HermanNebelwerfer Reviews

Halo (2022– )

Excellent Sci Fi

[1 July 2023]

Halo is set in a dystopian future where most humans live in poverty, scattered across the galaxy, forced to work under the yoke of military and commercial enterprises.

A mysterious alien alliance called The Covenant is combing the galaxy searching for a powerful artifact and killing all life they encounter.

Dr. Halsey has created super soldiers called Spartans who are emotionless and deadly. They exist only to follow orders and kill targets. The military uses them to kill aliens and rebellious humans.

As Season 1 progresses, the lead Spartan (the best of the best) searches for a covenant artifact and slowly discovers his past. Several side stories unfold at the same time.

The writing, acting & production values are very good. The story is fresh and compelling. Came into the series blind. Completely hooked a few minutes into Episode 1. Love it.

Edit: After reading all of the hate and vitriol from gamers, I watched the Halo 'movies' (all the cut scenes from the Halo games) numerous times and enjoyed them a lot. I appreciate the games & their characters. The live action characters and stories are definitely a departure but the two universes (if you will), coexist perfectly in my mind. They are completely separate entities. Love the series like crazy. Hoping that bringing on new showrunners does not bode ill for Season 2.

The Family (2019)

Wolves In Sheeps' Clothing

[14 August 2019]

Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Confirmation of what many have long suspected but never knew for certain. It's time to pay attention to separation of church and state. Vote religion OUT of government.

Susanne Bartsch: On Top (2017)

Legend in Her Own Mind

[17 February 2019]

The pretension is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. Painful to watch.

The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

THOROUGHLY ENTERTAINING

[17 February 2019]

Great series. Compelling characters, good acting (especially Robert Sheehan as Klaus), high production values and good pacing. I haven't read a comic book in 50 years but I'm always on the lookout for good sci-fi/fantasy. Umbrella Academy is a completely different animal than the MCU and it's refreshing. I've been marathon watching .. on Episode 7 now. Love it. Don't want it to end. OK, back to Netflix I go.

Tale of Tales (2015)

Ratings Bar Needs Negative Numbers for This One

[11 February 2019]

The mind boggles at how this film got more than a 1 star average rating. I adore fantasy and can easily overlook a lot but not this much. What was the director thinking? Everyone delivers their lines like wood and the separate stories remain just that ... separate. Why? Awful, awful, awful.

Black Panther (2018)

Overrated

[6 February 2019]

Lasted an hour before I bailed. I like the cast but the movie is done in by terrible writing that most of the actors could not overcome. Halfway through the film and there's little to no character development. I have no reason to care about 99.9% of the people on the screen. As a huge fan of the preceding films, I expected much more from Black Panther. Very disappointing. The hype and over-the-top praise of this movie is misplaced.

Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable (2017)

Who Enjoys Being Conned?

[13 January 2019]

1/13/19 Just stumbled on this program in Netflix and was in complete awe. There are a few giveaways but unless you know the full story from the start, your mind dismisses them. You want to believe that you're seeing authentic ancient art being retrieved from a wreck site. I'm certain that some will consider Hirst a genius for doing this. I'm not one of them. Hirst is a predatory slimebag.

Print the Legend (2014)

Fascinating Look at Passion and Success

[21 August 2018]

This documentary is well worth the watch. I will likely never own a 3D printer and after seeing this, or more specifically after seeing what success did to Bre Pettis, I know that I never want anything to do with a startup company. I hope that the same fate is not in store for the folks at Form Labs. There's nothing bad about being a successful company and remaining small. All in all, it's fascinating to see these different personalities with varying outlooks traveling on similar trajectories.

Altered Carbon (2018–2020)

Well Done. Looking Fwd to Season 2

[5 August 2018]

Binge watched Season 1 twice in the past week. Not familiar with the book and never heard of cyberpunk until I read the reviews here. I judge it on its own and not in comparison to anything else. I am a huge fan of noir and liked this story from start to finish. Could have done without so much nudity but it makes sense given what humanity has become in this dystopian future. Visually far above what one would expect from a TV series. I had zero problems suspending disbelief and thought that all of the main characters were well cast, especially Joel Kinnaman. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.

Assassin's Creed (2016)

It Could Have Been Great

[25 June 2018]

Never played the game so I had no idea what to expect. The beginning was mysterious and compelling. The rest was not. Although the story and acting was good, especially Fassbender, I quickly became bored with the interminable action scenes and dreary lack of color. The end was flat out terrible. In the right hands, this project could have been so, so much better.

