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Reviews
Jeon, Ran (2024)
SORT OF OKAY
It was fine as a usual Korean Joseon action piece. The typical sword scenes with one guy battling and defeating 10-15 other sword wielding enemies; the "old friends now mortal enemies" nonsense; not much but just a series to lose your brain with. Of course the final fight scene turned into a Monty Python skit (Holy Grail) where the villain gets his arm hacked off but still manages to put up a great fight. Pretty comedic and the dumbest was when the villain was killed with his own sword with his hand still holding it. Really? Anyway, it was mediocre, special CGI was okay but nothing else was worth the episodes.
Longlegs (2024)
THREE STARS JUST FOR THE ATMOSPHERE
And even the dark scenes, greys and sepia became annoying after time. There were a few jump scares at the start but then it became a wandering mess. Nowhere is there any attempt at explanation. It's like the screenplay was written by a person who doesn't know how to phrase dialogue or want to give you some evidence so the viewer can see where occurrences and events lead.
Really...doesn't anyone have lights? For some ludicrous reason the exterior of the barn is lit up like Times Square, but inside nary a light fixture. Also, even the FBI offices are dim and dark, as if Federal employees don't need fluorescent lighting to do their work.
Gage does what Gage does in his career with the weird, fringy and off-beat characters. Mostly, he is an actor that draws your attention in certain roles, but with make-up that looks like heaped-on white cookie dough, it's not a great character. Plus, there is no explanation or hint as to why the character looks like that.
The dolls...WTF? Rehash of B-movie themes. The metal ball in the heads is somehow connected to a universal evil vibe? If the mother was killing these families, why even need the dolls? She had to kill people to protect her daughter? Why not simply kill off the Gage character instead?
It was as bad as "The Black Phone". Lots of hype, great advertising and interesting promotional art, but it was basically a payday for the actors and crew.
Preacher (2016)
AS I ALWAYS HAVE SAID...
It was a good payday for the cast and crew.
I agree with most that the 1st Season was decent: quirky characters, strange happenings. You needed to try and put the puzzle pieces together to see what was trying to be created.
It became - for me- a time-killer. I was hoping that there would be some explanation for all the things the characters did.
LOL! Free will or not, if God was the all-knowing and Creator of everything, wouldn't he know all the thing that were going to occur as he made them? Nope.
The episodes and the atmosphere in each one kept bouncing around as if it was being directed and written by fifth graders in their backyard.
It was definitely and slow ride down into nonsense after the 1st Season. Too many characters to keep track of, too many filler plotlines and over the top blood-gushing, insanity.
The writers just threw everything on the wall and 99% of it didn't stick.
The entire "Hell" scenario was ridiculous. LOL! Hitler? I guess Stalin and Pol Pot didn't make the grade? Eugene Arse-Face? His character was not even relevant. Maybe they put a lot into the make-up so they kept him on screen. The entire stupidity with Starr as he became this mass of ridiculous deformity. Initially, his lines were delivered with a touch of satire, then it was just one-liners.
Tulip was just a total annoyance: angry woman with a muscle-car.
Cassidy was good, but even his character fizzled out.
Jesse? Again, the character was good at the start but pooped the bed eventually.
One thing: they messed-up what was supposed to be/could have been a nostalgic, tear-jerking ending at the graves of Tulip and Jesse. It was bland and all we know is that Cassidy would see his two dear friends wherever the Cosmos took them.
As I write this, I began with the rating of "4". But, thinking about the entire series: I dropped it down to a "2".
Glad the cast and crew got paid.
Eric (2024)
YIKES WHAT???
For a short 6-episode series, I thought it would be well-written with good characters.
NOT!
These characters were all poorly written, if not dull. It was interesting for a few early episodes, but when the wheels started to come off the cart around the time they found a gated "cell" in the apartment of the building supervisor or whatever he was.
After that, so many ridiculous sub-plots were popping-up so a viewer couldn't really tell where the story was heading.
So, this nine-year old kid voluntarily follows a homeless guy who lives under the streets of NYC to get away from his parents?
There are so many over-the-top, nonsensical storylines that follow.
How is it that a kid who was living under the streets comes out looking clean as a whistle? Wasn't he washed down the sewer with the creepy drug-riddled woman? Lots of other crap made this a complete mess.
The last episode was like watching a feel-good, Lifetime movie. "Race you home"? Really?
Sunshine and lollipops.
It was a good payday for the cast and crew.
Antihero (2024)
Okay
It was a series that is predictable, you can see where the plot is going with little or no twists. The lead character does wear thin with the whole demeanor of those "all-knowing" smirks and smiles. The trench-coat has to go. It's okay a few times but the quirky novelty of it wears out. As my title states, it's okay since the episodes are under an hour and there is less fluff and filler than normal. The other cast members are there to what...make the lead lawyer look somehow above the fray and nonsense in the judicial system? I guess they are still in production as of this writing (June 7, 2024) since the ending shows a 6th episode. It's an easy show to watch.
