Nowhere near as good as other episodes, but the Y2K stupidity is worthy of some stars. I'd forgotten about the hysteria of the late 90s. Watching this episode in 2022 reminds me of how people can be manipulated by media scams.
Reviews
21 Reviews
Wow.
15 August 2022
I am overwhelmed. 15 stars if I could.
29 July 2022
How is it possible for this wonderful season to keep improving? I'm a big fan of Sci-fi, and have seen all the Trek shows from when they first aired. Star Wars, Firefly, it doesn't matter. This season of The Orville transcends them all.
Genius.
Genius.
Seth is genius.
22 July 2022
How do I give a rating of more than 10? After the astonishing episode "A Tale of Two Topas" I thought this great season had reached its zenith. Where else could it go? And then came Midnight Blue.
I cannot begin to talk about these two combined episodes without spoilers of some kind so I won't, except to say that they achieved the impossible in my view, to redeem a character I thought totally horrible; Klyden.
Wow.
I cannot begin to talk about these two combined episodes without spoilers of some kind so I won't, except to say that they achieved the impossible in my view, to redeem a character I thought totally horrible; Klyden.
Wow.
Jurassic World Dominion
(2022)
Cash grabbing tripe
18 July 2022
The makers of this movie were so preoccupied with whether they could make it that they didn't stop to think if they should.
Bloated plot lines, even more bloated cast that they couldn't think what to do with, shameless pandering to the fans of the original by shoehorning in Grant, Sattler and Malcolm and retconning new, pointless characters...... The plot has zero continuity and the acting..... don't get me started on the acting. Not even Sam Neill could inject any life into this pile of pointless garbage.
If you are not 8 years old or you are a fan of the original movies you should avoid this at all costs.
Bloated plot lines, even more bloated cast that they couldn't think what to do with, shameless pandering to the fans of the original by shoehorning in Grant, Sattler and Malcolm and retconning new, pointless characters...... The plot has zero continuity and the acting..... don't get me started on the acting. Not even Sam Neill could inject any life into this pile of pointless garbage.
If you are not 8 years old or you are a fan of the original movies you should avoid this at all costs.
The baton has been passed...
15 July 2022
I have greatly enjoyed earlier seasons of The Orville. I wanted to see the show as the true successor to Trek. This hope wasn't quite realised, although there were some absolute gems.
Season 3, however, has rewarded my faith. Each episode is brilliant. I have read some criticism of the show going away from the slightly corny humour of the early seasons, but this is what makes it so much better, as it allows the creators to explore much deeper themes, but still allows for some fun at the same time.
Superb.
Season 3, however, has rewarded my faith. Each episode is brilliant. I have read some criticism of the show going away from the slightly corny humour of the early seasons, but this is what makes it so much better, as it allows the creators to explore much deeper themes, but still allows for some fun at the same time.
Superb.
Astonishing.
1 July 2022
Of all the Starships, in all the Galaxies in all the Universes, she had to walk into mine.
How do I rate and describe this without spoilers? I don't know, because without context it's almost impossible to tell you how it makes me feel. I'm a long term Star Trek fan. In fact I first saw Trek when it first appeared, all those decades ago. For that reason I want to love The Orville, and I do. However living up to Gene's vision is difficult. Seth has been very close, but a seminal episode or theme was needed. This third season ha shown likely, with some fine work.
But this? I am reluctant to give anything 10/10, because that implies perfection, which I don't believe exists. If, however, I can scale it down a little, this is perfection. It transcends any Star Trek episode or film, it deals with a sensitive subject with an amazing dignity, it sets the scene for the redemption of a few characters, and shows just how serious Seth is about taking The Orville somewhere.
Absolutely gorgeous.
How do I rate and describe this without spoilers? I don't know, because without context it's almost impossible to tell you how it makes me feel. I'm a long term Star Trek fan. In fact I first saw Trek when it first appeared, all those decades ago. For that reason I want to love The Orville, and I do. However living up to Gene's vision is difficult. Seth has been very close, but a seminal episode or theme was needed. This third season ha shown likely, with some fine work.
But this? I am reluctant to give anything 10/10, because that implies perfection, which I don't believe exists. If, however, I can scale it down a little, this is perfection. It transcends any Star Trek episode or film, it deals with a sensitive subject with an amazing dignity, it sets the scene for the redemption of a few characters, and shows just how serious Seth is about taking The Orville somewhere.
Absolutely gorgeous.
Top Gun: Maverick
(2022)
This is not a sequel.
5 June 2022
I've heard Top Gun Maverick described as a sequel to the 1986 classic. It is not. It's another chapter in the story, a story that has moved on 35 years. The 1986 film might have got a six if I was feeling generous. I still love it for what it was, but it doesn't hold a candle to this film.
It's really hard to review without spoilers, so I'll only say this; if it had been made ten years ago I would have given it an eight. But it is now, and Maverick is the blockbuster for these times and for that it gets a ten. So does Cruise. Is he the last real Star? I think so.
If you have any sense of pride, any patriotism, any love for the culture of your country go and see Top Gun Maverick, and be grateful that you still can.
It's really hard to review without spoilers, so I'll only say this; if it had been made ten years ago I would have given it an eight. But it is now, and Maverick is the blockbuster for these times and for that it gets a ten. So does Cruise. Is he the last real Star? I think so.
If you have any sense of pride, any patriotism, any love for the culture of your country go and see Top Gun Maverick, and be grateful that you still can.
