sofia36 Reviews

The Man in the Iron Mask (I) (1998)

Man in the iron mask (1998)

[7/10 · 19 May 2024]

I have a soft spot for this particular adaptation because it was the very first musketeer movie I ever watched.

I was 12 when I first saw it so I feel nostalgia when I rewatch it. Also I saw the movie before I read any of the books so I had no expectations.

The movie is said to only be 'inspired by' the book and makes no claims to being a faithful adaptation.

Things I loved (and still love) about the film: 1. The score/soundtrack 2. The costumes/ sets/ production quality 3. The actors- especially Gabriel Byrne as D'Artagnan and Jeremy Irons as Aramis.

Things I did not like: 1. Leonardo as the king - I liked him in Titanic but not in this film.

2. The plot with D'Artagnan's affair with the queen and the king being his son is completely invented and pretty ridiculous. I understand why they did this because without this secret 'plot twist' it's hard to understand why he would not join his friends. (Of course I didn't know this until I read the book).

3. The end battle scene where they all get shot at a close range yet not a single bullet hits anyone. It's just too over the top.

4. Some of the attempts at 'humor' - mostly with Porthos doing ridiculous things such as attempting to hang himself naked in a barn :/

Even with all those flaws i still find it more watchable than most other musketeers movies (and I've seen them all).

The Three Musketeers - Part II: Milady (2023)

Milady 2023

[2/10 · 13 May 2024]

If you've never read the book you may find this movie somewhat enjoyable.

But if you love the book as much as I do, you will absolutely hate this so called 'adaptation'.

They made a total mess out of the plot. It's so bad I have no words. Multiple completely made up characters and plot lines.

So little of the actual story is in this film that it makes no sense to list what they changed, it would be easier to list what they actually kept from the book.

Basically- they took the title and the names of the characters.

It truly is a pity. The production had a decent budget. The sets are great, the cinematography is good. Some of the costumes are nice. And that's pretty much all the positives. The script is simply ridiculous. The writers must have thought they are better than Dumas. SMH.

Friday Night Lights (2006–2011)

Friday Night Lights

[7/10 · 19 January 2024]

I loved this show when it first came out in 2006.

I recently tried to rewatch it (in 2024) and unfortunately it is not as good as I remembered.

I think the cast is great. Many young and good looking people. (Especially Minka Kelly and Taylor Kitsch) The story is interesting. There's good character development.

The camera operator was absolutely terrible. It's way more noticeable now when watched on a large new TV. The shaky camera will drive you crazy and make you dizzy. It's a shame because if it was filmed better it would have been timeless. The editing doesn't help much either - the jump cuts are way too jumpy. It's almost impossible to follow the football games.

Dr. Death (2021–2023)

Dr. Death

[4/10 · 13 January 2024]

Season 1 This is a very shocking true story about a surgeon who kills multiple patients - either by incompetence or intentionally.

The documentary is much better.

I like Christian Slater but I don't think Dr Kirby was that direct and sarcastic in real life.

The real Dr Duntsch was a lot less handsome and less likable.

The show doesn't do a good job of telling the story. All the time jumps make it impossible to follow. Telling the story in a sequential order would have been much better.

Season 2 Another true story about a different dr who experimented on patients and lied to everyone.

Also has time jumps but not nearly as many and it's easier to follow.

Watch the Peacock and Netflix documentaries instead.

Good Behavior (2016–2017)

Good behavior

[7/10 · 6 January 2024]

The pilot was good. Great chemistry between the main characters. I really enjoyed the first 3 episodes of season 1. Then the show took a turn and it became less and less believable. The way Letty steals was always very over the top. She just walks into hotel rooms and takes cash, walks into a jewelry store and takes 2 rings in plain sight or goes into a clothing store and stuffs things in her purse. Don't any of these places have cameras? She just puts on a wig and it magically transformed into a different person? Not very convincing. Also if Javier is a hitman how is he so emotional?

The plot with the parole officer and the FBI agent definitely changed the tone and made it into more of dark comedy than a thriller. It's still better than many other shows these days. But it could have been so much better with some better writing.

Barbie (I) (2023)

Beautiful set design

[2/10 · 31 December 2023]

I loved Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken. The set of Barbie land was supper cool - all pink and plastic - as good as a live action Barbie film can get.

All the writers had to do is come up with a cute story and this movie would have been a classic. Instead they decided to make a dark and depressing movie and disappoint everyone.

