A very bland and poorly made John Wick rip-off, where the dog is replaced by grandma's charity bank account falling victim to a phishing scam. Basically, Jason > Keanu, but unfortunately, not enough to turn this complete trainwreck into a watchable trashy movie (that would be "The Pope's Exorcist"). At least it lasted my entire 14-hour flight (I think I fell asleep at least 6 times).
Mel Gibson playing the nutty comic book villain is great. Although production values are quite impressive for a streaming series, the writing is quite terrible, and the dumb action is not always on point. This might have been billed as a limited series, but it’s clear that the aim is that of creating a sub-franchise. Otherwise, there would be no need to cram these three overlong episodes with unnecessary characters and subplots. A direct-to-streaming movie would have been just enough.
An evil British businesswoman orchestrates an unconventional scheme: hiring an amateur soccer coach from the US to undermine and dismantle her ex-husband's team from within. Despite its seemingly improbable premise, “Ted Lasso” successfully navigates the fine line between fiction and relatability. The show's charm lies in its ability to present situations that feel anything but real, yet consistently deliver relatable emotions that resonate with viewers. Initially painted with broad strokes, the characters gradually reveal depth and nuance, endearing themselves through their struggles and triumphs.
One of the show's strengths is its balance between sugar-coated optimism and grounded storytelling. Although Ted usually manages to infect the whole team with good feelings, at the same time, he does no miracle. In its first season, the series resists the temptation to rely on miraculous solutions, offering a surprisingly realistic resolution for a comedy of this kind.
However, it felt like a limited series would have worked better. Starting from season two, the writing felt noticeably uninspired, as if the writers had no idea of what to do with most of the cast. Too often, they would resort to contrived and mechanical plot developments happening just because it was convenient for the characters' journey at that point. Changes always occur abruptly and without any buildup whatsoever. Additionally, the inclusion of "thematic" episodes feels forced, with a different character each time serving as a puppet to yell out social issues that definitely needed a more organic and in-depth exploration.
Ultimately, it felt like the characters only got random things to do for each season before being abruptly brought back to the status quo with a couple of excuses at the end. In addition, the series has veered increasingly toward romantic entanglements and sappy plotlines, sacrificing some of its earlier charm and wit.
Overall, the show still works as a proper “feel-good” comedy for the current generation, but ultimately falls short of its potential, leaving viewers longing for the tighter storytelling and fresh humor that made the first season shine.
Since the second season, the series has veered increasingly toward romantic entanglements and sappy plotlines, sacrificing some of its earlier charm and wit. Episodes are juicier and more team-focused, but the writing lacks the spark of inspiration seen in the first run of episodes, often resorting to contrived and mechanical plot developments happening just because it was convenient for the characters' journey at that point. Changes often occur abruptly and without any buildup whatsoever. This is particularly evident in Keeley's relationships (blah), and the complete mishandling of Nate's highly anticipated subplot, which fails to deliver on its promising setup. Ultimately, it felt like the characters just got something random to do for this season before being abruptly brought back to the status quo with a couple of excuses.
The extended episode length can be both a blessing and a curse. It allows for a deeper exploration of team dynamics and moments of inspired writing, but it also runs the risk of dragging out when focusing on the bland storylines. Additionally, the inclusion of "thematic" episodes feels forced, with a different character each time serving as a puppet to yell out social issues that definitely needed a more organic and in-depth exploration.
Overall, the season offers moments of enjoyment and payoff, but it ultimately falls short of its potential, leaving viewers longing for the tighter storytelling and fresh humor that made the first season shine.
What initially comes across as a lackluster and slightly exaggerated black comedy centered around a man being stalked gradually becomes a much broader and layered exploration of the profound impacts of trauma and codependency on individuals. The fact that many viewers could dismiss Donny’s choices and behavior as self-indulgent and highly unrelatable tells a lot about the current awareness and understanding of mental health issues. It’s a topic that remains largely unexplored in entertainment, but that found a balanced portrayal in this series. Raw and harrowingly honest, but still able to work as a piece of entertainment without resorting to excessive spectacularization. Nevertheless, it’s worth mentioning that the initial episodes may challenge less patient viewers, as the true complexity of the characters and the depth of the narrative clearly unfolds in the later episodes.
