AWall88 Reviews

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021)

Starts out strong, dies sometime in s4.

[7/10 · 19 July 2023]

S1 is a solid 8 stars.

S2 is a close to 10 stars as any sitcom outside of community.

S3 is close to an 8.

S4 is about a 7 in all. Passable, with some of the greatest moments but not the same.

S5 has a couple of good moments, but from S5 to the end of the series is preachy, low level bullcr@p. Most of the cast is bored and ready to move on and it shows. None of the intra-episode subplots are ever connected in any way, and the plots they choose to semi-serialize are boring.

You could do worse if you do choose to stick around for Andy and Andre, but so many moments are so cringe-inducing (not in a fun "The Office" way,) that you may regret it.

Harley Quinn (2019– )

Good until it gets political

[7/10 · 28 September 2022]

The Joker is a socialist, which makes sense, but it's framed as a positive thing.

You read that right.

This show is fun and funny, first off.

It does follow the trend of degrading and humiliating beloved white male characters in order to uplift the female character without having to rely on good character development of the titular character to make her likeable.

And it is done wonderfully. It's what the show was made for, and it works, even without any immediately apparent self-awareness (which is not needed here.) Because it's the new Harley Quinn. It really is well executed, mostly because the writing would work even if they weren't doing batman dirty. They did succeed in writing a good titular character, so everything else just falls in line with the narrative. And I therefore have loved this hilarious gorefest of a show... Until socialism came to save the day... not in a fun, Harley Quinn way, rather, in a forced, "let's get political," way. I had to see why that decision was made. Don't do that if you want to hold on to any respect for the writers. Knowing what these people say about the show ruined it completely. Now I just see their faces and hear their voices while I'm watching it. And I hate it now.

House of the Dragon: The Heirs of the Dragon (2022) Season 1, Episode 1

Watched the first 10 minutes

[3/10 · 29 August 2022]

I don't know, maybe it's fine, but don't compare it to GoT. GoT started off fun and jumped into the world for you right off the bat.

I never loved GoT a much as most people, but it was a nice waste of time built on clashing philosophies.

HoD, right off the bat, is taking itself too seriously, and spending a lot of time on visuals, that does nothing to help me get hooked. I was introduced, by narration (ugh), to a couple of characters that had been named in GoT, and some dragon riding lady who came across as super boring, and a knight who came across as not a real human. I was bored.

Why do I need 600 characters?

Why?

Here we go. 600 characters.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Bond?

[8/10 · 6 August 2022]

Finally the real Bond movie is back. Say whatever you want about Brosnan. He's a great actor, and his first couple of Bond movies were a decent return to form, but then that awful one with Halle Berri and then this Era of Emo with Craig came, and Bond movies were dead.

This could have been the start of the franchise to take over. (By the time i got around to writing this, i had seen the sequel, so i now know the truth, but that was my initial reaction. )

John Wick (2014)

Why?

[5/10 · 6 August 2022]

Why was this so popular?

A broken assassin is reminded of his pain with the death of his dog, leading to a crap ton of egregious violence with thousands of wasted rounds littering the floors of hotels and nightclubs.

That's my summary. What am I missing?

Stranger Things: Chapter Four: Dear Billy (2022) Season 4, Episode 4

Please stop

[1/10 · 6 August 2022]

Stop giving this season positive reviews. It will only encourage them, all of them, to keep turning out this same Disney level garbage for years to come.

Stranger Things has caught the MCU virus. Kill it now.

Ms. Marvel (2022)

Uh-oh

[1/10 · 5 August 2022]

I'm happy because this probably finally spells the end for all these dumb Marvel movies that the low IQ sheeple flock to a couple times every year, but I'm sad because they were about to delve into what had hitherto been fox properties, and that could have been good.

I was also initially happy when they announced a Ms. Marvel series. She's easily my favorite newcomer to the comics. Imagine my disappointment when it was revealed that it was a show for small children, akin to any other Disney Channel or Nickelodean series, without any sort of nostalgic childhood show feel. They could have learned something from the far superior Wandavision (the first few episodes of which are easily the best marvel content to ever come out of Disney.)

Willy's Wonderland (2021)

Hilarious

[8/10 · 4 July 2022]

Better horror parody than anything the Wayan Bro.s could ever conceive.

I'm so glad to see a certain level of subtlety being brought back to the genre.

The movie is a great time if you get your laughing face on and prepare for campy Nick Cage ass kicking fun.

It probably sucks if you're trying to take it seriously... not sure why there were so many who were doing so.

Stranger Things: Chapter Three: The Monster and the Superhero (2022) Season 4, Episode 3

Did the Duffer Bros back out?

[3/10 · 1 July 2022]

This season is nothingness for the masses. Created to appease the Disney loving, MCU fanclub.

There used to be so much this show had to offer, now it's like 'OOOOOO... SCARY! You like the scary? Yeah. You like.'

The Time Traveler's Wife (2022)

Sad. (Never read the book.)

[5/10 · 24 June 2022]

We all remember this early 2000's craze that everybody's little sister was obsessed with. They even made an Eric Bana movie in '09 that apparently didn't go over so well.

