AnnPanders Reviews

Citizen Kane (1941)

It's a 1 for me, totally overrated

[1/10 · 25 February 2024]

I was always the movie snob growing up, I knew more about 30s/40s films than anyone amongst my peers in the 70s, having two parents born in the 30s. I was obnoxious, I admit it. But one thing I'll also admit, I just NEVER enjoyed or appreciated this movie. I've fallen asleep during it more times than I can count. I've been to screenings with discussions at the end to help me see its "greatness". Believe me, if there was SOMETHING that I could act all high and mighty and cinema snob about it, I would. But CK escapes me. It was a bomb when it first came out, and at least for the last 30 years it's been a bomb with me and my other cinema aficionados. I still don't see why it's so highly rated. It's like a prank and these pseudo-intellectual wannabes have latched onto this awfully boring film to act like they have some superior taste and expertise than anyone who doesn't like it.

I wish more people would come on here and give it a fat 1/10 to lower its rating. For 50 years I've never liked it. And today I still don't. And this is DECADES of watching and enjoying 1000s of movies with other likeminded cinema aficionados. Please bring this rating down. It's not nearly as good as it's portrayed to be. I'd say it's almost awful and tedious to watch and it will put you to sleep.

Safe Harbour (2007 Video)

Decent story, but OMG Gilbert's accent

[4/10 · 22 January 2024]

Typical Danielle Steele, just easy watching on a rainy Sunday. EXCEPT...... Melissa Gilbert's accent is so awful it was totally distracting. The accent goes in and out, and even when it's in it is horrendous. I wonder why the director didn't just stop her after one or two days of shooting and tell her "You are ruining this movie with your horrible accent, just play it straight from now on." It seriously is that bad. When I first noticed it when she met the guy on the beach I thought the character was faking the accent (and badly) just so the guy wouldn't know who she is. Then I realized, nope, this is apparently the accent she'll have the entire film. Uggh. I mean, WHY?!?!?! Did no one on set have the nerve to say how awful she is? The story would have been perfectly fine without the accent.

Okay, I spent enough time on her horrible accent. Otherwise, the film was watchable and Brad Johnson and the girl were good/okay. But if you are a fan of Melissa Gilbert, I would skip this one. She's terrible and barely watchable.

Liar (2020)

Rape victim as Nancy Drew with alot of Deus ex Machina

[1/10 · 3 December 2023]

I found this really interesting at the beginning. Then it cratered. For several episodes I was actually believing the good looking surgeon. It took forever to find out what the blonde's past secret was. Oh, she falsely accused another man of rape. There was absolutely NOTHING in the surgeon's demeanor to give evidence of any mental pathology or sociopathy. Then the blond Nancy Drew relies on her own detective work, breaks into her accused rapist's house by stealing her student's housekeys out of his backpack at school (student happens to be said accused rapist's son.. god this is when I should have stopped). Anyway, it goes from bad to worse. The lead detective on this case is also female, so despite all evidence that Nancy Drew is psycho, she still goes after the surgeon. Then we see the flashback where the surgeon actually DID spike NancyDrew's drink. Yawn. Incredibly the surgeon now turns into a psycho sociopathic rapist out of nowhere, and breaks into NancyDrew's house and spikes her athletic drink so she'll pass out and hopefully die on her oft kayak outings. PLUS, he also breaks into the the DETECTIVE'S house and drugs and rapes HER. Like, what?!?!? The rest of it is totally implausiable and frankly unwatchable. The term Deus ex Machina is used in film as meaning when the director just puts in random unbelievable evidence out of nowhere to push the story along. The characters do unbelievable things, incriminating evidence pops up out of nowhere, etc.

Do not waste your time.

