Reviews

DISCLAIMER: Until recently, I used to be a very active freediver, an occasional safety diver and instructor. I am familiar with the tragedy that happened at Dahab.

I forgot why I really, REALLY dislike Alessia Zecchini. Actually, I can't stand her. My entire body sounds off major alarms I can only interpret as intuition: "This woman is bad news!"

This documentary reminded me why. She's a head-strong brat who was so reckless as a freediver that it was bound she'd get someone killed. That just happened to be her good friend/coach/boyfriend Stephen Keenan. And now she's made a poor man's guilt-trip documentary that wants to pay homage to the man who saved her life by sacrificing his, but still somehow winds up focusing mostly on her and her freediving journey.

• The VERY FIRST scene is Alessia having a blackout right before surfacing from a deep dive. As a fellow freediver, I was deeply appaled and offended by this directorial decision, because it would be like a documentary about Ferrari that opens with a major car crash.

• Blackouts are not as common a thing at freediving competitions as this documentary would lead you to believe. And especially underwater blackouts are something that should be avoided at all costs! Responsible, capable, and upstanding freedivers know where their limit is and prepare beforehand so they do NOT put themselves and their safety divers at unnecessary risk. Alessia Zecchini is NOT one of those freedivers. So if the documentary wanted to portray the potential dangers of competitive freediving, Alessia Zecchini is one of the last (if not THE LAST) freedivers to talk.

• The Vertical Blue competition where Alessia had 3 blackouts one after the other was one of the most irresponsible things I've ever seen a freediver do at a competition. Putting herself in danger is one thing, but being so selfish to put her own petty goals over the safety of the safety crew is disgraceful. And a reckless, truly dangerous decision done in the utmost poorest of taste.

• I don't think Alessia feels her share of the responsibility for Stephen's death. I didn't think she did after the accident happened and - after seeing this documentary - I still don't think she does. But I think she should.

"The Deepest Breath" is a disjointed documentary about competitive freediving à la Alessia Zecchini that tries to whitewash the fact that Alessia's approach to life was/perhaps still is to put herself and her ambitions first and disregard others. I'm truly sorry if I misjudged and miss-stepped, but I found way too many parts of "The Deepest Breath" a despickable, self-indulgent charade.

4 stars because the documentary does want to head into the right direction, at times with surprising candor. But it falls way short.

I was familiar with the Manhattan project and the social and political aftermath, so "Oppenheimer" was an excursion into known territory.

Is it Nolan's finest movie to date? Not really. Because I know he can do even better. Does it touch upon greatness? Yes, a couple of times!

THE GREAT +++

• Cillian Murphy gives one of the most surprising leading man performances in ages and just might win an Oscar for his excellent portrayal of Robert Oppenheimer. He fully transforms into the highly complex and increasingly conflicted man, his eyes ooze tension, his voice is on point, and his demeanour is congruent.

• The entire 2nd act (the building of the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos laboratory and the eventual detonation of the first atomic bomb) is the best part of the movie.

• Oppenheimer's shaken and stirred speech after the Trinity test is arguably the most engrossing and immersive movie-making of this summer.

• Great Hollywood actors and actresses galore.

• Many poignant time jump edits.

• The scene with Oppenheimer and president Truman in the oval office.

• Hair and make-up department convincingly depicts Oppenheimer (and some of the rest) from student years to the last stages of their lives.

• In (surprisingly) typical Nolan fashion, the very ending is a satisfying (if slightly fizzled by the 3rd act) "twist" that was being built up throughout the movie.

THE NOT SO GREAT ---

• A big portion of the movie is a dissapointing bait-and-switch. It focuses way too much time on Oppenheimer's pre-Trinity political activity and post-Trinity kangaroo trial without a satisfactory reason to do so. The 1st and especially the overly long 3rd act needed tighter editing and the movie would have been better for it. The build-up to the powerful ending could easily be slightly modified and still pack the same if not an even bigger, much needed gut-wrenching punch.

• The pacing is overly dense because it tries to jam-pack too much of Oppie's pre- and post-Trinity life into one movie. Nolan adds a plethora of new characters we can just barely remember and his time jump edits are sometimes unnecessary and hard to follow.

