mnoble1-2 Reviews

Trigger Point (2022– )

Bad Direction/Production/Editing

[1/10 · 29 January 2024]

Unrealistic continuity issues (or bad editing).

Blame the Producers and Directors for this disaster.

At one point there are bombs on a building floor (covered-hidden).

1. "Everyone stand still" 2. "Don't enter" 3. "Watch where you step"

4. Multiple bombs scatted on floor.

5. Police officer runs through the room - then carelessly rushes back amazingly not stepping on any bombs.

6. Everyone exits room. Bombs are still there!

7. 2 officers re-enter room, separate and casually move around without any concern about stepping on a bomb.

8. The officers exit room -this is edited - They turn and start moving without looking where they are stepping.

Mysteriously and amazingly the bombs on the floor became irreverent and no longer a concern????

These issues could have been easily fixed with minor changes in character actions.

------------------------- Another issue: When attempting to disarm bomb, The officer carelessly pulls a long length of wire out. No concern about how/to what the wire is connected. Why did the bomb maker leave all that extra wire in bomb???? I only need 6 inches to connect this wire but I'll use an 18-inch-long piece and stuff the extra wire inside???? Nonsensical!

Dark Winds: The March (2023) Season 2, Episode 4

Are the writers, directors, and producers 2-years old?

[4/10 · 17 August 2023]

I also blame the actors - JUST SAY NO!

First, Leaphorn - a Lieutenant - leaving the keys to his police vehicle in the ignition - absolutely ridiculous!

The suspect did not even check to see if the keys were there - he already knew they would be there. He did not hesitate to go to the police truck - psychic?

Then wrecking the truck!

Why not just have the suspect run away - problem solved - keys not an issue - same result! Showing him running away - knowing where to go more interesting.

Then, they have Leaphorn risking death jumping off the cliff!!! Completely out of character! Totally unrealistic character action!

Leaphorn could have known (knowledge of area) or found a way to safely descend the cliff - seeing him making a perilous descent more interesting - problem solved. And... He could have slipped - broken his wrist during the descent.

Good grief - stop ruining a good show!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Subspace Rhapsody (2023) Season 2, Episode 9

Was hoping for a GOOD EPISODE - got a MUSICAL????

[1/10 · 10 August 2023]

Don't make excuses for poor episodes just because it is STAR TREK.

If anything, a STAR TREK series should be held to a higher standard. Star Trek fans must insist on excellence - not the mediocre.

During this season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds good episodes have been the exception - excellent episodes have been nonexistent.

In Star Trek series prior to ST: Discovery the ratio of poor episodes to reasonably good episodes was 1 poor episode per 10 good episodes. Now, with Discovery and Strange New Worlds the ratio is more like one or two good episodes per 10 bad episodes.

Along with the mumbling Klingons, ST: Discovery introduced bad acting, bad writing, bad casting, and a bad directing.

The season premiere episode was boring, boring, boring, followed by an even poorer 2nd episode.

The only Strange New Worlds episode that came even close to being excellent was the 3rd episode: "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"

Then, after that, the producers tried to boost the extremely poor Star Trek Lower Decks animated series by integrating it into Strange New Worlds.

Lower Decks is neither a children's animated series - as demonstrated by the bad language and sexual overtones - nor is it an adult animated series - as demonstrated by the extremely childish episodes.

Two episodes after the Lower Decks episode, Strange New Worlds producers aired the ridiculously poor musical episode. Gosh, when I tuned in, I was so hoping the episode was going to be good!

A musical????? How disappointing, producers!

I was surprised that things have improved (slightly) with episode 10 "Hegemony." Let's hope this trend of better episodes continues through the rest of the season.

"Hegemony" was better, but still not rising to the high standard Star Trek episodes need to exhibit!

Joe Pickett (2021–2023)

Good with very poorly written/directed/edited parts

[8/10 · 3 August 2023]

I like this show, but the writers/directors/editors and producers are really screwing it up.

Is it bad writing, bad editing, or bad directing? The producers need to take control and PRODUCE. Fix these issues or the show is doomed to be canceled.

Specifically, the last two season 2 episodes were total junk. Completely ridiculous scenes with horrendous dialog, contrived, unrealistic situations and prolonged unnecessary character interactions that had nothing to do with the flow of the season story.

The final episode meandered along with meaningless scenes and then rushed at the end to finalize the season 2 story.

FIX THIS!

Dark Winds: Na'nilkaadii (2023) Season 2, Episode 1

Good episode ruined by BAD DIRECTION in final scenes

[5/10 · 27 July 2023]

Overall, this is an excellent series. Hopefully the poor direction/editing/producing in the final scenes of this first season 2 episode will not become common place.

I blame the director in this case - however - the problem could be editing - either way - the producers are also at fault for not rectifying the issue.

In the final scenes when Leaphorn retrieves his rifle, he had ample opportunity to pull out the burning rag. (made this description purposely vague to avoid spoilers)

This scene was totally bogus, contrived, and poorly directed -- poorly edited.

It could have been easily fixed with minor changes to character actions or changes in action timing.

