davenittel Reviews

The Other Guys (2010)

Massively underrated

[9/10 · 21 April 2024]

I would've rented this movie when it first became available and it was an instant classic. One of Ferrell's top 3 funniest movies, though he's mostly the straight man in this one, except for a brief turn as Gator! Wahlberg makes a fun, if imperfect, comic foil/buddy cop to Ferrell. Many lines from this movie are repeated amongst people who have seen it; 'soup kitchen' for one! And this movie marked a return to film for Micheal Keaton that paved the way for bigger things. They make a timely and somewhat informative plunge into financial crimes, but mostly there's just some funny running jokes throughout!

Millennium (1989)

Great premise and underrated

[7/10 · 19 September 2023]

I saw this when it first came out on video when I was 10. It wasn't earth-shaking, but it stayed with me. I never saw it again and it was never referenced, but the whole thing stuck with me- and ultimately that's the litmus test for something special.

Bear in mind this film most certainly didn't get its first choice of actor for any role, or director, or budget, but it did a good job with what it had!

And its vision of the future is surely prophetic... Kris Kris was given a couple silly lines to say. Some parts move pretty slow by today's standards but were typical for back then. That time would've been spent doing much more world-building nowadays. Given how few people have seen it, particularly amongst younger folks, I'd say it's a prime candidate for a remake!

Northern Exposure (1990–1995)

I don't know why it's good

[8/10 · 8 September 2023]

I watched almost all of the series when it originally aired, when I was 10-15 years old (not their key demo, but we didn't have a lot of options back then). Somehow I enjoyed it then. After never seeing it (but occasionally thinking about it) for almost 30 years I found myself rewatching syndicated reruns in my 40s... and I somehow enjoy it. You couldn't pay me to watch a network drama nowadays, and I never rewatch non-comedies, and I have little to no interest in old content... but here we are!

It's like King of the Hill; none of the characters are all that likeable. Amd the main character is *over the top* unlikeable. Nothing funny or dramatic or interesting ever happens. I literally don't know why I like it, but I did and I do.

The Flash (I) (2023)

Surprisingly good

[9/10 · 31 July 2023]

First off, I understand as well as anyone that DC has shot themselves in the foot with their cinematic universe over and over again. It's been nothing but bad choices ever since Man of Steel.

After the decision to kill the "Snyderverse" it made no sense that they even completed production on this thing; what's the point? Ohh Warner Brothers...

AND I'm a huge fan of the much better DC animated universe, and The Flashpoint Paradox in particular, and this is a fair adaptation of it! This did a better job of fan service than the last season of Picard! I don't like Ezra Miller, and I feel they even addressed that in a satisfying way. The effects were very good. The CGI cameos were a lovely treat.

I think the only reason it was such a flop was because of the circus both DCEU and Ezra Miller separately became, and people knew this wasn't going anywhere. That and all the spoilers that were baked in before anyone could see it. Can you imagine if you didn't know Michael Keaton was in it?? Which is all a shame, because although it has a lighter tone, it's the best movie in the DCEU since Man of Steel, and I guess that makes it fitting that it's the last: book ends with a whole lot of trash in between (with the exception of the first WW which was also pretty good). Aaaaand I'll always be bitter that Batfleck never got a solo film.

The Diplomat (II) (2023– )

Subtle, excellent political intrigue

[9/10 · 6 May 2023]

I'm basically the target audience for this show, as someone who's a sucker for US politics and The Americans (FX), but I was still hesitant to give it a try because Ambassador-to-Britain just seemed so very unsexy... perhaps too much The Crown and not enough Homeland, or something. But right out of the gates I was impressed, and that was sustained throughout the season. I did initially think it was a bit too much like The Americans; Keri Russell as hyper competent woman with a British actor husband in an American accent who has the same job with international intrigue and is equally competent... But it quickly proved to have its own identity. It's honestly Keri's best work. I thought there was perhaps one too many diverse castings, but I quickly got over it because they all worked. My only criticism would be this: "12 minutes."

• "What?"

"12 minutes after I was off the call..." and "It's better than one."

• "What?"

"Two, of course." etc.

Three times per episode, every episode. That unrealistic manner of speaking should be once a season.

The Whale (2022)

I don't see what the fuss is about

[6/10 · 8 March 2023]

I'm not an art house fiend, but I generally enjoy Oscar nominated movies and I understand why they have "buzz". In this case, it's fine. I'm just seeing a bunch of undynamic characters and an uninteresting plot. This is how Brendan Fraser talks and behaves IRL; he's not doing much acting. Sadie is doing an even more irrationally mean version of her Stranger Things character. I don't understand why Hong got an Oscar nod at all; her performance is also fine but, c'mon. The best piece of acting in the film is Samantha Morton- she's convincingly playing a different person, but everyone is acting like they're in a play instead of a movie. The pizza delivery driver's interest in his customer makes no sense. The missionary's presence and lying makes no sense. Just because she's your daughter doesn't mean she's soooo amazing and perfect; she *was* trying to hurt the missionary. He should know you can't resubmit academic work like that and he wasn't helping her. There's no accounting for that tipping point where the preconceived notion of a film's importance becomes a self fulfilling prophecy...

