What are we watching these days?

[LennG]

Watched a couple of movies, that were new to their respective outlets.

On Netflix, 'The Ice Road' with Liam Neeson.    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3758814/
I read some reviews for this movie and it was killed, but it sounded like something that falls into my wheelhouse as far as liking a particular genre of movie, so I said 'let's watch it'. Boy was I wrong.

Neeson plays some older trucker who is sort of hired to deliver a part to help save some miners trapped somewhere. Sounds interesting, right, --wrong. It may sound interesting and maybe it could have been, but this had to be one of the stupidest movies I have seen in quite a while. It is so full of cliches, bad acting, horrible dialogue, and some of the stupidest scenes in movie history. Just for example. They are, and have been, driving these huge semis over these ice-filled mountain roads, with barely enough room to maneuver, yet several times they are chased by assorted snowmobiles and smaller trucks and they are swerving all over the road, yet never skid, slide off the road. Then to top it off, one of the baddies, works his way into the cab of the truck Neesom is driving, they have maybe a 3-4 minute struggle, in this little cab, with no one having any hands on the wheel, the truck is going as fast as it can go, but never moves off the maybe 8-foot wide curvy road all thru this struggle. Simply amazing. if it wasn't near the end when this happened I would have turned it off then. But with the miners having maybe 2 minutes of air left before they all perish, here he comes to save the day. Simply a ridiculous movie. Do NOT waste your time here.

Next up is a brand new movie just out on Prime---'The Tomorrow War' with Chris Pratt, released just the other day. On reading the synopsis, another movie I felt, WOW, this something I would enjoy. WRONG Again. This one wasn't anywhere near as bad as The Ice Road, and it was pretty good for about 2/3 of the movie, but then the bottom fell out. BOOOOOO.  https://news.yahoo.com/tomorrow-war-amazon-prime-users-095208524.html

Premise. It is the near future. Chris Pratt is a war veteran and now a family man. People from the far future drop in on the present, saying they are from the future and are in the middle of a war with aliens to save Earth and they need help. Like soldiers to go into the future and help fight these aliens. I thought this sounds pretty interesting and something new as far as science fiction is concerned. (In Terminator, they came from the future to the past to try and save the world). Anyway, all able men are in the draft to go fight, and then it's Pratts turn. They are only to fight for a week, and then return back to the past and live a normal life, but only 30% of the people do return and many are injured, so that week isn't as short as one might think.
So Pratt and the others with him go on assignment and things don't go right from the get-go. I won't go into the ins and outs of the rest, but the aliens are similar to the Alien in Aliens, only much faster, quicker, and harder to kill and there are hordes of them, all over the place. It does get a bit ridiculous when they're trying to fight them.
If you read the link I supplied, it says it all. The movie should have ended about 1/2 an hour earlier and people would have been satisfied, but no, they had to have more and it basically made the movie, silly and stupid.
There are good action sequences and they last seemingly like forever, but they are fairly enjoyable if you like things like that. But then it delves into ridiculous subplots like Pratt is now taking orders from his daughter who was 6 in the present, or something like that, and now is 30 in this future assignment. WHY do this?

It is watchable and some might enjoy it fully. As I said, I did for about 2/3 of the movie, after that we just sucked it up and waited for the darn thing to finally end.

[DaveBrown74]

Lenn,

Thanks for the above reviews. I had been planning on watching "The Ice Road" but hadn't pulled the trigger yet. I think I won't now after reading your review, or at least not anytime soon. I typically like Neeson's movies, but every so often you run into a really stupid one. Sounds like this is one of those. Thanks again for the heads-up.

[LennG]

I also like Neeson and this was the first real bad movie he has done (I believe). It really looked like he was half-drunk thru most of it, knew it was a stupid movie, and just took the money and ran.

In fact, I just started watching an older movie of his, "Rob Roy" and I am watching it mainly because he is the star. Looks interesting but I only had time to watch the first 1/2 hour.

[ozzie]

OK, I watched Solo on Amazon. Lenn gave a review on it and though he didn't care much for it, I thought it sounded interesting enough to give it a try.
The "series" is only 7 episodes long, each one 30 minutes or less. I watched the first two episodes and was about to put an end to it, but then I read where the last episode ties everything together that happened in the previous six. With that knowledge, I forged ahead and watched the others, finally getting to the finale.
I have to say, I didn't like it. None of it. I found each episode was more depressing than the last. It was a total downer for me. Episode 7 did tie it together somewhat, but it still left me with questions and nothing to feel good about.
The acting in each episode was great, but the story lines were just too dreary and dismal.
Some folks will like the sci/fi, future science stuff, but I would give this two thumbs down.

[MightyGiants]

My wife and I just started watching 'Manifest' on Netflix and liked it very much. I believe it was an NBC series that got canceled and is getting a re-life on Netflix.

Briefly, a plane takes off with 191 people on board. They have a scare in the air and when it comes time for them to land they find out that 5 1/2 years have passed since they took off and now here they are. Very interesting premiss as to how they and the world adopts to them. Families who thought their loved ones dead have moved on only to have those loved ones return. Twins are now 5 1/2 years apart. Additionally, some of the passengers are having visions of things to come, hearing voices warning them of things to come.
Add to this a few other mysteries and I feel it makes for some decent enough entertainment.

I believe it is 2 seasons for now.

