neiloconnor-98432 Reviews

1899 (2022)

It's just not very good

[5/10 · 17 December 2022]

I tried so hard to like this series. But shows are like people in that your first impression is usually the most accurate. My first impression to 1899 was that it seemed intriguing however paint drying on a wall moves at a faster pace. And that's how it stayed through the 8 episodes: the intrigue decreased while my boredom and disinterest increased all culminating in a climax of disappointment and confusion.

Give this to an editor not bound by a Netflix contract for 8 episodes, cut it down 3, maybe 4 episodes, and it would be much more enjoyable to watch.

Lastly, comparing 1899 to Dark was obviously nothing more than a clever and very effective marketing ploy. Well played Netflix, well played.

The Wheel of Time (2021– )

Great scenery. That's nice. Then what?

[4/10 · 20 November 2021]

Humorless, lacking charisma, cliche, dull characters, and totaly missing the human element that Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings had. I don't care about any of these people, but even worse, I don't believe them. It's not the acting so much as it is the writing and editing. Wheel of time is just spinning its wheels and leaning a bit too hard on beautiful people, scenery and some very good cinematography. But there's just too much portent, exposition and bad writing where engaging characters should be. It's watchable when you compare it to the rest of the drivel that's out now. But thats not saying much.

Midnight Mass (2021)

Flanagan has created the Horror-Drama category

[9/10 · 29 September 2021]

Beautiful writing, captivating dialogues and monologues, and really excellent acting and directing. Regardless of the many "slow and boring" reviews, this show is bound to win awards.

Okay, some of the dialogues went on a little too long, but it doesnt impact this show's greatness. And those looking for more horror, I feel for you . . . I didn't enjoy Bly manor because it was a love story not a ghost story. But theres much more spookiness here than Bly and much better acting.

If your a gore and guts kind of horror fan or you have a short attention span, then Midnight Mass is probably not for you. As for everyone else, watch it, its horror-drama at its finest and you won't be disappointed. A truly excellent effort by Flannagan here and a fine return to form after the disappointing Bly Manor.

The Seventh Day (I) (2021)

Not scary but plenty boring

[3/10 · 28 March 2021]

Full disclaimer: I was not able to watch the entire thing, I tried, very hard, but the suckiness of this movie prevailed in the end. Why is it so difficult to write good horror? I don't get it. One flop after another, after another, to which we can add The Seventh Day to the list. Just skip it, don't waste your $5.99.

Completely devoid of suspense, this movie seemed to be trying not to be scary. The writing was boring, the gore was bland, and the acting was uninspired. Guy Pearce was good, not great, and really just a waste of talent on this lackluster attempt at horror.

The Stand (2020–2021)

Never read the book, never saw the 1994 series, & I enjoyed this

[6/10 · 26 December 2020]

Maybe I'm the target audience for this current adaptation of The Stand. I didn't read the book and didn't see the 1994 mini series so I watched it with no preconceived biases. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it based on the awful reviews. Yeah, none of the actors are going to win an emmy and it seemed to bounce around a bit so there were times I was confused but I just kept watching and everything fell into place eventually. The storyline was good, not great, so I'm guessing the book was better, as many have pointed out. All in all, I'm glad I ignored the 1 star reviews and watched it. Maybe now I'll read the book and compare.

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

A Haunted, boring, pointless love story

[6/10 · 10 October 2020]

What a let-down. How did Bly Manor fail so spectacularly when its predecessor Hill House was a masterpiece? For one, ITS NOT SCARY. I don't care if its a love story I didn't come here for a love story and even if I did, at leadt make it a scary one! So much for director Flannagan having a gold touch. I never tried so hard to like a show but the grim truth is that Bly Manor is unbearable to watch. What happened?? Hill House was a masterpiece, but this is absolute horse poop. Just a painfully boring story that could not be saved by the writers; awful Ameri-Brit accents; overacting; confusing timelines that are impossible to follow; and sooooooo slow. I'll admit, I succumbed to the fast forward button by the 4th ep, I just couldn't bare it anymore.

I can't remember ever being this disappointed after waiting so long for a series. Hopefully this us just a sophmore curse and Flannagan learns from his many mistakes he made here. He's one for one now. It would be a shame if all that potential Hill house built up for future horror anthologies turns out to be one and done.

