Category Archives: Amnesia

1997, Acceptable Trash, Aliens from outer space, Amnesia, Comedy, Fun waste of time, Netflix Streaming, Sci-Fi

Men In Black (1997)

From IMDB:

A police officer joins a secret organization that polices and monitors extraterrestrial interactions on Earth.

From Netflix you can stream this old, well known comedy film that lasts 1 hour and 38 minutes.

25 years ago this sci-fi satire led to sequels.  Nothing more than a sequence of outlandish extraterrestrial aliens,  the film offers an escape into discardable nonsense.

Of course we recognize Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith immediately.  But it took me awhile to recognize Vincent D’Onofrio as the gawky monster Edgar.  Can you spot Tony Shalhoub?

2018, Acceptable for teenagers, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Acceptable Science, Aliens from outer space, Amazon Prime, Amnesia, Astronauts, Brain Transplant, Government medical experiment, Medical Theme, Must suspend disbelief, Nice Aliens, Psychedelic Visual Effects, Sci-Fi, Talking Heads, Unusual

The Beyond (2018)

From Amazon Prime:

After observing an anomaly in space, scientists transplant human brains in to synthetic bodies and send them through the wormhole.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1.5 hour sci-fi fantasy.

Proceeding as a sort of continuous interview with the scientists, which means a lot of talking heads, the plot mixes fantasy with the personal lives of the participants.  In most sci-fi scenarios we usually have to suspend disbelief and this example is no different.  However,  this particular sci-fi film does not fit the usual clichéd mold due to its monologue plus action style of flow.

Depiction of the aliens is perhaps the most original I have seen.

Probably not for everyone but well done production.

2022, Acceptable for teenagers, Action sequences, Adopted child, Amazon Prime, Ambiguous Conclusion, Amnesia, Attempted Murder, Bizarre, Brother-Brother relations, Brother-Sister relations, Bull Riding, Bullying, Confusing Plot, Dark family secrets, Defies Categorization, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Ethical struggles, Family Conflict, Family Secrets, Fantasy, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Fight Scenes, Fist Fight, Flashbacks, Incomplete ending, Manslaughter, Marital Infidelity, Missing Person, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Mysterious, Mysterious Disappearance, Paranormal theme, Police Investigation, Problematic Ending, Puzzling Conclusion, Romance, Unusual

Outer Range (2022)

From Amazon Prime:

A rancher fighting for his land and family discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming’s wilderness.

From Amazon Prime you can stream all 8 episodes of Season 1. Each episode lasts between 42 minutes and about 1 hour.

So far there is only one season. And that season is a real head-scratcher. Wonderful acting, beautiful scenery, interesting plot details. But what on earth is the story about?  Certainly this is a fantasy film (but not a horror film).   Episode 8 ends in a very uncertain manner with no hint of a conclusion.  Is there to be another season or have I really missed the point?

Josh Brolin, who plays Royal Abbott, is probably the best known actor.  He and all the other actors do a really fine job in keeping us confused.

Beats me?!

2021, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Action sequences, Amnesia, Attempted Murder, Based on a Book, Binge worthy, Bizarre Episodes, Bromance, Cancer theme, Complicated, Contract Killing, Contract Torture, Corrupt policemen, Dancing, Detective, Disturbing Image, Everybody lies, Flashbacks, Forensics, Friendship, Harlan Coben, Maudlin, Mediocre Acting, Missing Person, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Occasional gore, Occasionaly violent, Plot mismanagement, Psychopath, Reconciliation, Ruthless Killer, Serial Killer, Surprise Ending, Torture, Unexpected Ending

Stay Close (2021)

From Netflix:

As her wedding approaches, Megan Pierce is troubled by a visitor from her past. Det. Mike Broome finds a new disappearance reminiscent of a cold case.

From Netflix you can stream 8 episodes of this Harlan Coben mystery thriller. Each episode lasts about 50 minutes.

Harlan Coben is a very successful writer whose stories are always clever and gripping.  Sadly this particular adaptation, while still worth a binge watch, has a few flaws. For example, at the end of episode 6 Megan and her daughter are trapped in a locked room in the police station while the assassins have gained entrance to the building and killed an officer. But at the start of episode 7 Megan and her daughter are somehow perfectly safe and being interviewed by police officers.  Such “miracle resolutions” seem to occur often in streaming thrillers, possibly because the writers could not find a way out of a messy situation.

Acting is not first-rate.  Scenes between detective Michael Broome and bar owner Lorraine are often mawkish.

Among the villains there is a man and woman couple who as hired assassins, while on route to torture and kill someone, suddenly break out into a Broadway dance routine. Talk about strangely inappropriate!  However, the couple portray perfect psychopaths.

