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Reviews
Bridgerton (2020)
Great fun for Season 2!
Season 2
More pomp less romp in season 2.
Two new characters join the fray. Two sisters, the older sister Kate (Simone Ashley) Sharma (of SexEd fame) has apparently trained her younger sister in all that it is to be a good and dutiful wife - played by
Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran) who is now out to find herself a catch.
So far so good. Charithra is very pretty, but.. unfortunately she looks about 10 years old. Unbelievably she is 25 years old in real life. This makes for slightly uncomfortable viewing. Her acting is also a bit meh, which jars a bit at times. She is only saved in these scenes by her older sister. Simone Ashley is stunning. She has a face that you simply cannot ignore. Her dark skin and chiselled looks are made for the screen. But it is her acting which steals the scenes for me. I think Simone is going to be a huge star after this.
The story line is thinly veiled. If you want deep and meaningful then don't bother watching. This is a lot of fun. I have no idea why they decided to not have as much flesh this season but it is still very watchable.
Inventing Anna (2022)
Social Comment
First off, I liked Julia Garner's Anna accent. My wife speaks German and has lived in Germany and says it sounds authentic, but I think the point of it is that it sounded nondescript European to an American ear. It was a scam after all, so it didn't have to be overly accurate.
The series runs for 10 hours which is about 5 hours too long in my opinion. I have no idea why American TV loves to draw things out so much. Keep it shorter. Keep it punchy. But each episode looks at the perspective from each of the main players in Anna's life. So while the story plays out, there is a lot of time line look backs which work, but it's kind of done to death throughout the series.
I liked most of the characters, but I didn't love Vivian (Anna Chlumsky) so much. Overly frantic and annoying. Alexis Floyd as Neff was brilliantly played.
But I won't lie, the best bits were Anna's withering put downs, she is like the voice we wish we all had at the right time to say it. The dialogue at these moments was really great and Julia Garner delivers them with relish. I love how, no matter how much she is confronted by overwhelming evidence to the contrary, she manages to flip the conversation and make even the viewer doubt their own sanity.
The whole show revolves around a promise of confidence. Much like the 1954 film The Million Pound Note, starring Gregory Peck, where the mere fact of holding a piece of paper that says you are worth so much, affords you luxury and the opening of doors and bows and scrapes. It gives food for thought as to how we view the social order in today's world, but I'm sure that like me, most viewers will have admired the vision Anna had, and will have also wondered just how this story would have played out if that investment in ADF had actually been made.
Uncharted (2022)
Average romp
If Raiders, The Da Vinci code, National Treaure, The Goonies and James Bond had a love child, this would be it. Cliché filled nonsense, bad acting and an hour too long. But on a positive note.. the wife liked it.
In from the Cold (2022)
Could be better
I was expecting something like Nikita crossed with Long kiss goodnight, but it's a poor distant cousin three times removed. The first fight sequence is pretty decent, but the whole premise seemed way over-stretched and considering it's a series, I was surprised at the amount of licence they took. It starts off in Madrid. Jenny Franklin, a single, divorced? Mum (Margarita Levieva) who speaks little Spanish is looking after a whole team of ice skating schoolgirls, one of which happens to be her daughter. There do not appear to be any other adults helping her which is probably illegal. She then disappears trying to get her daughter some tampons... (Yes seriously). The next thing you know she's kicking hell out of an entire team of CIA agents, despite being "out of the game for decades" and "suffering from having a c-section" giving birth. (This is actual dialogue). Also, the fight scene takes place in a house, but it turns out it's a faked set, made by the CIA... IN MADRID. It would have been more believable if it had just been a regular house.
The girl playing her as a young Anya (Stasya Miloslavskaya) looks like a young Winona Ryder. But back to languages, she manages to speak both Russian and Manderin as young Anya with ease and as an adult, English like a native, but basic Spanish eludes her. It's the 4th most spoken language in the world. (I believe both Levieva and Miloslavskaya are both Russian by birth). The whole first episode seemed really rushed and I'm all for getting to the action, but it was asking a lot of the audience to accept what we are seeing on the screen.
