tooraredie Reviews

Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones (2023)

Could've been shorter and had more impact

[7/10 · 21 September 2023]

It's ok, but basically it boils down to "shock horror, people live longer when they eat healthily, remain moderately active throughout their lives and maintain a sense of purpose and joy by connecting with the community and people around them."

If it'd been condensed instead of drawn out and presented with a little more scientific fact, it would've been a great documentary, but alas, it wasn't.

Somewhat ironically, to reach the required character limit, I have to draw out my review, so let's insert more fluff in this than they did in the documentary. What an amazing concept - I wonder if the director had this issue themselves?

Matriarch (I) (2022)

Like my school reports - lots of potential, could do better.

[5/10 · 12 May 2023]

There's a really great core idea here and an overall solid story that with just a few minor tweaks could've made an absolute classic, but there's something hard to define that's not quite worked.

I can't figure out if it's the characters, the acting, the editing, or what, but for some reason I couldn't connect and wasn't absorbed on an emotional level - there was no character I was rooting for, none I was rooting against. Someone died and it was acknowledged, but I didn't care.

And if I'm not feeling something emotionally, it loses a major part of the battle for me. The brain parts of the people behind this got everything just about right, but the heart parts I think got left at home.

Synchronic (2019)

Risked the dog, risked my dislike

[3/10 · 10 January 2023]

This was a solid but middle of the road type movie that I was enjoying and was heading for a 6-7 out of 10, but then they decided, when there was a whole host of other options, to risk the dog's life.

Stopped watching at that exact moment, came here and did this review. So, animal lovers, probably avoid this movie. People who aren't, well, might be worth a shot, depends on the ending - and you'll have to ask someone else about that.

I enjoyed the premise of how the drugs and the time travel worked and it's a really good idea that will hopefully get explored further by someone else who doesn't hate dogs.

Werewolf by Night (2022 TV Movie)

If this leads into something else..

[7/10 · 8 October 2022]

...then I might end up changing my mind on it, but in and of itself, it feels a bit...nothing. For nothing and achieving nothing.

A couple of the scenes were ok, characters were alright, bit campy, but that's what I was expecting, but it all felt like it started somewhere and went vaguely nowhere else (and I'm one of those annoying people who loves pretty much everything MCU).

I only hope this was establishing characters for a future project, like Blade, in which case it could be a good thing to help that move along at a quicker pace when it happens. If not...then what was the point of this?

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: A Normal Amount of Rage (2022) Season 1, Episode 1

Good start

[9/10 · 18 August 2022]

Enjoyed this first episode. Gave a good character background, some funny and some emotional moments.

Still a long way to go, but can't hope for much more in an opening episode.

Resident Evil (2022)

Action sequences

[6/10 · 7 August 2022]

Some really great action sequences and nods and homages to the original franchise...strung together with an average bunch of characters and some mid story telling.

It's not as bad as everyone seems to be making out, but it's not great either - and the saddest part is, it wouldn't have taken that much to lift it up, probably just a bit more patience at both the writing and filming stages to iron out wrinkles.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Possibly my favourite SW project yet

[8/10 · 22 June 2022]

I never got into the original SW trilogy. Too many characters seemed to lack depth and be pure good or pure evil, not much inner turmoil as they figure this stuff out.

On this front, Disney have improved the whole SW universe massively and the characters all seem a lot more fully realised and the story is solid, but a little slow at points.

I can only hazard a guess as to why so many seem to hate it and it rhymes with gin sells.

All of Us Are Dead (2022– )

Some amazing moments and ideas, and then...

[7/10 · 11 March 2022]

I really enjoyed this for the most part - there's a lot of originality in a theme that's been done a lot, the acting was often good, the action sequences amazing, but then there'll be a really crap line, or some insanely dumb decision that makes you cringe.

I'd probably have rated it a little lower for those negatives, but hey, I live in the UK, so I'm well aware how dumb some decisions can be in real life, so they're not unrealistic, just a bit annoying.

Spree (2020)

Superb acting makes a film worse?

[6/10 · 25 February 2022]

Joe Keery plays our main guy - an uninteresting social media wannabe - so well, that it makes the movie worse than it could've been, coz he bored the hell out of me (and I know he's a good actor, so I really think he did it by mistake by being that good at acting that he nailed boring throughout).

That aside, it's a good idea and pretty interesting with some unique angles, but could've been better if Joe had been worse.

Man on Fire (2004)

Some great moments

[7/10 · 21 November 2021]

Some really good parts to this, Denzel nails every second he's in (as he always does) and lots of other positives too. I would've rated it higher, but I found the ending a bit flat, coz I was waiting as the car drove off at the end (here's the spoiler) for it to turn out he'd shoved another one of those bombs up his own butt. I was waiting and waiting for him to go for his watch and then...it didn't happen.

Shame, felt like he was clever enough to at least go out swinging.

Jolt (2021)

Fast food film

[7/10 · 4 August 2021]

I had a need for an action movie that didn't require too much concentration and would just be a good laugh.

I saw the trailer for this and thought it'd fit the bill - simply put, it did!

Kate Beckinsale does what she does as well as ever and Stanley Tucci is great, as is David Bradley.

It doesn't take much investigation to know exactly what you're getting with this and if you want that, do it. If you don't, go for something else.

Black Summer: Cold War (2021) Season 2, Episode 4

Action means nothing when you don't care about characters

[5/10 · 2 July 2021]

Yes, the action scenes are great, both filming and choreography are fantastic, but it's hard to care about people who you don't know and, in the melee, can barely tell apart.

