glitterynonsense Reviews

Insidious: The Red Door (2023)

Worse than the reviews make out

[1/10 · 21 October 2023]

I've quite enjoyed previous Insidious films but this is really something else.

This film is poorly edited and features lackluster acting, terrible characters, a super lame script and a story line that feels really clunky and disjointed.

There really is nothing good I have to say about this film. If I could rate it zero I would.

The scene where Dalton takes his first art class is absurd, the art teacher is like a silly caricature.

No one is compelling, believable or likeable and Dalton is like a brooding, sullen 13 year old who you just want to slap some life and personality into.

If you want to watch something so dumb that anyone and everyone seems to be able to use hypnotism simply by counting backwards, this is your film.

If I could sum this film up in a word it would be -Pointless.

Devil in Ohio (2022)

Absolute garbage

[2/10 · 4 September 2023]

Gosh, I mean where to start with this? The plot is dull and predictable, the characters don't behave or speak like real people ever would and there are so many elements of this show that are frankly absurd.

The high school kids are insufferable, though as it's America it's impossible to know what age they are meant to be, they act like they are 16 and yet talk like they are 26 year olds with doctorates.

The whole cult thing just doesn't work at all, one second the escapee is spaced out and messed up, the next she's like a normal teenager girl having a blast at school as though it's totally normal for her. Consider she's been so sheltered that she thinks 'cool' means cold, yet adapts straight away to living a totally normal teenage girl life with very little transition, it's laziness like this that make this show so bad.

It's not in the slightest bit scary, It's like a really lame soap opera and it uses every predictable plot and character device you can think of.

The thing that really gets me, is when they still know relatively little about the escapee, she says grace with her new adoptive family and no one bats an eye when she essential prays to the devil at the dinner table with the whole family present. They just tuck in like it's the most normal thing in the world.

There's robed figures and fire and pentagrams and it's all just awful. Once again making out that the pentagram = devil worship, which is absurd. I'm so over it. I had it on whilst I was working on my craft business and doing something else that was more absorbing was the only way I could stand to watch the entire season.

Garbage. I'm giving it a whole 2 stars in recognition of people doing stuff and getting out of bed to do that stuff.

We Hunt Together (2020– )

A decent watch

[6/10 · 19 July 2023]

This is a decent crime drama with a bit of a twist.

The characters are well written and interesting with good acting and dialogue.

My main objection is to Baba, who's playing a black immigrant with a dodgy past, seemingly happy to kill for the first vaguely attractive blonde (Freddy) to give him some attention.

In a country that's divided with half of the people here seeming to think that immigrants are 'the problem' - whatever, they perceive that to mean - programmes like this only serve to reinforce negative stereotypes and stoke irrational fears.

Bad people are all races and genders, of course, but this just feels a bit icky to me.

The female detective Lola is the most miserable, energy drain of a person ever, an imminently unlikeable character with no warmth who I didn't much warm to. It's like she's had every ounce of joy sucked clean out of her.

With those negatives though, this remains a well-paced drama that's interesting enough and keeps you interested.

The underlying premise of the show is the nature vs nurture debate which examines how psychopaths can become monsters.

Sorry for Your Loss (2018–2019)

Explores The Compexity of Grief Beautifully

[8/10 · 5 July 2023]

This series start out fairly so-so, but stick with it, it gets better and begins to draw you in as you get to know the characters. The subject matter isn't particularly ease to deal with in a way that isn't utterly heartbreaking and depressing, but there is plenty of light to be found.

I didn't think I'd like it as much as I did, but the characters are people you actually begin to care about and the emotions expressed are truly relatable.

The way that one minute you can be fine and then you can just lose it, sometimes over the strangest things.

The family dynamic is really interesting and I love the closeness of the mother and daughters. Despite being closer to the mothers age myself, I still found all of the main characters relatable.

The series explores the feelings experienced by people moving on, or at least trying to, the complex feelings of the bereaved, their need for support, but also needing to support others who may also be grieving or trying to understand how to support the primarily affected person.

I'm Sorry For Your Loss presents an accurate portrayal of the fact that grief is not a linear process and is something that hurts forever, whilst reminding us that we can find hope and a new kind of happiness as we move through loss. Lives are rebuilt, though never the same again.

