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davidlohr
Reviews
The Truth About Jim (2024)
Trash TV
I don't know why anyone would produce a documentary that's based entirely on speculation. Zero evidence is presented to support any of the allegations. This shouldn't be labeled "true crime." It's more along the lines of, "National Enquirer Presents..." It wouldn't even qualify as good fiction. It's garbage through and through. Everyone involved in this s-t show should be embarrassed and banned from ever working on another documentary. Do yourself a favor and skip this pathetic money grab. There are far better programs out there. That said, wtf does IMBD require us to write such lengthy reviews now. I'm not getting paid for this so don't expect another.
That '90s Show (2023)
Shocker: It Blows
I was not expecting much going into this so I was not surprised by how bad it turned out to be. The laugh track is obnoxious. Whereas the original series was okay for a few seasons before it grew stale, this one is stagnant from the start. It is an obvious cash grab by the production company. I am also guessing the originals who make appearances in it are also a bit desperate for cash, as the scripts and rehearsals should've been a clear indication of what was to come. It is a sinking ship. It should not have been made and in my personal opinion, a second season is completely unnecessary. My recommendation, if it's not obvious already, is to skip it.
Kindred (2022)
Not bad. Could be better
I've not yet read the book so my review, unlike some here, won't be compared to the series. That said, it's an interesting watch in that it's not your typical time travel tale. There are a couple plot holes, but not to the extent that it completely ruins the viewing experience. My biggest issue is that I have a low tolerance for stupidity and some of decisions the characters made throughout the series is downright stupid. They tend to act more on emotion than common sense. While I can excuse some instances of this, it happens too frequently for my liking. Due to this, I feel the series falls within a 6-7 rating. I'll go with the latter in hopes we see less of this in season 2.
I Survived a Crime (2021)
Bad Production Quality
The videos are somewhat interesting, albeit nothing that can't easily be found elsewhere. The bigger issue with the show is that it apparently suffered from a low budget. The host was an odd choice. When he narrates scenes he often sounds like he's reading from a notepad or teleprompter. The interviews he conducts with victims are equally cringeworthy. It's also somewhat annoying that a large number of the cases the producers selected have yet to be resolved in court. As a result, the viewer is left to wonder about the outcome in those cases. It's not a show I'd watch again or recommend to anyone.
Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County (2010)
Exceptionally Rude Director
As many others have mentioned, the director is very unprofessional and downright rude to the individuals she's interviewing. Perhaps she should live on minimum wage for to gain some perspective. This could've been great and she completely ruined it.
Murder on Middle Beach (2020)
Frustrating Watch
While we learn some things about the murder, there are no great revelations about the case in this docuseries. The final episode builds up to a hearing that will determine if police finally have to open the case files up. It's ultimately decided they must do so, according to the documentary, and then the series ends. WTF?
The Murders at Starved Rock (2021)
Lots Of Speculation
This "documentary" is problematic. It lack's neutrality. The director inserted himself into the case and had a clear agenda. Aside from being the son of the prosecutor, it appears he had tunnel vision and a tendency to take things at face value.
It's equally troubling that the director devoted various segments to an individual who apparently considers themselves "psychic," as well as several wasted interviews with an author who appears butthurt that anyone would question his work.
The most compelling information came from a former state police investigator who worked the case, and the director devoted less than five minutes to him.
The story itself is interesting but the filmmaker failed to produce much of anything aside from speculation as to what actually happened at Starved Rock. It's not until the end of the docuseries that we learn evidence in the case will be DNA tested, but the series ends before the results come in.
In regards to the DNA, according to a Aug. 1, 2022 story by Rolling Stone, only one preserved hair originally found on one of the victims gloves was viable for DNA testing. It was ultimately not found a match to Chester. That's not compelling. It doesn't prove anything, especially given the ways in which evidence was handed in the 1960s.
Is Chester innocent? Was he an accomplice? We still don't know.
Keep Breathing (2022)
Worse Than Lifetime Films
The acting is really bad and the quality of the film is worse than what you'd expect from a Lifetime hack job. Not sure who thought this was a good pick for Netflix.
The Way Down: God, Greed and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin (2021)
Lot's of filler
This docuseries is interesting but it's a lot longer than it needed to be. Aside from that, it's always interesting to see how gullible people are. In this particular case, it also seems karma played a role in shutting up the queen bee.
