ejsimpson1004

It's a 4.5/10 for me, give or take 1 star.

I haven't seen this problem in a while: Too many storylines/subplots. This arrives due to the multitude of characters, and they're all on the same playing field/timeline, so it just seems overcrowded. This, combined with the pacing, really dragged out S1 after the first few episodes.

The acting was solid, but there were some moments of overracting. I'll still take that over not putting in enough effort and phoning it in.

There are some forced social issues/political heavy-handedness in one episode, but that's it. That won't kill the series in any way.

Overall, there is just too much that is unknown. Character arcs and decisions, plots and subplots, atmosphere, tone, etc. Despite what the perception of art in society says, not knowing is not always a good thing. There's about 500% more questions than answers in this show, and it all makes 0 sense at times.

You want a trippy show? Nah, it's too slow, though it does have its moments.

You want a psychological thriller/drama? Nah, it's still too slow AND has an unending queue of questions with pencil whipped answers, or sometimes no answers at all.

Either way, this show doesn't deliver.

There are some good scenes and solid acting, but that's all that will stay with you. I'll try S2 since it's a shorter-episode-limited series, but this is nowhere near anything else in this genre, and it will be lower on my list.

Why does the below scene exist???

The deputy and sheriff are at a point in this episode where they are discussing what their guts tell them regarding the case.

So...Yes, the audience knows Perry did it (and pretty much the sheriff), but...

• The deputy's gut says that Perry didn't do it because he is a good guy, based on his experiences with Perry.

• The sheriff, who also had good experiences with Perry, falls back on racial profiling based on an incident from her past (with white folks, and she fought and got away before anything bad happened), and combines that with saying "white men never get charged" (with crimes) in general. Therefore, her gut says Perry did it.

Why did we need this scene?! There are so many red flags that should lead her to seeing Perry as the murderer, and she already has an eyewitness! To take it one step further, she could have used her well-played interrogation skills against the other brother and his girl(friend), and they'd fold like lawn chairs.

In a court of law, the ends do not justify the means. I thought we as a society were making strides away from racial profiling, but here we are, teetering in the opposite direction because equity > equality apparently.

In addition, Wyoming' violent crimes stats show that white people get charged way more than any other race... so, in short, this sheriff is a sexist and racist and should not be reelected (in the show).

Also, the show is becoming more boring by the episode anyway. What a fizzle compared to the bang of the first 1-2 (3-ish) episodes.

After all that the first season did, I was excited for S2. There's a lot going on with the characters, plots and subplots, universe-building, etc., yet it doesn't feel overbearing or jumbled.

But, wow! Didn't that breath of fresh air go out the window fast with the current #1 plot-hole saving filler of all time: the multiverse. I swear, the shows, movies, prequels, sequels, requels, so many these past years fall back to this device when creativity is lacking. It's like A. I. is already writing shows, and it's go-to is the multiverse right off the bat.

I'll give S2 another 3-ish episodes, but if this is their main plot going forward, I'd rather watch another show. S2E1 was "eh" at best, even without the multiverse stuff.

Please stoppp with the multiverse.

6/10 for the episode - 2/10 for the multiverse plot = 4/10 total.

Idk how the books go, but did they also taper off like the films? Each new installment is less intriguing, less intelligent, and less rewarding than the last. This one is now full of ghosts, throwaway actors/actresses, and panic attacks for our protagonist.

These movies are all about the unreal/unbelievable being ousted, and getting to the bottom of a devious crime. Now you wanna try and throw the audience off, fake em out, then play the ghost card you've baited the audience with all movie? It was fun because we knew NO WAY there'd be ghosts in the movie; The main character might've been experiencing some kind of environmental hallucinations. Yet, ghosts were there, and here we are. I didn't plan on watching a sci-fi movie.

Take away the half brother and sister and does the story change?! Nope. Another waste of Michelle Yeoh's talent as well. Had a good idea to broach a convo about PTSD, but they play just the anger card and The Doctor is killed with no pay off on that end. Could've even done something with The Doctor's PTSD vs. The Detective's harsh view of life, but theme wasted.

The editing and story were rushed, despite the movie feeling like it dragged on.

In the end, the audience is coming to a whodunnit; They want to be fooled, but then still be satisfied by the reveal. Neither can be accomplished when you spoon-feed the audience all actions and tricks, but then still use "ghosts."

Idk if there's a 4th book/movie, or more, but I won't go out of my way to watch it before it hits a streaming service I pay for. Even then, it will not be high on my list, if at all.

Wow, what a 180 compared to its predecessor.

Aside from (most of) the returning characters, much of what made the first film an underrated gem is missing: Good pacing, character building, mix of jump scares and atmospheric suspense, a good ending, and so much more. The first movie compares very much to IT or Sinister, whereas this movie is very forgettable, like Sinister 2 or La Llarona.

