lornak-18008 Reviews

Madame Web (2024)

Started Good But...No

[4/10 · 23 May 2024]

I thought it was going to be good when it first started. About halfway through I decided it must have been made for children because no way was it a movie for adults. It was just too cringy to be for adults. But with the amount of violence involved it wasn't for children either. Turns out, it's really not for anyone. Sorry to say this because there is a decent cast, but I think the writers are the ones at fault here. Probably the director as well. I did like Dakota Johnson's character, it's too bad she didn't have a better written part to play. Her teenage charges? They just needed discipline and the ability to listen and grow up! I'm surprised she didn't drop them off at a police station. All part of the pretty ridiculous plot. This is one I should have skipped.

The Idea of You (2024)

Charming Romance!

[10/10 · 3 May 2024]

I read the book about a month ago and loved it. I came away from the movie loving it as well. Of course there were differences as always happens when a book is made into a movie. That's to be expected and since I read it so recently the differences were apparent to me right off. And you know what? I didn't even care.

The two main characters, most notably Anne Hathaway's female lead, were both so beautiful. The young man, Nicholas Galitzine who plays the male lead was amazing.

Their romance was so real and I was immediately pulled into their story. Her ex-husband was still despicable as he was in the book. They changed the young man's age from barely 20 to 24 and that made more sense to me. Her daughter was about 3 years older. A romance between a 40 year old woman and a 24 year old boy band celebrity shouldn't be unique as far as her age goes. But it seemingly is and social media was characterized as ridiculous and probably what would really happen. I loved the whole thing. If you love romances you will probably love this, if not then why watch? I get so tired of men rating romances low. I see it all the time. I should also add that this is very re-watchable and I already have!

The Tearsmith (2024)

So Much Angst!

[6/10 · 8 April 2024]

I rated it 6 stars but it's more 5.5 stars for me. The amount of angst involved in making this movie was off the chart. I liked the two actors that played the main characters so I guess that means I liked their characters. They were in an impossible situation to have a relationship-both being adopted as 16-17 year old adoptees to the same parents. And by the way, why adopt at that point when they they would be gone in 1-2 years? That part made no sense to me. I know a teenage son has been lost but still. There's a least two major villains to hate. And can I just say, when a first kiss was imminent the actor does a lot with his tongue without a kiss? And not just one occasion either! So it was just okay for me but very watchable. People compare to it Twilight but maybe just once or twice and it was subtle if at all. I should also add that there's no actual sex scenes. But it was close. I didn't mind the sub-titles.

Irish Wish (2024)

Lindsay's Back!

[6/10 · 23 March 2024]

First of all, this is a rom-com, not a drama. Secondly, it stars Lindsay Lohan who is not exactly known for dramatic roles. If you are just going to watch this so you can say how bad you think it is then just don't watch! It wasn't rocket science or Gone With the Wind. But, it was a cute rom-com complete with magical happenings of the well...the magical sort. I'm a sucker for those kind of books so of course I watched this. It was just a fun watch on a Saturday afternoon and it did what is was supposed to. Entertain women who enjoy romance. I enjoyed Lindsay's character and her good friends as well. The wedding confusion and madness was just fodder for the rom part of rom-com. Jane Seymour's part was just kind of lost, but I always love her in anything so I enjoyed her as well. There's two love interests and I did like both of them. Was this predictable? Well, duh. Of course. Am I glad I had the chance to watch it? Well, duh.

Finch (2021)

I loved It!

[8/10 · 31 January 2024]

What a really good movie! Tom Hanks, of course, is wonderful as one of the last people on earth. He lives with his dog in a sealed facility and spends his time traveling to check all the buildings of St. Louis for food and supplies. Once home, he is building a robot to take care of his dog if he dies. The world was ended by a solar flare and the surrounding area reflects a world without vegetation or life of any kind. The camera work and computer generated scenery and horrible weather events were exceedingly well done. But of course Tom Hanks is the star of this film and he was perfect in the role although he was not a happy camper while teaching the robot at times. The robot was headstrong and determined to earn the man and the dog's trust. It didn't always work out well to say the least. All that being said, I ended up loving the dog and the robot. Well worth watching!

Detective Forst (2024– )

Incomprehensible Ending

[3/10 · 26 January 2024]

Half way through this I thought I was going to rate this at least 6 stars. The end made me want to rate it 1 star. So I settled on 3 stars simply because it kept me interested and I pretty much binge watched it.

