torndownunit-507-429487 Reviews

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022– )

High hopes

[7/10 · 22 July 2023]

Season 1 was great. Season 2 has been a bit inconsistent, but still miles above the quality of Discovery. There are actually likable characters, and a focus on all of the characters rather than everything mainly revolving around one (awful) character like in Discovery. I hope it can keep up, but season two has faded a bit. I'm still enjoying watching it and keeping my hopes up though.

In my mind, 7 out of 10 is a "very good" rating. Giving this an 8-10 rating is a stretch in my opinion. That would put it along side some of the best sci-fi shows ever, and it's not that. But compared to other recent Star Trek shows? It's an 11.

Silo (2023– )

Wasted potential so far.

[5/10 · 17 June 2023]

I have absolutely zero issues with a show that has a "slow burn" when there is a payoff and a reason. But there legitimately are shows that are just slow and drawn out with filler. This show is one of those. It has a great premise, a good cast (with the exception of Common), interesting sets, and a very good first episode. But from there on the decisions with the pacing and plot development are a big let down. If the storyline of a season can fit in 6 episodes and have better pacing, then I wish shows would just do that. It's a problem with a lot of new series.

It's a decent show, but when you compare it to some of the other sci-fi content of the last few years, it's just not a 8-10 rating (personal opinion, but I think it's valid). Some of the highest regarded sci-fi tv shows there's been don't even have ratings this high.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022– )

Average

[6/10 · 19 October 2022]

When I discuss this show with people and mention I feel it was just "ok" the reply always seems to be "I grew up with the books and love them". Well, so did/do I. Nostalgia is not a reason to dismiss the issues with the show. I love the production values etc, but that only kept me really involved in the show up to a certain point. I am not going to dismiss it as "boring" but my primary issue was that I found the pacing and the feel of the show to be all over the place. If it wasn't associated with Lord of the Rings, I think the perception of the overall quality of the show would be quite a bit different for some people.

Clusterf**k: Woodstock '99 (2022)

The HBO documentary is better

[6/10 · 9 August 2022]

This is a decent series and worth watching. But the HBO documentary on the event manages to cover more and say more in less than 2 hours then this did as a series.

Romper Stomper (2018)

Decent

[5/10 · 19 July 2022]

This showed up on prime recently so I checked it out. It's interesting looking back at reviews from when it aired. There's all the mention of unrealistic events and characters. What is going on in the world now makes this look tame.

There definitely are some issues with the acting, and it's clearly low budget. But I don't believe it's worthy of one star ratings. Overall it's decent.

I think the show would have been much better off not using the Romper Stomper name. That also clearly has an effect on people's perception of the show.

The Long Road Home (2017)

Hard to get by the acting

[4/10 · 4 July 2022]

While there are some great actors in the cast, some of the leads are so bad that it's really tough to get passed and be immersed in the show. I saw some reviews here basically saying this should be overlooked because of the message. The problem is that this is a film/tv review site. When the acting is this bad, it's completely relevant to base a review on that.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Forgettable.

[3/10 · 3 January 2021]

I really don't know how to describe this movie other than it's completely forgettable. It's a movie where a few hours after watching it, I can barely even remember watching it. Even with a lot of action, I found I just would zone out watching it. It's hard to even recommend it as a 'popcorn' movie because the plot is just so bland that it effects even viewing it from that perspective. I don't even have any idea what demographic it's targeted at. I got through it, so I will give it more than one star. But it definitely doesn't deserve much more.

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Lackluster

[4/10 · 1 March 2020]

While I grew up with TNG, my review isn't based off nostalgia. This show simply has bad writing, bad pacing, and a lot of bad characters. Even Picard himself is lacking, and I blame it mainly on a really poor script. Discovery improved a ton with it's second season so I am really hoping the same thing happens with this show. But it's a real slog to try to get through this season. The stars I do give it are mainly based on potential because tight now the show is really lacking any flow. Setting my personal opinions aside, if you are rating this show an 8 and above that means you feel it compares to some of the best shows sci-fi ever made. I don't feel there is anyway this show can objectively be compared to some of the best sci-fi shows of all time, especially not based on this first season. The show doesn't deserve ratings of one, and it definitely doesn't deserve ratings of 10.

