Hi, I'm Chris a semi-pro couch potato with a dream to go pro. I am based in Northern California and enjoy all genres of film and television, with a particular love of international crime thrillers. I provide spoiler-free reviews to let you know if something's worth watching and if it's family-friendly. I also have an ever-growing collection of flannel shirts and am a Tomatometer-approved critic. Below are some of my most recent reviews, but if you want to see everything I have to offer, please visit my YouTube channel here.
WICKED: Part one
Elphaba and Galinda become friends at Shiz University in the Land of Oz, but after an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard, their friendship reaches a crossroads. So if you’re going into this film never having seen the Broadway musical, or you don’t know anything about it… this is the story of the Wicked Witch of the West… but told from her perspective, showing all that transpired before a good little girl could destroy her beautiful wickedness. Elphaba is the green-skinned witch and Galinda is the perky and ditzy good witch… at least from the classic telling. Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter Dinklage, and is directed by John M. Chu.
Dungeons & Dragons:
Honor Among Thieves
Honor Among Thieves
A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, and Hugh Grant.
Unseen
On a mission to uncover her missing husband’s whereabouts, a quiet house cleaner goes down a dangerous and destructive path littered with sinister characters who want to exploit her for their nefarious schemes.
The Big Door Prize
Rabbit Hole
The Night Agent
John Wick 4
John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes. Keanu Reeves returns in John Wick Chapter 4 and continues to bring all-out action and excitement.
Swarm
Swarm follows Dre, an obsessed fan of the world's biggest pop star who sets off on an unexpected cross-country journey. Swarm stars Dominque Fishback and is from creators Donald Glover and Janine Nabers. This is a look at a disturbed and obsessed music fan and the lengths she'll go to defend her artist.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster family are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. When vengeful ancient gods arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the world's fate.
Servant Season 4
The Apple Original Series Servant has finally come to a close with the fourth and final season. Lauren Ambrose, Nell Tiger Free, Toby Kebbell, and Rupert Grint star in this mysterious thriller from M. Night Shyamalan. Does the finale stick the landing or is the end tepid and lackluster?
Shadow & Bone Season 2
Alina Starkov is on the run. A beacon of hope to some and a suspected traitor to others, she's determined to bring down the Shadow Fold and save Ravka from ruin. But General Kirigan has returned to finish what he started. Backed by a terrifying new army of seemingly indestructible shadow monsters and fearsome new Grisha recruits, Kirigan is more dangerous than ever.
Scream VI
The survivors of the Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York City only to find the threat is far from over. Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega return for the newest entry in the Scream franchise with Scream 6.
Unwelcome
Married couple Maya and Jamie escape their urban nightmare to the tranquility of rural Ireland only to discover malevolent and murderous goblins lurking in the gnarled, ancient wood at the foot of their new garden. Hannah John-Kamen and Douglas Booth star in the Irish folk-horror Unwelcome.
MH370
Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 was supposed to be a routine trip: A redeye from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with 239 passengers and crew on board. But shortly after takeoff on a calm 2014 night, MH370 vanished from radar screens for good. MH370: The Plane That Disappeared is a new Netflix documentary that focuses on a few theories as to what happened to that fateful flight MH370.
Daisy Jones & The Six
In 1977, Daisy Jones & The Six were on top of the world. Fronted by two charismatic lead singers, the band had risen from obscurity to fame. And then, after a sold-out show at Chicago's Soldier Field, they called it quits. Now, decades later, the band members finally agree to reveal the truth. This is the story of how an iconic band imploded at the height of its powers. Riley Keough and Sam Claflin star in this fictionalized dramatic tale of a band that rises to fame and then collapses during its height.
Cocaine Bear
An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converges in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine. Elizabeth Banks directs the horrifically comedic Cocaine Bear that's based on a true story. The film stars Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, O'Shea Jackson Jr, Isiah Whitlock Jr, and the late great Ray Liotta.
We Have a Ghost
Finding a ghost named Ernest haunting their new home turns Kevin's family into overnight social media sensations. But when Kevin and Ernest go rogue to investigate the mystery of Ernest's past, they become a target of the CIA. David Harbour, Anthony Mackie, Tig Notaro, Jennifer Coolidge, and Jahi Winston star in Christopher Landon's We Have a Ghost.
The Consultant
When a new consultant, Regus Patoff, is hired to improve the business at the App-based gaming company CompWare, employees experience new demands and challenges that put everything into question… including their lives. Christoph Waltz, Nat Wolff, Brittany O'Grady, and Aimee Carrero star in the Prime Video series The Consultant.
Creed III
Adonis has been thriving in both his career and family life, but when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight. Michael B Jordan returns as Adonis Creed and also takes a turn behind the camera in his directorial debut. Creed 3 also stars Jonathan Majors, Tess Thompson, Wood Harris, Phylicia Rashad, Mila Davis-Kent, and Thaddeus Mixson.
Luther: The Fallen Sun
A gruesome serial killer is terrorizing London while brilliant but disgraced detective John Luther sits behind bars. Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Luther decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary. Idris Elba returns in the title role of Neil Cross's edgy detective for Luther The Fallen Sun.
Top 10 TV Series
of 2022
of 2022
We're nearing the end of 2022 so here is my list of the top 10 TV series for 2022. What TV series makes your best-of list for 2022, let me know in the comments! I hope you enjoy this and that you have an awesome new year!