I had a lot of hope for this, but sadly it missed the mark by quite a lot. I actually switched off ten minutes before the end.
No Time to Die (2021)
Back to the good old days
I'm not going to over-analyse this film. Plenty of people here feel the need to, but I was just so happy to see the franchise go back to the fun days of old. Recent Bonds were too gloomy for my liking. This has so many nods to many of old Bond movies, that it was a thrill to suddenly see a car chase that was exactly the style of the ski chase from The spy who loved me, or some music from Russia with love. (There were many more)
I was super impressed by Ana de Armas. She is undoubtedly gorgeous in every conceivable way, but I loved her ditzy yet funny turn as CIA agent Paloma. Her character starts off all innocent and naive, but she can really fight! I wish she featured more in the film.
Overall though, this was a fantastic Bond movie. Probably my favourite of the entire franchise I'll be honest. It just had all the right ingredients for a great movie night. As Daniel Craig's final film in this role, I think he can safely walk away knowing he has raised the bar and whoever steps into his shoes had better be good! I reckon it will be Regé-Jean Page. You heard it here first!
Wilkolak (2018)
Beautiful
I actually recently visited this house where it was filmed and subsequently found out about the film which I then watched obviously with two levels of joy, one because I felt I was there with the children, having been to the house and touched the handle of the front door and explored the outside (I did not go inside), and two because the film is a sheer joy to watch. I was not sure what sort of film it was at all, assuming it to be horror because of the title, but it is not. Simply put, children liberated from a condensation camp find themselves in a house surrounded by trained killer dogs also from the same camp. Dogs and children are in need of food and water. This film could have been played in a lot of ways - complex outcomes, edge of the seat nail biting stuff, but instead you are delivered a rare treat of humility and humanity. And it is beautifully filmed in its simplistic form. The children (up to I assume played to 16 years old) act their little socks off. The direction is sublime. The house is what I would describe as a "folly" in the UK, is exactly as you see in the film and it was thrilling to see it on screen. An utterly brilliant film.
Emily in Paris (2020)
50 year old Dad speaking
Ok. I'm 52. What do I care? So let's see now... reading other reviews... cliché, weak characters, bad acting... blah blah blah. It's like drinking wine. You like, it's a good wine, you don't like? Don't drink it. Get over it. Lily in Paris is fun. Lily is cute. It's a bit of escapism. Paris looks great. It's silly and funny. If it's not for you, fine. Go watch highbrow. But don't comment how shallow this is. Is meant to be. Go away now and don't come back.
Hors de prix (2006)
Shallow maybe, but so much fun!
Audrey is beyond stunning in this film. Elmaleh is equally handsome and charming, but together they bring this film - what could be described as an average rom com farce with a dubious premise - into something really very watchable. It is funny and sad in equal measure and gives an insight into the world of sugar daddies and those that want them purely for financial gain and stability and also about the men after sugar mamas too. If you can overlook this element, it rewards with some great visual gags - the way Elmaleh snaps his expensive watch into view when asking for a light is pure gold. It's a love story ultimately and one with an obvious and satisfying payoff. I personally loved it.
Ted Lasso (2020)
Hidden Gem of the Highest Order
It's an odd thing this TV malarkey. There was a time when comedy, let's face it, barring the odd classic, was just slapstick rubbish. Nowadays TV comedy has grown up. It is a finely honed and well acted affair. But even so, it often leaves a bitter taste when the wheels invariably fall off towards the end when the story line fades into nonsense and fantasy. Or it badgers on with weakening plot lines and changing writers. But even among the gloss and the dross, there will always be that one. The sleeper. The one that takes everyone's unawares. The one that on paper looks like it's belongs to the American Pie franchise, with heavy innuendo and bottom smacking, but is in fact as opposite to that as can be imagined. That, my friends is called Ted Lasso. As perfectly crafted a comedy as is possible. It lulls you in with a simple premise and then takes you on a journey of emotions that makes grown men weep. The American "can do" is a lost cause on the average Brit. We do not like 'a whoopin' and a hollerin'- normally. But this captured my heart in a way that I could never have imagined. Each character is pivotal to the plot and it is simply beautiful in every conceivable way. I have never laughed or cried so much. Bravo to all involved. It would be literally criminal to not have a second and third series.
