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Reviews
Faraway Downs (2023)
Recycled Movie Passed Off as a New Series
This really annoyed me. I guessed in the first few frames that I was watching a movie I'd already seen. Australia, the film, was OK. Interesting if you know little about the country's history. But this looks like a blatant cash grab to me. If it's successful, I can imagine other films getting the same treatment. I'm an avid cinephile with an excellent memory. There are few major motion pictures of value, if any, that I haven't seen. If I see streaming services starting to show this type of junk, I will cancel my subscriptions. I'll pay for new content, but not something like this, disguised with a new title.
Good Omens (2019)
Just Like the Book, but is that Really a Good Thing?
When I saw the constant previews for this show before release I simply bought the book and read it. It looked like fun at the time. In the Foreword the authors accost the reader with their smug self congratulation about how popular this book has become. Apparently it has a cult-like following. Frankly I don't get it. It appeared to be an attempt to imitate the classic sci fi novel "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" if the protagonists were an angel and demon instead of an earth-man and an alien then set on earth during the Apocalypse instead of in travels around the universe. The observations of the authors were about as profound as a dorm room, beer soaked, weed stoked conversation about 'life, the universe and everything' at a third rate community college. The humor in the book was contrived, and the plot was ultimately wrapped up in a way that makes no sense whatsoever but is supposed to Seem satisfying. When I finished slogging through it, after having desperately searched for some modicum of charm or insight into the human condition, I felt like I wasted my time and my money. The show is Exactly like the book. It has fine actors (unfortunately encouraged to overact to the point of scenery chewing) ,decent special effects, and was a completely accurate rendering of the novel. I would not have the nerve to review this if I hadn't watched the whole thing. And I did devote more hours of my life to the hope that script writers and a team of seasoned production professionals could make something better of it. They didn't.
GLOW (2017)
Absolutely Terrible
Not even some great 80's tunes can save this dog of a show. If you want proof that networks are starved for content, this is it. Both lead actors have been terrific in other things, but even they can't save this. Horrible dialogue, dismal directing, offensive content, clumsy attempts at humor, and scenery chewing accents; this has it all. I gave it several episodes, which add up to precious time in my life that I can never get back. I'm writing this as a favor to the rest of you who still have time to save yourselves. I wish I could give it ten Minus stars!