Possibly teens thought this was funny when it was released. It's not now, if it ever was. It hasn't aged well and now is merely crass. Granted, this review is based on the first 25 minutes, at which point I gave it away. I guess I can't take too many drunken scenes with adults pretending they're still 18. If you're a keen fan of Will Ferrell you may get something from it. I'm a Will Ferrell fan, but of his more recent movies. If you're under 30 and missed this first time around by all means give it a try but be prepared to be underwhelmed. Rent, don't buy, and don't feel guilty about abandoning it before the first third is over.
Reviews
48 Reviews
Hollywood's Musical Moods
(1972)
An interesting history of music in film
19 December 2021
It's dated now but covers the golden years of film music in Hollywood, starting from the silent era and moving into the 1950s. I learned several things, e.g., that silent film music was far from spontaneous. Compilations of music were available to suit the mood of every scene, e.g., spooky, romantic, even orgy. When films were shot on location a couple of musicians were brought along to play for the actors as the movie was filmed, to help them get in the mood.
Did not finish - really awful show
18 March 2021
There's not many movies where I only last 15 minutes but this is one. Gratuitous inclusivity has produced a pointless disaster.
The producers went to some trouble to get the scenery and sets reasonably authentic. It's a pity they weren't as enthusiastic about the cast.
I was prepared to overlook the hero not being a thin, pasty-faced boy. He didn't get his appearance from his mother or father, that's for sure. Then Ham Pegotty comes on, also looking out of place.
The last straw was Agnes Wickfield. Agnes is pretty, calm and tranquil. David compares her to a stained glass window in a church. Agnes in this film is not only multicultural but plain, sturdy, bumptious and speaks using Estuary English.
I didn't wait around to discover how the scriptwriter was going to work James Steerforth into the plot. He's an important character and appears early in the book. Likewise Tommy Traddles.
My recommendation: don't waste your time.
The producers went to some trouble to get the scenery and sets reasonably authentic. It's a pity they weren't as enthusiastic about the cast.
I was prepared to overlook the hero not being a thin, pasty-faced boy. He didn't get his appearance from his mother or father, that's for sure. Then Ham Pegotty comes on, also looking out of place.
The last straw was Agnes Wickfield. Agnes is pretty, calm and tranquil. David compares her to a stained glass window in a church. Agnes in this film is not only multicultural but plain, sturdy, bumptious and speaks using Estuary English.
I didn't wait around to discover how the scriptwriter was going to work James Steerforth into the plot. He's an important character and appears early in the book. Likewise Tommy Traddles.
My recommendation: don't waste your time.
An anti-business polemic
20 October 2020
At first glance this looked as if it might be an interesting, educational documentary. I gave it away after ten minutes as it rapidly became obvious this was an anti-globalisation, anti-business propaganda piece. When you have the producer quizzing a shop assistant if she knows where a "Made in Bangladesh" item comes from you know this going to be an anti-transport tirade. Subsequent interviews confirmed this in short order: earnest people opposed to shipping and international manufacturing.
The Dark Knight
(2008)
It was a struggle...
25 August 2020
...but I got through it over three sessions. I almost gave up and deleted the recording after the second session but I stuck with it.
The movie started out OK then gradually got bogged down in an increasingly non-entertaining and implausible plot. The special effects were good, I'll give it that. Then it ended and I could cross that off my "will watch again" list.
Like many modern movies the dialogue was hard to understand so I had to use subtitles to follow what was being said.
The movie started out OK then gradually got bogged down in an increasingly non-entertaining and implausible plot. The special effects were good, I'll give it that. Then it ended and I could cross that off my "will watch again" list.
Like many modern movies the dialogue was hard to understand so I had to use subtitles to follow what was being said.
Our Mutual Friend
(1998)
Spoiled by indistinct dialogue and music
19 May 2020
This could have been a fine production but suffesr from two egegrious errors that were common at the time, still are to quite an extent.
1. Overpowering background music. Mood music behind the dialogue and between scenes is pointless and does nothing to enhance the mystery or mood. Granted, it was fashionable but it's annoying none the less.
2. Authentic accents that are hard to understand. This is an ongoing probem in this type of drama. Mumbling in an supposed Victorian accent is clever but makes for a bad drama, especially when overpowered further by music or background sound effects. Clear, distinct dialogue aids understanding and enjoyment even if it is not how characters might be assumed to speak.