• Not nearly enough of the movie is about the actual technical feat of building the first atomic bomb.

"Into the Spider-verse" was one of my TOP 3 cinema experiences EVER. The story, the humor, the build-up, the pay-off, the music, and the booming score by Daniel Pemberton somehow managed to intertwine into a spider web of perfection. Oh, and the most magnificent animation to ever grace the silver screen wasn't a shabby accomplishment either.

Fortunately, the new trio of directors captured the look, feel, and heart. BUT I think "Across the Spider-verse" didn't quite surpass the first movie. At times it was less immersive than it could have been (sound mixing, noticeably less crisp and more muffled animation, Daniel Pemberton's score not packing as much of a punch, some pacing flaws), nor did we get the deserved pay-off ... yet!

AND YET, what this movie has in droves is an incredibly inventive story that sets up and builds up things for what is sure to be a bombastic final installment, a powerful, symbolically meaningful, and scary villain we can also empathise with, some great reveals, amazing set pieces that will take repeat viewings to fully appreciate, and it counter-balances this blink-and-you'll-miss-it whishing and whooshing with beautifully crafted quiet moments that allow characters and us to breathe and take in the situation. And it has an "Empire strikes back" type of cliffhanger ending that left me wanting more.

Which all makes "Across the Spider-verse" an absolutely worth successor and a stelllar mid-point. It's not as perfect as "Into the Spider-verse" but it easily and deservedly stands proudly right beside it.

The finale was a wild and deeply satisfactory emotional ride. I didn't expect the ending, but I loved it. As has been with this show from the very first episode, I appreciate, understand and deeply admire the writers' decisions. Because they make all the sense in the world!

No sugar-coated crowd-pleasing nonsense, only hard-hitting facts of actual real life. Nepotism finally failed and meritocracy won. The Roy sibling rivalry finally imploded, because they sadly (or rather, luckily) just couldn't help themselves. Logan Roy could not be and never was proud of the legacy of his sons and daughter, but such is life. Instead of devoting time to fatherhood, he devoted his life to further his financial accomplishments. The three siblings, eternaly searching for Logan's approval, were naturally drawn to Waystar RoyCo. But unlike Logan, they were brats with not nearly enough actual business understanding or humility. Like their father, they each thought the world was theirs for the taking. But they replaced actual work with self-entitled hubris without even knowing it.

So, it's an immensely fitting, if surprising, conclusion to this family saga that Tom Wambsgans came out of left field. Unlike the siblings, he actually rose through the ranks and earned his place at Waystar RoyCo. Is he still a somewhat clumsy and pathetic dork? Yes, BUT less and less so. Unlike the siblings, he's actually been learning and adapting from season 1. He's come so far that by the end of this episode he stepped into the CEO shoes with astonishing confidence and an actual swagger!

And don't get me started on the power dinamics 180 flip between him and Shiv. That hand power-play moment in the car as the couple drove off was Godfather-like perfection.

• I surprisingly think Roman is going to be just fine. As sociopathic as he is, he was at least always aware of his BS. He doesn't need to pretend anymore. COMEDY
• I think Shiv will finally learn humility because Tom inadvertedly put her in her place. Who knows, perhaps she'll even open up and trust him more. Will she be happy? I somehow doubt it. But she will learn to appreciate what she has. TRAGICOMEDY
• Kendall is utterly effed. Who knows if he'll be able to take it like a man or will he cling to the false notion that he's the "eldest boy". It was gut-wrenching to see him come so, so, SO close to getting his "crown," only to have his world shattered to a million pieces. TRAGEDY.

I've been thoroughly enjoying "Atypical" and decided to finally share a thought or two.

What looked like a generic premise on first impression turned out to be a truly stellar show about life, patience, and compassion. While it revolves around Sam, the lessons it teaches transcend AD and teach about the raw and true human condition.

This show is great because the writers make it smart, the cast make us cry in sentiment or laugh out loud, and it's because of a wonderous unseen crew in the background. Everyone brings their A-game and "Atypical" oozes coolness, heart, and plenty of neat surprises.