The film was very heavily promoted - ads were everywhere. I could tell from the trailer that I may be a bit weird, but I still went to see it hoping that it won't be too bad. Well - it wasn't just bad, it was terrible.

Barbie has thoughts of death and cellulite. I'm shocked Mattel was ok with this.

The writers are not even subtle about their message. I felt bad for all parents who took their kids to see what they believed to be a movie about and doll. I felt bad for all guys who sat there listening to the writers say over and over again how bad the patriarchy is.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse America Ferrera started her awful monologue about female oppression. I should have walked out of the theater at that point - the ending was just as lame so I would not have missed anything.

Downton Abbey (2010–2015)

Excellent actors, set design, costumes and character development.

[8/10 · 30 December 2023]

I just discovered this show in 2023.

Excellent actors, set design, costumes and character development.

The pilot was great - it instantly draws you in and makes you care about the characters.

I sympathized with Bates, I admired Violet (played by the great Maggie Smith) and I hated Mary.

The whole first season was very good.

Everything except the part where Sybil get into politics. Some of the modern sentiments not so subtly injected into the plot were a bit annoying, but luckily they were few and far in between.

I didn't enjoy the season about the war as much.

It was a bit too drawn out and sad.

The later seasons got much better.

I loved how they gave it a happy ending. Too many other shows are dark and depressing. It's nice to see something positive for a change.

Jane Eyre (2006)

Jane Eyre 2006

[5/10 · 26 October 2023]

This adaptation is not as faithful to the book as the 1983 mini series.

I don't like the beginning - not much time is devoted to Jane's childhood story. Her upbringing is important to her character development.

The dialogue is at times absurdly modern which really takes away from the story.

The scene with the fortune teller is weird as well - instead of Rochester pretending to be the gypsy woman, they have him hiding behind the curtain listening.

Ruth Wilson does a great job as Jane.

Toby Stephens makes Rochester way too handsome and passionate and perhaps a bit too likable.

The costumes and sets are great. The cinematography is excellent.

Overall, if I could combine some aspects of the 1996 film, the 1983 mini series and this version - it would be the perfect adaptation.

Glamorous (2023)

An over the top pride campaign

[2/10 · 1 September 2023]

Kim Cattrall has revived the role of Samantha - in this show instead of the SATC sequel. She does indeed look glamorous at 67. If you only watch her scenes and fast forward through the rest of the show it's not too terrible.

Just kidding - it is pretty terrible - even Kim C can't save this disaster of a show - she is not even the main character.

Marco (the main character) is the absolute worst! He is so over the top and so fake. Also completely un-relatable.

All the employees at the Glamorous fashion company are racially ambiguous and stereotypical / non-realistic.

I know there are a lot of gay people in the fashion industry but in this company everyone is gay or bisexual.

Of course they do very little actual work because they are too busy discussing their affairs. Sounds like an HR nightmare to me.

There is an entire episode about a pride campaign. I feel like this entire show is one big pride campaign.

Queen Margot (1994)

Queen Margot (1994)

[2/10 · 22 August 2023]

The book is a masterpiece, full of court intrigues, affairs and plot twists but you would not know it from this awful adaptation.

I gave it 2 starts - one for each of the main characters and their great on-screen chemistry.

Isabelle Adjani is beautiful and would have made an amazing Queen Margot if it wasn't for the horrible script. Vincent Perez makes a very handsome La Mol.

Visually (and in a superficial way) the movie looks great - the set designs, cinematography etc. They have done a great job of capturing the brutality of St Bartholomew's night. Perhaps a bit too much of it - I know it gave me nightmares the first time I saw it.

Some of the costumes are spectacular - I'm not sure how accurate they are for the time period, but that's besides the point.

This is where all the positives end.

The rest of the film is full of gratuitous nudity, extremely graphic violence and some completely made up bits.

Some of the actors are absolutely terrible. The plot is all over the place - a few brief moments are straight from the book, but almost everything else is made up.

There is no character development.

If you don't know history or you haven't read the book you will be completely confused.

The worst part is that Queen Margot is portrayed as promiscuous and shallow. The scene where she's walking the streets 'looking for a man' was certainly not in the book - in fact the book only contains hints of affairs and leaves the rest to your imagination.

I'm not sure why they didn't just make a faithful adaptation of Dumas' book.

It could have been amazing.

Grafinya de Monsoro (1997– )

La Dame de Monsoreau /Grafinya de Monsoro(1997)

[7/10 · 18 August 2023]

This is a very faithful adaptation of Dumas' book.