1. Overpowering background music. Mood music behind the dialogue and between scenes is pointless and does nothing to enhance the mystery or mood. Granted, it was fashionable but it's annoying none the less.
2. Authentic accents that are hard to understand. This is an ongoing probem in this type of drama. Mumbling in an supposed Victorian accent is clever but makes for a bad drama, especially when overpowered further by music or background sound effects. Clear, distinct dialogue aids understanding and enjoyment even if it is not how characters might be assumed to speak.
A Christmas Carol
(2019)
Gave it away after 30 minutes
25 December 2019
From the gratuitous and unnecessary (but totally hip) opening scene where someone (Scrooge?) is urinating on the grave of Marley this movie rapidly goes downhill. It looks as if someone recalled the opening scene of G.B.H. (1992) and thought, "Yeah, pissing...what a great start to a movie.
Despite the off-putting opening I stuck it out but 30 minutes but that was as much as I could take. It seemed to me this adaptation was going nowhere.
If you're not familiar with Charles Dickens' fable this movie might be OK. But, if like me, you know the story and have seen past cinematic interpretations this one comes across as merely clever and only broadly related to the spirit and meaning of the original story. I prefer the animated Disney version!
The short story can easily be fitted into 60 minutes; 90 minutes at most. To spin it out to three hours means there is a lot of padding and "improvements" on the original.
Despite the off-putting opening I stuck it out but 30 minutes but that was as much as I could take. It seemed to me this adaptation was going nowhere.
If you're not familiar with Charles Dickens' fable this movie might be OK. But, if like me, you know the story and have seen past cinematic interpretations this one comes across as merely clever and only broadly related to the spirit and meaning of the original story. I prefer the animated Disney version!
The short story can easily be fitted into 60 minutes; 90 minutes at most. To spin it out to three hours means there is a lot of padding and "improvements" on the original.
Landscape Artist of the Year
(2015– )
Glacially slow
19 June 2019
I've been trying to get through the 2015 final. I don't think I'll make it. I keep nodding off. "Tedious" would be an apt description. This show should have been edited into 30 minute episodes. One hour is far too long when you're dealing with presenters and artists who are not especially articulate and have little of interest to say.
One for the kiddies...
24 August 2018
...by that I mean people 25 and under. For those my age (which is a lot older) there wasn't much new in it. The dangers of excessive Vitamin D were the only thing of interest for me.
The program could have been good but it's too long and filled out with superfluous musical skits and cartoons. It needs hard editing to bring it back to 60 minutes. The background music was distracting and pointless. Why have background music at all?
Several times I was on the verge of giving it away but soldiered on thinking it might improve. It didn't.
The program could have been good but it's too long and filled out with superfluous musical skits and cartoons. It needs hard editing to bring it back to 60 minutes. The background music was distracting and pointless. Why have background music at all?
Several times I was on the verge of giving it away but soldiered on thinking it might improve. It didn't.
Science of Stupid
(2014– )
Cheap filler
1 January 2018
I watched a few episodes and suddenly got very, very bored. All it is is a lot of readily accessible YouTube clips strung together with lame commentary. You get the same thing without the intrusion if you look for "December Failures" videos or the like.
Outrageous Acts of Science
(2012– )
Amazing...really!
1 January 2018
This show contains a lot of stuff that's amazing, really amazing. And outrageous. And extraordinary. And really, really cool. Did I mention all the presenters think the stuff shown is amazing and cool? Amazing clips and amazing presenters with not more than a one word vocabulary. Seriously, if you're older than 14, value your time and have the slightest discernment, give this trip a wide berth.
Amazing. Really Amazing.
15 August 2017
After Geller enthused that underground London was "amazing" twice in two minutes I hit 'delete'. Here is a shallow presenter who should never have been put in front of a camera. Geller got so worked up I thought he was about to wet himself.
This could have been an interesting segment but it needed a British presenter to make it work.
This could have been an interesting segment but it needed a British presenter to make it work.
Tripe
4 August 2017
It's cool! That's amazing! It's heavy man. Amazing! Cool!
Judging by the simple, uninformative narrative and hip vocabulary this poor excuse for a documentary seems to be aimed at the 13-15 year old market. The camera pans jerkily all over the place and scenes cut chaotically (granted, that is a popular if irritating US habit). Twenty-five minutes worth of material is stretched out to 45.
