jares Reviews

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Another show about the (true?) European criminal system

[6/10 · 16 May 2024]

First of all, I usually grade my stars based on the proposed story, its development, consistency, final outcomes and potential future relevance. I rarely focus on actors, directors, editors and so on; even with poor resources, sensible and memorable deliveries can be achieved.

In this case, it is inevitable to compare this French film with (see my comments in each case) The Twelve series (De twaalf, 2019, Denmark) and The Verdict (Ihr Urteil, 2016, Germany). Because, if true, they make up a trilogy about the oddities of the European legal system, at least in these three countries.

The Verdict involves the development of an unnecessary trial with an absolutely procastinated ending, while The Twelve and Anatomy of a Fall describe trials based on mere presumption, without evidence other than a sum of extravagant hypotheses and the constant sowing of doubts 'just in case'.

In all three cases, the accused are subject to permanent scrutiny by multiple judges, prosecutors and lawyers; they cannot remain silent without creating doubts and, by answering, they also risk their credibility. In other words, instead of proper trials, they look more like statements during a preliminary investigation at the police station. It is not about the State proving without a doubt that the accused are guilty, but rather that they must convince everyone of their innocence, like walking barefoot over all the burning embers placed in their path.

A kind of process for the entertainment of both the King and the Church at the expense of quasi-defenseless citizens.

The Verdict is, in my opinion, the worst example, because the accused buries himself by saying major nonsense that no halfway competent defense lawyer could have allowed him to testify, while the ultimate and highest-ranking perpetrators are freed from any accusation.

The Twelve ends with an absurd guilty sentence, mitigated by showing us that it would actually be the right thing to do (but only if the prosecutors had done their job well). Its value, if it had been intended that way, consists in calling into question the benefits of trial by juries (humans with a relative level of sapiens).

Anatomy of a Fall has at least two virtues: 1) the accused is declared innocent, regardless of whether doubts may remain - although, remember, the trial never made sense -, and 2) a brave blind child clearly explains to judges, prosecutors, attorneys, audience and reporters (aka the Emperor, court and all kingdom) the banality of this kind of processes, which only seem to occur by virtue of their potential media interest based on gossips and intimacies that can thus be obtained as a by-product. If this constituted the climax of the plot, I could assert that the plot's message was to alert us about a reckless justice system; but the last ten minutes (where nothing happens) make it implausible. Somehow, it is similar to The Twelve, as if once again criticizes the competence of the prosecutors but without - and fortunately - confirming it.

For all that I give it one more star. But it is disappointing, again, and increasingly typical for an award-winning film. I hope films' juries being not appointed for criminal trials. Or movies production is the one in the fall.

The Power (2023)

Not sci-fi but slow and still erractic fantasy show.

[4/10 · 4 December 2023]

First, sci-fi implies actual tested or plausible theoretical science. A new dormant organ is born, but a rational clue about its source is still to be delivered. Anyway, you cannot transmit any power by just hugging other people.

The real outcome the series provides is the birth of a new species -probable as this is due to actual adn and genes interventions- which means homo and femina sapiens will be displaced very soon; a much hazardous and not violence free process. Plausible indeed, but implausible by just throwing thunderbolts.

Secondly, the hole idea -from its fantasy core conception- caught my interest, but the action is slow and its focus dispersed. It is uncertain if a God -a he, a she, or many- decided to empower women (and assimilated) after so many hundreds of suffering years, to erase men (as they proved to be a primary mistake of creation), or if the final goal is just to suggest that the latter should be under close scrutinity and surveillance, or else.

However, be aware that the female characters seem very contentious and ready to shoot at any disagreament -and taking no prisioners-, notwithstanding the fact that some of them were severely mistreated in the past (but not all of them, including an arrogant gangster, a treacherous first lady and usual disoriented politicians).

So, I'm not sure where all this is going towards. Maintaining the original premises of the plot, a consistent and pleasant closure does not seem easy. And, I am worried about Tunde's fate.

Collette is very good but I think that ultimately her talent has not been squeezed enough to deliver all of her full potential .

Anyway, I'll give another opportunity to this show if a second season is available, and will update my review if I change my opinion. Let's wait and see.

