jpcjcpd Reviews

Invasion (2021–2024)

NOT an action show...

[6/10 · 16 March 2024]

I think the majority of the bad reviews are because the trailers give the impression that this is an action/adventure type of show. The name "Invasion" also adds to that. But in reality it's more a suspense/mystery show.

The good: the aliens are completely different (not Star Trek!). The special effects are done well - not over the top or cheesy. The story is cohesive and builds towards an unknown plot. It does a good job of portraying the unknown the characters are facing.

The bad: people are in the midst of an alien invasion and certain characters act as if nothing is going on. The main character, Annesha, makes decisions that make no sense and is capable of only one facial expression. Her family and teen drama derails the pace of the show. It's bad when you hope the main character dies. Every time she or her family is on screen, the story loses all momentum and just drags. The other characters storylines move along at a decent pace and they generally make decisions that make sense for where they are.

All in all, it's a good show and pretty well done. As in any show you do have to suspend a certain amount of disbelief - especially if you have any military experience. The soldiers all have terrible tactics and are one dimensional. It's just marketed wrong and has a terrible main character. 😂

Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist (2023)

Too much narration....

[4/10 · 25 February 2024]

The story itself isn't bad. It has everything you need to make a great movie - intrigue, betrayal, darkness before the dawn, etc.

It's the way it's portrayed that is the problem. Narration in a movie should be used sparingly (think Blade Runner). In this case it's over used with almost every scene. To me that's a sign of lazy storytelling - that you couldn't portray it in film so you take the "easy way out". It also has the effect of being overly preachy with constant exposition.

I give the cast credit - they did the best they could with what they had to work with. It could have been much better.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

It could have been more with less

[4/10 · 21 October 2023]

I feel like I watched a different movie from many of the reviews. I went to the theater, with high expectations.

The movie is a brutally honest story of moral bankruptcy, corruption and decimation of a tribe at the hands of local landowners. Only this story is different - it's not the typical settlers moving west and battling tribes. It's taking the land through marriage, murder and inheritance. The movie is shot well and the acting is top notch for what they are working with.

Now for the bad: it is in desperate need of editing! 3.5 hours is fine if the story keeps pace and moves the plot with pertinent scenes. This is not the case. There is at least 1.5 hours of drawn out scenes and scenes that are completely irrelevant (like the random goofy white guy dancing at a fair for almost 15 minutes. He is never seen before or after). I felt like the story was being told by my elderly grandfather and he would lose pace and ramble about things that are unrelated to any of the events taking place.

There are full conversations in the native languages, with no subtitles. It is incredibly irritating. Why does DiCaprio talk like he has marbles in his mouth? Deniro was definitely miscast and should retire. Time passes over a period of days, months and years with no discernible shift to let you know more than a day has passed. And a sudden shift at the end to the format of a radio show was both distasteful and surreal. It left the audience anxious to leave the minute the screen darkened.

Sadly, I would not recommend this movie.

Special Ops: Lioness (2023– )

Great idea, terrible execution

[4/10 · 9 October 2023]

The first episode draws you in. It's well executed and well written. Zoe Saldana is well cast and carries the role in a believable way. The show is based on the "lioness" program in the US Military and had a lot of potential.......

And then the writers apparently change - because it's the only thing that makes sense - and everything goes off the rails. Every episode forces you to suspend disbelief more and more to the point of ridiculousness. And the one dimensional portrayal of the special ops teams is terrible. Drunken bar fights and overgrown idiots running around a house shooting each other with air soft guns is just a bit too much.

And then the girl. All 90 pounds of her taking on roided out super soldiers in hand to hand and beating them down. The female leader of a seal team. And it gets worse.........she blows her cover at least 20 times but........it's girl power. Or something.

It's a shame - the show had tons of potential. The terrible writing killed it. 4 stars for Zoe and Nicole though. They gave the show some gravitas.

Sound of Freedom (2023)

Perfectly Imperfect

[9/10 · 15 July 2023]

It's not an action movie, but there are parts with action. The category is misleading.

It's a character driven drama built around Jim Caviezal's portrayal of a Homeland Security agent tasked with combatting child pornography. It's an eye opening story that is based on a true story.

It is nearly impossible to make a movie like this without exploiting the victims or showing what they go through without actually showing it. It's handled well and nuanced. You know what's happening without seeing it or hearing it. And it's still horrifying.