Much of the dialogue is word for word from the book.

This is actually pretty typical for Russian adaptations.

The difference is with this one they also captured the tone of the book pretty accurately.

They did a good job with character development. The casting is excellent - especially Diana and Bussy. She is as gorgeous as described by Dumas and he is very handsome. The chemistry between them is believable.

The only thing I don't like is the soundtrack - the music is too loud and dramatic and some of the sounds are very annoying.

With a slightly faster pace and a better soundtrack it would have been perfect.

The Three Musketeers (1948)

The Three Musketeers (1948)

[5/10 · 15 August 2023]

Many reviewers have suggested that this is one of the best and most faithful adaptations of the book. I'd like to know what book they were reading. Certainly not The Three Musketeers.

Like all of the other versions, this movie takes some serious liberties with the plot. Multiple small details are changed for no apparent reason.

Gene Kelley makes D'Artagnan look like a complete clown. Especially in the scene where he first sees Constance. He's giggling like a fool and acting like he's never seen a woman before - it's creepy and ridiculous.

Athos is portrayed like a drunk moron, who is still in love with his ex wife (in the book he hates her).

The actor playing Aramis is ugly (I know this is very subjective but still). Porthos is supposed to be a giant, yet he's the same height as everyone else and he's actually more handsome than Aramis.

Most of the duels start with decent fencing choreography but then they turn into slapstick 'comedy' which makes a mockery out of the whole thing. It's hard to take the musketeers seriously when they are seen kicking their duel opponents from behind, jumping over random objects and grinning while swinging from drapes and chandeliers. SMH

On top of all that nonsense the constant 'dramatic' background music is incredibly annoying. It almost makes the movie unwatchable.

At least the ladies are beautiful, especially Milady.

Mansfield Park (2007 TV Movie)

Better than the 1999 'adaptation'.

[6/10 · 28 May 2023]

I don't think this is a terrible adaptation.

It is basic and shallow but it's not terrible.

I find it to be better and more watchable than the 1999 film.

This adaptation doesn't go deep into character development, but it doesn't alter the plot too much.

The casting is not bad. The acting is OK.

The actors playing the aunt and the parents are too young - too close in age to their on-screen children to be believable.

I also imagined Fanny as a brunette but I suppose that is a personal preference.

I don't believe she would have been loudly running down the stairs - I thought she was way shy and quiet.

Jane the Virgin (2014–2019)

The perfect combination of cheesy and cute

[7/10 · 18 May 2023]

I can't believe I just discovered this show in 2023.

I did not expect to enjoy it so much but I was pleasantly surprised. It is the perfect combination of cheesy and cute - in a good way. It is very easy to watch. I binged watched the first two seasons in less than a week.

The cast is great - especially the supporting characters. Rogelio is the best. He makes the show.

Xiomara, Petra and Rafael are also great.

Jane (the main character) is actually kind of annoying with her over the top obsession with perfection.

The telenovela style is very entertaining. I like that is is light and funny instead of dark and depressing like most modern shows.

Damage (1992)

Jeremy Irons is such a good actor.

[7/10 · 17 April 2023]

I hadn't heard of this film until Netflix released a remake of it in the form a mini series called 'Obsession (2023). All the reviews said the original film 'Damage' (1992) is far superior and I have to agree.

Jeremy Irons is so good in this. His face shows all the subtle emotions. The entire cast is excellent.

The movie is very well made and keeps you engaged the whole time even though the plot line is not a very complex one and a happy ending was not to be expected. The sex scenes are a bit weird but not nearly as awkward as the ones in the modern remake.

The frustration thing is that I can't figure out what Anna's motivation was. She is clearly very damaged and it seems that she truly enjoys causing drama and hurting people. The movies leaves it open to interpretation but I think she set Martin up - she intentionally flirted with and seduced his father. When Stephen wanted to leave his wife she told him not to. When he wanted to end the affair she wouldn't let him. I think she rented the apartment and left the address some place where Martin would certainly find it. She wanted him to find out and walk in on them. She showed no shock when he arrived and no remorse when he fell to his death. She basically stepped over his body and walked away like a true sociopath. Having done something similar to her own brother is even more disturbing. Of all the crazy characters from 90s erotic dramas Anna may actually be the worst.

Obsession (2023)

Not at all thrilling

[3/10 · 16 April 2023]

I love thrillers - especially ones about steamy affairs.