Deo Eiteu Syo (2024)
Really...WTF???
This has to be one of the dumbest shows that Netflix has spent money on. We are to suspend belief and watch eight characters lose their minds, have egos broken or inflated and submit to a caste system where basically one psychotic woman, a physical, male toady and a wimpy female follower keep the crowd in check with a baseball bat, taser and rolls of duct tape.
The psycho-8th Floor woman, turns out to be a failed performer/singer/artist who initially does project that crazy-sadistic vibe, but that wears thin. The ex-athlete
turns out to be her idiot lackey and for whatever reason protects her. Blah...blah...blahh...
So, the "bad characters" are finally tied-up yet no one is angry enough to pound the hell out of them? No one is over-the-edge enough to render them 100% useless?
Amazing how the bully guy gets "castrated" yet is able to be up-an-around in following scenes.
I can't say anymore, but it did start off okay, but after four episodes it was redundant and leaves you shaking your head in what the writers were contracted for.
Resident Alien (2021)
TWO SEASONS WAS ENOUGH
Well, like many on here we pretty much gave Season 1 high marks. Season 2 definitely had less quality moments of dark humor and comedic nuance. It's the producers, directors and writers under contract that have to produce more shows and wring out every drop of pleasure that was evident.
The cast is quirky-good and they all have a "normal" look to themselves, meaning there isn't any "glamour", but as if you'd go to your local grocery store and they'd be shopping as well.
I was hoping that the series would resolve in the second season and have a traditional, somewhat feel-good ending, but it definitely felt like the train was coming off the tracks.
If they have a third season, which they probably will, I hope they keep the episodes to about eight and stop with the extraneous clutter.
Evil (2019)
TEDIOUS AND LACKUSTER
IngWell. It looked like an interesting series but for me, after four episodes, it was mostly blahhhh.
Katja Herbers' character comes across as a high school girl, with a subtle, yet constant smile on her face even in the most dire of moments; I always got the feeling she'd burst out laughing, not at all what you'd expect out of a seasoned, clinical psychologist. Even at home she acts like a teenager at a slumber party.
Mike Colter was passable, but even his character was prone to stupidity. Then there is the attraction that comes across between the two leads, which we see in fantasy segments.
Aasif Mandvi was a likeable character and it would have been much better as his character was a tech-sidekick paired with Colter as well as another actress with more of a serious affect in the role.
Michael Emerson was an excellent, creepy addition, but that too wears thin.
The four daughters...well, that was in step with the slumber-party household and Christine Lahti as the exy mother with a mid-life, party-girl personality. Don't think I'd want her babysitting my kids.
Leather pants and silver buckles...really?
I gave it up mid-way in the fourth show. Like I always say...at theast the cast and crew got paychecks.
Naui Nara (2019)
Fast Forward
This could have been made into 10 episodes or even a 2 hour movie, but I guess they were contracted for 16 episodes.
1. I thought it started off good but then I had to fast forward through all of the swordfights and battles. Why is it in nearly every Korean film or series one guy is capable of knocking off large groups of the opponents. Seems like if the twenty or so just rushed the "hero" he would be done.
2. How many times are these people run through with swords or shot by arrows and never die? You'd think they had impressive medical technology for the1400s. Yet, people drop like flies in the sword battles.
3. They seem to like to wear blood on their faces all the time, right?
4. They are always allowing the "evil" characters so many free passes. If they killed-off their adversaries when they had to, I guess there would be very little intrigue in the storyline.
5. Love story? Even had to fast forward through much of the tedious dialogue and wistful looks. Are all the tears CGI?
Well, like I said it was okay, but it would have had a better interest level if it were shortened. But, as I've always said...the cast and crew get their paychecks.
Smoking (2018)
OKAY...
Japanese gang/political/cultural/crime bloodletting...it was okay and the dark comedy wasn't over the top...the actors were all above average.
One plenty of holes and weird stuff: Goro has not use of his arm in the final steel cage match, but then BINGO! He starts using it.
When all the "Cleaner" guards draw their guns in the office...why are they all in a circle!
The pacing was fine, you knew what to expect and the best thing was that the episodes were 23-minutes or so.
The one thing that did upset the crap out of me was the entire "romance" with Goro and Minami. It was going so well and then THEY KILL HER OFF!!! The writers couldn't have kept her in the series???
The Pentaverate (2022)
LIVE FROM THE TOILET
It was okay in the first episode or two, with the absurd and sight gags and jokes that only a cretin would enjoy...
Yes, it had funny, gross jokes at the start but then all that definitely wore out the welcome.
I give the make-up and Meyers kudos for the characters he played. I'm sure the effort was hearty, but the rest of the episodes I watched because at least they were under 30-minutes long.
