rpotter-07020 Reviews

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023)

I read this book at 10 in 1973. Excellent adaptation of the book.

[9/10 · 10 July 2023]

I am not a huge Judy Bloom fan but in 1973 every 10 year old girl read this book. I liked it but I must say that the movie is even better than the book. I like the way the movie explored what mom (Rachel McAdams) and grandma (Kathy Bates) were going through with this move. I don't remember that in the book but it could be that 10-year old me didn't care about what mom and grandma were going through. McAdams and Bates were superb in their parts and the young girl playing Margaret was excellent. I watched this on an airplane and I cried several times. The people sitting around me must have thought I was a little nuts, lol.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Gang Turns Black (2017) Season 12, Episode 1

Very good episode for the first in a season

[9/10 · 30 January 2023]

I am very late to the IASIP game. I just started watching in 2022 and I have been watching a few episodes a week for about a year. I have noticed that the first episode of any season tends to be a bit of a disappointment but this episode was definitely an exception to that rule. Maybe this episode being their first in the Trump era had more energy because of the political situation. I remember watching the very first season just last year and loving all the social commentary presented through the lens of these selfish idiots. This episode harkens back to that. But it also adds the musical numbers that have they do so well. The Nightman Cometh is easily one of my favorite shows and ever since I have loved anytime they add an original song. Combining their musical talents with the blunt social commentary that made the 1st season so compelling is really a winning combination. I am starting to think that the Obama years drained them a bit of their creative juices. Now I am excited to see the remaining episodes.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Almost so bad it's good

[4/10 · 14 August 2022]

During the first half of the movie I was having fun with the over the top characters and the clunky dialogue. It seemed to be setting up a potentially excellent "so bad it's good" movie. Unfortunately it just kind of petered out and got boring.

Made for Love (2021–2022)

Enjoyed Season 1 but Season 2 is even better

[9/10 · 2 June 2022]

I thought season 1 was entertaining but a little uneven. Season 2 was a home run beginning to end. So I would give Season 1 a 7.5 and season 2 a 10. Overall about a 9.

Julia: Breads (2022) Season 1, Episode 6

I am fascinated by almost every character but all together it is just ehh.

[6/10 · 25 April 2022]

The acting is superb and I can't stop looking at the costumes and sets but why should I care about a story that is obviously false. Or at least I don't know what is false and what is true. To start off, there was no black female producer at Boston public television in the 1960's. I wish this had been true but I googled and it was not. This leads to a made up storyline about "what it was like to be a black female producer". A storyline that barely even acknowledges that Alice is black and certainly doesn't show Alice facing any racism at PBS, only garden variety misogyny. Then we get the added layer of portraying Julia Child as a supporter of black female advancement. Maybe that was true but probably not. Which leads me to wonder what else is a lie. Did the editor who was credited with getting Ann Frank's diary published in the United States really have to fight so hard to sell her publisher on the cookbook of a chef whose show was spreading across PBS like wildfire? Maybe she did but who knows? Did Judith really spend a week baking bread with Julia's husband? If not why add such a silly and unnecessary story. (And the My Fair Lady tie in was way over the top for even this lover of that musical.) All in all there is nothing really objectionable but not much enticing me to tune in either. My husband is really enjoying this show so I find myself tuning in despite my lack of interest.

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

Keanu Reeves is by far the best thing in this movie

[6/10 · 13 April 2022]

I watched this movie over a year ago and I have a very vague memory of the plot and the characters except for Keanu Reeves. I am probably one of the few people in the world who had not seen any Keanu Reeves movies before this one and his performance in this movie made me a huge fan. He was by far the best thing in this movie. The movie is only ok but I would still recommend watching it just to see Keanu Reeves performance.

Reacher (2022– )

7 and a half

[7/10 · 16 February 2022]

This show is exactly like the books. Nothing quite makes sense and the dialogue somewhere between cringeworthy and laugh out loud. I heard the author interviewed and he said that he starts writing on September 1, without an outline, without any research, just types away. If you have ever read these books you will know that sounds about right. As for the show, the guy playing Reacher is perfect (the anti Tom Cruise). Just sit back, relax and suspend disbelief and you will have a good time watching this.

Invasion (2021–2024)

This is oddly intriguing

[9/10 · 20 January 2022]

I can tell by the other reviews that I am in the minority but I really liked this show. My husband watches every sifi or fantasy show and I am just along for the ride. Often I am totally disinterested because the characters just aren't interesting. This show is slow moving and strange but I really connected with the characters. And I loved that we didn't even see the aliens until like the 7th episode. My biggest question is what the heck happened to Sam Neill?

Jungle Cruise (2021)

Worse than I expected

[2/10 · 12 December 2021]

How do you put Emily Blunt and Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson together and get something so boring and lifeless? Don't waste your time with this. Just watch The African Queen.

The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021– )

Pleasantly surprised

[7/10 · 11 December 2021]

I had low expectations when I clicked on this HBO show but I ended up really enjoying it. I have watched 7 episodes so far. It's like a funny soap opera set in an elite college.

Starstruck (2021–2023)

Hit the spot like a warm cup of cocoa

[9/10 · 9 September 2021]

I wanted a romantic comedy and that is what I got, but it was much better than I expected. The acting was excellent and the story was just contrived enough to feel fairytale-ish, but somehow almost believable. Looking forward to the second season,

Mare of Easttown (2021)

Very Entertaining

[8/10 · 13 May 2021]

I think my family has a different take on this show than most, we find it very funny. As Philadelphia residents for the past 20 years we find that the "over the top" Philly stereotypes make us laugh out loud. We also love how they seem to have picked every dreary day to film the outside shots. This show leans heavily into the "Tucky" part of Pennsiltucky. I'd call it a cross between Hillbilly Elegy and Sharp Objects with a touch of Broadchurch thrown in there.

Sharp Objects (2018)

Oddly Intriguing

[7/10 · 16 January 2021]

I can't decide if this show is so bad it is good, just plan old bad, or actually good, but I couldn't stop watching. The acting is excellent but almost every scene is bizarrely absurd. The music, the teenagers roller skating around town, I am pretty sure that I laughed at some scenes that weren't intended to be funny.

News of the World (2020)

Very good when it stuck to the book

[7/10 · 16 January 2021]

I was so excited to see this movie after reading the book. The first half of the movie pretty much stuck to the book but then it started to deviate. The dumbest scene was when Johanna lead the way to her old home - the home she had been kidnapped from at age 2. Why would they add such ridiculously unnecessary melodrama.