NETFLIX TV SERIES REVIEW: The Haunting of Hill House

RELEASE DATE: October 12th 2018

CREATOR: Mike Flanagan

MAIN CAST: McKenna Grace, Carla Gugino, Michiel Huisman

NETFLIX Summary

The Haunting of Hill House is a modern re-imagining of the iconic novel, about 5 siblings who grew up in the most famous haunted house in America.

MY REVIEW

I am only three episodes into this series and I am hooked. It has a slow but freaky build up to something that has not been explained. It has that feeling from the ABC Series LOST, but in a haunted house with real ghost. But it's not so much the house is haunted as it is the Crain family, but don't get we wrong, that house is haunted. The family is very dysfunctional. I was on the edged of my seat most of the episodes I watched. I will update this posting when I watched the last episode. 

MOVIE REVIEW: The Angel

RELEASE DATE: September 18th 2018

RUN TIME: 1 Hour 54 Minutes

MPAA RATING: TV-MA

MY IMDB RATING: 9

DIRECTOR: Ariel Vromen

MAIN CAST: Hannah Ware, Toby Kebbell, Manwan Kenzari

IMDB Story Line

True story of Ashraf Marwan, who was President Nasser's son-in-law and special adviser and confidant to his successor Anwar Sadat - while simultaneously Israeli Intelligence's most precious asset of the 20th century. Based on NYT bestselling book 'The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel' by Uri Bar-Joseph.

MY REVIEW

This movie covers the history of tensions between Israel and Egypt from the death of Egypt President Gamal Abdel Nasser up to the Yom Kippur War. It's not the slit your throat bang bang your dead movie but it has all the same suspense and tension. I find the movie very factual. But remember, it's based on historical events. So do your own research. The movie does focus on the actions of Anwar Sadat's administration and his personal confidant Ashraf Marman, and his life during that time. Regardless if he was a good or bad guy, it shows he was a human being. It also makes you ask the question where was his loyalties, with Egypt or Israel. I liked the movie and thought it was really good and can diffidently recommend it.    

Netflix Documentary Review: I AM A KILLER

Google summary

Profiling prisoners convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. Recounting the events that led up to their crime, the killers reveal their motivations and how they now view their actions, after time spent on death row.

MY REVIEW

I have watched 10 episodes of this serious, each with a different murderer with his own story. They bring you in and you almost feel compassionate for what they are going through. You feel bad for them, you see clearly their side of the story. You forget why they are there and what terrible crime they have done. No matter how serious the crime you are sad for them.

THEN
 You hear the prosecutors explanation and the victims family and friends side and you feel absolutely guilty that you could ever take the side of a murderer. This series was so well produced and written to bring you in that close and personal to a killer.

Do not expect to be entertained when you watch this series, but expect to be educated in the justice system a little deeper then your prepared to go. The killers description of the crime is not so much brutal as it is scary. This is not a TV fictional crime serious, this is deep. It is possible you might get board. Because they try to be overly smart in why they are the victim instead of the cold dead body in the ground who's life was taken from them.

The killers are very smooth talkers, and manipulative. You believe them line hook and sinker, it's almost like they are your friend down the street. You know this person. He's the guy that you see at the coffee shop everyday. The man at the barber shop or the one that sets on the steps across the street when you walk you kids to school.

And just before the knife goes in your chest you find out who they really are.

NETFLIX Documentary Review: Inside The Criminal Mind

IMDB Summaries

Inside the Criminal Mind- a gripping exploration exposing the psychological machinations and immoral behavior that define the most nefarious criminal types. Every episode of the series delves into the ardent backgrounds of infamous criminal's and with commentary from world leading experts, a cognitive profile is created allowing the audience to not just understand but recognize the psychology that creates the most fearsome types of criminals.
—Jon Loew

Episode 1

Serial Killers

They may appear to be as ordinary as your next-door neighbor. In reality they're far from it. Serial Killers possess an unquenchable thirst for murder, performed with a total lack of remorse. Their names are seared into our collective consciousness as symbols unthinkable terror: Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer. Their heinous deeds are immortalized by their fearsome nicknames, Zodiac Killer, Green River Murderer and the BTK Strangler...Bind, Torture, Kill. For decades criminologists and forensic scientists have searched for keys to unlock the twisted psyche

Episode 2

Kidnapping

Their names made international headlines for their cruel and sadistic acts. Kidnappers who abducted young women, imprisoned them for months, years or even decades and subjected them to rape and torture - sometimes even fathering children with their captives. Psychologists and profilers struggle to understand the motives and mindset behind these horrendous, long-term abductions. Ariel Castro captured and sexually abused three young women for a decade. Phillip Garrido took Jaycee Dugard when she was just 11 and imprisoned her for 18 years, fathering two daughters with her

Episode 3

Death Cult Leaders

They are some of the most terrifying and tragic events of the 20th century - tales ending in horrific scenes of massacre, murder, sexual abuse and mass suicide. These are catastrophes caused by psychopathic Cult Leaders and their maniacal teachings. Charles Manson and his demonic family slaying seven innocent victims, including a woman who was 8 months pregnant. Jim Jones and his infamous poison potion killing over 900 followers, a third of them children. David Koresh responsible for horrible sexual abuse and the fiery death of more that 80 people at least 20 of them

