redisle Reviews

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Self-indulgence

[1/10 · 18 June 2023]

I have always liked Nicholas Cage but it will take a while before I can view him again without remembering this strange adventure into self-indulgence. It might have helped if he had not been listed as a producer. It might also have helped if a humbler title had been chosen. It might also have helped if somehow the message was that this was tongue-in-cheek. If it was attempting that, then it failed miserably.

Like every second film these days, it was labelled a comedy. This label has been used so much that it has been rendered meaningless. There were some almost funny moments in this film but not enough to come near being a comedy. It was more in the embarrassing category.

The acting standard of the supporting cast seemed good with Pedro Pascal and Sharon Horgan up to their usual high standard.

If you are a fan of Nicholas Cage, approach this film with caution as it may leave you somewhat disillusioned.

In Treatment (2008–2021)

Good stories about weak therapy

[7/10 · 10 June 2023]

At the outset let me state that I have not seen any of series four yet and so my comments are based on the first three series.

The stories make for good television and the spacing out of the storyline for each "patient" is a good device that keeps the viewer interested. The back stories about Paul Weston's personal life provide interesting threads.

The standard of acting is very good and particularly so with the younger actors. Their portrayal of troubled teenagers is excellent. It is well scripted, well directed and superbly acted.

My one big issue with this series has nothing to do with its entertainment value but with its potential to mislead viewers. The "therapy" presented in this series is not what effective therapy is about. The therapist's habit of interpreting, sometimes criticising and frequently referencing people's mothers and fathers gets tedious. There is also an implication that therapy will inevitably involve many sessions. The use of terms such as "treatment" and "patient" point to one particular hypothesis about personal distress. Fortunately by series three, the standard of therapy has improved a little.

Will I continue to watch the series? Absolutely yes! As well as being entertaining, these sessions bring the viewer into a variety of personal trauma situations and make a reasonable representation of themes such as loneliness, rejection, relationships, culture shock, adolescence, and professional ethics. Watch the programmes with one or more people and you are likely to have a good discussion afterwards.

Take Me (2017)

Very watchable

[7/10 · 1 March 2023]

Last night I almost lost my faith in the film industry but tonight that has been restored. "Take Me" is a truly original film. One word of advice that could be branded as an UNSPOILER - most films described as comedies by either Netflix or IMDB are NOT comedies though they may have comedic moments. "Take Me" is extremely well put together and the standard of acting is very high from start to finish.

It is almost a pity to classify this film in any way as the storyline is quite unique. Ray's opening exchange with the bank official spells out the details of his character very well. The dialogue is excellent throughout. Pat Healy is both director and lead actor, an amazing feat. For once the professional critics got it wrong. One complained about bad "comedic timing", someone who hasn't copped on that IMDB and Netflix use the word "comedy" in their own peculiar way. The prior expectations a viewer brings to a film can really mess up the viewing experience.

Emma. (2020)

Not for book people!

[8/10 · 18 December 2022]

Ah, yes. The book people. They just won't like this. There's no hard cover, no table of contents, no page numbering ... they can't live without it.

You see, when you look at a film you might need to remind yourself that it is a film, not a book. It's a totally different medium. But wasn't "Emma" written by Jane Austen? Yes, indeed, but she did not do the screenplay for the film. It doesn't even pretend to be a version of the book but rather an adaptation of a story by Jane Austen.

So, what about the film then? It's just plain excellent, a tongue in the cheek romp through a Jane Austen like scenario, a joy to watch. I liked everything about this film. The funny thing is that I'm dead sure that there is one person who would have taken delectable delight in observing the liberties taken with the original book, one Jane Austen. What do you think?

Viceroy's House (2017)

Pathetic

[2/10 · 23 July 2022]

Lord Mountbatten from Downton Abbey, his wife doing her Thatcher impression, cardboard acting on either side, overflowing make-up. I know nothing about the real story of these events but I'm inclined to distrust all that is presented in this very strange presentation.

John Wick (2014)

Pathetic nonsense

[2/10 · 5 April 2022]

I have been watching this film well beyond the point of reason just to see how ridiculous it can get. If a person is able to survive certain dangerous situations a minimum expectation is that said person will demonstrate the skills necessary to come out alive. Neither the author of this story nor the screenwriter deemed it necessary to provide the protagonist with any such skills. This film's only redeeming feature for me is that the dog is nice.

