bettycjung Reviews (475)

American Experience: The Battle of Chosin (2016) Season 29, Episode 2

One of the Marines' most significant battles fought

[18 July 2018]

7/16/18. A decently made documentary about one of the biggest battles to take place during the Korean War. Amazing how easily we forget about what went on during these wars. Then again, it happened over 60 years ago! It is one of the Marines' most important battles. In a deliberate retrograde movement the Marines turned and fought their way down a narrow vulnerable road through several mountain passes and a bridged chasm until they reached transport ships waiting at the coast. Good thing there were still veterans alive to give first-hand accounts. For war buffs.

Traffik (2018)

Patton kicks butt

[18 July 2018]

7/17/18. This suspense thriller was slightly above average. That's because Patton did a good job of playing a can-do woman who can kick butt. Patton plays a somewhat disgruntled journalist who feels she is being passed over on the job probably for being a female reporter. While on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend (Epps), she is caught up in what appears to be a trafficking ring being run by some local bikers and others in town. She decides to turn investigative reporter and try to uncover what's going on, to the detriment of her boyfriend and a couple of friends who came along for the weekend. Alonzo's character was extremely annoying, and some of Patton's actions were not too swift. The action was pretty good though. Like I said, Patton knows how to kick butt.

Somebody Feed Phil (2018– )

Forget about Phil, Feed Me!!!!!

[16 July 2018]

7/16/18. What a life Phil has! He gets to go to the greatest tourist sites around the world, get taken around by food experts he just happen to know in every city, and have a TV series to show for all his time! Phil can be annoying at times, reminds me of a schlubby New Yorker. He was probably a nerdy kid when he was young, but he's laughing all the way to the bank now. Kudos to the cinematographers who made everything look so good, including Phil.

Jim Jefferies: This Is Me Now (2018 TV Special)

Beware, plenty of foul language that will likely offend

[16 July 2018]

7/16/18. While he was funny in parts, he has an extremely big potty mouth. I just find that kind of language offensive and lazy. One can express oneself well without resorting to foul language. Near the end he reveals that he has been dealing with depression almost his whole life. Ok, that explains some things. Watch only if you are into potty mouth humor.

Nova: Dawn of Humanity (2015) Season 42, Episode 13

Fossil hunting for education and pleasure

[16 July 2018]

7/16/18. An interesting documentary that looks at the world of anthropologists trying to piece together the history of Man from whatever fossils they could gather. As mentioned in the movie, the fossil records are incomplete, so the story of humanity will remain that way until all the fossils are in. And, who knows how long that will take? Nevertheless, worth watching scientists at work.

Nova: Arctic Ghost Ship (2015) Season 42, Episode 14

Good documentary about the ill-fated Franklin Expedition

[16 July 2018]

7/16/18. An interesting expedition to explore what happened to the Franklin Expedition that disappeared 160 years ago. A number of expeditions were undertaken over the years to discover what happened to the two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror and a crew of 129 because Captain Sir John Franklin was an experienced explorer, having completed 3 expeditions before his final 4th. Sadly, they all died miserable deaths and some may have been cannibalized in the process of survival. Good documentary.

Nova: Secrets of the Sky Tombs (2017) Season 44, Episode 1

Interesting look at an ancient culture

[16 July 2018]

7/16/18. An interesting look at an ancient culture that lived in the Himalayas. Of course, all that's left are bones, but what a fascinating tale they tell. While the archeologists take their work quite seriously and give plausible explanations, we may never be sure how these people lived and died.

Inside Einstein's Mind: The Enigma of Space and Time (2015 TV Movie)

Good overview of Einstein's work

[16 July 2018]

7/16/18. If you don't know much about Einstein, then this is worth catching. It pretty much explains Einstein's theories, and what a genius he was. An interesting factoid is the use of Einstein's theory in our use of GPS (geo-positioning systems) to find our way around this planet. Without Einstein we would be forever lost, unless you know how to read a compass.

Derren Brown: Miracle (2016 TV Special)

Skip it

[16 July 2018]

7/16/18. Not that entertaining, and nothing really new. Brown was actually pretty annoying throughout. Why would people pay to watch this?

Father Brown (2013– )

He missed his calling, but that didn't stop him from playing sleuth

[16 July 2018]

7/15/18. Overall, this was an above average murder mystery series, on the light side. Father Brown is a priest who missed his calling to be a detective, but that doesn't stop him from forever meddling in murder investigations going on in his parish. Of course, he uses his position to elicit confessions and right what he considers wrong by telling off the police, if he feel is necessary. Amazingly, he manages to get more confessions from murderers than is realistic. This is fiction, after all. Though Brown comes off as annoying at times, you know he is only trying to do the right thing. He is a priest, after all.

The Comedy Lineup (2018)

Catch it only if you like new comedy

[16 July 2018]

7/14/18. I like that each comedian had 15 minutes to try and make you laugh. That was long enough to discover if they had it or not! The first two comics, Buteau and Karmel were the best, and then it was downhill from there. Each were funny, but not necessarily ha-ha funny. I think comedy is always worth giving a try just to discover where your comfort zone is.

Deceived (1991)

Hawn plays detective and finds out a lot of a husband she never really knew

[16 July 2018]

7/114/18. Given that I watched this 27 years after it came out, and still found it good to watch says something about the writing and the acting. A good suspense thriller that reveals tidbits like the way you peel an onion, though not as tearful an experience. Hawn marries a man she eventually realizes, upon his "death" is not who she thought he was. Applying for social security benefits and finding she had no death benefits is the first clue to investigate what's going. Amateur sleuthing on Hawn's part reveals a whole lot, leaving her in danger. Worth catching.