Two Summers (2022– )

Kept my attention

[6/10 · 16 November 2023]

I watched this in one sitting, so it was good enough to keep my attention. I'm glad to read so many reviews saying how hard it was to figure out who was who from younger to older. I mean, Didier in his youth was the most attractive and in my opinion youthful and then 30 years later he looks at least ten or fifteen years older than the rest of the group. For the longest time I couldn't even figure out who was raped, and her older character looked nothing like the younger character. But that's okay. It just took me three or four episodes to figure out who exactly was who. As for the mystery of who was blackmailing, I kind of figured it out, but really I thought Lia was the daughter of Peter and Saski. I must have missed at the beginning who Jens was and that he was disabled so that was confusing until the final episode. The ending was tepid, we didn't find out if anyone had to legally pay for what they did. So that was disappointing.

All in all, it was okay. The scenery was great, and I'd LOVE to own an island!!! Wow.

The Dinner (I) (2017)

Please do not waste your time, I'm begging you

[1/10 · 2 November 2023]

So, I see this on Youtube, it has Richard Gere and Laura Linney, and I think good cast let's give it a try.

Well.... I wish I didn't. I was uncomfortable throughout, it started so slowly and like halfway through they finally get to why these two couples are meeting for dinner. It just was so slow, and all over the map. I got that one of the dads was mentally ill, and god did they go on and on and. On and on about it, to the point where I just didn't care.

Then there was like a five or ten minute sequence about Gettysburg? I'm thinking "Oh this is obviously referring to the conflict between the two brothers" but I couldn't tell, and frankly, it went nowhere and was just a waste of time.

So after suffering through this awful movie, thinking the ending has to at least tie it up and leave the viewer with SOME sort of perspective, the film just ENDS while all the characters are still talking. No resolution, no ending, and if I was in the theater I'd have thought that the movie accidentally cut off.

Awful awful awful. Not even so awful it's comic. No. Stay away from this. I really want to know what Gere and Linney felt about this. They should have some clause in their contracts, being respected actors, that if the final cut of their movie is this bad, that they can block its release. This was terrible. Avoid it.

Before and After (1996)

Boring

[3/10 · 1 November 2023]

I found this on Youtube. It said "psychological thriller" and starred Liam Neeson. Oh goody, let's get started with it I thought. So, I start the movie and the plot unfolds. I could totally see me acting how Liam did, destroying the evidence and playing strong. Then the son finally returns after he was on the run and is just an ass. Frustratingly so. They hire an expensive defence attorney and don't listen to him. Apparently the son accidentally his girlfriend, and think with the law that if they just tell the truth all things will be bright and rosy. They decide not to listen to the "best criminal defence attorney" and just do their own thing, because honesty is what matters most. Hah. Not when it comes to the law. Anyway, both the father and son get locked up for a period and the family moves on, blah blah.

Not sure what the message was here. Prison time is worth it because at least you were honest? The justice system itself is not honest. Why serve yourself like a lamb to the slaughter with them? Maybe the moral is LISTEN TO YOUR ATTORNEY. SHUT UP. You can set the record straight AFTER you are acquitted and then the judicial system can't do a thing about it.

I wouldn't recommend this. It is definitely not a psychological thriller. Dumb parents, dumb kids. Half get locked up. Then live happily ever after. Blech.

Who Is Erin Carter? (2023)

Thoroughly bingeable

[8/10 · 1 November 2023]

Okay, I LOVED this. I was glued to the screen the entire time. I didn't even start going on here to read reviews during. Yeah, you suspend your disbelief, but WOW, it was so entertaining. I'm not sure if it's the great, but it is very good for what it is, considering some of the series Netflix has given us.

If you are sick of the REALLY bad Netflix series you have to pick through and groan and just get through, I got through this immediately. Had to pee the last three episodes but just wanted it to go on and see what else is left.

I hope the ending leaves it open to a season two. It really was for me that hard to stop watching. Good job, Netflix, you actually got me to praise one of your shows. It's not high art, and I'm glad, it was action, mystery, crime, all that I love.

Bodies (2023)

Didn't. know what to expect, ended up bingeing all day.