Greyhound (2020)
Simplistic in approach, masterfully pulled off.
The Atlantic has never looked so vast and imposing. Hidden U-Boats taunting from below and the about turns of huge ships avoiding torpedoes makes for a great watch. This movie is so fast paced, you reach the end wondering how you got there. Through the eyes of the Captain, you see and wonder how in the hell one brain can take in the danger coming from all sides and deal with it. What is apparent though is that he makes all these decisions based on the professionalism of the sailors surrounding him. They are the strands of constant monitoring and information passing that make this so compelling a watch. The constant bombardment of danger. The ever pressing need for sleep and food. It's a fresh take without the usual Hollywood buffing of the past. Outstanding.
For All Mankind (2019)
Halcyon days of wonder.
I was born in 1968 in the UK. Man had not been to the moon. I get a kick out of this fact and so when the 50 years celebrations happened last year, I lapped them up.
When I spotted this on Apple + , I was immediately drawn to the subject matter and started to watch. I had not seen any trailers at all and knew nothing about it, so it was a huge surprise to have the plot twist thrown at me in the 1st episode. Up until that point I was hooked anyway, but this took it to a whole new level. Now I was really interested.
The production is epic. I mean everything just pops from the screen. It's like Mad Men in style (especially as everyone smokes pretty much) and the attention to detail is staggering. I especially like the rocket shaped pedal bike in the front lawn.
The story moves at such a pace that boredom is not an option. The digitised shots of the moon are breathtaking. Especially from above the moon. (Surface shots are probably accurate- but do feel like you're on a sound stage). I would love to see this high quality digitised version of the actual landing made, with all of the final 11 minute dramas.
There are heavy elements playing to PC. I could see that being an issue for some, but for me personally- I loved it. I'm also surprised this alternative reality idea got off the ground, considering how proud (and rightly so ) that the Americans are about the moon landing.
But you know... it's TV. Great TV at that. Enjoy it for what it is. Invest yourself in the story. Enjoy the great acting from every person on screen. Enjoy the hazy halcyon days when everything was exciting and new and filled with optimism and badly designed sunglasses. You won't be disappointed.
Stay Here (2018)
Great Transformations!
There are some great transformations here. The format is fresh in the sense of marketing playing forward especially as these are viewed as businesses. Peter is very knowledgeable but his inability to pronounce his T's is really quite grating once you notice them.
Fighting with My Family (2019)
Emotional Rollercoaster
Growing up in the UK in the 70s I was treated to Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks. Two huge northern wobble bodies in spandex. Not pretty. Then decades later WWE arrived from the US. It was splashy and trashy and everyone was a bit nastier but certainly a lot easier on the eye. But, somehow, it just wasn't for me. When fighting with my family came along however, it seemed to mash those two worlds together and I thought I'd give it a go.
I had watched a trailer a while ago and thought it was a comedy. It certainly is funny- very funny in fact, but it also had something I was not expecting- fantastic acting and real depth. Based on a true story about a crazy British family who are broken and shattered by a criminal background but are somehow saved by wrestling and the dream of one day travelling across the pond and making it big in WWE.
Written and directed by Stephen Merchant, I should have known this would be better than most, but the central performances by Florence Pugh and on screen brother Jack Lowden are mind blowing. The film is not without cliches, but it delivers at a pace and is never dull. Incidentally it was great to see the real family at the end and you realise that over the top portrayal of the family had actually been underplayed when you see the real thing. The Dad in particular played brilliantly by Nick Frost is someone you really couldn't imagine exists in real life- but he does!