Four to Dinner (2022)

Confusion

[2/10 · 17 January 2022]

This film set out to be thought-provoking and it is. For me it repeatedly provoked the thought, "why am I watching this?" I suppose it was a masochistic urge that kept me in the viewing seat and a totally unfounded optimism that somehow the confusion would clear eventually. It didn't.

The film attempts a "sliding doors" approach except that it was often hard to know which version of the relationships you were watching. It's a pity as there were some good points raised. A further piece of post-production editing adding chapter titles or some such might rescue this film.

One final point. This film is categorised as a comedy. I checked on definitions of this word and the first was, "A dramatic work that is light and often humorous or satirical in tone and that usually contains a happy resolution of the thematic conflict." I would nearly laugh at paint drying but this film didn't even eiicit a smile. There seems to be a tendency nowadays to label many films as comedies when they are not even as funny as paint drying!

Trading Places (1983)

About as funny as an old sock

[2/10 · 17 December 2021]

My only reason for persevering with this film was the high IMDB rating. I kept expecting the humour to start but it never did. The story line is about as subtle as two elephants driving a steam-roller. There was a warning that "outdated attitudes, language and cultural depictions ... may cause offence today". There was no warning that the level of humour would be so sadly lacking in laugh material. Thank goodness the standard of cinema today is light-years ahead of Trading Places. Fortunately, all the main actors have redeemed themselves in other works.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

Watch something else!

[1/10 · 8 September 2020]

There may be some people who find this type of film interesting. I'm not one of them. Jessie, what were you thinking?

Love Wedding Repeat (2020)

Chaotic humour

[9/10 · 15 April 2020]

The underlying theme of the role chaos plays in life is probably a step too far for some viewers. This is a film you need to be open to. Achieve that and you will enjoy a humorous romp through human nature as it parades itself warts and all at a wedding. I feel sorry for those who missed the point because they also missed a really fine piece of cinema. One weak point, I'll admit, was the way one actor tried to replicate the Ricky Gervais style. It's not that he did it badly; it's just that he's not Ricky Gervais. I thoroughly enjoyed this film but I acknowledge you do need to be sitting on the right psychological seat to appreciate it.

Dublin Murders (2019)

Confusing

[4/10 · 4 November 2019]

Advice for anyone setting out to watch this series: get a good fat notebook and make a list of all the names that appear! The general confusion created by the number of characters and sub-plots is aggravated by flashbacks that don't always stand out clearly enough from the main story. As if that weren't enough, each "episode" shown on RTE seems to be a double episode and, just for increased fun, the episode descriptions in RTE are all mixed up. In fairness, most of the acting is good and the cinematography is modern. Since RTE does not seem to announce how many episodes there are, it is a bit of a mystery when this whole thing might end. In a strange peculiar masochistic type of way I am enjoying the confusion. As one critic said, this might require some "viewer patience". Ay. For those of you who are fans of the series, fair deuce to you!

Abandoned (VI) (2015)

Authentic sea story

[9/10 · 31 October 2018]

I watched this with a few sailing friends and all, myself included, were impressed. It is a sea story well told.

But let's stand back from the actual real events for a moment. Here's a film that departs from the current trend in several important and positive directions: The story-line is clear. The voices are intelligible (even if the accent is from the far side of the globe for me). The flash-backs are clearly differentiated from the front-line story. There are not 1026 sub-plots. There is no sexual spicing up of the main story. As far as I could tell there was no subliminal advertising. What a pleasant change from the unintelligible mixup-gatherum of multi-plot nonsense that bombards us these days.

Now back to the sea. I found the story moved along nicely with variations in mood and happenings. It is rare for a true story to be so well told and to maintain interest. It even had the authenticity of a self-righteous skipper who was lavish in his criticism of his crew. My sailing friends wondered why he had no real crew in the first place. Yes, indeed.

Would this appeal to a non-sailing audience? I think it would. There is not exactly an excess of sailing jargon and the four main characters have an adequate range of personalities to maintain interest. Don't expect dramatic back-ground music and people posing on the bow! The story.is a true one and it shows.

The film is known by two different titles, "Abandoned" and "Stranded", neither of which really match the story but then almost any other title would give away too much.

One thought to finish with: one of the most important things to have when your boat is taking a tumble is a mirror.

Porcupine Lake (2017)

The Dawn of Selfhood

[10/10 · 27 July 2018]

It's easy to classify this as a coming-of-age film but I think it is more than that. There is the exploration of life theme, of course, but there are other angles: the influence of different cultural backgrounds, different family relationships, the ups and downs of life.

