sarakuralexx Reviews

The Family Plan (2023)

Another great entry for the Maggie Q Cinematic Universe

[10/10 · 16 December 2023]

For fans of Nikita, Maggie has yet another treat in store to keep the spirit of the show alive. I had a blast watching this. We haven't seen Maggie as a villain in an action movie since Die Hard 4, so this is a welcome treat. She stole the show as usual.

After The Protegé in 2021 and Fear the Night earlier this year, here's hoping Maggie intends on keeping the momentum up. I see her becoming the next Michelle Yeoh in a few years and it'll be well deserved.

The cast and the soundtrack were also standouts for me.

Overall, this is another great addition to the MQCU and for Nikita fans worldwide.

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

If Discovery pulled this it would be the lowest rated episode ever.

[1/10 · 3 August 2023]

Jesus. If you want to see an appropriate sci-fi musical from a TV show watch Brigadoom from LEXX. This was absurd. Paul Wesley was having Vampire Diaries-level monologues with Christina Chong, filled with close-ups and angst.

The ENTIRE episode is about singing your FEELINGS out. Exactly what fans do not want and criticize Discovery for doing too much of.

This season has not been as strong as the first. I understand they are trying to change things up and be episodic but these swings need to be bolder, not reductive. This is Star Trek, not Buffy.

Hopefully S3 can pick things up. SNW needs some edge.

Fear the Night (2023)

Nikita + The Strangers

[10/10 · 21 July 2023]

I actually had a blast watching this! Maggie Q is a force to be reckoned with, and the original parts of the script really elevated it. Shame I can't say what exactly without spoiling it, but I was very surprised with the dialogue and the final outcome. When you think about what they did with the budget they had, it's pretty remarkable. Also great acting by the actress who played Beth. The location was well chosen and the snappy banter really worked. If I were to think of something negative I guess it would be two of the actresses from the group can be pretty cringy with some deliveries. But really, for a B film, you can't get any better than this.

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Shudder Original: Evil Dead

[5/10 · 20 April 2023]

It's... good. It checked all the necessary marks. Being a huge fan of the franchise I went in knowing what to expect. But there's something missing from this entry that becomes more evident when you try to rank all five films. I can't say it's better than the previous four, yet I still don't know why.

I guess an apartment building can't beat the cabin or medieval times. But the humor was severely lacking, and to be honest... the gore wasn't as relentless and shocking as I thought it would be.

It reminded me of the Hellraiser remake released by Hulu or the recent Shudder original films. The X factor is clearly missing here, and it'll take me some time to figure out exactly why. It's a good horror film. It's just not an awesome Evil Dead film.

Velma (2023– )

You can tell the creators think it's hysterical

[1/10 · 12 January 2023]

This show HATES its audience. It should not have been named Velma. Even the dubbing is odd. Glenn Howerton basically plays Dennis from IASIP as usual but in Fred's body. Daphne is crass, mean and vulgar and Velma is Mindy Kailing.

I don't understand why this is what we get when attempting something adult with the Scooby Doo IP. No one asked for this. The hate is warranted - it's an acceptable, albeit unfunny animation show that thinks it's a lot better than it is.

This was my main issue with the first two episodes: you can tell the writer's room was comprised of mostly "yes" people who thought every idea was edgy and current. Instead the finished product resulted in a convoluted, mean-spirited and just all around embarrassing start.

His Dark Materials (2019–2022)

Ignores everything that made the books magical

[10/10 · 15 December 2022]

We have to keep settling for less with this show on a bunch of stuff that's critical. I'm still not over the bear fight ignoring the jaw scene, the battle at Bolvangar feeling so small, the angels looking like Star Trek aliens from the 60s, Iorek having G-rated battles in every scene, Iorek just pulling a Yoda and not actually fixing the knife, the Mulefa now just basically being light brown elephants, etc. Let's not get started on the budget for the sets looking cheap and screaming of a BBC production instead of an HBO one. The movie made the trilogy feel magical, yet got robbed of its ending.

Star Trek: Prodigy: Mindwalk (2022) Season 1, Episode 18

This is the best Trek currently on air.

[10/10 · 15 December 2022]

Fast, smart, genuine, innovative, creative, surprising and wholesome. THIS is the show I always dreamed of for Trek. I love Picard but this has been constantly improving since Episode 1. Lower Decks is too hokey and manic for me, and let's not get started on Discovery. SNW, Picard and Prodigy are the absolute best. Since I prefer stories set in the 24th/25th century, Picard and Prodigy are my go to Treks right now. And what a ride it has been. Congratulations to the writing team for not talking down to their audience. I can't wait to see what else is in store for the Protostar crew. We need a live action episode!

