nireh-61399 Reviews

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

Why has CGI become so crappy?

[1/10 · 13 May 2024]

Why has CGI become so crappy?

And, most importantly, why do we tolerate it?

I won't comment on the acting, direction, editing, or even the plot-it's Godzilla vs. Kong, in any case-but I will comment on the terrible CGI in movies of the last couple of years, like 'The Flash.'

It seems like CGI artists have given up on trying to make photorealistic effects and replaced them with crappy visuals from video games of the previous decades.

Bad compositing (the mix of CGI with live action or other elements), unrealistic coloring, unnecessary flares, cartoonish movements, and... well... you can forget about physics.

This movie feels like the opening of a video game from the 2000s. The first 'Jurassic Park' from 1993 is far more convincing. You can't watch and have an emotional connection with movies like this.

If it's supposed to be a cartoon or animation, just say so.

If we continue to endorse and support creators who don't care about quality, then it's on us.

Perhaps they know that the end is coming for them due to AI and stopped caring.

Overall: Not just avoid, but punish movies like this one. Maybe they'll start trying more.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Boring, childish with bad CGI

[1/10 · 9 May 2024]

This franchise goes nowhere.

The first thing I noticed was the bad CGI in the opening, supposedly to quickly get you into the action. It's the worst I have recently seen since 'The Flash.' Too rushed for 2024.

But the plot, script, and dialogue are even worse. Childish and unfunny.

After that, get ready for even more pointless dialogue for about 30 minutes, where the director tries to build the elements of a lame and predictable plot.

Jason Reitman is nothing like his father. A subpar, uninspired producer/director in anything I've seen his work in. I liked many of his father's movies (like 'Dave' in 1993; it is actually one of my all-time favorites), but in this case, the apple fell far from the tree. Or as some say, 'talent skips a generation.'

Overall: Avoid it.

Sugar (2024– )

I didn't plan to check out Sugar, but...

[7/10 · 7 April 2024]

I didn't plan to check out "Sugar," a neo-noir TV series about a private detective, which didn't sound interesting at all.

There were many red flags suggesting it would be subpar, including the name "Sugar," which follows the cliché of having a name that also has another meaning, like "Monk," "Magnum," or "Castle," among others.

It started in black and white, which, in my opinion, should only be used for flashbacks and is narrated in the first person.

Nonetheless, I gave it a chance, and it somehow started growing on me.

This production definitely tries to incorporate every trick and cliché in the book. The private eye is sick, dislikes guns, drives a vintage car, dresses the same every day, and only searches for missing persons. There are even meta jokes, including the hero entering a bar named 007.

At the same time, it tries to be different with some unusual cinematography angles, like those from a TikTok video shot with Insta360 cameras. Despite the scant information provided about his background, past, and personality, the main character is almost paper-thin, yet you find yourself starting to like him and wanting to follow his story.

This is an advantageous role for Colin Farrell, but he owns it well. Amy Ryan also delivers a strong performance as a lonely alcoholic.

Overall, I will keep watching, even though I hadn't planned to. It's a 'construct,' not a solid series-too many clichés thrown together, but somehow, I didn't change the channel.

Road House (2024)

Way more comedy than it should be.

[3/10 · 23 March 2024]

I liked the original Road House with Patrick Swayze, Sam Elliott, and Kelly Lynch.

Actually, I've seen it again recently without knowing about this, let's say, remake. Many memorable scenes too. Swayze's Dalton knew what he was doing. He had his thick medical record with him when he visited the hospital, he bought a junk car to take the heat from his actual car, an expensive Mercedes, and so on.

Gyllenhaal's Dalton doesn't seem to know ...jack. He has no plan, and overall he is kind of the loser drifter type.

My main problem with this movie is that it's more comedy than it should be. The bad guys are caricatures. All talk and no "substance" to the point that you don't actually care about the conflict at all.

The casting is also like it was chosen for laughs.

The amazing thing that I didn't know when I started watching this is that Doug Liman is the director. I'm not the biggest fan of the Bourne movies, but I do think that Edge of Tomorrow is great.

Overall: Certainly not an action drama like the 1989 version. More like a comedy with no purpose or entertaining value. I suggest saving your 2 hours for another movie.

Supersex (2024– )

Romanticizing Porn

[6/10 · 20 March 2024]

This TV series is loosely based on the life of Italian pornstar Rocco Siffredi (born Tano). It's not a biopic, and as Siffredi stated, "it is based on me, but this is certainly not my life."

Supersex was the name of a photo magazine first published in France and then in Italy, from the end of the 70s to the mid-90s. Supposedly, it affected Siffredi at a young age, leading him to idolize porn and pursue a career in the porn industry.

The first couple of episodes are reminiscent of 'Malena' with Monica Bellucci. There are some very attractive women, idyllic scenery, and family values that lead to serious conflicts, initially resembling a European movie from the 80s.

This is not an erotic TV series. The producers didn't aim for sensuality, and the many nude or sex scenes don't convey that vibe at all.

The actors portraying actual persons look the part and do their best to give a sense of authenticity to the behavior and mannerisms of those individuals.

There isn't an explicit moral statement in this series. Porn is initially romanticized, but soon it becomes evident that it's just another job with its own set of rules and challenges. There is an underlying ideology, like freedom, but ultimately, it's about money, fame, and serving the industry.

Overall: If you're bored of the usual Netflix TV series, give it a chance. It's not offensive or pornographic.

The Girls on the Bus (2024)

Somehow interesting. Benoist gives a solid performance in a role that you can easily derail.

[8/10 · 15 March 2024]

In the past, I used to enjoy TV series and movies about elections and presidencies, not just the obvious "West Wing," but almost all of them (by the way, "Dave" with Kevin Kline is one of my favorite movies of all time). However, I don't feel the same anymore, especially considering the current candidates for POTUS and world leaders in other countries.

