aeszeki Reviews

Romance at the Vineyard (2023)

This is ridiculous

[2/10 · 28 April 2024]

She sees a guy, for the first time, obviously likes him, which is OK. Then, before the first day is over, she proceeds to tell him basically everything about herself, about her business, as if she was a five year old who doesn't know better. Of course, at this point you know that this will be the reason why she will feel "betrayed" towards the end of the film, like it usually happens in these films.

In some instances "stupid" works, the plot and characters draw you in, make you ignore the exaggerations and mistakes. However, in this case, nothing is believable. It is way too stupid. The main character is just idiotic and naive and the actress playing her is weird looking and bland. The brother is immature. The "bad boss" is ridiculous, more of a comic book villain.

I won't go into more details, almost every scene is a new afront to common sense. I don't know much about the wine industry and vineyards but I hope none of this ever happens, it doesn't make sense.

A final note is about the actors: they are all bad. Probably the "least bad" is the male lead. The grandparents are weird, their accents change in every scene, I don't understand what they are supposed to be.

If you want something to watch and relax, this isn't it. If you have stuff to do and this runs in the background, go for it.

Romance in Hawaii (2023 TV Movie)

Bad acting, bad directing, artificial

[3/10 · 10 April 2024]

This could have been good with better actors and a bit of rework of the script. As it is, it seems artificial, forced. The leads just recite the lines but I can't see any feelings from them. It's difficult to watch.

The lead actress has a lovely singing voice and beautiful eyes. Maybe she is good in something else but this role wasn't good for her.

The male lead is very good looking but a wooden actor. I can believe him as a dancer. Otherwise, he is sort of boring.

I like films with cultural elements and I would like to learn about hula but, somehow, in this film, everything sounded fake. I don't know if the hula part was realistic. I couldn't really buy the premise.

Harmony from the Heart (2022 TV Movie)

Acceptable "cookie-cutter romance"

[6/10 · 19 February 2024]

Admittedly, I don't like either of the leads that much. That may have partially coloured my opinion. I have to say, however, they have good singing voices and that was a nice surprise.

Of course, the portrayal of therapy and that of a professional therapist is ludicrous. The first few "therapy sessions" were difficult to watch, for me. For a therapist, the woman was very impatient. Imagine any kind of rehabilitation therapist giving up that quickly on something that wasn't working. I would expect that, for the patient, it was very unsettling. Not to mention the absurd approach of the "assessment" session, family sitting in on sessions and even deciding what happens and when it should end or pause (?!). No way! All this is completely absurd.

She is promised graduation and a job if she heals the professor's brother, although her academic work is lacking. Really?! Finally, she moved in with the family, for 2 weeks, when she only had one session per day. She isn't a nanny or maid, it turns out that she lives within driving distance (since she went to help her friend with the flowers and got back afterwards with no problems. Why would she move in?!

Ignore everything that has to do with a professional person behaving professionally. Accept that this is just another one of the standard romances with absurd situations bringing people together in an unbelievable fashion, and you will be fine.

The singing is not all bad but the way it happens is kind of ridiculous, almost every time.

The final song, I wish it had been only the guy singing it, although I understand the idea behind the duet. But the way she sings, it's like she has some kind of attention deficit disorder. It is like she was singing something else, rock-and-roll, maybe. It is in total contradiction with what they are trying to accomplish and with the guy's nice and soft voice. It was frustrating if you wanted to enjoy the song. I would have believed it more if the "patient" got up, took the microphone out of her hand, beat her over the head with it, then sang the song himself.

Her best friend had some good moments but a lot of annoying ones, too. I wish they would stop with the "woman desperately looking for a man and making a fool of herself in the process" stereotype in these movies.

All-in-all, there are some good moments so it's not a complete waste of time, if you are in the mood for this kind of movie, especially if you like any of the leads, but skip cringe moments and totally suspend disbelief.

Mr. Pawsitively Perfect (2023 TV Movie)

A dog can't carry a movie by itself but gets the 2 stars in my review

[2/10 · 4 February 2024]

Every actor in this movie is bad. None of the characters is likeable. The only positive is the cute dog.

