TV REVIEW | Arrow Season 3 Episode 1

QUICK REVIEW

GOOD 

• The action sequences keep getting better and better
• They continue to advance each of the characters
• Roy wasn't annoying and seems to have a more defined role on the show
• No Thea and Roy teenage non-sense

BAD

• The Olicty love story seems a bit rushed.  In the time line of the show it probably makes sense, but as a viewer we jumped very quickly from subtleness to directness.
• This might not be a bad, but the specific plot seemed a bit routine for a season opener.  If this wasn't episode 8, the story would be perfectly fine villain of the week episode.  But as an opener it felt a bit disappointing.
• The handling of the big twist at the end of the episode seemed a bit weak.  The twist was good, but they didn't really work it into the plot of the episode particular well.  They could have tacked it onto ANY episode and it wouldn't have been any different.

THE AWESOME

• They cast Brandon Routh in a significant role this season

• Great final twist!  It's setting up would could be an intense season from the get go

RATING - The series looks to still be going strong!

TV REVIEW | Gotham Season 1 Episodes 1-3

MY QUICK REVIEW

GOOD

• I like the performances for Jim Gordon, Bullock, and Penguin
• The city itself is like a character in the show.
• The show feels like Law & Order: Gotham.  ...which is fine by me.

BAD 

• The show is packed with cartoony characters which clash with the performances of other characters.
• Alfred is kind of a jerk.
• There are WAYYYYY too many Batman references.

UGLY

• The tone is all over the map.  It switches between cartoony characters and gritty dark settings.  Well see a goofy moment where someone falls from the sky on another person, and a person getting their eyes clawed out.  
• Will Smith's wife is TERRIBLE! Just campy over-the-top over acting with a horrific accent.
• There's an absurd forced lesbian subplot that services no purpose other than to have a lesbian subplot.

RATING - I'm going to keep watching, but I'm worried.

TV REVIEW | The Flash Pilot

QUICK REVIEW

THE GOOD

• I like the lead actor
• The show was a lot funnier than I was expecting
• The on-going mystery arch surrounding his family is interesting.
• The small amount of Flash effects we saw looked cool.

THE BAD

• Some of the cast (specifically at STARR LABS) is just blah.
• The specific plot of this episode seemed like a boring throw away plot.

THE UGLY

• I'm not super excited about their plot device their using to give villains super powers.
• The climax of this episode was the Flash running into a storm.

RATING - I'm going to keep watching, I'm excited!

REVIEW | 24 Season 9 Episode 4

Here's my review of episode 4 of season 9 of 24.

QUICK VERSION:
I liked it more than last week's episode.  I like how they're having Jack behave, but once again it feels like we're just getting more of the same.

REVIEW | 3 Days to Kill

Here's my quick take on 3 Days to Kill.

GOOD:

• It's fun to see Kevin Costner in an action film
• The film has some really nice relational moments

BAD:

• This movie is a by the numbers cliche action film
• Some of the humor falls flat

OVERVIEW:

This is a light hearted action film that kids every plot point you're expecting.  The previews attempted to portray it as if it's like the movie Taken (they have the same writter, Luc Besson), but in reality the two films have very different tones.  They share a writer and aging lead taking a turn as a trained killer with a daughter.  That is where the similarities end.

RATING - 6.5 out of 10 - I liked the movie, but it's a cliche film you'll forget quickly.

REVIEW | Robocop (2014)

After much delay (being a responsible parent makes it difficult to go to the movies), I finally saw the remake of Robocop.


Here are my quick thoughts:

THE BAD

• The first two thirds of the movie feels a bit direction-less. It's unclear what the central conflict is.
• The PG-13 rating tempers down the brutality of the world they're alluding to.  
• While they attempt to hint at the satire and commentary of the original, they never fully pull it off.
• There are some really odd music, costume, and editing/flashback choices.  Why in the 80's were they able to make it look like a face was grafted onto a robot suit, but in the 21st century it just looks like he's wearing a helmet?

THE GOOD

• The final third of the movie picks up a lot of speed and momentum, but just as I was starting to get into the movie, it ended.
• The cast is great.  
• They found the right elements of modern culture to satire with the film, but they didn't fully pull it off.
• This really is a re-conceptualization of Robocop.  If you wrote a two paragraph synopsis of each film they would sound identical, but anything beyond that their are huge differences.  This is extremely important for a movie like this. The original was tied so closely to the cultural climate which created it.  It only makes sense to bring 21st century issues into the new film.  

IN CLOSING

I had very low expectations for this film. I assumed I would be disappointed, and I was.  At the end of the day, the movie had just enough good ideas that it was frustrating how close they came to a quality remake. If you're a fan of the original, this will disappointed you.

RATING - 6 out of 10 - It was an ok sci-fi action film with an outstanding cast, but it will disappoint fans of the original.

For my full review, watch below.

VIDEO REVIEW: 24 Season 9 Episodes 1-2

Jack is back!  After four years off the air, 24 has returned!  I'm a huge fan of the show, but like most, I thought it lost steam towards the end.  So the big question, does the new season restore the freshness of the early seasons or does it feel derivative like the later says?

Unfortunately, despite a new location, a four year gap, and a new visual style, at it's core the new season of 24 still feels like it's more of the same. As a huge fan of the show, I'm fine with more of the same, but I'm not expecting this latest season to win back any disenfranchised fans.

For my full review, here's my video review.