[10/10 · 21 October 2023]

I was so impressed with this!!! At first it was hard to follow but I eventually started getting into it and couldn't stop watching it. Netflix has continually disappointed me, so I am pleasantly surprised by this high quality series. In fact I can't wait to rewatch this again since now I understand how the pieces have fallen together. I highly recommend this, but need to pay attention.

I was so impressed with this!!! At first it was hard to follow but I eventually started getting into it and couldn't stop watching it. Netflix has continually disappointed me, so I am pleasantly surprised by this high quality series. In fact I can't wait to rewatch this again since now I understand how the pieces have fallen together. I highly recommend this, but need to pay attention.

Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)

Impossibly insane and stupid family

[6/10 · 21 October 2023]

I can't believe I watched this to the bitter end. The parents were horrible. They should have been charged with criminal child neglect. Just when you think they can't do anything more stupid BOTH parents are engaged in sexual activity with this pervert. It just was almost impossible to believe. But then you see ultra-religious people getting involved in the craziest S. I don't think I would recommend this, it's just a horrible experience to watch and everytime they could do the right thing for their daughter they choose the absolute wrong thing. Not a good way to pass an hour or so. You'll want to throw things at your tv.

Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields (2022)

Not bad, but maybe two episode worthy.

[6/10 · 21 August 2023]

I agree with most of the critiques. Lots of unanswered questions. I also had a problem with them saying the killer "had sex with" their victim and then killed them, implying possible consent? They were RAPED and then killed. That was unsettling. The ending was confusing to me, and I forgot about Reece, who apparently confessed to the initial couple of murders. Very disjointed. What's strange is that I grew up in that area during those years and really never heard a thing about these murders. Just maybe how someone went missing, but there wasn't very much publicity. I wish they would have stressed more how the small town cops totally bungled the investigation. It all seemed to wrap up very tidily and let the League City police off the hook. I wished it was them who were sued for $24M. I give it a 6, because it kept my interest, but if there were supposedly tens of victims, why not mention them too instead of just focusing on three families?

Cold Case Files: Suspicious Minds (2022) Season 2, Episode 10

God bless you Jodie

[3 August 2023]

I just watched this episode on Netflix and was getting infuriated. I feel so sorry for the rumor mill you had to deal with all your life. I can't understand why it took so long to test the semen DNA, and why you were the object of such awful gossip. Semen sample, and a 13 y/o sister is the main person of suspicion? God, I hate small towns where the most ignorant people can create a rumor mill. Especially the ccops. They sound like the keystone cops. Completely inept and a disgrace to the profession. It just astounds me what you had to go through all this time when you should never have been a suspect. I'm glad you were finally exonerated. I hope you are living a happy life now.

Nothing But Trouble (1991)

Nothing but awful. 0/10 stars

[2 July 2023]

This has to be one of the worst films I've ever sat through. It was distractingly bad, and two bottles of pinot didn't help. I can't believe the production wasn't stopped, clearly they had to have known immediately this was a total stinker. It had a (used to be at least) decent cast, but nothing worked. Who was the intended audience??? I tried to "get out of myself" and attempt to see the bad humor, because sometimes bad humor can be funny, but I didn't laugh or smirk even once. Think of this as a really bad 90 minute SNL skit with really bad writing and special f/x. It just wouldn't end. Don't do this to yourself. You will start wondering if pulling the hairs off your toes would feel better than sitting through this.

I See You (II) (2019)

It's much better than the first hour, keep watching

[8/10 · 13 June 2023]

Okay, so I've been binging everything suspense/thriller while I'm yet again laid up with Covid. I've pretty much watched them all, and saw that I hadn't seen this one.

The first hour was slow, boring, and I thought it had a supernatural feel to it (I'm definitely not into supernatural fantasy thrillers). So I came on here and decided to just read the spoilers. I've been burned sticking out soooo many bad Netflix movies that I didn't want to waste any more time.

I'm glad I read the spoilers and kept watching. So my advice is to stick with it, and it will pay off in the end.