Unfortunately there was nothing thrilling in this mini series. The biggest problem is that we are offered no character development - two people meet once and are immediately obsessed with each other abandoning all reason. A bit of an explanation on how that happened would have been nice.

The actress playing Anna gives off instant psycho vibes.

There is no real chemistry between the characters. The sex scenes are a frankly ridiculous - as if they were all choreographed by a socially awkward person. The hotel pillow scene actually made laugh.

To top it all off the music is way too loud and dramatic and it doesn't really match the tone of what's going on in the film.

It's a waste of a good actors (Richard Armitage and Indira Verma).

The Three Musketeers - Part I: D'Artagnan (2023)

Is 57 the new 27?

[3/10 · 14 April 2023]

I'm a huge fan of Dumas and The Three Musketeers is one of my favorite books. I have been watching various adaptations for years hoping one of them will finally get it right. I was particularly hopeful about this one - I thought if anyone can do it justice it should be the French.

For an adaptation of classic novel to be good it must be faithful to the original source material and not make unnecessary alterations to the plot.

It must also adequately capture the atmosphere of the time period, the main theme and the essence of the book - which to me was honor, loyalty and friendship.

Another very important requirement is proper character development. And for that to truly work the actors should look like the characters as described in the book and be approximately the same age (or at least look that age).

In terms of casting - I'd give this adaptation a 3/10.

I know Vincent Casel is a good actor but he is 57 years old!!! He could have played another character. Why did they cast him as Athos? Athos is supposed to be 27-29 and very handsome (I know this is highly subjective but still).

The actor playing Aramis is also 50 when he should be 22-23. He is not attractive or charming either and Aramis is supposed to be the best looking one of the bunch (at least most other adaptations get this right).

For some reason everyone loves Eva Green - she maybe great in other movies but I don't like her as Milady at all. Milady is supposed to be intoxicatingly beautiful and blonde. This actress has jet black hair and is rather plain looking. I have no idea why the director made her smoke a pipe - this just makes her look like a cartoon villain.

They also made Porthos bisexual. Think of that what you will - I personally find if ridiculous.

If that wasn't enough to disappoint all hard core fans of the book - the plot has been drastically changed.

It's annoying because they have kept some parts very close to the book and created this illusion of authenticity. The cinematography is cool looking and the setting has a realistic feel. I like that it is not a slapstick comedy like some of the other adaptation attempts. That being said - the camera angles are a bit weird. They put you in the middle of the duels so you can't get a good feel of what's happening. And the editing is very choppy.

Overall I don't regret watching this film but I can't say that I liked it.

I guess I'll have to wait another 3-5 years until someone attempts to adapt this book again - maybe they will finally get it right.

Yellowstone (2018– )

I love Kevin Costner

[7/10 · 10 April 2023]

Everyone kept saying this is a great show so I finally gave in and watched it.

I'm not a huge fan of cattle and cowboys but I love Kevin Costner so I was willing to suspend all disbelief and see where the story goes.

It took me two episodes to get into the show. It moves very slow initially. The genre is best described as a 'modern western' which is a bit bizarre.

I really like some of the characters, but the drama is so over the top. People get beat up, shot multiple times, blown up and still survive. The Duttons are simply indescribable. Somehow they manage to kill all of their enemies (sometimes in broad daylight) and never face any consequences. When a cowboy wants to leave their ranch but knows too much he gets shot and thrown into a canyon.

Still, the most ridiculous of all is Beth's behavior. Her personality is very inconsistent - in some episodes she is tough, confident and cold, and in others she's insecure, emotional and makes constant displays to get attention. I love that she says whatever she feels like to people, but it is so extreme that it quickly loses it's effect. Sometimes less is more and she's just too much.

Rip on the other hand is the absolute best - he's way too good for her.

You (2018– )

Season 1 was great / Season 4 was disappointing

[5/10 · 20 March 2023]

Season 1 was great 8.5/10 👍 👍 Season 2 was good 7/10 👍 Season 3 was OK-ish 6/10 Season 4 is just weird and completely over the top. 3/10 It feels like a different show with crazy eccentric characters and some strange attempt to copy fight club.

It honestly seems like the writers didn't know where to take the story so every episode was just them winging it and making things up as they filmed.

Thats too bad because it had so much potential. Seriously disappointing.

