sierrakilobravo Reviews

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Not as bad as Solo, but it's easily the worst of the sequel trilogy.

[4/10 · 21 December 2019]

It's finally arrived, and somehow I managed to avoid any spoilers for Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, the final chapter in what has come to be known as The Skywalker Saga.

I will be talking spoilers later, but I will make it super clear before going there.

First, the good stuff. It was nice to see Carrie Fisher in this, despite passing away, she had a much bigger part than I expected. Secondly, there were two very unexpected throwback cameos, which made my eyes light up and put a big smile on my face. Thirdly, I had said after watching the previous movies that I hoped there would be some explanation as to the Mary-Sue-like abilities that Rey has. There is an explanation for her force abilities (but not really for other things like her ability to expertly pilot a variety of space ships).

General Pryde was also great, finally we have First Order General who is a bad ass and has that intimidating air about him like the upper echelon of the Imperial forces of old. He was really underused though, I think.

Apart from that, I'm genuinely struggling to think of anything else that I enjoyed in this.

I just found myself shaking my head time and time again through it. The opening 30 to 40 minutes is absolutely frenetic and rushes along at such a pace that it makes your head spin. It then slows down a little bit, but continues jumping all around all over the place and bounces runs from being a macguffin treasure hunt, to being a big confusing space battle. It was fade wipe fade wipe fade wipe with hardly anything in between.

This movie has video game plotting and I doubt anyone could explain the plot in detail after one viewing.

And speaking of plot, this relies wayyyyy too much on convenience and coincidence. At several points its like "oh man we can't do this thing without one of these things, oh look here's one of those things" and then run off to the next thing.

The dialogue, especially in the first act is so so bad. The line reads were stiff and wooden, and extremely unnatural. I can't believe these were the best takes for the edit. They felt shoehorned in as exposition.

And in other parts it was just the same lines repeated different ways. You might remember the "they fly now?" scene from one of the teasers - this type of repeating dialogue happens quite a few time through the Rey / Finn / Poe scenes. It was just irritating.

And as for the contents of that dialogue. Some absolute key plot points that needed explanation were glossed over in a passing comment. Apart from a throwaway comment which was, I think, nothing definite, just a character taking a guess, I'm sure there was no explanation as to how the Emperor was still alive (I am happy to be corrected on this).

There was just so much stuff that made me shake my head, and I can't really talk about them without talking spoilers, sooooo

SPOILERS BELOW

So where to start? Okay so, Leia's a bloody Jedi now? Huh? When on earth did she find the time for this? And not just a Jedi, but a MASTER? And one that could train an apprentice? Huh?

Or how about how the second Death Star that exploded into nothing, yet there are enormous chunks of it on that planet's surface, big huge cavernous sections, not to mention intact stormtrooper armour, and the worst of all THERE'S STILL GLASS IN THE WINDOW OF THE THRONE ROOM.

The stupid map on the knife thing was straight out of National Treasure or The Goonies. You're telling me that the wreckage never once moved in all those big waves enough to mess up the alignment? Or how about how they just happened to be at the right place on the shoreline to be able to line it up? Coincidence and convenience are used far too many times to move the plot along.

Then there is the just plain bad film-making - in the final battle Finn and Jannah are on the hull of a Star Destroyer, and in one scene they are setting up a gun to blast the command deck, then we cut away for around 15mins, then finally go back to them, just in time to see them connect a cable that starts firing the gun. What on earth were they doing in the time that passed? Did they just stand around and have a smoke break?

As soon as I saw Rey shoot lightning it confirmed for one of my Rey theories, that she was a Palpatine. As soon as he turned up in the trailer, I guessed she would be a Palpatine. Making her a Skywalker would have been too obvious.

Then one of the biggest sins was one key moment of tension being ruined by the trailer. In that final battle, the small band of fighters are outnumbered and all seemed hopeless. Eeeeeexcept, in my mind I'm thinking "We're at the end of the movie but we still haven't seen that scene from the trailer where there's hundreds of Resistance ships." Sure enough just as Poe has given up hope all the good guys arrived.

Then there was the kiss between two people who wanted to murder each other 24 hours earlier, oh man, I could go on but I think it's pretty clear what I thought of this.

It's claimed to be a part of the Skywalker saga, but this sequel trilogy has very very little to do with any of the Skywalkers.

It's not as bad as Solo, but it's easily the worst of the sequel trilogy.

