Change Your Image
Withemcomm
Reviews
Ordinary Joe (2021)
So-so Joe
The premise of the show had promise. But the three Joe characters were so similar. The different choices made had not shaped him at all in the years since college. For instance one could've had a dark side, another could've been more suave, another more innocent or more nerdy. The problem started with the characters, who all spoke in the same voice. But the lead actor was also mediocre. A show like this needed a very talented lead performer. It's too bad, because it could've been a really interesting program. I'm a little surprised by those who became big fans. I watched two episodes before deciding it wasn't worth turning on again.
Criminal Minds (2005)
One episode sillier than the next
This series is marked by a combination of gratuitous violence and cartoonish behavior baked into the script. I watched the first season because I like Mandy Patinkin, but the handful of episodes I've seen in later seasons are so ridiculous. It baffles me why this program has so many fans.
Rizzoli & Isles (2010)
More good than bad
This show has some good moments, mostly the relationship between the two lead characters and Rizzoli's family. Sasha Alexander is the strongest actress in the series. The crime stories tend to be silly or banal.
Ten Days in the Valley (2017)
Suspenseful and well acted
I enjoy Kyra Sedgwick but it's important to know going into this program that her character is very different than Brenda Leigh Johnson in The Closer. This is a dark, gritty crime drama. Yes, a kidnapped child has been done before - but never like this. The characters are flawed, but very dimensional. They have demons which they courageously face as the days unfold. The twists and turns keep coming. It's tough to tell a crime story that is not predictable, with so many years of Law & Order and other detective shows in the rear view mirror. This show delivers in that regard.
The supporting cast is wonderful, with standout performances by Agbaje as the detective, Christensen as the sister and Gurry as the ex. The series is very well written and edited. I would certainly have tuned in for a second season had there been one.
If you can't tolerate programs that make you uncomfortable, if you only enjoy slick dramas with conventional, admirable characters, you probably won't care for "Ten Days in the Valley," but that is no reflection on the caliber of this fine series, it's only a matter of personal preference.
1883 (2021)
Good cinematography
This contains spoilers but that's of dubious consequence. Good cinematography but they're in love with the images they create, probably because there's a little else to enjoy here. The producer / director writer / should have focused more on plot, historical authenticity, and character development. I am less bothered by the teenage narrator's fake Texas accent then by her insipid personality. Tim McGraw's father is one note-a combination of bad writing and an inexperienced actor thrust into the lead. And while the unsettled west was no doubt violent, we see five people die in one day, four through gunfire-with no apparent psychological ramifications to the shooters. It's not to be believed. Also offensive was the completely gratuitous nudity of the woman being inspected for disease.
The program has great production values, so a lot of time that might be spent with a compelling story is instead spent gazing at lingering shots of pretty landscapes. But it does not satisfy.
Secrets in the Air (2020)
Drivel
It's sad that someone bankroll this fluff ball of a film. Ridiculous premise, bad acting, Their production values are good but wasted on a terrible script.