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The Bay (2019)
Seasons 3
Loved seasons 1 and 2. Season 3 was tedious. The main female detective whispers her way through the season acting more like a social worker than a detective. Her character is just so sweet and perfect. It becomes unbearable. The actual murder becomes a back story with all the politically correct messages and cliches taking over. If they want to make a family drama then they need to make a better story and better actors and less stereotypical characters. It dragged on and on with the blended family troubles and the acting was clunky and the story limited. Could've been 4 episodes. Wouldn't recommend.
The Beast Must Die (2021)
A story about grief that stays real
All actors did a great job. No predictable or shallow performances. Characters had depth and kept me interested as to what they would do next. It's a very sad series. But it grabbed me and I had to watch it to the end. It's a story about grief and extremely well done. I could feel the grief. But it was no melodrama. The cinematography was excellent. Based on a book - I haven't read it - but stands alone as good entertainment. I'll write more to fill up the character requirement. Great casting. Cush Jumbo was great in her role - to play a grieving mother must be difficult and she nailed it. Recommend.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (2023)
Wouldn't recommend
The cinematography was brilliant. The scenes of Australia were often breathtaking. This truly was the star of the show. Thoroughly enjoyed the first 4 episodes. I watched to episode 7 but only just made it, because this show had descended into frustrating nonsensical victimhood that for me became unwatchable. A young Alice experienced and witnessed ongoing brutal domestic violence. She subsequently grows up in a safe environment in a beautifully located women's shelter, surrounded by women recovering from domestic violence and nurturing and learning from each other. These two facts would seem to me to shield Alice from ever accepting multiple incidences of domestic violence as her fault and from ever making excuses for the perpetrator. But no. It doesn't. Until she finds her voice. Please. 7th episode descended into schmaltz. June was a damaged and damaging woman so how we were supposed to feel any empathy for her I do not know. She was a villain to those who loved her. The competent actors struggled with a limited script. Lots of long, silent takes that got tedious. Could've been good with a bit more story and expanded dialogue or less episodes.
The Last Thing He Told Me (2023)
This could've been so good
Great location cinematography and the story so far is enough to keep me wondering. The book was slow and I didn't finish it. Hoping this is better. I've put aside my judgement that Hannah does some really dumb things considering the only thing Owen told her to do was protect Bailey. Bailey plays a really unpleasant teenager which is pretty par for the course these days. Garner spends the entire time with the same expression on her face - hurt, confused or worried. That and the pout. That was whet got me in the end. A bit of anger, humour, exasperation etc etc would've been great to break the perpetual. As for Owen if he really loved his daughter that much how come he didn't take her with him? She would've been safer with him then the clueless Hannah. And lastly Baileys boyfriend looks about 30 and their chemistry is uncomfortable. Why?? He comes across as and older man who is hanging around with a 16 year old. I hope the story holds enough interest and depth to make watching this worthwhile.
Three Pines (2022)
Informative series about indigenous history and discrimination
In my opinion the series is not anywhere near the same class of entertainment as the novels. The 3 Pines village characters come across as banal, nasty types. Unrelieved by the quirkiness and charm evident in the novels. Ruth's character manages to use the word fu% in most statements but lacks the complexity to avoid sounding boringly offensive and shallow. Molina's Gamache is adequate. Gamache was never just adequate in the books. His two main side kicks are so badly depicted as to be almost comical. The perpetually sad female and the petulant immature male. The local white female team member is thrown in to show how crass she is to the others who consider themselves much superior.
The 3 Pines township in the show is not as pretty and full of character as it is described in the novels. It's bland and lacks any charm in the series. In a country as beautiful as Canada there would have been a plethora of beautiful villages to choose from. The overriding theme is the historic and cruel treatment of the indigenous and the current discrimination. The mystery thread about the missing indigenous teenagers running through all the episodes is an example of this. As is the indigenous children's home and it's horrible history. It feels like the other murders/mystery's are just along as fillers. I feel there is a lack of balance in the themes of the stories. Read the books, they are wonderful.