If there is one drawback to this film, I felt it was somewhat overly long. While I understand all the scenes are meant to add up to the total, it is drawn out. That being said, it could have been edited down a little bit without losing momentum or taking away from the story.

The real security camera videos of children being snatched were crazy. I've never seen anything like that (it's suppressed on YouTube for some strange reason). Horrifying. My son said "now I see why you don't want me riding my bike alone".

Definitely worth the watch.

The Mother (2023)

Accuracy and realism matters sometimes.

[2/10 · 9 June 2023]

When you are making a movie that is not science fiction or fantasy, then at least some accuracy or realism helps. You try to make the unbelievable believable by building a character up and showing little things that add up to big things later (think Indiana Jones going from archeologist to nazi fighter and realizing you never questioned the implausibly of riding outside a submarine). That's an example of a good writing technique.

This entire movie is the opposite of that. All the little things add up to nothing because they are done so badly. I'll give a few examples: A female marine being trained as a sniper in Afghanistan.

All the random comments about PTSD.

Incorrectly identifying weapons.

Traveling to cuba "incognito" using US passports and carrying a sniper rifle.

Water boarding someone who is sitting upright (which is impossible).

Explaining her ninja-like fighting ability by saying "she did a few tours in Afghanistan".

The list goes on and on. It's just typically bad writing.

The acting is wooden and the line delivery by everyone but Jennifer Lopez seems like they used a teleprompter.

Throw in the teen angst sub plot and all the other ridiculous things that occur and have a colossal waste of time on your hands.

In other words - it's typical Netflix.

Brave New World (2020)

Inspired by, not adapted from, the novel. There is a difference.

[7/10 · 7 May 2023]

You can clearly see the inspiration from the novel in this series. It's obviously not a true adaption of the book, but what movie or tv show is? These are two different mediums that rarely work on the same level.

That being said, I was impressed by the scope of vision and the attempt to show a future "utopian" society. I do agree with other reviewers that too much time was spent on the sexual aspects and not enough time on the emptiness of a society built on vanity and avarice. The portrayal of the savage lands was a missed opportunity - it ended too quickly and in a somewhat haphazard way.

It also misses the overwhelming point that while our world has faults, we are defined by struggle and sacrifice as a people. The "die free or live on your knees" principle.

The show is well acted, the effects are entirely believable and the world portrayed in the series is still scary, just in a different way. Less direct. Also, it ends in completely different manner, I think in part, because there were plans on more than one season.

I also liked the updating with the computerized network being co-opted into a surveillance state. It's very prescient in that fashion. The AI storyline, however, was somewhat muddled and unnecessary. I feel something along the lines of "the thinker" in Logan's Run (the novel) would have been cleaner and more appropriate.

Even though it differs greatly from the book, it was still an enjoyable watch. It's nice to see something that makes you think and is somewhat original as opposed to the drivel masquerading as entertainment these days.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Star Trek Melodrama

[4/10 · 7 May 2023]

I decided to try this out because I am fan of both Sonequa Martin-Green and Jason Isaacs as actors.

The first episode started off well and I was impressed with the special effects and sets. Yes, it is different from the original in terms of the setting and grittiness. That's both a plus and a negative at times - like the change to the kligons (which looks cool but makes no sense).

But........then the first episode is ruined by the attempted mutiny and ridiculous prisoner storyline, which kind of sets the expectations for the show. Also, this story arcs was completely unnecessary and forgotten by episode three.

The stories in the following episodes are NOT compelling. These "officers" have no military bearing, constantly bicker, cry and whine constantly. It doesn't have to be the army, but it shouldn't be like siblings arguing all the time - there is a reason I left home! It's like the stereotypical millennials in space. Every order is debated and complained about, or there is the required virtue signaling. There are also too many flashbacks, Vulcan mind melds, and scenes of pointless drama and dialogue between characters. It makes it both boring and somewhat obnoxious.

Also, I find naming a female character Michael is somewhat distracting and ridiculous. It is emblematic of the bad writing, story arcs and terrible dialogue.

I left it on while working as background noise and didn't really miss anything. I think I'll save myself the time and skip any future seasons.

Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (2022)

Shameless. Not a "documentary"

[1/10 · 4 May 2023]

I went into this with the assessment that her daughter died accidentally through neglect and she tried to cover it up.