Deadpool 2 (2018)

Hilarious As Expected

[22 May 2018]

I liked Deadpool so much that I came into DP2 expecting to be disappointed. Didn't think it could possibly live up to the original. I was wrong. Loved the story line as well as every single character. Brolin/Cable was great. This movie has so much to laugh at, serious stuff and, of course, awesome opening credits. It's a wild and crazy ride. If I had to make one criticism, it would be that this soundtrack isn't quite as perfect as the first movie but that's just nitpicking. Overall, thoroughly enjoyable.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

What A Gem!

[3 April 2018]

Offbeat, delightfully funny and at times even poignant. Incredible cast. Well written. This movie isn't for everyone but for those who get it, it's a piece of art. My only regret is that I didn't see it 4 years ago.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Horrendous

[21 November 2017]

It takes an awful lot for me to not like a fantasy movie. Ragnarok succeeded, though. I'm convinced that this project was written and directed by toddlers. The cringe factor of the dialogue alone is off the charts. The action is good but the FX are decidedly not. It could have been SO good but it's a bad, bad movie. So glad I didn't shell out to see this in a theater.

The Dark Tower (2017)

Nope

[20 October 2017]

INSANELY DISAPPOINTED.

I'm a huge fan of The Dark Tower series and waited with bated breath for every book release. It was a flipping long wait (30 years!) but it paid off. The Dark Tower is an engrossing story with great characters.

I'm not a purist when it comes to adapting books to screen. With Stephen King's work, it's a given that a lot of stuff won't translate. That said, completely omitting two major characters is way too much. As for the characters we do get, Elba delivers a virtually unrecognizable Roland (no, I'm not talking physically) and this Jake did nothing for me. The only screen character that lives up to the books is Matthew McConaughey's Walter.

I dearly wish that this project went to someone like Peter Jackson. A succession of movies that provide the whole story (or at least a lot more of it) would have been infinitely preferable to ... whatever this is.

Hardcore Henry (2015)

Not Just For Gamers

[13 May 2017]

I don't know anything about the director. The only fps game I've ever played is Goldeneye, a lifetime ago on Nintendo. Oh, and I'm a female pushing 60.

All that said, this movie is balls to the wall awesome. It's like a 90 minute chase scene. Non-stop action from start to finish. A little disorienting at times but not enough to make me dizzy. (I didn't see it on a big screen.)

Other reviews describe the plot so I won't repeat it. Even though you never get to 'know' Henry, the whole movie is shot from his POV so you care about what happens to him and the tension never lets up. The film is violent and bloody as hell but the feeling of being inside a game makes it OK, if that makes any sense. Compare it to watching a good space flick. You know it's not real. You have no problem suspending disbelief. You just enjoy the ride. It's an intense ride because you're not a spectator. You're the center of everything.

This movie is a rush and I loved it.

The Space Between Us (I) (2017)

Beautiful

[10 May 2017]

What a bunch of whiny a$$hats! Todays movie goers are spoiled beyond belief. Any film that isn't hyper-realistic, overly complicated or part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is labeled crap, or so it seems. Well, screw the haters. I pity their lack of soul and imagination but that doesn't mean that I have patience for their shortsightedness.

I had zero problems suspending disbelief. The effects are surprisingly good when you consider that the story isn't about science. It's about being human. Beautifully filmed and well acted. The most important parts - the experiences of Gardner and Tulsa - are done perfectly.

Should be highly appealing to younger and female audiences. It's mainly about 2 teens (which would normally put me off) but the story is not written with a kid's mentality. I'm pushing 60 and I loved it.

Give it a chance. You might like it, too. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Good Title Squandered on a Mediocre Offering

[23 July 2016]

Another reviewer said that if you liked the first 2 movies, then you'd like this one. Couldn't be further from the truth. I've loved nearly everything Start Trek for 40 years including the first 2 films in this reboot. Beyond doesn't deliver as expected.

The first reboot introduces us to Enterprise and her crew via an altered time line, establishing the means to change everything we know about Star Trek. Into Darkness takes full advantage of this new found freedom through an imaginative, well thought out twist on the story of Khan Noonien Singh. Both films have very good plots, scripts, pacing, acting and effects.

Star Trek Beyond has an ultra thin plot, a so-so script, mostly good acting, bad pacing and CGI work that is not on the same level as that of previous two films.