Yet, the director/editor/producers chose to leave the flaws in place, ruining what was otherwise a good episode.

Nope (2022)

Just say NOPE

[1/10 · 4 August 2022]

What are they doing to recent movies?

BAD WRITING, BAD DIRECTING, BAD ACTING.

Poorly orchestrated dialog and situations leading to contrived results!

NOT GOOD HORROR, NOT GOOD SCI-FI!

Oh, I'm going to write a script with a UFO in it. That will make it a good Sci-Fi movie - NOT!

Encounter (III) (2021)

NOT SCI FI

[1/10 · 11 December 2021]

IMDB ----> SCI-FI ????? - NOT!

This is 1950's Invasion from Mars, but instead of being a dream, its a Marine with a PTSD delusion.

Definitely not Sci-Fi - IMDB shame on you! Needs reclassification. AND... not very THRILLER(ing)!

Ad Astra (2019)

What is Hollywood doing lately

[1/10 · 5 December 2019]

A slew of terrible movies - IF YOU CAN EVEN CALL THEM MOVIES. This is another example of the JUNK Hollywood is putting out lately.

$88 MILLION spent on this DISASTER (of a) MOVIE.

Hollywood, GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER and provide some entertaining, thoughtful,meaningful movies!!!!!

New Blood (2016)

British Mystery/Drama at it's best

[9/10 · 9 July 2016]

Excellent stories, quirky, believable characters, and political commentary that is subtle, not overbearing.

Ben Tavassoli and Mark Strepan are two up and coming actors to be watched. They are excellent as the young, fledgling investigators constantly getting into hazardous personal and professional predicaments.

The intertwining of Police and SFO investigations though contrived to fabricate the connected investigations are seamlessly intermingled with skillful screen writing and direction.

Overall, excellent acting, direction, and screen writing.

Stag (2016)

Very poorly written

[1/10 · 13 March 2016]

The characters are supposed to astute businessmen, but their actions are, at best, moronic. They act as if they are dimwitted idiots.

True, they are out of their normal environment, but even that doesn't account for their ridiculous (re)actions.

Add to that the contrived situations that occur and this meager attempt is totally unbelievable.

If it is supposed to comedic - it fails. If it is supposed to be horrific - it fails. If it is supposed to be dramatic - it fails. If it is supposed to be a combination - it fails.

More suited to a Three Stooges movie.

Now imagine if these men were uneducated, bungling criminals that inadvertently stole money from a crime syndicate and were on the run in Scotland. They could act stupid. They could get away with doing ridiculous things. Is the syndicate chasing them? Much more plausible to the idiotic actions. Still wouldn't excuse the the obviously contrived and unbelievable scenes, though.

1. Unbelievable situations. 2. Ridiculous characterization. 3. Boring

Interstellar (2014)

Astronomy and physics good – Terrible storyline – full of the black holes!

[3/10 · 21 January 2015]

Science Fiction is not an excuse for lazy writing and sloppy direction.

Starts off showing flowing fields of thriving green vegetation – constantly bombarded by massive dust storms and yet continues to grow and thrive. Then, we are supposed to believe that a drone – one that can fit in the back of a pickup truck has enough solar cells to power 'an entire farm.'

After that, Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan (Screenplay) expect us to believe that a retired NASA pilot, who never left Earth orbit and survived crashing his orbital spacecraft, is more experienced to go on an interstellar voyage than the astronauts that have studied and prepared for the voyage. Okay, I'll admit this one is possible, but not likely.

The first planet they decide to visit – the one so close to a black hole it has significant time dilation – the one covered in water and deluged with huge waves every hour, (one of which destroyed the original exploration spacecraft and killed the pilot – not detected by the spacecraft instruments, by the way) is a prime candidate for colonization.

Then, when the next huge wave arrives, Christopher Nolan (Director) makes us watch as one of the astronauts stands by the spacecraft door for several seconds (plenty of time to get in the spacecraft) watching the wave approach and is washed away. Why did he stand around waiting outside the spacecraft in the first place! Nonsensical!

The next thing the Nolan brothers expect us to believe is that an astronaut who volunteered for what was probably a one-way mission suddenly goes crazy, becomes a coward, falsifies data, and turns into a murderer! Were his rescuers going to leave him on the planet to die after they found out the planet was uninhabitable! Don't think so!

Later, this same coward astronaut decides to take a chance and risk his life opening the spacecraft hatch after warnings that doing so would cause a blowout. I guess we supposed to believe he is that crazy!

Suddenly (2013)

Plain & simple - BAD

[1/10 · 17 January 2015]

First thing - Secret Service agents are all wearing the exact same ties, white shirts, black suits, and the same style black shoes.

Continuity problems – at one point, one of the actors grabs a case out of the SUV to carry into the house, but walks through the front door without anything in his hands. The house is supposed to be isolated on the side of the mountain, yet in outside scenes, other houses are visible across the street. In another scene Ray Liotta is unshaven and in the very next scene he is clean shaven.

If you can ignore all the directorial and other mistakes, it's watchable, but only barely.