Yes, there was a Sinister 2, and no, you don't need to see it.

I gave the Nun2 a score of a 4/10 because there were still some scenes that were shot nicely, and the main cast did a solid job acting out the screenplay and vocalizing the dialogue, for which both were dryer than the sahara, so a chore they were.

Missed opportunities include: Building a better connection between the nun and Irene, building a better connection between Irene's past and the climax, adding new character arcs (like Father Burke dealing with his bishop-title and having an Icarus moment, or Irene dealing with her first major encounter with a demon and now considering joining the church as an exorcist/specialist like Lorraine Warren), or having Debra (new nun side-kick) do anything substantial.

Regarding Debra, I'm pretty sure they had more for this character to help contribute to the plot, maybe even a character arc with her reclusive attitude towards the structure of confession. Unfortunately, in the final cut, you can take this person out of the movie and nothing even mildly-substantial would be effected, and that's a massive shock as she's somewhere in nearly every scene with Irene or the boarding school girls.

Frenchie and Irene are solid characters and are good complimenting personalities and professions, but the script gives everyone a bland sandwich to work with, so they could've shined even brighter.

The connection to St. Lucy was outta nowhere. I'm pretty sure a different Saint/Relic could be used that fit the story/Irene's background better. I liked the eyes and some homage to the saints, but it doesn't fit as well here.

Every suspense scene was finished with a jump scare. That is not good, and a cheap horror trick. The entire Conjuring Universe was built off the heroes'/demons' character-building, the Warren's part in the stories, and a great mix of jump scares and suspenseful build-ups. Make every one of those build-ups a jump scare, and you keep losing the audience's investment in the movie.

The best part of the movie was the mid-credits scene. I'm excited that Ed and Lorraine (Patrick and Vera) are coming back! They're great actors and fill the characters' statures nicely, both with dialogue and screen presence.

If you can look past the blatant racism, sexism, and virtue signalling, it sets up as a decent slasher flick, but then falls off hard as there's no nuance, plenty of heavy-handedness, and a highly predictable villain, all to no one's shock given Netflix's recent track record.

Things that never change: High schoolers who talk like college kids but make decisions like high schoolers, yet are overly-political like college kids.

Obvious sidenote: So... Netflix cancels shows and movies that have great writing, direction, acting, etc, but churn out sub-par "entertainment" like this??? And then NF has the AUDACITY to restrict password and account sharing after using that same ploy to get their customer base interested in the first place??? Lose money, much? Who is making these decisions? Gotta be their competition.

They should've spent the money for the cameo and music rights on better writers and acting lessons.

The writing was a big problem. There are a few entertaining bits, but it just becomes like a Marvel quip session with the same tit-for-tat. Those blend into monotony around 1/4 the way into the movie.

For the non-"humor" lines, the writers obviously copy-pasted their B-rate dialogue from GTA 5 side plots and characters. I felt like I was there... in Los Santos, only those overly-dramatic conversations were written on purpose. Disheartening.

No creativity in production, themes, or payoffs. The middle was very hard to get through due to awful pacing, and then the climax is here-and-gone. The scenes sometimes give you whiplash, but the message was so jumbled, you would've missed it if they didn't hit you over the head with it every 15 minutes.

Could've been better in every way, but not the worst movie. Wardrobe and some lines here and there are saving this from a 1 star.

3/10.

Currently on episode 7, and at this point, I'd say that I like it so far.

Not THE BEST SHOW EVER... Not AWFUL TRASH...

But, for me, it's above average. A 6.5 outta 10, but I'll be generous and round that up to a 7.

I like the characters, and the chemistry, for the most part. I think their backgrounds are more unique than other shows, though a bit unbelieveable, but that is only one of a few gripes I have.

Most sitcoms shoehorn in identity politics and condescending, heavy-handed attempts at "telling" you why someone is who they are, vs. "showing" you through other themes and actions. I think this show does a great job at being diverse and mature without provoking guilt unto the audience. A few characters need some more development, but it's only episode 7 of season 1. I think most shows need at least a few seasons to get rolling, but most get the axe after (or even before) just one season finishes out. Companies, like people/viewers, want instant gratification and/or profit.

The shortcomings are the chemistry, at times, some characters not getting developed evenly, and the humor being more of a slight laugh or smile, more than a belly-laugh or something that'll make me laugh later in the week.

Honestly, though, the casual stories, and weekly animal encounters, do the job, and that is what keeps me coming back for their next episodes.

Additional note: Although the supports are alright, Joel McHale carries. He's got some solid charisma levels.

7/10.

