diverdiva Reviews

Sanditon (2019–2023)

Why call it Sanditon?

[6/10 · 3 November 2019]

If you are going to adapt a Jane Austen piece, even if the original was only a short fragment, then at least follow the source material as far as it goes! This series only uses the setting and (some) of the main characters - the storyline bears very little resemblance to the existing first 5 chapters of Jane Austen's sadly unfinished novel, where she sets up the tone and various character plots quite clearly. The most glaring departure is the character of "Miss Lambe" who is described as a 'half mulatto" (yes, I know this is an objectionable term, but was in common use at the time). She would have been light-skinned, and was described as 'sickly' and was obviously intended to be the love interest of the youngest Parker brother. Although Crystal Clarke is lovely and gives a spirited performance, her character and story arc is in no way Jane's Miss Lambe. The same goes for several other characters either missing, added, or totally unlike their counterparts in the novel. Austen's subtle humour and observations about Regency life are sadly missing also. I have given it 6 start because as a stand-alone, Georgette Heyer-like Regency romance/drama it's enjoyable enough - but as I said in my title WHY call it Sanditon?!

Paris, Wine & Romance (2019 TV Movie)

Poor research spoils an OK story

[4/10 · 2 July 2019]

Can't comment on the pronunciation of the Oregon placenames, but totally agree with the wine expert on all the silly and unnecessary gaffes that the "winemakers" commit! Then, when the restaurant where they convened at the start of the competition was called "Le Lune Bleue" (I don't know what language they were trying for, but if it was French it should have been "LA Lune Bleu - no 'e') I gave up - it was all too distracting from the story. Surely Hallmark can afford better research staff?! Jen Lilley' character was annoying. Dan Jeanotte and the Paris scenery were the only pluses in this movie.

Beauty and the Beast (I) (2017)

Enchanting!

[9/10 · 30 March 2017]

Reading all the negative reviews citing the 'distracting' CGI, Emma Watson not being as good as the animated Belle(!), etc., etc. I wonder what people expect when going to movies like this. Do they leave their sense of wonder at home and just look to pick holes? Well, to summarise my feelings on seeing Beauty and the Beast - I thought it was lovely! It paid respectful homage to the iconic animated original, but can stand on its own two feet as an artistic achievement. The cinematography and set decoration was magnificent, Emma Watson was fresh-faced and feisty as Belle, Luke Evans was a funny and wonderfully hateful Gaston and the musical numbers were well staged (Emma has a sweet voice which suits the songs). Only down side was that we didn't get to see very much of Dan Stevens out of beast mode - but can't help the story-line! I thought that the beast CGI was effective and managed to convey both the savage and vulnerable sides of the character. Go and see it, take your movie critic hat off and prepare to lose yourself in this magical movie.

The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

Entertaining movie with great visuals

[8/10 · 27 October 2016]

Look - it's not "12 Years a Slave" or "War & Peace", but it is old-fashioned entertainment and is in the true spirit of the Edgar Rice Burroughs original Tarzan stories. Yes, lots of CGI, but WTF - who cares? (it was pretty good btw) Unlike some of the other reviewers I wasn't bored at all and would watch it again some time down the track. Although some reviewers, both here and in the professional press, have been scathing about Alex Skaarsgard's casting and said he was wooden, I thought he was an OK fit for Tarzan, who was never a bundle of laughs :) - it certainly didn't hurt that he is ripped as all hell!(I am in awe of these Scandinavian actors who can adopt a flawless English or American accent - Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau another case in point) - and Margot Robbie was a lovely and feisty Jane. The only thing I found irksome was the inclusion of Samuel Jackson's character, who was superfluous to the plot and added nothing to the attractions of the movie for me. I came away from the movie feeling satisfied with an enjoyable and entertaining evening - I don't think it's giving anything away to say the good guys win and the bad guys get their comeuppance and there is an uplifting feel at the end. Sometimes that's all I ask for!

The Missing (2014–2016)

Potential, but marred by slow pace

[19 November 2014]

I was keen to see this, as James Nesbitt usually delivers a very watchable performance and the story looked promising. The pilot episode was very slow, but I accepted that they needed to provide a solid backstory - but having got halfway through Ep 2, I fell asleep! There are a lot of long close-ups and every scene is drawn out to an excruciating length. Each episode could have been culled to a 40 minute duration, which would have made it tighter and more gripping. Nesbitt's character is a bit annoying, which detracts from the empathy you feel for his terrible situation, and I agree with the other negative reviewers that the script is not the best. However, I'll persist - because I do want to find out what happens!

Pride and Prejudice (1980)

Perfect P & P!

[10/10 · 30 March 2014]

This is definitely the quintessential version of P & P! The actors were all perfectly cast and I agree with previous reviewers that Elizabeth Garvie captured the spirit of Lizzie to a 'T' (as did David Rintoul with Darcy). Yes, it's production values are a bit primitive (1979 after all!), but you forget the settings because the script and performances are all so absorbing. True to Jane Austen and completely enjoyable. Quick quibble with some other reviewers, who are obviously Austen fans, but not very 'up' on British history ... P & P took place in Georgian England (George III - late 1700s to early 1800s), not Victorian England (1837-1901). Ms Austen was long dead by the time Victoria ascended the throne!

Gallowwalkers (2012)

Hellish Mess!

