soundstream1111 Reviews

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

Green screen and plastic

[4/10 · 15 June 2024]

The whole movie seems to be made in front of a green screen with really bad CGI. It all feels fake and plasticy.

How on earth do these people live like cavemen, yet they are all clean, wear clean clothes, their bikes look like they just left the showroom....absolutely ridiculous.

While I'm not a huge fan of Fury Road, that film at least had some credibility and authenticity, the vehicles were work of art. Furiosa has nothing of that.

Even a big Hollywood name like Chris Hemsworth can't save this mess, and to be honest, his performance was on the same level of mediocrity as the rest of the film.

Only redeeming point was that I streamed the film and didn't waste any money on it.

Settlers (2021)

It was great

[8/10 · 19 March 2024]

I knew nothing about this movie...just love science fiction. This was a great film, which for me, had a great balance of engaging storyline, outstanding acting, unexpected plot twists and beautiful cinematography. The few actors all did a great job. Sure, a lot of questions remain open, but the answers you would get, wouldn't add anything to the story told. The film carries itself perfectly fine without having to explain where the water comes from, why is there wind in a dome and so on. Those who insist on giving this a bad rating doe to those unanswered questions probably take the Bible literally, too. It does take a certain degree of personal development to appreciate the finer things in life. If Space Balls is a beer, this film is a nicely aged cognac.

Even the length of the film did not bother me.

8 stars from me.

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Watch if you love plot holes

[5/10 · 11 December 2023]

The idea behind the film was a good one. A cyber attack from either within or outside the US to disrupt the country and let the lowest human impulses do the rest. Quite believable actually.

But then you have some very awkward plotholes that don't make any sense and ruin the flow of the story. The father was portrayed as a caring, altruistic character, yet when a Spanish speaking woman needs his help, he just drives off and leaves her all alone in the middle of nowhere. What? You abandon all your core beliefs because you don't speak her language?

The city is only a few miles from their house, yet not a single car or person drives through there to escape the chaos in the city. In fact, there are no people around whatsoever. Where has everyone gone?? There is no explanation and the story goes nowhere.

Animals start do display strange behaviour, congregating around the house. Why? How? Why should we care? There is no explanation and the story goes nowhere.

The son starts to lose all his teeth, supposedly due to a bug bite, but more likely due to radiation or the sound they keep hearing. Yet, nobody else has his symptoms. How? Why? Why should we care. There is no explanation and the story goes nowhere.

There is more of this, but I'm not going to waste my time any further. Pity, could have been a very good one, but even high profile actors couldn't save this mess.

One of the few highlights: the daughter walking around in tight t-shirts and no bra. It kept my attention going. ;-)

Midway (2019)

American Cowboy BS

[5/10 · 29 November 2023]

I can overlook the lack of emotional involvement, the mediocre acting and the cringy CGI battle scenes. Where it really drops the bucket in my opinion is the typical and cringeworthy, over-the-top American cowboy BS that we are served again and again. Too many boring and ridiculous cliches to be listed here.

Of course, the winners write history. This film will probably be a hit on the 4th of July, when the typical indoctrinated American nationalists needs something to feel good about themselves. It's due to this and other such rubbish war propaganda that Americans are seen as boorish "man-childs" around the world.

"Cut it off with that cowboy BS" is a quote from the film. Please take your own advice.

All the Light We Cannot See (2023)

Average

[5/10 · 5 November 2023]

I love history, especially WW2 history. From an entertainment perspective, we are presented with an easy viewing. Here are the baddies with no redeeming features, and here the oppressed we can all identify with.

This stark contrast works for superficial entertainment but is an obstacle to a deeper understanding of historical facts, because it lacks the subtleties and nuances of real life.

The acting is average but adequate to the type of film it is. Mark Ruffalo's performance seemed underwhelming at best.

It's interesting that we are always presented with the narrative of the Jews as helpless victims, yet today's reality is exactly the opposite.

The Swarm (2023)

Great series

[10/10 · 24 March 2023]

I haven't read the book(s), so I'm only judging the series itself.

Yes, It was a bit of a slow start, but that only made the extraordinary scene more ominous and well, extraordinary.