The lead is yet another one of the "sullen beauties" who are taking over TV. It looks like smiling or, God forbid, laughing is unfashionable and takes too much energy for them. Various idiotic "reasons" are put in place so the heroine can be as frustrated and upset as she can be. (Not angry, just upset, because she lacks range for strong emotions) Somehow, somebody thought "sullen" makes characters interesting and has started a trend.

The idea behind the story could work but the writing is atrocious. She loves dogs but, for a weird reason, won't get one, only foster them? That is stupid. (And I only mean that it's stupid in this context, not that there aren't people out there who can't adopt dogs, for valid reasons.) What's up with the stupid Muscovado sugar theme? Just go to the store and buy a pound of sugar, if it's that important. Or stop mentioning it... Marketing a person, really???!? Is that where we are, right now, with people who are so artificial that someone needs to tell them what their life is supposed to be about?

A Royal Recipe for Love (2023 TV Movie)

Tablespoons to grams, that is a problem for a baker, really?!?

[2/10 · 7 January 2024]

So, the big baker can't bake a decent carrot cake because she can't figure out how to measure tablespoons on the scales. (!!!!!?!) Here is a suggestion: use a tablespoon... Next, she saves the day, with a fruit salad, for which she needs a recipe that even tells her the size of the pieces. Enough said.

There are a lot of other inconsistencies and things that simply don't make sense. This happens in the first fifteen minutes so you know not to expect too much from the writers and the plot.

The lead actors have zero chemistry. I haven't seen them in anything else and I don't think I want to. They are bad, no charisma. Their characters are simply annoying. The girl is not very bright, stuck up and narrow minded. The guy is underwhelming, ordinary but very arrogant.

The princess seems desperate for a friend and is much too familiar towards the "baker". The entire "royal" family is more of a parody.

Various characters keep telling us that the prince is handsome. Really?!

Highly unbelievable and not at all enjoyable.

There are too many "royal finds quirky but charming commoner and falls in love" themed films. They are worse and worse so I propose nobody make more, for at least a decade.

The Christmas Temp (2019 TV Movie)

Chaotic, rushed and disappointing, especially the second half

[5/10 · 28 December 2023]

The premise was good. The flaky artist was believable and the complicity between the leads was fun, in the beginning. You can believe that they met and had a quick connection.

It could have been good but instead it became chaos. I got the feeling that they shot a lot of disparate scenes, belonging to distinct plot lines, and then edited them together without following a logical sequence. I believe they inserted some scenes for comedic effect only, without them making sense in the whole. The scenes with the policeman were just awkward. The whole thing with the short and the generator was stupid, forced. It annoyed me so badly that I fast forwarded.

As I said, the premise was great but it seems like there was nobody to actually develop it successfully for a film. As always, they try to sell the idea of a great artist and some innovative creation that everyone is in awe of. And it falls flat.

It is not a complete waste of time but it is disappointing, so don't get your hopes up.

A Kiss Before Christmas (2021 TV Movie)

Not bad but somehow too long

[7/10 · 22 December 2023]

Good quality actors, way above average for these movies. I was looking forward to see it, mostly because of the cast. Good chemistry between the two leads. They make this watchable.

The plot, while predictable, is a nice respite from the usual holiday romance movie themes. The villain is a bit of a caricature, though.

All this being said, it became boring soon enough. It fails to get me invested.

The conflicts are artificial. The lead comes through as spineless and aloof. Some decisions are stupid/naive. He realises almost instantly what he wants but focuses on something else.

A lot of missed opportunities.

Christmas in Tahoe (2021 TV Movie)

Not too bad but mismatched leads

[6/10 · 19 December 2023]

Other reviewers have touched on this: the male lead is much too young for the female lead. I agree but I would say that neither is bad or unsuited for the role. They just don't fit together. I think that, in terms of "quality" they are basically the same level actors. I initially caught a scene from the middle of the film and thought they were mother and son (for which the age difference seemed too small) or maybe some sort of family (baby brother/cousin/nephew...). I got a chance to see it from start to finish and was surprised to find out they went to school together and were dating.

The film is watchable (once) if you don't focus on the leads' physical attributes too much. Either a younger lady or an older gentleman, for one of the lead roles, would have made it good (in the context of Christmas romances, where expectations are already low).

The plot, as usual, is exaggerated but better than many others.

The music is not completely atrocious although I agree with what others have said about the a cappella group: they butchered the songs showcased here. Again, expectations for these low cost, "assembly line" romances is very low, for me.

