dspot6 Reviews

The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff (2011–2012)

The Emperor has no clothes

[3/10 · 20 February 2012]

1. Think of a wacky and innovative new idea for a sitcom based in Victorian England. 2. Knock together 6 half hour long scripts containing witty dialogue which can instigate genuine reactions of laughter from an audience. 3. Assemble a cast of experienced successful comedians and comedy actors and some new faces. 4. Hand them scripts and ask them to act out the scenes in full costume.

Sounds like a perfect plan.

Until you watch the show and realise that the Emperor has no clothes.

Will it improve and become more coherent as the episodes accumulate? One can only hope so.

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Phenomenal visual feast but not so great storytelling

[12 November 2011]

My review is in a simplified format - avoiding all the waffle, idiosyncrasies and ego massaging.

Visually outstanding and faithful to original books. The narrative is not really in the spirit of the original works though, because the movie is overwhelmed with action set-pieces and only tentatively embraces the Arthur Conan-Doyle/ Agatha Christie-type action-mystery genre. Overly-elaborate fight scenes, including swordplay using cranes. Too much of 'I thought I'd already killed you.' and Mwahahahaha... I'll get you next time...

Excellent Captain Haddock characterisation (normally I don't really like Andy Serkis). Quite good TinTin - though not great. Decent Thompson twins characters. Terrible 2D villain by D Craig. Other characters not worth a mention.

All-in-all the kidz up to age 14 will love it. Probably boys more than girls.

A sequel is probably in the pipeline ... Mwahahahaha !!!

Robin Hood (2006–2009)

Casual viewer thought it was less than okay...mostly boring

[6/10 · 29 June 2009]

Have seen about ten episodes overall. Every new season I gave it another try, but it just proved too boring in the end. Slow moving plot lines acted out by a stark mix of pantomime villains and one-dimensional 'heroes', scripts that often seemed to sell the actors short and some terrible costuming (including the bendable swords). I enjoyed a few episodes that injected some emotion into the stories, especially those when close friends and family meet their ends. This type of storyline appears more realistic than the 'A-Team' one thousand bullets (or arrows) will not harm me brand of combat. I also disagree with the over-political correctness of the project. You can imagine the script and production meetings beforehand discussing 'we can't do this' and 'we must do that'. Although I can appreciate Morgan Freemans character Azeem, in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which had a ring of truth to it, I cannot understand a black man playing Friar Tuck and a woman vying for the position of Sheriff of Nottingham. All this in the 12th Century? These ideas don't really make sense and indeed appear to remove some degree of authenticity with the original Robin Hood story. I sense some of the actors agree with my points too. Half of them look totally disinterested, as if coming back on set meant they had to cut a quick phone call short !

16 Blocks (2006)

Another useless US drama

[3/10 · 24 January 2007]

Taking its cue from Midnight Run, Collateral, Precinct 13 and even The Defiant Ones (amongst others), 16 Blocks tries to be a tense thriller. Both the screenplay and the acting however ensure that it fails.

Bruce Willis is sluggish and unconvincing, whilst Mos Def with his constant punch-drunk drawl, annoys from the off. He was OK in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), so I was surprised by this.

David Morse and others did little or nothing to help.

Turning to the writing, this extract of poor, illogical and unconvincing dialogue says it all.

Eddie Bunker - Hey Jack...Why d'you do that?

Jack Mosley - Do what?

Eddie Bunker - Shoot that cop! Cops don't shoot other cops...especially over nobody like me. Yes they really said that. How touching. Poor.