sunraider's reviews

No cable but purchased the first episode to see what this was about. Well, still no one has ever been able to create a successor to "The Love Boat," which is Shakespeare compared to this dreck. The actors have zero chemistry and are unlikeable. Like so many modern shows, the pacing is on crack. We move from scene to scene so quickly, with no chance for characters to be properly developed or an actual plot to progress. And, sadly, the ship that should be a character in its own right looks fake and AI and there is nothing about this show that generates any interest in cruising or visiting any port of call referenced. I was willing to fork over $30 for a season pass to a light-hearted, fun show set on a cruise ship and featuring exotic locales but, I am one and done.

Confused as to why we aren't following the story of the little son, John, from 1883. Why are we being introduced to a new Dutton from Ireland? I don't care about any of the characters. Too many and none are distinct. The setting makes such a strong impact in Yellowstone but is forgettable here. Painfully dull with three competing narratives with no connection between the storylines. As others have noted, this is strongly reminiscent of Legends of the Fall, a movie which I never cared for. Two episodes in and I don't have any idea what the main storyline is or who we're supposed to care about. I'll stick to Tulsa King.

Update 2/19/23. God-awful. The depravity of most of the characters is beyond belief. When it's not violence porn it's boring. Is TS such a golden boy that nobody is speaking up and telling him this is terrible?

I discovered this show on Paramount+ as I cut the cord years ago as network TV just didn't offer me anything that I actually wanted to watch. I still can't believe this show is/was a network TV show. I have binged watch up to Season 5 and I sure hope this is renewed. Unlike some past fare such as "The Unit" and the short-lived "Over There" the focus of this show remains squarely on the team and we're not bogged down with "homefront" concerns unless the team members are experiencing them. I'm impressed with the story lines and exploration of real world issues such as PTSD, rivalries within special forces community, officer/enlisted divide, changes to the political landscape and even how to handle (or not handle) aging out and moving on. The operators here are portrayed as real people with strengths and weaknesses, and I appreciate that some missions are failures, and that the characters themselves, even if all are operators, can disagree about tactics. The cast is superb, the action looks realistic to my untrained eye, and the writing is top notch. Love how the episodes don't necessarily end with the bow tied neatly but leave you with questions and looking forward to the next episode.

The most over-hyped movie of the year. Now, I'm not a comic book fan, nor an MCU fan although I've enjoyed a few, especially "Spider-Man Homecoming," which I loved as I'm a sucker for those teenage, coming of age tales. The animation style was lovely in this movie but, the plot was humdrum and there was little character development and none of the witty repartee that is such a hallmark of the best animated films that appeal to both children and adults. This should have focused on Miles Morales getting a disillusioned Peter Parker to train him and get his mojo back. THe other iterations of Spider-Man were unnecessary. This was truly little more than a mediocre kids' animated movie. The small audience in my Friday morning theater was exclusively adult and there was little reaction from the audience throughout. Sitting in the Dolby theater, with the recliner in use, I actually thought about taking a snooze at least a couple of times during the movie.

Although there were elements within the movie that I enjoyed, particularly those concerning Rey/Ren/Luke, I disliked this movie. The problems for me had nothing to do with how a beloved character was treated or how the force was presented. This movie had basic filmmaking flaws: pacing, plot, structure, character development. I was bored for most of the film, even though I was watching characters that I love. It wasn't until the final act that the pacing picked up as the plot lines merged. I'm genuinely shocked that this was the film that Lucasfilm loved so much that they didn't demand re-shoots or edits and gave the director his own trilogy.

Make sure you bring a box of Kleenex to this one! You will shed heartfelt tears or spend an inordinate amount of energy trying to hold them off. But, while I truly enjoyed the movie, I don't think the movie was structured as well as it could have been. Basically, the first half of the film follows a young Indian boy lost in a strange city and then transitions to Australia 20 years later where the boy was raised by an adopted family. Instead, I would have preferred starting with Dev Patel (the lead character as an adult), seeing him struggle with his identity and gradually show us through multiple flashbacks his experiences as a lost child in India. His growing awakening and recollections about his past would have been a journey both character and audience were making together and would have given the film more heft. Still, this was an uplifting and, at times, bittersweet movie held together by charming leads.

I enjoyed this slice of life movie that showed us the rhythms and rhymes in an ordinary man's life. As long as the film follows Adam Driver's Paterson character, it's charming. It was interesting to see how his interactions with co-workers, bus patrons, and random people he meets at bars or in a park influence him and give him ideas for poetry. I loved how the poems came to life, with Paterson repeating lines and then building on them in a way that I would imagine a real author would create a poem.

But, I was less engaged with the film whenever Paterson went home to his wife, a stereotypical spicy and exotic immigrant with a sexy accent but no job and no real passions. She's a dilettante whose interests change on a whim. One minute she's a committed baker jazzed about cupcakes, at least until she moves on to professing a newfound love for country music and playing the guitar. Not sure if this was supposed to be some sort of fantasy for ordinary guys to make them think they, too, can get a hot chick by being a bus driver who's into poetry, but I didn't believe their relationship at all. I would have preferred seeing Paterson paired with a more believable wife or simply made him a bachelor making his way through life.