Cover your ears for the a cappella, cover your eyes for the (fortunately few) kissing scenes and you should be able to enjoy it.

Upload (2020– )

Interesting idea, badly done

[5/10 · 29 April 2023]

I am on episode 8, season 1. There is too little substance. Even though the idea is good and there would be a lot of interesting stuff to make up, they don't take advantage, the show feels "empty". The fictional tech stuff is pretty good.

The only "guiding light" is the mystery in the background but they are drawing it out, probably till the season finale, which is too much.

I don't understand how is this a comedy?

I am having trouble relating to any of the characters. The more important ones are just bland, the others are simply annoying, caricatures. The acting is not that good and some scenes are exaggerated. I will probably watch this season through the end and give up.

The Family Man (2000)

Unoriginal and very looooong

[3/10 · 17 April 2023]

I don't mind the idea of people being more important than cash and power, I just think it's not well represented here.

What I do mind is the idea of somebody summoning a meeting on Christmas day and then just changing their mind completely with no regard for the sacrifices made by those who attend the meeting. I get it, you have "seen the light" and want to change lanes, don't want to be a soulless moneymaker anymore. Very good! But honour your commitments, finish what you started and don't leave everyone hanging, all of a sudden. It is the mark of a superficial movie, having the protagonists turn their backs on everyone, regardless of what is at stake.

On a different topic, why does this drivel need to be two hours long when you know from the get-go how it's going to end?

I like Tea Leoni, she is good in her role. Nicholas Cage is OK. The two of them however belong in two different movies. They don't fit together at all.

The story is unoriginal and brings nothing new. Cage's character is cold, unlikeable and unsympathetic. Even as his emotional growth is complete he still seems an alien trying to act like a human being.

The little girl, Annie, is cute and one of the 3 stars I gave this is solely for her.

Man of Steel (2013)

Pretentious, dry, long

[4/10 · 16 April 2023]

I wasn't going to write a review for this... I wasted time watching it so I wasn't going to waste any more. But the thing annoyed me so here it is.

First of all, if you like action-packed but don't care about a story or about characters you can connect to, then this is perfect.

The storyline is more of a dotted line, suggests but doesn't show all the action. You have to guess or assume how things got to a certain place. I hate that. Maybe they wanted to give that graphic novel feel, where the image is meant to say it all. In the case of a film, of this film specifically, it just feels pretentious without adding anything valuable.

It's a waste of a good cast, none of the characters draw you in. I know these are good actors so it has to be the way it's put together. If this wasn't about Superman, I guarantee not many people would stay on till the end.

And, since I am "venting", why do all these films have to be so "cold"? They use this filter, making everything feel cold and void, hopeless. Aren't superheroes meant to bring hope to the world?!

Moriah's Lighthouse (2022 TV Movie)

Annoying fake accents and really aggressive villagers

[1/10 · 2 April 2023]

The fake accents, especially that of the leading actress, annoyed me from the start. If they wanted authenticity, they should have hired French actors and actresses. French people speaking to each other in English, with (some) fake accents is also stupid.

A stranger books a room in a hotel. When he gets there, nobody makes any effort to help him, they even do their best to make him feel stupid.

The scene with the power outage, at the beginning is also really stupid. What did he plug in, a radiator and two hair dryers?!? You should be able to charge your devices in a hotel. He should have been upset, not feel guilty and try to hide what he did. That is really immature behaviour.

An important building will be redesigned but nobody in the village knows anything about it. Instead of getting mad at the owner, they get mad at the architect and make his life miserable.

Everything about this is unrealistic but it would have helped to have some likeable characters to root for and accept to suspend disbelief. After the first 10 minutes, I don't care what happens to those annoying villagers. As for the naive architect, he is so "slow" that he deserves all that happens to him, even though I expect things will turn out fine, since this is a romance.

Don't waste your time.

The In-Laws (I) (2003)

I had no expectations. I was pleasantly surprised.

[8/10 · 2 April 2023]

I didn't see the other version(s?) of this. Maybe that's why I enjoyed it, I don't know. But the point is, this is a good film on its own. No need to compare it with others.