Another thing: Helen Hunt. What has she done to herself????? I didn't even recognise her. It was distracting once I saw it was she.

Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)

Meh

[3/10 · 12 June 2023]

Well, it's long, first of all, or just seemed to be. It dragged and dragged on and on.

The premise is a little girl living in a shack in the marsh of NC after being abandoned by her entire family. Known as the Marsh Girl, apparently no one in town seemed all that concerned that a six year old girl is raising herself alone in the swamp. No need to call social services. Right.

Then there's a love triangle. First guy is a saint who won't have sex with her because he respects her so much. Second guy is a cheater and rapist, so the contrast hits you over the head like a 4x4.

And what bothered me most was that it was supposed to be a murder mystery, and it just wasn't. We find out the reveal at the very end, and it made no sense. I at least thought it was going to be Prince Too Charming because her defence made a pretty compelling case. And we don't know WHY she murdered him, was it in self-defense? And she had his shell necklace all that time in her shack, as if the cops wouldn't have found it? Uggh.

I suppose the scenery is nice to look at, but if you aren't outdoorsy it just gets boring.

I give it three stars. I was able to get through it, was disappointed in the ending, and felt I wasted a couple hours of my time.

Murder on the Cape (2017)

Really bad

[1/10 · 18 May 2023]

I'm doing this review to help lower the rating from an already bad 2.6.

To start, I watched it on Youtube, so at least it was free. It claimed to be a murder mystery. I'm one hour in, and still no murder. (It happens about ten minutes from the end) So the mystery for the entire movie is WHO gets murdered and WHO did it. So, it was frustrating to watch and, a sign that this movie is a snore, I sped up the playback speed to 1.5 just to get this going and finish it.

The murder was out of nowhere and made no sense. The town drug pusher leaves his stash in a back pack in the victim's car when she gave him a ride. Instead of just going to her home and ringing the doorbell since they know each other and say "Hey I left my backpack in your car", he decides to go to his drug lord all scared. Then they stake out her home and when she comes home the drug lord goes in and kills her. And they never even retrieved the backpack!!!! So stupid.

The lead female I couldn't tell if she was supposed to be someone we cared about or hated. She starts an affair with a married man, and instantly she's calling him over and over like they are now in some relationship. Hun, he's married, he's not leaving his wife. Your charms are not as great as you think they are.

The acting was all over the map.

Anyway, it was a very bad movie, the only good thing as others said was the Cape.

Deadly Delusion (2017 TV Movie)

This was PAINFUL to get through

[1/10 · 14 May 2023]

Hailey Duff was absolutely cringeworthy in this. I'm not sure I've ever seen her act before, but girl, you were awful in this. To the point that if I ever see that she's starring in something I will avoid it like a plague.

The only way that I got through this was that I was playing on the internet and if it sounded like something interesting was happening I'd turn back to it. I just couldn't stand looking at Duff and her trying to act pathetic. Did I mention how horrible her acting was?

I suppose with a better actress this would have been infinitely better. It was kind of an interesting premise.

But it was practical TORTURE witnessing how terrible an actress Duff is.

Undue Influence (1996 TV Movie)

Watchable, SPOILERS ahead

[8/10 · 13 May 2023]

Well, this was LONG for a tv movie. The first half was trying to set the stage for the twists and turns at the end. But like another reviewer wrote, you really had to bear through those first two hours because Laurel was awful and you wanted to hate her. Having seen so many crime shows I figured that she was deliberately being nasty to her BIL who wasn't even charging her for his legal services because, hmm, what would motivate a woman to act like this? So I thought, she's obviously protecting her son. And the pieces quickly fell into place, especially when we found out that Melanie was pregnant. Hmm, who could possibly be the father of the baby that would REALLY piss off Laurel? You guessed it, and so I was just waiting for the big reveal that the son was the father of her unborn.

But then it got tedious, with side stories about witness protection, the ex-husband Senator caught up in corruption, and can anyone please write a review and explain to me why the hitman was still after Dennehy at the end, after blowing up a post office????? I didn't understand that at all. And for a hitman, he was a terrible shooter even with the red dot light.

