TV | Outsiders | Really Liked It

Word on the street was that this show was like Sons of Anarchy, but it's really more like Justified minus the U.S. Marshal element. Which was a very good thing. Supposedly based on a true story, it also reminded me of a couple of other shows, like The Red Road. This show was actually very good, with an excellent cast, including Ryan Hurst (SOA) and Thomas M. Wright (The Bridge). It's not knockout great, but it really got under my skin and I waited for each episode with anticipation.

Movie | Ex Machina | Really Liked It

A stunning piece of art and I absolutely loved every minute of it. So very finely craft and Donhnall Gleeson is always such an amazing actor. Bravo. I'm sure I will see this film again soon.

Movie | Kingsman: The Secret Service | Liked It

It was fun but it ended up so enthralled with itself to the detriment of the script that it was a bit distracting. Regardless, it's still a very good popcorn action flick.

TV | Second Chance | Liked It-ish

Good premise and I liked Kazinsky but the writing sort of petered out as the series progressed. DeKay is completely wasted here and his role is too much like the one he just stopped playing in the far superior White Collar. Ultimately, the show was pretty boring and I"m not sure I'm interested in a second season.

TV | The X-Files (Season 10) | Liked It

Based on the first two episodes, the writing was too much of a throwback to the 90s. Maybe Gilligan could have helped with that but the scripts were a bit less than engaging, stiff, wooden and bordering on confusing at times. The whole show left me with the question, "Why? Why do we need this back?" It wasn't bad, with moments of genius, but there was definitely a level of sophistication that was lacking and it isn't congruent with where we're at these days. There's probably still an audience that will accept writing like this, but for the rest of us that have moved on...

Fortunately, things pick up after those first two duds. The third and fourth episodes knocked it out of the park. Unfortunately, they didn't keep that roll rolling; the fifth episode, which was written and directed by Chris Carter was heavy-handed and there was too much belly-button examining for my taste. And the sixth and final episode was a continuation of the second episode.

Word is that there's going to be an eleventh season. I'm not sure that's a good thing or not. We'll see.

Movie | Eliminators | Liked It

This Charles Band flick was surprisingly fun. Cheesy, but well worth watching.

TV | Mad Dogs | Really Liked It

Great cast, excellent script, well made and a perfect soundtrack all add up to a fantastic remake of a British show. I didn't see the original; this one is so good that I doubt I'd enjoy it now.

Movie | Kung Fury | Really Liked It

Another fantastic homage to 80s shlock sci-fi/action/kung fu movies! Fantastic soundtrack, too.

Movie | The Intern | Liked It

Once we got past the mind mindbogglingly annoying characters in the beginning, it was cute enough.

Movie | X | Liked It-ish

I don't ever recall seeing this Roger Corman classic but I didn't love it. It was rather slow and predictable.

Movie | Diablo | Really Liked It

Clint Eastwood's real-life son Scott stars in this beautifully made hardcore Western. The movie has some mild supernatural elements that reminded me of Clint's movie, of course. I liked it. In fact, I liked it alot. Why other people didn't is beyond me. I think they were expecting something else and I think they like everything wrapped up nice and neat. This movie didn't do that, purposefully, to great effect.

Movie | Creature with the Blue Hand | Liked It

Continuing on with my impromptu and unplanned Klaus Kinski marathon. This movie deserves cult classic status. I also saw the dubbed version - the subtitled edition is much more desirable. Kinski with somebody's voice other than his own is just so very wrong.

Movie | Land of Doom | Liked It

Fun to see again after all these years. The entire shlockfest is pretty goofy but the twist is that there's a morality written into the script that's completely futile in a world like that. Which, of course, makes everything even more ridiculously enjoyable.

TV | Supercar Superbuild | Liked It-ish

Pretty dry and boring.

TV | Those Who Can't | Didn't Like It

Movie | Man Up | Liked It

I was really looking forward to this; despite the blockbuster drek that pays his bills, Simon Pegg pumps out some really great movies. And this one promised to be a good date night movie...what could go wrong?

Plenty.

First thing up, the always excellent Lake Bell had a British accent. Whaaaaaat? That's a real change of pace; an American doing an English accent in an English movie. But she's so good that she pulled it off. Phew. We can forgive it. But...the entire first two-thirds of the movie is practically unlikable, in which pretty much all of the characters are horribly irritating. Thank goodness for the final 30 minutes. The movie was saved by that last third. Otherwise, I would have written "Didn't Like It" above. What a huge bummer, it should have been great all the way through, from start to finish.

Movie | Battle of the Damned | Liked It-ish

Not by any measurement a good movie and yet I watched the whole thing. It could have been worse, to tell you the truth. But not recommended; there are so many movies that are better than this one with a similar premise. If you're short on viewing time, you should watch a better film. But if you're a weirdo like me that sees way too many movies, this wasn't a bad Z-grade flick. Somehow, it makes me happy to know they still make direct-to-video movies like this, despite the curse of the SyFy channel.

Movie | The Twonky | Liked It

Total whackadoo, starring Hans Conried (The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.).

TV | Mike Tyson Mysteries (Season Two) | Really Liked It

More bewilderingly hilarious high jinks and an adult cartoon winner, for sure. Absolutely deserves any cult following that it acquires.

Movie | The Church | Liked It

Cool ambiance. Argento's touch is apparent, appreciated and admired. Soavi also directed the fabulous Cemetary Man. Neat soundtrack featuring Philip Glass.

TV | Colony | Liked It-ish

Interesting to see Sarah Wayne Callies from The Walking Dead back in action. She's good. I like Josh Holloway too, but I think he might be miscast here. I have yet to figure out what sort of role would work for him, but this isn't it. The show itself is none too ambitious and mostly drags on, with moments of fairly meaningless action. It's not a terrible thing to watch but it doesn't reward the viewer much. The aliens are the biggest mystery and I have the feeling that if and when they reveal them, the show will tank even further.

TV | Plebs (Series 2) | Really Liked It

Just as good as series one; the humor continues to be crude but not insulting or belittling and the whole show just makes me happy. So much fun that I started watching the whole thing all over again. When was the last time that happened? Bring on series three!!!!!

TV | Puppy Love | Didn't Like It

Movie | Beware of Mr. Baker | Liked It

I know way too many people just like this, minus the genius part.

TV | Monkey Dust (Series 3) | Really Liked It

Third and final series of this fantastic and fantastically dark animated very adult Britcom. I'll miss it.