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Reviews
Reign (2013)
Not very close to the facts, but fun
They show is basically a period soap opera which uses some historical names and events. They don't adhere to the ages of the characters at the times of the events and even bring in magic. But the show has a good sense of humor and is fun. I especially liked the Catherine de Medici character.
Behind Her Eyes (2021)
Sci-fi elements in the story
Sci-fi isn't listed as one of the genres, but it is an important part of the story. There were a couple of good twists and as some of the other reviews mentioned, it is pretty dark. Good and concise limited series.
I Care a Lot (2020)
Forget the weirdly bad reviews and watch the movie
I don't know if there is some movement somewhere on social media to try to keep people from watching this movie or what is going on. I noticed that the movie had a fairly high rating (6+), but a bunch of terrible reviews so I didn't know what to expect from it. Reviewers hated the negative depiction of feminists, lesbians, or the Russian mafia (?). Or they didn't like the example it gives of how to treat the elder population. Or they thought it was stupid, boring, illogical or far-fetched. The movie doesn't show a positive view of any character in it. But so what? It is a movie about mostly bad people. The movie was well-structured, well-acted, and came together in a very reasonable way. It was original and interesting throughout and a lot of fun. Forget all the one and two-star reviews and watch this movie.
The White Tiger (2021)
Well done with some good twists
The movie doesn't go where you think it is headed. If you don't mind a movie that might make a lot of people cringe, try it. Good writing and acting. One of the reviews of the book an Amazon describes it as "entertaining and disturbing." Probably a good summation of the movie.
Ripper Street (2012)
Only tangentially related to Jack the Ripper, but a good, COMPLETE series
Solid British historical crime drama. The show uses some historical persons and events, which adds some interest. It is well done, though often stretches credulity. Definitely worth watching if you like the crime and history genres. I am often irritated that series are canceled before they are able to come to a conclusion. This one went to a full conclusion and strangely went about half an hour past what seemed like a natural conclusion in the last episode. It seemed almost as if they got near the end of the series and didn't know what to do with the remaining time in the last episode, so mostly filled it with outtakes that they had previously planned not to include. But that is a minor criticism and is better than having a series killed off in the middle.
Colony (2016)
Another show canceled without a conclusion
The show took a long ride to get to the sci-fi elements. For the vast majority it could just as easily be a "Nazis in occupied Europe against the resistance" show as a sci-fi show. You really don't get to see much of the aliens throughout. The little you do see of them is interesting. Just as it starts to turn more sci-fi it ends. That is sad as it looked like it was going to be interesting. The show was done well enough but was killed off before what were likely to be the most interesting parts.
Stephanie (2017)
Good Sci-Fi/Horror
The movie is a hidden gem. It has a surprising reveal part of the way though and a surprising ending. Well done and it is not at all obvious in the direction it is going to go.
Dark Matter (2015)
Too much fighting and swordplay, but worth watching
The show relies too much on a lot action scenes, some of which go on too long. Has some good science fiction concepts though. Has some pretty good characters and relationships between then. The series was canceled at the end of the third season and doesn't end on any sort of a finale. If you don't mind that, it is good enough to watch.
The I-Land (2019)
Good Sci-fi concepts, poor writing
I enjoyed the show for one or two of the sci-fi ideas, but they were carried out very poorly. I am not giving away too much when I say that these people wake up on an island not knowing who they are or why they are there. That is a good premise. But the show immediately runs into problems when they are not all that concerned about WHO THEY ARE or WHY THEY ARE THERE. Other logical problems come up throughout the show. If you really like sci-fi you can try this one out, but don't expect it to be carried out particularly well.
The OA (2016)
Pretty good Sci-fi
I had read that because the series was canceled, it ended in a cliffhanger. Fear not. Although everything isn't exactly wrapped up at the end it comes to a satisfactory conclusion. If someone else wanted to pick up the series though, there would be plenty of places to take the story.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
The funniest court room movie since My Cousin Vinny
Not everything in the movie was true, but much of it was. Some of the shocking events really happened. Some funny things happened in real life that were left out of the movie. Definitely worth the time.
Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
More than just a documentary about someone killing cats
We didn't know anything about this movie when we started watching it and asked ourselves if we really wanted to see a movie about people looking for a guy who killed cats. It turns into more than that and is worth watching.
Imposters (2017)
A well done series that comes to a conclusion
The series was cancelled at the end of the second season. At the end of the last show they left it open for more, but the two seasons together do come to a full conclusion, telling a complete story. The first season is better than the second, but both are good. The show keeps a good tone throughout, which isn't always easy with a dark comedy. There are some funny moments, but I would count it closer to the drama end of dramedy.
Travelers (2016)
Well done. Philip K. Dick would have liked it a lot.
A very well done sci-fi series. Netflix took it over from their partner after the second season and brought it to a good conclusion in the third. It reminded me a lot of Philip K. Dick creations.
Fractured (2019)
Not just one of the many of this description
When I read the description I thought it sounded too much like several others I have seen. But takes a different track and it not just a rehash of the same idea. It is pretty dark and I enjoyed it.
Cold Pursuit (2019)
Not your standard issue "Liam kills everyone" movie
I wasn't looking forward to another rubber stamp Taken type movie. This wasn't that at all. I read another review saying it is what you would have if Taken had been done by the Cohen Brothers. I agree. It was all done straight-faced, but had lots of humor. I was very glad they put some thought and good writing into it. They turned what could have been a major yawnfest into a fun movie.
Ozark (2017)
The best show since Breaking Bad
Similar to Breaking Bad in that it has people in a situation outside their normal realm of experience and needing to learn new ways and to grow into their new existence. The characters are drawn very well and everything is done in an interesting way. Lots of turns. Looking forward to the third season.
Hereditary (2018)
A very unusual and inventive horror movie
There were a lot of things in this movie I had never seen previously. It took a lot of twists and turns and you usually couldn't guess where it was going. If you are easily shocked, this one will shock and disturb you. But if you are a fan of horror flicks, see it. Toni Collette should be up for an Oscar for Best Actress for this, but since this is horror, she probably doesn't stand a chance.
Night of Something Strange (2016)
Wild, funny and intentionally over the top
Saw the movie at the Phoenix Film Festival, where it won for Best Horror Movie. We were wary that it was going to be predictable and cover the same well-trod ground as many similar-sounding movies. Teens celebrating graduation, attacked by a monster out in the country. Dying one by one.
No reason to fear that. The director, who spoke at the end of the movie, along with a couple of the actors, said he wanted to make this one exactly as he wanted. He had made a couple of other movies in which the content had been constrained by others. He decided to take this one over the top and throw everything into it. He mentioned some other effects that they couldn't get right, so they didn't get in.
They weren't necessary. It turned out to be interesting and inventive enough without them.
Be warned, you may cringe a few times and it might make you a little queasy if you have those types of problems. But it is a lot of fun if you can stand it.