wferrero

I really enjoy shows like Vera, Shetland, Grace, and Hinterland so I gave DCI Banks a try. Overall, I find the show to be entertaining and generally well done. Since I have not read the books, I don't have a problem with Banks except for the fact he inexplicably attracts younger women. Maybe they all have daddy issues? He seems a bit bland and over-serious to me. However, the character of Annie is awful. She's mouthy, in a unprofessional way, immature and just plain annoying. Is it okay to date your subordinate at work? Is she trying to flirt/sleep her way to the top? I don't get the relationship at all. Maybe it makes more sense in the books. But if you can overlook these issues, the show is a tense murder mystery thriller with a likable supporting cast. I also like the general format of a mystery being solved over two episodes.

I don't really get the low marks for this movie. I watch a lot of B movies and this one entertained me. I suppose lots of people hated the main girl, as did I. But I thought the actress did a great job of portraying an annoying, greedy young woman who insults and abuses her two male "friends" all the while whining about being desirable. Sure, the friends who decide to take the bags of money are idiots and the girl is unrelentingly awful, but watching them bicker and try and get away with the cash was entertaining. You actually root for John Cusak's character to put them out of their misery- except he's not really a killer. He's a chill thief who is not an outdoorsman and just wants his money back.

I thought this would just be some standard, throw-away B-movie action flick. Boy was I surprised. I watched it on my big screen tv with the surround sound cranked up and was blown away. The action sequences looked very expensive. The story was well crafted. The characters were pretty fleshed-out and the writing and acting were especially notable. This was actually one of the most enjoyable action movies I've seen in a while. The contrasting storylines of the drone pilots and the operators in the field worked well together. The movie has a really solid cast. I especially loved Russell Crowe's character. He was really good in this role. Even Luke Hemsworth (who I didn't think much of in the Hunger Games movies) was very good here as the out-of-his-depth 'hero". I highly recommend "Land of Bad" if you are looking for an enjoyable, thrilling action movie.