Berlington Reviews

County Line (2017)

A hallmark movie without Christmas

[6/10 · 15 October 2023]

First things first this is garbage, almost ever scene you can here the cry of action and after a pause things slowly happen. The actors are the most unlikely to appear in any movie, the sound is like a tv movie, every element of plot is highlighted for the the most unobservant. The plot is like a dukes of hazard episode that's been dumbed down. HOWEVER it is consistently bad across every element which strangely makes it watchable, it is proudly and unapologetically poor. Every individual element is a 3 or 4 but for some strange reason this makes it watchable and I quite enjoyed it. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts in this case.

Harlan Coben's Shelter (2023)

Incoherent nonsense

[3/10 · 30 September 2023]

Let's be honest, this is garbage, it comes across as interesting at the start then draws you in and you think how will this all make sense, what clever story telling will pull these threads together? Then you gradually realize with a sinking heart it doesn't and it won't. We have now stopped watching. It is so ludicrous, it's like they have taken scooby do and dumbed it down for its audience.

I'm not sure if it's the acting, the direction, perhaps the script but even if you are looking for some mindless nonsense this sets the bar too low. Even in a vacuum if sense they have managed to suck a bit more out and deliver less than nil. So being honest, this is truly awful - don't bother.

The Alpinist (2021)

A very personal film

[10/10 · 3 April 2023]

I watched this movie when I was on my own isolating with Covid. It may have been this context but the movie slowly drew me into the life of Marc-André Leclerc. While initially he seems so distant, he himself actively isolating from others, and taking risks that appear irrational to the average person I gradually became drawn into this incredible life. The movie helps the viewer understand Mark, his motivations and values and slowly, gradually the movie helped me see the world from his perspective. I could feel his desire, feel his passion, but although my balancing of the risk changed I could still feel the incredible danger. I could never dream of doing what Mark has done - but watched in awe and at the end felt I had a much better understanding of this unique individual, someone who's life is so different to mine. I got a sense of Marks experiences and I thank him and the film makers for that. A truly beautiful and profoundly moving film.

Her Deadly Boyfriend (2021)

What and why?

[2/10 · 1 January 2023]

It's really hard to describe this film, to put into words the utter shambles of story, acting, direction and editing. I don't think the actors had any idea of what the story is (if indeed there was one) and what their characters role was in it. It's a random collection of almost unrelated segments put to a sound track that again would suggest those creating it had no idea what movie it was for. I've given this a 2 which on reflection is over generous.

The questions remain what is it and why did they make it - who funded it and for what purpose - why did the actors take part in it - what in the excuse for a script attracted them to it?

Prey (I) (2022)

A nice idea well delivered

[7/10 · 5 August 2022]

After a fair number of increasingly dodgy sequels this strips away the nonsense doesn't try to over explain origin story or build our understanding of predator culture - it just delivers a straight forward action movie.

Keep Breathing (2022)

No no no

[3/10 · 5 August 2022]

All lot of potential but a bit overindulgent in the old flashbacks - they became increasingly tiresome and every challenge faced by the lead resulted in increasingly long soul searching flashbacks which broke the tension and lost my interest.