I think that if the modern Star Wars is all you know, you'll probably like this and think it rounds out the trilogy, if a little rushed in its execution.

I think though that if you grew up watching Star Wars its probably going to leave you feeling a little bit like somethings missing and maybe the magic has gone.

Tell Me Who I Am (2019)

Right in the feels

[10/10 · 28 November 2019]

Tell Me Who I Am is a documentary on Netflix that left my wife in tears and me wondering who was chopping onions in the room. Not since Dear Zachary or Mommy Dead and Dearest have I had a documentary punch me right in my heart and leave me aghast by the end.

It is the story of twins Marcus and Alex who, when 18 years of age, Alex has a motorbike accident that literally wipes his memory. The only thing he can remember is his brother's name, and as he begins to recover, Marcus slowly rebuilds the history of the family for Alex.

Except, Marcus hadn't been telling the full story.

What unfolds is, in parts, quite brutal, gut wrenching, and very difficult to watch. Mrs B and I talked about it for days afterwards. It didn't just make us sad, it made us upset.

A word of warning though, as if I haven't emphasised this enough - it will be very upsetting for a lot people, but it is important viewing, just to help you understand what some seemingly normal people might be dealing with in their private lives. I am purposely being vague because I don't want to give away any details, it's best to go into this blind like we did.

This is not a feel good documentary, but is the sort that will engage you emotionally, play with those feelings, then leave you blinking in disbelief by the end.

Jack Ryan (2018–2023)

Review of season 2

[7/10 · 24 November 2019]

Having really enjoyed season 1 of Jack Ryan on Amazon video, I dived straight into season 2 when it was released earlier this month. Jack Ryan is the character created by Tom Clancy and seen in films such as The Hunt for Red October, Clear and Present Danger, and The Sum of all Fears to name just a few. The TV version played by John Krasinski sees the same earnest character dropped into events critical to the world's geopolitical realm.

Season 2 sees Ryan chasing down bad guys in Venezuela and it's a good fun show. Season 2 ups the action from season 1 and it all cracks along at a great pace. Wendell Pierce returns as Greer and we also get a not-quite-sure-why-she-was-there appearance from Noomi Rapace, and Tom Wlaschiha whom fans of Game of Thrones will recognise plays a great bad guy. Fans of Narcos will also enjoy seeing Francisco Denis playing a big part in proceedings - he is a great actor it's nice to see him popping up in more shows.

Over all this is an excellent follow up to season 1, the story is sufficiently intriguing to keep you guessing, and with 8 episodes of around 45 minutes each, it's easy to churn through as you follow Ryan as he chases down this latest adventure.

The Forest of Love (2019)

Nope

[2/10 · 23 November 2019]

When it ended I yelled out THANK GOD IT'S FINISHED

Suspiria (I) (2018)

Weird, but in a good way or not?

[6/10 · 22 November 2019]

Suspiria is a 2018 movie starring Dakota Johnson, Mia Goth, and Tilda Swinton. It is a remake of a 1977 movie of the same name. If you've seen the original, or seen the trailer for this 2018 version, you'll know that its all a little weird.

So what exactly is it about?

"A darkness swirls at the centre of a world renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up."

So yeah, this is a weird movie and while I really enjoyed aspects of it, I came away from it with mixed feelings. As a re-enactment of avant-garde surrealist cinema of the 1970s, it absolutely succeeds. The film and editing style, and even the set design nails the 1970s film aesthetic. It also mimics the type of camera movements you used to see in films like this from the past, things like when there is a zoom, it is done by physically moving the camera towards a subject rather than through the lens. It is quite a feat of production to make it look and feel like this modern movie was made in a previous era. But this also might have an effect on viewers - if you are not familiar with that old school style, it will all be very jarring.

I think that what gave me mixed feelings about it was that while I enjoyed the visual aspect of it, it's kind of a mess. As an art piece it works very well. As a horror movie it's nowhere near scary enough, as a drama it's not well explained enough, and as a thriller it's not thrilling.

The performances are all strong, with the interactions between Johnson and Swinton being standouts. Goth is convincing as she becomes more aware of what goes on at the dance studio, and the leaders of the studio are all suitably creepy. It's the rest of the package that left me wanting something. I guess it was odd choices like having Swinton play the part of both the dance studio madam and the old male psychoanalyst, or the many plots that go nowhere that made me scratch my head rather than nod along with the outstanding choices made when putting the film together.

