southdavid
Joined May 2000
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southdavid's rating
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southdavid's rating
I crack on with Amazon's detective show "Bosch" having enjoyed the first two seasons. I've got the formula of the show down now, and again we see a couple of Michael Connelly's books remixed into a season of TV in a way that feels relatively natural.
Bosch (Titus Welliver) is key witness in the arrest of a Hollywood Movie Mogul Andrew Holland (John Ales) but given his previous cautions, it's questionable whether a jury would be receptive to his testimony. The case worsens when Bosch is a suspect in the murder of Ed Gunn (Frank Clem) a man he was investigating for his mother's murder. A homeless veteran is also murdered, with Bosch and J Edgar (Jamie Hector) investigating his former squad mates.
Despite how much I like "Bosch" I do have to say that the character himself remains somewhat of a cliché. The loose cannon vibes are growing here, with his personal investigations and willingness to bend, if not break, the law in his mother's case. The show deals with this in two ways, one be distancing him from J Edgar - who does his own investigations into Bosch's tactics and by bringing in the character of Rudy Tafero - played by Arnold Vosloo. Tafero is a former cop, whose compromised ethics Bosch once rebelled against but now who is working as a crooked investigator/Fixer for Holland. He's a little like a vision of where Bosch might end up.
The two cases do tessellate reasonably well. You can also mix in the continued investigation into this mother's killer, that bookends the series and you also have "The Korea Town Killer" who is a presence across the series, building tensions between the police and the general public.
I don't usually like procedural dramas, but "Bosch" has just enough character work in it that I don't think it falls into that cookie cutter mold. Onwards to season four.
Bosch (Titus Welliver) is key witness in the arrest of a Hollywood Movie Mogul Andrew Holland (John Ales) but given his previous cautions, it's questionable whether a jury would be receptive to his testimony. The case worsens when Bosch is a suspect in the murder of Ed Gunn (Frank Clem) a man he was investigating for his mother's murder. A homeless veteran is also murdered, with Bosch and J Edgar (Jamie Hector) investigating his former squad mates.
Despite how much I like "Bosch" I do have to say that the character himself remains somewhat of a cliché. The loose cannon vibes are growing here, with his personal investigations and willingness to bend, if not break, the law in his mother's case. The show deals with this in two ways, one be distancing him from J Edgar - who does his own investigations into Bosch's tactics and by bringing in the character of Rudy Tafero - played by Arnold Vosloo. Tafero is a former cop, whose compromised ethics Bosch once rebelled against but now who is working as a crooked investigator/Fixer for Holland. He's a little like a vision of where Bosch might end up.
The two cases do tessellate reasonably well. You can also mix in the continued investigation into this mother's killer, that bookends the series and you also have "The Korea Town Killer" who is a presence across the series, building tensions between the police and the general public.
I don't usually like procedural dramas, but "Bosch" has just enough character work in it that I don't think it falls into that cookie cutter mold. Onwards to season four.
Netflix's "Love, Death and Robots" returns for a fourth season. Overall, I've enjoyed the first three runs and have written individual reviews for each episode. I think I'll continue that approach with this set too.
In World War 2, the crew of a bomber are tasked with an unusual job, to destroy a French church at a precise time. Though some a reluctant, due to their religious convictions, Zeke (Keston John) has no issues with "Just another job". Inside the church though, Nazi's are undertaking an occult sacrificial practice, that brings about the arrival of a fallen Angel. The bombing raid is successful in destroying the church, but the Angel survives, and attacks back.
I really liked the animation of this one. It's akin to the line drawn 80's style of Japanese studios, though it is, in fact, made by US company Titmouse. It's definitely the right choice, particularly when it comes to the depiction of the angel, a multilimbed, mask faced nightmare that wouldn't have worked as well with photorealistic CGI.
The story was pretty good too, nothing too complicated or clever admittedly, but a tight plot and a logical resolution. One of the rare ones that left me wanting a bit more.
In World War 2, the crew of a bomber are tasked with an unusual job, to destroy a French church at a precise time. Though some a reluctant, due to their religious convictions, Zeke (Keston John) has no issues with "Just another job". Inside the church though, Nazi's are undertaking an occult sacrificial practice, that brings about the arrival of a fallen Angel. The bombing raid is successful in destroying the church, but the Angel survives, and attacks back.
I really liked the animation of this one. It's akin to the line drawn 80's style of Japanese studios, though it is, in fact, made by US company Titmouse. It's definitely the right choice, particularly when it comes to the depiction of the angel, a multilimbed, mask faced nightmare that wouldn't have worked as well with photorealistic CGI.
The story was pretty good too, nothing too complicated or clever admittedly, but a tight plot and a logical resolution. One of the rare ones that left me wanting a bit more.
I quite liked "Nobody". I enjoyed Bob Odenkirk's turn as an older "John Wick" type though in a slightly more realistic world than Reeves dog vengeance fuelled Ronin. Whereas I liked that one, I'd say that this sequel never really gets above 'acceptable'.
Sensing that there's distance growing between himself and his family, Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) takes them to Plummerville, an aging resort town that his father took him too on the one holiday they had. Circumstances bring him to the attention of the local Sheriff Abel (Colin Hanks). Unbeknownst to Hutch, Plummerville is a bootlegging route, bossed by Wyatt Martin (John Ortiz) but ultimately controlled by psychotic criminal mastermind Lendina (Sharon Stone). It seems implausible to all concerned that man with Mansell's skill set, would simply be there on holiday.
Rereading my review of the first "Nobody" film one of the things I said I liked was that it took place in a slightly more realistic world than "John Wick". I'm not sure that's ultimately true of this sequel. This feels broader and much more interested in comedy bits. This is perhaps better demonstrated in both the "Zombieland"-esque finale scenes and the performance of Sharon Stone. I understand that some people have liked it, but for me it was every cliché psychovillain boss we've seen over the last few decades.
I don't want to go too far with my criticism. It's not like the film is bad. The bus scene from the first film is replaced by one on board a small tourist boat. The cast are all solid enough, the visually effects are good, and the story is fine. It just feels like a diminishing returns sequel made solely because the original was successful and not because there was really anything else for the characters to say.
Sensing that there's distance growing between himself and his family, Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) takes them to Plummerville, an aging resort town that his father took him too on the one holiday they had. Circumstances bring him to the attention of the local Sheriff Abel (Colin Hanks). Unbeknownst to Hutch, Plummerville is a bootlegging route, bossed by Wyatt Martin (John Ortiz) but ultimately controlled by psychotic criminal mastermind Lendina (Sharon Stone). It seems implausible to all concerned that man with Mansell's skill set, would simply be there on holiday.
Rereading my review of the first "Nobody" film one of the things I said I liked was that it took place in a slightly more realistic world than "John Wick". I'm not sure that's ultimately true of this sequel. This feels broader and much more interested in comedy bits. This is perhaps better demonstrated in both the "Zombieland"-esque finale scenes and the performance of Sharon Stone. I understand that some people have liked it, but for me it was every cliché psychovillain boss we've seen over the last few decades.
I don't want to go too far with my criticism. It's not like the film is bad. The bus scene from the first film is replaced by one on board a small tourist boat. The cast are all solid enough, the visually effects are good, and the story is fine. It just feels like a diminishing returns sequel made solely because the original was successful and not because there was really anything else for the characters to say.