Hannah Gadsby: Nanette (2018 TV Special)

Saying what's worth saying

[16 July 2018]

7/14/18. Not necessarily sure if this can be considered stand-up comedy. It starts off funny, but then Gadsby delves into serious personal issues that are not funny at all, but worth paying attention to. She talks about how hard it was to come out as gay during a time when it was totally unacceptable to be gay. This is not the hardest part to listen to, but the mention about being molested and raped at a young age was tough. To have gone through what she has gone through (while dealing with ADHD and on the Autism spectrum) and still have a sense of humor is admirable. It's okay to be uncomfortable, at least you would you had a heart.

W. Kamau Bell: Private School Negro (2018 TV Special)

Worth catching

[16 July 2018]

7/14/18. A funny man with an intelligent observational humor that is enjoyable to listen to. No foul language, which is always a positive asset when it comes to good comedy. Worth catching.

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Definite worth seeing

[15 July 2018]

7/15/18. Saw this on the big screen! Ant-man is definitely turning into one of my favorite Marvel character on the big screen. And, now as he teams up with the Wasp, they are unbeatable. One thing I like about Ant-man is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Rudd is just great in this role, and the special effects are just out of this world. Supporting cast is great. I like that they worked in Pfieffer's character into this series. Watching the post-movie extra makes me wonder what will happen next. Definitely catch this one!

Calibre (2018)

Creepy violence

[14 July 2018]

7/13/18. A typical let's-go-hunting movie when everything goes awry. Someone is killed accidentally, another is killed on purpose, and then you have the crazy locals who have their own brand of justice to serve. You should feel uneasy throughout over all the violence and creepiness. And, the ending was awful.

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Not a very ethical reporter

[14 July 2018]

7/12/18. A National Film Registry pick, Douglas, in his heyday, plays a down and out reporter trying to prove to himself that he's got the right stuff for a big city paper. Unfortunately, he can't seem to hold a job, so he takes one at a small-town paper and will do anything to drum up business for himself. Anything.

The Quiet (2005)

Teen angst can be disturbing

[14 July 2018]

7/12/18. A teen angst movie about a deaf-mute girl who really isn't. People confide in her thinking that she won't tell anyone else, and then sometimes she intervenes. The incest theme can be a bit disturbing.

Acrimony (2018)

Not the right movie for Henson

[12 July 2018]

7/12/18. Henson can be really good, but it has to be the right role for her. This is not the right role. Like, she was really good in "Person of Interest." She likes to play tough cookies, but when they crumble, they crumble hard.I like Perry, too, but he's only good when playing Madea, it seems. His other movies are only average by comparison.

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

Don't bother.

[10 July 2018]

7/2/18. A total disappointment. Two stars go for the special effects, which weren't too bad. While the story line was supposedly a children's classic, it just didn't transfer well from the printed page to the silver screen. Can be safely skipped without ruining your enjoyment of the other movies made by the stellar cast.

Rich and Famous (1981)

Bergen and Bisset in their heyday

[10 July 2018]

7/2/18. Worth seeing just from a nostalgic point of view. Bisset and Bergen were gorgeous in their younger days and made the most of their youth. This is the Turning Point for the literati, exploring the outcomes of the road taken. While it was cliche-ish at some points (the grass is always greener...), the movie pits the art of writing between fame and fortune vs. scholarly acclaim. Neither is necessarily totally fulfilling, so it seems, as was the hokey ending. Oh, well. Watch it for Bisset and Bergen.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018)

A decent sequel for the most part

[2 July 2018]

7/1/18. Caught this in the theater only because it was scorching hot outside. Didn't expect too much since this sequel no longer had Emily Blunt in it. But, surprisingly enough it was a pretty good crime thriller about black ops hired to play off the Mexican cartels with one another to disrupt the transport of terrorists into the U.S. Of course, things would have to go awry, and better than most for this genre, it actually tackled the emotional repercussions of a mission gone wrong. The plot was easy enough the follow. The only hole was they never explained why that young hood in the making knew Del Toro's character. If they explained that it would have gotten an extra half star.

Time After Time (1979)

A classic time travel movie worth catching!

[2 July 2018]

6/30//18. A fantastic time travel movie that makes the most of the genre. McDowell does a great job of oozing wonderment when he finds himself 70 years into the future yet manages to finds the killer he is after as well as meet the love of his life. Since this came out in 1979 a lot of the technology is already outdated, but still futuristic for a man from the 1800s. Great movie worth catching!

Good Kill (2014)

Watch "Eye in the Sky" instead

[30 June 2018]

6/30/18. Way too slow in its brooding approach to the moral consequences of drone warfare. It looks like they reused the explosion footage 10x. No kidding. Talking about low budget. This movie is almost the same as "Eye in the Sky" with Helen Mirren, which was much better in generating suspense and questions about why we should ever resort to drone warfare. Why not just have video wargames replace real warfare why you're at it.

Wallander (2008–2016)

Each episode is 90 minutes long!

[30 June 2018]

6/28/18. I do like Kenneth Branagh, but this is the first time I have seen him in a series and didn't find him suited for this. It is ok for a crime series, but I found each episode to be way too long (close to 90 minutes, or 1 1/2 hours each!). In the process, the episode loses steam and you can easily forget the story line along the way. If you like crime stories, you may like this, especially if you are a Branagh fan.