The Therapy (2023– )

Sometimes adaptations are just not good

[7/10 · 4 December 2023]

I understand that transferring a novel to a movie requires a certain level of adaptation. Some characters disappear to shorten its lenght, some locations change for opportunity or budget reasons, the traits of some characters change in favor of a better narrative or visual development, etc. The authors even deem it appropriate to introduce some changes to the original story to improve it, play with another kind of outcome, or even due to marketing or production suggestions. In general, I accept it whilst obviously maintaining a critical mind about the benefits or damages of such an adaptation.

In this case I honestly don't understand what happened at the end of the story. This is about a psychiatrist with a Münchhausen disorder who, after the (supposed) death of his daughter, becomes depressed, loses contact with reality and finally enters into a coma, which is taken as an advantage by another colleague to treat him through a risky therapy, aiming to discover what happened to the girl and why.

However... I felt something was wrong and I had to reread the book's ending. Yes!, the ultimate cause of all this drama rests in the wife, who hides the facts, practically kidnaps her daughter and thus generates the terrible downhill process that the father subsequently suffers. Definitely, she should be arrested and, indeed, that is what happens in the novel (where it is also reported that she took advantage of the situation by improperly claiming all of her spouse's assets).

But in the series, the only sanction lies on the (bad) father who must fully acknowledge his guilt without mediatizing the fact that he is/was still a treatable psychiatric patient that was intentionally driven to insanity.

Did anyone dislike the idea that Isabell ended up in jail? Fitzek decided it was ok? Well, in my opinion, this is a relevant flaw.

The rest is ok, If you like this kind of drama, I recommend it. However, it is a bit too slow, and you may be a little confused with the time sequence between scenes. But, that's the author's style and goal.

Stranger (2017–2020)

Good plots, real situations

[8/10 · 4 December 2023]

South Korean Kdramas definitely got me hooked and so far, I have really enjoyed most of those I've watched. It is true that I have only focused mainly on crime and legal stories (Kcrimes?), plus a couple of comedies. What I appreciate most is their fresh approach, dedicated development of complex characters, and sharing of cultural and social differences that increase our understanding and affection for the world around us. And, actors usually are competent in fulfilling their job. Their most significant con is the average duration of 16 hours episodes to solve a single case, covered partially many times with an exaggerated number of twists, flashbacks and -sometimes- a touch into fantastic genre. But, with some exceptions which make you loose time and confidence, you find many still worthy, whenever those 'tricks' do not affect characters development, coherence and credibility.

Strangers (bimilui soop, Secret Forest) is no exception. It takes place in a legal environment where -almost a stereotype common to other series- corruption is important, focusing on existing conflicts in the criminal justice system. Police, prosecutors and judges (its three pillars), plus politicians, are in a permanent fray; not so much because of the cases they deal with but because of the aspirations for power of each other. In particular, the second season delves into the competition between Police's and Prosecutor's HQ to obtain the greatest share of power in the investigations, influencing their attributions to deepen into or merely archive the cases. Politicians and public opinion also compete in the background through media and social networks.

It should be noted that, although in each episode there is a warning that facts are not linked to real situations, this debate has already been in force for a decade in South Korean society. And, most relevant in my opinion is, that it only not provides an uncomfortable view of the prevailing level of honesty, but courageously warns us about an issue of global scope. At least in democratic societies, at criminal courts with accusatory-type procedures, where most of the time the judges (the Judiciary) intervenes as a simple ratifier of an agreement between parties or just do not act - as cases are filed by prosecutors without further proceedings -. Briefly, where justice without judges is too much common. South Korea probably won't resolve the issue soon, but it's good to recognize it is not theirs only. However, please be indulgent, as situations within such widespread corrupted environments make the chances for a tiny amount of 'heroes' to attain the desired justice -even survive in the process- doubtful.

