Here we go again. This time, a near endless supply of franchise sequels and mediocrity in the movie department and a small selection of TV show with mixed results.

(Update 2023: Added five-star-ratings [may diverge now from what I had in mind, years ago, when I wrote the text…].)

Film

Lawless (2012)

Powerful cast, semi-interesting story. It’s OK, but nothing special.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Sushi Girl (2012)

List of interesting actors, but unfortunately in a very uninteresting story. Low-budget Wanna-Be-Tarantino; skip it.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Better than the first one (which I found terribly boring and overhyped, but I’m not in the target audience either), but it’s still the kind of factory-made franchise film that I’ll catch only on the seventh rerun on TV, if I must.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Ted 2 (2015)

Seems I’m sucker for punishment, why else would I view this crap? Part 1 was already bad (except for maybe 3 ½ funny scenes), this is worse (with an overly positive view on it, there are now 4 funny scenes). Reminder to self: Do not watch a part 3!
★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 stars

Ant-Man (2015)

*yawn* And here’s this week’s episode of another bland Marvel superhero. A slighty lighter tone than other movies of this franchise behemoth, but other than that, pretty unremarkable. You can watch this, or an episode of “The Six Million Dollar Man”, won’t make much of a difference (well, you’ll probably be better entertained by the latter).
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation (2015)

And yet another entry in yet another franchise. But the action, stunts and quips are entertaining enough for what this series is.
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars

Jane Eyre (2011)

I know, I’m a cultural illiterate, but I knew this only by name, never read the book or watched a movie adaptation. I somehow thought this would be a mystery story, uhm, no, it’s not. Not my cup of tea.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

Nightcrawler (2014)

Recommended; not much else to say.
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars

Minions (2015)

A string of some funny ideas and moments, but as a movie with something resembling a plot, it doesn’t work particulary well. Watchable on a rainy sunday afternoon.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Everest (2015)

Based on a true story — five dreaded words. And even if, this added nothing to the 947 other mountain dramas that are already out there: The story goes as expected and the characters are not very involving… skip.
★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 stars

Cold in July (2014)

I read a (single) positive review some time ago about it and now catched up on seeing it. Wow, what a mess. Plotholes galore, crappy characterization, lacking motiviation for the things that (all) the people do in this film, and it also looked like a cheap TV movie.
Skip it, burn it, never say its name again!
★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 stars

James Bond 007: Spectre (2015)

Franchise movie no. 657. And certainly the worst of all Daniel Craig’s Bond flicks (haven’t seen the older ones in a while, so can’t compare them); even “Quantum of Solace” was better. At times, I tought I’d see an overlong advertising film for a french parfume. Revels in the past, but encases it with a look that is way to slick for its own good. Plot? What plot? And Craig acts as if he was tranquilized while shooting this.
★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars

TV

Hell on Wheels — Season 2

For now, the second-best of the two recent western shows that I know of. But by all means not bad; and the seasons 2 and 3 were a step above the first one.
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars

Hell on Wheels — Season 3

For now, the second-best of the two recent western shows that I know of. But by all means not bad; and the seasons 2 and 3 were a step above the first one.
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars

Fargo — Season 2

Alas, can’t say the same for “Fargo”. The first season, despite its deeply disappointing third act, was a wonderful mix of black humour, violence and crime.

This season lacks the humour completely, action/violence is also very much reduced (except for the one or two occasions, but’s that’s OK, it fits the tone) and the crime aspect wasn’t that exciting either. The media hyped this to no end, but to me it was only OK.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars