mikegibb-60418 Reviews

A Jazzman's Blues (2022)

The reason Netflix is losing customers

[2/10 · 29 September 2022]

Netflix isn't doing well and it isn't surprsing when they produce tripe like this, a movie equivalent of a second rate soap opera. Hackneyed storyline, risible script, hammy acting and a score that wouldn't be out of place in a lift. It sounded promising from the synopsis but after 60 minutes, 60 cringeworthy minutes, I eventually surrendered and ended up watching The Talented Mr Ripley for about the sixth time. All at Netflix, check out that film and it will give you an idea of what class movie making looks like. And next time you decide to make another of your ever more depressing movies try using someone like Damon or Law or at lease someone who can claim to be an actor not this sorry bunch.

Richard Jewell (2019)

Why didn't this guy win the Oscar?

[10/10 · 26 June 2022]

What a little gem of a movie. A true story told with such warmth and such feeling with Paul Walter Hauser totally outstanding in the title role. He is also helped by great performances from Kathy Bates and Sam Rockwell and all are fortunate to be blessed with a superb script and Eastwood's compassionate direction that perfectly captures the plight of the little man caught like a rabbit in the headlights. A simple story that results in a memorable and moving film.

All the Old Knives (2022)

Like watching paint dry

[4/10 · 11 April 2022]

I don't necessarily want my spy films to be full of James Bond type car chases and fights but something more than this drab offering would have been nice. Half of its almost two hour running time is staged in a restaurant watching the two main characters chat and stare wistfully at each other. Despite the fact that the storyline is pretty one dimensional, with the twist being obvious halfway through, a decent director could have done something to brighten up proceedings and to avoid watchers falling asleep. Hugely disappointing.

Boiling Point (I) (2021)

Should have been called Boiling Pointless

[1/10 · 28 March 2022]

Just who came up with this half baked (or should that be half cooked) idea of making a film centred solely around a bunch of generally hammy actors saying 'yes chef' to a foul mouthed central character, Stephen Graham who runs the full gambit of acting styles from boring and grumpy to boring and grumpy. If your idea of entertainment is hearing people shouting and screaming obscenities at each other, interspersed with riveting dialogue about whether people want tap or bottled water, then this is definitely for you. When the highlight of the movie is the appearance of a health inspector recanting health violations you know you are watching a dud. It may only last 90 minutes but it seems a lot longer. A lot.

The Newsroom (2012–2014)

Eight Years On and it still hasn't been bettered

[10/10 · 8 March 2022]

With hundreds of mini series filling up Netflix and the other streaming channels i am constantly waiting for the new Newsroom. But the wait is in vain. Even a decade since it first aired it is as fresh and as vibrant today as it was back then. Great characters, great actors and a script from the master, Aaron Sorkin. If for some reason you have never watched The Newsroom all I can say is ' lucky you. You have a real treat in store'.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

Simple and slow and enthralling

[9/10 · 2 March 2022]

How many movies leave a lasting impression where you wake the next morning still thinking about it? I doubt that would happen with the latest Spiderman or Fast and Furious 74 but that was exactly the effect that this lovely little film had on me. Moving and thought provoking in equal measure with a gentle but profound script. It is beautifully directed and with wonderful performances for the two leads. Tom Hanks to my mind is always great and he inhabits the part of Ted Rogers but Matthew Rhys as the cynical reporter is more than his equal. If you like action movies give this a miss - not a lot happens. But if you are looking for something that is enchanting and yet will make you think about your own life this is it.

The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017)

Decent Western, superb lead role

[7/10 · 21 February 2022]

A good watch after a slow first twenty minutes or so. Story is a little predictable at times with the obligatory 'bite on this until I get this bullet out of your gut' scene. But it is well acted with Pullman terrific in the title role, a simple but honest and dogged man who has been been a loyal and faithful friend to less than decent politicians. Also liked the ever excellent Tommy Flanagan. Keeps the shoot outs to a minimum and as a result is a lot more thoughtful and though provoking that most films of this genre.

Queenpins (2021)

Don't be put off by the premise

[7/10 · 21 February 2022]

I was kind of reluctant to watch this - a scam by two girls involving grocery coupons didn't sound too promising. In fact, however, it has produced a sweet, funny and very well made film. It moves along at a really good pace and you quickly find yourself rooting for the two of them. The script is sharp and witty and Kristen Bell is delightful in the main part. Not an Oscar nominee but highly entertaining. And the fact that it was inspired by real events gives it an extra edge.

The Hating Game (2021)

Recommended for any one who has had a frontal lobotomy

[1/10 · 21 February 2022]

Signed up to Netflix and Prime I will watch a lot of movies this year but even in February I will confidently forecast that I won't see a worse one. I could describe it as awful but that would be understatement. This is truly, truly terrible. The storyline is beyond predictable, the script was clearly written by a bunch of schoolkids who giggled at their own wit and the direction was amateurish. And that is before we get to the acting. I had never seen Hale or Stowell before but I have made a mental note of their names so it comes up as a red warning in case I ever come across another film they are in. Stowell looks like a character from a comic and has all the screen charisma of R2D2. If you are tempted to watch this film don't - do anything else. Go for a walk, visit the dentist. Anything, just anything else.