The Last Duel (2021)

Good film (though lacks a takeaway)

[7/10 · 23 February 2023]

It was a fine piece of filmmaking by all the participants. Well executed. That's really all you can ever ask. The structure is interesting, though the subtle differences in the accounts don't really add up to anything substantial. It's a nice thought experiment to apply to many of the tropes we encounter... Though the point of the differing perspectives seems entirely lost when, even in the account of the accused, it was still a rape... The objections and pushback were only slightly less adamant in his memory. So ultimately I don't really know what the moral of the story is. That's not a deal breaker, but they're pretty easy to include, and always satisfying when you don't see them coming.

The Last of Us: Kin (2023) Season 1, Episode 6

A departure from organic human reaction

[4/10 · 22 February 2023]

Like most people, I've enjoyed the episodes up to this point. I enjoy shows when I feel the characters react in a natural way (and I understand their motivations), which had been the case prior to this episode. Then this one came along, where at every stage, the main characters are no longer acting like themselves, to make matters worse, adopt a new personality each scene (which I guess is sometimes like themselves and other times some hackey, static stereotype of a character). And separate from that, both brothers could've and should've gone! There nothing mutually exclusive about them. This one was a gong show IMO.

Confess, Fletch (2022)

Not great, but I want to see more Hamm Fletch

[6/10 · 20 January 2023]

It's no spoiler to say Fletch isn't the murderer. I wanted to give it a bit higher rating, but ultimately the motivation to frame him went beyond what my suspension of disbelief could bear. If the reason for that is staying true to the book, well they change many things from the book, and there are many other books to choose! The poster and tagline implies the movie is a European romp, but a happy surprise was that it's basically all USA. Did they think Euro-Fletch would be more appealing to audiences somehow?? Anyhoo, it was decent and had some chuckles; juuuust enough to give me an appetite for more Hamm Fletch.

The Patient (2022)

This is a special show

[9/10 · 3 November 2022]

A near perfect piece of storytelling. Which is exactly what I've come to expect from someone who has his pick of scripts in Steve Carell. It avoids a lot of clichés you might expect. It's a page turner. It's moving. Especially poignant for any father or son out there. In a small role, it's likely the best work of David Alan Grier's career; an unconventional casting choice, but he nailed it. The mother character is such an odd curveball, but makes sense in the end. My only real qualm is the suspension of disbelief required over this particular man's ability to kill- both physically and getting away with it so often.

Better Call Saul: Fun and Games (2022) Season 6, Episode 9

10s are rare and special

[10/10 · 19 July 2022]

And this episode was rare and special. Even the finest programs spin their wheels far too frequently, but this was all moving forward. Back to the future, as it were.

Real human feelings permeated every scene.

Primal (2019– )

Basically a perfect show

[10/10 · 24 June 2022]

I never watch Primal and think "That's stupid"... which is otherwise a fairly steady refrain. Sure, it's a world where dinosaurs and early man live side by side, and there are super natural elements, but within the world it establishes, events flow logically and emotions are authentic. And the fact it can air anywhere without translation is a financial boon for the studio!

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Well executed

[9/10 · 26 March 2020]

I watched this movie many years ago; around when it first came out on video. It seemed like a neat premise, but one that could be poorly executed, especially with a far from all star cast. However, with the tools at their disposal, they hit a home run. It stays with you as a story that's ultimately about sacrifice.

Star Trek: Picard: Maps and Legends (2020) Season 1, Episode 2

I'll keep watching, but may not like it...

[6/10 · 31 January 2020]

Like many people, I'm just gonna watch Star Trek shows, even if they're not very good. I've invested too much time over the decades to not be invested in something that actually advances the narrative (opposed to yet another goddamn prequel). Swearing, TV, and a need for jobs in this show, when that's not exactly canonical? I'm fine with it; it was just beyond the pale that these things would not exist in the future. Also, I think many people are looking at the ST past through rose coloured glasses here and forgetting that with those 22 ep seasons, there were 4 lame eps for every gem- even more so during first seasons. But getting specifically to this series and this episode: no one's emotions seem sincere. Too calm, too mad, too light, too heavy; no one's reactions ever seem proportional to the situation. Not in one scene yet. Nor do anyone's actions seem like a reasonable response to the situation. It's not that hard to make a scene where things escalate at a reasonable rate, and it's not like the whole 40 mins is so full of raw plot they have no time for subtlety; they have time. Also, British Romulans and Irish Romulans now? Is that how universal translators work 20 years down the road?

Watchmen (2019)

Somehow maintains the legacy

[9/10 · 4 November 2019]

I adored the graphic novel. I adored the film. I was excited to hear of an HBO adaptation. I was puzzled and concerned when I saw it was set in Tulsa and starred Don Johnson. But from the first scene, through to the end of the third episode now, it has produced similar feelings as the first read. A constant tension. A discomfort. A demand for patience. The quixotic alternate timeline. I realize now it would have betrayed the spirit of the original to just rehash or revisit the same old characters. This show is really telling a story, and is genuinely something special.