Josh_The_Third Reviews

The Walking Dead: Diverged (2021) Season 10, Episode 21

jerry is the better eugene

[4/10 · 30 March 2021]

Eugene has been like a demented baby person for years now. At least Jerry is better. Doesn't do anything but also doesn't bother you.

The only one who had fun in this episode is car zombie and mr. Rat.

10/10 very believable rat.

Pandorum (2009)

really fun movie

[7/10 · 26 November 2020]

This movie has themes from alien and prometheus etc. But it also feels like a 90's\B-movie. So yes it's flawed and not super deep, however the upside is it's much more light-hearted than your usual post-2000 sci-fi existentialist films - those that make you walk out of the theater with clinical depression(just watch Annihilation. UGH). Pandorum prefers being that action thriller you can watch at a party with friends and just enjoy. It's pure fun, doesn't drag nor insults your intelligence. Good movie.

The Walking Dead: We Are the End of the World (2019) Season 10, Episode 2

lowest point for the series?

[3/10 · 18 October 2019]

Maybe the whisperers arch is better in the comics? This is really bad. Negan is laughing at these crap villains - uhh they're literally NOT "the end of the world". What a bleak torture of an episode. If you watched all seasons, you've seen this kind of story happen at least 5 times already(I'm being super generous here).

Positive point: This episode didn't have hugene and his antics.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

It'd be a 7 if the crew weren't so dumb

[6/10 · 21 August 2019]

David is the coolest character, problem is the rest are stupid beyond belief. The rotten cherry on top was when the remaining 2 humans don't suspect walter at the end. The storyline makes sense but it gets ruined by said stupidity. Prometheus was better. Hopefully the next movie will be better.

The Walking Dead: Still Gotta Mean Something (2018) Season 8, Episode 14

Good episode

[9/10 · 8 April 2018]

This episode was good, it made the plot proceed faster than usual: Rick goes after the saviors. He faces his son's wishes. Morgan's pessimism is challenged. Negan and Jadis have a little face-off. The plot is definitely leading to something important. It seems Negan's fearless attitude is getting broken down piece by piece, too bad Jadis didn't burn his bat. I guess Rick will be the one to put him in his place.

Regarding Rick and Morgan's little fight with the saviors. Yeah it made Rick look sadistic, but IMO from a strategic point letting them live and getting them back inside hilltop would've been a risk, and not worth it.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

dumbing down the masses

[5/10 · 25 August 2017]

I can't seem to find a way to care about this story. The characters have no chemistry, maybe because they don't really care for the story either. The movie is very cliché' and the effort at poking fun at itself seems tired and weak. I stopped watching halfway 'cause seriously, who really cares where the whole father-son bullsh*t is going? All of this seems to have been done a thousand times before, it's dumb sh*t.

Paterson (2016)

plays it "zen" by offering nothing

[4/10 · 24 May 2017]

Well there is no plot, no conflict here. You'd think the protagonist would fight with his wife as people do eventually(and she is so annoying), but nope he doesn't feel much. Everything here is about saying "oh i'm so happy for you", "i love you", if a real person spent a week with these people he'd lose his sanity.

Supposedly there is a lot of "subtext" here - meaning that aren't said aloud or shown, and you are supposed to understand it from watching a character stare blankly at a waterfall. This movie is mental.

Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (2015)

cool ideas badly implemented into a sleeper

[6/10 · 30 April 2017]

So yeah the story does fit perfectly & neatly as a prequel etc, but the storytelling is mostly very dull, the pacing of it feels like sleepwalking, it lacks strong emotions, no character development. If you watched the other films then you get the point - timewise it's an early phase for the characters so you could say it makes sense to have them intentionally underdeveloped. But still, I expected more depth from this series and this was very flat. The 2nd movie was way better.

The Brothers Grimsby (2016)

Classic Sacha Baron Cohen

[8/10 · 5 August 2016]

I don't know what you guys expected going to see this film. It's the typical humor of Sacha, rude crude and crazy. I think it is his best since "Borat". Sure there are some very disgusting scenes, but there are not that long and the movie is actually heartfelt and has a good message about family. Also it laughs at (and with) British folks so I think they will enjoy it. The film is fast-paced and no moment is boring. You can see the actors are really enjoying it and taking the comedy very seriously. Bottom line is, if you are easily offended then this isn't for you. But if you "get" Sasha and his antics and like his humor, this is exactly for you - so just go and see the movie! It's Sacha at his best!

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

First half good, second half total crap.