I especially appreciated the time they give to scientific explanations and the intelligent conversations between the characters. If this were your typical American series, the story would be drowned out in totally unnecessary emotional breakdowns, full episodes dedicated to "alternative relationships" and inane, unplausible dialogs.

Gratefully, this wasn't the case with The Swarm. The story is gripping and gets more interesting the further you go into the story. The story's implications are truly mind bending.

Acting is pretty good to very good. The landscapes are breathtaking.

Yes, the CGI is not cutting edge but more than adequate for a series like this.

All in all, I gave it a 10 despite its few shortcomings, for the simple fact that it is rare nowadays to get a series with intelligent dialogs, a gripping story and solid performances.

Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (2023)

Embarrassing

[2/10 · 9 March 2023]

If the slap he received at the Oscar's was an embarrassing moment, this "special" beats that embarrassment by a multiple.

A third of the show was about Will Smith and his wife, and we all expected that. Wasn't very funny, but we had to go through it.

After that he picked up the pace a little, only to get stuck in more serious topics without the funny parts. At times it looked like he forgot the punchlines and had to repeat the build-up a few times to remember it. He seemed more like an amateur than a professional comedian. Maybe he should become a politician. Humorless rhetoric is their bread and butter...

If I had paid for this very poor performance, I would have been properly pi$$ed.

People who give this a 8-9-10 rating must have extremely low expectations or standards, otherwise I just can't explain it.

I give it 2 stars because I seem to remember that I smiled a couple of times.

How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020)

S01 OK, then abysmal

[6/10 · 31 January 2023]

Season 1 was quite interesting, with its frequent flashbacks and flashforwards. The characters were not very likable but still believable.

Then S2....the amount of legal misconducts, sexual obsessions and deviances, emotional quagmire and completely unbelievable characters, make this series a total flop in my eyes. Gone is the clever writing. The only thing we are left with, is constant gay sex, characters who lie as easily as they breathe, moral bankruptcy and an extremely low tolerance to murder.

I'm going to finish the series, because as bad as it is, I can't leave a story without knowing the ending, and unfortunately I'm a masochist when it comes to bad TV.

My Name Is Vendetta (2022)

A waste of time

[4/10 · 1 December 2022]

The creators of this film took every cliche' of the "revenge" genre, mixed everything in a blender and pieced them together at random.

The daughter was made to look and act like Natalie Portman in "Leon", minus the acting skills.

Completely unoriginal and uninspiring dialogs, one dimensional characters, ultra predictable storyline.

It's a pity, because Alessandro Gassmann is a great actor with a lifelong acting experience, but in this film he could have been replaced by any mediocre actor and the result would have been the same.

The only positive I could find, was the stunning shooting location in the mountains of SouthTyrol, the German speaking province in the north of Italy.

Keep Breathing (2022)

not good

[3/10 · 8 August 2022]

Do the writers of this series even know what it's like to go camping, hanging out in nature, the laws of physics?

The girl is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by pure uncontaminated nature, near a stream that brings down meltwater from the nearby mountain....and she worries about animals pissing in it?!? She then spends half a day boiling a cup of water! Ridiculous.

Car Masters: Rust to Riches (2018– )

Tacky and Cringy

[4/10 · 2 August 2022]

I think I already reviewed this show last year, but I can't help myself. It got from bad to worse.

The builds are beyond tacky and workmanship is sketchy at best.

That "supercar and bike" combo is one of the worst things I've seen in my life. They try to pass it off as some amazing design, but the reality is that they just look terrible. The bike especially, is an insult to good taste.

I don't believe for one second that someone paid 280grand for them.

Still, I will continue to watch it. The show has it's moments, I must admit. Especially the oddball "Caveman"...he could do a show on his own.

How to Change Your Mind (2022)

A much needed "new" vision

[10/10 · 18 July 2022]

The documentary unfolds meaningful topics that are much needed in our time of superficial, fast paced lives, governed by quick consumption media and confused values. Of course, the information is not new in any way since it has been explored for 1000s of years already. It's just that researching it from a scientific point of view is only a few decades old and has tragically been relegated to the woowoo department.

I've been saying the same things for the past 23 years, but of course, most people prefer to focus on gratifying their senses and anything beyond that falls on deaf ears.

Hopefully, this great docu will get the exposure it deserves. But the docu is not that important in itself. It's the message within that matters.