As a perk, and to avoid the required words minimum requirement, I also recommend The good detective (bomeomhyungsa, Kinda Bad Guy ), Inspector Koo (gugyeong-i, The 'wonderful' Sight, "manga-metaintei" styled), Witch's Court (manyeoui beobjeong), Juvenile Justice (sonyeonsim pan) and, of course, the only 10 episodes of Extraordinary Attorney Woo (isanghan byeonhosa u yeong-u - warning: it's not a Kcrime). On the other hand, I do not recommend Awaken (najgwa bam, Day and Night), as plot consistency is lost after episode 9, holes pile up, characters' personality becomes blurred and the entire story is lengthened with many unnecessary and non credible twists. Or Behind your Touch (hiphipha ge, Hallo Hip), a far-fetched fantasy proposal where all coherence is lost after the writers decided to resolve sooner -and forget after everything about- the main corruption scandal, left unexplained the complicity silence of the main person of interest and, probably, changed their mind about who was the real -and unplausible- murderer when the series was arriving to its end. Finally, avoid Vagabond (baegabondeu), an unfinished story with a disorder of kinda plot's genre schizophrenia that goes nowhere.

PS: I don't know if some subtitles are translated directly from Korean or through English. I don't have a problem with it, but I prefer a reliable phonetic translation of proper names from languages that use a non-Romance script. In Spanish and other similar languages, Koo or Woo should simply be replaced by Ku and U, Lee by Li (or, better, just a highcaped i), etc. It is uncomfortable having to handle three languages simultaneously, especially when one hears one thing and something different is shown on the screen. Fortunately, Stranger is not much affected by this annoyance.

Harlan Coben's Shelter (2023)

Strange Thing

[2/10 · 4 December 2023]

A WW organization tracks kidnapped kids who are to be sold, and try to save them. Tough guys; but they just send other kids to discover where the abducted teens are and are also expected to get their job done?! No police or justice involved for no clear reason, no direct action taken though jail is discovered; just secretive and puzzled intervention from a naive third party, risking victims and unwitting 'heroes'. At least ST is fantasy, but this is intended as something real. Annoying.

Agreeing with other reviewers: why the planet's shelter must be in a small NJ manor, why rescued boys and girls must avoid the justice system, forget all their previous life and go into a somehow 'witness protected' status, why they are always prone to be abducted again and again, why the tough guys wait until the very last moment to present themselves and save victims (not all of them, too late), why a enslaved girl may walk through tunnels, open outside doors, intrude into vans to help others, but never free herself and dissapear, etc.? Disturbing.

Worse, after eight episodes you get just a cliffhanger, with the very bad psycho guy at large, and an unresolved poor love melodrama involving supposedly grown people and lengthy uninteresting basketball games.

Well, that is my last trip with HC's novels; they become more and more unsatisfactory. I've watched three releases; this is the worst, but I do recall nothing from the previous two; so they slipped to much quickly out of my mind. Bad omen.

Good news: there will be no second season.

The Sheikh (2022– )

Enjoyable, but the last episode is weird

[6/10 · 16 August 2023]

As Fabian Riedner's review clarifies, you'll get seven episodes with fun plus an unfinished ending which may (or not) pretend to continue with the story on a second season. But, it would be difficult to maintain the core of the plot as any return of The Sheik himself is implausible. So, I degraded my 7 or 8 initial rating because stories with a no satisfactory final (whatever it be) disappoints me, a lot, as it feels as wasted time. My 6 stars mean I enjoyed it, but am not willing to watch it a second time. Good characters and acting.

Now, mine is the first review as nobody has contributed before. Why am I asked to write 600 characters? Short and precise should be better than long and boresome. Well, it's done.

Vagabond (2019)

I've been cheated, be aware.

[3/10 · 4 August 2023]

The action, the characters, the original plot, the special effects and editing, the inferred romance and more deserved a 9. At the beginning I thought I was watching the best Korean series.

Then I downgraded it to 8, because I dislike using a group of kids as victims of a cruel terrorist attack.

Then I downgraded it to 7 as, after episode 8, they gradually stretch the whole story to comply with the kdrama's 16 episodes pattern, by introducing long and unnecessary flashbacks plus not unexpected twists that drift into invincible Marvel-like heroes within a corruption network from all sides and levels that picture a country as a failed and irredeemable State where nobody is safe.

Script inconsistences and flaws grow up, and now it remains interesting just due to the chemistry of the main characters and the promise for a final reckoning.

But, hey, in the last episode the heroes become by magic into a cold killer and a vamp lobbyist, resolve nothing while pretending we have to suffer another 16 hours to, maybe, know how it ends. No way. Netflix should have never included this derailed and unfinished show, because it gives a wrong idea of what other very good kdramas deliver.

Worst of all, I should have paid more attention to the very first scene. My big mistake!