But never mind these objections. For me and for other reviewers the final conclusion is a shocking revelation.  Give this show a B+ and enjoy the gore.

2017, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Action sequences, Amazon Prime MHz Choice, Amnesia, Athletes, Bloody scenes, Corrupt policemen, Corrupt Politicians, Corruption, Could Be Hard To Watch, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Failed Romance, Forensics, Game hunting for humans, Gay theme, German, German Air Force, German Detectives, Homophobia, Journalist, Kidnapping, MHz Choice, Mother-son relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Personal Betrayal, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Sex trafficking, Single Mother, Soccer, Suicide, Undercover police work, Upsetting ending, Violent

Tatort: Lindholm (2017)

From MHz Choice:

Lone wolf detective Charlotte Lindholm has an uncanny talent for solving crimes and fumbling all personal relationships.

MHz Choice ($7.99 per month in 2021) can be purchased directly or through Amazon Prime. From MHz Choice you can stream the 12 episodes of the only season available. Each episode lasts about 1.5 hours. German with English subtitles.

From Wikipedia:

Tatort (“Crime scene”) is a German language police procedural television series that has been running continuously since 1970 with some 30 feature-length episodes per year, which makes it the longest-running German TV drama. Developed by the German public service broadcasting organisation ARD for their channel Das Erste, it is unique in its approach, in that it is jointly produced by all of the organisation’s regional members as well as its partnering Austrian and Swiss national public-service broadcasters, whereby every regional station contributes a number of episodes to a common pool.

Charlotte Lindholm is a smart, determined, and courageous detective, as well as a single mother raising her young son. Throughout the episodes she will have many romantic relationships, none of which succeed.

Of the 12 episodes, number 10  “The Smooth Death”  is unsettling because the “bad guy” wins.  Sometimes in a series, one episode will have the evildoer win only to be followed by an episode in which justice prevails. Sadly, not so with this difficult episode.

Each episode is very tense and can be unnerving to watch. If that appeals to you, then

DO NOT MISS!

 

2020, Abduction, Action sequences, Amnesia, Bad Acting, Barely Acceptable Trash, Brother-Sister relations, Conspiracy, Corny, Detective, Ends in Cliff Hanger, Extramarital Affair, Failing Marriage, Government cover-up, Government human experiment, Government mind-control, Human experimentation, Kidnapping, Lesbian Theme, Love Triangle, Marital Infidelity, Maudlin, Mother-son relations, Must suspend disbelief, Netflix Streaming, Often downright silly, Paranormal theme, Plane Disappearance, Religious Nonsense, Short-lived suspenseful episodes, Sometimes seems silly, Suspense

Manifest (2020)

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From Netflix:

When a plane mysteriously lands years after takeoff, the people onboard return to a world that has moved on without them and face strange, new realities.

From Netflix you can stream two seasons of this fairly awful series. Season 1 has 16 episodes and season 2 has 13 episodes.  Every single episode lasts exactly 42 minutes, which may have been the only technical achievement of the series.

Holy Maudlin!  There were enough tears shed during this slop opera to irrigate California.

Holy Unbelievable! Find yourself in a tight spot?  Just invent some miraculous paranormal intervention.

Holy Gullible! How on earth could I watch all 29 episodes expecting to be satisfied with the ending.  Perhaps it is because I LOVE TRASH.

MISS!

2020, Acceptable for teenagers, Acceptable Trash, Amazon Prime, Amnesia, Chick Flick, Comic Moments, Ends in Cliff Hanger, Father-daughter relations, Flashbacks, Incomplete ending, Love Story, Murder, Nudity, Sex Scenes, Somewhat trashy, Vulgar

Upload (2020)

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From Amazon Prime:

From the Emmy-winning Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks & Rec) comes a hilarious new sci-fi comedy. In the future people can upload their consciousness to a luxurious digital afterlife. When party boy Nathan gets uploaded to a virtual resort he meets the down-to-earth Nora who starts as his customer service “angel”, but becomes so much more as she helps him find friendship, love and purpose.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 10 episodes of season 1. Each episode is roughly 30 minutes.

Digital effects are a large part of the attraction in this series although basically the story is a romance between Nathan and Nora.

However, in the very last episode ten Nathan is interrupted mid-sentence and that is the end of the season. Moreover, there remains the unsolved question of whether Nathan was murdered. For these reasons there MUST be another season in the future.

You can label it trash or just sit back and enjoy the nonsense.