Overall, it was like watching a tire rolling down the hill...you hope it falls over but it just kept rolling, rolling with no direction.
Dull, but the cast and crew got paid and that's the bottom line.
Forst (2024)
Two stars for snow...
That about it: giving two stars for the snow-bound landscape.
The point to this series was pretty much a jumble of scenes that had zero in the way of connectivity. The characters were annoying, unlikable and you know the writers and storyline is crap when they kept putting in obligatory sexual scenes. They made Forst like some type of lothario. Really, writers?
It was a jumble, a mish-mosh of a storyline that never connects anything to anything. I thought it would get better as it went on, but in all honesty, six episodes was way too long for this nonsense.
So, if you liked this, so be it.
For me it was just plain bad.
Gumihodyeon (2020)
BETTER THAN I THOUGHT
I found few problems with the series, maybe a few scenes dragged but at least the writers didn't screw-up the ending, which turned out to be a happy one, that I'm sure viewers appreciated.
Sure, some things were not explained, some characters just appeared and others disappeared. The main characters were good enough and I know I was hoping for all the "couples" to get together. Even when his brother was reincarnated, that was a nice touch.
The female lead did a nice job going from sweet and cute to evil facial glares. I'd guess that the cast had a good time filming it. Overall, I liked the show and with that final episode: Yeon still has his powers and the character in the mask...probably means another season?
Miseuti (2018)
IT DRAGGED
Sixteen episodes but it could have been whittled down to ten. Lots of meaningless scenes where the characters are being so reflective, with internal angst. Granted there are scenes that invoke a sense of drama, even melodrama, but these characters are just so morbidly mopey it's just blah moments.
The husband, the golfer and the first boyfriend are so insipidly weak and infatuated with such a cold and vindictive woman that it is well beyond belief, as well as each male being incredibly stupid.
The ending - last few episodes - were so jumbled. I guess the writers wanted to keep viewers guessing and it became an overstuffed bag of murder suspects.
My ending would have been similar to "Primal Fear". The lead anchorwoman is so conniving, so cold and heartless that she actually killed the golfer, but it worked out that she gets cleared of murder while someone else (one of the idiot guys) gets the jail time.
Strong Girl Nam-soon (2023)
ACTORS PAY DAY
It was a very tedious bunch of episodes and could have been done in 8 or ten shows. The female lead is ridiculous and her bouncy, pixie-ish style was literally becoming clownish.
The ending? What ending?
Blahhh...it was a case where I didn't...couldn't care about any of the characters. There should have been a "Pavel" that made an appearance; perhaps there could have been a character twist where this character surprises the viewers...NOPE.
The entire concept was dumb from the beginning and I kept watching to see if the writers would get better...NOPE.
At least the cast and crew got their paychecks.
Ma-i On-li Leo-beu-song (2017)
CUTE
The characters were okay but the ending was dull. They could have made OnDal appear in the present day as a reporter or talent agent, not just popping out of bright lights from a shaky time warp. The biggest fault was that each episode was only +/- 25 minutes and the opening of each episode was five minutes of rehashing the previous one. That's why they have fast-forward buttons! It was entertaining at times and sometimes it was too drawn-out and sappy. A number of things were never explained and like previously written, the ending was rushed. I've seen better, I've seen worse. Oh, well overall it was okay.
The Pope's Exorcist (2023)
YUCK!
Jeez, another muddling movie about the church, demons and possession. This was totally bad to the point of being laughable.
Always good to see the pre-adolescent boy become this monster of the underworld, but he can't seem to get out of bed.
The mother and are tossed into walls, mirrors and shelving but they somehow manage to escape any bodily injury, same for the younger priest who right from the get-go was flipped across a room and crashed into a glass armoire/cabinet in a hallway.
And how about the lights? No one brought any sufficient lighting?
No LED bulbs? Everything has a dark orange tint.
No one eats? No one goes to the bathroom? I can understand the "evil one" not having to do such routine things, but the other humans..."got no time for that!"
Anyway, this was a pay day for the cast and crew.
Amen.
Jigeum uri hakgyoneun (2022)
ENTERTAINING
One thing about Korean zombie films/series...it's a very fast pace. Like Train to Busan...that was a roller-coaster and you get out of breath just watching it LOL! Sort of...
This was loaded with zombies running around with the assorted blood-letting that is commonplace.
Actually, they could have made it eight episodes since a lot of the scenes - like the high school romance stuff - was really out of place.
People are being bitten, eaten, torn apart, chased and beaten, but out of nowhere the writers toss in the teenage "I really like XXX" conversations. Like people in such a situation would be having chats about that. The last few episodes had so many scenes that dragged, so I did have to fast forward quite a lot, but it didn't have any effect on what I viewed. So I guess there will be a season #2 and hopefully they can pull it off in eight shows. But contracts are the name of the game so if NetFlix wants twelve shows...you know the cast and crew love to get paid.
