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Mayfair Witches (2023)
More damage to the works of Anne Rice
As with Interview with the Vampire, which is slightly better than this travesty, the cast of The Mayfair Witches is dreadful.
One thinks. Perhaps, all the money was spent on the script rights leaving only coins for the cast budget. I got 1/2 way thru S1E1 and that was all I could manage. I was tired and bored already.
Not only is the crew, from what I see, mostly new and unknown actors, I mean this might be okay as there are future stars in the making out there, but unfortunately this cast is not made up of future stars. They are stiff and dreadful at acint!
On the positive side, ff you run out of ativan, fear not, this will put you to sleep in quick time.
X
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Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023)
Not terrible, not great either
I am a great fan of period drama and I loved the original Bridgerton story with Regé-Jean Page. I had a feeling that without Regé - whose story seemed to largely end in the initial series - the franchise would suffer. Sadly, this turns out to be the case. I give a shout out to Brimsley which is a well-acted character. King George is not badly acted however, I keep having visions of Mission Impossible running through my mind as Mylchreest seems a ringer for a young Cruise. Queen Charlotte is not a role I especially relate to or even accept - cannot really itemize why the actor just doesn't work for me in the role as the young Charlotte.
Much as I loved season 1 and love period dramas in general, this one is only worthy of a 3 rating for me and most of that for scenery and costuming and a star for Brimsley.
Aseudal Yeondaegi (2019)
More great period drama from Korea
A lot of the Netflix shows offered in Canada over the last few years have been non-English (and non-French) due to presumed licensing issues with distribution houses. Mostly, this can be an annoying experience, but in the case of many of the Korean dramas over the last few years, they are so great I am content with the subs or dubbing.
Arthdal Chronicles is another great Korean-produced series with a well-written script and solid cast. The characters are very engaging and the story line keeps you interested.
Definitely add to the watch list if you are a fan of historical fiction, fantasy, martial arts.
Update: unfortunately Season 2 loses two of its most important cast members in Lord Saya ) Eunseom and Tanya. Haven't begun season 2 yet but these were two severe losses for the show and its viewers. Once I begin watching Season 2 I will provide my verdict on these replacements.
Coroner (2019)
Little has changed for better really since Season 3
My rating for season 4 remains as it was before, 3 stars on this for me.
The scripts seem a little too pat - I will refrain from examples so as not to spoil. Serinda Swan as the lead, Dr. Jenny Cooper, has become somewhat more likeable - still not really connecting with her to the larger extent. That being said, she is a good actor.
More positive notes, if this can be considered positive, at least they ended the emotional ordeal - both for Cooper and her audience - with Liam's unfortunate passing. Roger Cross and Ehren Kassam do a good job in their roles and to these characters I can relate, feel I have come to know them after a few episodes.
This is not a great show and I would not say it would be an award-winner anywhere else but Canada for reasons stated above, but it is certainly not a totally dreadful show. Low-energy non-thinker, good for a Saturday night watch for a couple of episodes.
La Révolution (2020)
I really liked it, until ...
... the final episode where, much like the Lost series, I felt as though the writer's abandoned the viewers and either didn't really have a good ending, or they were too lazy to write one.
The wrap-up was vague to say the least. Yes, one can intellectualize the meaning of the finish here, however, I would have preferred they offered me an ending that was clear and succinct.
Perhaps they were planning on a second season to explain it all out - something that is always risky with Netflix gambling on more than one season - but it was poor screenwriting at the end and for that reason I have given the series a 6-star review.
So Cold the River (2022)
Only reason to watch this dreadful movie is ...
To see what bad really looks like from all angles of the film making process. In summary, dreadful script with many continuity issues and a total lack of sense - poor overall acting (especially the lead character) with a more minor role (the local historian) the best actor of the cast and about as face-moving as frozen syrup. The best part of the movie was the cinematography which was good and oh yeah, the Pigasus logo! I have a hard time understanding why these films are even made let alone then distributed. Again, a definite must-watch if you need to understand all the wrong things to do in a movie.
Open Minds (2012)
Interesting guests and topics but ...
Regina Meredith is like one of the worst hosts of a talk show ever. Essentially, despite the luminous guest list, all one ever hears on her show Open Minds is Regina interviewing herself. Guests hardly to get say more than their names! I understand Regina may be personally knowledgeable and invested in the subject matter of her guests however, we would like to hear what the guests actually have to say not always what Regina has to say. Regina's style is more suited to a monologue than an interview with another. I may cancel my GAIA membership because Regina is just THAT bad.
Unfortunately, the same can be said for George Noory who seems a really nice guy but for the reasons noted above with Regina Meredith, I cannot watch his Beyond Belief show on GAIA.