I watched episode one this weekend.  With little out there to watch, I will watch some more

[LennG]

OK, I watched Solo on Amazon. Lenn gave a review on it and though he didn't care much for it, I thought it sounded interesting enough to give it a try.
The "series" is only 7 episodes long, each one 30 minutes or less. I watched the first two episodes and was about to put an end to it, but then I read where the last episode ties everything together that happened in the previous six. With that knowledge, I forged ahead and watched the others, finally getting to the finale.
I have to say, I didn't like it. None of it. I found each episode was more depressing than the last. It was a total downer for me. Episode 7 did tie it together somewhat, but it still left me with questions and nothing to feel good about.
The acting in each episode was great, but the story lines were just too dreary and dismal.
Some folks will like the sci/fi, future science stuff, but I would give this two thumbs down.

See, now you know to listen to me.   

[LennG]

I watched episode one this weekend.  With little out there to watch, I will watch some more

We have finished season one. If you are watching on Netflix, they only have seasons 1 and 2. There was a 3rd season on NBC which you can watch on-demand if you have that option. I would assume that  3 will be on Netflix by the fall.

We have enjoyed season 1.  My only problem with the show is that it goes off on too many tangents and forgets the main theme of the story, the fact that this plane disappeared for 5 years and what the passengers are going thru. It is enjoyable enough to continue to watch nd we do enjoy it.

[philo43]

I only sleep 2-3 hours a night so I up no later than 2AM.  I have Direct TV and with a million channels, you would think there is something to watch.  Not so much. So I have reverted to old classic TV shows.  Perry Mason and Murder She Wrote.

The stories are what they are, but the cast of characters amaze me. This week I have seen Leonard Nimoy and Robert Redford on Perry Mason.  Murder She Wrote has had numerous big name actors from the 60's and 70 on it.

[LennG]

I only sleep 2-3 hours a night so I up no later than 2AM.  I have Direct TV and with a million channels, you would think there is something to watch.  Not so much. So I have reverted to old classic TV shows.  Perry Mason and Murder She Wrote.

The stories are what they are, but the cast of characters amaze me. This week I have seen Leonard Nimoy and Robert Redford on Perry Mason.  Murder She Wrote has had numerous big name actors from the 60's and 70 on it.

Depending on what you have to watch on, like Netflix or Prime, there really aren't enough hours in the day, or night, to watch some truly great shows and movies. Scan thru this thread for just a start on many, many great watches. Myself, my DVR is almost full and I watch numerous shows on each of these channels. This thread is a wealth of knowledge on what to watch.

[ozzie]

Since we have discussed Dexter elsewhere in this thread, I thought I would put this here instead of starting something new.
Not much, but an update on the Dexter reboot. Casting Jennifer Carpenter is odd since her character didn't make it out of the series. I guess there will be a few flashbacks....

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/jennifer-carpenter-returning-for-dexter-revival-at-showtime/ar-AAM813F?li=BBnb7Kz

[LennG]

Dexter ended on such a sour note, I would look forward with anticipation at another shot at it.

That said, rarely are shows like this, revivals of great shows, ever really near as good as the originals. Just a way to capitalize on the throngs of fans that enjoyed the show.

As has been mentioned on this board in another thread, they are doing a sort of revival of the Sopranos (early years) and hopefully, that will be as good as the original.

[ozzie]

I agree, revivals, reboots, re-imaginings....call them what you want, they very rarely compare to the original product.

[ozzie]

Watched a movie on Netflix yesterday.....Enola Holmes.
It is a story about Sherlock's younger sister and her search for her mother, while Sherlock is searching for Enola. There is also a murder plot against a young Lord and a reform vote that is causing tensions amongst the people.
I don't know if Holmes purists will like it, but it is a bit of fun that has a pretty good mystery, a couple of laughs and it doesn't take itself too seriously.
I thought the cast was great. Millie Bobbie Brown is the young girl who plays Enola. Right from the start she is the "Narrator" of the story, often breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly into the camera. Henry Cavill plays Sherlock and Helena Bonham Carter is the mom.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Sem]

My wife and I just started watching 'Manifest' on Netflix and liked it very much. I believe it was an NBC series that got canceled and is getting a re-life on Netflix.

Briefly, a plane takes off with 191 people on board. They have a scare in the air and when it comes time for them to land they find out that 5 1/2 years have passed since they took off and now here they are. Very interesting premiss as to how they and the world adopts to them. Families who thought their loved ones dead have moved on only to have those loved ones return. Twins are now 5 1/2 years apart. Additionally, some of the passengers are having visions of things to come, hearing voices warning them of things to come.
Add to this a few other mysteries and I feel it makes for some decent enough entertainment.

I believe it is 2 seasons for now.

I watched and enjoyed the first episode of this last night. Interesting premise.

[LennG]

I watched and enjoyed the first episode of this last night. Interesting premise.

We are now about 1/2 way thru season 2. I won't give anything away in any comments. But they premiss, as we have said, is terrific, the problem is they just don't know where to take it. They have so many subplots as we go on, several linking to the original premiss, but others so far off, it reminds me a lot of Lost as they never really ran with the original premiss and started to veer off in other areas, well, if you were a Lost fan, you know what I mean.

Let me know when you get deeper into the show, as I would love to discuss several matters that I can't now, without giving too much away.