One of them was that milkshake bop, of course. The other one was seeing the tables turning in Elsa and Doug's relationship right at the very end of the episode. It's fascinating to watch because of how real-life their relationship feels. I don't think I need to point it out, but Keir Gilchrist and Brigette Lundy-Paine are the MVP's, and it's always nice to see Zahid around as well.

Long story short, I can't recommend this show enough, and as someone who is currently taking care of a young autistic boy, "Atypical" is a really touching and well thought out depiction of AD.

To finish off, for me, another standout are the editing and music choices. Whoever decided to include the amazing Bob Moses song into the end credits is the person who convinced me to write this review.

I am envious of the creativity that Taylor Sheridan has amassed and even spread further along his Yellowstone saga. Because "1923" just might become the crown jewel to the mighty Alabaman throne.

Ford and Mirren haven't been this good in ages; the old man moves like his body has literally de-aged by 10-15 years just by riding a horse again and you can tell she's just having a tremendous time stretching her acting legs. The rest of the cast has also quickly sprung their own little roots and this episode even gave us a taste of Dalton as a devilish businessman.

The particular standout of this episode is one of the most well-deserved deaths of a terrible person in recent TV history (almost literally "by Bibles") . Every time Teonna (played by Aminah Nieves in what is sure to be a breakout performance) goes into her full-on rebellious rage mode, I become a gitty cheerleader and root for her freedom and liberties as if her character was part of my family.

The most shining stand-outs of the show however are Alex (played by a very lively Julia Schlaepfer) and Spencer (Brandon Sklenar who somehow managed to steal the show from the get-go with barely uttering a single word). Sherdian went full "Out of Africa" on us and sprinkled it with his staple sheridanistic wisdoms to form one of those unforgettable lovebirds that are simply magnetic. I would love if the new couple continued to explore their gorgeous subtropical surroundings and not have a care in the world and I will find it a bit jarring and disappointing when that mountanous reality hits them on the head. I somehow feel protective of their joy. Silly, come to think of it.

What can I say, Sheridan writes great romance like a 21st century Jane Austin and it goes without saying that he knows how to provide action and thrilling adventure. And he especially knows how to put all of it to make (yet another!!) spectacularly engaging TV show.

After I accepted that more people get "offed" in this series that in "The Sopranos", and with almost no consequences, I started enjoying "Yellostone".

There's plenty to love about the show, right from the somber patriotic intro score to Costner's wild west wisdom groweling, all the way down to a primordial battle for land and home. And Beth is surely one of the most ferocious characters put to TV.

S1 was surprisingly good,

S2 was fantastic,

S3 went all in,

S4 wisely and boldly toned it down to the bare minimum,

S5 (so far) is sadly predictable schlock where drama happens for drama's sake. I'm not enjoying myself like I did and I'm watching it with more grains of salt than I care for. Kayce's wife should be put out of her misery and Beth has sadly become obnoxious to the point of no return. The tense, juicy rivalry is mostly still there, but Sheridan would be wise to wrap it up with a nice Montana bow before the show becomes a parody of itself.

No other series in recent memory has made me want to pay tribute to it as much as "Andor".

Not only has it firmly cemented itself as the best Star Wars drama, now it's giving us some of the best action in Star Wars as well. Those 5 minutes of tension blew me away. It goes to show how much I've started caring for these characters. Especially Luthen. I suspect we'll have one heck of a tear-jerker in the 2nd season.

"Andor" very much embraces the "show me, don't tell me" approach. And everything feels viscerally real. The old spaceship that barely lifts up the ground, the mourning droid, the tortured prisoner, the anguish of a mother who's about to make a terrible personal sacrifice in order to save others, the son who merely wanted to see his mother again. I feel for all of them. And with them.

After the first 5 episodes I already rated this entire series as an 8, but I've since changed my rating to a stellar 9.

I'd have never, EVER thought that something out of the Star Wars universe would be deserving of accolades that transcend far, far, far away and beyond Coruscant and the entire sci-fi genre.

While George Lucas laid the foundations upon which this story sprang, "Andor" is an entirely different beast than I could have possibly imagined.

