milehighjc Reviews

Squid Game: The Challenge (2023– )

Reliable insomnia fix

[2/10 · 24 November 2023]

I thought this had potential. Unfortunately I was wrong. Tried to watch episode 1, and wound up rewinding at least three times because I kept falling asleep. The next time I fell asleep I just gave up. This is a poor "reality" show imitation of the original with long drawn out questionable commentary from the "players". Everything felt fake without the drama and tension that the fictional original had. I would have enjoyed a sequel to the first... different games, different players, add a twist here and there. Maybe there is something interesting in the later episodes, but I don't have enough coffee to get me there. Waste of time, find something else to watch.

The Kitchen (2019)

Tremendous potential, failed execution

[3/10 · 16 July 2022]

Thought the premise was interesting, if maybe a little thin. Even a FEW creative writing devices could have solidified the script into something meaty enough to make a decent film. Instead, this one takes the simplistic path, abandons anything that would have made it really interesting. For crying out loud, can we not even attempt an Irish accent in Hells Kitchen? Of course watching "fricken" movie on a "freaking" iPad with horrible editing to remove the forced profanity didn't help much either. Lazy writing, lazy acting, lazy editing. Glad I paid nothing for this watching it on a short flight.

Want to see how this should have been done? Watch 5 minutes of "The Departed".

Count Me In (2021)

Entertaining, but woefully incomplete

[4/10 · 30 August 2021]

I found "Count Me In" to be entertaining, but in the end inadequate because of omission of ANY reference to Neil Peart. I literally thought it was building to that... and then, well nothing.

It is an otherwise reasonably constructed documentary. The contributions of so many epic musicians to the evolution of drumming are there to see. But to completely leave out the innovative contributions of one of, if not arguably the greatest ever is beyond understanding.

There was a lot of promise in this show, but it left me wanting more.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

Lots of missed potential

[4/10 · 23 July 2008]

Over the years, I've come to like the 3D format, even though every film I've seen falls into a trap of "cheeseball" 3D tricks. Having seen IMAX Polar Express 3D a couple of years ago, it seemed like the format was finally beginning to mature.

I had high hopes for Journey based upon the trailers that I had seen - finally a real adventure movie with legitimate acting talent shot in 3D. Could it be a 3D movie that would finally exploit the format without going for the cheap "poke something into your face" tricks? Sadly, Not this time.

From the first scene, it was obvious that the cheese was still there - Trilobyte Antennae sticking out of the screen --- Toothpaste spit splattered on the screen - and it kept up throughout the movie. I guess its fun for the preteens in the audience (I heard a lot of giggles and Eeeeew's behind me), but It left me wanting a real movie that used 3D instead of yet another 3D trickfest.

There was potential in the plot line, but at least for me it was lost in the 3D trickery. Its too bad Chart didn't stay on as Director and make a true 3D adventure. I never quite got to the point of caring about any of the characters and after about an hour found myself bored.

If you are looking for a fun movie that you can take your kids to, munch on popcorn and have a few laughs, its not a bad option, but there are much better movies in the genre that have come out this summer.