Forst was a complex character who had flaws and a backstory that was horrible-both his recent and his past stories. In this, his past comes back to not only haunt him but to also horrifically kill people. He also spends time engaged in sex with no less than 3 different women. Why we had to watch these scenes is beyond me as they mostly had nothing to do with the mystery.

Then came the ridiculous ending. Or should I say non-ending. It made no sense to me and the first thing I said was "Well I just wasted my time." Why do that to your audience? I realize they may be hoping for another season, but will they really revisit this? Not based on most of the reviews anyway. The thing is, I don't want to watch another one of these. It was non-stop dreary, had no redeeming features and nothing besides the whodunnit part is resolved. We know nothing about what happens to the remaining alive characters including the main characters. Just No.

Dark Skies (2013)

Scary!

[8/10 · 21 January 2024]

This was a movie I saw 10 years ago and decided to rewatch it thinking I would probably turn it off in minutes. I ended up watching the whole thing. The story of a family being visited and terrorized by unknown beings was pretty fascinating all over again. These beings mainly focus on the youngest child although no one was immune. There were plenty of scary scenes as well as uncomfortable scenes as you see the experiences tearing apart a happy, but stressed out family. I thought the acting was good and the plot was intricately written as well. The pacing kept the story moving fast and there wasn't a boring moment to be had. J. K. Simmons was just the icing on cake for me.

Bodies (2023)

Time Travel Science Fiction

[8/10 · 6 January 2024]

I had no idea what to expect going into this series. Once I was into it, I was majorly hooked. Time travel has been done so many times before, but I thought this one was the most unique I've ever watched. It's four time periods and has four different London police officers trying to solve the same murder complete with the exact same body.

The story was really intricate and well thought out by the author, although not without plot holes-some of which were pretty major. It's hard not to have plot holes when time travel is involved. Especially if you start thinking of what happens if you meet yourself! I thought the acting was amazing and the stand out to me was both the female detective from 2023 and the detective from 1890, although the ones from 1941 and 2053 weren't too shabby either. It's 8 episodes, although after episode 6 you'll be wondering why that wasn't the end? Keep with it as the last 2 episodes were outstanding as well. Highly recommended!

Faraway (2023)

Beautiful Scenery, Beautiful romance

[8/10 · 26 October 2023]

This was a very enjoyable story about a 49 year old woman that is attractive, but still is real with the age lines and extra pounds to prove it. She's Turkish and her mother has just died. She finds out that her mother has left her a rustic cottage on the ocean in Croatia. Her husband blew off the funeral for work and she just decided to go to the house without telling anyone. Once there she finds a man living in the house and he won't leave.

Yes, this is a romance and I laughed out loud several times, but I don't think I would categorize it as a rom-com. The main characters were mature and have been through some problems. The pull between them is natural and not contrived. The chemistry, if you will. This was about a woman coming into her own and finding happiness as well. I loved the whole thing and the scenery was nothing short of breathtaking.

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (II) (2023)

Fascinating!

[9/10 · 7 October 2023]

Maybe it's my age, but Michael J. Fox was always one of my favorite actors. This is an excellent documentary about his life and his ultimate struggle with Parkinson's Disease which manifested when he was just 29. In his mind it was payback for his major success. He kept it hidden for seven years and it was no easy task. Much of this documentary was like watching my memories of him. From Family Ties(that I loved) to the 3 Back to the Future movies( that I also loved) to the television show Spin City and all the movies he made in between was discussed. We watch as his disease progresses and that was very sad to witness. Through it all we see his wonderful relationship with his wife Tracey and their 4 children. I was fascinated throughout.

Deadloch (2023– )

Get Past the First Episodes and it's Good

[8/10 · 19 September 2023]

I started to stop watching before the first couple of episodes were over but decided to stick it out. I ended up with a smile on my face by the time it was over. Yes, a few characters are way over the top especially the detective from out of town and the commissioner of police as well, but this was more a dramedy rather than a drama and the comedy element was the other over the top thing going on here. And yes, the language was way worse that probably any movie or show I've ever seen. But when it was funny I was laughing-a lot. The drama element is what kept me watching as it was a really unique take on a serial killer story even if the revealed murderer was even further over the top. By then I had been fully invested in the whodunnit part and although the character had crossed my mind once or twice, I was totally in the dark at the end. The quirkiness of the characters reminded me a bit of Twin Peaks. And by the way, those of you who hated the detective and quit watching should have stuck around a bit longer. I really disliked her but she ended up being one of the better characters. If there's a second season, I'll be watching.