Don Wildman, the so-called "talent" who fronts the piece prances around like a teenager high on something. The only clue that he's an adult is the lack of personal grooming. Here's a couple of tips. Grow a beard before going on camera, or shave first. Looking like a homeless person...not a pleasant look. And take voice lessons. Did I mention Wildman thinks everything is amazing and cool?
Judging by the simple, uninformative narrative and hip vocabulary this poor excuse for a documentary seems to be aimed at the 13-15 year old market. The camera pans jerkily all over the place and scenes cut chaotically (granted, that is a popular if irritating US habit). Twenty-five minutes worth of material is stretched out to 45.
Don Wildman, the so-called "talent" who fronts the piece prances around like a teenager high on something. The only clue that he's an adult is the lack of personal grooming. Here's a couple of tips. Grow a beard before going on camera, or shave first. Looking like a homeless person...not a pleasant look. And take voice lessons. Did I mention Wildman thinks everything is amazing and cool?
London Spy
(2015)
Plot-free MacGuffin caper
13 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I persisted with this in the hope it would improve. It never did. It started OK and deteriorated into a spy soap. Fine production standards but a weak, unbelievable plot full of holes. Some of Britain's finest actors couldn't save it. Why all the fuss over software than can reveal lies in facial expressions? Cal Lightman does that easily in "Lie To Me", that series using the Facial Action Coding System of 1978 as the plot basis. Really, the software is just a MacGuffin.
London Spy might have been improved to a small degree if Ben Whishaw carried a pack of tissues or handkerchief and used them frequently. He is given to soulful, hang-dog looks and pointless meanderings in various parts of London and the Thames estuary. Quite remarkable, too, that on some days he'd get out of bed with a lighter beard than the night before. It's some feat to turn a three-day stubble into a two-day stubble overnight.
London Spy might have been improved to a small degree if Ben Whishaw carried a pack of tissues or handkerchief and used them frequently. He is given to soulful, hang-dog looks and pointless meanderings in various parts of London and the Thames estuary. Quite remarkable, too, that on some days he'd get out of bed with a lighter beard than the night before. It's some feat to turn a three-day stubble into a two-day stubble overnight.
Roman Britain from the Air
(2014 TV Movie)
Lightweight. Don't waste your time.
20 January 2016
"Roman Britain from the Air" is a not a quality documentary. It is lightweight and hardly worth spending an hour watching. The historical content is not particularly original leaving just the helicopter view to give interest - and it barely did that. Oddly there were often two helicopters. One with the presenters and a second to film the helicopter containing the presenters.
Saturation has been set too high in post-production giving a garish colour level.
I could have tolerated those shortcomings but for two others that had me crawling up the wall.
1. Christine Bleakley needs presentation training. She speaks well enough but can't keep her head still. It's all over the place like a rag doll. Christine, for heaven's sake keep your head in the one position...just talk straight to camera. This get wild nodding and wagging is distracting after a minute and there's 59 minutes to go.
2. An irritating, overused word these days is 'amazing'. It was pathetic to find so-called professionals using language no better than vapid teenage girls.
This documentary might be interesting for a young person with little knowledge of British history and who is easily "amazed". For anyone else I suggest giving it a miss.
Saturation has been set too high in post-production giving a garish colour level.
I could have tolerated those shortcomings but for two others that had me crawling up the wall.
1. Christine Bleakley needs presentation training. She speaks well enough but can't keep her head still. It's all over the place like a rag doll. Christine, for heaven's sake keep your head in the one position...just talk straight to camera. This get wild nodding and wagging is distracting after a minute and there's 59 minutes to go.
2. An irritating, overused word these days is 'amazing'. It was pathetic to find so-called professionals using language no better than vapid teenage girls.
This documentary might be interesting for a young person with little knowledge of British history and who is easily "amazed". For anyone else I suggest giving it a miss.
Mr. Turner
(2014)
Fails to live up to the hype
28 December 2014
It was disappointing. My wife says if she'd been watching it at home on cable she'd have given up after the first hour.
Great photography, locations and high production values but:
* At nearly 3 hours it's awfully long.
* The story line meanders a lot. You couldn't say there was a plot as such.
* The modern cult of authentic accents means for most of the film you can't tell what the heck anyone is saying. One of those modernistic productions where everyone mumbles a lot.
* Panning and tracking shots are blurry. I guess that's a result of digital filming but it's annoying. You keep waiting for the shot to stabilise so the scene detail is revealed.