Our consciousness is the greatest mystery in our lives, and it is only by radically exploring this mystery that we can achieve lasting, positive change within ourselves. And it is only by doing that that we can hope to change society as a whole.

Interceptor (2022)

A lot of BS

[3/10 · 6 June 2022]

Superhero woman: Is there any other way inside the command center?

Scared Indian computer geek: Only the access tunnel. The other pipes are too small for people.

Yet, somehow he forgot the emergency latch on the floor and later the obvious ladder that leads to the roof.

Wow, just wow.

Time Changer (2002)

Good movie even though it's heavy on the bible stuff

[6/10 · 11 May 2022]

I'm not an atheist at all, but I see Christian fundamentalism (and all other religious fundamentalisms) as a distortion of the truth. A book, any book, never comes even close to describing the Truth. Only undiluted, direct experience can do that.

That being said, the film was actually not bad in regards to the story and the acting was pretty solid too. Like I said, the only problem I have with it, is the message, which although well meaning, comes off as backward bible thumping and at times cringeworthy.

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)

Sad but True

[2/10 · 10 May 2022]

I'm half hour in and this is just confirming my feelings about Metallica. Maybe there will be some kind of amazing katharsis at the end, but judging from the way things are going, I doubt it.

I used to be a HUGE fan back in the early 90s, up to the Black album. A few years ago I wondered what was going on with them, so I listened to a few videos on YT. It was embarrassing...empty, soulless songs that all sounded the same.

The good thing about this documentary is that it puts it all in perspective and makes me understand the context of their failures better.

Their music is crap now because they have nothing to say, nothing to rebel against, no creative force trying to erupt. They are rich, middle aged men with families and children, desperately trying to prove to themselves that the creative spark is still there, that they have not died, musically speaking.

Alas, "flogging a dead horse" comes to mind. It would be better for them (and for us, I guess) if they could realize this and work on whatever personal issues they have....they have many, let me tell you. For one, you must be some kind of ass*ole to go shooting a beautiful creature (bear) for fun. Yes, you James... Lars decides to sell his collection of paintings for over 5 million $ and says "I got myself drunk to numb the pain". That some pain, Lars. Wow.

They paid a shrink to coach them for 40.000$ a month. What a waste. A few LSD, DMT or psilocybin session would have done a much better and faster job, for a mere fraction of that money.

And to think you guys were my heroes....

*Respect to Jason Newsted for keeping it real. Those few minutes of his music I heard in the documentary had more soul than the rest of the 2.5 hours.

** Big respect to Dave Mustaine, speaking with honesty and from his heart about his time in Metallica and afterwards. Truly the best part of the film.

I'll update the review in case I got it all wrong.

UPDATE: No, I was spot on.

The French Dispatch (2021)

Lost interest halfway through

[5/10 · 29 January 2022]

This film has a lot of good things going for it: the acting, big stars, the sets, the quirkiness, the creativity. If it also had a cohesive storyline to keep me interested for the whole film, it would have been a masterpiece.

As it is though, I started playing on my phone halfway though the movie and even worse, I didn't feel guilty about it.

Fortress (2021)

There is bad, and then there is this...

[1/10 · 18 December 2021]

Another old action hero going down the drain. Just like Nicholas Cage, now Bruce Willis seems to appear only in cheap and unoriginal B-movies. His acting has always been woody and fitted the hard boiled action hero stereotype. For that reason, I'm not even able to judge his performance here. He just follows the same pattern, although with less energy and conviction. Maybe he feels stuck in a rut and doesn't know how to get out of it at this point in his "career"? Maybe he has gambling debts with the mafia he's desperate to settle? A costly divorce? Why anyone would want to work (I can't say 'act') in this sort of train wreck film is beyond me.

The female co-star Kelly Greyson...I don't know her....is this her first movie? It certainly seems so from the way she acts. Cringeworthy at best.

There are just too many bad things to say about this and I've wasted enough time already talking about it.

So, unless you have masochistic tendencies, keep your mental sanity and avoid this garbage.

Midnight Mass (2021)

A Vampire series with unexpected depth

[9/10 · 1 October 2021]

I started watching this without any expectations...didn't even ready the info or watched a trailer. The first thing that kept me watching was the performance of the cast. I found it effortlessly good.

