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howellsey
Reviews
Damnation (2017)
USA's answer to Peaky Blinders
Just finished watching this on Netflix in the UK and I am both perplexed and severely disappointed that this did not get commissioned for a 2nd series.
Its a classic morality play, but with two differences/enhancements. One, it contains a decent narrative surrounding the politics of the time that a more simplistic series would ignore, and two, I have seldom watched a series with such tremendous strength in depth of leads. Seriously - whatever the Director did to enable these performances should be applauded.
The most prevalent 7 or 8 actors all bring their A game. There is nothing to separate them. Not one moment which elevates one above the other - all simply sublime. And the dialogue they get is excellent. My biggest pet hate is shoddy dialogue. Once I've winced a few times at either unnatural dialogue, or dialogue where the viewer is treated like an idiot (yes designated survivor, I'm talking about you), you've lost me. This managed to stay riveting but doesn't cut corners or - worse - becomes self indulgent rubbish. Perfectly balanced, perfectly paced. And wonderful cinematography too by the way.
I haven't felt this burned since Carnivale wasn't renewed, but the second series did stray from the path a little, so I kind of get that, if not condone it. This has been cruelly snuffed out in its prime.
Seth and Crealy had massive potential to have been cult icons. Who knew what this was building up to!! And ref my headline comment, this had all the makings of an American equivalent to Peaky Blinders. It deals with a complicated relationship between brothers, it has its basis in historical fact, its brutal on occasion, it deals with the harshness of the day very well, the characters are essentially anti-heroes with many redeeming qualities, excellent dialogue, nail biting twists and turns, fantastic ensemble .... I can't believe the execs decided it wasn't worth renewing.
I so hope another network picks this up....
Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys (2004)
What the hell is this about?
I cannot believe what I just saw here! I am very much a fan of the series, and have been for a long time, but this was just utter garbage. I know the main thrust of this series is about mindless mayhem and entertainment, but nothing in this film made any sense.
In brief - which wont be hard - Robert Toulon (Feldman) is struggling to decipher Andre Toulon's notes and scriptures in order to find the formula to bring the puppets to life. He does this in about the second scene, but unfortunately a major toy company have been spying on him (through a camera hid in a toy in his workshop!) and attempt to snatch the formula from him in order to treat their dolls with it (the Demonic Toys) and unleash them on the unsuspecting public in time for Christmas. After a lot of faffing about, the puppets have a scrap.
Corey Feldman speaks in a ridiculous voice all the way through and is the victim of the worst make up department in cinema history. His character isn't written too badly, but it's the only one.
The evil creator of the Demonic Toys has a bodyguard who in one scene is lamenting her wicked ways by referring constantly to her noble father, and in the next is torturing and murdering a young girl before consulting with Satan himself (another victim of the make up AND costume department) as to the best method of acquiring Toulons secret. Later he laments about the purpose of Christmas once being time of spreading joy to little girls and boys!!! Excuse me mate, but didn't you just gruesomely torture to death someone in the basement?! His daughter - who is the best in this bad bunch - litters the script with sickly, throwaway phrases such as 'this is gonna be the BEST Christmas EVER, Dad', and as for the aforementioned bodyguard's henchmen.......I don't think they'd stand a chance against the Olsen twins.
Then, of course, there are the puppets. And my God, don't they look awful. They appear to have been carved out of plastic for this one. No discernible expressions, walking like the Thunderbirds and jittering about like they have a severe case of Tourette's Syndrome. Just awful. In fact, and perhaps its an irony - they do look like real toys (wrestling figures or something) as their facial expressions are restricted to doing goldfish impressions. Don't even start me on the 'humour' in the film. It wouldn't amuse the most hardened Beethoven 2 fan.
I cannot describe how poor this is. I really can't. I'm only glad that I hired this for free as part of a 30 day trial at an online DVD rental company.
Who wrote this? Almost 20 years creating the legacy, and it just takes about an hour and twenty minutes to pi$$ all over it.