The following is a review of the second episode of AMC’s Better Call Saul, which premiered in Europe on Netflix this morning.
If you were, like I was, worried about how (and if) they would handle Breaking Bad-style action on a show like Better Call Saul – then you got your answer in this episode. Though front-heavy, this episode gives us an idea of where Saul Goodman’s Jimmy McGill’s story goes from here. Continue reading “REVIEW: Better Call Saul – “Mijo””
The following is a review of the first episode of AMC’s Better Call Saul, which premiered in Europe on Netflix this morning. Don’t expect a complete recap of the episode.
I’ve seen a lot of spin-offs over the years. Some work – Stargate Atlantis, Frasier – some just don’t – Joey, Stargate Universe. It’s all about keeping the feel of a franchise, without overtly copy-pasting – and making something great out of characters that might’ve once been little more than stock characters. In this – the first ever Better Call Saul-episode – we are treated to a very interesting take on the greatest attorney from one of TV’s best ever shows.
I think we all feared the worst, when it came to Better Call Saul. Sure, Gilligan would still be involved, but nothing’s safe when it comes to spin-offs. Thankfully, AMC, Vince Gilligan, and Peter Gould have given us an interesting new show – one including nostalgia, but, as it turns out, also including substance.
Just like Breaking Bad, this show is absolutely gorgeus. It’s a treat to watch, and I commend the people working behind the camera. Now, I don’t think I ever doubted the writing team – I had expectations – but my main worry was that the show was centered on a character that they could fail to make interesting or poignant.
The opening five-or-so minutes give us everything we need to set off – it’s believable. We’re given an idea of what happened to Saul Goodman after the events of Breaking Bad. We need to believe that this is the guy from the best ever AMC show, and I do believe that will be the biggest challenge for this show – but if you watched the remainder of the episode, then you’re left with a good taste in your mouth.
Bob Odenkirk’s character is as hilarious as always, but we see a different side of him when he has to deal with his brother – and the people involved in his real life. This is very promising, and if this episode is anything to go by – we’re in for a very interesting and peculiar ride.
I enjoyed the parts where he had to guide the skaters, and I thought the court room scene was hilarious – in spite of its macabre nature. The feel is still present, Goodman is at his best – and the show looks amazing.
During the episode, and in particular at the very end of it, we are treated to a lot of familiar faces – and the cliffhanger of the episode left me wanting more. The first episode did its job. I still have my trepidations, but I am hopeful – and this episode was very promising.
I’m Jeffrey Rex
There will be no review grade/score for single episodes.
On the 30th of January Square Enix released the very first episode of Dontnod Entertainment‘s Life is Strange. Very much like the classic Telltale-style of game, this is an interactive, episodic, story-heavy game. The game is about Max Caulfield a female student at Blackwell Academy – whereat she studies photography. Max is a very shy girl, and as the game progresses you are thrown into very clear-cut choices – be heroic, friendly – or be a bully, be nosy. In that respect, the choices seem like those in the inFAMOUS games by Sucker Punch, and thus I don’t think it has that punch that Telltale has – at least not yet.
Again, unlike Telltale-games, the dialogue isn’t very strong – and at times it didn’t feel very natural. Also, I would’ve liked a more experienced Voice Actor as the main character – but then again, everyone starts somewhere. The first episode introduces you to the rewind-mechanic – meaning that you can reverse time. When handled well, this can be fun to do – and I thought it was in the opening episode.
The story is cute – with many inside references – and there are a lot of plotpoints to work out in the episodes to come. The game has a lot of stock characters – the shy girl, the mean girls, the spoiled brat, the jocks, the (to us) not-so-secret admirer, and hipster characters.
The story is really entertaining when you interact with Chloe, an old friend that’s changed a lot since you last saw her. Her family is troubled, and she’s gotten herself into a lot of trouble. An interesting subplot in this game is the disapperance of Rachel Amber – I have some ideas – but we’ll have to see about that. One thing’s for certain, Chloe is in need of help.
As I mentioned, the dialogue isn’t very good – and I’d add that there are some cringeworthy moments. It has a lot of potential though, and I am excited to see what comes next. The art-style has its ups and downs, and it is extremely annoying to constantly have problems with lips not synced with the voiceacting. It runs much smoother than Telltale games, but with that having been said – background characters aren’t that detailed. I do prefer the art-style of Telltale – but the level of quality is much higher here.