Joe was an interesting character when he has was just an ordinary looking guy with a twisted mind. In the recent episodes he is like a superhuman hit man capable of anything - it's just ridiculous.

Inheritance (I) (2020)

Predictable

[2/10 · 14 February 2023]

Netflix kept recommending this so I gave up and watched it. The 30 second preview Netflix used to bait me in was the best part of this whole movie.

I usually love thrillers, but I don't consider this a thriller or a mystery. It is too slow and predictable.

The whole premise makes no sense. A guy dies suddenly and leave his daughter the inheritance from hell - some old dude chained up in a basement. So ridiculous.

It's impossible to believe Lilly Collins is a district attorney - she looks way too young. On top of that she is so naive and silly.

Why would you believe a stranger? Why not just call the police? She didn't lock him up - no one would blame her.

The guy in the bunker gave off creepy Hanibal vibes the whole time so I never believe his good guy act.

Pamela: A Love Story (2023)

Pamela has definitely had an interesting life.

[8/10 · 5 February 2023]

This was actually a very interesting and well made documentary.

It moves fast and it tells Pamela's life story from her point of view.

For a celebrity documentary I'd give it an 8/10.

Pamela seems like a very genuine, likable person and a good mother. There's so much I never knew about her.

I was surprised to learn some of the details about her past - for instance that she was in debt most of her life and she was never good with managing her money.

I also thought she had been married 2 times, but it was actually 6.

In the end I like that the film doesn't portray Pamela as a victim. She seems to own it all and make the most of it.

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)

Ungrateful and whiney :/

[4/10 · 21 January 2023]

There was so much hype about this documentary - I finally gave in and watched it.

It was filmed over several years and when it reached post production the editors didn't put it together in a very coherent way.

It is all over the place and super whiney.

It's a very superficial documentary and it feels like shameless self-promotion for her new songs.

Selena reveals only enough to seem like a victim in an attempt to appear more likable.

When she does something bad she blames it on external forces and acts like a spoiled child.

It's obvious that Selena has been very sheltered in her fame bubble and has had very little education. The children from the WE school in Kenya were much more intelligent and more articulate than her. They were also very appreciative of the simple things in life which only made her appear sillier.

I wish she would express some gratitude for everything she has been given and all the wonderful people in her life instead of feeling sorry for herself.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Life goes on; it always does... until it doesn't.

[7/10 · 11 November 2022]

I was 13 when I saw this movie for the first time. At the time I had never seen anything like it. I thought it was quite fascinating.

Re-watching it as an adult years later is a bit different. Also knowing how it ends makes it less thrilling. I feel like it could have been trimmed by about 30 min. (Perhaps movies these days have made my attention span shorter.) One thing I found incredibly annoying was the loud repetitive piano music - I get that's it's meant to be dramatic, but after hearing it over and over it just loses its original effect.

The film was definitely marketed in a wrong way - many people want to see it thinking it's a provocative sex thriller. But it's a rather dark movie - it really makes you think about life and relationships. It's Kubrick film so of course it's eccentric - I can see how it's not for everyone.

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

Luxury travel ad

[4/10 · 9 November 2022]

I had forgotten how handsome Pierce Brosnan was. But even he can't save this film.

The way it is shot it reminded me of luxury travel magazine ads - nice scenery, elegant clothes, beautiful people. Visually is looks cool but there is no substance and there so many plot holes.

Zero character development. Plenty of product placement (Pepsi and Bulgari) and it is not subtle at all.

The story is disjointed and it doesn't feel believable.

I expected a mystery/thriller about a museum heist.

This is more of a 'romantic comedy' - except it's not exactly romantic or funny. Rene Russo is trying to be seductive and it's so over the top. She looks like Pierce Brosnan's sister, not his girlfriend.

House of the Dragon: The Black Queen (2022) Season 1, Episode 10

Episode 10 did not feel like a season finale.

[7/10 · 27 October 2022]

This final episode did not feel like a season finale.

From the spoiler videos, I knew who was going to die and that war was inevitable.

I certainly did not want to see another 5 minute long graphic birthing scene. 🙈

With all the time jumps in the earlier episodes I was thinking the writers were trying to tell entire story in 10 episodes. Apparently that's not the case.

The only thing clear from episode 10 is that we are getting a second season. No one knows when it will be out though and that's extremely disappointing.

I should not have watched any part of the series until all episodes were out. I absolutely hate waiting to find out what happens next. I'd rather be able to binge watch the entire thing all at once.

I guess I'll just read the book.