[6/10 · 26 March 2016]

The first half was good and actually promising. Second half of the movie just stops being a movie and loses the audience. Very bad and tiring and reminds me the same thing happened with the last Hobbit movie. Both films have this theme of good ideas turning terrible, like a carefully made beautiful melody that suddenly turns into a cacophony of horrible noise. In both movies, when the film reaches the most important part, it suddenly empties itself of content, blasting the audience in so much explosions and bad CGI that it creates a kind of total OVERKILL, so much that you actually forget the story, motives, and even the characters themselves. In five minutes your emotional and intellectual investments are erased in the favor of a weird horror-like hyper-dystopian scenes+ A "disney" style ending where nobody dies and there are no consequences. This mix of cartoon-logic and horrid graphics & noise almost induces vomit. just count the times you hear that sound of 50 chalks-scraping-board-sounding-like-an-aeroplane- flying-in-your-ears. UGH !!!!

In conclusion, the second half of this movie literally has no story or dialogue, is moving way too quickly and ends up making you stop being invested in the film. It deserves a 4\10 but the first half of this film is definitely good and redeems things a bit. All actors do a good job including affleck and that guy who plays the villain. It's not their fault that those making this movie suck big time. But that doesn't help us much does it? The director..Zack Snyder is it? The guy doesn't come close to Nolan's movies. and The fact that Nolan is a part of this movie(says so on the IMDb page) is a disgrace for him..

The Walking Dead: No Way Out (2016) Season 6, Episode 9

WOW. just WOW !!!

[10/10 · 15 February 2016]

IMO this was is best episode since season 1, and maybe the best episode in the entire show. Seriously! It has everything! and I could explain what that means but it will just ruin the magic. There were many moments that will now become iconic and forever etched into the history of TWD. Also some things you didn't know what to think about(for example was carol right or wrong?), some great kickass action done in a very oldschool manner. Someone here was inspired to the point of bursting in flames ! and speaking of flames the atmosphere was also handled beautifully, just perfect !! After all those seasons this series is still the best, it's unbelievable! It makes those movies at the cinema look very weak in comparison. and Andrew Lincoln deserves a freakin' Oscar. Can't give this less than a 10/10. This show just killed all other shows I know, again.

Carlito's Way (1993)

A classic

[8/10 · 23 April 2015]

This movie is great. I'd like to compare it to "Donnie Brasco". Both are about gangs, both are Pacino-centric. Makes you think - which one is better? right off the bat you might say "Donnie" takes it. It has much more character study and interesting relationships, with the excellent Johnny Depp there, and the few comedic moments are gold. "Carlito's Way" doesn't have all that, it keeps things more simple, BUT, the simplicity does give the plot a more solid edge with more "sting" to it, also due to the better, if not ingenious, action scenes; Carlito's not just a (ex)gang leader, he's an assassin.

Oh well, I can't really decide here - both are good. I will say tough, that I personally find both are way better than the popular "Heat". Sorry De Niro !

Lastly, I must add, the more I see of Pacino, the more he becomes one of my favorite actors. Many are talented and can "steal the show", but Pacino doesn't just steal it', he practically MAKES the movie what it is. He's not just in the movie. He IS the movie. Now who can you say that about? Every movie with him in the center, is a strong movie. Even when he isn't screaming ! (;

Goodfellas (1990)

I don't quite get it

[6/10 · 25 March 2015]

This movie is considered a classic and yes it is certainly of a classic quality. It has the rhythm and realism missing in many modern movies. It has actors that fit their roles perfectly. But what is it's point? I mean, technically you have all the ingredients right here, but nothing exciting ever happens. Is there a great drama here? Or great action? Great dialogues? Something to think about later?

Seems like the movie's sole power comes from it being a biography of Henry and the Mafia. like their way of life by itself is supposed to charm with it's glamor and money. Perhaps it really did in the past decades? These are people who steal money, and murder each other mostly over small arguments. They have no grand visions, grand confrontations or dilemmas. Even the big heist is never shown.

The characters are grotesque and very simple-minded so it's very hard to connect with them. They reach no pathos, nor develop. If this story is real, it paints a very miserable reality that is hardly glamorous or amazing.

The Walking Dead: What Happened and What's Going On (2015) Season 5, Episode 9

Feels inconsistent

[7/10 · 9 February 2015]

I'm trying to buy into the whole "each character plays his role" theme the writers went for with this episode but I'm finding that hard to do. Maybe they're planning ahead in ways I can't foresee, but for now it seems inconsistent.