I'll keep my 3 stars; as a present to all the cast, who is not to blame.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Somehow amusing and entertaining passtime, but once is enough

[6/10 · 17 March 2023]

Luckily, IMDB tags the film as Action-Adventure-Comedy and not Sci-Fi. In any case, on my own scale, it could be placed as Fantasy-Science (Fan-Sci, close to plain Fantasy), and far from proper Sci-Fi (where the argument is based on existing knowledge or reasonable theories available at the time of its writing), or even Sci-Fan (where, no more than a couple of speculative practical touches as FTl are added as in -just- some Space Opera works).

In other words, Fan-Sci resembles kinda wishful science. With Fan-Sci and Pure Fantasy there are no other rules than the ones the writers want to set and which, normally, are totally discretionary and/or even non-existent, preventing us from trying to anticipate any subsequent logic chain of events. Magic, the supernatural or the hallucinogenic take control and, in the absence of minimal coherence, it can only be assessed in terms of its creativity, set design, special effects and/or the interest aroused in the viewers.

This particular film assumes the sapiens-centric position that there are multiple universes where we infinitely repeat ourselves and through which we can miraculously transit to interact, intervene and change things. Nothing serious by the way, but at least with an entertaining and fun development with nice visual effects where each situation is unexpected and much uncorrelated, as the script desires. So it is useless to add comments about the plot or any ulterior message or reflections it entails. Anyway, its originality earns it a couple of my stars.

It is a matter of personal taste and each one has the right to his own. For example, I have seen several times Lord of the Rings (pure Fantasy) and Ep 4-6 of Star Wars (Fan-Sci), but I consider that it will not happen with this movie (nor with the first and third Star Wars trilogy, etc.), despite the good average rating it has. It just will not drive me to spend another two hours in the near or distant future. Not for me, good for those who love it!

Now there is the Oscar award issue. Well, I've already commented about it in Parasite and I do not like to repeat myself. My already spoiled suggestion is: those who vote for the winning picture should also receive a prize consisting of locking them in a theater to see their chosen film at least three or five times in a row. If they like it so much, surely they will enjoy such a gift a lot.

White Noise (I) (2022)

Not a drama, comedy or horror, just noise

[3/10 · 11 February 2023]

I intend to respect high ratings and metascores; maybe there is something there I'm not able to grasp. But I am convinced that only very few people will watch this film twice. So, what's the point for wasting resources to produce such a lenghty and scrambled message, even if any exists at all? The nun sequence was the best part (just only two minutes and close to the end).

After reading some reviews, I'll make (not a promise) a try with the book, perhaps it's somehow valuable as mentioned.

Then, I must comply with the minimum of 600 characters which, in my opinion, this movie does not deserve. Done!

The Peripheral (2022)

I did not give up, but up to now it's a sort of enjoyable mess

[4/10 · 23 December 2022]

Physics declares that time is a dimension, so that past, present and future would be concomitant, that eventually one could move from one to the other, etc. But they have not yet specified how, and paradoxes abound. In any case, I was able to write this review to its very end without suddenly being listening to music, holding a rifle, or bathing in a pool, while those who read it could do it without drastically changing their activity in the meantime, or even not existing at all at the middle of its reading.

So we must preliminary conclude that: a) no one in the future has changed our past and present, which at least implies continuity; b) if in the future somebody has managed to travel to the past and changed it, then he-she-they created a new timeline and a multi-universe; c) in such a case the change may have satisfied some desired modification of events, but does not guarantee its own future, which would imply new interventions; d) but the original intervener remains in his original timeline because the person or persons cannot "jump", since the new line does not guarantee their own future existence.

Ergo, I'm sorry to say that everything I've seen so far on time travel I don't label it as scifi but pure fantasy, full of common incongruences and lousy outcomes, except for comedies - where science is no target -. Yeah, many will not agree with this statement.

To make matters worse, in this series, there are people who can 'communicate' with other temporal lines and even manage to kill their own entire family. And so on.

My rating is provisional, just in case there is a second season, but until now I only appreciate a very complicated, incoherent story with many questions to explain (which from my experience, I fear will be forgotten and replaced by new ones).

The design, action and setting is interesting, the pace is excessively slow (an usual and bad attribute nowadays). Wait and see.