Definitely well worth a watch, but prepared to be touched, especially if you've experienced loss.

Shell (I) (2012)

Difficult, Beautiful & Uncomfortable All At The Same Time

[7/10 · 27 April 2023]

The remote bleakness of the location, the colour tone and slow lingering shots all pull you into the moment and despite the languid pace, keep you there.

The remoteness feels fitting given the subject matter of the film, a young woman barely more than a girl with no one but her dad and the bond they have which at times is uncomfortable to watch and always tense.

A petrol station regular (where the daughter works) becomes a little obsessed with her, and forces himself on her, albeit in a not overtly sexual way, but the reality of the vulnerability of life as a woman is tangible and this is another uncomfortable moment - I felt relive flood through me when he let go of her and left.

It's definitely not a feel-good film, but it does somewhat illustrate that these are two regular(ish), albeit isolated and severely co-dependent in the extreme people, but you don't hate either of them for it despite the wrongness.

It left me wondering what might have lead them to that point and what might be not quite right in their heads to have lead them there.

An interesting film with some beautiful locations and shots, slow-paced, but compelling all the same (not least because my name is Shell).

Beef (2023– )

Baffled Over Beef

[1/10 · 26 April 2023]

I watched the first episode and really wanted to like it. Spoiler alert: I didn't.

The female antagonist is a vile human for responding in such a way to the minor incident that kicks off their beef.

The whole vibe is so negative, nasty, self centered and vindictive - people who treat other humans in ways that are not OK just isn't funny. It made me feel uncomfortable if anything.

I couldn't find anything at all about either of the main characters that drew me in or that made me care about them. I just felt like they both needed to move on and get a grip, especially her, whose initial behaviour was so very vile.

I could find zero reason to continue watching something so negative and dull past the first episode and I'm absolutely baffled as to how people seem to largely think it's so good.

The Escape (II) (2017)

Difficult watch but nails it

[8/10 · 30 March 2023]

The lonliness and depression of being a young woman who seemingly has it all, yet dares not reveal she is unhappy is conveyed in a way that really resonnated with me.

The numb emptiness conveyed by Arterton is excellent and it took me baack to a similar time in my life.

It's hard for some who haven't been there to understand how its possible to build a life with a husband and kids, 3 cars a nice house etc. Only to realise as time goes on that that wasn't really what you needed to make you happy.

The narrative we are all fed that makes us buy into a certain nothin of what happiness is, is explored in a conversation with her mother that really stung.

Definitely not a feel good film, but some great acting from both leads.

Falling for Figaro (2020)

Suprisingly Enjoyable Film With A Great Cast

[7/10 · 13 February 2023]

I am not a romcom fan at all and I watched this as I was bored one day and wanted something on in the background whilst I did something else.

That said, I actually enjoyed the film quite a lot. The script is good and so are the characters and the singing, at least to this untrained ear, was beautiful.

I'm not an opera fan and have never been to the opera, but I do rather like it, and I did enjoy the singing which was on the whole stunning, so provided that you don't hate opera, you should enjoy this film.

Locations wise, I adore Scotland and always feel joy from seeing the beautiful landscapes, so the setting of the film in a sleepy Scottish Highlands town was perfect for me and a fitting backdrop for the beauty of the singing.

Danielle Macdonald is great in the lead role as is Hugh Skinner, but for me it's the performance given by Joanna Lumley that really shines. She's wonderful and the character she plays, reclusive, jaded voice coach is really rather marvellous.

I enjoyed the film more than I expected and you don't need to be an opera fan or even a romcom fan to enjoy it too.

On the Line (II) (2022)

Twists You Can Seeing Coming A Mile Off, A Terrible Film.

[2/10 · 8 February 2023]

Where to start with this film. I kind of wish I'd not watched it at all, but for some reason found myself with nothing better to do. In hindsight, anything would have been more interesting than watching this.

Spoilers are contained within the rest of this review.

I have nothing at all against Mel Gibson and can be quite forgiving of bad comedy or even a not too great script if the subject matter is compelling enough and draws me in.