After watching her shamelessly blame anyone but herself and try to claim victim hood, I am convinced she killed her daughter to be with a new guy. Every time she talks, she lies. She admits this. Her friends even say so.

This is what a true narcissist and sociopath looks like. Manipulative and refusing to take any responsibility for anything. Watching only made me angry. What's worse is she was paid in the area of 10 million dollars for this "interview".

This is completely one sided and glosses over much of the facts. For example, why she went on a spending spree with a checkbook stolen from a friend? She says "I was dumb". And there are no follow up questions.

If you want to see hours of "woe is me, I'm the victim here" blathering with fake tears and defense attorneys lauding their acumen, then this is for you. If you believe her story, I also have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn that might interest you.

I suffered through this so you won't have to. You are welcome. 😉

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020–2024)

Tries too hard and falls flat

[2/10 · 4 May 2023]

It's supposed to be a spoof of Star Trek. But part of being a spoof is humor and actually being funny, which it is not. Not even cheap laughs or a chuckle.

I watched the entire first season and found the same formula to every episode: male ensign who follows the rules is portrayed as an idiot and incapable of getting anything done. Female ensign who breaks all the rules and drinks/use drugs is smart and a savior. They get in trouble because he follows the rules and she saves them. Hilarity ensues. The other crew members are not even likable.

This is a pattern with most animated "comedy" lately. Random things thrown into a show to be funny (attempting to emulate the Family Guy or Rick and Morty's randomness) that aren't funny and don't help advance the plot. Overall lack of irreverent humor. Tiresome dialogue. Even the attempts at sarcasm falls flat.

Save yourself the time and watch something else.

Digman! (2023– )

The commercials were a warning....

[1/10 · 1 May 2023]

If you saw the ads and commercials for this show and found them to be hilarious, then this show is for you.

I saw them and didn't laugh or chuckle once. However, I tried the show anyway. Little did I know, the commercials were literally the funniest parts of the show - which is to say not funny at all.

I'm always amazed how shows like this get made, but then I guess even watching paint dry is entertaining for some. The real tragedy is that this is aired on "Comedy Central" which hasn't had any original show produced that is actually funny. If not for South Park they would have gone out of business a long time ago.

Ambulance (2022)

Started of well enough....

[3/10 · 15 April 2023]

The movie started off well enough. Good actors. Big budget. Plenty of cars and guns. It should be the recipe for a great heist flick.

It seemed like they started the movie before the script was finished. Like ok, we did the robbery part. Did the big shoot out in the street like "Heat". But once the getaway started on the ambulance, someone was like "hey, what do we do now?" Because the movie not only became borderline boring, but ridiculous. The over the top crashes. The cartel involvement. The terrible dialogue. The repeatedly stupid decisions the protagonists make.

How do you ruin a movie so thoroughly? Definitely NOT worth a watch. It's two hours of drawn out time I'm never getting back.

After Earth (2013)

As bad as predicted.....

[1/10 · 7 April 2023]

Why does Hollywood treat science fiction movies like a red headed step child? Period pieces that no one wants to see get better treatment.

This movie is a perfect example. Tons of potential. A budget. Special effects. But......a tired survival story that's been done before. No nuance or twist or originality. HUGE plot holes.

Then take this formula and add Jayden Smith. He's annoying and a terrible actor. He makes the movie hard to watch. His facial expressions and lack of ability to convey emotion kills the movie. The fact that he hasn't been in much after this is proof it isn't a one off.

Even Will Smith doesn't seem to care and just barely shows up. He can carry a movie, but it just wasn't in the cards. Save your time and give this one a pass.

65 (2023)

Fast paced and engaging!

[8/10 · 19 March 2023]

I don't understand the negative reviews. It probably has more to do with the way the movie was advertised, verses the actual movie itself. I was expecting some kind of Adam and Eve story with a crashed ship on earth, which this is not.

The effects are well done and not over the top. The landscapes and environment were believable. The actors played their parts well and managed to evoke emotion and communicate even though they couldn't speak the same language. No overly dramatic or wooden acting.

The story could have been fleshed out slightly better. The family background was pieced together late in the story and creates some confusion regarding the amount of time that has passed from the movie opening to the ship crashing (spoiler: it's not the same mission they are talking about in the beginning. It's some time later). It seems to be something even a lot of reviewers missed.