So, I was initially reluctant to watch "The Girls on the Bus," but I gave it a chance when I saw that Carla Gugino and Melissa Benoist were the two leads. So far, I've watched one and a half episodes and have decided to continue following the show.

I'm not entirely sure if I enjoy the plot that much, but I do appreciate the performances, especially Melissa Benoist's portrayal of an ambitious young journalist who can't catch a break. It's not an easy role, and another actor could have easily overdone it or created a caricature of the character, but she managed to keep it in control.

As I mentioned, I'm unsure if the plot will make sense in the end, but the script has managed so far to portray the personalities of the main characters with adequate complexity.

Overall: It is somehow interesting. Not deep as other well known series. Characters not paper thin. Good performances.

Argylle (2024)

Ridiculous plot in this spy parody

[1/10 · 6 March 2024]

Many well-known actors are in this over-the-top action comedy.

The main character is played by Bryce Dallas Howard, who, in the second part of the movie, looks like the long-lost sister of ...Adèle!

The first negative thing that strikes you in this movie is the really bad CGI. Yesterday, I watched Final Destination 5 from 2011, and the effects were amazing compared to this. Argylle's visual effects just plainly suck.

The editing is full of intercuts between fiction and reality, but it doesn't offer the fun factor that the director might have intended.

The fight scenes are lame and unimpressive, accompanied by totally unrelated and distracting disco music from the 80s.

The plot is a cliché. A writer writes a novel about a spy, and her book becomes a reality. The characters are paper-thin caricatures of heroes and villains from other movies. I watched the other day the same plot in a Sandra Bullock movie.

And of course, there are twists for the sake of twists. Impossible twists, yet the fun factor is low for any intelligent viewers out there.

So far, that movie made $90 million on a $200 million budget, so it is officially a box office bomb, and well deserved. I think they got some money from Apple, and they're making a prequel, but they really shouldn't.

It shares the same universe as "Kingsman" but this really sucks. Compared to this the first Kingsman is a masterpiece.

Overall: Not worth it. Spend you 140 minutes of your life elsewhere.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024– )

They should have kept the first actors and concept.

[2/10 · 3 February 2024]

They should have kept the first actors of the pilot Alexander Skarsgård and Eiza González and the premise that they are on the run. That would have make a better series than what I just watched.

The pilot episode (after the intro) goes like this: Talking between the 2 leads, more talking, some more awkward talking and an explosion. There isn't so much chemistry between the actors either. No Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie here. I'm actually wondering if this is a similar premise at all.

So, no mystery, no action, no chemistry... what else is there...no jokes either.

The think is that it looks like they put some actual money in this. And some well known guest stars.

But it doesn't work for anything else than have it play on TV while doing something else. You may catch a piece of classical music or here of a retro song...

Sight Unseen (2024– )

They are always trying to find another way...

[5/10 · 24 January 2024]

They are always trying to find another way to keep police procedural TV dramas alive. You know, detectives with special abilities-unusually observant or with eidetic memory or charismatic in any other way. Well, the producers found another way by taking a step backward, making the detective... blind!

'Sight Unsight' is a TV drama where the detective can't see because of Leber's disease (a condition that may now have a cure with gene therapy from biotech companies like Genorasis). But there is a twist. She cannot see, but she can hear the voice of an agoraphobic woman who is an employee in a service that describes to blind people what a camera they are wearing can see.

Can you solve crimes like that? The series suggests that you can.

Just saw the pilot episode, and the series kind of works. The two female leads quickly build chemistry, adding to the unbelievable premise. With some 'suspension of disbelief,' you find yourself in the familiar territory of thousands of other police dramas. It's not too clever, lacking jokes to spice things up like in other shows, but it's watchable, at least for now. And maybe that's where the problem might be. It doesn't matter if the detective can't see; it will quickly become just another show where the lead goes into action, and the tech guy provides solutions speaking into an earpiece.

Overall: Nothing extraordinary. My guess is it will become old really quick.

Extended Family (2023–2024)

It's OK for its kind.

[5/10 · 26 December 2023]

I just saw the pilot episode of "Extended Family." Before I hit play, I wondered for a moment if it has a canned laugh track, although I was sure that it had one.

So this is another family sitcom with fake laughs. Add that to the pile of thousands of others in recent decades.

The two questions that arise are (1) Does it bring anything new to the genre? And (2) Is it any fun to watch either way?

Well, there's nothing new or innovative in this one. Just plain old-fashioned sitcom. The couch, the kitchen, the faux pas, and misunderstandings...

Is it any fun? Not particularly. The script is dull. The jokes are mild, but the cast tries to breathe some life into them. There are some mild political statements here and there, but that's it.

Overall: Not the worst of its kind, not too promising either. If you want to take your mind off things for 21 minutes, give it a chance.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023– )

Unsympathetic and annoying lead actress

[1/10 · 23 December 2023]

I'm watching (kind of, because at the same time, playing with my phone) the 7th episode of the first, and hopefully the last, season.

This is a kind of pointless origin series about the so-called titans, i.e., monsters like Godzilla.

The first thing that bothered me was the cast, especially the two young Asian lead actors. Obviously, the bad script is also to blame, but they managed to be the worst characters on the TV screen in recent years-annoying, stubborn brats with paper thin personalities.

The plot, for one, is confusing-I suppose purposely so to create some sort of mystery. However, I'm in the 7th episode, and you still don't know who is good and who is bad. And, of course, you cannot root for the 'annoying brats' that I mentioned.

So the show is not fun to watch. You get to see Godzilla and a couple more cgi monsters but mostly you see the ...whining of the brats.

Overall: Avoid it.