Dear Child (2023)

Watched All in One Sitting!

[9/10 · 13 September 2023]

After being told how good this was I immediately watched it. It's one of those that takes hold of you and you can't stop watching. It's a mystery as well as an intricately plotted story about a mentally sick man who kidnaps woman and keeps them as hostages-but only one at a time. She in turn has to be mama to 2 children and each is renamed the same name.

It's also about the detective that has been trying to find the original hostage for 13 years and her parents as well. But to me the person that shone in this series was the twelve year old girl. Some of her actions and things she says are enough to give a person chill bumps. That's some good acting by such a little girl. Other characters were really good including the latest of the victims. She was almost stoic in her mannerisms-can you say Stockholm syndrome? She had me really confused at times to say the least. So did the grandfather. He was a piece of work too. Good acting all around.

I guess I should tell you that it's not in English, but that didn't bother me at all. Some of the best series or movies I've watched have been subtitled. I can't recommend this enough. If you like psychological suspense or even serial killer stories, this one could be your next favorite one.

The Serpent Queen (2022–2024)

Samantha Morton Ruled This!

[8/10 · 9 September 2023]

After seeing multiple ads recently concerning this drama, I knew I had to watch it. Luckily I found it on cable demand. The story of a young Italian woman becoming a bride of the second son of the king of France and someone she's never met was nothing short of fantastic. Just couldn't fathom how that was done for political gain/large dowries. And done all the time in royal circles back then. Catherine finds herself in a household full of treachery and political backstabbing. Her only friends are the ladies she brought with her. She finds a friendship with her new husband but that's about the extent of it because he already has a mistress that he loves. She has to get pregnant in order to stay married but finds that hard to do when the husband takes his needs elsewhere mostly.

The two actresses that play young Catherine and older Catherine were both amazing. Samantha Morton was extraordinary as the older Catherine. The side characters were just as well acted and stayed important to the story. I felt I knew them all before it was over.

I enjoyed the series immensely and I am happy that a new season is coming. I don't even care that it's not completely historically accurate. It's just that good! FYI-it's gory at times.

Run Rabbit Run (2023)

Slow Moving But tense!

[6/10 · 23 August 2023]

This film was billed as a horror thriller and I guess that's right. The horror part doesn't really show up until the second half. Oh, there's plenty of suspenseful music and a few weird things happen. I came really close to turning it off but ended up watching until the end. The cast featuring the mother and daughter duo was amazing. Simply stellar acting although at times I wanted to make both to sit down and shut up! There is also a divorced father, but he actually has little to do in the story.

The story was about revenge on top of the grief the woman is going through because she just lost her father. Lots of family secrets to learn about as well. There's also a strange little bunny that actually was in it longer than most of the other actors. If any movie needed an epilogue this one is it. I needed a bit more resolution to say the least.

Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)

Fun Romantic Comedy!

[8/10 · 16 August 2023]

I think I started laughing within the first scenes. Out loud. I loved the book so much and for a change also enjoyed the movie. The movie stayed faithful in many aspects of the book but as in any 2 hour movie things are bound to have been left out or shifted around. I've read some complaints about that but I don't necessarily feel those complaints even mattered to the story. I mean I didn't miss anything but since I read the book I think even before it was released(advanced reader copy), I didn't exactly remember every detail. At any rate, the two main characters were wonderful together with lots of chemistry. Of course, there's angst, but there was more laugh out loud moments than angst. I was shocked to learn that Uma Thurmond played the president. I mean, I literately did not know who she was in real life. She did overplay her southern accent but I loved her character's acceptance of her son. I ended up enjoying this movie. Maybe it was the romance or the characters or the laughing I did because it came together as a fun time.

Vortex (2022)

What a Ride!

[9/10 · 16 June 2023]

I just finished watching and my head is still pounding from being on the edge of my seat. Seriously. This is science fiction/crime drama at its finest. It's French with subtitles in English and I was so involved in the story that I forgot I was reading subtitles. That's the sign of a good story to me although subtitles have never bothered me. This story jumps back and forth through time by way of a vortex machine used to solve crimes by homicide detectives. When a detective at a murder scene(where his own wife was killed 25 years before)sees his dead wife there, he uses the vortex to solve her murder. The not yet dead wife is helping him 25 years in the past figure out how she was murdered. I was better at the crime solving than they were-just saying. It was exciting and kept me on edge throughout the final two episodes. The acting was pretty stellar. Highly recommended to detective/thrillers/science fiction fans.