If you go into this looking for an arty weird surrealistic rabbit hole dive then you'll certainly have a good time. If you're looking for a logically developing out of the box horror-drama, then I think you'll struggle to make it through the two and a half hour runtime.

The Ranch (2016–2020)

Review of season 7

[6/10 · 19 November 2019]

Season 7 of The Ranch carries on in much the same way as season 6 - that is, it starts off heavy on the drama and then around halfway remembers that it is also a comedy. It's a show that ebbs and flows, and that first half was so weak that Mrs B and I forgot for a few nights that we had started watching the season.

That first half is hard to get through, when there is comedy, some of the jokes are childish and fall flat, and the canned laughter certainly doesn't help.

Once again, the second half is where it gets good. To the point where after the average first half Mrs B and I had decided we probably wouldn't watch season 8, but the season finished in such a way as to make us think that we, in fact, would watch season 8.

It's an odd show, definitely not your usual sitcom. It's like a drama shot in a sitcom style. Good background stuff, nothing too deep, and hey its got Sam Elliot in it and I'll take all the Sam I can get.

The King (I) (2019)

Well worth your time

[8/10 · 16 November 2019]

Brooding and understated, The King is a most excellent recent arrival on Netflix. Covering the life of young King Henry the Fifth as he comes to power it is a long and beautiful film full of strong performances.

Every scene of this seems carefully crafted and the end result is a feast for your eyes. Even when it came to the main battle, they pull off a fight right up there with The Battle of the Bastards in Game of Thrones. It will make you hold your breath and squirm in your seat as it all unfolds. It was very well executed, and might even be the first time I've seen knights in full suits of armour take to the field in a film.

Being a historical story if you are familiar with this part of English history there may not be much here story-wise that is new, but the quality of everything you see on screen makes it well worth your time.

Daddy's Home 2 (2017)

My ten word movie review:

[6/10 · 12 November 2019]

A quality sequel with lots of funny goofs and gaffs.

Unbelievable (2019)

Compelling viewing

[7/10 · 10 November 2019]

Netflix often does a pretty good job with its short run, limited series, mini-series type programs. Its new addition, Unbelievable is another good example of this.

Unbelievable is based on a true story and stars Kaitlyn Dever, Toni Collette, and Merritt Wever. The eight episodes follows two main storylines; the first is the case of a teenager that reports a rape to police and after scrutiny then says she made it all up, the second follows the investigation into a series of rapes in a nearby county.

It's one of those shows that will make you want to yell at your TV. The frustration comes from knowing that this is a true story and that what the various characters go through is based on reality. You can't help but put yourself in their various situations and wonder how you would react. It is a slow moving show, as it should be due to the investigation, and in parts is teeth-grittingly good stuff. All the leads are solid, although at times I thought Collette seemed to be phoning it in a little. Wever was a standout for me, as was Dever, both had scenes that were riveting.

The story and various cases are given the dignity they deserve, and while some of the very brief rape flashbacks might disturb some viewers, it is compelling viewing.

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013–2018)

Review of Seasons 1 - 12

[10/10 · 10 November 2019]

Okay so I am going to share my bias up front here, I am a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain, and if I sound like a fan-boy in this review, that's because I am and shutup you're not my real mom.

Bourdain had a number of TV shows over the years, starting with A Cook's Tour, No Reservations, The Layover, and after moving to CNN, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Covering 12 seasons this show follows Tony as he travels the world, meeting people, and revealing their cultures by way of a shared meal.

The people and stories are reason enough to watch this show, but Tony's knowledge of cinema and music and the way he weaves this into the stylings of each episodes elevate everything to be much much more than your average travel show.

Tony's influence is very evident when you get to the final season. Having died before production on the series was finished, only a couple of episodes feature his commentary. The episodes without, while still of the usual high standard the lack of his voice and viewpoint is sorely noted.

Tony left us far too soon, but left an incredible legacy, and Parts Unknown is just part of his catalogue. It is the best, most consistent non-fiction TV I have ever watched, and I simply cannot recommend it highly enough.

Sit down, pour a negroni, and let Tony open your mind to the big wide world.

Living with Yourself (2019)

A great concept that stumbles in the execution (Review of Season 1)

[5/10 · 8 November 2019]

Since he appeared on Friends I have been a big fan of Paul Rudd, and have enjoyed pretty much everything that he has appeared in since. One of his latest ventures, on Netflix, is called Living with Yourself.