Entrapped (2022– )

Maybe the final season of an uneven series

[5/10 · 12 October 2022]

Well, this season trapped us all in a recursive story with a weird ending. Really, I enjoyed much the landscapes and the general intrigue. But this time the actors do not deliver, seem tired, and the investigators make one mistake after another for no reason, while Andi's character is forced to doubt about his competence just because years ago pushed a suspect during an interrogation and was therefore transferred to a small town. It took him seven years to philosophize!, (even when is proved he was then in the right track).

Then he goes in jail for..., really somebody explain it to me. He says he is guilty... of what? A guy says 'kill me or I kill her', he does not respond, so the guy press the trigger against the woman, the pistol fails an Andi shot him dead before a second shot kills her. He was suspended and has no permit for the gun, yeah! So, what? Fine him. Should he have explained the police 'see, my gun was unauthorized, the cops in the rear made nothing, so we stood there waiting, until he killed the girl and shot us all; tell my mother that I loved her' (gasp).

And how such an old infringement, already severely penalized, can be connected to an actual life and death situation? Should we in Iceland just watch if somebody is going to be murdered no matter the resources available to avoid it?

I think the writers wanted Andi jailed, but missed the how big. And this is big for my rating also. Disappointing.

I'd like to add that I'm a bit tired with the cliché that crime stories, in addition to the crime itself, the criminals and the investigation, focus more and more on the shortcomings, sensitivity and ontological haunting problems of the investigators, plus the troubles they must overcome because of the misdemeanors and follies of some of their relatives. Okay, they are human and it is not bad that we appreciate them that way. But, when this becomes dominant, we must remember that we all - including writers, directors and actors - face problems, pains, doubts and anxieties; which does not justify our job outcomes turn constantly that erratic and unproffesional. If so, no one is safe (or maybe that's the subliminal message?).

Regression (I) (2015)

Watchable movie with confusing title

[6/10 · 10 October 2022]

If we accept all the development of the plot with the exchanges between reality, delusion and imagination, the film is acceptable although rather slow.

But, if so, the underlying theme seems more about suggestion and hysteria than about regression, which plays just laterally.

Anyway, it is worth watching, and the ending -despite it rests in a real story and some negative reviews- is also valuable and reasonable for me.

On the other hand, I don't think regression therapy - like Munchausen syndrome and other diagnoses - has been discredited. What is not accepted nowadays is the mere opinion of experts to be used as evidence; facts are required. If someone 'believes' doing something, or suffers from a pathology, that is not enough evidence to conclude that the person committed a specific crime; it is just information that may or may not shed light on the case. Many convictions which seemed to rely on these experts' depositions proved wrong. So, the final statement is not quite accurate, and gets one star out from my rating, as adding more hysteria is not advisable.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)

Spectacular!

[9/10 · 2 October 2022]

As everything is already said and readers confirmed it with overwhelming likes, I can't find further useful comments to add. This show is just superb and achieved one of the highest average ratings for 2022.

Of course, it is not higher because some people insist in contributing with bad reviews after watching one or two episodes. If in Netflix you are able to rate it as 'not for me'; please do not try to disqualify what you are not interested in. For this case in particular, it is easy to check that low reviews are taking a beating of dislikes. It seems WYW is the wrong place for light and hasty criticism.

Again, it is a spectacular gift for those who, tired of not finding something valuable, stumbled upon this amazing show. Thank you!

The Terminal List (2022– )

It's good entertainment

[8/10 · 24 July 2022]

First, I do not ask IMDB to reject comments from people who have watched one or two episodes (or just a few minutes of a series), but it would help us flagging them somehow. If it is not your kind of show, just move on to another one. I don't submit any opinion or rating when I give up early, because it would be of no use (and maybe offensive) for those who are interested in it and want to dig a little more. Of course, if you hate the actors, genre, type of plot, etc., why beginning to watch it in the first place, only to illustrate us about the reasons of your predictable disappointment?

Second, this is a story about a Seal who lost all his men at combat, as a result of a conspirative plot from their high commanding officers. Besides, they decide to murder him and his family to avoid any future scrutinity. So, he must opt between being killed or kill them first; or dissappear if feasible (but with no honour); or, maybe, trying to prove their guilt on trial (but, again, getting dead long before any veredict could be attained). A not so hard decision, but a quasi suicidal challenge. That's all, camera, action and watch!

