Mercy – Movie Review

TL;DR – This is an insipid, soulless, and excruciating attempt to appear relevant, but it ends up having little genuine intellectual fortitude.

Rating: 1.5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid to watch this film.

A ticking countdown clock.

Mercy Review Introduction

Now, I’ll be honest from the outset, while I always try to go into a film not knowing the general reaction towards it, sometimes you simply can’t escape finding out. In that vein, I did know that Mercy was generally considered a bit of a dumpster fire before I walked in, but people and critics can be very wrong, so given the cast and the premise, I was ready to give it the benefit of the doubt. I should not have given it the benefit of the doubt.  

So, to set the scene, in the not-too-distant future, Los Angeles is under attack from crime, civil disturbance, and a court system about to fail. To change that up, they institute the Mercy System, where violent offenders of capital crimes are sent to the Mercy Court, where an AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson) gives them 90 minutes to lower their guilt probability to under 92%, or they are instantly executed. One of the early proponents of this new system is LAPD Detective Christopher “Chris” Raven (Chris Pratt), who supported it after his partner (Kenneth Choi) was killed in the line of duty. Which is unfortunate for him, because he now sits strapped to a chair with that same AI judge staring down at him watching a clock count down and a guilt probability that he killed his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis), sitting at 97.5%.

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Iron Lung – Movie Review

TL;DR – A film that is all-vibe, but it leans into that vibe with a gusto you rarely see.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid to watch this film.

A flashing light.

Iron Lung Review Introduction

Today, we are diving [pun intended] into some fascinating independent cinema: a film made from an Indy video game, and then independently financed by a YouTube star in their directorial debut. That is such a fascinating combination that I had to take a look.  

So, to set the scene, sometime in the future, a calamity has occurred where every inhabited planetary system disappeared in a catastrophe called the Quiet Rapture. Only those living on artificial structures survived, and there are not many humans left. Humanity is heading fast into extinction when a random moon AT-5 is found covered in an ocean of blood. Using convicts, they explore this ocean for answers. One of those “volunteer” pilots is Simon (Mark ‘Markiplier’ Fischbach), a man with a lot of blood on his hands. He is welded into a submersible called SM-13 and sent to the bottom of the ocean to explore, only to find there might be horrors in an ocean of blood.

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Fallout: The Handoff [S2E7] – TV Review

TL;DR – It is an episode that shows the strength of the world when it leans into its foundation, but also highlights some of the issues that have been bubbling away this season.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription used to watch this series.

Stephanie walks away from a murdered border guard.

Fallout: The Handoff Review Introduction

Well, we’re getting to the pointy end of the season where people start making a mission to breach impenetrable fortifications, and evil corporations make evil plans to be evil. However, while it is gearing up for a final, it doesn’t mean there aren’t a few more curveballs to throw out there.  

So, to set the scene, before the bombs dropped, China had invaded Alaska, and America, in its wisdom, decided the best way to get troops up there was to invade and occupy Canada, and oh, also, all those Canadian resources didn’t hurt. To catch up to the present, well, their present, Lucy (Ella Purnell) is trying to work out how best to bring Hank (Kyle MacLachlan) to justice, the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) is teaming up with Maximus (Aaron Moten) to save Lucy, and things are not looking good in nearly all the Vaults. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there may be [SPOILERS] ahead.   

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Shrinking: My Bad [S3E1] – TV Review

TL;DR Shrinking is the kind of show that has cornered the market in laugh-crying your way through an episode, and this first outing back is no different as Harrison Ford hits both of those emotions in the first five minutes.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the AppleTV service that viewed this series.

Paul scares Kimmy by driving.

Shrinking Review introduction

Well, it is time to check back in with everyone’s favourite ‘probably dysfunctional friend group, but since most of the characters are therapists, we probably won’t bring that up’ television family. This is such an odd show because on paper it does not really work, but then you sit down, turn it on and find yourself laughing/crying your way through it. That was at least the case for Season One and Season Two, but can Season Three land those same feels? Well, let’s look at the opening double-parter to see how they will go.   

So, to set the scene, things are looking up for the group of friends working their way around life, love, and finding themselves. However, while everyone is growing and changing, life finds its way to throw curveballs everywhere. Jimmy (Jason Segel) wants Alice (Lukita Maxwell) to get into Wesleyan, but he is very not ready for his daughter to move across the country for college in Connecticut. Paul’s (Harrison Ford) Parkinson’s is progressing, and he can’t hold a pencil anymore. But nothing prepares you for the reason someone says, “My bad”. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.  

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