiculous scene where the mean co worker suspected in-Hyunk of drinking and chased her through the office trying to physically force her to take a breathalyzer test with the device she just happened to carry with her! The boss just looks on while the mean co worker pushes and pulls inhyuk to search her office space in front of entire office. Then like ten people have meeting to suspend her and the mean co worker calls police to tell them to suspend in -hyuk's driver's license and they do it! What nonsense. This same secret alcoholic sister gets all high mighty and mighty about other sister using money to help the family. I also disliked scene where in-ju is getting money from locker when henchmen (and woman) invade women's locker room and instead of just turning around and shutting the locker she lets them kidnap her and take money. The only smart sister is the youngest one. I am hoping the two investigations and the use of mysterious blue orchid will be worth my time.

Alchemy of Souls (2022– )

I was hooked from first episode.

[8/10 · 20 September 2022]

Surprisely, I was hooked from the first episode. So it was annoying to have to wait for new ones. Have been spoiled by binge watching. The cast is why I enjoyed it. The lead actor and actress are engaging with good chemistry. Also, the various characters have interesting storylines. I like that there are multiple love stories. Was pleasantly surprised they gave the crown prince more depth. The main villain is perfect. The storyline is copying the King Arthur legend exactly with the wizard transforming the appearance of the king so he can spend the night with the woman he desired. She giving birth to secret prince. The secret prince and best friend, the noble knight, loving same woman. Searching for holy grail aka. Ice stone. Evil wizard trying to kill secret prince. Etc. Etc. They just added zombie like creatures for fun. I, too, will be disappointed if Mudeok is not in season two.

Once Upon a Small Town (2022)

Tried but failed.

[5/10 · 20 September 2022]

I thought the premise might be fun but soon realized this series is trying to imitate the success of "Small Town Cha Cha Cha" without the engaging actors, dialogue and storylines. There hasn't been any funny scenarios of the big city vet in the country. Officer Ahn is fairly pathetic. The vet is a dud and the big storyline is they played together as kids and he forgot. The screaming and hair pulling of women from rival towns is annoying. Had to fast forward through those scenes. The love triangle could be more interesting. I am liking the child actors better than the leads. If you are bored, tune in.