And really, I was satisfied. Nothing spectacular, but a thriller pretty well done. It is not easy to find this sort of simple but effective stuff nowadays. Some flaws: discovering the culprits was too easy, checking facts was not a part of Reese's agenda, some ops were risky enough to harm bystanders -what did not happen just due to the writers' goodwill-, and the FBI quick findings seemed like kinda act of magic (conspirators should be wiser).

Marcella (2016–2021)

Crime and mystery should be a side labeling category

[2/10 · 16 July 2022]

First of all: being guided by IMDB ratings is not easy. The overall average includes a high number of votes from people who didn't add comments.

When the reviews are few, it is easy to detect that the reviewers' average presents differences -sometimes very relevant - with the general one. But, as usually, we have to deal with dozens of comments or even hundreds. And the commonl outcome is that its range extends between 1 and 10, that is to say: there is no reasonable consensus, but the highest degree of statistical deviation.

I have tried to analyze some way to suggest a better assessment (for example, weighting reviews based on the number of likes), but I gave up quickly.

My conclusion is that it is not feasible for reasons related to the genre classification criteria and the viewers' pre-existing expectations. A person who likes accurate Science Fiction may grant a much higher score, let's say, to Gravity, than another one who is more inclined towards Space Opera or plain Fantasy. And, consequently, the exact opposite may happen with GOT. Gusto and prospected satisfaction is dissimilar.

This issue affects all reviews, including Marcella, which I qualify as a sadistic-masochistic drama wrapped in a dubious plot of crime and mystery. Leaving aside the participation of people voting with prejudice - affinity or hate - towards actors, directors or producers, it is very difficult for those who like a crime, detective or mystery story - demanding for an intelligent, foolproof, and zero-hole plot which also provides an opportunity to exercise deductive and abductive thinking - to coincide with the opinions of those who enjoy an intimate, twisted and horrid drama with a fearsome -even disgusting- ending. And that relies on the expectations of those who sit down to watch the program and enjoy a police novel or to gloat over the misadventures of a tormented investigator. The former will find Marcella utterly absurd, and the latter will applaud the suffering they themselves have sought and -no doubt- experienced. In this case, the basic mistake is labeling and reporting Marcella as a crime and mystery story, when these seem just to supply the scenic and very secondary framework.

Obviously, Marcella is not for those of us who expected to explore one or several police cases; ultimately the disappointment is huge. It is inconceivable that a police force or one of its members would act in this way, nor should the multiple holes and twists in the plot be accepted. Marcella is something else, almost dystopian; so the frustration is tantamount.

The worst and weirdest thing is that exactly the same happens with Rebecca, a French copycat from the same creative writer. Both stories are implausible - if not labeled also as psico-thriller series - whilst just driving us to the same appalling kind of ending and guessing.

Nonetheless, even as dramatic plots, I found them a bit repulsive (2.5 points instead of 2). Do not watch them unless you are prepared to bear the pain of thy neighbor.

Clarification: I did not watch the third season.

Rebecca (2021– )

C'est toujours la même chose

[4/10 · 16 July 2022]

Rebecca and Marcella, what a duet! A reasonable good crimen story turns into a drama nobody cares, just because the women in charge of the investigations are both haunted by their own demons and end up living as bums under bridges or so. Then, the main plot remains full of holes and unanswered questions, as time is wasted on their dark tragic past, mistakes and absurd choices. We do not know if Rebecca died, apparently not. Anyway, I will skip a second season as I did with Marcella's third. I should have followed my instinct to avoid watching this (even if it deserves a slight better rating than Marcella). My mistake.

Pieces of Her (2022)

It could be interesting, but turns out unbelievable and ends nowhere

[3/10 · 15 June 2022]

I leave aside the important and unreasonable incompatibilities of physical appearance, mindset and behavior between the actors representing younger and older characters. Also the fact that the daughter (an incompetent grown-up policewoman), despite all her hugging and sobbing, does everything possible to hurt her mother until the last minute; and -of course - that the series ending goes nowhere.

But, what surprised me the most were the illogical situations during the last 50 minutes. It doesn't make much sense that: 1) You may accurately ram another car at over 60 miles per hour at a blind intersection with zero visibility, while pretending not to get hurt yourself and just cause a few scratches to your daughter in the targeted vehicle.