The title alone is enough to perfectly summarize the film. Extremely minimalist out of necessity, but supported not only by Hamaguchi’s usual fine dialogue but also by an inspired visual direction. The only real flaw lies in how the executives of the Glamping company were portrayed. Despite the film pointing out the absence of clear good and evil, those two came across as some kind of Disney movie villain. They showed up for less than five minutes but felt terribly out of place with overarching themes and, especially, the other actors’ natural acting style.
An otherwise bland American comedy elevated by a memorable villain and a couple of classy cameos. The conflicts towards the end felt a little tedious, but the rest was mildly enjoyable.
The deranged diary of a caregiver convinced she can save the souls of her patients. Perhaps a bit too slow, perhaps even a tad bit naive, but crafted with excellent taste in its cinematography, editing, score, and production. The film becomes particularly fascinating when delving into the protagonist’s self-isolation and loneliness. However, it ultimately stays somewhat vague and shallow, giving more space to the eye-candy potential of pairing religious fanaticisms with sophisticated horror.
A man suspected of murder faces an interrogation at a police station populated by singular characters. The film felt more like a drawn-out comedy sketch, mostly unfolding within the confines of a single room through dialogue.
Although the humor wears thin quickly, I found the two lead characters quite amusing to watch. The flashbacks with random people popping in and interrupting were also a nice touch.
Despite the themes related to homosexuality being effectively at the core, I found "All of Us Strangers" to offer a harrowing and poignant portrayal of the profound sense of loneliness and isolation that pervades our society across generations and sexual orientation. While the film incorporates familiar elements already seen in other works, they are reworked and reimagined with remarkable elegance. Although I must admit that, in numerous instances, it resonated with me intellectually and artistically rather than eliciting a raw emotional response (not necessarily a bad thing).
This season shows off a remarkably intriguing setting, solid production values, and a memorable duo of protagonists. Upon entering the quaint snowy town where everyone knows each other, I couldn't help feeling vague Twin Peaks vibes. While I understand that the mystery serves as a mere excuse for drama, I had at least hoped for the drama to be more captivating. The initial episodes felt particularly slow and dull, only to end up resolving most subplots in a hurry at the end, such as the generational conflicts with the stepdaughter or the young dedicated cop struggling with his wife waiting for him at home.
Although the underlying dynamics of the central case were quite engaging, the incorporation of supernatural elements felt forced and unimaginative, detracting from the overall experience. Overall a watchable season, but not to the point I would recommend it.
This miniseries offers a loose reimagining of the political environment and power struggles that led to the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate. The fact that they changed the names of all characters shows that the goal is not to document historical events, but to instead reflect on the political and social climate of the time.
The biggest merit of the series lies in the use of its budget to meticulously prepare the cast and setting, making everything remarkably believable not only to the Western market but especially to its Japanese audience, only indulging in exoticism in its more atmospheric sequences. While Japanese productions tend to fall victim to their low budgets and the industry's taste for camp, "Shogun" adopts the gritty and "rigorous" approach typical of Western productions, somehow reminiscent of shows like "Game of Thrones." The only downside might be the direction of the Japanese actors, with some lackluster performances (like Toranaga's son) and tons of unintelligible dialogue (Asano, in particular, who still remains my favorite character nevertheless).
Despite most cliffhangers finding anticlimactic resolutions, I found the main narrative and power struggles engaging, especially when focusing on the relationships between the main characters. Initially, it's challenging to keep track of all names and alliances, but the introduction of the British co-protagonist, newly shipwrecked in Japanese land, naturally guides the audience into the story without relying too heavily on exposition dumps.
However, I would not recommend the series to those expecting epic battles, as the conflict remains predominantly sentimental or political, with the sparse action sequences being limited in both scale and length.
In "The Good Place," we follow the journey of a woman mistakenly sent to paradise instead of hell, as she endeavors to become a better person while remaining undercover. The show's core dynamics and world-building are enchanting, although some of the humor, especially with characters like Jianyu, can become repetitive. Nonetheless, the blend of jokes and pop culture references remains largely enjoyable. I appreciate how the series presents ethical dilemmas and philosophical viewpoints without feeling like a lecture. While there are moments of oversimplification, they don't detract from the show's substance and relatability. The protagonist’s flaws might feel caricatural, but they perfectly exemplify our human inclination to make mistakes despite our awareness of basic moral codes.