It kept me watching to the end, and was interesting to figure out the twists. It is long, but I'd recommend it if you're sick on a Saturday and will be in bed all day anyway.

Falsely Accused (I) (2016)

0 stars if possible, let me spoil this whole spoiled atrocious movie

[1/10 · 13 May 2023]

I was continually trying to tell myself to keep watching, that it HAS to get better. It kept getting worse and worse. Horrible doesn't even begin to describe it, so please don't be fooled by any rating higher than a 1. Must be family members of the cast/crew.

Let me give you a synopsis. Shelly is a teen who has visions of some girl in a cornfield. One night she gets drunk at a party and the next day she's handcuffed to a hospital bed because her brother or nephew was murdered and she's the main suspect. Then there's a love interest that makes NO sense. And the dialogue, oh god the dialogue... Lot's of "Leave me alone.... I don't need your help.... I can do it on my own...." Just awful.

She's convinced these two bad guys have abducted a girl and are keeping her in their farmhouse. These dudes are the real deal with their guns and seemingly sociopathic traits. They have already been threatening her when she keeps going on their property. It's like "Girl, these rednecks will eventually shoot your head off." But she still persisted. Made no sense.

But in the end, there was no little girl, we just watched a movie about a cray girl. Not exactly sure why she's so cray, and she was so unappealing I don't even care. The good news is that it ends with her sucking on a Glock and she offs herself. Why exactly? No clue. This was a complete waste of time. AVOID.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)

Two stars solely for Douglas' performance

[2/10 · 12 May 2023]

I'd have to get inspired to find the original film. Maybe it made more sense in the 50s, but this was a complete mess.

The tag is why would you frame yourself for murder? I'm still not understanding why, except if you have to completely suspend all disbelief. And if you actually do what "CJ" did, you make more than one or two copies of your evidence exonerating you. And his friend was soooo annoying too, wasn't sad he blew up in that car crash at all.

I'm sure the 50's film was better. Otherwise why remake it.

I probably would say stay away from this, but Michael Douglas is a fave of mine, and he carried the film. Metcalfe? Hardly.

Imposters (2017–2018)

Fun first season, pointless second season

[7/10 · 4 May 2023]

If you want something to watch, it's watchable and fun in the first season. The second season picked up in the final episodes but was a waste of time.

I wish IMDb still had discussion boards. Things that bothered me probably shouldn't but suspension of disbelief hit a different level several times. The FBI is made out to be a group of idiotic and unprofessional bumpkins. For instance, the FBI had been following Maddie for a long time, enough to find out where her next con would be, yet they had no clue who Julia Langmore was and didn't even do a background check on her? The FBI? Jules realises she needs an attorney, so instead of, I dunno, looking online for one she cons her way into an exclusive country club? Dumb. Also the younger Maddie looks NOTHING at all like the star and only a few years older??? Her high school picture is the 'old' Maddie but I thought 'young' Maddie was a senior in high school? How did Esra know the combination to the safe to get the ring, or did he suddenly become a professional safe breaker? I wish there was a discussion group.

Manifest (2018–2023)

So/so

[5/10 · 4 May 2023]

Interesting idea for a series, reminded me of Lost, and I binged all four seasons in two days. The remaining episodes hopefully will tie it all together, but it's gotten a bit tedious. Someone has a 'calling', the exact same characters STILL act all "This can't be REAL!!!" "I don't believe you!!!" uggh.

The acting is pretty bad. It's like they have three expressions. Concerned with a furrowed brow (Grace and Ben were the worst) which made me wish they'd get botox, sad/fake crying, and laughing fake happy. Some of the dialogue is cringe, and these actors are so bad at reading their lines that you honestly don't care who lives or dies (when Grace died my reaction was "Thank God. Finally!").

I'm not sure why they brought in Noah's Ark into all of this, but maybe this will be explained in the final episodes. Probably not, though, it seems very little is explained but you get thrown so much extra details that don't really mean or add to anything.

