flaglady15 Reviews

The Promised Land (2016– )

Great interpretation of a biblical story

[10/10 · 2 March 2020]

As a follow-on from "Moses and the 10 Commandments" this was an almost seamless production. Same as others of these miniseries from the same stable (Alexandre Avancini) there is great artistic license taken with the addition of other characters, families and stories, not to mention the lack of truth concerning - as another review mentioned - hygiene, clothing and hair dressing! But I could take that by just ignoring it and concentrating on the central theme of the production.

To get to more basics, I think Sidney Sampaio is a spot on choice for Joshua though the same could not be said for the lead characters in Jericho - evil personified, I felt! But Sidney shows a humble man, plagued with human frailties and doubt about his calling but that smile - what a stunner! Though I think the beard does add to the overall impact!

Methinks the concluding act will be a replay of the opening act - the fall of Jericho!

Starsky and Hutch (1975–1979)

Much vaunted but poorly scripted series

[4/10 · 28 January 2020]

I can't be duplicitous, though I watched and recorded every episode, I really, truly didn't rate this series. The scripts were poor, the plot lines trite and unbelievable. I could never understand why it got all the rave reviews and laudification. Compared to the films he followed it up with - Swan Song, Salem's Lot, Casablanca, The Fifteh Missile,Key to Rebecca - even The Bride in Black - these were what showed our David for the supreme actor he really is. And that's not mentioning all the stage productions he did.

Rage! (1980 TV Movie)

An excellent film and performance

[10/10 · 28 January 2020]

It's been a while since I last watched this film but I remember almost every detail and not least for the quality of David's acting. I followed him closely from the early days of Starsky and Hutch which, if I'm truthful, I didn't much care for! But this fild was quite a different kettle of fish. And the closer when he stepped out of prison and a smile lit up his face was magic. One just KNEW it was because his screen wife (out of shot) had come to welcome him out. Perfect!

Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

Not exactly true to the Biblical story!

[2/10 · 18 August 2019]

I started to watch this film last night on TV and after about an hour, switched it off. To start with, it bears NO relationship to the Biblical story whatsoever (Exodus). There is no record of the Hebrews being taught to fight and the telling of Moses and the burning bush is twisted out of all recognition! It put me in the mind of Darren Aronofsky's version of Noah (with Russel Crowe) which had a very similar handling. Both would be better being labelled "based upon the story in the Old Testament" because that's about as close as it gets!

Joseph from Egypt (2013)

A wonderful mini series!

[10/10 · 14 October 2017]

This excellent mini series has obsessed me since I discovered it on one of the UK's lesser known channels earlier this year (2017). I recorded all I could of it which was 32 of the 38 episodes and have watched it start to finish almost every month! I love all the character portrayals and found out what I could of the actors which wasn't easy! The series itself is splendorous in every aspect: set dressings, costumes, script, interpretation and characterisations, even the minor characters. But the sound track music – oh my goodness, extraordinary is a mild word to describe it. I think all of it has surpassed any similar productions from Hollywood and our own BBCtv. I particularly loved the way the different acts were divided by drifting views of wondrous landscapes of desert sands and mountains. The principal character, Joseph, played by Angelo Paes Leme and Ricky Taveres, both of Brazil, are faithful interpretations and make your heart ache with what the real Joseph must have gone through. But then, he was the precursor of Jesus so it follows biblically. Family stories, love stories, a history and biblical stories all rolled into one. It's amazing and should have had awards galore! One thing though, I would say that the closing 10 minutes of the last episode are heart wrenching. Very little said, all visual - but that music! I'd seriously love to get a box set of of this (with English dubbing, of course) but I don't suppose that's ever going to be possible. I actually contacted 'My Channel' and they told me they will be running the series again sometime next year. I am SO delighted!

Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

What a wreck!

[2/10 · 8 September 2017]

Like a previous reviewer, I also went into this with an open mind. I mean - Ridley Scott? You can't go far wrong with him ..... can you? But I found that oh yes you can! I'll make no bones about the fact that I am a Christian and read the Bible daily so I am more than familiar with the biblical version of Exodus. This was about as similar to it as chalk is to cheese! There are so many issues, I'd need an entire page on this website to list them all! But one that really stuck in my craw was when the Hebrews finally left Egypt. Rather than the many thousands organised under their 12 tribal banners (all the sons of Jacob, if you remember) it became a mindless troupe meandering through the streets - probably a number that would shame a Harrod's sale! And Moses declaring himself lost when so near the Red Sea? What was that all about? And no pillar of fire to keep the Egyptian Pharaoh and his army back. I could go on but I think you should be getting the picture! I watched it through to the end out of a sense of astonishment and was reminded of the other Biblical travesty "Noah" played by the infamous Russell Crowe - about as believable as a pantomime dame! Well unlike that one, at least I never had to actually PAY to see this film! GAARRGHH!

