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Reviews
Mammals (2022)
Sled indulgent and pretentious
I am not anti James Corden at all so haven't scored this as a mediocre 5/10 because of any prejudice against him as seems popular these days but this whole story is just full of unlikable, selfish characters, living in fantasy worlds. Their reality is similarly unlikely - it feels like Jez Butterworth wrote this imagining it's how rich people live and behave though it's unclear how any of them finance their homes and lifestyles - and restaurants and other businesses. It's just full of betrayals and selfishness from every single character and tasteless jokes - the whole Tom Jones cameo would have been amusing anywhere else in the story but alongside a miscarriage? What a waste.
I watched it through to the end in case there was a clever sting in the tale which there almost was but all it did was justify the cruelty of Amandine to Jamie - but only to a point because she already had a history of unfaithfulness.
And the whale? Talk about heavy handed symbology - in fact crack handed because surely that should have only been something the characters themselves saw and reacted to, not everyone else in the street (yes, a whale in the street).
I Care a Lot (2020)
Great idea and started well but dipped halfway through
The makings of a good film and the seemingly straightforward set up with the clever and heartless con then revealing the flaw with the introduction of Peter Dinklage's character. That meant the first hour was enjoyable with a decent cast (I did struggle with Rosamund Pike's American accent though).
Unfortunately lots of implausible details such as with the attempted drowning (lungs pumped full beforehand yet still woke up, struggled underwater and eventually swam to the surface) and annoying bits (was it sponsored by a vaping company?).
And the teaming up towards the end despite how his other had been treated??
Also can you taser someone and hold their shoulder without the electric current getting you too?
I expected more of a battle between the two main characters or just for Pike to get her comeuppance via Peter Dinklage in a more satisfying way than the nasty ("hope you get raped!") guy whose mother had been "guardianed" at the beginning.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (2019)
Watered down romcom
Some of the cast is ok and I persisted with this for half a dozen episodes but it got more and more far fetched with really annoying British characters.
Very much like an American's view of what well off Brits would be like. The British-Indian characters were better but the others were just caricatures as was the awful American teacher who could only put on his sad faces or do the bumbling idiot.
Everything just felt fake and OTT so became more and more irritating as it went on.
Taken (2017)
Nice idea spoiled by wooden acting
I thought this might be a good idea for a tv series and have given it a go three times now but each time get so frustrated with the quality of the acting. Clive Standen who plays the starring role looks the part but is such a poor actor with his "time to look reassuring" "now I'm looking serious" etc. looks that it could be a comedy. I quite liked him in Vikings but with the main role here you realise he's good when it comes to physicality and athleticism but that's all. It looks more like a cheap soap than a quality action drama when it comes to anything other than the action. Oh and the dialogue too - in episode three when he's forcefully "persuading" Asha played by Brooklyn Sudano- "I need you to stay here...I need you to look at me - I'm not going to take no for an answer" is sooooo bad. I had to stop watching at that point and that's the third and final chance for me.
The Haunting of Hill House: Steven Sees a Ghost (2018)
Episode 1 review
I am now five episodes in and have gone back to episode 1 for this review to urge patience and enjoy the build up.
The first introduces the main sitting (Holl House) and flits between past and present to set the scene. Later episodes explore in more detail each character giving them each the space to breathe and develop as individuals. That is so worth the wait. So enjoy it like a really good meal that is being prepared - don't rush it and dismiss too soon because you expect it all in one go. Just think of it as several courses that make each one taste better. Genuine craftsmanship in telling this story...