blades-8 Reviews

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024– )

Making impossible possible

[10/10 · 12 March 2024]

It is never an easy job to adapt a masterpiece to live action and more often than not attempts fell flat. The expectations are sky high and if you don't give at least 100% most likely you'll fail. Even if you do 100% there will be some who are so married to the original that they won't open their mind to see what you have done.

I can't tell you what this team has done or haven't done during the making of this show, but I can tell you what shows is they tried their absolute best to give 100% or if even possible, even more.

First of all they took the subject matter and treated it with respect. The casting... I could write a small essay on the casting, few shows/movies can nail this so perfectly. I was on the edge of my seat every time a major character was introduced, because they just fit so well. The CGI and graphics is perfect, and not self serving, the pictures and motifs are drawn by people who get it. The sound and music is amazing, which is less suprising, if you saw the behind the scenes on the orchestra, but still.

Last but not least, I am a huge fan of the original and for me this has the avatar spirit as well, it was like coming home.

Please do yourself a favor and ignore the negative reviews. See the pilot and decide yourself.

Black Mirror: Striking Vipers (2019) Season 5, Episode 1

Thought provoking to the max

[9/10 · 22 May 2023]

Wow.

I know that one of the characteristics of good writing is it can make many people relate and engage with the story at the same time, but somehow this episode felt extra close to home at this particular time in my life.

Generated so many interesting questions, just as much interesting answers and some which are still hanging in the air.

My only beef is with the ending. I was dragged through a roller coaster of emotions, and at the end we got a middle ground answer which kinda ticks every box in everyone's happy ever after.

NO!

Either drive that knife though my heart, of make the ending the best YOLO the world have ever seen.

But seriously, I was afraid this is going to be a trainwreck, and it ended rather nicely by established standards. Then and only then -when I thought I got what I wanted - I realised that anything is better than this ending. Hence the 9/10.

Otherwise perfect. A prime example why is it worth to watch Black Mirror.

True Detective: Who Goes There (2014) Season 1, Episode 4

Everything goes there

[10/10 · 16 February 2023]

After watching the first episode, I though to myself, if I only saw this one, I would be already satisfied with the whole show. It already gave so much substance.

All the other episodes were just cherries on top, and oh wow this show never stops, always stays interesting, the pacing is on point, so them cherries just keep coming.

Who Goes There is just peak True Detective, I was near nirvana watching it.

Perfect acting, perfect writing, amazing camerawork, the whole thought process around what happens in a tight spot depicted there is just perfect.

Never been in a situation like this, but if someone would tell me this is real I would believe them, I never really felt that in a TV show. No fluff, no made up stuff to make things believeable, just raw storytelling.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)

Has the same problem as the game

[6/10 · 28 October 2022]

What to see how cyberpunk is done? Watch Altered Carbon S1.

But of this. I don't know how else to say it, this looks like cyberpunk, but it does not feel like cyberpunk. It has the same problem as the game, it is packed with a lot and I mean a lot of effort and love, it just the whole experience is not "together".

The saying the whole is more than the sum of the parts? Well, this is just the sum of the parts and the smell of sweat.

All in all, it is enjoyable, and I spent quite a bit of time with the game as well. But I don't get the hype. This won't have any more lasting impression than scrolling through a TikTok or Facebook feed.

And that is sad. I really had high hopes for this universe when the first teaser came out years ago, but somewhere along the way that turned into this. And maybe this is what people wanted I don't know; I might just see myself out.

Secretly I still hope that one day someone picks this up, treats it as a good foundation and builds the cyberpunk experience on top of it as it was envisioned in the very beginning.

The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

The reward is the journey, not the destination

[9/10 · 6 October 2022]

To be honest, I can barely follow the plot for this one from the very beginning (and that is probably my bad). But everything else, wow.

I started watching the series thinking, what is this?!? This is a mess and nothing make sense, and almost stopped. But after a few episodes I could not let go. The acting, the depicting of relationships, the depth of family ties. The music, the way certain (most) scenes are shot, the overall feel is just so deep and unique. Some say, people don't remember what you say to them, but they remember how you made them feel. Well, not sure if this true for series, but I will probably always remember how Umbrella Academy made me feel.

This is more like a meditation for me than watching a series. Things happen, and I let them. And it is a fantastic journey.