The sports doc/doctor was very unbelievable and shoehorned in for an obvious purpose. Gotta love that, "I'm twice as good at my job than yours" line, among the other condescending gestures and quotes. This show was very good about power representation and distribution, but then pulls in a random outside character to muck it up. They didnt fit the rhythm of the show, nor the on-screen chemistry. Poor casting. Glad to see that real people are letting the writers know not to mess with the magic by pandering to self-ideologies. Per life: bring in the best for the job, not what your ideal party/views think would be best for the job.

Other than that, the humor was middle of the road, Ted talked a bit too much, and the side story with Roy could be a good route to develop.

I'll still finish the season, but more random subplots and characters that feel contrived and forced could have me looking elsewhere for content.

5/10.

What a waste of such a great cast, creative cinematography and editing, and a rounded score... again.

The first one overall, in my opinion, was mediocre. It also felt dragged out during the reveal. It wasn't above average in any way; a letdown after what the trailers made it look like. In the end, though, it was just good enough for me to eventually watch the sequel, but I soon realize it was a fool me once/fool me twice with these two movies, with the second being so much worse. Near the middle of Glass Onion, I even paused it and took a break, and when I came back and resumed the movie, I did not remember what even happened at the beginning.

The twin twist was dumb (The Prestige did it better), the backfilling/reveal had many coincidences and happenstance, and it all concluded with the longest final/3rd act of a movie you've ever seen. Quite a few paper characters with paper motives that, much like the movie, go up in flames with the slightest obstruction.

Another note: An "override" for the Mona Lisa? Saw what was coming a mile away.

In other words... watch something else if you're just now getting around to this one. I wish I had. Other movies will be more memorable with better stories and themes; I guarantee it.

One thing is for sure: I'll be avoiding Rian Johnson's stuff for a while. Not only does he appeal to the producers and political agenda groups, but he doesn't have an artistic style when it comes to movies... unless you count "being disappointing."

How is this nearly the highest-rated episode? This short story was the most predictable and boring of them all. The hitchhikers did a great job, but that is all I'm giving it credit for. Those actors' chemistry worked!

The symbolism was so obvious that I thought it was going to be for misdirection. Nope, just obvious because it doesn't trust the viewers.

The second she hops in the car and looks around at items in the garage, you know what's going to happen. If they would've shown less of the car/garage and diverted your attention the other way during the story, then hit you hard with all of the connections at the end... THAT would've been way better. Not perfect, but way better.

If you're part way thru and are looking forward to the scary outcome/climax, then trust me when I tell you to turn the show off and start on something new.

Overall, the show peaks around the early-middle mark. Interesting premise and intriguing setup. It tricks you into thinking it's Sci-Fi/Supernatural, but it's nothing more than a long-winded message. If they took the scary parts out, it'd be one of the better drama shows from NF this year... or... if they took the drama and non-subtle messages out, it'd still be one of NF's better scary shows. They just had too much going on and tried to rush the ending and make it one way, but then threw in some retcons to give you extreme whiplash.

The lead was great, but the supports are 50/50. If you get an episode dedicated to a support that can't carry, then you're outta luck. I liked the anthology of it all, and the stories did give off a Black Mirror vibe, but the deep-to-shallow ratio was too big. Some stories were creative, using symbolism and misdirection to pack a bigger punch at the end when you put it all together. Others were so see-through that you knew where it was going within the first few minutes.

The overarching story and mix of the guests stories would make for a great way to have them all lead back to a villainous plot or haunting entity... but this is NO ghost story, so all you got were solo stories about life, death, hope, and disdain.

The trailer misled a lot of us.

Good message? Yes.

Portrayed the right way? Eh.

Did everyone want another hill house/blye/midnight mass after NF threw the producers' names in your faces every chance they could? Yep, and I'm here to tell ya, it's not your fault you didn't see it coming.

5/10.

What could've been: Rewatchable fun for many (almost all) types of viewers, A Halloween go-to that gets you into the spooky szn spirit, Another Sandler (above average) film to provide some easy laughs and fun characters, and much more.

What happened: That voice!!! What a killer; Worse than a legit-slasher flick. This could've been a mid to high 7-star rating, even with the ridiculousness of the plot, devices, and themes, but every time the story gets cooking again, the voice grounds the viewer. Unfortunately, it grounds them so hard I might as well say that it puts you 6 feet under.

Overall: It's an easy-going movie with the same Sandler-list of actors/friends, including some welcoming, new faces. Unfortunately, it was vastly overshadowed by his distracting, disturbing voice which could kill all 9 lives of a cat in one fell swoop. If you can bear the voice, then have a good watch.

6/10.

I know I'm NOT the target audience, yet I went ahead and watched because Wednesday is one of the best true-to-themselves characters I've ever watched in shows and movies.

