Dan S.

This show took me by surprise. I was honestly not expecting it to be this good. Everything from the writing, the acting, the storyline, the photography, the details! Truly superb. 5 stars. The most well rounded and captivating show I’ve seen within the last 5 years. If you appreciate subtlety, effort and execution you’ll enjoy this show.

This was an incredibly captivating story with super acting, complex and layered characters that displayed the whole spectrum of their humanity. With thought provoking moments that actually encourage the viewer to do some digesting of their own. Highly entertaining and cohesive. As an indigenous person I love seeing other natives represented with autonomy and dignity. It’s a 10/10 for me. Highly recommend.

This show is top notch entertainment! Everything from the acting, the music, the writing, the cinematography, locations, 5 stars all across the board. I don’t remember when was the last time I saw something this good in all honesty. It truly has everything that I value and like; mystery, depth, complexity, rebellion, rhythm, superbly executed. A well danced song. And the fact that majority of the cast is Native American is the icing on the cake. This show is much needed and wanted. We need more seasons!

After watching the first episode, I honestly did not want to continue, mainly because zombie themed shows/movies have never appealed to me, and also because reality at the moment is dystopian enough as it is, but I’m glad I did. This show is extremely well written, it deals with much more than zombies and apocalypse, it deals with complex nuanced issues & human emotions in profound and creative ways, without underestimating the audience (finally!). The character development is excellent, but so is the character integrity, which many times gets compromised when writers attempt to keep the audience engaged. I have always said that the integrity of a character does not need to be challenged in order to keep the viewer entertained; the storyline should always serve the best interest of the characters, not its creators. This show proves it can be done. The acting is truly outstanding, both Pedro and Bella are sublime, their chemistry, their ever subtle approach, make it all seem effortless, and helps the audience buy into their world with a level of commitment that’s hard to come by. I will say that this show is heavy, so if you’re not in an emotionally stable place, you might consider avoiding it.

Season 5 is unbearable! What happened to the writing? It got so horribly wrong so fast! Season 5 it’s just a King Charles propaganda machine, in which he is presented as this VERY fictitious character who is progressive and wants to challenge the status quo, yada yada. You can definitely tell the monarchy had a hand in season 5 more so than in any other. The way in which they presented Diana as well is preposterous. They turned her into this emotionally unstable selfish person who cannot seem to fend for herself. As opposed to the strong minded, mold-breaking, empathetic figure the world came to love. I grew up in South America, in a country in which the term “monarchy” was associated with colonialism, and therefore rejected by the vast majority of the population; but even then I remember Diana being accepted and even liked, which was a feat unattained by any other monarch. Charles is an unlikable person, always has been, the only popularity he’s ever known came at the hands of his association with Diana, and no season of The Crown will ever change that. In fact this season further displays the disconnect the monarchy has had with the public. Attempting to push Charles down our throats. I love Imelda, just wish she would have had better material to work with. The queen herself has been portrayed as a spineless woman who idly watches has her reign crumbles, which even for those of us who did not approve of her, seems a bit farfetched. Some scenes are so cringe worthy that I just couldn’t bring myself to watch them completely. After the glorious performance of Gillian Anderson as Thatcher we get this?? Ugh

I thoroughly enjoyed this show. It did not look very promising on the billboards (cheap looking tacky editing is to blame imo), but turned out to be quite entertaining. Kudos to Jenna Ortega for her Wednesday rendition, it’s not an easy role to play, one that could easily fall in the caricaturesque category, yet she skillfully walked the line between maintaining the character’s essence and adding enough of her to make it unique and fresh. Her dance scene has to be one of my favorite ever! How would Wednesday dance? It’s hard to imagine, yet while watching that scene, it was one of those things that made perfect sense. She’s gracious and committed to her craft. Definitely wanna see more of her. Another bonus was how her Latina heritage was made a relevant part of the story. I just wish they would have casted someone else as Gomez. Raul Julia is hard to top, so I get why they would go on a totally different direction, but this guy and Catherine Zeta Jones don’t make a believable couple I’m sorry. Some actors chemistry translates on the screen, same applies for the lack of it.

This movie was one of those unexpected cinema gems that you find every few years. It was fresh without being pretentious; it was entertaining, moving, raw, thought provoking. The cast was impeccable, the little girl is so natural, there’s something very unique and special about her. Directing was also great, script was good, just an overall cohesive movie. I love movies like these, that help you expand your mind a bit more. In a universe of replicas it’s refreshing to find new tales.

This was one of my favorite movies growing up. So I was a bit skeptical when I heard about the remake, given that Disney has a talent for completely ruining sequels. Also I had read some of the reviews and was sort of expecting some disappointment. But to my own surprise, I enjoyed this movie. I can say that I was not annoyed at all, which is saying a lot. Given that modern movies tend to do that, to the point that I cannot watch them completely. I think they recreated the feeling of the original quite well, and still managed to make it entertaining. Another thing that I found interesting, is that this is the first modern movie that managed to make representation work in my opinion. It felt organic, natural, not forced, like real life you know. Most shows and movies sort of feel like they’re going through a checklist when it comes to representation. Lastly, I would say that we as a culture take great please in deconstructing more so than in building. If you’re on the fence about watching it, I’d say don’t listen to the negative reviews, judge for yourself. The original was considered a flop when it first came out also, it took it literally decades to become the cult following it is now. The masses are not always right.

I’ll start with the pros: It’s mildly entertaining. That’s about it. Now for the cons: casting (in my humble opinion) missed the mark. I know that horrible writing doesn’t help any actor, but aside from a few exceptions (Durin, Elrond & The Stranger) I’m not buying the rest. Galadriel being one of the worst, with her unidimensional caricaturesque approach to acting, followed by Halbrand, and Miriel who’s giving Dysasty in cosplay meets General Hospital. These roles are difficult to play, the key is subtlety and layering. That’s why impecable casting is crucial. And lastly, makeup! You might have the best CGI effects, best cinematography, best director, but if the prosthetic noses and ears do not match the shade of the actor’s skin, all your efforts go out the window. I can’t take then seriously, while their ears are 2 to 3 shades lighter, it’s giving Halloween DIY. I don’t understand how they invested so much in production but overlooked something so fundamental.

First let me say, I love Oscar Isaac, but he was not right for this role. I just don’t buy it. Now to the script: I get he has multiple personalities, but they could have written it in a way that wasn’t so annoying for the viewer. You never get a single moment of climax in this series. Must EVERY single significant moment be abruptly cut to emphasize an already obvious fact? It takes away from the story. I also get the intention behind the juxtaposition of Marc & Steven, but they went a bit overboard. This Steven is severely mentally challenged, painstakingly stupid, in a horror movie predictable fall kind of way. I prefer shows where they give the audience a bit of credit. If you want background noise while having dinner, and ran of of things to watch, then go ahead. But don’t expect much.