The first season exposes some contradictions that are ultimately addressed in the finale, along with a clever twist that sets the stage for multiple seasons of compelling storytelling. From the second season onwards, the show undergoes frequent changes, with many mid-season episodes altering the status quo to such a degree that they could pass as season finales. Thanks to this tendency to continuously shake things up, the series manages to stay fresh without succumbing to the fatigue typical of long-running shows.
My only complaint is the prominence of love interests in the plot despite the apparent lack of chemistry between the characters. They all feel like good friends but never believable lovers. While all characters are indeed likable, maintaining the focus on all four proved challenging. Although Michael, Janet, and Eleanor shine as the most memorable characters, the others often feel too caricatural, serving the same jokes each time and quickly running out of steam. Despite this, I would still recommend "The Good Place" as one of the most consistent, lightheartedly fun, and still somehow thought-provoking, comedies out there.
S1 + S2 > S4 > S3
This last season both offered a partial return to form and a new take on its core dynamics. While a few episodes may have felt somewhat lacking in substance, the overall enjoyment factor remains intact, and the final few episodes even introduced a new, bittersweet perspective on the characters' pursuit of eternal peace. Like any series, it had its highs and lows, yet the emotional attachment to the characters becomes evident when you let some tears slip from your eyes as it all draws to a close.
However, one aspect that dampened my experience a little was the characters' most dramatic decisions being mostly made on the fly. Rather than carefully sitting on ideas or drawing connections to previous experiences, they mostly go by improvising. The door thing, in particular, felt particularly contrived and lacked the necessary groundwork to justify the characters' enthusiastic response.
This last season both offered a partial return to form and a new take on its core dynamics. While a few episodes may have felt somewhat lacking in substance, the overall enjoyment factor remains intact, and the final few episodes even introduced a new, bittersweet perspective on the characters' pursuit of eternal peace. Like any series, it had its highs and lows, yet the emotional attachment to the characters becomes evident when you let some tears slip from your eyes as it all draws to a close.
However, one aspect that dampened my experience a little was the characters' most dramatic decisions being mostly made on the fly. Rather than carefully sitting on ideas or drawing connections to previous experiences, they mostly go by improvising. The door thing, in particular, felt particularly contrived and lacked the necessary groundwork to justify the characters' enthusiastic response.
A quirky romcom focused on the emotional journey of a depressed/repressed small business owner. Despite the intriguingly surreal atmosphere and truly remarkable direction, the film felt more impactful in its individual moments rather than as a whole, leaving a sense of incompleteness. Among the standout moments is the use of percussions in the soundtrack to convey the buildup of the character’s stress and anger, together with one of the most memorable phone arguments in movie history.
Despite the drastic change in setting in its third season, I find myself experiencing some fatigue due to the repetition of dynamics in different contexts. Instead of moving things forward, the writers mostly rely on scraping off the current storyline and thinking about a completely new mission for the characters, effectively soft-rebooting the series every time. I believe this is primarily due to the writers' insistence on keeping the main cast and their love interests at the forefront, rather than exploring the potential of introducing new characters. The central relationship between the two leads is further emphasized here, yet I struggle to feel any chemistry between them. Ultimately, it's Eleanor, Janet, and Michael holding the whole show. The other three characters are likable but ran out of things to say quickly. Nevertheless, the writing remains solid, and the partial return to form hinted at in the finale still leaves me eager for more.
Bland and derivative in every aspect, even struggling to leave the slightest impression visually. The fragmented pace of the narrative also made me nauseous. The progression is so uneven and mechanical that it felt like they have randomly chopped pieces out of it. Not that I wanted the movie to be any longer, quite the opposite…
It certainly kept me more entertained than the first part, yet I still struggle to get fully invested. Well, it would be absurd to expect surprises from the adaptation of a half-century-old story that we've already seen adapted and readapted in hundreds of other works. Although I understand why some viewers might have found the ending rushed and anticlimactic, I thought the amount of action was just right, capable of keeping the whole thing entertaining without overshadowing the narrative and atmospheric phases. Honestly, a full-blown battle scene would have only bogged it down. If there's anything I wanted to see more, it's the political machinations and squabbles behind the curtains.
A downright ludicrous but genuinely hilarious tale of lowlife blokes whose fates collide in absurd ways. Clearly inspired by early Tarantino, but able to make up for the lack of money and originality with its British humor. It’s a shame that despite the parade of memorable characters, no one besides Statham went on to achieve success.
