AndrooUK Reviews

Star Trek: Voyager: Nothing Human (1998) Season 5, Episode 8

Obnoxious moral posturing

[4/10 · 2 January 2023]

Might have been interesting, but the 'moral quandary' was just annoying and overly preachy with a disappointing outcome.

Then there's the hypocrisy at the end. "We'll use this evil data because it's useful, then delete it after we're finished with it, because it's evil."

Even in TNG, a supposedly 'unethical' doctor conducting medical research on unsuspecting people wasn't imprisoned or 'deleted'. Her knowledge was used (to replace Worf's spinal cord), and she got a slap on the wrist.

I'm pretty sure we've even used data gained from unethical Nazi medical experiments, I know we've definitely kept and used data from unethical psychological experiments. We've also kept medical research from all of human history, despite the fact that we have no idea how much data was obtained through cruel experimentation on people.

Ignorance is bliss? It's hypocritical.

You can absolutely condemn, find abhorrent, and punish unethical medical research practices, whilst not throwing the data away. It makes all the suffering pointless if at least some good can't come from it. I'm pretty sure that people would rather some good can come from their suffering, even if it came from their deaths.

Will we delete all data gained from animal testing once we decide (and are able) to stop conducting it? No. I know it's not the same, but we should make the best use of information we can to help others, no matter how it was obtained. We can still punish unethical behaviour.

Throw in the nonsense about deleting a holodeck character because the guy he's based on is a 'bad guy', and not changing his appearance despite it being so upsetting to the patient (and the butthurt bajoran), whilst being so easy for them to do.

Helpful Crewman: "Computer: Make him look like a sexy vulcan with a kind face!"

Tone Deaf EMH: "Computer: Belay that. He's a great doctor, what should it matter what he looks like? I don't care if you dumb organics can't be completely objective and ignore physical appearance!"

It's interesting that this was more of a moral/ethical problem for the crew than murdering Tuvix was. Ah, Starfleet's finest, for sure.

Just Before I Go (2014)

6 stars? How? Mediocre to bad film, with B-story that goes off track

[3/10 · 3 November 2022]

Wanted to like because of Seann William Scott, but it had the 'drunken' singing that seems to be poisoning everything these days, and a really dumb B (and C) story that was just bad.

The film was all over the place with side events that detracted from an already weak A-story. A poorly written and executed film, trying to tell too many stories and ending up not being able to tell any.

No real takeaway, except some generic fluff. Seann William Scott is always easy on the eye, and I generally like him in films, but the eye candy can't make up for a crappy and boring story. This film is forgettable, but okay for the background. I shudder to imagine this at cinemas, and think this film is only rated so highly for PC reasons, because the story sucked.

The Willoughbys (2020)

The film was fine, but Allesia Carla's singing ruined it

[4/10 · 6 February 2022]

Okay, I know it's supposed to be popular with the throaty and poorly pronounced words for singing, but it's just really annoying and ruined what was an okay film.

Allesia Carla was fine, until she was singing, then it just ruined it for me...

Maybe kids like this kind of stuff, but it used to be that kids' films used a neutral and inoffensive style of singing, so that everyone could watch it without problem...

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

Total crap compared to the first

[4/10 · 22 December 2021]

Just a lame sequel, really.

Boring, nothing much happening, really a poor use of money and time.

Honestly, just watch the great first one and use your imagination for anything further, that way, you'll avoid the severe disappointment of this sequel that is just so generic and completely forgettable.

Tales from the Loop (2020)

Slow, tedious, and full of plot holes

[4/10 · 14 October 2021]

I watched until the start of the final episode (Episode 8, 'Home') of Series 1.

I honestly just got sick of this programme. I kept pushing through, but it is just so slow, really too tedious with almost no explanation of anything, and some plot holes were just so gaping that it is difficult to ignore them... and there are many plot holes.

This programme is trying to hard to be smart and unique, that it ends up actually being more vacuous and generic.

I really do enjoy scifi, slow burn series and films, philosophy and classical as well as farfetched potential science, time travel, and all that jazz... Tales From (sorry, 'from' is not capitalised in the official title, even though because it is more than three letters it should be, even when it is the kind of word you wouldn't usually capitalise in a title/proper noun) the Loop is really just not a good programme, unless you only have a passing interest in such scifi.