The Glory
The South Korean Netflix series The Glory centers around a woman who lives for absolute revenge against the childhood bullies who destroyed her life. This is similar to The Count of Monte Cristo, but is The Glory kdrama worth watching?
White Noise
The Noah Baumbach-directed Netflix movie White Noise follows a contemporary American family's attempts to deal with the mundane conflicts of everyday life while grappling with the universal mysteries of love, death, and the possibility of happiness in an uncertain world. Should this quirky dark comedy be on your watchlist?
7 Women and A Murder
When their family patriarch is stabbed, seven women, each with ulterior motives, become trapped together in a mansion to solve the puzzle of his murder. The Italian murder mystery 7 Women and a Murder, or 7 Donne e un Mistero, is a lighthearted and simple cottage mystery that's now available on Netflix, but should it be on your watchlist?
The Whale
Brendan Fraser stars in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale about a reclusive English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter. The Whale also stars Hong Chau, Sadie Sink, Samantha Morton, and Ty Simpkins. Should it be on your watchlist?
Treason
Trained and groomed by MI6, Adam Lawrence's career seems set. But when the past catches up with him in the form of a Russian spy with whom he shares a complicated history, he is forced to question everything and everyone in his life. Charlie Cox, Olga Kurylenko, Oona Chaplin, Ciaran Hinds, and Alex Kingston star in Netflix's limited series espionage thriller Treason. It's five episodes long, but is it worth the binge?
Alice in Borderland
Arisu and Usagi are chasing the mystery of "Borderland" in order to return to their real world. They meet their friends, enemies, and the mastermind behind the "game" at a place that seems to be the key to unlocking the mystery. When all the cards are collected, will they be able to return to their real world? Netflix Japanese thriller Alice in Borderland is back for season 2 and the stakes continue to be high with danger and peril looming around every turn. Will Arisu and Usagi win the final games, and more importantly, should you add this to your watchlist?
Tom Clancy's
Jack Ryan
Jack Ryan
CIA analyst Jack Ryan is thrust into a dangerous field assignment after he uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication that launches him into the center of a dangerous gambit. John Krasinski returns as the title character in season 3 of the Prime Video series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. This time the story mirrors current events, but should you add it to your watchlist?
Christmas Bloody Christmas
It's Christmas Eve and Tori just wants to get drunk and party, but when a robotic Santa Claus at a nearby toy store goes haywire and begins a rampant killing spree through her small town, she's forced into a battle for survival. Christmas Bloody Christmas is a new slasher horror on Shudder with a sadistic Santa Claus at the center of the mayhem. Should this violent night be on your watchlist?
The Recruit
A fledgling lawyer at the CIA becomes enmeshed in dangerous international power politics when a former asset threatens to expose the nature of her long-term relationship with the agency unless they exonerate her of a serious crime. Netflix's The Recruit stars Noah Centineo, Laura Haddock, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Aarti Mann, Angel Parker, Colton Dunn, Kristian Bruun, Fivel Stewart, Daniel Quincy Annoh, and Kaylah Zander. Should this spy action thriller be on your watchlist?
Eega
A lovelorn man is murdered and then reincarnated as a housefly who seeks to avenge his death. Eega is a 2012 film by the director of RRR, S.S. Rajamouli, and stars Sudeep, Nani, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. As of this recording, Eega is available to watch on Netflix, but is it worth the watch?
Avatar: THe Way of Water
Once a new threat arrives on Pandora, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race to protect their home. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana return in James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water, the follow-up to his box-office-breaking 3D spectacular Avatar. Does this new story have enough to recreate the box office magic?
God's Crooked Lines Explained
When a charismatic private investigator is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, her presence sows dangerous seeds of doubt among the doctors on staff. These are my thoughts and theories surrounding the new Spanish film on Netflix, God's Crooked Lines, or Los Renglones Rorcidos de Dios.
God's Crooked Lines
When a charismatic private investigator is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, her presence sows dangerous seeds of doubt among the doctors on staff.
Guillermo Del TOro's Pinocchio
This stop-motion film reimagines the classic Carlo Collodi tale of the fabled wooden boy with a whimsical tour de force that finds Pinocchio on an enchanted adventure that transcends worlds and reveals the life-giving power of love. Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is now streaming on Netflix, but is it worth the watch?
Emancipation
Peter is a man who escapes from slavery, relying on his wits, unwavering faith, and deep love for his family to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom. Will Smith and Ben Foster star in Antoine Fuqua's Emancipation. Should this new Apple Original Movie be on your watchlist?
Harry & Meghan
In an unprecedented and in-depth documentary series, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex share the other side of their high-profile love story. Across six episodes, the series explores the clandestine days of their early courtship and the challenges that led to them feeling forced to step back from their full-time roles in the institution. Harry & Meghan is a new limited documentary series on Netflix with personal interviews and accounts from the royal couple.
Empire of Light
Hilary, a woman with a difficult past and an uneasy present, is part of a makeshift family at the old Empire Cinema on the seafront. When Stephen is hired to work in the cinema, the two find an unlikely attraction and discover the healing power of movies, music, and community. Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Toby Jones, Colin Firth, and Tom Brooke star in Sam Mendes' romantic drama Empire of Light.