* When the film starts Turner has already developed his signature style. You are left with the impression he had always painted like that. Not so. In a recent cable doco, which was more interesting, it was explained the he was a highly skilled conventional draughtsman and artist well before he went on to paint in the style of 'The Fighting Temeraire'.
* And there's that gratuitous sex scene with his housekeeper. Ludicrous...and physically impossible.
Great photography, locations and high production values but:
* At nearly 3 hours it's awfully long.
* The story line meanders a lot. You couldn't say there was a plot as such.
* The modern cult of authentic accents means for most of the film you can't tell what the heck anyone is saying. One of those modernistic productions where everyone mumbles a lot.
* Panning and tracking shots are blurry. I guess that's a result of digital filming but it's annoying. You keep waiting for the shot to stabilise so the scene detail is revealed.
* When the film starts Turner has already developed his signature style. You are left with the impression he had always painted like that. Not so. In a recent cable doco, which was more interesting, it was explained the he was a highly skilled conventional draughtsman and artist well before he went on to paint in the style of 'The Fighting Temeraire'.
* And there's that gratuitous sex scene with his housekeeper. Ludicrous...and physically impossible.
Great Expectations
(2011–2012)
Gave up half-way through
18 April 2012
Stunning photography and high production values in the end could not make up for the gaping plot holes. If you had never seen earlier versions or had never read the book then you would think this is a marvellous production.
The piece got off to a magnificent start - the scenes at the forge and surrounding countryside. I did think it odd that the forge was nowhere near a town or farms. People needing a horse shod had a considerable journey to get the job done. At the end of the first episode I was having doubts and shortly into the second episode I had had enough and turned off. At the end of part one I wondered what had happened to Biddy, a secondary but important character. Biddy teaches Pip to read and write yet in this series Pip learns to read and write without any tuition.
Joe Gargery's appearance at Pip's club was a false note too. Then one character refers to another as 'an idiot'. Using the word 'idiot' in that way dates from the 1960s. Then it was a medical term meaning a person with severe mental retardation. 'Fool' would have been the correct word.
The piece got off to a magnificent start - the scenes at the forge and surrounding countryside. I did think it odd that the forge was nowhere near a town or farms. People needing a horse shod had a considerable journey to get the job done. At the end of the first episode I was having doubts and shortly into the second episode I had had enough and turned off. At the end of part one I wondered what had happened to Biddy, a secondary but important character. Biddy teaches Pip to read and write yet in this series Pip learns to read and write without any tuition.
Joe Gargery's appearance at Pip's club was a false note too. Then one character refers to another as 'an idiot'. Using the word 'idiot' in that way dates from the 1960s. Then it was a medical term meaning a person with severe mental retardation. 'Fool' would have been the correct word.
The Good Companions
(1980– )
Wonderful nostalgia
13 January 2012
A lovely adaptation of J.B. Priestley's novel of the same name. In keeping with the show biz theme it contains musical interludes but I wouldn't go as far as calling it a musical.
If you're a fan of quality light entertainment from the UK you'll enjoy this.
There are, as usual in British drama, some fine cameo performances. It was delightful to see Judith Cornwall as the prim-and-proper Miss Trant. What a contrast to her later performance as Daisy in 'Keeping Up Appearances'.
I note US viewers have rated it much lower than UK/Commonwealth viewers making the overall rating quite low. This is understandable as this is not the type of show that would have any appeal for Americans. The humour is too subtle and most of the characters are elderly. When originally broadcast it rated highly in the UK and Australia.
Available on DVD (3 CD set) from Amazon UK at an excellent price.
If you're a fan of quality light entertainment from the UK you'll enjoy this.
There are, as usual in British drama, some fine cameo performances. It was delightful to see Judith Cornwall as the prim-and-proper Miss Trant. What a contrast to her later performance as Daisy in 'Keeping Up Appearances'.
I note US viewers have rated it much lower than UK/Commonwealth viewers making the overall rating quite low. This is understandable as this is not the type of show that would have any appeal for Americans. The humour is too subtle and most of the characters are elderly. When originally broadcast it rated highly in the UK and Australia.
Available on DVD (3 CD set) from Amazon UK at an excellent price.
