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The Good German (2006)

Nothing like a 1940's film

Emulating classical film noir style? Are you kidding me? Other than B&W and the aspect ratio, no way! Anyone that thinks so needs to spend some time watching TCM. With the exception of a few films that have degraded over the years (which is not their original condition), they were sharp, clear, focused and well lit. This film is none of those.

Take a look at Citizen Kane, which used cameras so superior that Kubrick used one years later in Barry Lyndon for natural low light scenes.

Not to mention the stiff, fakey acting.and staging. There were great actors and directors in the 30s and 40s, this is an insult to all of them.

The Man Who Fell to Earth (2022)

Stupid tech, not even trying

First, why swallow a water hose? Where is the water going? Stupid.

2nd, a guy is fired for having a copy of "patent #10", which is old and no-one understands because it is written in base 60.

1. Patents are public by law. The CANNOT be under NDA.

2. Patents must be understandable. You cannot patent gibberish.

3. Patents expire after 17 years.

4. Base 60 is just a counting system, not a language, not encryption. There is nothing to understand, except which symbols are used for the numbers.

Those are just examples.

I had hopes for this, dashed by the total lack of any attempt to be realistic.

Monsters (2010)

An expanded short?

99% scenes of two people standing, walking, looking off-camera, even sleeping multiple times. The few minutes of action is the only time the photographer doesn't have his camera out. Reminded me of Letterman's "network time killers", obviously stretching.

Boring to the max.

High Life (2018)

Why would anyone waste money making this?

Mainly slow and boring, like a 30 min. Short that had to be made movie length. Takes everything we know about space travel and does the opposite. Interiors looks like a random apartment building shot into space. Tools flying off into space, because who would think of a tether? Heavy hiking boots - for climbing around on the black hole, maybe? The flimsiest space suits I have ever seen - simple overlapping flaps hold air pressure, right? At least there were no cigarettes.

Nothing about the plot made sense to me, either. The (non-)sex scenes were just plain weird.

News of the World (2020)

Basically a good movie with good acting

I liked it overall, given the usual limitations of cramming a novel into movie length. The scenery was very annoying to me personally, having lived for 20 years in the central Texas corridor where it supposedly takes place. Not a single scene looked like the actual locations, it was filmed in New Mexico.

Locke & Key (2020)

I don't get it

Got through the 1st season, in spite of childishness. 1st episode of 2nd season has a kid using super strength to move a couch to another room, but just keeps slamming it into a door frame it won't fit through, over, and over, and over, and over... Why? Nothing else has indicated he is a complete idiot. Is it supposed to be funny? Even a childish joke needs to have some point.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

As a non-fan of later series, seeing this again impressed me.

They actually encounter technology beyond human understanding, and there is not a single "alien" that looks like a human with a lumpy forehead and has the exact mannerisms of an American teenager.

True, much of it is overlong. Some criticize the graphics, but I remember seeing it opening day and being impressed.

Elysium (2013)

Shallow plot, shallow charachters, ridiculous technology

Typical action movie plot where everything is controlled by one person, one computer, etc., no complexity anywhere. The required samurai sword is present, and as usual a fist/gun fight determines the fate of the world. Every character has the emotional depth of a 6 year old.

Computers cannot run programs without scrolling the code on the screen. I've been a programmer for 50 years and have never seen this in reality. Air shuttles can routinely fly to a space station. No movie trope is too stupid for this movie.

Very pretty at times visually, otherwise a complete waste of time.

La Brea (2021)

Not even trying to be good

I won't repeat previous comments, but no movie trope is missed in this show. People in trouble incapable of cooperating. Authorities faced with a miracle treating the required person-in-the-know with disdain. Wild predators that always pause and roar to warn their prey. And most of all, time travel assuming that the earth does not move in space. After all, winding up in empty space millions of miles away where the earth actually was thousands of years ago would make a very short show.

Watched 2 episodes for laughs, couldn't take any more.

Infinite (2021)

Yet another gee-whiz action & graphics movie with stupid cliches

Same nonsense as practically every other sci-fi action movie recently.

• The fate of the world will be decided by a fist/sword/gun fight.

• People with thousands of years of experience are just as petty and impulsive as normal people.

• Laws of physics are continually violated with no explanation.

There are many great, original sci-fi books out there, why can't Hollywood find them?

The White Lotus (2021)

sad and depressing

Every minute is sad and depressing people doing sad and depressing things. The idea that anyone finds this amusing makes me sad and depressed.

The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)

Finally, something new in the genre

A good adaptation of a good book. For once, there is a reasonable explanation for the disease, and it does not follow the stock plots of people fighting back. Sennia Nanua was excellent. Makes you think about what it means to be human.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

Yet another exorcism movie, nothing new here

I admit I'm not a fan of exorcism movies, at least since the first ones. I just don't see the point. Stock jump scares, weird behaviors, seen it all before. A supposedly real plea of not guilty due to possession? Yeah, you admit possession by a murderous uncontrollable demon, so you should go free? I don't think so, can we skip the trial and send him straight to prison? And I'm not a fashion person, but what is the deal with Vera Farmiga's granny outfits? It was distracting.

I always wonder, why are all demons, vampires, etc. Catholic? Does that mean non-Catholics are safe?

Line of Duty (2012)

A brilliant, realistic, and surprising series

I have binged seasons 1-4, and am impressed. Very real and complex, there are no clear lines here between good guys and bad guys. Reminiscent in some ways of the Wire, it has a different story each season.

Mare of Easttown (2021)

Mainly a 60-minute commercial for smoking

Seems to require a smoking scene every 10 minutes, preferably with drinking. The smoking offends me, drinking doesn't but I am sick of the overwhelming prevalence on TV. Maybe if they had spent that time on plot I would have liked it.