So what's it about?

"A man undergoes an experimental treatment to improve his life, only to be replaced by a new and improved version of himself, and must fight for his wife, his career, and his very identity."

The show starts well and the first couple of episodes were well put together, but after that it fades hard. It starts off with some good weird clone based science fiction-y stuff but then descends into basically a run of the mill love triangle drama-dy. I think that if it wasn't for Paul Rudd being in it, I probably wouldn't have finished it.

It felt to me like the tone was all over the place. It was laugh out loud funny one moment, charming the next, then it would go very dark very quickly. Some shows manage this rollercoaster well, but with Living with Yourself it came off quite disjointed, almost like there were a number of different directors each trying to put their stamp on it.

There are plot lines that are set up and discarded, the jokes start to fall flat as it all went on, and it all finishes in a really meh ending.

It's a shame because the concept has potential (even though its not a new concept), but it stumbles in the execution.

Yesterday (III) (2019)

The best comedy that I saw in 2019

[10/10 · 8 November 2019]

Comedy movies these days seem to contain laughs that are few and far between. Often the best or only laughs are shown in the trailer and the rest is strung together by an uninteresting story. So last year sometime when we laughed all the way through the trailer for Yesterday, we hoped that the movie would deliver on those laughs.

It. Does.

By a long way the funniest movie I've seen all year, Yesterday is a really good time.

Here is the set up:

"Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter in an English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie. After a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that he's the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles."

It's a pretty cool idea and I reckon they did a great job executing it. We were laughing out loud all the way through, and the chemistry between the British cast is great. The skeleton of the story is fairly standard for a rom-com style movie, but the setup of the movie and the main characters journey of figuring out what's up and then capitalising on his discovery give rise to some great philosophical questions. There is a lot jammed into the two hour runtime and it felt like there was never a dull moment.

The music of the Beatles is used to great effect all the way through, and if the final couple of minutes don't make you smile and get your foot tapping, then you have a cold dead heart.

All up it's a fun, lighthearted film, not too deep, but with plenty laughs.

The Red Pill (2016)

Worth a watch no matter which side of the "debate" you are on

[6/10 · 31 October 2019]

In a pretty good example of The Streisand Effect, I had never heard of the documentary The Red Pill until it made the news here in Australia when it was protested, banned, and cancelled. I happened to notice it on Amazon Video recently, and one rainy Saturday afternoon loaded it up.

So what's it about?

"When a feminist filmmaker sets out to document the mysterious and polarizing world of the Men's Rights Movement, she begins to question her own beliefs. Chronicling Cassie Jaye's journey exploring an alternate perspective on gender equality, power and privilege."

In this day and age these subjects are a giant rabbit hole of entrenched camps, so I'm just going to focus on the documentary itself, and not the rights and wrongs of the various groups involved.

Jaye features prominently in this and you can see her struggle throughout. Sometimes when documentarians insert themselves into a story it feels like they take over and become almost too present. But I think she found a good balance between letting her subjects talk and talking herself.

She talks to both men's rights activists and feminists so you do get to hear from both sides. I think she presents her story in a way that is easy to follow, and in such a way that it develops logically.

Where it lets itself down is with some of the production work. The camera is often shaky, the colouring looks weird, and in one case as someone was interviewed in a bar the background noise was so loud that they had to put subtitles on the screen as you couldn't make out what was being said.

Overall I found it to be a very interesting documentary. You can see Jaye's struggle, you can see her realisation that both sides have good points and that what she had believed up until starting this journey had only been part of the story.

Jaye must have known that it would be controversial, and I respect that she had guts to put it out. Lots has been written and said about this documentary and no matter where you fall on the spectrum of thought on this subject matter, I think its worth having a look at.

Married... with Children (1987–1997)

Review of seasons 1-11

[8/10 · 28 October 2019]

Married with Children was on TV at a time when I was young enough to be aware of a risqué night-time sitcom and too young to be allowed to watch it. The entire 11 season run is on Amazon Video and over the last few months I have slowly worked my way through every single episode.

If, for some reason you are not familiar with the show, here is the setup:

"Al Bundy is a misanthropic women's shoe salesman with a miserable life. He hates his job, his wife is lazy, his son is dysfunctional (especially with women), and his daughter is dim-witted and promiscuous."