"Andor" is as much of a Star Wars disruptor as it is a colossal drama series achievement on its own merit. I am so utterly baffled and impressed by what they've been able to accomplish thus far that I have yet to find a better medium than to pour my emotions into these words.

There will be songs sung about Stellan Skarsgård's portrayal and embodiment of Luthen Rael. Especially after The speech he gave. I can't help but feel deep respect for what is, in fact, altruistic suicide.

This episode lets us in so far behind the curtain that we finally see that the most important heroes in the Star Wars universe (let alone the one we inhabit as well) are usually individuals we will never know. They have made peace with their necessary humility and have silenced their ego in favour of others.

I honestly can't fathom a more beautiful, profoundly sad, but lovingly beautiful human characteristic than that. Luthen Rael just might have become my favourite fictional hero of all time.

Dear creators of "Andor", I bow once more. And to think they released "Kenobi" and the "Boba Fett" nonsense in 2022 as well. Pffff.

I rarely come across story set-ups served as carelessly and blatantly as in this episode. While I don't require "Game of Thrones" shocking moments to find quality in "House of the Dragon", I don't want to expect what happens next either. Bored viewer = writer's fault.

Unless the creators are aiming to severely subvert our expectations (I somehow doubt it), the lazy writing either reveals far too much of what's obviously going to happen in the future (the king growing wary about his brother's new riches and power) or focuses far too much on plot points that are going nowhere.

Here's an example of the latter: The writers desperately want us to know that King Viserys Targaryen is sick and dying, and yet today's freshly released preview for the 10-year jump that will happen between episodes 5 and 6 shows that he will still be alive in a decade. If so, then what exactly was the point of him falling to the ground at the end of this episode?

It is nothing more than a revalation of how poorly structured the writing is for this show. Instead of constantly alluding to an early death of the king, the writers should have instead focused on giving the king actual character traits beyond those scabs. You know, so that we get to deeply care for or despise the character before he actually dies. Instead, we get a one-note king who grieves for not being a war general.

Ser Criston Cole goes completely off the rails berserk and kills a man in front of a 100 people because of ... reasons? It comes off merely as a story progression that will create twists and turns. Surely a man of such stoic and highly moral demeanour would know better than to actually get emotional over a quick remark, let alone even succumb to having sex with the future queen he has sworn to protect in the first place, right?

The further I write this review, the more I am reminded that most of what the characters of "House of the Dragon" decide to DO just doesn't feel congruent with what we are told about who they ARE.

I respect this series for the production value, but I am becoming wary that not much more lies beyond it.

DISCLAIMER: This review is not a comparison to Chevy Chase's "Fletch".

While "Confess, Fletch" is not a total missfire, it is not a home run by a long shot. It has a cast of actors that could have turned into gold (c'mon, Kyle MacLachlan and John Slattery alone could have done the heavy lifting) in the hands of a more capable writer, (surprisingly) director, and editor, but the movie instead winds up being a dislocated mishmash of wasted comedic potential. Ugh.

The entire thing is a pastiche of Fletch literally going from one place to another and interacting with different people. While "Wayne's World" rocked this approach, "Fletch" overreaches its hand, because most of the characters just aren't that funny and the situational comedy is barely noticeable.

As a character, Fletch has a rather easygoing approach. So does Jon Hamm when it comes to his acting. It's clear that the man has good comedic timing and enjoys himself in this role, but he could have carrried this movie to completely new levels if he injected vocal and physical variety that didn't remind us of Don Draper. He could have been a great Fletch, but he doesn't really flex (or maybe fletch) any acting muscle. While he tries to surprise us with some new facial expressions it just doesn't work as a deserved laugh, but nice try Hamm.

As much as I love the man, John Slattery's character curses every second sentance because someone thought that would be super funny. Couldn't they have tried to recreate some of that endearing playfulness he and Hamm shared in "Mad Men" and play the jokes off of that?

I did LOL a couple of times (Fletch being cluelessly supremely confident about his Italian; the bespoke bit), but constantly saw opportunities where the jokes could have been developed even more (Kyle MacLachlan dancing; the feet bit; the cooking in the kitchen bit; etc.).

