Necrotongue

I still find myself wondering why, years ago, I thought this movie deserved two stars. The performances of Diane Keaton and Robin Williams were especially grating. And to top it all off, there was the queen of fake smiles and the wishy-washy Topher Grace. I might have been able to see past all of that if the screenplay wasn't such terrible crap, irritating and boring me with its clichés. The romance and cute moments almost made me puke on Robert De Niro's shoulder. / Lesson learned: Planning to get married?  Suit yourself...

Today, I realized that age has started to affect my enjoyment of certain things, including this movie. Its rewatch didn't quite hold up due to my aversion to children's organizations and the fact that many of the jokes just didn't have the same impact they once did. There were still moments that made me chuckle, like those inventive ways of killing the undead and long-legged beauties wielding twelve-gauge shotguns. Overall, I still had a decent time with the movie, but I couldn't ignore how the creators ventured into humor outside my comfort zone and leaned into clichés and sentimentality. These factors led me to lower my original rating, though going below three stars wouldn't feel fair to me. / Lesson learned: Before the zombie apocalypse hits, it might be helpful to learn the lyrics of some Britney Spears songs.

In the fifth episode, not much work was done. Instead, the focus was mostly on the intricate web of relationships among individuals of the Homo sapiens species (well, for the most part), and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There have certainly been moments in my life where Moss's brilliant lying skills would have been of great use to me, so I could fully relate. / Lesson learned: Always conduct basic research before going on a date.

The fourth episode had me in stitches. Richmond was absolutely fantastic, and I enjoyed his reminiscing about long-gone times. Anyway, it's terrible when someone shows up at your workplace willing to destroy the rainforest just to satisfy their curiosity. It's no use explaining it to these people, not even using sign language. / Lesson learned: Feeling down? Listen to Cradle of Filth, and Dani will get you out of it.

I didn't get the chance to award a full five stars again, as the creators practically omitted the agency in this episode (except for some minor details) and once again focused too much on the hardships of Donovan's personal life. It had the usual abundance of drama, so this episode wasn't boring, just lacking more variety. / Lesson learned: Always be present when any changes are happening in your apartment.

The movie is pretty silly, but the creators didn't aim to make viewers overthink. Instead, they served up a rollercoaster of action-filled entertainment. I wouldn't recommend this film to those seeking an artistic experience or to anyone who finds a dental visit traumatic a week in advance. However, if you're in the mood for a mentally undemanding, action-packed thrill ride where you'll discover that knives aren't the most dangerous kitchen tools, grab your raincoat and dive in. / Lesson learned: In experienced hands, even yogurt can be a deadly weapon.

If nothing else, this film was constructed in an interesting way. It reminded me of a Matryoshka doll (or Russian nesting doll, as some might know it). It had this story within a story within a story format. While I could see through the attempt to add depth, I have to disagree with those who found it boring. Personally, I found these actionless ninety minutes enjoyable because they stirred up unexpected thoughts and emotions in me.

This episode took a different turn from the previous ones. Witnessing a geek delve into a social experiment was... quite unusual, to say the least. I thoroughly enjoyed both basic setups, and Katherine Parkinson's performance was a delight. Her delicate laughter is bound to haunt me at night for quite some time. / Lesson learned: Women want bastards because of their fathers. Not my words, Freud's.

This episode left me a bit perplexed. I was wondering if my brain did a somersault because this felt like the start of a new season (and not just because of those weird mustaches). Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad or unfunny, it just didn't captivate me as much this time. / Lesson learned: You can profit even from an initially unfortunate turn of events.

An obvious five stars. How did they manage to pack so many quality moments into less than thirty minutes? It had everything: shoes, anti-stress training, fire, a showdown between a woman and Godzilla, serious injuries, and empathetic Denholm Reynholm, who would undoubtedly have a successful career in any line of work where torture is used. All of that made in Britain. / Lesson learned: If Cinderella's glass slipper doesn't fit, push harder!!!