Project Power (2020)

Another mediocre effort from Netflix

[5/10 · 18 August 2020]

One thing is for sure, Netflix is consistent. Its impressive that they can churn out dozens of average, mediocre movies without once ever rising to the level of greatness, or even very good territory. You would think that just by accident they'd release a great movie sooner or later. Nope. And It can't be easy being so consistently meh. With Project Power, their mediocre movie streak remains fully intact.

I have to wonder, why would an actor of Jamie Foxx's caliber risk putting out a Netflix clunker and tarnishing his image? They must be paying him well. As for the other "actors", not so much. And They're clearly scouring film school campuses for student directors willing to work on the cheap.

Maybe someday we'll get something great from Netflix. But for now, I remain in awe of their ability to consistently dominate the mediocre movie category.

Hanna (2019–2021)

Season 2: boring teen drama

[3/10 · 9 July 2020]

The bad: Weak script, weak acting, and painfully slow pace. None of these teen actors are even remotely believeable except for Hanna (Esme Creed-Miles), and she alone cannot overcome all the flaws of season 2. The required suspension of disbelief to get through season 2 is completely unreasonable. So many scenes with no substance, weak dialogue and acting so mediocre its cringe-worthy. There's also very little chemistry between the "actors".

The Good: scenery and cinematography are great, with some truly spectacular shots of the Romanian wilderness and English countryside. Esme Creed-Miles as Hanna is a delight to watch, despite weak writing and being surrounded by other actors that should maybe choose another profession. I wanted so bad to enjoy this series as an international thriller with elements of espionage, the beauty of the natural wilderness, and survival. Alas, season 2 is mostly just another run of the mill teen drama. And in retrospect, I guess that's all Hanna ever really was supposed to be. What a shame.

Locke & Key (2020–2022)

Not as dark as the comic

[6/10 · 31 May 2020]

The writing and directing were clearly going for a Harry Potter vibe rather than say, a Hill house vibe. It seems like all of the darkness and dramatic supernatural content was either written out or dumbed down for family viewing. The characters are dumb to the point of being unrealistic (think later seasons Walking Dead). But this is a writing problem, not an acting issue; the acting was good enough, no complaints there. I just wish the plot had a little more bite to it, show some fangs, you scare away your target audience. Maybe in season 2, but I have doubts (unless they hire all new writers). 6.5/10

The Pale Horse (2020)

No idea what I just watched

[3/10 · 15 March 2020]

I just finished watching both episodes and if you put a hundred dollar bill in front of me to tell you what its about I would be out a hundred. I don't know Agatha Christie, I watched because I'm a fan of Rufus Sewell, and his acting was solid as always. Actually, he should get an emmy for acting passionately about nothing for two hours and making it seem at least a little interesting.

War of the Worlds (2019– )

Glacial pace but intriguing

[6/10 · 4 March 2020]

It has a bit of a Walking Dead feel to it but more like the later seasons than the epic first 2 or 3. Character development moves along at a glacial pace and, just like latter-day WD, the characters can get really annoying really fast. In fact, they're pretty much all irritating to some degree. Everybody bickering, complaining, whining, making poor decisions, and being just generally miserable toward one another.

What is it about the appocalypse that seems to make everybody so unlikable? Anyway, what it lacks in entertainment value is made up for with an intriguing storyline. So if you ever wondered what War of the Worlds combined with the Walking dead and as told with the glacial pace of a soap opera, give it a try. You just might like it.

Hunters (2020–2023)

Its not bad

[6/10 · 22 February 2020]

Its not great either. But its not bad.

As other 1 star reviews have pointed out, Its a bit campy comic-booky and a little too silly for its own good in parts. But the acting is very good, especially Pacino, and has a clear storyline, which is becoming rare these days. Its worth a shot. Let's be honest, what the hell else you watching on Prime or Netflix that's any better?

Black Spot (2017–2019)

Meandering but a satisfying binge

[6/10 · 18 December 2019]

After S1: E5 ended, I looked up the title again because I had actually forgotten what this series is supposed to be about. This is not a good thing. Maybe I'm just not used to the slow, meandering storlines of French film and my attention span is struggling to adjust. Also, and its been pointed out in other reviews, but the detective work is hilarious. The ridiculous decisions they make during the investigation make the detectives almost seem suicidal. Its just comical at times. That said, once I re-focused and settled back into it, the remaining four episodes were quite enjoyable. I wasn't expecting a good ending and I didn't get one. Hopefully season 2 tightens things up a bit.