Then, some interesting plot twists here and there piqued my interest even more.

But what really surprised me and on which I base my rating on, is the unexpected depth in the whole series. It goes way beyond trying to scare the viewer with cheap unimaginative effects. Especially the monologues of the priest and a couple of the main protagonists are something rarely heard on screen these days.

Those that lament the monologues as long and incoherent, must have some sort of comprehension deficit and/or a very short attention span. These monologues are the very heart and soul of the whole series.

Especially those that tell us what dying and death are for the main characters. One is from the point of view of an atheist, one from a believer. Guess what, both are RIGHT. Both views can coexist without having to fall back in an either/or fallacy. That's the beauty of it all. That's where Midnight Mass shines a light above so many other shallow offerings out there.

There are so many layers of existence and truth in this series, I will have to watch it again to better understand them.

Future World (2018)

Unbelievably bad

[1/10 · 4 September 2021]

I never liked J. Franco's style of 'humour' and related mindless movies, so I wasn't surprised when I saw that he co-directed this sorry excuse of a movie.

It's unbelievable how bad and unoriginal it is. Even more unbelievable that it actually was released.

Hubie Halloween (2020)

Too stupid even for a 5 year old

[1/10 · 16 October 2020]

This movie is incredibly low level "humour". I can't believe anyone would enjoy this drivel, not even a 5 year old. Adam Sandler's movies have always been at the "Dumb and Dumber" level, but this one is even worse. A total waste of time.

100 Humans: Life's Questions. Answered. (2020)

With flaws but still entertaining

[7/10 · 24 March 2020]

I just finished watching all the 8 episodes. Some negatives: Don't expect anything remotely scientific. If this is a cross section of the American population, a third of all men are homosexual. There are 100 humans, but 2 thirds of them get hardly and screen time. More time is given to the extrovert ones, while the introvert ones are ignored.

The positives: All the above considered, I found the show is still entertaining and at time I wished I could have been part of the tests, because I have an interest in psychology and sociology. Most importantly, human #96 was super cute and I could watch the show just to see her. (If you're reading this, call me! hahaha)

Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)

Unreal, surreal, real

[8/10 · 19 December 2019]

I started to watch this documentary on Netflix because I love cats and I think they should rule the world. The documentary is well made, with a good pace that keeps the viewer interested at every moment. Some scenes I couldn't watch, simply listening to the audio was enough to make me feel sick. Well into the second episode I started to doubt if this was a real documentary or a very cunning project disguised as a documentary. Some of the situations just seemed so unreal. Especially when it really turns nasty. I had to stop and go fact checking on wikipedia. Even then I thought that maybe they've set up a fake wiki page to derail the viewers. Unfortunately, it's all true...including the cat videos.

Impulse (2018–2019)

Solid performance

[4/10 · 24 November 2019]

There's an interesting story line that builds up from episode to episode, never giving away too much. The characters are believable and the acting is very solid. The only negative for me is the main character "Henry", which although brilliantly portrayed by Maddie Hasson, comes across as a self-centered, obnoxious teenager who's prone to verbally (not only) assaulting everyone around her. At times I wish some baddie would be done with her just to shut her up.

The Dead Don't Die (2019)

Neither funny nor scary

[3/10 · 24 October 2019]

This film is neither fish nor meat, neither funny nor scary, although it tries hard to be the former. Ultimately, quite a pointless performance, which is a tragedy in itself, given the high quality cast. It has the slow pace and the 'insider' references of an arty-farty film, but even in that department it comes across as flat and uninspiring. All in all, an easily forget offering and a waste of my precious time.

American Horror Story: Election Night (2017) Season 7, Episode 1

Irritating and inconsequential

[1/10 · 18 September 2017]

After watching the first episode I was very disappointed. I've never been a big fan of Paulson, especially after the last season where she constantly screams in horror in an extremely irritating way. This season is just more of that, with the added boredom that the American elections brings with it.

I just finished watching the second episode, thinking I'd give it another chance. Sadly, I can't find any redeeming feature in this. Well, there's Peters, but his excellent performance is a little drop in an ocean of inconsequential sewer water. I hope the clowns kill Ally slow and painfully, for the sake of the few remaining viewers of this show. I'm out.