It really is a funny show and through out all seasons the quality of the comedy remains consistent. While of course there are some dud episodes or moments, overall it's a great source of laughs. What I particularly liked was that it is always played just for comedy, there is no moral lesson at the end, everything is simply done to set up and serve the next joke.

Watching it now in 2019 it made me aware of how we've all changed and how time has moved on. The subjects of some episodes would not fly today, nor some of the jokes, but that's what makes it so good to watch now.

It's a real time capsule of how things used to be, and even now remains a classic series that will still make you laugh.

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (2012–2019)

Review of seasons 1-6

[6/10 · 27 October 2019]

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is a show that has been around for a while, but has only recently arrived on Netflix here in Australia. I've never been a huge fan of Jerry Seinfeld so it wasn't high on my list of shows to watch, but a scan down the guest list revealed a number of familiar names: Jim Carrey, Christoph Waltz, Tina Fey, Barack Obama, Will Ferrell, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Degeneres, Eddie Murphy, Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen, and Ricky Gervais, to name just a few.

There is also a lot of people that I have never heard of, and those episodes became more background TV to me, but the episodes with the familiar faces were quite interesting.

The setup is that Seinfeld, each time in a different kind of vintage or rare car, picks up the guest, and they drive somewhere for coffee. We get to hear their conversation on the drive and at the coffee spot, and the relaxed nature of it all make it quite engaging. They talk about life, comedy, reminisce about old times, it's great. It was nice to see some of these big names chilled out and shooting the breeze with their friend Jerry.

If you haven't watched any episodes, I reckon its worth having a look. Its good rainy afternoon viewing.

Fractured (I) (2019)

My ten word review:

[4/10 · 23 October 2019]

It's far from perfect, just kinda okay. Nothing really special.

They Shall Not Grow Old (II) (2018)

Amazing

[10/10 · 22 October 2019]

Being a jaded movie watcher, it is a rare thing for a trailer to give me goosebumps, but that was very much the case with They Shall Not Grow Old a documentary directed by Peter Jackson. So what makes this stand out from other war documentaries? What was it that gave me the physical reaction?

Well, what Jackson and his crew did was incredible. Not only did they restore 100 year old footage from World War 1, but they painstakingly colourised it, added foley effects, got forensic lip-readers to work out what was being said in the clips, and then got voice actors to speak the words.

The end result is simply stunning. It all opens with the clips as you've traditionally seen them, black and white, seemingly sped up, and silent. While they play, soldiers relate their experience of preparing for war, and then at one point once the story moves to the war itself, the little square clips expand to full screen, fade up into colour, and it all comes alive as the sounds and voices come in. My wife and I both went WOWWWW in that moment of the change, and time and again throughout the runtime we were looking at each other with wide eyes saying "this is incredible".

I can only imagine the amount of work that went into this, and it very much shows on screen. The is an absolute must-see for anyone who has an interest in war, the military, history, or archival footage.

It's amazing.

The Spy (2019)

Well worth your time

[8/10 · 20 October 2019]

The Spy recently arrived on Netflix and to be honest, as it stars Sacha Baron Cohen, I fully expected this to be a comedy. On watching the trailer however, it was quickly clear that this was a straight, serious drama. Here is what it is about:

"In the 1960s, Israeli clerk-turned-secret agent Eli Cohen goes deep undercover inside Syria on a perilous, years-long mission to spy for Mossad."

If you ever needed more confirmation that Sacha Baron Cohen is a great actor, this mini-series will cement this. He is best known for his chameleon like changes for his roles like Borat, Ali G, and Bruno, but in The Spy we see his dramatic range in full force. The story itself is fascinating enough, and his performance makes it even more riveting.

The series is based on a true story and in order for the series to have the best effect, I would recommend that you don't Google Eli Cohen before watching it. Suffice to say, what he managed to pull off is quite amazing. The series conveys quite well what it must be like for a spy to live a double life and keep loved ones in the dark, while juggling the perilous nature of their job. It also manages the timeline well and cleverly communicates time jumps so that you as a viewer can keep up with where things are at.

It is a one off mini-series with six episodes that vary in length from around 45mins to around an hour, and every part of it kept our eyes glued to the screen. It's a tight thriller with a ride of highs and lows and is well worth your time.