I knew about all of this, but I never read the book, nor saw the movie. I don't know how true to the source material this all is, but if it's close, it's a sad sign of how unhealthy the early 00's really were. (Easily noted by the fact that this was closely followed by the enormous Twilight craze.)

This show is great though. Very well made. Very smartly written in the witty dialog. Great acting. Great sets. Great design and production and navigation of the psychological problems associated with every aspect of any relationship through a wonderfully portrayed high concept thriller aspect of a romance.

So why 5 stars? We have no idea who these characters are (until we get small glimpses in the last 2 episodes, all of which only lead to contempt for ALL of them,) but we DO know that our leads have zero compatibility, and the entire relationship is built on, "because we are." That last point would be fine, if the story were being told as a story of warning against unhealthy relationship dynamics, but it's not. It feels as if the show makers are trying to romanticize and idealize all these terrifyingly harmful relationship practices.

It started strong, with the first 2 episodes, but only because it made us feel like they were going to truly develop the characters. They do not.

EDIT TO ADD: Please note that almost all of these 9 and 10 stars are from these people who don't know how to rate individual episodes, and threw the high rating out after e1 or e2.

2ND EDIT TO 2nd ADD: There are a lot of people who have been saying the relationship in this show is very romantic, and I urge any of you who feel this way to please seek out healthier relationships. Our interpersonal relationships are what end up shaping our entire society, and it is sad to see that abuse, manipulation and over overattatchment without any sense of personal and individual understanding are still being praised today, along with the unapologetic lack of appreciation for ourselves or others or even just the present moment. These are serious issues, which, at the end of the day, affect us all. I have young children, for whom I hope there is a better future than these ideals.

The Time Traveler's Wife: Episode #1.3 (2022) Season 1, Episode 3

Apparently I'm in the minority?

[3/10 · 22 June 2022]

I enjoyed the first 2 episodes, and did not like this one. Old lady Claire ruined any emotional impact it could have had, and prepubescent Claire was forced into what was supposed to be an adult themed episode, that could have really packed an emotional punch if they had let us care a little more. Emotional story does not equal actual emotion. Episode 2 did emotions right.

But I'm a guy... and I know this was written for... not guys. So maybe I'm not the best to judge for this?

Marmaduke (2022)

Stop putting Pete Davidson in things

[3/10 · 6 May 2022]

I sometimes like SNL. The writers are usually pretty apt. Pete Davidson is only funny when there's good writing. He is not good enough to be the thing that makes something worth your time. And worth your time, this movie definitely is not. There was a great family movie right in front of them, and they didn't go with it.

The Batman (2022)

No hate for it

[7/10 · 19 April 2022]

I really wanted to love this movie. I was excited about the concept of bat noir, excited about what I'd heard of the world, excited about batman finding his reason to be batman while being batman, and super extremely excited about the cast (they all did as well as I'd hoped.) Sadly, I did not love it. It's good. It's extremely well made. The world building is perfect. The acting is no less than you would expect from the cream of the crop.

But there were parts in it that made me roll my eyes. There were elements and scenes that were worse than most other superhero movies (the main one being how Bruce treats Alfred, though that's a matter of opinion. ) There were also parts in it that were better than any superhero movie I've ever seen.

The whole 3 hours is a roller coaster of hit and miss moments. It's worth the time at least once, though.

Eternals (2021)

Less

[5/10 · 16 January 2022]

This movie is imperically, objectively worse than the entire MCU.

It is also slightly less pointless than most of it.

I did not like this movie. I do not like most MCU movies. I can appreciate what this movie was. I can appreciate what the MCU as a whole has done.

However, I didn't like this movie because it was just bad, not dumb. The others aren't bad, just dumb.

For the introduction of the black knight, and Makkari, I thank this film.

Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos was the best actor here (and among the best in the entire MCU,) and Nanjiani as a superhero slowly became acceptable near the end.

But it's a poorly made movie, with very little "Disney charm," or "heart," especially considering the studio it came out of.

Twin Peaks (2017)

More Lynch... but more someone else, too

[8/10 · 9 December 2021]

This "season 3" is definitely a more definitively Lynchian piece than season 1, and the first half/finale of season 2, and most fans will be happy he was given the longer leash this go-around. This season focuses more on the bizarre of the world than the drama, though it has both.

My one quibble is about the drama. It's less Twin Peaks, and more Stephen King than I was ready for. While taking narrative notes to echo/create parody from, admittedly, a master of suspense is not a negative mark for the show as a whole, some may, like myself, forget whose show they're watching from time to time. Worry not, though, fans, the humor within the Kingesque storytelling is 100% Lynch.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Ok, not 10 stars

[10/10 · 8 November 2021]

Not a 10 star movie, it had a lot of issues.

But it's better than any MCU movie I've seen to date, and the IMDB rating does not reflect that.

It upsets me, so I'm trying my tiny part to correct this phenomenon.

Locke & Key: The Premiere (2021) Season 2, Episode 1

Sad

[2/10 · 26 October 2021]

This show was a great family show in season 1. We watched it with our young children, and it was cheesy, and not great, but by far the best show that our 8 and 4 year old wanted to watch.