It's like a zombie video game, bursting from room to room, shooting anything that's in there - great fun if you're playing, but if you're watching, gets old real fast.

If this had been a season finale after I'd gotten to know the characters, who to will to survive and who to wish dead, it would've been a 10, but without context...meh!

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

Needs an emotional connection

[7/10 · 28 May 2021]

The action scenes are absolutely insane, but despite that, I left this feeling flat.

In a lot of the BIG action movies designed for the cinema, there's events happening that affect the world, kill millions, even billions, but they make you connect to it by giving you it through the eyes of someone relatable - perfect example is 2012. You see everything happen and you're willing John Cusack and his family to survive.

Here there isn't that, so it's just a lot of stuff happening.

Very impressive stuff happening mind, but just stuff.

Sex Education (2019–2023)

Wish this had been around years ago

[10/10 · 1 April 2021]

On the surface level, this show is funny and interesting, but on a deeper level, I really wish this had been around when I was of the age that most of the characters are.

I really feel this would've taught me so much about friendships, relationships, family, that I struggled with learning when I was younger. It gives me hope that this show is popular and might be helping others to learn a lot of this without them having to make a lifetimes worth of mistakes and regrets first.

Legion (2010)

Epic Scene Ruins It for some I reckon

[9/10 · 20 August 2020]

The only reason this has a bad rating is because of the absolutely amazing scene with the Granny chewing out the fellas neck, then scurrying across the ceiling like some demented geriatric spider. This scene is in every trailer for it and makes people think the whole film will be just as epic, when in reality, the rest of the film is just good and not among the finest in cinematic history. For most people it doesn't matter how good a film is if you go into it thinking it's gonna be better.

Cursed (2020)

Slow starter but solid

[7/10 · 26 July 2020]

I did wonder after a couple of episodes whether I'd get to the end of this, but it picked up as everyone grew into their roles and it became a solid but not spectacular series.

I don't get the people complaining about the changes to how it apparently should be - there's already many of those out there if that's what you're after (and if you can believe in fairies, sorcery and magic swords, but not a multicultural port town, then I can't help you).

I'd definitely watch a series 2 if it's made.

100 Humans: Life's Questions. Answered. (2020)

More entertainment than science, but it's ok

[7/10 · 13 May 2020]

There's a lot of puff and filler, but it is quite entertaining and, here and there, there's some interesting results (though you're best off figuring them out for yourselves and just letting the hosts round ups be entertainment)

Dara O Briain: Crowd Tickler (2015 Video)

At his best

[10/10 · 23 August 2019]

Quite simply, if you like Dara, you'll love the show. It just builds and gets funnier. This doesn't need a big and full on arty review, breaking down the societal reasons why it's good does it? It made me laugh!

Follow This (2018)

Left-wing biased? Yeah, so?

[8/10 · 29 July 2019]

I'm not finished yet, but I'm quite enjoying some of the information included in this and the approaches are from a different angle to the right wing ones we're almost always forced to swallow from every source out there.

It's not amazing by any stretch of the imagination, but if you want to see some interesting subjects approached from a standpoint that the various billionaires behind the rest of the media don't like, it's not a bad place to start

When They See Us: Part One (2019) Season 1, Episode 1

I feel sick, but it's riveting

[10/10 · 19 July 2019]

Anything that inspires the level of feeling that this does is clearly good, but it's not positive feelings, so if you're feeling fragile, don't watch until you're feeling a bit stronger. It's sickening knowing the cops didn't care whose life they ruined, what they did, just so long as someone was sent down - and I can't imagine much has changed since.

These poor kids - and the poor woman who got raped with none of them caring about getting the actual attacker/s taken off the streets.

You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015–2022)

Great until...

[5/10 · 6 July 2019]

WTH! This was an enjoyable romp until the final twist. Ruined it for me

Rim of the World (2019)

Every film has it's right moment to be watched

[6/10 · 29 May 2019]

My partner is not great with computers and, tonight she's had to do a lot with her computer for work. This has led to her interrupting me for help roughly every 3 seconds. I can't imagine a better film to have watched during such an event.

Highly recommended if you're in a similar predicament. If, however, you're actually likely to be able to pay attention, maybe choose something else.

It's a shame, coz this could've been a lot of fun. The basic concept is a good kids adventure type thing and the actors are solid for youngsters, but simply far too many "WTF? That makes no sense." or "that doesn't fit" moments that could've easily been remedied

Chambers: Murder on My Mind (2019) Season 1, Episode 5

Overly dramatic cereal prep

[7/10 · 6 May 2019]

Fairly standard episode of this as it builds and slowly releases new information and secrets, but wow was I impressed with how dark and dramatic they managed to make the preparation of a bowl of cereal.

The Changeover (2017)

Unfulfilled potential

[7/10 · 4 May 2019]

Timothy Spall counts for a good 5 of those 7 stars. He plays the sinister bad guy absolutely perfectly.

The rest is...flawed. There are some great moments, great ideas, great little bits of dialogue, but it's so disjointed and with so many bits that take away from the good that it feels a shame.

I don't know if it's the writing, the directing or the editing, but at some point it went wrong and a good idea lost it's flow.

Nonetheless, if you're a fan of the genre, I'd recommend it

The Silence (II) (2019)

Solid B-Movie fare

[7/10 · 14 April 2019]

If you don't like horror b-movies, you won't like it, but if you do, well, I enjoyed it.

The only thing that bugs me is a few more decent wood chippers and the movie would've been over in an hour