El Camino (2019)

The one with the YEAH SCIENCE

[8/10 · 19 October 2019]

Even though Breaking Bad finished around six years ago, it still rates in my mind as the best TV show ever. It is perfect from start to finish, from the story, to the character development, to the cinematography, to the key moments of triumph, pain, and "holy crap I can't believe they did that".

That perfection led me to trepidation upon hearing that there was going to be a Breaking Bad movie. Too often Hollywood has done follow ups, reboots, and remakes that are empty and lifeless, and just come across as them playing on audience nostalgia to make a quick buck. Would the new Breaking Bad movie be the same, or would it be crafted with the same care as the TV series?

The teaser trailer allayed some of those fears and then the full trailer made me think that this might just be alright.

AND. IT. WAS.

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie just got added to Netflix, and if you're a fan of the TV show, then I highly recommend that you watch it. This is one for fans - if you haven't watched the show then very little of this will makes sense. And don't worry if you've forgotten the details of the show there is a three minute recap up front that hits all the main points to set you up for what follows.

What follows picks up moments after the end of the TV series, and carries on with the same careful tone and well thought out development as the TV show. Aaron Paul is outstanding in it, and to see him change his entire acting style depending on whether we are in the present or a flash back was a sight to behold. In the flashbacks he really captured the young and enthusiastic misfit nature of the young Jesse Pinkman and is the stand out of the movie. All the acting is on point, with the scenes with Badger and Skinny Pete a standout.

What I thought was really clever about this is that while its a movie, it plays out like an extended TV episode. It lingers on certain moments longer that you would expect in a movie, and there is no movie-like three act format. And even with those lingering moments it doesn't drag, in fact it covers a lot of ground, while keeping the story moving along towards its conclusion.

So, in summary, if you loved the TV series, this a fitting follow up that brings with it all the stuff you loved, matches its tone and style, and is a perfect companion piece.

El Camino (2019)

The one with the YEAH SCIENCE

[8/10 · 14 October 2019]

Even though Breaking Bad finished around six years ago, it still rates in my mind as the best TV show ever. It is perfect from start to finish, from the story, to the character development, to the cinematography, to the key moments of triumph, pain, and "OMG can't believe they did that".

That perfection led me to trepidation upon hearing that there was going to be a Breaking Bad movie. Too often Hollywood has done follow ups, reboots, and remakes that are empty and lifeless, and just come across as them playing on audience nostalgia to make a quick buck. Would the new Breaking Bad movie be the same, or would it be crafted with the same care as the TV series?

The teaser trailer allayed some of those fears and then the full trailer made me think that this might just be alright.

AND. IT. WAS.

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie just got added to Netflix, and if you're a fan of the TV show, then I highly recommend that you watch it. This is one for fans - if you haven't watched the show then very little of this will makes sense. And don't worry if you've forgotten the details of the show there is a three minute recap up front that hits all the main points to set you up for what follows.

What follows picks up moments after the end of the TV series, and carries on with the same careful tone and well thought out development as the TV show. Aaron Paul is outstanding in it, and to see him change his entire acting style depending on whether we are in the present or a flash back was a sight to behold. In the flashbacks he really captured the young and enthusiastic misfit nature of the young Jesse Pinkman and is the stand out of the movie. All the acting is on point, with the scenes with Badger and Skinny Pete a standout.

What I thought was really clever about this is that while its a movie, it plays out like an extended TV episode. It lingers on certain moments longer that you would expect in a movie, and there is no movie-like three act format. And even with those lingering moments it doesn't drag, in fact it covers a lot of ground, while keeping the story moving along towards its conclusion.

So, in summary, if you loved the TV series, this a fitting follow up that brings with it all the stuff you loved, matches its tone and style, and is a perfect companion piece.

Holmes & Watson (2018)

The one with yet another attempt at the legendary pairing...

[4/10 · 13 October 2019]

Will Ferrell has always been a comedian who gets me laughing, and I remember when I saw the trailer for Holmes and Watson I thought it looked like another chance for a jolly good laugh.

Also starring John C. Reilly, this is a humorous take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic mysteries featuring Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. In this film they have four days to solve a case or else the Queen will become the next victim.

This has some laugh out loud moments, some scenes that will make you snort, and regular lulls in the story.

If you go into this expecting laughs like Blades of Glory, Anchorman, or Step Brothers then you will come away disappointed. But if you set your expectations right and go in looking for low brow humour and jokes strung together by a very basic storyline, you might just have yourself a good time.