The movie does a great job of lulling you into a sense of calm and then ratcheting up the anxiety and pace with the dinosaurs and other dangers. It has an edge of your seat quality, including the occasional jump scare.

All in all, it was an entertaining movie. Don't overthink it or expect any Oscar nods. I enjoyed it, was never bored and didn't leave the theater regretting the lost money or time. My kids enjoyed it as well.......with my youngest watching through his fingers from the suspense.

Black Adam (2022)

I watched it so you won't have to

[2/10 · 5 February 2023]

It's a DC property. I haven't seen a decent one of their movies since Nolan's Batman, Man of Steel, Teen Titans go to the Movies or Shazam. Because it has "The Rock" in it, I allowed my expectations to rise.

Sadly, this was an overlong, terribly written snoozefest. All the fight scenes are overly dramatic, with too many slow motion interjections and way overdone CGI. The story lacks any reason to care about the characters or coherency. The dialogue and character interaction is simply terrible (even the actors seem incredibly bored with it).

When a character dies, and you don't feel any empathy or care it is a reflection of terrible writing. This movie has plenty of that.

All in all, a waste of time and money.

Zeros and Ones (2021)

Huh?

[2/10 · 2 January 2023]

It was all over the place. I mean, literally all over the place. To the point where you are watching the movie and trying to figure out what's important and what's filler. There are scenes that have no point to advance the plot. Scenes that make absolutely no sense. Scenes that are too dark to see what's going on.

It's trying to hard to be art, but then completely fails as a movie. It's a shame, because I like Ethan Hawk as an actor and wanted to like it.

But if you don't trust my review, at the end he does a little blurb where he actually said he doesn't understand the movie and the script didn't make sense either. Lol.

Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press (2017)

One sided drivel masquerading as a "documentary"

[2/10 · 30 October 2022]

I began this thinking it would be an interesting look at the whole hogan/gawker case and what really happened. During the opening, when there were flashes of Trump I was worried it was going to be the typical one sided look at things, but I continued to watch with an open mind.

Knowing nothing about the case, the attempts to show the gawker players as victims of a widespread conspiracy or even in a sympathetic view falls flat. They are all smug and pompous, and can't contain it, even for the duration of short and heavily edited interviews. "I was joking" is not an answer for saying your limit is sharing sex videos of kids under four while on the stand.

It spend about twenty minutes on the case and doesn't answer any real questions or explain why or how it was ruled the way it was. It just shows heavily edited short clips to force its point with no real in depth explanation of what happened.

Then we move onto it's all a republican conspiracy to stifle the press, which was foreshadowed in the beginning. I'm no republican, but it's just the same talking points over and over again and gets tired. Especially the "woe is me" interviews with reporters with hurt feelings. There is widespread censorship, but it's not them.

I think the only take away is that you can't be scummy and say whatever you want without consequences. Maybe we can get back to actual journalism, with actual research and investigation, instead of click bait trying to hide under a banner of freedom of speech. There was an agenda and it failed.

The Northman (2022)

Great acting and cinematography can not fix bad writing.

[4/10 · 23 October 2022]

I'm a fan of history and looked forward to a true depiction of a Viking epic. It starts off promising enough, with a compelling beginning that sets the stage for a story of trials and revenge.

The acting is well executed and the fighting scenes do a lot a capture the brutality of Viking culture and the age that they lived in. It's dark, brooding and bloody, which doesn't take away from the movie's progress at all.

But - and it's a big but, then comes all the stuff that is unnecessary to the film and elongates it to the point of boredom. Long scenes of landscapes and sunsets. Drawn out visions that don't add to the story and only state the obvious. It actually takes away from the story and loses all momentum and drive. It's a bad thing when you are checking your phone for the time.

If you edit out about 45 minutes of nonsensical parts or scenes that don't add to the overall plot, you'd have a brutal and compelling Viking revenge story. What you have is two hours and 30 minutes of filler that ruins the pace of the film and made me want to take a nap.

13 Minutes (2021)

Needed less and more

[3/10 · 7 August 2022]

It could have been more. The idea that people come together in times of crisis despite differences is redeeming.

The tornado and the after effects are eye opening. Just the sheer level of destruction from the "finger of god" is well depicted.