2019, Acceptable for teenagers, Acorn TV, Amnesia, Boating, Detective, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Dutch, Dutch detectives, Extramarital Affair, Failing Marriage, Father-son relations, Forensics, Jealousy, Marital Infidelity, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Plot Twist, Postpartum Depression, Revenge, Suicide, Surprise Ending, Violent

The Schouwendam 12 (2019)

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From Acorn TV:

Decades ago, teenagers Olaf and Alice disappeared from the Dutch village of Schouwendam without a trace. Then an unknown man suddenly turns up in town with no memories but a clear resemblance to Olaf. The residents are forced to confront the mysteries of the past, but who is lying and who is telling the truth? As new fatalities occur, the community is riven with fear in this Dutch-language drama.

From Acorn TV you can stream this 10 episode one season Dutch mystery drama. Each episode lasts about 45 minutes. English subtitles. Now and then the characters speak English.

As this mystery proceeds, one by one residents of this small town are being murdered. Meanwhile the newly appeared “Olaf” who is suffering from amnesia keeps trying to discover if he really is Olaf.

As a subplot the young policeman Pim must contend with his wife and newborn infant because his wife is suffering from serious postpartum depression.  This becomes relevant to the mystery solution.

To help Pim a new superior  woman detective Karlijn van Andel  arrives on the scene.  Her personal story also becomes relevant to the plot.

Be prepared for a very surprising final episode.

Well worth your time.

Amazon Prime, Amnesia, Clever Plot, Conspiracy, Drugs, Ethical struggles, Government cover-up, Government human experiment, Harmful Medicine, Military, Paranoia, Psychological Thriller, PTSD, Suspense, Uncategorized, War Veterans

Homecoming (2018)

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From Amazon Prime:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes, including Best Drama Series. Good intentions. Erratic bosses. Mounting paranoia. Unforeseen consequences spiraling out of control. Heidi (Julia Roberts) works at Homecoming, a facility helping soldiers transition to civilian life. Years later she has started a new life, when the Department of Defense questions why she left Homecoming. Heidi realizes there’s a whole other story behind the one she’s been telling herself.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 1 season, 10 episodes of this complete story.  Each episode lasts approximately  a half hour.

Julia Roberts  ( age 57) is no longer a young romantic figure. Instead she does a credible and serious job as a woman unwittingly caught up in a sinister plot that takes awhile to reveal itself.

Bobby Cannavale  (age 48) does a superb job at portraying an amoral and smooth operator in the destructive enterprise.  Here is a man who can put a verbal deceptive spin on whatever scheme his corporation is concocting.  We see a lot of this  behavior nowadays (in plots and political life and military life): characters that convince you that everything is just fine and legitimate using standard business world speech patterns. Meanwhile, in reality, nasty things are happening.  Vietnam?

Stephan James (age 25) is somewhat of a newcomer.  His role here as one of the many victims is well done and convincing.

However, of all the characters I most admired  how Shea Whigham presented Thomas Carrasco, a determined and humble Department of Defense cog-in-the-wheel who stubbornly refused to stop investigating.

Because the episodes are so short, it is easy and compelling to binge straight through to the end.  When you have finished, ask yourself if such a thing could really happen.

2015, Acceptable for teenagers, Amnesia, Brother-Brother relations, Drama, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Forensics, MHz Choice, Murder, Murder Investigation, Mystery Film, Norwegian, Norwegian Soap Opera, Romance, Small Town

Acquitted (2015)

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From MHz Choice:

After having success in Asia, businessman Aksel Borgen is asked back to his hometown in Norway to save an important local firm despite it being 20 years since he was sentenced and later acquitted for murdering his high school sweetheart.

IMDB gives a better summary:

Acquitted follows the story of Aksel Borgen, a Norwegian business man who has worked his way to the top during his 20 years in Asia having left his native town after being acquitted of the murder of his high school sweetheart. When his home town’s cornerstone business is threatened by bankruptcy, Aksel returns to save the place that once turned its back on him. The past has not been forgotten. His arrival tears old wounds apart and new conflicts arise as the past meets the present. Acquitted shadows a battle of guilt, revenge and hope of reconciliation, the man who pleaded not guilty is still judged by society.

From MHz Choice you can stream this Norwegian soap opera disguised as a mystery. Season one consists of 10 episodes and season two consists of 8 episodes. Each episode is approximately 45 minutes.

Revised review:

Perhaps the devil made me do it, but I watched Season two.  In this glorified soap opera the story details become more and more “revealing”, or should I say “outrageous”. Therefore, if you watched season one, don’t assume you know any outcome.

Season one is devoted to discovering who murdered Aksel’s girl friend. In fact for the entire season Aksel, who has amnesia surrounding the event, agonizes over finding the answer. In the final episode of season one you may think you know the identity of the killer.

But hold on! What tangled webs we weave ere we practice to deceive. WARNING: if you binge watch to end of season two (as I did) you might not be happy!

And why would I waste so much time? Because I LOVE TRASH!