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Awake (2007)
6.5? More like -6.5
Truly dreadful.
Some acting would have been nice. And some well-executed dialogue.
The story is beyond belief but the production isn't anywhere near Hitchcock.
Some of the scenes are pure awful and yet there are positive reviews.... hard to fathom.
I repeated my review to meet the Required Characters count.
Truly dreadful.
Some acting would have been nice. And some well-executed dialogue.
The story is beyond belief but the production isn't anywhere near Hitchcock.
Some of the scenes are pure awful and yet there are positive reviews.... hard to fathom.
I repeated my review to meet the Required Characters count.
Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)
Oh dear!
The award for wooden acting is a close run thing between 3 main candidates; the husband James W, the barrister Kate/Holly and the plot twist in E6. It is too easy to dislike despicable, empty, shallow James because he is a rapist and a criminal. The crude acting is probably realistic in the portrayal of such a privileged character. Kate's acting together with the script makes for some downright laughable deliveries. The fear that she could lose everything by behaving against principle is such a transparent driver for a flawed character.
5 out 6 episodes were intriguing in the exploration of consensus in an intimate exchange set within the legal framework and a political, privileged background.
A glass of wine at every turn. Typical.
Oh dear. What could have been.
The Queen's Gambit (2020)
Stunning. Just like chess. Really!
Great acting with stunning period clothes and camera work. Dramatic and engaging. The detail of the world of chess is very well placed against the backdrop of a personal fractured backstory. The climax is strong and the ending is a little sweet but still satisfying. Many great roles by the lead and support. I would highlight the cast as a group but the lead was exceptional, the mother just as good and the competitors too. Basically everyone.
The focus on the prodigy aspect from a broken, destructive home was well presented and the callus treatment by the institutional home and uncaring adoption father was critical and very well depicted.
The Stranger (2020)
WOOPSIE⚠
I think the absurd story was way too much for the director. The wooden acting by many key characters was mind boggling. Siobhan Finneran stole the show. Easily. Brandon Fellows played a blinder after a shaky start. With the rest of the cast - it's a race to the bottom. Some highlights to note;
Anthony 'Smug & Wooden' Head - as wooden and smug as ever.
Paul Kaye - absurdly poor.
Hannah John-Kamen - she just could not deliver. Such a key role too.
Jennifer Saunders - PLEASE! Why?
The biggest crime was committed by the casting director. More like criminal director.
The line at the end - "We must go on as if nothing has happened" is so over the top and hard to comprehend. From the script surely you would say "Seriously? You want me to say that!
WOOPSIE INDEED.
Fauda (2015)
MAGNIFICENT
Very personal and dramatic.
The characters are great and the relationship between them is enlightening and fascinating.
There is bloody action and vicious deceit within a torn community. The cost of human life amongst divided families and toxic relationships is staggering.
It isn't pretty but it's insightful and very compelling to watch. The language and respect bestowed between the characters is ultimately meaningless as death and destruction will surely follow. The level of secrecy and surveillance that pervades everyday life is hard to fathom. Meetings between families are carried out using a high level of security that is frightening and not conducive to trust or a normal life.
Narcos (2015)
an easy 10
Addictive and spellbinding. Easy to binge watch.
Needs close attention to extract everything from it.
The 'Dukes of Hazzard* DEA boys seem to be a bit goofy but as the story and narration progresses you catch the depth and depravity of the Columbian situation.
There is some absuridity in huge doses throughout but politics, foreign intervention and a severly toxic corrupt society lends itself to an incredible story. The few highs and immense lows are staggering.
Mercury Plains (2016)
Nice work.
I liked this slow-paced, thoughtful film excellently shot with some great scenic backdrops and camera work. Definitely an Eastwood style performance which matched the film and genre.
I was impressed and the final scene was so well done with sparse dialogue and a real pithiness. Nice work.
Ps I don't think A Garcia was in the film, but he may have been.
The Bank Job (2008)
A decent movie with JS in it
JS should make more of these - decent movies.
It's a bank job and it's got JS in it.
And it's a decent movie.
Mazeballs.
What more can I say? It has to be a minimum of 150 characters. Are we done yet?
Line of Duty (2012)
unsurpassable
The drama and dramatic events are off the charts. A stark combination of intense reality and a deep sense of foreboding.
Highlights are;
Each series
The forensic interviews once the case is put in motion
The violent and brutal twist at the end
The need to keep digging as the conspiracy ever widens
Breath-taking corruption and a feeling of deep, deep sadness at the message and it's implications.
Our House (2022)
What's the point in on-line reviews? Seriously.
Great premise. Great acting. Strange, evolving story. Flashbacks and present day eventually turning full circle. Great ending with a twist and a strong message. Better than on-line forecast.
Much better in reality. What's the point in on-line reviews? Seriously. Apart from mine of course.
Sleeping with Other People (2015)
We're better than this
Why
Was this made?
Did it make money?
Did JS play a 101-year-old romantic sleaze lead?
Did AB agree to the youthful charade?
Why did I watch it?
I'm better than this.
If you are under 12, give it a go.
Otherwise
You're better than this.
The Responder (2022)
worth the license fee job
Great script, so well executed.
The highlight on reality is so good to watch. Fantastic storyline which has real depth and some incredible wit.
The discourse between Chris Carson (played by Martin Freeman) and his therapist Lynne Renfrew (Elizabeth Berrington) when she is ill-prepared for their session is sublime and so pithy.
Worth the license fee single-handedly.