Maneater (2022)

The end of Shane West's career

[1/10 · 26 August 2022]

I mean, what happened? This guy was Michael in Nikita, had a bunch of starring films and now all he does are awful DTV CGI films! He needs to start taking roles that are more risky. This has to be the ugliest shark in the history of cinema. The guy still looks great, has talent, but seems to be in it for the cash. He's the male Eliza Dushku at this point.

Hopefully better movies are on the way. It's been dud after dud and he could do better.

The location was the best part of the whole film.

The CGI shark is atrocious and there are entire CGI sequences like the floating dead body in the water that made this feel like it was an episode of LEXX.

Star Trek: Picard: The Star Gazer (2022) Season 2, Episode 1

Terry Matalas knows what he's doing, his episodes of Nikita proved it.

[10/10 · 3 March 2022]

Wow, what a start to the season!

I'm very interested in where they're taking Picard's reluctance to romance; if I had to guess from the disjointed flashback we saw, I would guess he had an abusive father, and was worried he would emulate that behavior if he ever let himself love someone ... somewhat autobiographical for Stewart, but a fitting explanation for Picard's reserved demeanor for most of the time we saw him in TNG.

It was delightful to see Guinan again, and I find it amusing that she must've scoured Earth for a 'Forward St' just so she could set up a thematically appropriate bar.

The Stargazer is an absolutely gorgeous ship, and it was exciting to see Rios in command. The interior design, to me, felt like the right blend of TNG-era aesthetic blended with technological advancements in both real world and in-universe improvements.

Seven on the outskirts of space going lone wolf aboard the La Sirena is fitting, though I was sad when she said she merged the holograms, I enjoyed Santiago Cabrera's versatility portraying the various EXH's, I was hoping we'd get more of that in the future.

The Borg requesting Federation membership was the perfect bait, and harkens back to something Eddington said to Sisko, that the Federation wants everyone to join them. Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, and apparently, even the Borg. I can see how Picard would want to take that chance, it's a very Starfleet thing to do.

Q's appearance as his younger self and then 'catching up' was suggested here a while back, and I feel like they pulled it off perfectly. Their de-aging tech isn't as good as Marvel's, but for the quick shot it did the job well. Picards creeping dread and 'God damn it, Q!' were also similarly fitting. After so long, Picard must've hoped Q had become bored with him and moved on.

All in all, this was an exciting start to the Season, with the promise of intriguing twists and turns; though I confess when all is said and done, I feel like a Stargazer spinoff would be welcome; that was a beauty of a ship, and new adventures in the early 25th Century would be a great source of material.

Halloween Kills (2021)

Helps expand the 2018 sequel and the entire franchise + brutal

[10/10 · 15 October 2021]

Effective, efficient, straight to the point, violent, brutal, handled and written with care. Loved the flashbacks to 1978 and how they amped up the whole story. Judy Greer stole the show and I can't wait to see the final entry after the shocking ending.

The Protégé (2021)

Let's just call it for what it is: Nikita - The Movie

[10/10 · 20 August 2021]

I thoroughly enjoyed it. This an action blockbuster - one shouldn't go in expecting Shakespeare.

Maggie Q has played this part for four years. The most skilled assassin in the world - so this role just felt like a feature length of Nikita.

The stunts and action scenes were impressive and I appreciate the violence, which wasn't over the top but wasn't minimal either. Keaton's chemistry with Maggie sells the movie, and the dinner scene dialogue is one of the best in recent memory for this genre.

Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! (2020 Video)

The best one since Moon Monster.

[10/10 · 19 May 2021]

This is DEFINITELY a Top 10 Scooby film. Considering it's been almost forty entries, narrowing them down to 10 is not easy.

But this stands right alongside Zombie Island, Witch's Ghost, Alien Invaders, Aloha, Loch Ness, Where's My Mummy, Pirates Ahoy, Samurai Sword and Moon Monster.

The long chase is what makes the movie. I absolutely love we got a Scooby film on the road. Using the orange to represent gore in the end was nice, as was the nod to edibles in Velma's mind palace. Elvira fit right in with the gang, it's as close as Scooby has ever gotten to the action genre and the synth soundtrack was reminiscent of 80's John Carpenter. The tone of the film can get pretty dark and we all know this is where an entry always stands out. Also the nod to Mystery Inc. By having them live in Crystal Cove...I mean. You can't get any better than this.

Wrong Turn (2021)

Insufferable. No gore.