P. S. Season 3 included.

Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (2022–2023)

Ouch

[1/10 · 18 July 2022]

The trilogy is so masterfully crafted in story and progression, you could just teach someone their 3 principles (imho, 1-be humble and follow your passion, 2-find your inner peace, 3-embrace who you really are) and you can create quite the human being.

If I say the series offer nothing like that, that would be an understatement.

The story drags on (and seems like hey I watched Avengers, let's copy that somehow), and most of the time the villains laugh and Po's gang are just taking the blows. On top it, it makes a joke of everything Po had accomplished so far. Overall, it just pains to see the character you have known to like dragged through the mud from start to finish...

This is not why I watch stories like these... I felt less after I finished S1.

I think I will forget this ever happened and have a watch of the original trilogy.

Severance (2022– )

Ben Stiller, WHO ARE YOU???

[10/10 · 14 April 2022]

Wow, if this is the only show you will watch this year, I think you will make the right choice.

I am considering to become a writer, but after this, I am like why bother, how to top this?

It is excellent all around, great acting, great writing, great directing, great set, great cinematography, ... The reviews are real.

Thank you.

Merlin (2008–2012)

If you love a good coherent story and medieval setting with magic, this is not it. Please don't waste your time.

[1/10 · 14 February 2022]

I really wanted to love this show and it certainly gets better as the series progress. I always love a medieval setting preferably with magic, so I was willing to cut huge, and I mean huge slacks for the poor, often times downright frustrating writing, but at the end it has to be a no.

It is a shame because the cast is very talented, they are charismatic and they also progress beautifully as the series go.

My main grief is that the show treats the viewers as idiots. Things people with two brain cells would not do, and Uther, Arthur and even sometimes Merlin do them like it was the only sane thing to do.

Yeah, I get it, it is to further the plot, but that can't be your only justification! Also yes, they need to learn their lessons, but neither of them should start as complete halfwits... in the end it comes across as lazy writing. And the frustrations which were generated... wow.

I hoped this kind of writing died with cheap soap operas, and I expected more from this show. I was wrong, I guess saw it for something else, something I wanted it to look like. I got enchanted by it and I let it take me for a ride, which left me with many hours lost and frustrations I did not have for a long time while watching a series... These are the opposite of the feelings I want when I try to have fun.

If you start watching this and think there is something off, please save your time and your mental peace and find something else. Or if you need to scratch that itch, watch S5/or the final few episodes of S5.

The only thing I am glad is that nowadays there are many quality shows with next level writing, so there is proof that what I wished from Merlin is more than possible.

Mother/Android (2021)

Couldn't enjoy much

[5/10 · 13 January 2022]

Not sure why mix survival situations with disfunctional teams/families etc... I think viewers are smarter than that to actually believe it, and it already undermines trust for the whole movie and it hasn't even started.

I get it, you need tension and drama as a hook, but not like this.

They would probably already be dead if they could not work as a team. Please give us more credit than that, and if you have an urge to write family drama, do it in another genre which is meant for it. (Or it has to be much, much more intricate in this setting.)

Lost in Space (2018–2021)

Spanish soap opera in space?

[3/10 · 17 December 2021]

Well the beginning was great with an interesting setup (although it was a bit weird that so many things go wrong, I get it, a shipwreck is probably no picnic, but really? They must be the most unlucky family to be).

The visuals are beautiful and loved Will's first encounter...

But it quickly turned out to be pretty much a spanish soap opera. Intrigue and deep family drama... eh, no thanks. I was here to watch a compelling space story, not some cheap bickering and backstabbing story. Also quite heavy on the "I am mad at you, so I will use every opportunity to make sure you know". I mean, in an emergency situation, I can't imagine wasting any mental space and time on that. You need everyone's skills to succeed and need to work as a team. If everyone is ready to do that, then let the team form, don't try to undermine that because of your ego. If these people are so smart and hand picked for this journey, one would have thought they are more wise and mature upstairs...

It is sad, this could have been something quite interesting and unique.

The Blacklist (2013–2023)

James:yes, everything else: not so much

[7/10 · 8 October 2020]

I am not the first and probably won't be the last to say that the only thing which goes for this show is James Spader.

He is just brilliant as always. I could and want to go on with the praises, but you get the idea.

Now all the rest falls into frustrating and mediocre categories.