Beyond is not a total loss. Sofia Buotella is wonderful as Jaylah and since she was not wearing a red shirt, there's reason to hope that she might appear in a future installment. There are also a few good visual and humorous moments. Should have been many more of them.

IMO Star Trek Beyond is not worth the price of 3D or IMAX. I just saw it in Real 3D version and I'd like 1/3 of my $ back, please.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Unexpectedly Hilarious

[24 September 2014]

Not even close to what I expected. This is definitely not your standard superhero movie and it's not like any other Marvel flick.

All of the main characters are misfits in one way or another and they're all likable. The humor is adult and it's extremely funny. First time in my life that anything other than a comedy made me laugh (loudly) all the way through. The film is strewn with killer one liners that had me wondering about the PG13 rating.

The story line is the standard stop-the-bad-guy-save-the-world but it's not boring, the visuals are great and there's non-stop action. Zoe Saldana's fight choreography is noteworthy.

If you're planning on seeing this film for the first time, wait out the credits for a little gem of visual comedy. You won't be sorry.

I'm definitely going back to see this one again before it's gone from the theaters.

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

I Expected Entertainment

[20 May 2014]

... and I wasn't disappointed.

I love the direction in which Abrams has taken the franchise. His creation of an alternate timeline in his first outing was brilliant, freeing him (and us) from all that came before. I found his reworking of the Khan storyline enjoyable and appropriately updated. His juxtaposition of the Kirk/Spock roles near the end of the film was a nice touch.

Benedict Cumberbatch's Khan is deliciously menacing and lethal (oh, that voice). Yes, Ricardo Montalban is a Star Trek icon. Be that as it may, I am *delighted* to have something new to replace my mental image of the insanely dramatic Khan created on TOS and reprised in Star Trek II by Ricardo Montalban.

There's nothing that I don't like about the crew. They're well cast and I'm glad that all of the actors returned for Into Darkness. Chris Pine is perfection, handling slapstick and drama with equal ease. I've tried and I honestly can't imagine another actor filling the shoes of James T. Kirk half as well. I'd love to see Zachary Quinto play an evil version of Spock some day. Anyone who saw him play Sylar in the TV Series 'Heroes' will understand what I mean.

A few things in the film that bugged me were:

• Peter Weller's villain. BORING! The guy has zero range so I can only assume that he gets cast for his voice. He's exactly the same in every single bad-guy role he gets. Same delivery, same inflections, same expressions, same everything. Thankfully, he gets little screen time.

• Bones' dialog. Seemed flat in a few places. Karl Urban is a talented actor who absolutely nailed McCoy in the previous movie.

• Uhura's spat with Spock about his lack of feelings (really?) was cringe-worthy. She's the only character who ever seems out of character in comparison to the TOS Uhura. Anyway, this argument that the writers dreamed up makes her sound like a petulant teen.

In the latter two cases, scripting rather than acting is to blame. These were brief hiccups in an otherwise highly entertaining space romp that I wish I'd had the opportunity to see on the big screen.

Godzilla (2014)

Worst Godzilla Movie I've Ever Seen

[17 May 2014]

After all the hype and anticipation, I expected to be entertained. I wasn't. This movie is about a pair of insect-monsters dubbed Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms, or MUTOs. (groan) Godzilla is a secondary character at best. Another reviewer mentioned MST3K. I had the same thought. That's where this bomb belongs.

The plot and script are a train wreck. I wasn't anticipating an intellectual exercise. After all, it's a monster movie. However, it's set in the present day so I did expect it to have a quasi-sensible storyline and progression of events. Nope! Not even close.

There's lots of mayhem and destruction but it doesn't make up for all of this films shortcomings. With top-notch effects people on the project, I expected great effects throughout. Well, some are great, some are OK and others are flat out cheesy, which I found confusing and distracting.

Godzilla himself? Excellent. Loved him. That said, he doesn't appear until nearly an hour into the film. I was bored and annoyed by the time he showed up. Adding insult to injury, he had minimal screen time. This Godzilla was so cool that he should have been on screen from start to finish.

Lastly, the soundtrack is deafening. Personally, I like loud. I appreciate it most when it occurs as punctuation in appropriate places. In Godzilla you're assaulted with such a relentlessly high decibel level that it becomes difficult to follow what's happening.

This is by far the most disappointing Godzilla movie I've ever seen.