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kensoward
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
A few things to like...
Looked great at times, and the music was good at times. The dwarfs looked on point, and I enjoyed the relationship between Durin and Elrond. The harfoots gave me a few positive chuckles.
The elves are simply uninspired except for some moments on the ship... I can kinda buy the stylish haircuts but would have preferred long-haired elves that are more spectacular.
Galadriel was over-the-top with the face twitching... I wish they would have done her completely differently. Still powerful but more clever and less hard headed.
There were comaints about the storyline from others, but I found it serviceable, and the pacing was slow but I didn't mind the setups.
Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill (2022)
Painful to watch...
Dave Attel and Jeffery Ross were great, as usual. This one just wasn't for me. I guess it was shot in California, so the material (while sometimes crude - which I like) was pretty much tuned to that kind of crowd. Some was just so cringe, I felt sorry for the comedians.
Honestly, I'd hate to be a comic these days. So many egg shells to walk on. The funny thing is that there's a wealth of material out there to work with, but a lot of comedians simply won't touch it.
The Ricky Gervais special absolutely crushed this, hands down.
Masters of the Universe: Revelation: Poisoned Chalice (2021)
Not bad...
So, I'm starting to see how this is really just Teela's journey, working her way through her emotions of betrayal and down the path of the reluctant hero. I see why they went in this direction, and the side-journey is kinda fun. The motivation of her side-kick and Evil-Lyn in search of the two parts of the sword made sense to me.
I can see where it's headed though. Teela will end up with the sword and likely become Master of the Universe. Which begs the question, will she quit that job, too? :) I'm just kidding around, hehe. Anyway, let's see where it leads us.
It's not as bad as people are saying. BUT... it's more of a Masters of the Universe side-story. I guess that's why they didn't title it "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe."
On to episode 3....
Into the Dark: Treehouse (2019)
Had it figured out....
Had it figured out after about 30 minutes. Lady witchy torture "pron". LOL. These "Into Darkness" movies are mostly pretty good, but this one was one of the bad ones that could have been really good if there was an actual story behind it.
Lovecraft Country (2020)
Not perfect, but solid...
If you've come to watch this show to see Lovecraft mythology, you won't find it here. There's very little actual Lovecraft. The show was based on a book ty the same title that I haven't read.
I'll be honest, the first few episodes were difficult for me to watch. It delved deeply into the painful past of slavery in the United States and ripped off quite a few scabs. I thought the acting in these parts was phenomenal. Actually, I thought all the actors and actresses were really great. I think these scenes were necessary, and while there were some key missing pieces, I'm glad the people involved had a canvas to depict a very painful past and get this out in the open without being watered down.
I think it will help bring more people to horror who wouldn't normally have given the genre a chance. More people supporting horror shows is always a good thing, I think.
The scenes, settings, wardrobes, and atmosphere was really rich and thick. Really good stuff.
There were some amazingly creative ideas here, especially in the later episodes. Holy cow were there some creepy moments. Like most shows in this genre, it sorta gets all over the place, weaving in tons of sub-plot that produce drama out of thin air. Still, it held up pretty well in the end, and I'm glad it was made.
Black Flowers (2018)
There's some depth...
I won't echo what others have already said. Low-budget. Weak acting, but with some bright points. Like when Kate is dealing with the crazy man. And when she interacts with the couple by the tower. Poignant moments, for sure. Just didn't quite push it where it needed to be. Kate's character was interesting but not what most people are looking for in post-apocalyptic movies. It almost seemed like the character was supposed to be a "Tank Girl" who hasn't given up on the world. My experience is that "quirkiness" only works in small doses with PA material.
Some fun, funny dialogue. Interesting movement with the party camp and the traveling religious folk. If you like studying the PA genre, this isn't a bad fillm to watch.
The Ghastly Love of Johnny X (2012)
Great eye candy... cleverly written.
This film was a lot of fun. The lead lady who played Bliss (De Anna Joy) was sexy and fun, and her one-liners were playful and quirky. It was take my eyes off her once she got going. Great dancing, too.
It put me in mind of other off-beat musicals like REPO! The Genetic Opera and the Devil's Carnival and had a slick production. Very sci fi and cool. A great adventure.
Hunter Prey (2010)
Decent Story, Lazy Props
Let me first say I appreciated the story. I found myself wanting to find out more about this deceptive prisoner, and when I found out who/what it was, I was pleased. The scenery was nice and the direction was OK. Erin Gray as the computer voice was great.
Due to the lack of decent props and tech, I was almost ready to turn this one off. I understand a shoestring budget, but you can find college theater students who will work for free and will design better costumes and tech than what we see here. Or at least more talented ones than the director found to make these costumes. The holsters were made out of cardboard,and they were plugging mini-headphone cables into their computer devices, etc. Just extremely weak. And the "storm trooper" helmets I suppose were done on purpose as a "shout out."
The dialogue was decent, except I almost laughed when I realized I might have to watch the entire movie never seeing the actors' faces. There was no need for them to have "digitized-sounding" voices. Modern communication devices even today carry voices quite well. I would think advanced aliens would not have to resort to "walky-talky" type communication.
I couldn't believe some of the logic that was being thrown out there by the computer. I just didn't feel like it was feasible that the computer was suddenly become a rebel of sorts, joining sides with Centuri 7 to somehow break away from his race.
Give this director a little money, and we probably get something remarkable. But I'm not going to give this above a 5, because it doesn't deserve it.