Character growth is non existent. The tornado does bring people together but the movie ends flat.

However, it needed less ham fisted lecturing and more story development. The characters are compelling, but the attempt to portray the Midwest as the typical racist, homophobic Hollywood stereotype is tired and old. It's not 1940. Many ranches are Hispanic owned and many white ranchers speak Spanish for example.

There are only so many times I can roll my eyes while hearing about abortion, illegal immigration, racism, homophobia and overbearing Christians. I would like to watch a movie without feeling like I need to virtue signal - even when I may or may not agree.

Purple Hearts (2022)

Cute and had potential.......but Netflix

[3/10 · 31 July 2022]

It seems like whomever wrote this knows nothing about how the military works (from deployments, to advance pay, credit unions, etc.). It's the typical tropes that are meant to add to the story but become a distraction.

As is usually the case with Netflix, I'm forced to sit through a political lecture with a side portion of a movie, as opposed to a movie that makes some political points. The "mean girl" routine by the lead actress gets old with the angry feminist activist routine. The writers fail to see the contradiction of the way she behaves with the "be kind" bumper sticker.

The acting is better than average for their movies, which is still not great. The story is ok, but predictable and somewhat lackluster. The side story line with the drug dealer and resulting court martial gets old and is borderline ridiculous. The politics take away from the story because it's constant and over the top as opposed to adding to the story through nuance.

Not a terrible watch, but not recommended. It's forgettable.

The Little Things (2021)

Slow Burn

[7/10 · 10 June 2022]

This is a psychological thriller. It's slow, almost painfully slow, but in a good way. It's well acted, and Jared Leto is incredibly creepy.

All these serial killer movies tend to have a formula. This one follows the same formula to a point. Then it sort of goes off the rails, and left me staring at the credits and thinking.

If it makes you think, it generally means it's a good movie. If you are looking for an action movie this definitely isn't it.

The G Word with Adam Conover (2022)

Propaganda packaged as comedy

[1/10 · 20 May 2022]

Dumbed down and "humorous" approach to a describing how the US Government works. Apparently, everything must be dumbed down these days because college degrees are handed out like candy.

Sadly it's the typical "my side is right, your side is wrong approach" in an attempt at a "The Daily Show" format. More government is good and less is bad is the takeaway. 🙄

Dark Space (2013)

A solid 5.5

[6/10 · 18 May 2022]

It's called low budget sci-fi for a reason.

All in all not a bad movie to kill time. The dialogue was as expected - nothing amazing. The story wasn't anything special but it was intriguing.

The big surprise for me was the acting and special effects. The acting was way above par for the usual movies of this type. The special effects were decent and not over or under done.

With a better script writer (for dialogue) and more money this would have easily been a 7 or higher.

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy (2021)

Slow and filled with blame

[2/10 · 15 April 2022]

I grew up in NYC during the height of the crack epidemic. No one legitimate went out after dark and we slept on the floor for fear of accidentally catching a bullet meant for a rival dealer.

It wasn't Regan, or the cops or "systemic racism" that made us afraid and kept the streets dirty. It was greed and a ghetto mentality (get rich quick and screw my people) that made it happen. The crappy economy from the 70s helped - you couldn't get a job but you could sling crack on a corner.

The archival footage was eye opening for my kids. They couldn't imagine the streets looking as bad as they did. People forget the vacant lots, garbage and rampant crime that was everywhere.

The agenda pushing and blaming the white man for all our problems gets old. I made it out - with no arrest record, drug use or anything else thanks to the military and the education it got me. These former dealers act like it's a great thing and show no remorse. Not one talks about murders or the violence they had to perpetuate to destroy or neighborhoods and make money for themselves. Instead, it takes the government conspiracy angle. Another wasted Netflix "documentary" designed to push more racial strife.

Another Life (2019–2021)

Millennials in Space.

[2/10 · 7 April 2022]

Literally. A bunch of angsty and entitled 20 something's that dress like they are going to a club and make incredibly dumb decisions.

The show is very different from what is portrayed in the previews. It's a typical Netflix bait and switch. The writing, dialogue and acting is terrible. The actors were picked for looks and a checklist, not talent or ability. Who thought this was a good idea?

I forced my way to the end of the first episode hoping for some improvement, but I couldn't get through two.