The main thing here is of course Tyreese's death which is handled awkwardly. Beth's and bob's death made much more sense, there was much foreshadowing, and it was clear they weren't main characters etc. Tyreese on the other hand clearly could have had a bigger role to play, he was the core of the team, but they kill him off very quickly and it leaves you baffled.

In the broader sense, I'm confused as to why the group are in such bad form. Just a few episodes ago they were at the top of their game being very tactical,with Rick turning Chuck Norris on everything in their way(and this isn't exaggerating). Now they suddenly make rookie mistakes and lose to 2 walkers? Come on Haven't we've been here before, losing friends and fighting enemies? and they got WORSE at it? how does that make sense..

Usually I'd buy into the despair and bleakness of this show but at this point I'm weirded out and the artsy cinematic tricks don't help me understand how this whole philosophical theme could logically resolve, it feels very pretentious.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

Boring and overbearing

[4/10 · 30 December 2014]

This movie is just battle after battle with very much little in between, no interesting dialogue, the script is so transparent you will fall asleep. Gone are the surprise, anguish, and humor the trilogy had. So much graphics yet it feels colorless. There's no character growth; Bilbo's once charming character is not in the center of the movie anymore. What exactly did he do here? Feels like he was replaceable. Even Gandalf was just kind of THERE and that's it, being a caricature of himself but not doing or saying much.

In a more general critique, what makes this movie overbearing might simply be the fact that it's not an adventure anymore. There was no journey to *anywhere*! And maybe because of that the plot devices were poor to non-existent. The only interesting conflict was with Thorin and his mental state, but the writers seemed to not know what they wanted out of it. BLAH! To sum it up, this movie is comprised of 70% violence that becomes pornographic and redundant very fast, and 30% poor dialogues that bury you with exactly the cliché's and tired musical cues you expect. We should be glad LOTR was not handled like this. Just a bad movie. Not interesting.

Dumb and Dumber To (2014)

Not very impressive but not as bad as people are saying!

[6/10 · 24 December 2014]

Reading the negative reviews really affected me as I went to see this movie, and yes you can right away tell Carry and Daniels are of course not their younger selves, and yeah yeah the whole premise of the film looks forced, I know - but after watching I think it's not half as forced as other US-made comedies and their plastic "jokes".

This is because the movie succeeds(a bit) in bringing back the lighthearted spirit of the 90's, so even when half the jokes don't work, it's never overbearing, and has many good, fun ideas! It's just that the writing of these ideas and the plot, the characters growth, connection between characters- all seem to have been done in a very lazy or rushed way. (for example, the villain's role is a classic idea but is too short for us to care about)

Now, that's kinda saddening and annoying because when you look at the jokes that *do* make you laugh, you get the feeling that maybe- just maybe- if these guys consciously decided to make a better a movie, they could have done so!! They just didn't put enough time and effort. And this is what annoys people so much. I get that. Maybe it's the nature of being complacent - everyone in this film don't have the drive and fears they had 20 years ago. No one's success is hanging in the balance etc- Too bad! There's obviously some potential here - some of that magic that guys like Jim Carry take wherever they go. It's just not utilized well !!

The Walking Dead: Four Walls and a Roof (2014) Season 5, Episode 3

Well done

[10/10 · 29 October 2014]

Four Walls and a Roof is really a perfect episode, balancing plot and emotion with good gruesome violence. I'm so glad I fell for that plot twist regarding the battle - the reveal was one satisfying moment!

On my review of the previous episode I was a bit annoyed with Gareth and his group, and I must say killing them off this fast is a great decision. By not dragging it the writers have immortalized Gareth as a really cool villain who was overall insane but also an abused, tortured soul. His short appearance will make fans remember him in a concise, mysterious\complex manner. Compare him to The Governor and you see Gareth was very different and unique.

Regarding Bob, Glenn and Maggie, in terms of character growth they kinda "maxed out", and them leaving, together with Gareth being killed, is used to give an option for other characters to shine, and to clear the "way to DC" plot line. I Just hope we will see Eugene and Abraham again, they are just so likable!!

One final thing about this episode - I think the use of the church was great, especially since the religion theme was not really emphasized- No one really talked about god or Christianity -but you know it's in the air. So subtle and I only thought of it when the slaughter was over. Oh and what about the machete with the red handle? did you catch that? Seriously ,what an awesome show !

The Walking Dead: Strangers (2014) Season 5, Episode 2

Not bad, but not so good.

[6/10 · 24 October 2014]

Having read the recent reviews I decided to write down my own thoughts:this episode, for us critical folks has been - not bad per se - but disappointing if you compare it to the premier.