[1/10 · 14 February 2021]

The 1st Wrong Turn worked because it felt like an amusement park ride - once the movie got the ball rolling it didn't let up until the end. From the mutant's cabin to the abandoned car park, to the truck to the watchtower, to the waterfall and then back to the cabin - it was more of a chase than a cat & mouse situation.

This is a two hour long film without the mutants and with the single similarity being that it's set in the woods and there are deadly traps.

WHERE IS THE GORE? This movie could've been rated PG-13. It goes on forever, jumping back and forth with time lapses and an attempt at an "artsy" ending which just felt underwhelming.

Star Trek: Discovery: Su'Kal (2020) Season 3, Episode 11

What is wrong with these writers?

[1/10 · 25 December 2020]

The Burn being caused by a toddler throwing a temper tantrum is an absolutely HORRID plot twist. Who comes up with stuff like this? I can't BELIEVE how bad this season has been.

Star Trek: Picard: Nepenthe (2020) Season 1, Episode 7

That felt like a gift

[10/10 · 5 March 2020]

Really, I am surprised at how emotional I got from seeing the trio back together. The story is unfolding nicely and I have no idea where they're going from now - yet we still have three hours to go. A+

Star Trek: Picard: The Impossible Box (2020) Season 1, Episode 6

Another fantastic episode (SPOILERS)

[10/10 · 27 February 2020]

My thoughts:

• The Voyager callbacks are everything. Beyer is all over this and it shows - we got a callback for Once Upon a Time (Flotter lunchbox) and Prime Factors (Sikarians)

• Hugh and Picard reuniting made me a bit emotional - it was such a relief to finally see someone not resenting Jean Luc or mad at him.

• Picard clapping after Raffi managed to get the clearance was confusing, yes, but we must understand that was the difference between them facing certain death or going in with VIP treatment so to speak inside the cube. It was a big deal, and Raffi sacrificed her friend's trust for Picard. I get why he clapped - yes it was tone-deaf because she was wasted, but I get it.

• The Romulan meditation was a big no-no for me because it was written in an extremely lazy way. Seriously, they made up weird Romulan names as an excuse to have her close her eyes, walk around in circles while forcing her to describe a dream we'd already seen. It should have been shorter, and should have been more elaborate.

• The effects on the Borg cube really sealed the deal for me, when it came to selling the eerie atmosphere. It's another reminder of what we can get production wise in 2020 compared to a show from the late 80s.

• I am absolutely in love with Elnor and it's time to accept it. The way of absolute candor really just means he'll be delivering the same invaluable zingers as Data, and to some extent, Seven. He's the odd one out and it's delicious.

• After Episode 7, we will run out of scenes from trailers/TV spots. The Will/Deanna scenes + the "forest" planet with the girl wearing a hood are the only ones left. I can safely say I have absolutely no idea where they will go with this on 8, 9 and 10.

Star Trek: Picard: Stardust City Rag (2020) Season 1, Episode 5

Another incredible ep

[10/10 · 20 February 2020]

Loved the continuity with VOY's 7x02 about Icheb's cortical node. That episode is very touching - I only recently rewatched it and was surprised at how emotional and powerful it was. Loved that Icheb died, though. It upped the stakes, it included a "deep cut" character only Voyager fans would care about, and, since Voyager is my favorite, it brought a lot of depth to Seven in this episode. I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH. Seven is bisexual. That is absolutely awesome. They killed off Bruce Maddox too. The red shirt curse doesn't apply to Picard, it seems to apply to guest stars and recurring characters that are not full cast members!

Star Trek: Picard: Absolute Candor (2020) Season 1, Episode 4

Absolutely amazing.

[10/10 · 13 February 2020]

SO GLAD I SKIPPED THE TITLE SEQUENCE because it spoiled Seven's appearance according to the comments here - and OH MY GOD IT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE.

They faked out on us pretending she'd come in at the Chateau when it's actually the holodeck - smart. IT WAS A MOMENT.

I'm glad they're adding some levity to it as well according to the preview for Ep 5 - this show keeps surprising me. I let out the loudest scream when Seven beamed onto the La Sirena. I...I'm still at a loss for words. Is this real life?

Star Trek: Picard: The End Is the Beginning (2020) Season 1, Episode 3

Astonishing.

[10/10 · 6 February 2020]

I'm already in love with Rios and the new EMH. The Engage moment was...everything. Now THIS is the end of the pilot. A two hour movie which sets up the whole thing, basically. Now Picard is space-bound, we're meeting Elnor on 4 and Seven on 5.

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Absolutely mesmerizing.

[10/10 · 24 January 2020]

The pace, the soundtrack, the visuals, the plot with so many satisfying callbacks, we are in for such a journey and I hate that word. We made it, we finally have new Trek post Nemesis. Let's celebrate and enjoy this moment.