Viewers who spend actual leisure time pondering and reading about the Universe, reality, time travel, life and death, and other existential and abnormal science I think will find this much more of a letdown than a general scifi viewer.

Some pretty CGI, but writing is a major letdown. Acting was decent enough.

2067 (2020)

Honestly quite nice to watch - don't come in expecting a blockbuster, and you might be surprised

[5/10 · 7 March 2021]

If you can overlook some of the scientific and logical inconsistencies/inaccuracies, and imagine a slightly different scenario with a naturally caused rather than human caused catastrophe, this film works as a story that teaches us to not give up on humanity.

It is low budget, but I think it does pretty well with what it has, and is not unpleasant or boring to watch. I would say it is a little slow at points, and I would have liked the ending to have been extended slightly.

Really, I don't think this film deserves some of the ones and twos I'm seeing in the reviews. I think people are spoilt with blockbusters and other high budget productions.

Alien Worlds (2020)

Disappointed with repeated alien CGI and pointless Earth sections, also mentions of energy

[4/10 · 24 February 2021]

I wanted to see more made up alien life and worlds, not the same shots repeated over and over.

Having some Earth context was helpful, but learning about the scientists personally/professionally, a guy paragliding, seeing one scientist crying, some other BS, and repetitive explanations and examples of a single concept made this more of an Earth biology lesson. There are already a load of documentaries about life on Earth.

We also saw humans eating honeycombs multiple times, because we obviously can't imagine humans eating. Oh, and we saw some baseball.

Plus, the intelligent aliens would have been able to create magnetic fields/shields to shield their escape domes, and have robots that can manage an EMP, rather than just winging it.

Also, we wouldn't want to harness all the Sun's energy output that reaches Earth, because we need that for heat energy and light energy for life. There was no mention of nuclear energy (fission or fusion), just inefficient and expensive to harness and transmit solar energy.

Clearly an environmental agenda rather than a realistic energy agenda... although, fortunately, fossil fuels weren't demonised, rather they were actually shown as being the positive building blocks of our civilisation to this day.

Solar energy is an energy source still to harness, but with current Earth resources and the need to conserve the solar energy for the environment rather than our own needs, it is an impractical option unless harnessed in space where it will not obstruct Earth or other planets from receiving their share of solar energy.

This was shown with the solar panels closer to the alien star, and is definitely an option for the future, assuming we can mine for resources on asteroids and barren worlds where it will not damage our own planet's ecosystem and resource supply.

Andromeda: The Torment, the Release (2004) Season 4, Episode 11

What kind of trial has no preliminary hearing, no defense and prosecution, no time to prepare and see evidence in advance?

[4/10 · 12 February 2021]

Interesting premise, but the absence of normal western style law and trial proceedings really makes this episode dubious, if the Commonwealth is supposed to be law, justice, and voted representatives, this kangaroo court really doesn't work.

Even courts martial have prosecution and defense.

This might have worked better as some kind of testimonial or something.

Fan-O-Rama (2016)

Great potential, and creepy to see 'real life' characters.

[6/10 · 10 January 2019]

Great fan flick!

It's actually pretty creepy to see the Futurama characters as 'real people'. I imagine it would be quite distressing to meet aliens for the first, or 31st time.

Zoidberg could have done with more 'whooping' side shuffling, but hey.

I think there is definitely potential for an 'official' live action film or series based around Futurama, and this fan film is an example of how that might look.

Acting was okay, costumes/prosthetics were okay, sets were okay, special effects were okay. Obviously, you can't expect magic from low budget fan films, but the heart was there, and the sparkle of Futurama was trying so hard to emerge... but something was missing. Maybe some stronger direction, and slightly less theatrical acting (which is a curse of new actors: acting like they're still in a theatre).

I'd love to see more. Either from this same production company, or an 'official' representation of Futurama.

Hecatomb (2017)

Potential for a series

[6/10 · 9 January 2019]

Adeuate acting, and appropriate location and props for the story. A few 'bloop, bleep' computer moments, but it was not excessive. Very intriguing and I would really like to see more of the past of the story, and where it is going.