Mind Over Murder (2022)
Theater Aspect Ruins It
This could've been a really good documentary. They ruined it by bouncing between a documentary and a play and the overall runtime is overkill. This needed a better director and editor.
Resident Evil (2022)
Cringeworthy
As a fan of the franchise I was sorely disappointed in this new series. I forced myself to watch the first couple episodes and then gave up. What a missed opportunity.
Big Timber (2020)
Constant Catastrophizing
The show would be a lot more interesting if the narrator didn't make it seem as though every little problem is a major emergency that could be the downfall of the lumber company. It ruins the viewer experience.
D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?! (2022)
Nothing New
This "documentary" is a joke. Nothing new is revealed. They rehash everything we already know and pepper it with a bunch of what-ifs. If this was an article we'd call it clickbait.
The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch (2020)
Trash TV
An excellent contribution to the continued dumbing-down of society. It's scary how many people fall for shows like this and any other number of stupid conspiracy theories. And yet people wonder why America has become the laughing stock of the world.
Leave No Trace (2018)
Goes Nowhere
Caught this on Netflix. It was interesting at first but quickly turned into a slow burn that fizzled out. The acting was ok. The big issue is nothing really happens throughout the film.
Helix (2014)
Horrific Music Choices
Season 1 wasn't too bad for a sci-fi TV series. It had it's quirks, along with some bizarre music choices. I'd rate it a 6 or a seven. Season 2 was awful. It was all over the place and the music was especially hideous. The show ended abruptly, apparently because the network decided to cancel it. This would've been better served as a mini-series. That said, whoever is responsible for the awful music selections and placement throughout both seasons shouldn't be working in this genre.
The Witcher (2019)
Second Season Meh
The first season was pretty good, but the second almost seems like a different show. I don't find it nearly as interesting and find myself easily distracted from it. Hopefully it'll get better. If it does I'll reconsider my rating.
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
Cheesefest
Good cast, bad story. If you like b-rated films with terrible writing and cheesy unbelievable plots than this is the movie for you. It's underrated for a reason.
Passengers (2016)
Waking Her Saved Them
I love how everyone seems to miss the fact that if he had not woke her up everyone would've died. He wouldn't have had anyone to pull the lever to release the reactor pressure while he held open the blast door. She also had the option to return to sleep using the autodoc and CHOSE not to. Did y'all naysayers even pay attention?
Pieces of Her (2022)
Poor Writing
It's a frustrating watch at times due to the sheer stupidity of the daughter and multiple plot holes left by the writers. I made it 4-5 episodes in and gave up. It wasn't worth the effort.
The Exorcist (1973)
Y'all Find This Scary? lol
I originally saw this film on VHS in the 80s and wasn't all that impressed. I recently decided to give it another shot when I saw it on Netflix. My opinion hasn't changed. I find the film far from scary and boring for the most part. It's overrated. I gave it five stars because of the time period in which it was filmed and the effort that was put into it. If it was a new film I'd give it a two. There's way better horror out there.
Shadow and Bone (2021)
Sound Is The Worst
I couldn't make it through episode one because I got tired of having to babysit the volume button on my remote. Whoever mixed the audio for this show did a terrible job. It may well be worthy of more than a 1 but I'll never know because I'm not going to watch it now.
The Principles of Pleasure (2022)
Take Some Responsibility
This "documentary" is stupid. The people interviewed acted like someone other than themselves was to blame for them not knowing their own bodies. I went to school in the 80s and 90s and a lot of the things they mentioned were taught back then in sex ed. We didn't even have the Internet so there's really no excuse for anyone to claim today there aren't widely available resources. That said, if you don't know your own body or take the initiative to learn about it the problem is you and not other people. Christ, you need people to hold your hand through everything?!
Captive Audience (2022)
Could've Been Better
The series was interesting in that we got to hear from multiple people connected to the case. However, it was bizarre that the director had actors who portrayed the brothers in the 1989 made-for-TV miniseries read transcripts from recorded interviews with the brothers. It would've been better to play the original recordings with captions. It was also odd that they left out many details about Cary and the murder of his uncle. Equally puzzling is why, other than old news stories, we didn't get to hear from anyone connected to the Yosemite victims.
Surviving Death (2021)
Trash TV
Made for gullible people and those who need a crutch to get through everyday life. Skip it and do something worthwhile with your time as this ain't it.