Change Your Image
robertjwcourtney
Reviews
Hemisphere (2023)
This cheap production has a better storyline than most high-budget Sci-Fi films
This cheap production has a better storyline than most high-budget Sci-Fi films
Forget the "spare bedroom set" (like, why would a spaceship have colonial shutters and laminate flooring?!), the dodgy equipment (fat laptops with USB plugs), etc., etc. And focus, instead, on the story.
- AI that is given absolute control and is used to evaluate every move and decision of the human user
- Highly commercialised space and planet-exploration, where decisions are taken against stock market decisions
- An employee base made up of underpaid individuals recruited solely to keep their lives afloat
- I could go on with the details of an excellent plot
Think of it as a stage production and it is really captivating, and very clever.
Eldorado - Alles, was die Nazis hassen (2023)
Lots of self appointed experts voicing opinions
Lots of self appointed experts voicing opinions, with a worrying lack of facts. I'm concerned where Netflix documentaries are going, as they appear more and more to be a vehicle for politics and opinion, and allowing very little space for actual historical narrative. While there are some really excellent subject matter experts involved (mainly the German speaking historians), their credibility is undermined by a number of non-academic commentators. It's really disappointing because this is a fascinating subject that needs intelligent and educated analysis and interpretation but; instead, it's reduced to some student debate.
Manhunt (2024)
Excellent except for the casting
It's hard to look past the absolutely terrible casting of Hamish Linklater. His dreadful depiction of a president at least 20 years older, and much greater in presence and statue than he can carry off, just leaves the story to flounder along. Every time he makes an appearance it just throws up the incredulity of his acting the president. Otherwise, the acting is great, the story line catching enough. It's just those scenes where the unfortunate Linklater comes on, uncomfortable in his own presence, with a terrible false beard, that make this series much less great than it could have been. I'd probably suggest reading the Wikipedia entry o stead, which has seemingly been updated to reflect the entire script.
The Mosquito Coast (2021)
Out and out prejudice against Mexican people.
This series strives to enforce every single known negative stereotype about Mexican people. Did Paul Theroux set out to be so offensive? The overall story and production were great, but the underlying and, frankly, sinister depiction of Mexicans as a people who can't keep themselves away from drugs, violence and crime is depraved.
Acting, in particular from the kids, is excellent. Justin Theroux pulls off an altogether convincing character but, in my head, the damage was done with the awful depiction of Maxicans as some no-good-for-nothing people.
Shame Paul Theroux didn't think this through better.
Bad Sisters (2022)
Could have been so good but...
Bad Sisters looses the plot with too many incredible twists. Shame because every other element stacked up. Lt's a shame because it started so well and the story was near perfect for the first 3-4 episodes. But spinning this out over 11 episodes was seriously stretching it too far. The acting is incredible though and the sisters pull off a near perfect act - as does the actor playing the vile character of Jean-Pierre. Direction is also first class. I can only assume the commissioning channel insisted on a 10+ episode and the production company gave in to that demand. Such a shame because I'm sure many viewers gave up as it dragged on.