It is also a beautifully crafted film made with great sensitivity. It's only now, after having seen the film, that I fully realise that all the people in in were actors. The acting was of a very high standard.

Pity about the reviewer who couldn't find the film and then gave it only one star. Must have been having a bad day!

Merlí (2015–2018)

Superb Series Deserving World Stage

[10/10 · 11 April 2018]

I begin with a caution: this wonderful series is currenly only available (as far as I know) in its original language, Catalan, and, to some extent in Spanish. More about that later. English does not yet figure in the options!

This has to rank as one of the best TV series I have seen in a long time. It is uplifting, funny and serious all at the same time. It's the story of a free-thinking philosophy teacher in a secondary school in Barcelona. Not every country includes philosophy among its subjects and Merlí would present a good argument for its inclusion. Philosophy also provides an excellent back-drop for the different story lines and, indeed, it is an appropriate subject for a rebel teacher.

The story-telling is first-class: the editing, photography, music, mixture of serious topics and great humour. The "Making of" reveals that serious time was spent on bonding the young cast before the first shoot. This is a series that has professionalism stamped all over it, made by a team that knows how to mix detailed planning with great flexibility. Each episode is self-contained to some extent with themes that run throughout the series. This multi-theme story-telling is very well managed by the "Previously ..." section at the start of each episode. Similarly, and I'm sure this was intentional, the character names are easy to remember.

One small flaw for me is that one character´s promiscuity is not well fleshed out (excuse the pun). It fits uncomfortably with other aspects of this individual's profile.

Having worked as an educator, I found the representation of school life quite authentic. Naturally there is some exaggeration and some developments happen a lot more quickly than they might in real life but it is a TV series, made for entertainment. The fact that it deals with an older student population (17-19) ideally sets the stage for all sorts of psycho-social development issues. That very fact would seem to pose a problem for the making of a third series but I'm sure they will find a way to deal with that.

I have just completed viewing series one on DVD using the Spanish dubbing sound track. Unlike a lot of recent video productions, the dialogue is exceptionally clear and the dubbing is perfect, as you would expect from a bi-lingual cast. On starting the second series on DVD I find that there is no Spanish soundtrack! Oops! Now whose idea was that omission? I do love hearing these actors in their native Catalan but the fast dialogue does not lend itself well to reading subtitles (currently in Spanish and Catalan). This series deserves a world stage and, for that to happen, all episodes need to be dubbed into the major world languages starting with English and Spanish. Merlí is fully deserving of a world-wide audience.

Dinner for One (1963 TV Short)

A Gem of Humour

[10/10 · 1 January 2018]

Other reviews cover the virtues of this short made-for-television film from 1963. However, the mystery remains, or rather, the mysteries since there are two of them. (1) Why do the Germans (and several other countries) watch this film every year? and (2) Why have the English never broadcast it, not even once? I offer my humble opinion on both of these points.

First, I think the main reason that this film is viewed so often that it holds the record for the most broadcast film of all time is that it is funny. Yes, simple as that. This does not mean that everyone who watches it will find it funny. There is no accounting for different tastes. Some critics say it only has two gags! So? Is humour measured by the number of gags or cameras or dollars or what? For me this short film is a gem of humour honing the art to its simplest form.

Second point, why do the English not broadcast it? I believe this has something to do with the fact that the original film is shot in German. Nowadays, the English do not have a problem with anything originating from Germany. That's not the point. I think it's just that this original film with the titles and introduction in German may be offputting to English broadcasters. Another reason might be that technology is making it harder to show material that is shot in lower resolutions.

One more question remains for me: why do the Irish not broadcast it? Methinks it's because they haven't heard of it. Time to change that. Come on, Irish television, let your viewers see this little gem of humour!

Finally, a tip for those who want to watch the film on youtube: there are lots of versions out there, some of them woeful remakes to be avoided at all costs. The orginal can be found by looking for "Dinner for One oder Der 90. Geburtstag" and then picking the version that is 17:51 minutes long! Skip to 2:25 if you wish to avoid the introduction in German.

Oh, and yes, people do look this silly when they take too much alcohol!

Striking Out (2017–2018)

Refreshing new series

[8/10 · 30 January 2017]

OK so if you want to know what happens in a real lawyer's office go and sit there for a few days. This is television and this series (too short) is a great piece of escapism. It's so nice not to have about five thousand and twenty-three story-lines or a script that is unintelligible. There is a real freshness about this series and it is good to see an Irish team take on such a project. One criticism is that it would be nice to let the actors out of that canal basin now and again! Looking forward to more! Ms Huberman creates a new type of lawyer hero, one with an overlay of innocent ingenuity, again a refreshing departure from standard fare. Hovering in the background are a series of corrupt individuals giving the story a David versus Goliath theme.