Only worth watching if you are interested in the guest stars. When it's about the main cast, we have the usual cookie-cutter love affairs and pretty stale showbiz-related drama. The acting is also quite poor, even for the standard. It can entertain for a while though.
There are a few episodes in the middle that could have been avoided, but the overall pacing of the season has been surprisingly tight. More than one episode here felt like they could have worked as finales for entire seasons. The premise hinted by the previous season finale gets developed and fulfilled in a matter of episodes, taking the show in unexpected directions while keeping references to ethical problems at the core. If there’s only one complaint I might have, it's the love interests taking so much space in the plot despite the lack of actual chemistry in that sense.
Visually stimulating and thought-provoking, although a little manipulative in some aspects.
While the satirical elements may come across as tame and simplistic, it's hard to judge without being part of the depicted environment. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised by the engaging portrayal of the frustrated author, whose arrogance and bitterness toward the world hinder his ability to connect with those around him. The family drama surrounding the main storyline unfolds rather mechanically, but finds strength and a degree of authenticity in the overall performance of the cast.
An anthropomorphic tree spoon-feeds a young boy with messages about the complexity of human emotions to prepare him for the world. Despite the banality of most situations and the unimaginative take of the direction, it must be said that the film at least manages to bring up a few interesting topics. It may be too simplistic for grown-ups and definitely too heavy-handed for children, but if you are about the same age as the protagonist, it might teach you a couple of lessons that are not so frequent in preadolescent entertainment.
"The Zone of Interest" is deservedly gaining attention among cinephiles for its indirect approach in addressing the Holocaust. The film limits itself to painting a slice of life of the commandant of the Auschwitz camp, letting only the sound effects allude to the horrors happening beyond the fence. The characters are mostly shown through distant, clinical shots that project an almost voyeuristic allure. Character portrayals are primarily conveyed through distant, clinical shots, creating an almost voyeuristic allure. The film has no plot and is solely made of visual suggestions, perhaps aiming to explore the human capacity (or incapacity) to calibrate their sensitivity and normalize horror through mundane routines. However, despite the initial impact of its presentation, the film ends up feeling dreary and repetitive very quickly, suggesting that a short feature could have been a more suitable medium to convey the message.
There are so many plot holes and illogical twists that I could easily drain my pasta in it, yet I found the movie unexpectedly funny and goofy in a cute way (with the exception of a couple of embarrassing gags like the Denzel one). The reveal comes too soon, though: once the characters realize they are actually in danger, the plot gets all over the place, and the characters keep doing illogical things. Somehow, it was more believable as everyone was convinced to be playing a game.
“Smile” is a tame horror like many others, drawing thematic parallels to movies such as "It Follows" by employing a supernatural element as a metaphor for the relentless transmission of trauma from one victim to the next in an unending chain. While things tend to get inadvertently comical in how they rely on the usual stereotypes, the direction manages to captivate, if not outright fascinate. The inclusion of eerie camerawork and bizarre framing adds to the film's appeal, delivering a handful of genuinely chilling moments.
An unexpectedly sharp dramedy that skillfully delves into the challenges emblematic of the current 20-30-year-old middle class. While things might have gotten slightly manipulative during its final beats, the film as a whole remains finely balanced and funny throughout, speaking up for an existential condition that is often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream entertainment.
Right after watching, “Oppenheimer” leaves you the lasting impression of having just watched a perfectly crafted film. However, I still find it hard to connect to the material on a personal level. Nolan gives it all, but his tropes look as elegant as they feel mechanical, capable of achieving their effect only superficially. The film leaves you amazed by its achievements as a piece of cinema, but struggles to have an impact on an emotional, human level. Nevertheless, "Oppenheimer" remains a meticulously crafted film, so rich in characters and events that it never feels dragged out despite its three-hour runtime. The first half felt even too fast-paced, frenetically bombarding the audience with so many names, notions, and fanservice for science history nerds that it disorients. Luckily enough, the pacing slows down in the second half, allowing the audience to breathe and connect the dots in preparation for the crescendo in tension accompanying the last beats. Ultimately, despite failing to get a moving insight into Oppenheimer’s inner world, I find it impossible not to be fascinated by the intricate framework built around the character.