I am excited about the future of this game. As a pilot it works really well, the story is interesting – if you snoop around you’ll get some ideas – and it ends with everyone having an idea of what’s to come.
I’m Jeffrey Rex
Last year, I introduced 17 categories – one of which has been discontinued, or at least not considered for the nomination process, this year (PlayStation Vita Game of the Year). This year, I’ll present the following list of categories, which does include new categories:
A total number of 25 categories. 25 winners to be announced today. Please be aware that cinematic and gaming release dates are based on the Danish theaters, so, films from 2014 that premiere in 2015 (in Denmark), won’t be considered for the I’m Jeffrey Rex Awards-announcement. First, let’s dive into some gaming-related awards…
Sometimes sequels just aren’t called for. In the sequel to the 1994 comedy classic, Dumb and Dumber, we follow Lloyd and Harry once again go on a trip across America – this time in search for the daughter of Harry, who has been adopted. There’s some added emotional weight added to the film, seeing as Harry desperately needs to find a kidney-donor.
That’s the overall frame for this feature length journey, and it’s complete with fun nods to the original film like specific dream sequences ending in a certain way, and the vehicle on the film’s poster. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are, of course, back – but while they both act out the comedy extremely well, they aren’t given a lot to deal with. I just don’t feel that a huge chunk of this movie is funny at all – primarily around the time of the point of no return in the third act. That’s not to say that it’s not funny at all, because of course Daniels and Carrey are funny – but most of the jokes are not really that memorable – and the film isn’t instantly quotable.
The thing is that the film borrows a lot of the plotpoints and quotes from the original film – and thus takes some fanservice and turns them into wasted moments of material that feels copypasted. Sadly, I also felt that the parts of the plot that weren’t ‘copypasted’ were predictable. Daniels and Carrey are the real highlights of the film, for there’s nothing else to be excited about. The plot feels similar to the original, the jokes feel similar to the ones in the original and the sidecharacters aren’t that exciting.
While I didn’t hate this movie, I feel that I have to add that the people next to me were so disappointed that they left the film after 30 minutes – and I’m sure they weren’t the only ones wishing they were somewhere else… And that’s sad, ’cause it’ll never get old seeing Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey having fun together.
Overall Score: 4.7 out of 10. Though not completely without laughs or fanservice, this film remains nothing more than yet another comedy classic sequel – and not a single one of them are very good. I loved the original, but this one lost its magic – perhaps this was a missed opportunity.
The following is an updated review of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. It was updated in March 2026, as I felt, upon rewatch, the final score needed to be upped, while the writing did not reflect my current voice.
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar follows Cooper (played by Matthew McConaughey), a NASA test pilot-turned-farmer and father of two, as he attempts to secure a future for his children, who are living in a difficult situation that threatens to only get worse. With violent dust storms and worsening conditions, Earth is falling apart, and the future of humanity is in question. When Cooper’s daughter discovers an anomaly, it becomes the starting off point for a journey that will take him far away, as Cooper is thrown into something much bigger than him and his family, i.e., interstellar travel to potentially save humanity. Cooper’s daughter, Murphy (played by multiple people, but chiefly Jessica Chastain), doesn’t agree with his decision to partake in the journey, as it means leaving them on Earth for what could be decades (and possibly forever), but he feels that he must take this chance to secure a life for his children. As Cooper goes on the mission to travel through a wormhole, encounter a black hole, and evaluate distant planets, the story truly begins.
With the focus on a father-daughter relationship and risky missions into space, this may sound like Michael Bay’s Armageddon, but this film is much more ambitious, scientifically savvy, and cerebral than that. Don’t get me wrong, the aforementioned film can be enjoyable, but the small plot points of films like Armageddon are processed much better here in Interstellar by the Nolans. The themes in this film revolve around family, self-sacrifice, and love. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, and Anne Hathaway, all of whom turn in instantly iconic performances. Shepherded by one of the most intelligent and gifted filmmakers of our time, Christopher Nolan, they deliver what I am comfortable in saying is one of the most breathtaking space-set adventures put to the big screen. There is also an epic surprise cameo in this film that blew me away. I’d like to add that the scenes involving Michael Caine have a lot of weight to them, and that there’s an overall message in those scenes (retrod in the scenes involving the special surprise actor). A message created by poet Dylan Thomas, which is absolutely breathtaking and at times quite emotional. It is a perfect use of a perfect poem.