Wasted comedic potential. Because they genuinely tried (most of them, anyway), 5 stars.

My word, I've been binging from 7 Up till 42, and this one is easily my favourite of the lot (so far).

Perhaps because there, for the most part, were so many positive changes in so many of our TV friends' lives.

There was even an impeccably done surprise reveal of Bruce's wedding that brought me immense joy. I couldn't help but root and be in awe of how life can make such beautiful turns.

---

TONY seems content and is for the most part considerably successful at life, and yet some of his yearly decisions might start catching up with him.

SUZY already had such a bright transformation at 28 when she met her husband and had children that it's hard to imagine her to have an even warmer smile. And yet, she still seems happy and utterly content at 42.

SYMON has never looked happier or more confident. I couldn't believe how bright and glowing his eyes have become. The man has finally stepped into his own and seems to have a wonderful life partner by his side.

ANDREW continues his calm, wise, logical approach to life. I found him a bit unnoticeable for the first 21 years, but now his life seems more and more like a model version of stable happiness.

JOHN sadly decided to again skip on his educated witty comments.

As soon as NICK fund his way in life, I stopped worrying what would become of him. The most career-focused life story of the bunch, which does bring certain limitations.

Oh BRUCE, yes! The kindest of souls often end up lonely, but I'm betting it was worth the wait for Bruce.

PAUL continues to show aspirations, and yet he really does seem more confident and at ease with each passing episode. I can easily see him become enraged on those rare occasions, but fortunately he co-created a loving home.

LYNN has slowly but surely been "surpassing" her two school friends, Jackie and Sue in almost every aspect. She finally seems completely at peace with herself, even with a physical affliction. And yet, she has been showing her years the most for a while now. The tremendous sadness in her eyes does seem to have gone away ever so slightly.

I'm not worried for SUE. She seems to be managing well with what she's got at her disposal and her positive energy will be carrying her on in life. I interpreted her dependance on parental support as a social commentary of generational differences, particularly the nonsensical increase in workload our parents probably didn't have.

JACKIE was such a bubbly child and yet, this time around the change in her 7 years is perhaps the saddest. Single parent, 3 children with two ex partners, worrying chronic phisical pain. And yet, I found her decision to push her children just a tad bit more than she was utterly promising.

And then there's NEIL. I imagine we were all rooting for him. What a satisfying turn of events! He looked dreadful at 35, and lo and behold, the man hasn't seemed more vital and alive since 7. Welfare or no welfare, whatever he has been up to has been doing woders for him.

---

Because I am a mixture of many of our protagonists, the most rewarding part of these shows for me is the introspection that this sped-up aging can offer. Just as they can change considerably in a span of 7 years, so too can others. Which seems like an odd juxtaposition to the show's famous line "Give me a child until he is 7 and I will give you the man", but there you have it.

An always tasteful vouyeristic glimpse into other people's lives. And the most profoundly beautiful documentary about the human condition I've ever seen.

What an unexpected tearjerker.

In an unexpectedly hilarious scene, despite being cornered and facing a lifetime in prison, Saul Goodman manages to be in control the entire time justice is breathing down his neck.

And then, the greatest duplicitous lawyer of all time decides to give himself up freely to the justice system. And brings Jimmy McGill back. And brings down the house of raw emotions.

Poetic justice beyond my wildest imagination. An ending so perfectly fitting that I'll just end it right here.

Well, just one final add-on. We all know the cast of this show is beyond stellar. My final praise goes to the writers, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. What they have managed to give the world in the last 15 or so years is just BONKERS! Thank you! We can all mourn the fact that TV will never be quite as good ever again.

While this episode's final revelation still can't top the mega battle from the previous episode (what will?!?), the twist it has created and the power shifts that are about to transpire, is the legendary set-up we can only dream of.

Season 1 laid the glorious messy foundation.

Season 2 added brick and mortar into the mix.

Season 3 is bringing it all together into the perfect bloody cluster**** of unimaginable proportions!