I loved the blind kid. I loved the heart and soul of the film. It is told from the perspective of love within a non conformist family and it works. I would be interested to see how American audiences reacted to this very British viewpoint of a very American dream.
One thing I never expected is that I now have a real respect for WWE. I get how it works. Florence Pugh is extraordinary and this film would have fallen apart had they not cast her. Watch it. It's better than you could ever imagine.
The Capture (2019)
Do we view CCTV evidence as fact?
The premise of us taking CCTV as fact is very interesting. It is used in court cases up and down the country convicting many in the process, but it can be flawed. The most simple flaw is incorrect date and time stamping. And there are technologies out there that can manipulate. Apps on mobile phones are getting so good now that fakes and deep fakes are becoming commonplace. And so now we have "The Capture", giving us a thought provoking angle on our use of CCTV..
Well, for a start I'm loving the London setting. I'm loving the twists. The cabbie twist was particularly good. But there are holes and these are getting bigger by each episode (and I've only watched 1 & 2!) I really hope this isn't another bodyguard with loose endings and conveniently ignoring the facts of earlier episodes. But I'll go along for the ride. The acting is great especially from the female leads. I'm really hoping everything ties up. But at the end of the day it is a TV show. It's entertainment and more's the point it's British, so for all of that, I'm sure it will be brilliant.
Yesterday (2019)
Lily James Shines
This is an in your face unashamedly see through clichéd riddled movie with a heart as big as a mountain. Sure you can pull it apart and be a high brow armchair critic, but this film isn't trying to pretend to be anything it isn't. It is a fun, happy, well acted (OK Sheeran may be the exception here!) film with great songs (obviously). Lily James is exceptional in this. Even dressed down she looks like a goddess. My only criticism is the overworked joke of song titles being misheard, but other than that it's a fun, brilliantly funny and happy film.
Stan & Ollie (2018)
An exceptional piece of film making..
I was filled with sadness and joy watching this film. Sadness because like most actors of the time, Laurel and Hardy were tied to studio contracts. Churning out film after film and not getting the financial rewards seen by today's stars. Also because above all else Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel deserved a lifetime of happiness and financial security. But in life that was not to be and this film touches on their final years.
They are seen having to travel to the UK for a tour and appearances just to make ends meet. It must have been terribly difficult for both men, being so famous yet at the same time keeping up appearances of success for the fans and even from their wives. I know that the film flip flops here and there in terms of accuracy, but it's a film. Screenplays written about historical times are often toyed with, but all is forgiven here.
This film is emotionally sublime. Obviously the leads are exceptionally played by Coogan and Reilly, but this is a four parter. The wives played by Arianda and Henderson give tremendous depth to the dynamics between Stan and Oliver and between them and their wives and also between the wives themselves. The role reversal of how the wives are in character to their husbands is also a great touch. The film draws you in with the warm glow of yesteryear and the set pieces are recreated with love and affection for the two men. For fans of L&H, they will be pleased to know that even the tiny mistakes in the routines are even faithfully recreated.
Reilly brings Hardy to life in a way that just fills you with happiness. The prosthetics are rediculously realistic. It makes for a full journey of belief that you are watching Oliver Hardy. For me however (and I think I'm probably alone in this one) Coogan pips the post. His Stan Laurel has so many more dimensions. The on screen persona is well documented, but the off screen? Not so much. But here we see Coogan bring an utterly believable Stan Laurel to the big screen. We see him play the off screen Stan - with a much more serious, intelligent and creative side that maybe not many were aware of. Coogan is well known for his characters (especially here in the UK), but this was on a whole new level. It's hard to imagine that someone who once played a character called Pauline Calf (a female northerner who loves men..) could transform so totally... If you have not seen Coogan in this role.. Prepare yourself!
This film deserves every award thrown its way. Not just the actors but in every aspect. It truly is an exceptional piece of film making.