Longest Third Date (2023)

Falling in Love? Despite the Circumstances!

[8/10 · 26 April 2023]

I remember reading about this couple during the pandemic early days. They had just started dating with two dates under their belt and only one kiss. When the guy who is always up for an adventure invites the girl on a 4 day trip to Costa Rica she hesitates but decides to go. What can happen? He does not give off murder vibes or anything. So they go in an almost empty airplane. Others are pandemic worried but they aren't. Within a couple of days they realize that things are getting bad in New York City where they are from. Then their flight gets cancelled. We watch them navigate being alone together for a long time with someone they barely know. It's a struggle at first. Neither is looking for love or a relationship. I found it to be a simple story that ended up fascinating, to me at least. The guy filmed everything so all the film footage is real. It was good.

Emergency NYC (2023– )

Real Heroes

[10/10 · 1 April 2023]

Watched it all in one night. It was nothing short of incredible to watch these medical teams not only save lives, but also the life flight crews and EMT's. Not only do we see some of the doctors and nurses personal lives but they also follow two medical team members that are pregnant and due soon. This was filmed during what I think was the tail end of the pandemic. So yes, it's mentioned some but not anywhere near as much as a year before would have been. A real twist was when one of their own has an injury that could kill someone. Gun violence is also highlighted, as many people are brought to the ER with gunshot wounds. I don't agree that the series was politicized because this is mentioned and that's because these were all true stories. It's not scripted. We are right in the middle of the action in the ER and in the operating rooms for this series. I thought the whole thing was very well done. It gets a 10 from me.

The Last of Us (2023– )

Simply Amazing!

[10/10 · 23 March 2023]

So many have already reviewed this amazing series, but I had to explain my feelings too. The first show although really well done, kind of upset me? I couldn't watch the second until two days later. Nor could I get it off my mind. This dystopian world that was built was fascinating to me- especially things like set decoration or how the monsters are actually made. The sheer scope of special effects involved was in a word-unreal.

The story involves a danger filled cross-country journey much of which was done on foot. There's a young girl who should be up for all the acting awards. Not just best supporting, but best actress as well. Her journey with the man assigned to take her to doctors looking for a cure gave her the chance to play a huge range of emotions. Interspersed with all the moments fraught with danger were flashbacks from her life before. That was especially interesting to me as we get to see how she was infected initially with the murderous fungi and other moments in her life. The man charged with taking her to the doctors, was very well acted. The two together were amazing and the side characters were all pretty great as well. I think my favorite episode involved a "prepper" who was more than ready for the apocalypse. His story and that of the person he lets into his life is lovingly told and acted.

I'm not a gamer nor do I have any idea if this followed the games well or not. I had no set standards for it as I started watching it and in the end loved it. So you definitely don't have to be a gamer. At the end, I especially liked that they left it open for another season. Highly recommended to adults who like dystopian shows as well as violence and an extreme amount of action. Or just anyone that likes a good, very well acted series. People that dislike violence should probably watch something else. FYI There is an extra about the making of the series and it was well worth the watch. It's also on HBOMAX.

Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)

Good, but Maybe Not the Best?

[7/10 · 14 March 2023]

I really couldn't wait for this movie and I'm hoping for many more. Luther ended the series disgraced and on the way to prison. Not going to lie, I hated that ending. This one has him breaking out of prison in a very elaborate and violent way. A serial killer is terrorizing people before killing them. He knows Luther can solve the case so he wants him gone. It ends up being a cat and mouse game in the extreme. The killer has pretty much the same amount of screen time as Luther. He actually looks like I imagine serial killers might look. I know that's a stereotype but I thought he was perfect for the part. Perfectly evil. A new character, one that is in charge at Luther's police job was a sort of villain. So yeah, my least favorite character for sure.

All in all, not a bad way to spend an evening. It kept me watching, kept me interested, entertained and Luther is an amazing character.