The film is chock-full of memorable scenes, but none is more emotionally impactful than those that revolve around a message-in-a-bottle communication system, as Cooper sees the effect the sands of time have had on his family and his relationships back on Earth. It is an almost torturously affecting aspect of the film. McConaughey does some of his best work in the scenes wherein he receives videos from Earth. At its core, this really is a film about saving your family, and the sacrifices one is willing to make for love. Those expecting more of a horror sci-fi going in will be disappointed. Nolan, instead, aims for a balancing act of realism and reality-defying love. He focuses so much on theoretical science, but he never forgets that the story inherently has space operatic aspects. The blend works wonderfully, as it is not only satisfying from a cerebral standpoint, but also when it comes to tugging at your heartstrings. It also features breathtaking science-fiction visuals, as Nolan puts awe-inspiring alien planets, a black hole, and reality-defying locations to the big screen. It truly deserves to be watched on the biggest screen possible. It is arguably Nolan’s best-looking film to date.
Though I loved the film, I do think that one may struggle with it and have a less-than-stellar experience if they’re unable to properly relax in the film through suspension of disbelief. Also, though the film does a great job of building a credible father-daughter relationship, I do think the father-son relationship feels underdeveloped. Its biggest swing is in the final act, though, where some elements can feel a little bit clunky or confusing. The extent to which you love this film will depend on how willing you are to suspend your disbelief and go with the emotional core of what is happening rather than overthinking the details of it.
Though the film has an iffy final act, with perhaps a tad too much Hollywood-sweetness added to it, this is a great example of a proper space opera with foundations in a somewhat realistic portrayal of integral sci-fi aspects, but which is unafraid of throwing itself headfirst into the beating heart of the film, even if it may defy our sense of reality. The visuals, performances, and technical prowess make this a near-masterpiece of science-fiction filmmaking with the potential to become a true classic.
– Review written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
The documentary Artifact, directed by Jared Leto (as Bartholomew Cubbins), tells the story of how his band Thirty Seconds to Mars fought the record label EMI. In what is an interesting tale of wronged people fighting back in real life – we are also introduced to the rest of the music world – and we see just how unjust labels are in today’s society.
Now, I’ve said multiple times that I’m a big fan of Thirty Seconds to Mars, but I’ve tried to remain as unbiased as possible in reviewing this documentary. I fully expected to see how their own journey was, but I was surprised at how encompassing their journey was. Not only do we follow the Letos and Tomo, but we also hear from leading musicians from Linkin Park, System of a Down and so on and so forth. It’s really interesting to get an idea of what they went through, and what musicians generally go through – getting bankrupt because of their record label. It’s a sad story, and as Jared reflects later – even if they win, is there really anything to cheer for.
The documentary touches upon David v Goliath, and the idea that you should ‘stick it to the man’ – but one thing that surprised me was how uncentralized the documentary was. What I mean is that this isn’t just the central story of them battling the record label, and other musicians struggling. A big part of the documentary is about showing everyone the origin of the band. I like hearing it, but I don’t think it’s the time or place for this origin story.
Overall Score: 7.7 out of 10. An entertaining documentary that showcases the frustrating lives of modern day musicians. While interesting, though, it does tend to veer from the theme at hand by showcasing an origin story.
In Jason Croot’s sequel to 2010’s Le Fear, we are presented with a director’s goal of creating this horror blockbuster, but when ideas from Nollywood gets thrown around, and a worthless producer comes along, the blockbuster dream falls apart. That is the basic premise of this film by independent filmmaking triple-threat (Writer, Director, Actor), Jason Croot.
Recently, I was approached by Jason Croot to review this film – and I obviously chose to do that. Honestly, I did not know what to expect from this independent comedy horror-parody about filmmaking. In the end, I think it actually turned out okay. Look, it’s not perfect – but for what it is (being a mockumentary-like independent parody) it is pretty good. The film is going to have problems with keeping a general audience happy, due to it having disappointing transitions – and time jumps. But with that having been said, as this niché faux pas-genre piece it works fine. Think Curb Your Enthusiasm or the Scandinavian Klovn – these are faux pas sitcoms, and the film does adopt similar storytelling methods. A fun little side note is the fact that the film’s character introductions have these ‘character-title-cards’, very reminiscent of the Sergio Leone/Spaghetti Western-homage in Community‘s A Fistful of Paintballs-episode.