With the short runtime, it's difficult to set the premise and direction of the story, as there is a lot left out.

This could either be a low-end film, possibly direct to Netflix kinda thing, or turned into a series. Dark and dystopian films seem to be doing well right now. This wasn't too dark, but definitely has leeway to go in multiple directions that are appropriate to the format (film, series, or miniseries).

The Lobster (2015)

An autistic look at love and society's expectations

[7/10 · 3 December 2018]

An outrageous, simple, horrifying, captivating, and nuanced-yet-not film.

It plays out like a world full of autistic people. Simple and awkward conversations, which are more statements and no frills. Poorly expressed and understood emotions. Discomfort and difficulty in unexpected and changing situations.

It feels kind of like a play, but I guess the robotic behaviour and acting is part of the black and white world presented and how humans behave and think.

The arbitrary and objective treatment of others and of relationships. A utilitarian approach to coupling (which seems odd because children are 'assigned' to couples, one wonders how procreation happens and why there are spare children around). Woeful misunderstanding of the nuance of real relationships and utilitarianism... but it provides a ridiculous look into the isolation of life and the pursuit of relationships to provide a reason for being.

This really was not worthy of such low ratings by some reviewers, but it is definitely not an 'easy' film to watch, because the behaviour of the characters is very stiff and forced...

If anything, I think this film is more of a serious look at autistic thinking and behaviour, than of humanity's pursuit of coupling relationships and a 'cost benefit'/utilitarian analysis of actions.

This film will leave you with more to think about than to feel about. It's difficult to empathise with such robotic characters, but I think instead it requires a deeper understanding and appreciation of these people and the world they live in to really try to react appropriately...

Do I feel sorry for these people, or pleased that life is so simplistic? Some of these single people actually look forward to their lives as transformed animals. The certainty of expectations and the simplicity of relationships must be comforting for them, eg: do we both have a limp, or do we both have similar hair?

I think this film is excellent, whatever the case. It is extremely novel, by premise and delivery, and really gave me a lot to think about. The locations and sets/props were used very well and felt right for this film. There are some horrifying elements to the film, but it is not meant to be gory (save for a few scenes that show blood and/or death (human and animal), but not extreme in delivery) or frightening.

Violence was used well, with restraint, and I think presented the story well and added a lot.

Watch this film, and push through the almost theatrical acting. I believe you will be rewarded by your experience.

Paradise PD (2018–2022)

Rated 15, aimed at... 12?

[3/10 · 31 August 2018]

A fat guy is bulletproof because he's so fat, and sneezing blows the bullets out at supersonic speeds... that tells you what you need to know.

A boy nearly ten doesn't know guns are dangerous, and he's the son of a police officer.

There are too many incredible plot devices used to give this series a solid foundation with a predictable baseline. You can't use them all in the same episode... you aren't leaving enough room to build the foundation at a steady pace. The story is not focused, and the characters are unrelatable.

Really, not worth the effort. I couldn't even enjoy this on a mindless level. It is too immature to stomach. I didn't manage the first episode, and I don't think it can redeem itself without throwing the initial premise out of the window.

Black Mirror: Hated in the Nation (2016) Season 3, Episode 6

CSI: Black Mirror

[5/10 · 27 August 2018]

Crime drama under the guise of a dystopian scifi drama something.

Why would you make bees have any strength? All they should have the strength to do is fly and fondle some stamen.

Temporary solution: wear a mask. You can take a stroll in a poppy field then. You could even put a bandage over your nose. Maybe wear a scarf around your mouth.

Also, a note to MRI technicians: try using a magnetometer next time.

A silly episode. Some silly writing. Definitely not worthy of an 8.5 for the screenplay. Not terrible, but not great. Too much of a crime drama for my liking. The ending was unnecessary, and kind of an anticlimax.

Little Britain (2003–2006)

Not for the perpetually butthurt.

[8/10 · 25 August 2018]

A simple sketch show that takes on stereotypes with interesting angles and some unconventional delivery.

This isn't high brow comedy, but it is not meant to be. It is a lighthearted look at things we don't all want to talk about, or we think but don't say... some are things we do think and talk about. Some things are more abstract.