Coco
(I) (2017)
Simply gorgeous
29 May 2022
A few years ago I reviewed Coco and gave it the only 10 I have ever given. A story of love and family, it brought me a little joy in a very dark time.
Tonight I watched it again. I'm a 68 year old man and once again I find myself in tears at the ending.
Coco is an amazing movie that I would recommend to anyone who has a heart. I would give it a twelve if I could.
Tonight I watched it again. I'm a 68 year old man and once again I find myself in tears at the ending.
Coco is an amazing movie that I would recommend to anyone who has a heart. I would give it a twelve if I could.
Interstellar
(2014)
Nearly 50 years to go nowhere.
20 March 2022
The premise here is relativity. Time vs gravity. The story, if there is one, is pointless. Christopher Nolan has surpassed Stanley Kubrick in making a visually stunning but ultimately pointless piece of Sci Fi nonsense. Nobody can give me a convincing explanation of 2001: A Space Odyssey, but in 1968 it was jaw dropping. Interstellar's problem is we've seen it all before, and Nolan is not Kubrick.
Perhaps there is an analogy of the futility of life here, but it's spurious at best.
This ranks with Prometheus as an incredibly beautiful waste of my time.
Perhaps there is an analogy of the futility of life here, but it's spurious at best.
This ranks with Prometheus as an incredibly beautiful waste of my time.
The Big Sleep
(1978)
Don't compare
1 March 2022
There are a lot of reviews here comparing this movie with the Bogart Bacall vehicle of the same name. Why not judge it on its own merits?
This is a well crafted work of this genre, with a great cast. Mitchum Is about perfect as Marlowe, for those who have read the book. Oliver Reed makes a fine gangster and Jon Mills, well when has he been poor?
If you like the old gumshoe stories then you can do a lot worse than this.
This is a well crafted work of this genre, with a great cast. Mitchum Is about perfect as Marlowe, for those who have read the book. Oliver Reed makes a fine gangster and Jon Mills, well when has he been poor?
If you like the old gumshoe stories then you can do a lot worse than this.
Wolf Creek
(2005)
Who says Aussies can't do horror?
2 December 2021
I've seen a lot of slashers. I've seen a lot of thrillers. And I've seen a lot of horror. Wolf Creek combines all, in a way only the Aussies could pull off bathe utter loneliness of the Australian outback, together with the total psychopathy of the "villain", make Wolf Creek chilling in a way few other films can match. Be warned though, it's also harrowing.
But it is somehow the only film of its genre that calls me back.
Truly frightening.
But it is somehow the only film of its genre that calls me back.
Truly frightening.
Upgrade
(2018)
Who said Aussies can't make movies?
14 September 2021
Truly astonishing low budget sci fi gem. Dark, violent and thought provoking cinema.
Edit: I just watched it again. I found out that this was filmed in my hometown, Melbourne. I thought I knew some of the locations. Seeing it again I got it. So many of the exteriors were reverse printed. Never seen that before.
Edit: I just watched it again. I found out that this was filmed in my hometown, Melbourne. I thought I knew some of the locations. Seeing it again I got it. So many of the exteriors were reverse printed. Never seen that before.
Hot Fuzz
(2007)
Failed Guy Ritchie copy.
29 August 2021
Hard to believe all the 10/10 reviews here, calling this dross a comedy, a piece of genius. I stopped laughing at this stuff when I was about 10. This movie couldn't even get a chuckle out of me. If this is what people think is good comedy these days no wonder the world is as it is.
I'll have to go and watch Lock Stock again to remind me what can be done with themes like this.
I'll have to go and watch Lock Stock again to remind me what can be done with themes like this.
The Girl in the Spider's Web
(2018)
No. Just no.
27 August 2021
Steig Larsson's Millenium trilogy was genius, but unedited. It didn't matter, those books I loved.
David Lagercrantz did a reasonable job continuing Steig's work, but his books were long only to keep to the original unedited work.
The Swedish film adaptations of the original trilogy are great, if you allow the director some slack in having condense three enormous novels into a few hours of film. Noomi Rapace was convincing as Lisbeth.
Sadly, the same cannot be said about this attempted cash grab. If you are a fan of The Millennium series then you should avoid this.
David Lagercrantz did a reasonable job continuing Steig's work, but his books were long only to keep to the original unedited work.
The Swedish film adaptations of the original trilogy are great, if you allow the director some slack in having condense three enormous novels into a few hours of film. Noomi Rapace was convincing as Lisbeth.
Sadly, the same cannot be said about this attempted cash grab. If you are a fan of The Millennium series then you should avoid this.
The Orville
(2017–2022)
Ignore the "professional " reviews
25 July 2021
I guess that Seth has rubbed the elite up the wrong way going by the negative reviews. Or maybe they're getting paid off to push the garbage called Discovery and Picard. Ignore them. The Orville is a great show, combining the humour of MacFarlane with the vision of Roddenberry. Sure, it has some off moments but the show easily overcomes them, and it's definitely worth your time preserving.
Unleashed
(2005)
Brilliant
26 April 2021
Unleashed is a surprising gem of a movie. Every part, every role the story, the crafting, all of it is superb. Freeman is great, of course. Bob Hoskins is so well cast it's uncanny. Kerry Condon is wonderful as Victoria. But it's Li. He turned in a performance that is mesmerising, with his signature martial arts but with an incredible story of loss and love he carries almost perfectly.
Love this one.
Love this one.
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