Dene Gomez

3/10 - Engrossing but no substance. I AM MOTHER (2019) - I was fully engrossed from the get-go. You won't know who to trust. Plot twists are freely given every 10 minutes, which compels me to hold on to my seat. But when the credits rolled in, I was like "That's it?". It felt like a roller coaster ride, thrilling, but there's nothing more to it. I had no emotional connection to any of the characters. I couldn't care less for what they are fighting for. But it was an exciting ride nonetheless. #ExMachina2015 presents something similar, but better. #DeneReviews

7/10 - Casting is just marvelous! DARK (2017) - This show has 20+ main characters, and almost everyone, I got really invested in. I can't believe its possible but it did. It took 4 episodes though to establish the setting and everyone on it... a bit of a stretch, yes, but once it kicks in at episode 5, it flies. Every line of every character, you can't afford to miss 'coz everything is significant, everything is connected. Best to watch DARK in its original German audio with English subtitles. #DeneReviews

8/10 - I super dig the screenplay. EX MACHINA (2015) - This is one of the better examples of how to make a low-budget movie really compelling. You can never go wrong with a good narrative expertly told. This film just shows how some gimmicks (i.e. explosions and what-not) are usually unnecessary to advance a story. It always comes down to the script! Although the last act could use a little re-writing, still captivating nonetheless. It's like #BlackMirrorSeries meets #Phonebooth2002 and #Buried2010. #DeneReviews

6/10 - Clever, yet a bit manipulative. CRASH LANDING ON YOU (2019) - I keep pressing pause several times during the first 3 episodes because I find it quite average and overly long. Then came episode 4, where the 2 leading ladies bumped into each other with their low-key yet powerful "mata-mata" acting. Plot keeps thickening from then on and I was truly engrossed. I still keep pausing a few times during succeeding episodes... not because I'm bored, but because so many scenes are too heavy and too cleverly put, that I need a breather. Every time I pause, I applaud. Episodes nearing the finale is when I started to feel manipulated. Recurring themes are getting overly done (e.g., Switzerland encounters). I was less enamored with the leads by the end. I think they peaked early, about 2 episodes before finale. What stuck with me more during the finale was the culmination of the 2nd leads' story arc and the character development of Go Myeong-eun (Seo Dan's feisty mother). #JangHyeJin's acting is exceptionally organic, reinforcing her place as an actress in #Parasite2019. #DeneReviews