Loved the pacing of the episode. The 45 minutes flew by but the pacing was very thoughtful.

I was surprised by the Dahj twin twist. I'm curious how deep into the show it will be before they reconnect.

They did an awesome job of illustrating the sheer enormity of the Romulan Borg cube. I am so intensely curious at how that came to be.

Everything was beautiful and I envy the fans who have already seen the next two episodes.

Underwater (2020)

Impressive and unexpected cosmic horror

[10/10 · 8 January 2020]

This took me by surprise. I awaited a Chtulhu film for God knows how long. Everything is impressive: visuals, soundtrack, jump scares, atmosphere.

The only glaring flaw IMO: there are no characters. They are actors reading lines. There is ZERO development regarding that. Zero minutes of peace until chaos hits the fan. The movie already begins when bad stuff ensues. No fifteen minutes of a happy crew like we usually get.

Kristen's acting, which usually puts me off, was also fine here.

We finally have a film that rivals The Abyss!

His Dark Materials: The Fight to the Death (2019) Season 1, Episode 7

The movie was blamed for X, this one suffers from Y

[1/10 · 16 December 2019]

At this point I need a fan edit of the whole TV show, with two replacements using pfake: Bolvangar and Svalbard.

They might not even have to use it in Svalbard because the bears are similar. But Dafne Keen imprinted on the flawless movie Bolvangar battle would be everything this franchise needed, IMO. And the bear fight, as well. But Dakota is barely in it apart from a couple frames.

You cannot compare the bear movie fight with the G-rated version from BBC. Another one in the basket for the film. Properly underrated, IMO. Rushed, but everything else is on point. Imagine the 2007 film with the proper ending, and over 2h30 hours of complete work. An easy 8/10

It was simply much worse and much tamer compared to something released 12 years ago. SOMETHING is WRONG. In 2007 GOT didn't even exist on TV. In 2020, asking for a realistic approach to the bear fight especically since the one from 2007 won an OSCAR is not unrealistic. The dead fish irked me, but the no-jaw is a BIG NO for me. A fan edit will save this adaptation. Bolvangar and Svalbard are superior in the movies.

Edited into the film it would be the perfect fanedit imo. The movie OBLITERATED the TV show's two main battles and it's a SHAME.The Bolvangar and Svalbard battles are the crucial epic, focal points of Northern Lights.

The movie has many issues, but they executed both battles perfectly. I am very underwhelmed by this whole charade of budget restraints in Eps 6 and 7. Will LOTR's Amazon series suffer the same fate?

The bear fight was ridiculous. They chickened out where the movie did not. I am BEYOND frustrated.

Ad Astra (2019)

A masterpiece.

[10/10 · 27 September 2019]

I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would think this movie was boring. I was riveted for two hours and genuinely believe this is the best hard sci-fi outing since Interstellar.

If you're going to explore the solar system, what better theme to introduce to the audience than a deep study of a human's soul and our traumas?

After it ended, I was in awe for a couple hours - the lessons I learned will be treasured for life and I genuinely identified with Roy.

The cinematography and the score were breathtaking and I can't wait to rewatch this dozens of times.

Hereditary (2018)

The papier machet demon? Really?

[7/10 · 21 August 2018]

I cannot, for the life of me, believe anyone would find this movie scary. It's literally about a papier machet demon. It's not scary, it's bleak and boring and the ending is literally a comedy.

The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)

Are they kidding me with those deaths?

[1/10 · 20 March 2018]

The mother basically surrenders to Dollface, someone she could easily have tried to at least kick before letting her stab her multiple times for no reason. The father crashes the car into a wall only to be punctured in the stomach and that's it? Nothing that made the original memorable was present here. Instead, the usual horror cliches are plenty. Goth chick with no reason to hate the world? Check. Cop that gets shot as soon as final girl asks for help? Check. A main killer with superhero strength? Check. Radio/phone that's on loud speaker so it leads to a noise outside announcing the killer has heard them? Check. 80s songs devoid of any real connection to the plot thrown in constantly just to be trendy? Check. Cars on fire crashing and roaming empty streets where absolutely not a single soul spots the ongoing chaos? The trailer park isn't just abandoned, it's zombie-apocalypse abandoned - and it's gigantic. Did I mention not a SINGLE car drives by the entire night, on that gigantic radius, with the exception of said cop who, clearly, gets hits throat slashed the second he gets out of the car. The original was an exercise in atmospheric horror: you felt as if you were there, inside that cabin. You also rooted for the main couple because their story felt genuine. This is, unfortunately, a dud.