Episode 4

Crime Lords

They are some of the most powerful business executives on the planet, described as, "part CEO, part terrorist and part rock star." Crime Lords control powerful organizations that generate unimaginable wealth. But their fortunes aren't created through clever corporate strategy. Their businesses are built on gambling, drugs, intimidation, fear and murder. Their tactics are heartless, their methods are cruel and their psychology is pure evil. Al Capone, John Gotti, Pablo Escobar and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. They are the cunning and ruthless leaders of syndicates,

MY REVIEW

This was like watching your favorite crime movie with the exception, this was real. They broke down each famous criminal and the crime they committed. It was watching the history of criminals all the way back to Al Capone. It's not that you went inside the criminals mind but you heard the opinions of medical professional give medical explanations of why people do bad things and why they act out fantasies or become what the are. These range from a imbalance in the brain to sexual abuse or  Parental/adult abuse. Bottom line is all this criminals had a passion to big something bigger then they where no matter who stood in the way with out and any reguard for the written laws of the land or the authority of law enforcement.

TV Shows I am Watching

Instead of watching movies I have been watching Netflix and CBS All Access.

Here is a list of Shows and Documentaries I plan to watch and review on my Blog.

Now watching on Netflix

Inside the Criminal Mind

IMDB Description

Inside the Criminal Mind- a gripping exploration exposing the psychological machinations and immoral behavior that define the most nefarious criminal types. Every episode of the series delves into the ardent backgrounds of infamous criminal's and with commentary from world leading experts, a cognitive profile is created allowing the audience to not just understand but recognize the psychology that creates the most fearsome types of criminals.

—Jon Loew

I AM A KILLER

Will Be Watching Soon

CBS All Access

One Dollar

Set in a small rust-belt town in post-recession America, a one-dollar bill changing hands connects a group of strangers involved in a shocking multiple murder.

Strange Angel

A rocket scientist in 1940s Los Angeles is secretly the disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley.

My blog writings will be slower, but sometimes you need to watch a whole season in order to give a complete review

CBS All Access a worthy Net Streaming Service

For the past few years people have been cutting the cable cord and moving to net streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Sling and so on. And the choices are endless. The problem is the more you subscribe to you can end up paying more then the cable bill you hated. But you can always pick and chose and cancel and resubscribe when you want. For example I always subscribe to HBO when the next season of Game Of Thrones premiers or other favorite HBO shows then cancel at the end of the season. 

When CBS announced they where going to have there own service, I said no way this is stupid. I have changed my mine. For me I have always liked the quality of CBS shows. They hire and fire people just like the rest of the networks, but they have a standard second to none. I am not sure whats makes them different but since I was a kid back in the late 60's and 70's they have had the same standard. How is that possible with all the mergers  and acquisitions?

But I still refused to try ALL ACCESS, But Star Trek Discovery put the hook in my mouth and when Patrick Stewart announced that he was reprising his role as Captain Jean Luc Piccard I gave in and subscribed.  And I am happy with what I see. All CBS shows, old and new and I got the no commercial service plan. This is real entertainment. CBS  quality streamed through my Chromecast. I think this could be the best quality Net Streaming service and could be better then Netflix And Hulu because of it's limited focused line up.

MOVIE REVIEW: How it Ends

RELEASE DATE: July 13th 2018

RUN TIME: 1 Hour 53 Mins

MPAA RATING: MA-TV

MY IMDB RATING 4

FAMILY SCALE RATING 5

DIRECTOR: David M. Rosenthal

MAIN CAST: Theo James, Forest Whitaker, Kate Graham

IMDB Story Line
A desperate man tries to return home to his pregnant fiancée after a mysterious apocalyptic event turns everything to chaos

MY REVIEW
I think a lot of people would disagree with me about my opinion of this movie, But I did not like it because I kept waiting of a explanation of what happened. There was action and suspense but no resolve. You could say the ending was satisfying but not for me. It kept me interested till the end and dropped me off the edge. I was drawn to the movie because of the actors and promise of a end of the world story. That was there but not enough for me. This is not a family movie because over use of the F word. But in the end it's your decision if this movie was good or bad or a family movie or not.
 

MOVIE REVIEW: TAU

RELEASE DATE: June 29th 2018

RUN TIME: 1 Hour 37 Mins

MPAA RATING: R

FAMILY RATING: 3.5

IMDB SCALE: 7.5

DIRECTOR: Federico D'Alessandro

MAIN CAST: Maika Monroe, Ed Skrein, Gary Oldman

IMDB Summary:

A woman is held captive in a futuristic smart house and hopes to escape by breaking into the computer programs that control the house.

MY REVIEW
This was a really cool and crafted movie. It is a Netflix Original. Even though we are talking about a AI computer, The movie speaks volumes about how education is a powerful tool in the world. It is also about being so smart that you lack common sense, this could teach you about developing relationships and survival instincts. If you fall into a deep muddy slippery hole and there is no ladder and it seems impossible to get out, you have a choice to give up and die or keep trying to get out till you die because you never know what will happen if you keep trying. It's about finding a weakness in the system. It's about developing trust and friendship and making friends with someone or something your afraid of. This is about putting fear on the run.

I can not give this movie a strong family rating, but it could be a family or group discussion topic. This movie is science fiction, but is it really? In a world of Google, Alexa, Echo and Siri, How long will it be before this type of house can be built?