I caught this on TV by accident. I saw Michael Douglas and I was about to zap to another channel, because I am not really a fan of his. Then I realised this is a comedy and that he does a really good job with his role so I stayed on and didn't regret it. Of course, Albert Brooks is good and they do have good chemistry together. I liked the supporting cast too.

This is a comedy. There is no hidden message, the target is not realism, it's laughter. The finale is, of course, predictable but we get there with some funny twists.

I recommend it to those who just want to relax with a good comedy.

Heart of the Matter (2022 TV Movie)

Infuriating, frustrating, stupid and long

[2/10 · 1 April 2023]

The premise was idiotic. In what world would something like this happen??! I don't know if a person who is visibly mentally challenged can get a driver's licence and what the criteria are. I don't mean to be insensitive but how can somebody have a license, who can't discern when it's OK to get behind the wheel and when it's not?! Such a person would be dangerous.

I can't imagine a cardiologist to be so naive and immature. It is a tough job and you can't afford to be so easily perturbed and do stupid things as a result. She is bound to lose patients throughout her career. Is she going to stop working and go into solitary every time? Is she going to track down the family to apologise?

The sick guy does have the intelligence to ask if he can walk but doesn't ask if he can drive, doesn't even mention it?!

The mother talks to her son when he gets sick, realises that this might be serious but doesn't think of telling him to get an ambulance and make sure he doesn't drive. She does know that he has a license. She knows more about the way he thinks, right? But no, why do that when she can blame the doctor for assuming that the patient isn't driving, for not knowing the criteria for a driver's licence and for not asking the guy if he has a license. Really?!

All these are examples of how far fetched this is.

Additionally, the lead actresses are whiny and unpleasant. The characters they played were unrealistic. The story and dialogue made me cringe and wish it was over, because you can see where it is going. I skipped through it to see if there were any surprising turns and it was still too long.

Don't waste your time.

Love, for Real (2021 TV Movie)

Predictable but entertaining

[8/10 · 1 April 2023]

Yes, the story follows a predictable path. I don't remember seeing a Hallmark romance that wasn't predictable.

Yes, the leading lady is an unexpected choice. Her voice and her speech are, at times, annoying. She makes these weird faces, grimaces, unpleasant to watch. She is definitely not the "Barbie" type but, somehow, her quirkiness works for her character and, to me, she looks very "natural".

The film, despite some unrealistic events, is easy to watch and even funny at times. Most films have ridiculous plot twists, to move the story forward. Some of them take themselves too seriously and that makes them bad. This one doesn't do that and that is why its ridiculousness is acceptable.

I liked the relationship between Hayley and Bree, the fact that they are good people who don't change from the beginning to the end. Taiana Tully is beautiful and I thought she played her part very well. I loved Marie, the no-nonsense assistant, played wonderfully by Karen Malina White.

This is a relaxing film, worth watching.

The Back-up Plan (2010)

Unfunny, exaggerated, starring JLo

[2/10 · 18 March 2023]

The film begins with an overly long animated intro that makes no sense, then, all of a sudden, the "action" starts, as if they were playing the scenes for a while but somebody forgot to press the record button from the beginning. I had this feeling, throughout the first half hour or so that scenes are missing. After that, I just fast forwarded to see if it picks up and becomes more interesting but it didn't.

JLo's character is self involved and immature. Her friends are caricatures. The whole film gives the impression, at times, that it's a parody but for it to work as such the lead actress needs to be much better. It's not enough to be good looking and have a good body. Comedy actors need to be good actors first.

The leading man is supposed to be completely in love, fascinated by this woman. The actor himself can't sell this idea. I don't understand how they cast such a bad pair. Everything feels really forced and unrealistic.

On top of all that there are a lot of gross scenes. Maybe they wanted to go for physical comedy but it doesn't work. This combination of rom-com and physical comedy makes both genres fail in this film, badly.

Skip it, if you can.

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

This is not Star Trek.

[7/10 · 19 February 2023]

All of the actors are good. Some are excellent. Too bad the script doesn't do them justice. The 6 stars are for the actors, not for the story.

The history of the characters is far from accurate, as if, whoever wrote this wasn't aware that there have been several Star Trek series and films, which should lay a foundation for this. ...Or they simply didn't care. This seems a solely commercial enterprise (pun intended). They wanted to cash in on the Star Trek fan base. The first season was, let's say, acceptable, but the second was really boring. Both were way too long and drawn out. Not sure if we can expect anything good from the third, other than some more cameos of beloved characters. All that happened so far could have easily been presented in two or three episodes. No need for 2 seasons. Definitely no need for all the bad psycho-drama.