What frustrates me is how dumb everyone else is portrayed, and mostly in the little things: agents moving blindly into line of fire (portraying FBI as dumb in general, I never met an FBI agent in real life, but I am sure they are smarter than this picture), bad guys tied up in such a way that you can guarantee they will be free in the next few minutes, not picking up automatic guns from an armory full of guns when bad guys are about, keeping recently lit evidence burning instead of putting out the fire right away in hopes that it can be partly salvaged...

It is full of these sloppy mistakes, I can get one or multiple from every episode. Now this could go for a show from the '90s or '00s it might even be nostalgic, but after so many great series the bar nowadays is much higher. I am not saying the writing is bad, and it does have it's moments, but definitely lazy.

In the end only James Spader's brilliance which keeps me coming back and out of the 7 stars at least 5 go for him the 2 is for the rest of the show.

Tropic Thunder (2008)

I don't know...

[5/10 · 28 May 2020]

I don't know when I ever saw Ben Stiller funny. I guess never. Cringeworthy: always.

This movie is packed with great actors who give a great performance and Ben still manages to pull the whole thing down to bad and that is one hell of an accomplisment. Scenes without him have so much contrast and are actually pretty solid.

Maybe it is just me though, many seems to like the movie and Ben in it. I don't mean to bash him like this, I really try to like what he does, but I fail every time.

Would give this movie a 1 or 2, but have to acknowledge the rest of the cast hence a 5.

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)

Maybe I'm from another planet

[10/10 · 18 May 2020]

Steered clear of this movie because everyone said it is bad. (And there I was thinking I should be old enough to know better :) )

Anyways, I have just learned that Kate Mckinnon is playing this movie, so obviously I had to give it a shot, since I will love her to death till the very end of my mortal existence, whatever role she takes her fancy to try on.

Okay, so came with the attitude of anything goes, and oh boy, this was one of the funniest movies I had experienced in a while. And it gets harder and harder to please yours truly closing on the 40th mark.

Everyone gave a solid performance and for a light entertaining movie which takes its own interpretation of the Ghostbusters story, it was pretty well written. (Seriously, I expected way less)

And yeah. Chris Hemsworth. Do I need to say more? No. You know I don't.

Oh, I had no idea about the cameos, they were just pure delight.

So anyway, lesson learned hopefully for real this time. Gotta check it out, then decide, let the sheep do what the sheep do, and you my friend: form your own opinion.

I would say this is a solid 7/10, but since so many are hatin' I'd just threw in some extra, because balance must be kept in the universe. (I mean, this is pretty much will be a f*rt in the wind, but for that one person who might stumble upon this review I can wholeheartedly say: hey... at least I tried :). Go watch it and have a laugh. Life's too short for hatin'.)

Adam

Boston Legal: Duck and Cover (2007) Season 3, Episode 23

One of the finest moments of the show

[10/10 · 23 April 2018]

First I thought this episode should be used to get people hooked on this show, but then I realized that this would probably be too much for starters. No, this episode is a pure gem for veterans of the show. Like an aged and prized whisky, to be enjoyed with pride ... and with fireworks, a stampede, hookers running naked, and everything in between. This is a true testimony for everything we love about this show... multiplied by 10.

I rest my case.

Catwoman (2004)

Hate it or love it

[9/10 · 25 August 2016]

For me the movie has a distinct charm. I love comic book characters, and I am not hung up on the villain or the story or anything else... this movie is more artistic than logical, just let it flow.

I what I am hung up on though is the charisma of Catwoman and her journey becoming what she meant to be. I can't get enough, and Halle Berry delivers a stunning woman turned catwoman.

Just let yourself enjoy the ride and enjoy the beautiful pictures and music.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Imagine the Avengers sitting on a couch instead of fighting

[4/10 · 25 June 2016]

I just wonder what would have happened, when previously the alien forces are in the middle of invading Earth, and the Avengers would have said:

"Yeah, well... we would love to help, but you know what, there would be collateral damage. We would get reprimanded, probably even imprisoned for that by the people, so forget it, let the world burn... . Hey Starlord, can we hitch a ride? No, doesn't matter where, just far, far away from idiots. Thanks!"

Oh, apart from this, I think this is a great movie. Great acting, great effects, you can get sucked in quite easily, and then you are in for the whole ride. I just can't place the story cause and effect-wise.

P.S.: Finally seeing a Spiderman who starts to resemble to the comics and, not being a p***y, aw, man, excellent! Just like when they (i.e. Avengers movies) finally created the Hulk as he should be. They did justice to Hulk and it seems they start to do that to Spiderman. I love it.