The Good was exactly what I thought it'd be: Wednesday. The comebacks and brutal honesty are among the best parts of her character, and this series. Jenna Ortega is perfect regarding what the previous literature and screen adaptations of Wednesday have sought to be. She fails, time and again, but, while staying true to her selfish and lone-wolf roots, she continuously adapts to her situation, and even "evolves", not only her skills, but in the ability to trust others.

She. Killed. It. I'll say it over and over again!

The show's aesthetic and setting were great, too. The colors, contrasts, and costumes kept it light in saturation, but not too subtle to blend into the background.

Now, the Bad. Unfortunately, it's another one of those Netflix/Hulu/CW/etc. Shows that has no redeemable white dudes (and almost no redeemable dudes in general). They're either villainous or incompetent, and tend to get in the way. It's a trend to try and force-feed or explain (no, not mansplain or womansplain, just explain) it to everyone who fits the above stereotype, but for those that don't fit into the agenda's crosshairs, there's a few reminders each episode that'll take you out of the immersive experience for a groan; And to those that do fit the agenda's sterotyping (leading to real-world racial-profiling), they most likely didn't watch the show, nor anything with the Addams family, probably. It'd be nice to have info regarding what groups this show is for/against. It'll never happen, but that would be nice for those that actually care.

Also, Gomez "look what they did to my boy" Addams was a big whiff. Missing Raul Julia, and he is irreplaceable, but whether it was casting, writing, or chemistry, Luis Guzmán was cringe in the absence of charisma. In addition, Pugsley and Fester were letdowns. At least CZJ was a hit, but what wasn't was the writers' ideas to turn her into a remorseful and emotional wreck at times.

Ortega carried (as expected), the setting was legit, the plot was predictable, and the supports were paper-thin as more copy-and-paste stereotypes to the subplot fodder.

6/10.

I do not care how much symbolism you throw at us in the finale; It will never be enough to cover up the let down of the final episode.

The season leading up to the finale was good. It was not great, or subpar, but just good. Each new episode felt like a different style/direction than the last, and I thought that was for symbolism relating to how a messed-up mind could operate, but it was not. The acting was heavy-lifted by Carell, which earned a ton of points in my book since I've always loved the non-comedic roles of his. Not many actors can flip between genres like he can. As for the others, they do a well enough job for the supporting roles, but some of their opportinities, I think, were wasted on intermittent poor writing.

If there is a next season, I might watch a few episodes to see if things have changed, but I will not be recommending this show to anyone. Not only because of the disappointment at the end, but because, regarding atmpsphere/genre/plot, you can find other shows and movies that are far better.

SNL: "Wow. When did everyone become so sensitive?" Also SNL: "We need to tone down our material and apologize for our past skits. They were a bit much and offended our staff and viewers."

Stop comparing the past to today. Thank you!

-Everybody.

Trailer/Hype = Amazing

Buildup = Good

Plot = Predictable

Acting = Ok (kid did the best)

Climax = Anti-climactic

Cinematography = Great

Overall, it had some moments, but they're overshadowed by the let-downs. Sadly, it didn't live up to the trailer hype.

They reeeaaally yada-yada'd that last episode. The writing and storylines peaked at episode 7/8, then just a slew of coincidences finished the show out. What poor execution. Hopefully the 2nd season takes this into consideration.

There's a season 2, and I HOPE TO GOD that the characters weren't written to do the dumbest of things. Nina needs improvement, and the coincidences are covered by the "whispering of the keys"... fine, I can live with those things.

BUT, Take the crown key back to the crown location... where the villain has been living??? What the hell?!

DON'T start the show at 2 a.m... UNLESS you have nothing the next day.

Heartfelt, heartbreaking, deep, introspective, so much more. One of the most realistic and true storylines that makes you feel EVERYTHING of a pure, emotional relationship.

Amazing!!!

They'll tell you this movie flopped because of COVID and the missing movie-goer numbers. No. It flopped because it sucked. I'm just glad it won't get enough money to lie to itself and its production crew about it being good. It certainly was not. Be glad if you had HBO Max that you didn't need to pay (extra) to see this movie.

Waste of time, talent, and money. Rushed introductions and climax, slow rising action with too much fluff, predictable character arcs, and no falling action. Stop trying to preach and learn how to relate.

Slow start, but a great twist-on-twist-on-twist finale buildup. Quite the generic horror to start, but delivers a great second and third act whilst turning into an amazing thriller.

This episode was going quite well, intriguing and deep... but then you want to pull a race card out of thin air, and insult first responders while you're at it? Should remove this episode due to blatant defamation of a group of people dedicated to saving lives, no matter whose it is.

I'll try and keep watching more episodes, but put that card away. Didn't fit at all with the story, being sudden, contrived, and offsetting.