I love Star Trek and my favourite, by far, is TNG.

I love watching Patrick Stewart. I would watch him reading the Yellow Pages. Captain Picard was my favourite in TNG, alongside Commander Data.

I watched ST Voyager, mostly for the Doctor and for Seven of Nine. This says a lot, since the rest of the Voyager cast were really unpleasant.

I was looking forward to Picard. I started watching, expecting it to be different. However, the difference is shocking to me. This has nothing to do with the Star Trek world, other than names and locations. That warm, utopian world I knew and loved is gone. It is difficult to watch.

There were tough times, darker episodes, in all the past series but we were always left with hope, the future always seemed bright. Star Trek Picard is depressing.

I understand the storyline, kinda... If they would have made something different and not pretended that it's Star Trek, not used the name and the context, it would have been so much better, less disappointing. It's simply unfair to destroy a fantasy world created through all the ST series and films.

To finish on a positive note... I was happy to see Picard and Seven and some of the old Enterprise crew. I really missed them. They were what I expected and that is entirely thanks to the great actors playing them. Almost despite the story.

Wedding Bells (2016 TV Movie)

Better than expected from these leads but skip the last 20 minutes

[7/10 · 15 February 2023]

I really don't like the two leads so I wasn't planning on watching the whole thing. However, Danica finally surprised me and I stayed on. Her character is funny, at times, and not as artificially sweet and boring as most of the roles I have seen her in. So, thanks to that, the first half of the film is pretty good.

Kevan is no leading man and he kind of ruins every film for me, when he is supposed to be "Prince Charming". He is not a bad actor, he is just not that "fetching".

Because it's not that original, you will figure out pretty much all that is going to happen in the end, the relevant stuff, anyway. So, I suggest that, after the first half, you just stop watching. Whatever you imagine is probably better.

Presence of Love (2022 TV Movie)

Better than average but the sound is awful

[7/10 · 11 February 2023]

I like the cast. They do a good job.

Eloise Mumford is not your average "peppy - happy", fake, blonde lead, which is great. What I like about her is that she is "real" and she has this fragility about her - in this case - perfect for the anxious Joss.

Male lead, supporting mum and daughter are good. There is chemistry between all of them.

The storyline, although predictable, is more original than most romance films.

The scenery of course, is gorgeous.

My only, big, problem is with the sound. I struggled to understand what they were saying, most of the time. You have lead actors who are soft spoken, a lot of outdoor scenes and, instead of making sure the dialogue is audible, you add music. This had a huge impact on my enjoyment of this film.

A Perfect Pairing (2022)

Forced, awkward, avoid

[3/10 · 21 December 2022]

I like wine. I despise wine snobs. The main character is definitely a wine snob. She is unlikeable, and not just because of that. Her single good moment is when she quits her job.

Here are a few annoyances, in chronological order...

The forced "best friend" betrayal. There is no way, given their relationship, that somebody would do that. How stupid/naive do you have to be to trust someone like that? Isn't she supposed to be a "capable" and "smart" professional?! The fact that she ends up ignoring this betrayal and makes the traitor a partner (the only partner) in the new business, is unbelievable.

She is perseverant, selfish and annoying. Kind of like a mosquito. This is not something that changes by the end but, of course, everybody finds that adorable. An adorable mosquito.

She insists to be hired in a job without even asking what it is. So you assume that she has some hidden talents. She doesn't. Other than naming a sheep and randomly (and magically) fixing the boiler, I can't see any contribution. It doesn't matter though. In spite of her clumsiness, uselessness, unpleasantness and arrogance they want her to stay.

The workers on the farm seem OK. They try to make her part of the team. They go out for drinks to celebrate somebody and ask her to join. After being begged, repeatedly, she goes with them. As if she was doing them a huge favour. She reminds them that she usually drinks wine. Like all this is beneath her.

I will stop, but there is more. Other reviewers have covered some of the rest.

Avoid.

A Christmas Letter (2021 TV Movie)

This doesn't even work as a parody

[2/10 · 11 December 2022]

Is this supposed to be a parody? A silly comedy? It can't work as romance even though there is a man and there is a woman, who get thrown together, but there is definitely nothing romantic about them.