Ancient Civilizations (2017)
Fantastic show that will expand your understanding
Specifically, of how society has been lied to and manipulated for generations with transcripts, mantra and other things most people take for granted as much as the age-old (and incorrect) saying of "seeing is believing". In these days of holography and apps such as Expressions Cam and Face Swap, seeing is not, if it ever was, representative of what is actually there. Great points of view expressed on the Bible and the history of homo sapiens sapiens in general.
While I may not agree 100% with all the representations they give to historic, in some views mythic characters such as Thoth, nonetheless I highly recommend this series.
The Alaska Triangle (2020)
This has to be put out as deliberate comedic misinformation
Especially the episode where the fearless Chuke is going to Kodiak Island to "catch" bigfoot. Chuke tells us "it's the dream of his life". Chuke arrives on Kodiak in the late afternoon and spends 4 hours backpacking through the Alaskan wilderness with his rifle, field cam and pants that keep falling down. He decides he can't finish the trip because it's getting dark and he is tired. Chuke deploys his bunny cams and notices a bunch of upside down trees and decides these are definitive proof of Bigfoot. He says "mission accomplished" and heads back to his hotel. When there, Chuke treats viewers to his field cam footage through the internet and shows us a scared deer. What on earth? No one in their right mind is sending Chuke to look for anything - except his belt to keep his pants up - and certainly not for Bigfoot. One might think satellite imagery if the government were really interested in the reality of Sasquatch? Most of the episodes on this show are totally ridiculous. I do believe things like Bigfoot, aliens and their craft exist and probably in Alaska but this show reduces the credibility of the topic. Watch only if you want humor not for serious Alaskan facts.
Inside the World's Toughest Prisons (2016)
Well-done documentary although to see the state of the world is depressing
Especially those nations outside the G7 - seems there is vast poverty and a lot of cultural problems outside of poverty driving crime. It is almost to the point in some areas where one can see why the deluge was thought the only sensible option. While I applaud the host Raphael Rowe (I am unfamiliar with any other host for this series, although some have said there was one) for having the courage to enter these prisons, the content, after even a couple of episodes, notably after his "visits" to Paraguay, Manila and Lesotho - is just too depressing. The viewer is left thinking the situation hopeless - so the show needs to provide some hope in the way of what, outside of something extreme like a wipe out or flood, could solve these issues. To me, cultural change begins with educating the next generation (some call it social engineering - but done for the better in this case). However, since there is such an inequal distribution of the world's wealth, it seems that trying to re-educate and simply have the children become adults within these countries will produce only more of same.
The Northman (2022)
Very unengaging other than Skarsgård.
I am giving it two stars just because Alexander showed up to film. Really boring movie with Skarsgård very under-utilized. Just mindless violence and mayhem without much of a plot or sense. I would say you might spend a better 1.5 hours reading the dictionary!
The Gilded Age (2022)
Great sets
And I am a lover of period drama and the sets and costuming on the show are excellent. The acting, however is rather sub-par and not what you would expect for a Fellowes' drama, or from the BBC. As I understand the series has been given a nod for Season 2 perhaps we can look forward to improved acting.
Interior Design Masters (2019)
Absolutely terrible judging with Michelle and this Fearne and ridiculous timelines for completion.
** SPOILER ALERT for Season 1**
After coming across this show on Netflix and binge watching for the weekend, I am honestly now in complete and utter shock how the judges - judge (Michelle) - chose Cassie as the winner of the comp. I am all for great design (which is why I am in shock) and am personally a lover of Victoriana and an antique dealer but Cassie's designs were beyond hideous. The bedroom she did for the expectant couple looked like a Gypsy bordello (no offense to gypsies). The other "Cassie" bedroom for the hotel which featured the canopy was even worse though in the same nutz style.
I am so upset at the winner and the judging that I will NOT watch further installments of this series. While my favorite designer overall was Ju - I love floral toile! - when it came down to Frank vs Cassie, Frank was the clear choice.
I tip my design hat to Frank, whose designs were mostly amazing and applaud him that he grew a lot during the show. Even though he ran out of budget to do the book nook in the final challenge, I felt it was something the client could have done - expand the reading area - at very minimal cost after the fact.
Terrible judging. Cassie is who she is and likes what she likes but the judges should know better. Also, the timelines for the design completion (most 2 days) are quite beyond ridiculous as well. I feel it is like asking a heart surgeon to save your life, but to do the surgery in 4 minutes.
After We Fell (2021)
I like Hero Fiennes but ...
The second two movies in this "After" franchise are basically just adolescence meets 9-1/2 Weeks. Very dull and boring and focused mainly on soft porn or the intimation therefore. The only good thing about After we Collided or After We Fell is Hero Fiennes and even he isn't enough to save this ship.