There are two facts that sadden me the most about the "Jurassic" saga: the 30 year-old "Jurassic Park" has far more convincing CGI and we the audience have become as immune and unaffected to seeing dinosaurs as the people in the movie.

I dare you to revisit the scene in "Jurassic World: Dominion" where Chris Pratt, riding a motorcycle, is being chased by two ultra determined raptors while trying to catch a plane that's about to take off. By all accounts it could/should have been one of the scariest, most intense moments in the movie, but Bryce Dallas Howard ruins it with a pathetically underwhelming "scream" of danger. We immediately understand that there isn't any and that everything will be hunky dory.

But my brain actually clocked out 1 minute into the movie, where we're treated with exposition that's as convoluted as it gets. In a way, a smart move that gently prepares us for all the dumb moments ahead, hahaha.

Bloody hell, what a story! I can't remember the last time a movie I saw at home grabbed my attention so immensely. I wasn't even sure why exactly I had such a tremendous experience watching "The Mauritanian", but at the end it all became clearer.

When there is so much truth and honesty present, it RADIATES. It radiated all over and across this masterfully made movie, it will radiate with me for some time to come.

The courtroom speech towards the end created a big lump in my throat and the tears just started pouring. After the trial, the first time joy is felt in this entire movie, the scene abruptly reveals another major blow. And another. And another. And another. But despite the living hell he went through, the real Mauritanian is one of the happiest people you will ever witness.

Bloody hell, what a story. I've NEVER experienced truth radiate so powerfully on the screen. A MUST see.

The tension is rising all the way up to 11, the stakes are nerve-wracking, whatever happens will be dire, the bad guys are more petrifying than ever, there is absolutely no exoneration for anyone anymore.

Kudos to the writers for unhinging Homelander!

I can't imagine what's in store for us for the remainder of this season, let alone the recently renewed S4. But given their track-record, "The Boys" do and will reign as the supreme escapism TV can offer.

Yes, "The Offer" undoubtedly took many artistic liberties to tell the amazing true story behind "The Godfather", but it also balances fact and fiction in such an endearing way that I just take this series for what it is: a love letter to a fantastic movie and a deserved homage to the visionaries behind the screen. They made sure the world got to see everybody and everything on the screen.

Miles Teller has definitely grown on me through this series, as has Dan Fogler. Matthew Goode should certainly be sweeping the awards ... or else, paizano!

And much like Nino Rotta added soul to "The Godfather", the wonderful score by Isabella Summers is a big warm hug to this delightful TV project.

I'm already missing "The Offer" and we still have the final part to go.

Yes, 12-year olds will enjoy "Ms. Marvel" the most! ... But I felt idiotic watching the first episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and won't bother with the rest, whereas here I know exactly what I'm in for and can easily let go to enjoy a coming-of-age adventure. Also, the show actualy provides a couple of movie-magic moments.

Yes, there is some cringe ... But there's also a lot of heart, both behind and in front of our screens.

Yes, the special effects in ALL (!) Marvel's TV shows are still less immersive than in their movies ... But the music score that blends industrial with ethnic and the inspired cinematography make up for it.

But here's the main kicker: Iman Vellani is instantly likeable. Her character Kamala Khan has the Tom Holland potential to get under my skin, whereas Brie Larson's Carol Danvers will probably remain the least likeable MCU character unless she does some serious damage control.

In this regard, Ms. Marvel is already a much-appreciated addition to the Marvels. But I suspect this show will be easily misunderstood by some MCU die-hards. Sorry lads, sometimes putting on big-boy pants means letting go of the expectation that everything Marvel creates is intended precisely for you.

This movie is a completely delightful 7/10, but because it so masterfully milks its meta gimmick about Nicholas Cage playing Nicholas Cage to the very, VERY last artistic drop, it deserves all the additional praise and recognition.

It effortlessly glides through the self-imposed challenging terrain like a champ and hits every single note perfectly - trust me, there are plenty of moments where it could have faltered ... and yet, 5 minutes into the movie it becomes clear that all the necessary love and care have been invested to elevate "The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent" to the cult-status level it deserves.

Kudos to the writers and director. And of course, Nicholas Cage, the man of the hour, is the friggin' man!