Time (2021)
Devastatingly brilliant
Want to be engrossed in something worth being engrossed in? Stick around. Slow, methodical, dramatic and revealing. Think you know what prison is for. How it works. The devastation caused? Now you do. The acting is excellent. The production and direction stunning. Less is so much more. Marvellous devastation.
Bloodlands (2021)
It's just not fair....
Want to know why many TV shows and films are poor quality?
Look no further.
All the good stuff's gone into Bloodlands.
Some brief glances, succinct dialogue and a general threatening tone.
Add some complexity and you've got...the good stuff.
It's so unfair on the other productions.
The Daughter (2015)
All about Henry. And Charlotte.
So well produced. So well told. The cast is excellent. Paul Schneider & Geoffrey Rush to highlight 2 exemplary performances. The climax is crucial. Be careful what you wish for. Beyond guilt. For Henry and Charlotte.
Bombshell (2019)
Blondies
Quite a complex story which highlights the difficulty of a class-action lawsuit. The need to get others to go public before she did was Megyn Kelly's Achilles heel - she didn't have the guts to go first. Gretchen Carlson was the real hero and Roger Ailes endless and bullish denial was typical.
The financial settlement for him exceeded the victims which is the true bombshell here.
The Railway Man (2013)
To share the real way
From Scotland to Thailand.
Port Seton to Kanchanaburi.
Berwick, North Berwick & Perth railway station.
Scottish to Japanese.
Colin Dour Farrell and Nicole Dour Kidman - An excellent tale slowly unfolds.
To share the real way. Via the map.
And Colin's glasses.
A Common Man (2013)
2 for the price of 1
It looks like a 60s Bond movie because of the way it's shot, the contrast and colours. It's also not perfectly crafted like the Bourne Identity thrillers which utilise very fast, shaky camera action and are overly dramatic.
ACM is real and authentic. Nice dilemma; Terrorism versus swift justice. Twist at the end is delightful.
The drama moves at a pace and the vital prisoner release plane moment is spot on. Makes you revise what you've just watched and re-think things. Very stimulating. Then the penny drops.............
Finally, the protagonist and his adversary meet. A revelatory exchange ensues.
If you don't or can't see the value of the outcome, chances are you didn't understand the film. The wife's phone call is critical to the common man.
2 for the price of 1.
Knives Out (2019)
Don't be shy - step right up
Somethings to look out for;
The coin toss.
Daniel Craig's pretty darn good southern accent and strong performance. Christopher Plummer's exemplary performance. Jamie Lee-Curtis very good, near exemplary performance. Toni Collette's strong & wonderful performance. The complex plot and twists - need to stay focused. No short term attention span allowed here. K Callan's (Greatnana Wanetta) magnificent minimal but major role - breathtakingly and delightfully muted intensity.
The 2 hour running time is well worth your commitment. The retraced footsteps by the wonderful Ana de Armas were a delightful move. The absurdity of the action surrounding the side window of the house was a v. Nice touch. A very enjoyable and stimulating watch. Don't be shy - step right up.
Our Kind of Traitor (2016)
Beyond absurd
Suspend disbelief or die hard tryin'.
The plot has some insanely extravagant twists e.g. The teacher becomes James Bond.
Life thru Damien Lewis's absurd glasses and his equally absurd accent - oh dear. More than a ghostly nod to Harry Palmer.
Slightly entertaining but hard to care and hard to maintain focus.
Beyond absurd.
Snowden (2016)
All along the watchtower
A good movie which was very well cast. The ability to snoop at all times is the danger we have. As long as you have nothing to hide. Or lose. Or gain. Or whatever.
Warrant? Probable cause? Justifiable reason? Permission? From who.
The Rubik Cube played a stunner.
Watching me watching you watching us. All along the watchtower.
Intruder (2021)
Turn on. Tune in. Enjoy.
When the reviews slate the TV series, especially................ "I turned off after 10 mins, it was soooooooooo bad" or "I made it to the end, so you don't have to".
Don't hesitate. Turn on, tune in. Enjoy.
When the performance is "lumpy at best", the acting is flat and saved by "the few" and the storyline is ssssooooooooooooooo over the top.
Turn on. Tune in. Enjoy.
Never blindly accept reviews.
Ps Turn on. Tune in. Enjoy.
Reign Over Me (2007)
Uplifting. And Woody Allen esque
Adam Sandler delivers as Charlie Fineman the troubled lead character. What a great performance.
The reference to vinyl may be lost on some. Charlie is compartmentalising his life which stopped following a terrible loss. Music from the past is where he wants to be. The story quickly identifies the problem but the solution is a much slower beast.
There's a bit of poetic license here from the Judge who offers control of the court decision to the parents. And New York who caters/enables for Charlie's indiscretions along the way.
But the offer is couched in a way we wish courts could adopt more often because the law as written down doesn't always have a solution for all situations.
Uplifting.
The War at Home (1996)
Humour and pathos abound
There's some real strong humour here amongst a great depiction of the problem that war has on the individual and family life.
The father and son relationship and the impact this has on the son's wartime experience is amazing and critical.
The mother's role is expertly handled by Kathy Bates and is equally pivotal to the father's key role deftly delivered by Martin Sheen.
The language is choice and so heartfelt as the film tackles the issue head on. The ending isn't sugar coated which is a big tick. Humour and pathos abound.
Denmark (2019)
Delightful. Ish.
Sort of Welsh trainspotting.
But not really.
Bit weak.
Deep. Without depth.
Simple. Enjoyable. Some nice touches.
Doesn't sustain you for very long.
Delightful. Ish.