It's hard to say this series is littered with plot holes, because the basic premise is fantasy, but some things that should add up just don't and it's hard to accept it as sci-fi/fantasy and not just bad writing.

The Woman in the House (2022)

Amasing, and ended up bingeing it

[10/10 · 28 April 2023]

What I loved about this series was that I had no idea what it was. Then I kept noticing things funny to me and just thought it's because I'm so over these cheesy Netflix awful shows that tried to be scary or suspenseful. Plus I have a dark sense of humor and an affinity for the bisarre and macabre. But after the first couple episodes I finally was "in" on the joke. The headstones, the bowl of wine bottle corks on the kitchen counter, the preposterously large glass of wine she'd fill to the brim, the details of her daughter's death, the titles of the painting books in her attic, the mailbox, etc. It's really pretty brilliant. The acting is sometimes intentionally LifetimeNetwork worthy, but it was all delivered in a deadpan way so you weren't always sure how to react. I reacted by laughing out loud at soooo many of those moments.

Even more hilarious are the reviews here, especially the 1/10 voters who clearly didn't "get it". How boring in life those reviewers probably are!

I highly recommend this, and would suggest watching it all in one sitting. And pay attention to the details!!! I so am hoping for a second season, but then again this was so good I'll probably be disappointed. The element of surprise of its true genre was also part of the hilarity/fun. Enjoy this gem.

What Breaks the Ice (2020)

Slow, monotonous, confusing

[2/10 · 27 April 2023]

This movie started off okay, but then we were treated to an hour or more of two 15 y/o's drinking, talking about losing their virginity and flirting with boys. I was waiting forever for this "mysterious murder" and I admit the first time I tried watching this, I fell asleep. I missed the murder so when the credits started running and I woke up I rewound it back to when I fell asleep and started again. So, yep, more drinking, more sex talk, and for the life of me I still didn't see a murder, just that the guy somehow died and they tried to cover it up. It was filmed so dark-lit I couldn't tell what was going on. Then all the flashbacks out of nowhere to the point I didn't even know what I was watching. Very poor editing. And then the ending was so anti-climactic it kind of made me angry for wasting so much time on this. I'd skip this one. There is NO murder mystery, no twists, no interesting change of pace. Just an hour and a half of BORING.

Inside Man (2006)

Watchable, but non-sensical

[7/10 · 15 April 2023]

This review will focus on one major aspect of the film that made no sense and which brought this down to a 7 for me, since I was engaged the whole time.

The interrogation of all the hostages throughout makes no sense to me. There is videotape of the hostages already in the bank before the cameras were cut off. You would think the cops would be astute to if not completely rule them out, but not grill them like they were one of the four painters. All it takes is going through the video surveillance leading up to the crime and the old lady or Sikh man would have been exonerated. So that made little sense to me.

I also don't fully understand what exactly Jodie's character actually did to help the situation. It seems Plummer was eventually discovered, Clive got away with the diamonds, and she just takes a paycheck from Plummer? Huh? What did she accomplish? Also, if Plummer was so interested in protecting his interests, why have all that damning evidence in a public bank???? He's a billionaire, there are plenty of other safe places to keep the evidence of his Nasi dealings, right?

Intrusion (II) (2021)

Avoid

[1/10 · 14 April 2023]

I got through it at least, but it was a total waste of time. The lead character does one incomprehensible thing after another. She was so weak in character it was hard to watch. Three men break into your house while you are there, but when husband pulls our a gun he has hidden, THAT is more important than three thugs possibly killing you? I didn't understand why she was so pissed about the gun. She didn't know it was there and it saved her life, but she's... upset?

I also didn't understand why the three men who WORKED on the construction didn't know about the basement? Why search the entire house when they should know there is a hidden basement?

The lead didn't pick up the bat to defend herself, or grab a knife when she escaped and reached the kitchen. Pass on this mess.