The Crown (2016)
Bad casting in a dark and dreary production
Any stars I give for this series 5 production will be for the production values only. The actors efforts/roles varied from competent to terrible. By far the worst was the utterly wrong casting of Imelda Staunton as the Queen. In every scene she remained Imelda Staunton as her likeness both in looks and manner was so unlike Queen Elizabeth. The character was portrayed as dowdy, sour, unemotional and unappealing. My perception and observations of the Queen were that she was beautiful, engaging , strong not sour and withdrawn, had charisma and fulfilled her public meetings and duties with grace and charm. There was a reason she was so widely and strongly loved by her people. Nothing of this came through. If the intention was to show her as a rather unpleasant, unemotional and unattractive woman it succeeded. This dour and dark adaptation left me cold. It was so unrelated to the reality it was a farce. What a waste when the real story was so interesting.
Our House (2022)
Great Little Series
Really enjoyed the story. Some good twists. Martin Comptons acting is consistently excellent. Tuppence Middleton acted well as I found her character self righteous , judgemental and vengeful. For once it showed human frailty in both men and women. Rather than all men are bad - for in this show I found the female lead character quite selfish and ruthless. That in itself was refreshing.
Grace (2021)
Better than Most
I usually enjoy John Simms acting and roles. This was delivered with his usual good acting. He was supported by a couple of good actors, Craig Parkinson, Zoe Tapper and Richie Campbell among them. Found Rakie Ayala's character cliched as the tough but fair boss just annoying. She had nothing of value to add just seemed to be there to be stern and disapproving of Simms character which was hardly a controversial cop character. The Brighton scenery and camera work was enjoyable. Series 2 was good with the first episode being the best and the third managing to deliver some strong support by cops for people breaking the law as illegal immigrants. But box ticked. One scene was odd. Zoe, the girlfriend chatting to Simm on the phone from her bed. The bed and the wallpaper were distinctive and later appeared as the bedroom used by organ harvester baddies. Saving money on sets?
Rules of the Game (2022)
Not bad
The story was sufficient to keep it interesting. The women were given the filled out roles. The men were the stereotypes of men in drama these days - sleaze bags, bad or gay. Some balance would've been refreshing. Vanessa the wife played a great role - it provided some humour and irony. The HR character could've been great - but her role was fairly under-utilised and underdeveloped. Some complexity would've helped a lot as she was such a central character. The COO role was acted well but the character was very unlikeable and could've done with some light and shade rather than all dark and harsh. This series would've shone with more character development and nuance to the characters. People are so multifaceted and complex and displaying this in a production adds great interest and reality. Missed opportunity to make this series very good.
Ten Percent (2022)
About time
Finally a British production that is contemporary, fast moving, well acted with a bang on screenplay. The acting is first class. The London location shots are atmospheric and modern. Drama, romance, wry wit and a couple of good underlying stories. No preaching about social agendas for a change.
After Life (2019)
Series 3 - A Series Too Far
So disappointed. Series 3 was terrible. Way too much coarse language that wasn't funny, really gross subject matter, little to like about RG character as he wallowed in self pity and was a just unpleasant, self absorbed and tedious and obnoxious to other characters. None of the wit and clever dialogue of series 1 and mostly of series 2. Nothing new to see here. And plenty of cringeworthy content. Should've quit after series 2. Couldn't watch past episode 3. Just awful.
The Child in Time (2017)
Beautiful
No predictable story, no blood and gore, no over the top violence and not dystopian for a change. For once a movie that takes a moment in time and shows - through talented and intuitive acting - reality in relationships in times of suffering without being bleak and confronting. Subtle and touching, I was drawn into a quality production that leaves it to the viewer to interpret and feel - rather than being over the top obvious and bland. Wonderful movie and I highly recommend to anyone looking for good quality drama that treats its viewers with respect.
Roadkill (2020)
Another boring propaganda farce
Waste of time. Usual white man bad, all diversity groups wonderful - zero interesting story or dialogue. Any plot is dumped in favour of lecturing to the masses.
Rebecca (2020)
Could've been good
Beautiful scenery, settings and costumes. The story plodded along and the whole thing could've been watchable but for the overacted role of The second Mrs De Winter. This mainly consisted of holding her breath, letting her breath out in fright and jumping and cowering at every little thing. It was excruciating and her characters constant breath holding and fear of everything was irritating and made no sense. I thought that the character deserved a more balanced portrayal.