I feel like the makers of the show didn't want a tv-14 rating in the 1st season, but they were stuck with it, so they decided they might as well go all out for the highschooler/college-age crowd... but that ruined it for us and our now 9 and 5 (and 3) year old, unfortunately.

(Update after reading other reviews) My review isn't about the "political" aspects or the "wokeness." I didn't see an issue on that side of things. It's about the violence, overt sexuality, and profanity.

Squid Game (2021– )

Hyped like a Disney movie

[5/10 · 19 October 2021]

I sat for months, waiting for the next amazing Korean show, being extremely "Sweet Home"sick (I'm a dad, I'm allowed to make dad jokes.) Squid game popped up mid September, and I thought... maybe!

But nope.

Now I have to review it because, for whatever reason, it got popular recently.

The visuals were great.

Therein lies the positives.

Now for the negatives.

First off, stop calling it a Korean drama. It's not. (Of course, neither is Sweet Home.) It's a drama/thriller made in Korea for Americans. Korean dramas are a completely different genre.

It starts with the same premise we've read a billion times. The 13 tzametti, Truth or dare, question of "how far would you go for money?" Likewise answered with the basic premise inspired by The Most Dangerous Game.

From this non original start... it actually devolves. It devolves into a shallow Battle Royale, with false (and woefully unoriginal) social commentary delivered with a lack of subtlety that would make Andrew Ridker jealous. Then ends with a disappointing attempt at an altruism message. We saw, I swear, more depth in the Hunger Games series. Take that as you will.

I know, seeing the success of the MCU, that people like their literary themes shoved in their faces these days, rather than delivered in a real story, and on that account, I can say Squid Game did superb work.

I rarely ask for true originality, because I know there is nothing new under the sun, but if you make me a PB&J, and make a spectacle out of it, like you invented it, I hate you.

If you want good Korean television with real (albeit, at times, also not so subtle) social commentary, just wait for season 2 of Sweet Home with me.

Last notes: Acting is distractingly inconsistent, the characters aren't real people (I mean, the caricatures,) and the "twist" may be effective if you've never read a book or seen a movie.

Mother! (2017)

Mediocre fun. Obviously not for everyone

[7/10 · 4 October 2021]

If you've never read the Bible, you probably won't get it.

We all know what this movie is at this point. It's the bible/religious history from "mother Earth's" perspective. Nobody is smart for knowing that, because it's not a smart film. Inventive, and cool, it is, but not smart. It's literally the Bible. We get it.

Unfriended (2014)

No less than expected

[6/10 · 17 September 2021]

Dumb premise, dumb execution, dumb fun. It'll get you through a small portion of a boring day without too much pain.

Cruella (2021)

Pleasantly surprised

[8/10 · 13 September 2021]

First off, know that my favorite Disney movie villain AND book to movie villain has always been, and will always be Cruella de Vil, but this is not a movie about my favorite villain. Having known that from the first trailer I had seen, I did not want to watch this movie. I did watch it. Because I'm married and have kids.

I sat down with a bad attitude, ready to nitpick the crap out of this in my head. It started out rough, but then made itself clear that it wasn't a true attempt to stay true to the source material, but rather to simply borrow its themes, elements, and character names. As soon as they managed to push that into my thick skull, I realized the movie's value, and had a lot of fun with it.

The Emma's and Tucci, of course, were unforgettably great, but the best part had to be Glenn Close's cameo (the movie is, naturally and literally, partially her movie, too.)

It ended up being quite a natural fit into the Disney drama family. Even if it's a different Cruella that we all know and hate.

The Spirit (2008)

Possibly most misunderstood parody ever..?

[8/10 · 30 August 2021]

Next to Super Troopers, I believe this parody was treated worse by audiences (who thought the Frank Miller movie was some serious superhero film) than any movie I've seen.

It runs dry after the hour mark, though, even then, it shines in its own way, but this movie is extremely funny.

It's a wonderfully over-stylized and surreal exploration of the idea of self, hiding behind a strong facade of a superhero/action movie parody that explores American cinema stereotypes. This movie doesn't apologize for itself, because everybody involved knew what they were making... Sadly, the audience somehow didnt.

Room 104: Phoenix (2017) Season 1, Episode 8

Weird the rating is so low

[9/10 · 6 August 2021]

This is better twilight zone than the crappy twilight zone reboot.

Room 104: Voyeurs (2017) Season 1, Episode 6

Wtf with the hate?

[10/10 · 6 August 2021]

This is one of the strongest episodes in S1. Daring (if only on the creators' end,) sad, sensual, fun, emotional. If you didn't understand it, I doubt you truly understand any episode of this show. It may not be a 10 star episode, but we need to at least get this average up above 5.

Loki: Glorious Purpose (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

Sci-fi for people who don't like sci-fi

[3/10 · 26 June 2021]

Nothing special here.

Granted, I'm not a faithful reader of the comics, but I'm familiar. If you want comic books, stick to them. If you want sci-fi, watch sci-fi shows... if you want the regular, tedious Disney drivel... this is for you. I gave it a chance with episode 1.

Not nearly as strong a start as Wandavision.