As others have said the show has been following Bob in quite an awkward way. Do we really care about him? and why the hell was he so careless? after everything that happened? It was obvious he was going to pay for it.

I was also a bit confused regarding Carol. I did not think she'd start feeling guilty. Isn't now a bit too late for that?

I do feel good about the whole D.C thing and about the reverend and I'd give this episode a higher rating but it was more torturous than enjoyable thanx to the Terminus folks whose only role right now is to be in the way of our protagonists. UGH ! Maybe the fight will become more interesting, but for now, seems like it's just gonna be another war, with some more casualties, then the trip to D.C is gonna happen sooner or later and that's where exciting stuff is waiting. Seriously screw these Terminus idiots, whatever mind games they are playing, in the end they're the same as the governor.

The Walking Dead: No Sanctuary (2014) Season 5, Episode 1

fulfilling, incredible episode

[9/10 · 13 October 2014]

This episode was just amazing, I can't recommend it enough. Rick's group went to war and brought justice on Terminus, destroying them with such determination and will that even after all their past fighting, you'll still be impressed seeing how strong they are. The story of terminus is horrifying, and abuses our characters in a way that they cannot forget. Violence is so natural to rick now that it's sickening, as if he turns into an animal. But the group might still be human and hopeful, and that is symbolized by Rick being reunited with his daughter.

The cherry on the top is probably Carol. I never thought I'd say it but carol has paid her debt. She is such a unique character that at this point it's impossible to define her. She's a warrior, that's for sure.

Bottom line is the writers really did it with this one. They went for the oldschool approach, a path of raw emotion and action, and they hit jackpot ! Classic episode.

Hannibal: Mizumono (2014) Season 2, Episode 13

Good episode.Lots of tough questions ahead for viewers and writers..

[8/10 · 24 May 2014]

The theme involving Abigail was the most interesting part in this episode and maybe the only satisfying,straight-forward plot line and closure we got from the series so far. It can be summed up like this:

1. Hannibal saw potential in Will to become like him, so he decided to duplicate his own life circumstances in Will's life, to alter his personality.

2. The first step was to take Abigal away from Will, to mimic how he had lost his own sister (he sorta says this himself at one point).

3. Then he used this abuse to break Will's already confused personality and slowly turn him into an accused\real murderer so he knows how that feels like and also to detach him from others.

The interesting thing is that, because this was all a sort of mimicking, each time Hannibal pushed Will to the edge, he eventually brought him back(e.g freeing him from jail). He did the same with jack's wife.

Finally, You can know this was all just one big mimicking act because at the end Hannibal brings Abigail back. All along he just wanted Will to feel and understand him in every way. And now that the expriment succeeded, Hannibal was going to "bring back together the shattered tea cup" as a gift to Will.

But when he saw it actually failed, he killed the gift.

The Walking Dead: Claimed (2014) Season 4, Episode 11

Classic Walking Dead

[9/10 · 24 February 2014]

Gotta love this season. Human drama, simple plot, and smart subtext. it reminds me of season 1. The prison arc was O.K but felt very limited and tiring. That place & time had no hope in it whatsoever. But now the series and characters are both on a good path.

Oמ "Claimed" Glenn and Tara meet a new group of characters that(for a change) seem good-natured and accentuate this theme of hope I mentioned. Their talk of a cure\reason for what's happening is really uplifting. It feels like ages have passed since anyone mentioned "Saving the world" and I'm super glad to see this plot device is back. Introducing new characters at this stage of the series seemed like a risk to many but the bunch actually turn out to be pretty cool. They kinda remind you of the A- team! Haha.

Beside hope, the second theme of this episode can be titled "What's the mission?"; Michonne asks Rick what's his plan and he doesn't really know. The same is for the new group- Their meeting with glenn quickly puts 2 different goals up against each other, and suddenly we realize how saving the planet can take second place when you are in love. At the end of the episode it's the new group who follows Glenn to save Maggie, and once again the "mission" issue becomes blurry....Kind of a fateful meeting for everyone, I'd say!

Another reason to love this episode is Michonne who is the slowest growing character on TV but now probably also the most likable char. on the show. She is the smartest, strongest female character ever to be on the walking dead, both physically and mentally. And opening up about her emotions makes her a better friend. She is now a human being and not just a half-mute sword-wielding killer.

The Walking Dead: After (2014) Season 4, Episode 9

A film-in-itself episode. High quality stuff!

[9/10 · 19 February 2014]

This slow-paced episode is certainly not the best or most interesting of all Walking Dead episodes, but it just has this charm about it and I'm glad many of you guys are digging it. Watch this one on its own, forget the plot even, and it's like a short artsy film about a boy, his dad and a young woman(Michonne). It's bleak but beautiful, a good break from the previous action-packed "showdown"-style episode.