2) A 'critical evidence' is recorded on an old mini-cassette, there is no copy, the tape is still in good condition, and people go for a walk 30 year later with a suitable operating player.

3) You have been trying to catch and convict your partner for 30 years, have quasi-military training, no doubt that he is eager to murder you; so you just go to meet him with nothing but an absurd white country party attire?

4) Moreover, you are in permanent fear because your awful partner may kill you, your daughter and anybody else that helps you, plus he knows things that may harm you forever, and you've committed much more questionable actions in the past. However you resign to pull the trigger when he is threating you at barely 30 feet away, and then behave like a nervous girl asking about what happens with him in prison. Well, someday, probably he will kill you or worse.

5) Surprisingly, a video recording the swapping of purses emerges from out of the blue; neither the Norway police nor the FBI, CIA or any other agency has thoroughly analyzed it after 30 years; but now the clumsy girl deciphers its contents on the fly.

Conclusion: with the aforementioned 'critical evidence', you should have put your brother and partner behind bars long ago, assumed the company's leading position, and lived happily with your daughter ever after. Ergo: there would be no place for any subsequent story to tell.

Suspense and similar plots need for a believable and coherent script. When not, you just get loud laughs and/or shouts of fury coming from the disappointed audience. If the book is wrong, you must make changes; if the book is right, you must stick to it.

Sanctuary (I) (2019)

No second season, they deserved it

[4/10 · 15 April 2022]

You may develop a new story based in old repeated plots, but you can not expect to make it last forever. Six episodes would have been nice entertaining, eight was too much. Pretending a second season, that never happened, was pretentious.

Why short and good stuff is definitively difficult to deliver? In the end we, the audience, seem unimportant and nobody cares about our frustration.

Voyagers (2021)

Just a job opportunity for young actors

[3/10 · 9 February 2022]

Psycho leader is killed by good girl, his followers recognize she is stronger, so they choose her as the new boss. Primitive human race story in outer space, with secret ballots. Not sci-fi, because there is no 'sci' component.

Watch how sci-fi genre is definitely doomed. They just pile up any kind of plot within spaceships... and voilà!

Kommissarin Heller (2014–2021)

A good series to watch and enjoy

[8/10 · 8 February 2022]

...until the writers decided they were more important than the character they created. If you do not get the funding, actors or else, at least save what's left of the heroine. We enjoyed her character and performance, but I don't appreciate absurd 'ingenious' twists. Just watch the first 9 episodes, or you will probably regret it.

Kommissarin Heller: Panik (2021) Season 1, Episode 10

The director could not refrain his ego

[3/10 · 8 February 2022]

After knowing it was Wagner who decided to leave the series, I modified my comment. It was the director's brilliant mind proposing how to end the show, not the writers'. In fact, it just discouraged me from watching again the episodes of an (until then) very good series. It seems that this kind of ending (including afterlife messages) has become kinda fashionable, perhaps as retaliation to producers (or actors). Not magical at all. Dummes Ende!

PS: Anyway, you may come back Wagner; assume you were tired and just passed.out while dreaming all that final stuff.

The Verdict (2016 TV Movie)

It could have been more complex and interesting

[5/10 · 19 October 2021]

From my point of view, the film just sends an inconsistent pledge for keeping the military within the legal framework. As the latter is a human construction, the message's strength is unconvincing.

The outcome of a terrorist attack not only violates the current law, but all involved in its contention (including the Minister), who turned frozen and dumb - even the pilots intercepting the civilian plane -, as nobody thinks about the obvious basic measures to reduce damages. Only the prosecutor is smart enough to point it out, wants to punish the shooter, whilst doing nothing to press charges against the high ranks (mild message indeed).

Now, every homo/femina really sapiens knows that the law is a compromise to keep society within some limits its own culture considers as mutually desired to live within an agreed social and justice framework. This compromise is set by a majority of people in Congress, judges and lower and upper courts. Unanimity is rare, norms are fallible, not always strictly fair, changes as time goes by, and sometimes (in dictatorships) even turn out unbearable. It just maintains the community fabric within desired premises. Albeit we must recognize and honor its advances as one of the major achievements of humanity.

