davidvandekerk Reviews

Forged in Fire (2015– )

A man's game show, but one VERY unique thing

[8/10 · 7 April 2019]

This show is unique. It's not the subject matter that makes it unique. It's the contestants. I actually would like to know most of them and call them friends. They seem like nice, real people. I'm actually sorry when most of them get eliminated, even when somebody botches their work so you KNOW they're going home. They are humble, nice people who want to perfect their craft. They often help each other and work cooperatively even though they are competing for a prize.

Yes, I am interested in metal work. But unlike the egomaniacs in Ink Master, I found this pleasant to watch. I hope it goes on for many years.

My Honor Was Loyalty (2016)

Italian Ultra-low Budget WW II, Successful as Hobby/FanFic, Not as Theatrical Film

[4/10 · 29 September 2018]

I have to give the directory credit where credit is due. All information says this is a 12,000 euros (maybe $15,000 USD) movie. Come on, you can't sneeze for that much. It's below the budget of a good Star Trek FanFic movie. Yet, if you don't look too closely it really looks like this is a movie. Amazing.

We have people running around with pretty much correct guns and uniforms doing pretty much correct World War II things. We have sound effects and music and even some CGI airplanes blended in.

What we lack is a coherent plot, decent actors and decent cinematography. But hey, for 12,000 euros you can't get everything in life. We also have a film that was oddly sympathetic to the Waffen SS. Personally I wonder if this is related to the increasing trend towards seeing another foreign religion enemy that is destroying everything in those same countries.

Bright (I) (2017)

If it were a SyFy channel series pilot it would be great, but it wasn't

[7/10 · 14 April 2018]

I saw Bright and I enjoyed it. I liked the assorted mythological creatures in downtown Los Angeles. It wasn't fantastic but I definitely enjoyed it. There was this guy doing a bad Will Smith imitation and there was this Ork out-acting him and there was a whole bunch of myth and magic with pretty good special effects and little details like the Centaurs as mounted officers and the dragon in the background. Yeah, better than the average made in Bulgaria direct to cable movie. I was hoping that they would follow through and make it into a TV series. I would watch it.

Then I saw that it was Will Smith and that this thing cost $90 MILLION dollars. WHAT? That was $90 MILLION? Oh man! Somebody got ripped.

Horizon: The City That Waits to Die (1970) Season 7, Episode 13

Classic Horizon Episode on the Next San Francisco Earthquake

[8/10 · 23 November 2017]

I saw this for the first time in 1970. It had been broadcast on the BBC and then the San Francisco PBS station because it had such an impact on the local area. I watched in fascination as the streets and buildings of San Francisco that I knew were shown. What really hit me was them saying that Adams Jr. High School was built right on top of the San Andreas earthquake fault. My sister was going to Adams Jr High at the time! I checked. The school wasn't shut down until 2009, and then only because of a budget shortfall.

Yes, it is very dated but it is fascinating because of its age. It documents the early history of everything from fracking caused earthquakes to a very period intro with music and motorcycles you have to see to appreciate.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Save yourself the heartache ... don't watch it.

[2/10 · 6 October 2017]

Don't trust the ratings on this one. The Ghost Busters reboot had decent ratings when it first came out and for the same reason. They are all faked by the studio. This thing is a horrid turkey.

First, it can't be Star Trek because of the counter pissing contests going back and forth between CBS and Paramount. Basically, CBS hired Paramount to make it but wouldn't let them use any of the material from the original Star Trek. That's why it doesn't even vaguely look like Star Trek.

Second, it is without anything akin to any connection spiritually from the original plot wise. They completely trash the Prime Directive within moments.

Third, this thing is just one giant pile of all action. Not one thought was in it.

Fourth, not another JJ Abrams lens flare! I can't stand it.

Fifth, the acting was awful. Just stiff and amateurish as a board.

The best part was the CGI. Any time when the only thing you can say that is kind is that the CGI and special effects was good you need to watch something else.

This show was a betrayal of everything Star Trek and yet they try to give it a Star Trek name. I don't know how they could have the unmitigated gall to call this Star Trek.

Beyond the Trek (2017)

Semi-Decent, especially given the budget

[5/10 · 3 July 2017]

I have to judge a movie partly by the budget. This was a one million dollar movie in 2017 dollars. That's tiny! Sharknado 4 was three million dollars. Don't expect stellar special effects, great sets or even decent costumes. This looks more like something a bunch of Star Trek fan fiction alumni would end up with if they pooled their Doritos money and produced a full movie and I wish them

A crew of emotion-less "super humans" wake up in a space ship near Titan. Their orders are to recover the lost cargo on a mining ship. They find a seemingly insane crew member and a robot tending the gardens.

Any time the trope of "emotionless humans" comes up you know exactly what is going to happen next - and it does. Sorry - this is no master gem of a script either. Expect the expectable and you won't be disappointed.

The Last Scout (2017)

Goofy!

[4/10 · 3 July 2017]

This was one bizarrely confusing movie. What a mess!

I could forgive the sets and the cheap CG. But when they don't even have a decent plan for what the movie is supposed to be ... man it was painful. I could manage to figure out what the basic story line was but I have no idea WHY half the drama on board happened. Why were they freaking killing each other?

Any good movie starts in the script. If the script is good it can get by with mediocre special effects, unimaginative sets and unpolished acting. Unfortunately this movie had a confusing, muddled script. For large parts I just couldn't figure out what went on.

I like Sci Fi so I will up vote it from 3 (which it really deserves) to 4 for at least TRYING to make a Sci Fi movie.

Ancient Earth (2017– )

Not bad, just not good - OK

[5/10 · 23 June 2017]

How do you rate something when you REALLY enjoy the subject but the program is just OK? I gave it a five. I watched it all the way through. There was nothing really wrong with it, but besides the subject matter being really interesting there was nothing really right with it.

To begin with, it is REALLY short. Whole geologic ages covered in (minus titles) about ten minutes and they didn't even bother with the Jurassic.

The content was general. Quick conclusions, not a long explanation. It was at a Wikipedia page level or less. Nothing new or exciting.

The animation was OK - not great but I have enjoyed and repeatedly watched older documentaries that have far worse animation.

The three talking heads were OK. I didn't recognize any of them. It's not like they got Bob Bakkar and Phil Currie. These were ... unknowns ... and didn't have the character and presence.

If CuriosityStream wants to have original content that can go up against Walking With Dinosaurs or Planet Dinosaur then you need to put the time, money and content into it. Otherwise you're left with this.