5 seems harsh, but on a scale of 1 to 10, it really does, or should, mean take it or leave it. This movie was bland and boring, and this is coming from someone who watches Collider Jedi Council and has read most of the new canon novels, including "Catalyst," the book that sets up this story. The characters in this movie are very forgettable save for Donnie Yen's blind monk or guardian of the whills character. He at least shows varied emotions. Everyone else is one-note. Story-wise, this movie is very choppy as we're dragged from one locale to the other. I wish they'd stayed on Jedda and perhaps used that planet as a base for recruiting old Force worshipers/believers and training them to be a fighting force a la "The Dirty Dozen" or "The Magnificent Seven." TFA had its problems, but at least the first act was great and most of the new characters were likable and memorable. There's fan service galore in this movie, but all that did was remind me of how rich and fulfilling the OT is. I honestly can't imagine anyone but a SW nerd liking this movie.

I finally rented this film because of the good reviews that it had gotten. Lots of praise for the chemistry between the leads and it being a throwback to the good ol' buddy cop/PI movies of past. Wow! What a disappointment. One of the worst movies I've seen in a long time. Painfully unfunny, the film's plot is barely discernible and the story is just plain boring. Russell Crowe is still an actor I love (extra pounds and all) and he's the best thing about this movie because he basically plays the straight man and isn't trying to be a clown like Gossling is. I didn't care about anybody in this film. And, I'm tired of Hollywood glamorizing sexually precocious youngsters. Here, the 13 year-old daughter or Gossling's character is made out to be more mature than her idiot father. He's anti-porn and wonders what's happening with young people but the daughter is cool and has frank discussions about sex with porn actresses. Awful movie.

Even though I've never heard of this story/novella, I enjoy Jane Austen's most famous novels and loved some of the film versions so I figured this would be worthwhile. Unfortunately, despite beautiful costumes and set decoration, this film was incredibly dull. None of the characters was particularly engaging and the endless snarky dialog delivered in a civilized manner became tiresome after a while. Small crowd in my theater with a group of women who laughed hysterically at every put-down delivered by the leading ladies but I was bored silly and, despite a meager run time, found myself checking my watch on too many occasions. There was not one character that was likable or anyone that I rooted for. I was happy when the film ended but also surprised as everything just sort of shut down. I wondered what the point of the entire film had been.

This was a solid drama elevated by superior acting from a top-notch cast but I left the theater somewhat underwhelmed. The movie lacked the sort of drama that makes you wonder how the story will end even when you know how the story will end. The main problem is that the Catholic Church just doesn't come across as a particularly forceful adversary. We're told that the Church is so powerful and has kept the abuse hidden for decades, but when a group of reporters actually goes digging they encounter some roadblocks but nothing that gives you the sense that the Church was something to be feared. While I didn't necessarily need Cardinal Law to dispatch some Opus Dei goons to discourage the reporters and the victims, the movie would have been more rewarding if they'd encountered much stronger resistance from the Church, public officials, and their own family and friends.

I've seen all the "Rocky" films and found them enjoyable but I would not call myself a big fan of the franchise. I wanted to see this film because of the high praise it was receiving. While I agree it's a good movie, I don't think it's a great movie. Sly Stallone is excellent as is Jordan in the title role. But, I didn't find the movie as memorable as I would have wanted and that's mostly because the motivations of the lead character, Adonis Johnson (Creed) aren't all that clear or believable.

At the onset we're introduced to a hardscrabble young Adonis, bastard son of late, great Apollo Creed, who's been in and out of foster homes but is whisked away by Apollo's wife to live a life of luxury. He's well-educated and has a white-collar job in the financial services industry. Why he decides to up and leave all that behind and pursue a life as a professional boxer is inexplicable. He says it's because he's been fighting his whole life but that assertion rings hollow when we see him pulling into the driveway of the huge gated estate that he shares with his "mom." When Adonis first meets up with Rocky Balboa, a scene that should be charged with emotion and nostalgia falls flat because Adonis already knows all the stories, having been told them by Apollo's wife. He knows more than Rocky does and the reveal that he's Apollo's son just isn't that dramatic. The romantic story line also falls a bit flat at Adonis is paired up with a clichéd character: hot and alluring singer. One of the aspects of "Rocky" that was so wonderful was the atypical romantic story line, where Rocky is paired with a mousy, decidedly unglamorous woman who slowly emerges from her shell. Rocky and Adrian's relationship felt real and the famous "Adrian!!!" cry packed an emotional wallop. Finally, the main event lacked emotional punch because I actually felt for the opponent, a working-class Briton who was facing the probability of a lengthy prison sentence and having to leave his young children behind.