It is full of caricature characters: ridiculously bad or stupid. The plot is ridiculous as well (and I am not referring to the "real" Santa part). It is closest to a silly comedy for kids but then the dialogue and some scenes are not really appropriate.

There is nothing good about this. The only reason it gets 2 stars is that the actors and cinematography are better than the worse .

The "leading lady" is unpleasant. The leading man is pathetic. Supporting cast is ridiculous.

There is something wrong with a movie where you can't even like the children.

Avoid, if you can. I don't understand how it got such a high score.

Saying Yes to Christmas (2021 TV Movie)

Good actors, funny script, some "checkboxes", good Christmas romance

[7/10 · 20 November 2022]

When I saw the poster I thought that it's going to be a checklist for inclusiveness and all that so I had planned to skip it. However, I had some time to kill and gave it a shot. I am glad I did.

Does it check some inclusiveness boxes? Definitely but it doesn't feel like it's on purpose. I don't like being force-fed any kind of propaganda and I skipped many other films because of that. It wasn't the case of this film.

The protagonists are sweet and have great chemistry together. The entire cast did a good job. I will definitely look for more of their projects. The girl is very charismatic, she draws you in. The way she reacts to the "forced yes" moments, especially in the beginning, is really amusing, in my opinion. I also loved the comedy caused by the competitiveness of the main characters.

Of course, the events and decisions were not the most original. I knew how it was going to end, after the first 10 minutes. It is, like I said, a basic romance. The Christmas stereotypes are in, some of the romance stereotypes are in, as well. Also a few original traditions that I enjoyed. The nice thing was that nothing was forced, the main characters actually respected their parents, cared about not hurting people around them. No exaggerated drama.

Consider this a recipe with a few mandatory ingredients. The spices and the technique make the difference and the end product is delicious.

Christmas Love Letter (2019 TV Movie)

Two out of the three stars are for the dog!

[3/10 · 10 November 2022]

Two things to start with: 1. Does anyone else think that "Aaaahmalie" is a very pretentious way of saying the heroine's name? It doesn't sound right. It's very annoying.

2. This is a very poor attempt to copy "Runaway Bride", with a robot dog coming out of nowhere.

There are too many inconsistencies to list them all. Some of them were mentioned by other reviewers.

How come she can't recognise "her best friend's" handwriting?! How come she doesn't know that "her best friend" was widowed?! How come she doesn't remember the last Christmas with the same "best friend" since it seems to have been special to him?

The film was artificial, exaggerated, not at all romantic and unrealistic on all fronts. Yes, there are people who settle for anybody who is available, just because they like the idea of being in a couple, in a marriage, etc. If that's the idea, the film needs a good script and good actors not an "XMas checklist" and bad overacting, with random physical comedy thrown in.

I couldn't wait for it to end.

Stand by Me (1986)

The most beautiful story of friendship

[10/10 · 6 November 2022]

Well written and wonderfully acted, it grabs me every time I see it, although I know it's going to be kind of bittersweet. At first, it looks like a children's film, because of the age of the protagonists. I think it has much more to say to a mature audience, a melancholic portrait of days gone, a reminder of what was once important and how we grow out of it, out of the relationships. How we lose sight of the people who were once at the centre of our lives. How we can't go back.

On a different topic I want to acknowledge two great actors who were so young yet so talented.

It always breaks my heart when I watch a River Phoenix film. He was a brilliant actor who died much too soon.

I first saw Wil Wheaton in Star Trek an thought he was very good. Then I saw this film and realised how good he is. Although I enjoyed his appearance in The Big bang Theory, I would have liked to see more of him in complex, mature roles.

A Royal Queens Christmas (2021 TV Movie)

Entertaining

[7/10 · 30 October 2022]

I would have given a higher rating if they had bothered to find an actor to play the king, who was able to pronounce the name of his country. I think that he only said it correctly twice, almost like by accident. Annoying!

I liked the leads and they had good chemistry. Decent acting. The prince was very handsome and sweet, had an honesty about him. The girl was not over the top like many of the female leads in these types of films. Had one moment of exaggeration with the "I will go to clean up like a normal person" line (paraphrasing). She got over that pretty quickly, and was acceptable throughout.