I have a few problems with the music and score – as it, at times, is too cliché. Some cliché musical-choices could have been acted out, rather than simply played in the background – e.g. at the very beginning when Carlos Revalos (the director) reveals his blockbuster-plans. Speaking of Carlos Revalos – Kyri Saphiris’ performance is probably the best thing in the film. His character also stands out, due to the rest being very stereotypical and cliché.
Now, this is an honest review – as should be clear by now, as I’ve both pointed out things that work and things that don’t. However, do understand that this film is a very good example of faux pas filmmaking – and I do think this is a nice stepping stone for Jason Croot in filmmaking. With that having been said, I do think this would’ve worked better as a short, or a series of shorts – as I believe faux pas often does. I’ve been informed that this film will be released in 2015.
Overall Score: 5.9 out of 10.0. While its form is questionable, it stands as a fine example of independent faux pas filmmaking. I do like these faux pas-tellings, and therefore there is potential – an independent diamond in the rough.
The following is a review of Nightcrawler — Directed by Dan Gilroy.
In Nightcrawler, the directorial debut of The Bourne Legacy-co-writer Dan Gilroy, we meet Louis Bloom (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) a guileful thief, desperate for a chance at a job. As Bloom traverses through Los Angeles at night, he, at one point, encounters Joe Loder (played by Bill Paxton), a so-called ‘stringer’ who makes a living by selling footage of violent crimes or accidents in the Los Angeles nightlife to local news stations. Bloom becomes intrigued, acquires a cam-corder and a police scanner, and slowly begins to climb up the ladder of relative success as an unscrupulous freelance photojournalist. But when Bloom then becomes an employer, he becomes decidedly unhinged. Bloom is a quick learner, and if he wants something, he’s prepared to take it by any means necessary. Continue reading “REVIEW: Nightcrawler (2014)”
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WARNING: EXPECT FULL SPOILERS FOR GONE GIRL Warning over (It’s better to be safe than sorry). Now, I always write this before my reviews, but I will try to steer clear of any spoilers – though, that may be tough with this film – we’ll see how I do.
Gone Girl, directed by David Fincher, stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as the Dunnes. Affleck, Nick Dunne, is introduced right away – and is really the main character in this film. With that having been said, Rosamund Pike’s character, Amy Dunne, is essential to the plot of the film – I’ll leave it at that for now. The plot revolves around Amy having disappeared – presumably killed, or at the very least kidnapped. What follows is a witchhunt – not unlike the one seen in Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt. While this film may look like the simple ‘whodunnit’ tale, it is actually quite unique – and some twists and turns will leave you speechless. That’s the plot, really, but in getting into a review – I’d first like to talk about David Fincher.
Fincher has taken this adapted screenplay and has taken it through the Fincher-process. Fincher is one of the best directors out there, and this film is like every other film he’s attached to. It’s beautiful, it’s on-point – it is David Fincher. One of the things I worried about was the casting, though. Tyler Perry & Neil Patrick Harris seemed like odd choices for their particularly roles as Nick’s lawyer and Amy’s old ‘stalker-boyfriend’, respectively. Really, though, Perry does quite well – and NPH does fine too – however, I’ve not read the novel yet, and I’m curious to find out whether NPH’s portrayal is true to the book.
I like to compare Affleck’s Nick Dunne to Mads Mikkelsen’s Lucas in The Hunt, and the thing is – that while both characters are being chased, or rather speculated upon, their reactions are quite dissimilar. Lucas was angry, but mostly you felt sorry for him – you saw him contemplating his future, you saw people becoming violent towards him. Now, Nick Dunne is a different person – he’s aggressive, he’s angry – but he’s being told to calm down; to fit in. The thing is that he’s too calm, he’s too awkward at media events following the supposed kidnapping of his wife. Affleck does well, but I do think Mikkelsen’s acting performance is superior. The star performance in Gone Girl, comes from Rosamund Pike. She has an Academy-Award-Performance, and it might be tough to understand this if you haven’t seen the film, but her performance is stellar.
The plot is amazing – its twists and turns are mindboggling – and when you combine that with the amazing directorial qualities of Fincher – you get something amazing. Go see this film – not only because of the Oscar-potential of Pike, or the directorial performance of Fincher – but for the twists, the turns, the whodunit of it all. It’s an instant classic in that category.
Overall Score: 9.0 out of 10. Amazing performances – both in front of the camera and behind it – take you on a ride as this terrifying witchhunt transforms itself into something legendary for the whodunit-genre.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 