The story would have been much more interesting and emotionally engaging if Adonis had been raised by his working-class mother and perhaps only learned who his real father was upon her deathbed. That would have been a believable impetus for Adonis to seek out Rocky Balboa, to learn about his father and connect with him through Rocky, and train to become a champion like him. The scene in the restaurant and in the various gyms would have worked so much better if Adonis was hearing and learning about his biological father for the first time. And , I would have been more emotionally vested in the outcome of the main event if I'd truly seen Adonis overcome major hurdles. But, despite the flaws in the story, this was a well-made and well-acted film and I did enjoy it for what it was.

To start off I'll say that I have not seen "Identity Thief" or "Tammy," which were Melissa McCarthy's two previous films that I gather did not do so well at the box office. I did see "Bridesmaids" on a transatlantic flight and recall laughing so hard at times that other passengers turned to look at me. That said, "Bridesmaids" was a bit too raunchy for my taste and was missing that certain something that made me really care about the characters. I did see "The Heat" and found it serviceable and fun for the moment but, once again, lacking that certain something to make a film truly enjoyable.

McCarthy's new film has that missing something. It's funny, poignant at times, and full of action. I cared about McCarthy's "Susan Cooper" character and wanted to see her complete her mission. The potty mouth comes out, but it comes out in service of the character and the plot as the story unfolds, not just as a cheap device to get some chuckles. In previous movies, McCarthy's characters seems to be rude, cantankerous and foul-mouthed to the core, but here I always felt "Susan Cooper" was in firm control of her emotions and brought out that side only when it was needed. McCarthy is also aided by a superb supporting cast, particularly Jason Statham as her hilariously over the top rival.

This may be a spoof of spy movies, but it can also be viewed simply as a spy movie that happens to have a female lead. Many of the same plot devices are used. But, as with any movie, what matters are the characters and whether or not we care about what happens to them. This movie basically ends with the lead and two other supporting characters walking off into the sunset. I wanted those three to return for a sequel because they were that funny and that good.

Although I was a teen in the '80s, I somehow missed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles craze. Maybe it was because I was a girl but, for whatever reason, I had little knowledge of this franchise. Having seen this film I can see why the Turtles were popular back in their hey day. The turtles are the only thing good about this film. They're adorable and it's fun to watch their camaraderie, brotherly infighting, and goofy antics. But there's not enough of them on screen. The movie's main character is April O'Neil, the reporter, and not the turtles. As others have said, there wasn't enough downtime in this movie where we get to enjoy the brothers being silly teenagers.

Out of curiosity I picked up the 1990 movie at a local B&N afterwards; it was in the bargain section for $4.99. Have to admit that I enjoyed that movie more because the turtles were the main characters and acted more like real teenagers instead of massive hulking indestructible superheroes. In the current film, the sheer size and strength of the turtles made them seem more like adults. I kept waiting for the Megan Fox character to say something motherly or sisterly like "Gosh, you're just kids!" and be protective of them. But, considering that they had superhero size and strength that wouldn't really have made much sense. It's a shame this new movie didn't build upon the best elements of original, which would be the enduring filial bond between the turtles, their relationship with their father-figure, Splinter, and the introduction of a human sister/mother figure, April, who could watch over them in a different way.

I was in the mood for a fun movie with a little humor and action and that's exactly what I got. I checked out the "professional reviews" on mrqe.com before heading out to the theater and most were very negative. This movie was supposedly trite and cliché ridden and the two stars had only "passable chemistry." But, there was one 3/4 stars review coming out of Milwaukee that sold me and proved to be right on point. Sure, the movie had every cliché in the cop buddy action movie genre. But, the two leads had great chemistry, there were some genuinely funny moments and, most importantly, I cared about the characters. Both were good, decent people. I'm glad the film was PG-13 and devoid of the really filthy language and excessive violence that pervades so many R-rated films. I saw a Sunday morning 10:40 am show that was about 3/4 full. The entire theater laughed and seemed to be having a good time, just like me.

Although I chuckled at some of its cheap sexual jokes and innuendo, this film bothered me quite a bit because of its ready acceptance and even celebration of infidelity and home wreaking. Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin are a divorced couple who engage in an affair after a drunken night of revelry rekindles old feelings. It's an "affair" because Baldwin is married to a hot young trophy wife, has a 5-year old stepson, and is visiting the fertility clinic every other day so that he and his wife can have a baby together.

Although it's Baldwin's character who first encourages continuing the relationship after the drunken orgy, Streep readily gives in, egged on by Rita Wilson and other assorted gal pals who think it's great and even her shrink, who marvels at Streep's new-found openness. At no time in this movie is there any thought about the harm being done to the wife and the innocent child, both of whom are portrayed as rather unlikable characters (the woman is a bitch and the boy is annoying) so as to make the affair more palatable. In addition to the illicit sex and Baldwin abandoning his family, we have Streep and Steve Martin smokin' the weed and getting high.

There's chemistry between Streep and third-billed Baldwin. If the film had had Baldwin being a swingin' bachelor regretting his divorce and attempting to rekindle a romance with his ex-wife, then it might have been worth something. As it is, it's Hollyweird values on display and very shallow.