A Date for Mad Mary (2016)

Sensitive, funny and a feast of acting talent!

[9/10 · 3 October 2016]

A film that is original, topical and profound all at the same time! Modern cinema is typified by having a multiplicity of story-lines and an equal diversity of often unintelligible accents. Not so this production! The viewer is taken gradually into the inner workings of several characters by a director who knows how to tell a story with total clarity.

The acting is so exceptional and the cinematography so unobtrusive that I found myself totally engrossed in the reality on screen. Having worked with people not unlike "mad Mary" I found the portrayal remarkably accurate and touching. There is a great balance of sensitivity and humour. Although the story is based in Ireland, this is a tale that will strike chords around the world. This is a very special piece of cinema.

Sing Street (2016)

Far fetched

[2/10 · 6 August 2016]

There have been lots of great Irish films in recent years but, in my opinion, this is not one of them. I just found it so hard to believe virtually every aspect of the story. There were some fine performances by young actors but there were also moments of strangely exaggerated emotions. If you enjoy the film I'm happy for you ... but I fail to understand!

IMDb requires that reviews have at least 10 lines of text (strange) but I cannot write more about this production without giving away part of the story and without picking out the flaws in some people who may not be ready for such criticism.

The Secret Life of Pets (2016)

Superb animation with very little fun!

[2/10 · 6 August 2016]

This deserves 10 out of 10 for glorious animation and in every sense of the term! The characters, the amount of detail and the lively action throughout.

Same goes for the voices. Excellent, better than the usual "big name" treatment that doesn't always work.

Now the humour. Well, it's not entirely absent. There are a few smiler moments but that's about it. I am not sure how a massive team of people can spend what must be thousands of animation hours making a film such as this and not realise that there's a serious lack of fun! We had two kids with us and they were not amused. There was a bunch of about 20 kids behind us and I don't recall hearing any laughter! I normally avoid commenting on films I don't find so good but I do think viewers should not raise their hopes too much about this particular piece of work.

Joy (I) (2015)

Quirky genius

[8/10 · 27 April 2016]

Maybe this film was too quirky for some people but not for me. I loved the twists and turns that added a comic layer to the story. Or was it a simple story? (Yes, if you want to sum it up in a line but then you would have missed the point!) And what about its lesson to the viewers? Was there meant to be one?

The little bits of reviews I have seen after viewing this fine production surprised me and left me feeling sorry for many of the reviewers. Go to the cinema wearing whatever you like except great expectations! No, it wasn't like the book. No, it wasn't a morality lesson! No, it did not always make sense! No, it was not like any of the other films made by the same actors! It had its own unique screen presence.

So, would I recommend this film? Yes, definitely! But if you want a lesson or an inspiration or a book story then I recommend you go to a school, an art gallery or a library and don't even think of looking at "Joy".

For me this was a wonderful piece of cinema, refreshing and original.

All Is Lost (2013)

Straight down the middle wonderful

[10/10 · 18 January 2014]

At least one of the reviewers went into a long list of the sailor's failings. He missed the point (and he forgot to mention the use of a mirror, one of the most important survival items!) It would be like criticising Hamlet for not going to psychotherapy!

The strength of this film is that it neither focuses on the perfect sailor nor does it attempt to be epic. There is a stark simplicity and realism about this. I sail and I saw it with a group of six sailing friends. We were all impressed. We saw a few goofs in the film (which we simply forgave) and many sailing mistakes in the fictionary sailor (which we simply understood) ... but that made him and the story all the more real.

I'm not sure how this film will appeal to the non-sailor, maybe too much water, but I loved it!

On the Road (2012)

What a waste of time!

[1/10 · 28 March 2013]

What a pretentious film! There is an idea in this film that to be a "writer" means being seen writing quit a lot, almost every scene in fact and even writing desperately on the backs of envelopes and other rubbish. The language used by the protagonists is equally pretentious. I remained watching until the end in the expectation that it would be revealed to be a big joke!

IMDb requires me to write at least ten lines of text for a review to be accepted. Well, this film does not deserve ten lines of text but viewers do need to be forewarned. The director's other film about Che Guevara's meanderings through South America was good. Have I reached ten yet!