I was an okay series.
Deurim (2023)
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BLAND
Lots of character actors are in this one, but for me, I really didn't care for or have any "rooting" interest for any of them as they were written.
It wasn't like a "Karate Kid" or similar story where they come back to win in unique ways, overcoming their obstacles and going on an improbable winning streak...
NOPE.
It was a subtle way of saying the wins are not important, the satisfaction of being competitive and "up against the odds" deal.
It jumped around a lot, lacked continuity and the acting was pretty much dull as if it was just mailed in, you could say.
Oh well, it was not painful to view, it just treaded water.
Kaidan (1964)
Well, okay...
I think foreign films especially from the early 1960s were a high quality. Watching this was came about by accident on VuDu.
I say that the first two stories kept my interest sort of like in the old TV show "One Step Beyond" style. They weren't "horror" but more thoughtful in that sense.
But, the third story about the blind servant and the ghosts of the sea battle, well, it was long, tedious and made to fast forward. As a note about the character: the story talks about his ability to tell a historical story in a song playing a biwa. Well, if that was considered any type of musical rendition it was horrible. At least when you enter music into a section, make sure you have a good singer and a more than adequate biwa player to convey the message. Granted, it's supposed to be fantastical, but that musical styling was a horror in it's own right.
The final story was dull as the water in the teacup. I couldn't watch it after five minutes.
Overall, two were good for me, two were bad.
Coming Home in the Dark (2021)
Only because...
The atmosphere was quirky, dark and sinister.
Right from the get-go the two sons get killed-off, which was a bit of a surprise.
It was a ridiculous scenario.
Where did these two guys appear from...
the wife kills herself by jumping into a river...
the front seat captive doesn't even try to grab the wheel and cause the SUV to smash into the police car before they pass it...
figures that the kid's car goes dead when they needed it most...
a tire wouldn't explode like that but actually just slow leak...
you never see Mandrake reload...
Tubs is a silent mess, but gets teary-eyed in the end...
Actors and crew at least were paid.
Backstreet Rookie (2020)
Well worth the episodes
It was fun, entertaining with characters you pretty much can get into. There was one part that sort of dragged and was poorly written with the female lead just leaving in the 15/16 episode. Other than that there were so many things going on within the series it was a nice way to bounce back and forth with all the characters. The ending was cute and the best thing about Korean movies and series is that the cast and crew seem to really enjoy the process and the camaraderie on set way more than any American films or series. It probably is always the case but for the appearances, they sure get into it.
Oats Studios (2017)
A MESS! ACTUALLY IT'S A MINUS TEN, NOT A 1-STAR!!
These shorts are the worst I've seen for new, supposedly cutting-edge films/animation whatever or however you want to describe it.
Ten shorts are total...and I mean poorly written, poorly acted and the sense of creativity in what they think are plot lines are not of this earth, but maybe that's what they are striving for.
Maybe if you are a disconnected, disenfranchised loner who lives in your parents basement with heavyheavyheavy metal "musick" pounding through your headphones, these ten globs of digital crap will joggle what little neurons you have floating within the Yoo-Hoo and cheesepuffs inside your brain.
Good luck.
Run Rabbit Run (2023)
YUCK!!
If you want to watch +90-minutes long film with a really lousy plot, get a bag of chips and sour cream and watch this.
Glad it's free on Netflix because I can't see anyone actually leaving their place of residence to drive to a theater and watch this.
The mother and daughter? If I was a neighbor, I'd call the local psych hospital and have them get two beds ready. It plays out that every other scene they exhibit borderline, psychotic behavior. One minute they are yelling, kicking slapping and ranting and the next scene, all is forgotten and we are shown loving, tender moments.
The mother is a psychological mess for causing the death of her sister and the daughter is soooooooo over the top entitled and just as insane, you want to smack them both into next week.
The plot is scattered, the dialogue is rambling and if all the characters were to be killed by a mad slasher it would be a saving grace.
Well, we don't want to kill the rabbit. It was the best acting in the entire mess.
Sanyanggaedeul (2023)
ACTION IS WHAT YOU GET
It was a bit over-the-top with the fight scenes. I ghet it that viewers are supposed to root for the good guys and suspend the situation reality, but two guys kicking butt of +30 guys... UGH!
That was my biggest fault. It always seems that instead of "bum rushing" the hero duo, the thugs wait and one-by-one get into the fight.
Really?
Anyway, that's the crazy fun of those scenes.
I've always said that Korean films have the best villains and this one has them, Tae Won-suk as the muscular henchman is a creepy one!
I actually fast-forwarded much of the last two episodes because it was dragging.
Overall, if you like insane action...get your seat ready.