On The Line starts off badly with an absurd opening scene that feels like a low budget daytime comedy drama. A crackpot comes into the reception of the building where DJ Elvis, play by Gibson works. Despite a security guard on duty in reception, he's comedically inept, even as the crackpot pulls a knife.

The on air banter feels really unnatural and awkward between Gibson and his co-host. I know he's meant to be a shock jock, and perhaps something is lost in translation but he comes across as a bit of an a-hole. His shouty obnoxious nature is not endearing and the humour is simply not funny. Not even vaguely.

Elvis just doesn't come across as a likeable or even a relatable person and his on air advice feels extremely clunky throughout.

Things start to get vaguely interesting when the attempt at humour ends and someone calls him live on air and threatens to break in to his home. The thing is, we know immediately where he is, so obviously the course of action would be to call 911 and get the police involved in what turns out to be a live, on air hostage situation.

Very early on it feels like DJ Elvis has hired a crappy actor (Gary, the hostage taker) and has engineered the whole situation just to increase his ratings and secure his future at the station. What's going on just doesn't feel believable at any point.

The ongoing dialogue between Elvis and Gary is awful and the performance from Paul Sepera who plays Gary is extremely weak, delivered with little flair, like he's reading word for word from a script rather than actually feeling the part and truly acting it.

At one point Elvis pleads on the phone with Gary "can we please just stop this nonsense?" and that's how I felt throughout. I kept watching however out of sheer stubbornness, willing the film to get better. It did not get better.

I'm usually awful at skipping ahead and guessing endings, and whilst I didn't get the twists totally right, it was clear after about 15 minutes of watching the film that what was going on wasn't completely as it seemed. It felt like an arranged set up and ultimately, it was, albeit a layered setup.

Poor script, some poor acting (excluding Gibson and Moseley who weren't bad) a beyond ridiculous plot and the main twist you can see a mile off, the second twist is just a variation of the first.

A bad film.

The Father (I) (2020)

Superb and heartbreaking

[10/10 · 1 February 2023]

I found this film difficult to watch, it pulled me in, feeling to me like an accurate reflection of what I suspect dementia would feel like.

The film is from the perspective of the father (Hopkins) who gives a magnificent performance, as does his daughter, Olivia Coleman, both of whom are absolutely superb.

The confusion, loneliness and moments of lucidity provide stark contrast to each other and I found this film in turns beautiful and heart-breaking.

The script is excellent and the sense of humanity feels raw and real and it's not until towards the end that you begin to really understand who the various people that have appeared at different points throughout really are, though you may well suspect, the end shines a clear light as it flips from the confused state of mind of the father into reality.

At the end, Hopkins turns and asks "What about me? Who exactly am I?" and soon after begins to cry because he wants his mummy and there follows a scene that was devastating.

I rarely cry at films, but this truly broke me.

This film can be summed up in two words. Superb and heart-breaking.

Emily in Paris (2020– )

Emily Is Arrogant, Unrelatable & Wholly Condescending

[3/10 · 6 January 2023]

4 episodes in and I still can't shake the feeling of cringe or find anything to like about this show, so I'll end my journey with Emily in Paris right here.

Emily works in marketing for a firm in Chicago and is sent over to Paris for a year. The key message so far is that all any business needs to do is make a post on social media to solve all of their marketing woes.

It also assumes that all things American are inherently better than in Europe and reinforces the stereotype of Americans being career focused, dynamic business winners, whilst their European counterparts, particularly the French, are lazy and backwards in their working practices.

The endless social media posts Emily makes throughout the show are just awful. Oh a pain au chocolat, how exotic and exciting. I mean really? The one thing it does achieve is showing how insular Americans are. Also, regarding female stereotypes, why does her nanny friend wear crazy high stilettos to take the kids to the park and hang out? Just ridiculous and only serves to make the characters feel less real and relatable.

Emily herself seems like she's been modelled on an Ivy league Disney princess, constantly upbeat and preppy, she just doesn't feel like a real person at all, and if she is a real person, she's not a particularly likeable one.

The quirks of some of the characters do raise a smile at times, but on the whole, it feels entirely unrelatable. Emily is either annoyingly preppy, wide-eyed in wonder or wholly condescending.

I would not recommend watching this and I'd quite like to shove a pain au chocolate in her smug, arrogant face.