Once again, I think Rick is at the center of this charm the show has. He is the most developed character I've ever seen(and the actor is great). Even when dozing off for half the episode, everything that happens seems to be tied to him. Being the leader he has literally "made" much of the plot and is the reason Carl and Michonne are where they are(and alive). Because all this, watching him so beat and weak was very hard and tragic, yet I feel the Rick we are seeing here is much more resilient than he was at this season's start. I'm counting on him!

I think he is why this episode is better than the next one. Michonne and Carl are doing a good job and are also developing in character. Next episode "In Mates" feels just a wee bit weaker in comparison, with undeveloped\weak characters like Tyreese, the two little girls and the most-hated, returning Carol. Why the hell bring that woman back? I have absolutely no idea. But I'm looking forward too see it all make sense.

Sherlock: His Last Vow (2014) Season 3, Episode 3

Better than the 2 previous episodes, but still..

[7/10 · 14 January 2014]

Seeing that the whole thing wasn't just self-flattery and banter like the previous 2 episodes, I found "His Last Vow" to be likable. But, like those 2 episodes, the plot is still..just awkward! if not plain bad, and is seriously disjointed with subplots moving way too fast for anyone to care about.

Seems like the writers, on paper, worship calculation & complexity, but trying to cram all their ideas together results in the opposite: very cartoonish one-dimensional ideas that really cheapen the show. e.g Marry's plot; one minute she's a pregnant women, next she is an enemy assassin, but wait two scenes and she's our friend again. All the while Sherlock is shot but no, he uses his mind palace to NOT DIE. How convenient. Convenient and unbelievable. All this is really too much to take, and with so many conflicts occurring simultaneously, the show has no time to give any of it a proper, satisfying resolve.

The exception, plot-wise, is the Magnussen character, who is the only thing holding this episode together, and he does gets a resolve.

But that piece of drama is also cheapened, if not turned into a joke, as sherlock does not pay for his action at all, his plane returning to england at the order of Mycroft. Regarding this guy & continuing my "cartoonish" argument, the character of Mycroft is basically a walking, talking pun by now and can actually be replaced by a cartoon in my opinion.

The unnecessary icing on the cake is of course the return of Moriarty. Someone needs to spell the obvious: The writers have used every cheap trick and idea they had on this episode ! If I seem harsh let me give you a more objective bottom line: This isn't at all "bad TV". It was a nice hour+ of entertainment, but the previous seasons have set the bar much higher and this season does not come close to reaching it.

Sherlock: The Empty Hearse (2014) Season 3, Episode 1

awesome turns awful

[6/10 · 7 January 2014]

I must agree and stand beside those who have given this episode a negative review. All they have said regarding the bad & unsatisfactory plot lines is true. So much of this episode seems self-referencing. It's like the writers are so in love with the character of sherlock that they have entirely forgot how to challenge viewers, which is what made this series what it is. It's a series about solving mysteries for god-sakes.

I see no mystery to this episode, and found my interest weakening and withering, listening to the repetitive dialogue. It's not that I don't care for Sherlock and Watson. But no one can carry by themselves an hour and-a-half episode. Without a good script/plot? No. What was the point of this episode? To have the characters flatter each other? It was supposed to tell us how Sherlock faked his death. But then everything turned into a big joke. No danger, no excitement. Even the moments that are good are quickly buried in more annoying banter and unneeded camera tricks.

Ender's Game (2013)

Amazing story and visuals crippled by the movie's short span

[6/10 · 13 December 2013]

I have not read the book\s but must say, a few scenes into this movie and you can right away tell there is a fantastic story to tell here.

The problem is this story is so huge, both conceptually & geographically-speaking, that 114 minutes don't do it justice. No matter how convincing the actors are(and Ender's actor is excellent), it still doesn't make for the huge amounts of plot and dialogue that are obviously and brutally shortened here.. they are crammed into very short scenes. And that just doesn't give you enough time to really get invested in the characters and plot and the result? when the final climax arrives you feel like it's there too soon! Now that's the weirdest feeling I ever got from a movie. Instead of feeling amazed I felt confused.

The people who made this film could take a lesson from LOTR on how to truly explore a universe. You can't rush with this kind of deep, epic material. It's offensive to the storyline, the actors, and to us serious movie goers who want to be taken seriously and aren't in for a cartoon. Man, it's too bad, this movie could have been a 10 if not for its frantic pace and short length.