But also, every really sapiens knows that it is possible he or she may face an undesirable situation where their dignity, honor, beliefs or moral precepts collide with the rule of law. Then, they must prior decide if breaking it and, if so, they must acknowledge and accept the potential consequences. You trespass a red light and pay the fine, it is childish to argue that missed an important meeting or so.

From the very beginning the defendant is guilty before the law; you cannot change this fact, and there is no news putting him on trial. He broke the law and, that is the only issue of interest because apparently there is neither any valid common law precedent nor a minor damage excuse in Germany's law. Therefore, the trial is irrelevant as all is regulated in advance.

So, a not guilty judgement would be against the rule of law (not against a moral or any other philosophical principle). And, if you decide the defendant should be acquitted, maybe you should admit you were reasoning out of the legal box. That is the movie's best value offer, which basically justify my rating.

Nevertheless -and somewhat weird-, the plot has flaws. There is only one civilian witness (a passenger's griefing widow), and a disrespectful defense attorney who did not prepare his defendant properly, provoking an untenable and flimsy claim to involve all passengers in the airplane as co-responsible (extensible to buses, taxis, stadiums, theaters... and your own home). He is doomed but, no matter how smart he looks, did not realize that he would bear the costs.

A bit deeper and more credible plot is expected from von Schirach, while Klaussner and Gedeck have much more memorable performances. Kurz gesagt, anspruchslos.

Blood Red Sky (2021)

Tricky sunlight

[24 August 2021]

I am not a fan of vampires and related movies, but just gave a try to this one without rating it for the sake of the genre's enthusiasts. Just to add something I could not understand. The plane takes off at night, the sun rises well above the horizon (from East as usual I suppose; plane so going backwards) and turns to North causing the worst guy to die, then lands at dawn and explodes at night. Is there some sort of quantum physics or time travel explanation? Seltsam!

Gladiator (2000)

Disappointing blockbuster

[2/10 · 20 August 2021]

The main character in almost every scene of a never ending movie does not seem a good idea; resulting from a linear, exasperating and even boring plot. Changes real history at pleasure; what is misleading unless classified as fantasy genre, close to Conan (more entertaining) and so. A lot of prizes and good ratings really make me wonder if the industry and critics have collapsed like ancient Rome. Or may be I am too old to accept that this 'art' has mutated into a quite different thing.

The Good Place (2016–2020)

An outstanding comedy to enjoy metaphysics and moral ethics without lectures or books

[9/10 · 9 March 2021]

Do you not like philosophical debate or introspection when watching TV? Ok, you may let this series pass because it will probably seem boring and repetitive. However, if you enjoy deepening metaphysics and moral ethics behavior while -and after- facing a screen, this is a comedy not to be missed, at all.

Examine the following questions: Is there an afterlife? How it would be constructed? Should people (or, better, souls) be discriminated according to their behavior in life? How? What is good or bad behavior? How 'good' and 'bad' concepts are weighted according to the ethical and moral standards of each culture, time and place? Behavior should be measured by its objective result, its intended consequence or its primary or ulterior motivation? If souls go somewhere, what is it expected for and from them? What is their prospect for an eternal existence, be it in a sort of paradise or hell? What achievements, if any, would a soul accomplish in an eternal Eden? How would they dwell in eternal grace? On the other side, what is the prospect for souls in inferno? Why should they be punished forever, and how? Even more, what is the nature of entities applying tortures since the beginning of the universe? What achievements may they attain in the long run, and which are their prospects for improvement or growth, if any, again? Would they feel happy with their job, pointless, or else? Eventually, forever should be forever?

Imagine all these topics, and some others, deployed within a comedy series, and that is what The Good Place offers! It is a remarkable saga, smart and carefully crafted from its very beginning to its conclusion, a glorious finale with some souls reckoning their finals goals and some aspiring to new ones. And the acting is magistral, forgiving some overacted passages.

I do not rate it with a 10 for two reasons: 1) Some repetitions -not many- could be avoided, decreasing the total episodes in about 8 to 10%; 2) The situation with potential souls of children and adolescents is avoided; but I concede it is a must to maintain the comedy tone, as it will necessarily open topics which would turn the plot into drama and, in any case, that is something that has already been successfully produced (The Rapture, 1991).

I recommend this show as very valuable, as long as the viewer meets the conditions above appointed.