You can still enjoy this programme today.

If you are perpetually butthurt or politically correct, you will no doubt find plenty to be offended on other people's behalf over. This programme isn't meant for you. You can watch some comedy show where they call *current year* right-wingers or white men names for an hour.

Black Mirror: White Bear (2013) Season 2, Episode 2

A bad episode that got worse after the reveal

[3/10 · 23 August 2018]

Erasing someone's memory is effectively killing that person... so, the punishment is done. This is sadism for the sake of sadism.

Humans would know this is not punishment after she no longer recalls what her convicted offence is. I don't know how you could sell the people on this, unless they had a reduced comprehension of reality and flaky morals. Thus this cannot be made believable as a comparison to our version of Earth.

Also, the flashbacks were annoying... and I just wanted the protagonist to shut the hell up. I get she's afraid, but it is just excessive for an entertainment piece.

A flop of an episode... the premise is just too flimsy. I don't get these high ratings. It is a bad episode. Even worse than the Pig F****r episode.

3 out of 10.

The Ridiculous 6 (2015)

A fun American Western action comedy

[8/10 · 6 January 2018]

I found this to be a surprisingly enjoyable American Western style film.

The story was actually quite decent, with suspense, silliness, and stereotypes.

I particularly liked the stereotypes, even though they were over the top. Some parts of the film were ridiculous, but hey, it's in the title.

I was very surprised, as I find some Adam Sandler films to be pretty stupid.

Some reviews seem to be quite harsh on the stereotypes used, but stories and life are both boring without them. Everyone stereotypes everyone, and it's entertaining to see it highlighted by others or by stories and films - no matter what you profess externally.

You could even say the stereotypes were subverted to an extent: The hick had some poignant thoughts and ideas, the Indians weren't drunkards and had some modern ideals, the black was creative and worked, the women were 'strong', the white men were baddies.

I suggest not getting caught up in political correctness to the point of illness, and just watch this film as an independent piece of art/entertainment, instead of feeling compelled to judge it badly out of obligation or guilt. I think you'll be happier if you do, and might actually enjoy the story as well as the 'incorrectness' of the humour.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Good Idea, Poorly Conceived

[2/10 · 15 June 2011]

This film really was a waste of my time.

The premise was interesting, but the execution was so boring. Nothing really happened in this film except some chasing, and some talking. How the hell can such a piece of garbage be rated so highly? Is it because Matt Damon is in it?

I really don't know what the point of this film was, and I just finished watching it. Something to do with magic interference in the world, or something. You're left wondering what the hell is going on.

Watch this film if you're bored and don't mind wasting 1 1/2-hours of your time on nothing much.

--- Edit: I just have to say, how the fudge did this pile of turd cost $50m to make?! Also, why is this rated so highly? I've seen some crap films in my time, but at least the scripts usually have something interesting in them somewhere.

This film is devoid of plot twists, intrigue, and a reason to keep you watching... except to see if anything happens, which it doesn't.

Ultraviolet (2006)

Great Cheesy Scifi Action

[5/10 · 25 June 2008]

I saw Ultraviolet recently, despite some quite poor reviews.

I admit, I'm a sucker for scifi, so this film automatically appealed to me.

You're not going to get a great story with this film (but the premise was very good), but if you like cheesy hightech scifi junk, then this is the film for you. Lots of cool gadgets that don't seem necessary, but hey, it's all in good fun.

Set some time away in Earth's future, a mutagenic virus is released by accident which causes a minority of Earth's populace to be transformed. Not superhuman, but not quite human either. The government is basically turned into an infection control organisation. They want to eradicate all infection carriers, but of course the infected are not happy.

That's basically it, no real deviation from standard scifi style. Oppressive government, opposed minority, constant action to rectify this.

The action scenes do cut too much, it's hard to keep track of what is happening. Too fast paced, even for a typical action.

If you want a great story, then don't bother. Shame too, as I think the actors had much more talent than they were able to display. Could have been a great story with some development, and less emphasis on constant action.

If you want cheesy scifi action, with stupid hightech gadgets, then go for it.