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pommy1
Reviews
Succession (2018)
The greatest error
I rated this 9/10, compelling, funny and absorbing. But the failure to show the defining moment of the entire 4-season series - Logan Roy's death - was bewildering. I can't think of any reason to justify their approach. But their claim to want to focus on everyone else's reaction to his death, rather than the death itself, doesn't hold water. It was disappointing and, frankly, a cop-out. Maybe they had a fall-out with Brian Cox and he refused to shoot the scene. That's entirely possible since he doesn't feature in the episode at all. Certainly makes more sense than their explanation. A blight on a series which otherwise was close to being a perfect 10.
Chasing Ghislaine (2021)
Quite a letdown
Unsatisfactory account of the depraved lifestyles of Maxwell and Epstein. Offers little to explain how a second-rate human being like Epstein could have wielded such influence over the world's richest and most powerful men, including 2 ex-presidents and Bill Gates.
Easy to see why the doco maker Vicky Ward has been accused of self-promotion and she certainly puts herself at centre stage at every opportunity.
Hustlers (2019)
Haven't you got something better to do?
How J Lo or anyone else even got nominated for awards for this mess is beyond me. Mediocre acting and an uninspiring storyline combine to make this instantly forgettable. That's 110 minutes I'll never get back.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
True story as fairytale
Refreshing to see such an unusual film: a true story recounted in a fairytale-like way. Tom Hanks mesmerizes as Fred Rogers, the disarmingly nice presenter of a children's TV show (yes, Hanks was born for this role) and Matthew Rhys is convincing as the abrasive magazine reporter who really was sent to interview him in 1998. The hard-bitten journo is torn - like everyone else, he falls for Rogers' angelic charm but his natural cynicism tells him it's all an act. I don't get how the man who dominates the film in virtually every scene is Oscar-nominated in the "Supporting Actor" category - maybe it gives him a better chance of a third Oscar - but anyway, a top cast and a good watch.
Rocketman (2019)
Elton John 1, Moviegoers 0
I enjoyed so much of this and yet, as the titles came down, the overriding feeling I had was frustration.
Sure, Taron Egerton deserves an Oscar - I only found out afterwards that he'd done all the singing himself, which makes his performance even more remarkable. I didn't enjoy the dance scenes, though - but maybe that's me. I just feel this is such a good story, just tell it without the distractions.
What really got to me, though, was that every one of EJ's tantrums was conveyed with a powerful sense of sympathy, justified by a tough childhood and unsupportive parents.
The sneaking suspicion I had that EJ himself had had a hand in this was confirmed when I saw that the musician himself had been its executive producer. Subjects of biopics often decide to have nothing to do with it. EJ decided the opposite and cannily went on to preserve his reputation as a "difficult darling" and nothing more. The closing text, which glorified his contribution to charitable causes and sought to emphasise what a remarkable human being he is and how lucky we are to have him, only served to confirm that he had won the battle to portray himself in the best possible light.
Summertime (1955)
Good isn't good enough for Lean
I only watched this because it was directed my David Lean, my all-time cinematic hero, and it was by far the most disappointing of all his films. Hepburn was wonderful but it mostly struck me as schmaltzy and a woman's film. Nonetheless, easy enough to watch.
Love & Mercy (2014)
Is this the worst casting of all time?
yes, you might think this is unimaginative but John Cusack? Movies are a visual art for goodness sake and studios often go to great lengths to find someone who bears a striking resemblance to the person they're playing, especially if that person is still alive so if a lead actor looks nothing like the historical figure he's playing, it's likely to be a major drawback. In this case, for me it was a fatal flaw. I wanted to give it away after 20 minutes or so, endured it until 1'05 and then gave up. What a shame for a potentially riveting movie. What a shame for Paul Dano's great work. What a catastrophic blunder by the casting crew. Some critics have given the film high marks nonetheless. I suspect many viewers will be equally disbelieving. I can't even begin to imagine what they were thinking.