Bambi II (2006 Video)

Ten years late but ....

[10/10 · 22 October 2016]

I only just found this on Sky Cinema (download) about two weeks ago and I've already watched it 10 times! I think it's absolutely charming and heart warming. Not only that but the actions and reactions of all the little creatures, especially Bambi, were so beautifully observed and drawn from real life, I was quite entranced. The entire story is also well drawn and I love how it picks up from the moment Bambi is calling for his lost mother and his father appears.

So other than the obvious bits of anthropomorphism, which can be forgiven, little Bambi came alive again in all his unique charm and cuteness! Well done Disney and all involved. A great job well done.

Shaka Zulu: The Citadel (2001 TV Movie)

Well finally I got to see it!

[6/10 · 14 August 2016]

I've waited 25 long years to see this movie and finally found it on popcornflix.com as a free to view. First time I've ever watched a free movie online!

Can't say much about the context of the story as my 'knowledge' of the slave trade and African history in general is limited to other similar US interpretations such as "Roots" and such. So my apologies when I say I actually enjoyed most of the film - being those sequences containing Henry Cele, naturally!

I really admired this chap. His performances are stellar especially considering he had no theatrical training or anything. He just seemed to emanate the character and personality of what one would assume would be the essence of Shaka's personality.

I also researched and found that he was quite a philanthropist and set up training camps for kids in his area and coached them in football. What a wonderful legacy!

Noah (2014)

Did they ever actually read the Bible?

[5/10 · 18 April 2014]

I went to see this movie with expectations that were not to be realised. There were so many 'literary licenses' taken with Holy Scriptures it defied belief. Now I'm not naive enough to have expected a scripturally correct version of events and I'm a happy watcher of some of the older stories such as "The Ten Commandments", "Jesus of Nazareth" and even "The Passion of Christ", which took plenty of liberties but at least stayed within the context and atmosphere of the story. This movie did none of those things.

Some of the additions to the story were:

• It made mention of "watchers", supernatural beings (angels) who watched over Noah and his family. No such beings are mentioned in Genesis.

• These supernatural beings apparently sinned and were clad in stone as a punishment They then came to life and helped Noah and his family to build the ark! (Terminator meets the Great Flood!)

• There was much made of the sons being discontent because they wouldn't be able to have wives and children and therefore be 'men' and Noah told them the reason for this was that mankind was to be exterminated too. But in Genesis (6:18)it says "you will enter the ark; you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you"

• The ark was also afloat long enough for Shem's wife to conceive and give birth to twin daughters. In Genesis (8:14) it says that "By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry".

• the first born of Shem were Cain and Abel not as depicted in the movie (I won't spoil it any more for you by explaining that!)

Very disappointing all round.

Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

memorable film - but not for the faint hearted

[8/10 · 15 March 2010]

Johnny is a victim of war. Sans almost everything with which we communicate with the world outside our bodies, his only sanctuary is his memories. And a nurse who somehow manages to sense that he is more than a living corpse. I watched this film in 1980 and can still remember about 30% of it! It still gives me the shudders but, being a nurse, also made me think deeply about patients in so-called "vegetative states". Science is slowly discovering that the (then) fictional ideas in this film aren't so far away from fact.

And I only watched it because it was one of David Soul's early film appearances (he only pops up for about 3 mins!).

The Last Samurai (1990)

only saved by Henry Cele

[3/10 · 8 May 2005]

A group of tourists on safari in Africa are kidnapped by a self-styled guerrilla general (Henry Cele). Among the group are two Japanese businessmen on a quest for a lost Samurai ancestor and girl whose lover is a white hunter-cum-mercenary soldier. But the kidnap is a scam to enable an Arab in the group to meet with the general and arrange an arms deal. But lo! the lover is coming to save them all in true Crocodile Dundee-style! A strange mix of themes here - Japanese fighting, Stallone style ambushes in the forest, a compound full of prisoners with an elegant house nearby and John Saxon's weird shot at a middle Eastern accent. But strangest of all is Mr Cele's wardrobe - from Shaka style leopard skin outfits - one in a boudoir complete with beaded wig! - to dungarees and a straw hat as he tends his roses. But he looks best in his general's uniform and his striding walk could not be equalled for dignity and presence. Which is just as well as there's little else in this film to spark one's interest and is desperately heavy with 'meaningful' mood musac. Mr Cele alone tackles his role with a credible commitment, giving a saving grace to an otherwise classically B minus movie. It's only worth watching his performance so fast forward the rest!