Stephen Fry in America
(2008)
Stephen Fry skewers America and Americans
28 November 2009
'Stephen Fry in America' could be regarded as a modern version of Fanny Trollope's 'Domestic Manners of the Americans'. It looks like a pleasant travelogue conducted by a witty and urbane Englishman and superficially it is. However Mr Fry skewers Americans as only a cultured Englishman can. Behind superb photography and a disarming manner we see how ghastly much of middle USA is. It was filmed when the weather was at its worst, doubtless deliberately. Drizzle, driving rain, and muddy roads combined with small-town USA create a dispiriting, even depressing, effect. The evening dance for elderly Jewish retirees in Miami was jaw-dropping. Truly ghastly.
Withnail & I
(1987)
Dated. Mildy amusing diversion.
25 August 2004
In the end moderately 'witty' one-liners cannot resurrect this now-dated film. Withnail and Marwood are stereotypical English boors: irresponsible, self-centred, lazy, slobby, poor personal hygiene. This type usually migrates to the dominions and becomes a shop-steward, or a drama teacher and in neither case adding adding value to life.
The witty one-liners aren't all that witty. Have a look at the memorable quotes. Not all that memorable. The delivery is not memorable.
The plot is a re-hashed Town mouse visits country mouse'. John Schlesinger did a far better job of this genre in Cold Comfort Farm'.
To get anything from this you had to be there at the time. It doesn't travel: incomprehensible in the US and Canada, a time-filler for middle-aged males in Australia.
The witty one-liners aren't all that witty. Have a look at the memorable quotes. Not all that memorable. The delivery is not memorable.
The plot is a re-hashed Town mouse visits country mouse'. John Schlesinger did a far better job of this genre in Cold Comfort Farm'.
To get anything from this you had to be there at the time. It doesn't travel: incomprehensible in the US and Canada, a time-filler for middle-aged males in Australia.
Now available on DVD in Australia
30 April 2004
Fans will be delighted to learned that 'The Adventures of Barry McKenzie' is now available on DVD. I bought my copy at JB HiFi at the bargain price of $11. It is a PAL Region 4 disk. However, like the VHS version, the print quality is appalling. It must have been taken from a well-worn cinema release. It is dark, horrendously scratchy at the reel changes and has frames missing. The source must have been broken and repaired. Oh for a digitally remastered version of an unreleased print. Still, it's a heck of a lot better than nothing. One delightful small part is the first appearance on film of John Clarke. He is an effete ex-patriate Australian, wearing a tight paisley shirt and in a wig (or at least a hilarious comb-over), podgily overweight, and speaking in a pseud's accent. Delightful.
Crackerjack
(2002)
Mildly amusing time killer
2 April 2004
This is a light-weight piece of flummery with, I think, appeal only to Australians. If you're in the US or the UK watch this only if you either (i) have a morbid fascination with Australian cinema, or (ii) you have 90 minute to fill in before doing the ironing and walking the dog. I can't see how it would travel. It's a mildly amusing time-killer. It's financed by the Australian taxpayer, which is probably an indication that it was fair bet for a non-starter in the first place.
Having carped this is entertaining enough and captures the pointlessness of Australian suburban existance.
In the flashes of the newspapers the props person took the lazy way out and repeated the first paragraph enough times to fill the page.
In my bachelor days I lived in this area and parked outside the Windsor bowling club while I shopped at Rubenstein's in Chapel Street. This locale is now the gay centre of Melbourne.
Having carped this is entertaining enough and captures the pointlessness of Australian suburban existance.
In the flashes of the newspapers the props person took the lazy way out and repeated the first paragraph enough times to fill the page.
In my bachelor days I lived in this area and parked outside the Windsor bowling club while I shopped at Rubenstein's in Chapel Street. This locale is now the gay centre of Melbourne.
Rabbit-Proof Fence
(2002)
A work of fiction - nothing more
5 July 2003
Enjoy the film for its cinematic qualities, but always remember that this is pure fiction. The events depicted never happened. The clever little historical note at the end is nice touch to make audiences think the events depicted actually happened. The heroine of the film was *not* stolen, but -- as official files reveal -- removed only after fears were raised for her safety and after a nod of approval from her stepfather. The so-called 'Stolen Generations' is an enduring myth of the Australian scene. The facts are that despite enormous efforts not one single stolen Aborigine has been found, let alone a dozen - or generations. However, it's a heart-rending tale that makes for good press and a good screenplay. Even Roger Ebert fell for it. Ebert could pick that a local film masquerading as history - The Gangs of New York - is fictional, but, not being familiar with foreign parts, accepted this one as completely true. Rating: 1 Kleenex.
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