[1/10 · 9 October 2013]

I love a good zombie/undead/gore-fest and Wesley Snipes, so was with a feeling of pleasant anticipation that I sat down to watch this movie - within 10 mins I knew that I had been seriously deluded! This has got to rank in my Top 10 worst ever films - it is disjointed, pointless, plot less and incredibly badly acted. Wesley (when it is him on screen and not a long shot double), stands around striking bad-ass poses and does little else except quirk an occasion corner of the lip in the frequent close ups (I presume the filmmakers did this to assure us that it was Snipes, as I gather he spent a lot of this movie in jail for tax fraud!) There are numerous characters that are not followed up or explained (the "young warrior" and the "dancer/whore" - pivotal characters, but what's their point? What happened to the Sisters of San-whatever, that the bad guy spent the movie trying to find - that plot line just sort of fizzled (or maybe I fell asleep at that point!) and what was with the town full of lynching holy roller albinos. The whole movie felt like a terrible mixture of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" meets "Mad Max" meets "From Dusk Till Dawn", with all the good bits cut out and then the rest was given to a 5-year old with an editing machine. Do yourselves a favour and don't waste this amount of your life - I promise you, you'll regret it (and I'm sorry "deletewindowson", but I'm a graphic novel fan, and I feel insulted that you would think I would enjoy this film just because of that!

Vamps (2012)

Woeful attempt!

[1/10 · 26 August 2013]

What can I say? I thought I'd give this a try because of all the glowing reviews on IMDb - maybe have an enjoyable 'chick flick' night in with some popcorn and a few laughs. Besides, a movie with Sigourney Weaver and Malcolm McDowell couldn't be all bad? Boy, was I in for a big disappointment! Whilst the premise had potential (2 girly vamps, surviving in modern NY and abstaining from human blood, while trying to live 'normal' lives), the execution was dire - the acting was amateurish and I'm afraid that Alicia Silverstone is past the age of this kind of role - she acted more mature in "Clueless"! Sigourney must have cringed when she saw the finished result, she was given terrible material to work with and wasn't able to improve on it. Malcolm McDowell's cameo as Vlad Dracul was actually quite funny, but there wasn't enough of him to save the film. Dan Stevens as 'son of Van Helsing' just looked bewildered and sorry to be there, which I'm sure he was - this was not a good choice for a break-through role in Hollywood. Sincerely, don't waste your time - if you want a comedy vamp film, dig out "Love at First Bite" - if you want Sigourney being nasty, watch "Working Girl" - well, just watch ANYTHING other than this woeful mess!

Death in Paradise (2011– )

Old school, with a twist!

[9/10 · 10 April 2013]

I agree with the other reviewers of this show, that it is witty, charming and strangely addictive. I think the reason it works so well is not the murder mysteries themselves, but the interplay of the characters and the quirkiness of DI Poole (a great role for Ben Miller). All the actors involved seem to be having a good time and there is great chemistry between them. The list of guest 'suspects' is also impressive. The beautiful setting doesn't hurt either! It is an old school, comfy, Brit detective show - but with a unique style - and I hope it runs for as long as "Midsomer" did. I'm finding I need my weekly fix of Ste. Honore!

Arrow (2012–2020)

That's Entertainment!

[9/10 · 17 February 2013]

I can't believe the incredible polarity of the reviews for this show! I was a huge comic book fan when I was younger (quite a few years ago, I admit) and Green Arrow was one of my heroes. I am loving this adaptation! OK, it's not 'Game of Thrones' as far as production / writing / acting values go, but it is damned entertaining and takes you along for a fun ride. Come on, you knockers, it's a COMIC BOOK for goodness sakes! Stephen Amell is a good choice for the lead and I personally think he's a good actor (check out his creepy performance in "Justice for Natalee Holloway), maybe dealing with less-than-riveting scripts (yes I agree, some of the dialogue is cheesy - but I stand by my 'entertaining' comment). Besides which, I applaud the priorities of the production crew, which have him bare his amazing physique at every opportunity (we women need a bit more eye candy!). Couple of negatives - not enough of the wonderful Colin Salmon, and what's with the green eyeshadow instead of a mask? This must surely be a bit of a nuisance when he's doing a quick change and I know he conceals his face wherever possible, but as a disguise it's pretty ineffectual (though I suppose nothing is as bad as Clark Kent/Superman's hairstyle/glasses transformation - was Lois Lane blind as a bat, lol)?! I'm also getting the vibe that it is going to evolve into more of a soap opera if the story lines keep up their current trend, instead of concentrating on the action - but we'll reserve judgement on that one. If you haven't already, give this show a go - if you're not expecting Shakespeare or BBC classical drama and just want to be entertained, this could be just what you're looking for!

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Amazing Anime!

[9/10 · 25 June 2012]

I've never been a fan of anime (I find the generic facial features of the protagonists a real put-off) until I discovered this film and the Ghibli studio. Since watching Howl's Moving Castle (dubbed version) I have eagerly sought out other films by Ghibli and particularly by Miyazake. The artwork is stunning and the attention to detail beyond anything, especially since this is hand-drawn, with little, if any, CG. So much better than the flat 2-dimensional work seen in much of Disney's offerings. I'm not sure how much was lost in translation - but I found the story satisfying if occasionally a bit light in content and explanation (without spoiling - the details of the curses and their 'cures' are mainly left to the viewer to work out) - but this is minor in the overall effect of the film, which is amazing. You get sucked into this fantastic alternative reality; the characters are appealing and the stellar cast for the English language voice-over (Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Jean Simmons, etc)did justice to the animation characters. My one niggle was why Christian Bale had to adopt an American accent for Howl (when he is in fact British), whilst the character of Sophie spoke with a British accent - but this is just nit-picking! See this movie! It's fabulous!