The Witcher (2019– )

Very Enjoyable

[7/10 · 29 December 2019]

I know very little about the Witcher games other than watching friends play the odd time. So the amount of characters has been a bit tough to follow, and things do seem rushed. But as I have made my way though episodes, I have enjoyed it more and more. The action, effects, and what's been shown of the world so far are great.

A downside of Game of Thrones is that it seems any fantasy show will be compared to it now. This isn't GOT and has a different feel and vibe to it. That's how it should be viewed. 1 ratings and 10 ratings are way to common on this site. How anyone could give this

On Becoming a God in Central Florida (2019)

So far so good

[8/10 · 24 September 2019]

From reading previous ratings, I think some people (a) might not enjoy dark comedy and (b) also don't understand how dark and twisted the world of MLM's can actually be. The people who say the story is outlandish must not really know much about point 'b'. A story about that world SHOULD be dark. and should be full of unlikable characters. I can also assume a lot of really low reviews might be from people involved in MLM's because the rating for the show on here currently is really right about where it should be (a 7-8 is fair I think). I don't see any way this show warrants a one star review.

The acting and story are both solid. It's a dark show with comedic elements, based on what is a really dark topic. Read up on how MLM's ruin some people's lives, and you will likely appreciate the story more, and why it's being told the way it is. I think it delivers on what it's trying to deliver on.

One thing I agree with other reviewers whether they have left good or bad reviews is that I am not sure if this show could hold up for too many seasons. But I have enjoyed this one.

Wu Assassins (2019)

Fun, with flaws.

[6/10 · 16 September 2019]

Overall the show is pretty fun. The acting isn't fantastic, but for the style of show it's not outlandish, with the exception of the Ying Ying character who is absolutely awful. I find most of the other characters are mainly just cheesy with cheesy dialog which kind of fits with the genre a bit. A lot of people have criticized the effects, but that's another case where in my eyes it sort of fits the feel of the show.

The only really awful part of the show in my view is the soundtrack, which a lot of others users have pointed out in reviews. The other issues don't stop me from getting into the show, but the soundtrack is so awful that it actually distracts me while viewing it.

Overall it's just a fun, but cheesy show that has some potential to improve. Especially if they ditch whoever is looking after the music.

Blown Away (2019– )

Awful judging

[4/10 · 14 August 2019]

*'the winner' used instead of a name or he/she to avoid spoilers.

I have to give the show a semi-decent rating based on the fact that the pieces created were beautiful. And watching the process was interesting. It was also nice to see a relatively drama free competition style show.

With it being a competition style show there needs to be a clear judging criteria though. The judging mainly seemed to come down to the one main female judge's opinion, and she was all over the map with her criteria. She clearly seemed to favour the eventual winner as well (all other 'judges' had issues with the winner's work throughout), and that became very apparent by the time the team competition rolled around. The winner was obviously talented, but not the most talented artist there by far.

There is no way I could give this show a high rating based on how it progressed through the last few episodes. If they have a second season, I hope they do something to address the judging. It would be nice to see certain contestants get a second chance because I believe the real winner was clear. But it would be hard to imagine any being happy enough with the show (other that the winner) to come back.

Brendan Schaub: You'd Be Surprised (2019 TV Special)

Come On

[2/10 · 23 May 2019]

There is absolutely no way that laugh tracks weren't edited into this special. The rantings of someone lacking any self-awareness to know there is just no way they should be filming a comedy special. Maybe a time will come where he would be ready for something like this, but it's doubtful.

It's great that there are so many platforms for comedians to release specials nowadays, but this shows the downside of that. People used to actually have to work hard and develop their skills before even getting a chance to have a special.