Your Place or Mine (2023)

Not a Favorite

[5/10 · 16 February 2023]

If not for Reese Witherspoon I probably wouldn't have watched the whole movie. I've found she usually makes anything she's in better as was the case here. I like Ashton Crutcher but he's just not as good in this as she is. Totally my opinion. It's what you call a romantic comedy, but I didn't laugh at all? That genre of movie encompasses way more than just comedy because rarely do I laugh while watching one.

It's extremely watchable and there are some good scenes. I did enjoy Ashton's character's relationship with her son while he babysits for a week with him. I also enjoyed the side character Tig Notaro plays as Reese's character's friend.

As far as romance? The couple aren't even playing opposite each other, other than face timing on the phone. There's only 3 scenes with them together so you decide if that's enough to call this a romance. A man she meets in New York has more romantic scenes with her to be honest.

The Snow Girl (2023–2024)

Troubled Main character/Good Mystery

[7/10 · 1 February 2023]

To be honest I almost didn't make it through the first episode. Decided to stick with it and ended up really liking it. I'm glad I didn't stop. The main character was my initial problem. She's a journalist for a newspaper and I don't think she smiled except maybe once or twice. She's got a horrific backstory so I forgave her. She gets involved in the story of a 5 year old girl who goes missing during a parade. The story is shown from her perspective along with the female detective that's working on the case. Also shown are the parents story as well as eventually the kidnapper. But the journalist is the real star here. She's tenacious in her fight to solve the mystery and sacrifices some of her own dignity along the way.

The story takes place in Spain with subtitles. There's nothing upbeat or with the slightest bit of humor, as it should be. But that means it's pretty gloomy throughout and seems very suited to the story. In the end, I thought it was very well done and they left it open for a new case.

Teen Wolf: The Movie (2023)

Lots of Plot Holes, But I still Enjoyed It.

[6/10 · 28 January 2023]

I loved the series on MTV and was sorry to see it end. I heard yesterday that there was a movie and that was exciting to me. About 10 minutes in I literally said out loud "This is really badly written." But I stuck with it and ended up mostly enjoying it. Maybe because of nostalgia? Seeing all the characters from the series? Yeah, mostly those reasons. I really missed Stiles being missing from the movie because he was my favorite character. However, so many old characters are back and all are utilized at some point. There's so much violence and pretty much non-stop action that there's not a lot of room for more character development or getting to know what everyone has been up to other than Scott, Derek and Lydia. Derek's son Eli was a welcome addition to the show as a 15 year old werewolf that can't yet change and is very much the klutz.

I do have to say that I still am not sure who the bad guy is or what he's so mad about. If he's from the series, I sure don't remember him although he looked vaguely familiar. All the nursery rhyme questions made no sense to me either. That definitely needed explaining. People show up places out of the blue and that didn't make sense either. All this aside, it kept my attention and I loved seeing all the characters. I thought it was worth it to watch. 6.5 stars!

Solace (II) (2015)

Anthony Hopkins Could Act the Phone Book!

[7/10 · 15 January 2023]

Anthony Hopkins is a gem of an actor. He and Jeffrey Dean Morgan made this movie for me. And Colin Farrell was the icing on the cake because he wasn't in the movie until the last fourth. It was a serial killer movie true, but it was also a psychic movie. I'm a fan of both of those kinds of movies so I sat and just enjoyed. There's plenty of edge of your seat action, a car chase, lots of dead bodies, a FBI agent that is a unbeliever and ultimately a big stand off. I don't get the low reviews. I mean, it's not the best written(and certainly not the worse)but it sure was wonderfully acted and kept my attention. Give it a try. You might just like it.

Four Lives (2022)

Heartbreakingly True

[9/10 · 10 January 2023]

The true story of 4 young gay men and their deaths at the hands of a serial killer is told with a compassionate care for the family and friends they leave behind. The main focus is a young man that is found dead outside the killers home and the police buy the lies the killer tells although there is a small sentence for some of the lies they caught him in. That leaves the family crushed and desperate to find answers. Their treatment by the British police is nothing short of criminal. We see the other 3 men found and meet their loved ones. Very similar treatment by the police. This was a fascinating tale of horrible crimes and an even worse perpetrator, but it was also about what happens to loved ones and what they go through. Personally, I think the police should have been on trial as well. The acting was very well done, with the mother of the first victim being the standout. The serial killer looked and acted like the epitome of a serial killer might look. Strange to the nth degree! Very well acted. Well done!