Black Summer (2019–2021)

Decent

[7/10 · 17 April 2019]

I don't really agree with reviews on the far end of either spectrum on this show. It's a decent, action packed zombie show. I see so many comments on the issues with realism. I see mention that things would not degrade this much with society in this short amount of time. Well, if there actually was a breakout of a disease that could spread this way, or something as shocking as a zombie breakout that moved this quick, things probably would degrade this quickly. So that just seems like an odd thing to focus on. And as for people doing stupid things? Take that outbreak panic scenario and combine it with the fact that there really are a lot of stupid people out there, then it's not really that outlandish either. People seem to hold The Walking Dead as some type of standard like it doesn't have all kinds of stupid stuff going on in it. There can be different kinds of Zombie shows, it's allowed. At this point I'd take something like this over what TWD has become.

Instant Family (2018)

Very average

[5/10 · 27 February 2019]

It's not very often I feel the need to review a movie I found average, but the reviews here are so skewed in both directions, I thought I'd contribute. If you have an experience with adoption, you might have a soft spot for this movie and that I could understand. But if not, it's just very very average. It's mildly funny, work ok on a dramatic level, and is watchable. I have an open mind, but I just can't agree with any review calling this movie 'hilarious' . It's just watchable basically. It tries too hard to teach some sort of life lesson, and it's running time is too long for what it is.

Approach it with realistic expectations, and it's probably a good movie to zone out to. But the reviews on here stating how hilarious it is definitely made me expect something else. It's just an average drama/comedy.

Bad Blood (2017–2018)

Great story, bad execution

[4/10 · 14 December 2018]

There are some great books out there on this topic matter. This show just falls totally flat though. It's a throwback to the old style CTV/CBC style production, which a lot of Canadian TV had finally shifted away from and improved on. This gives the show a soap opera style look and feel. Even with a decent cast, the acting falls flat which you can only assume is related to the script and direction. Using made up names for the various gangs also makes the show feel cheap. It's too bad because the story could make a great show. When you get this show on a platform like Netflix which has been putting out some great criminal shows like Narcos, the issues are even more glaring.

Hunt for the Skinwalker (2018)

If you haven't read the book, it's worth a watch.

[4/10 · 18 September 2018]

I can tell this project was a labour of love for the director. And for someone who hasn't read the book, this would be a good documentary to check out if you are interested in the subject. But despite the mentions early on in the film of 'how much has happened since the book was written', they barely touch on any of that. There is maybe about 10 minute of material a little past the midway point of the film that is anything new. While it's nice to actually see the property, there's plenty of ways to see it now on YouTube. Other than that, it's just endless witness stories, and really not much else. I am disappointed that I paid (and the price I paid) to see this as it doesn't remotely live up to the hype. The only reason I am giving it the rating I am is because for someone not expecting new information or wanting to read the book, it would serve as a good introduction to the topic. Though a fairly boring one.

The First Purge (2018)

A Mess

[2/10 · 11 July 2018]

The movies in the Purge series are far from being art, but they have followed a formula, have been semi-consistent, and have been fun in a thriller/horror kind of way. This one is just a complete mess though. They seemed be be torn between the old formula, or making an over the top action movie. Some of the action sequences, mainly fight scenes, would be right up there with some of the most over the top cheesy 90's action movies. That could be maybe overlooked, but the characters have seem to have borderline super powers when it comes to the ridiculous fight scenes. In a light-hearted action movie, this can be fun, but it just makes no sense in this film. All the stuff that was campy in the previous films is just taken to full on stupidity territory in this one. Combined with the awful pacing, it makes a 90 minute film feel like it's 3 hours long. And the oddest part, due to the very weak plot the Purge part of the film actually seemed like the worst part. You would think a Purge origin story would be hard to mess up too badly, but they managed to. I was looking for some mindless fun on cheap night at the movies, but it was just awful on pretty much every level.