You (2018–2024)

Season 3 Dumb and Dumber

[4/10 · 18 February 2022]

Season one was entertaining and almost believable. "Season 2 was bordering on 'oh come on territory'. But 3 is just garbage. The couple end up killing or attempting to kill more people than a half decent serial killer and the storylines get more and more ludicrous. And yet half way through the ten episodes it remarkably gets totally boring. It does pick up a bit in the final twenty minutes but by then it had gone from the realms of far fetched to totally ludicrous. They are now advertising a season 4 but that i will definitely body swerve.

Reacher (2022– )

Entertaining but idiotic

[5/10 · 14 February 2022]

The good news is that the series is entertaining, generally fast paced and fairly well acted. The bad news is that, just like the books, the plot is not so much far fetched as totally bonkers. A stranger walks into town, is almost instantly taken on as an unofficial deputy and goes around killing people. I counted that Reacher killed about 20 people before I gave up counting. The body count in a tiny Georgia town is 50 and possibly even more. Something to watch if you are really bored and/or you have just had your brain removed.

The Woman in the House (2022)

Rubbish

[2/10 · 2 February 2022]

There can be few genre of movie quick so ripe for parody as the Woman in the window/ Girl on a Train type. But if you are going to create such a parody you need to make it funny. Sadly the writers of this boring confection singularly failed to do that so it is nothing but a long yawn. In the hands of a writer like Mel Brooks this could have been fun. In the hands of these hacks it is tedious. Don't waste your time.

The Gentlemen (2019)

Vintage Ritchie

[8/10 · 3 January 2022]

After the disappointment of Wrath of Men it was a treat to discover its predecessor, The Gentlemen. Although not quite up to the standard of the wonderful Snatch this comes pretty close. Great storyline with loads of twists, terrific characters, snappy script, classy editing and a plethora of great actors; Hugh Grant finally buries the upper class twit persona and is brilliant as the sleazy newspaper reporter and Colin Farrell is terrific as ever. Rollicking good entertainment and we can but hope that it leads to the rumoured TV series.

The Green Knight (2021)

Total drivel

[2/10 · 30 December 2021]

How anyone could possibly award this load of total crap ten stars is way beyond. Can only assume they are related to the director (yes hard to believe but it had one apparently) or some of the cast. The story is non existent and what little there is of it is nonsensical. It also limps along at a mind numbing pace with long spells when nothing, totally nothing, happens. The dialogue is awful - there is speech by someone called the Lady that goes on and on for several minutes but makes no sense at all. Every twenty minutes or so i was ready to give up but kept going in the hope that it would get better and actually make some sense; It didn't.

Click & Collect (2018 TV Movie)

Predictable but lovable

[8/10 · 24 December 2021]

Okay you know pretty well what is coming next and how it will all pan out; and it owes a lot to Planes, Trains and Automobiles. But that said it is still very entertaining and a lovely way to spend a hour on Christmas Eve. Merchant is great as always as is his co-lead and the script is witty if not wildly original. Not a classic Christmas film but a highly enjoyable one.

The Harder They Fall (2021)

Need to introduce a zero star rating just for this film

[1/10 · 8 December 2021]

Is this the worst film ever made? I can't judge as after 30 minutes of this absolute garbage I was faced with the choice of switching it off or searching for razor blades and chose the former. The acting from an all black cast (a good accurate representation of the old West) is horrendous and is delivered in a manner that requires sub- titles. How Idris Elba allowed himself to get entangled in this mess is a total mystery. The script is just horrible; if they had removed a certain expletive (the first part of which is 'mother') the running time would have been cut in half. The music is totally inappropriate and awful. All is all it is absolute mess. AVOID, AVOID, AVOID.

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Could have been great but so so slow

[5/10 · 3 December 2021]

There is a lot to admire about this movie. It looks great, it has a reasonable storyline and some excellent performances. Cumberbatch is totally believable in the central role. The problem is that it is just incredibly slow paced and at times I found myself sitting checking my phone for emails and Facebook messages just to pass the time. And then just when we get to the final twist in the tail it feels rushed. I think the blame for not creating a first class film lies with the director. Pity it could have been great.

Last Christmas (2019)

Appalling

[1/10 · 30 November 2021]

Christmas films are a mixed bag butt for sheer awfulness this would rank alongside Santa Claus the Movie. Unlikable characters, wooden acting, dreadful script and so on and on. Should be re-titled 'The Last Christmas Film I Would Ever Think of Watching'.

Country Strong (2010)

Derivative and pedantic

[3/10 · 30 October 2021]

I assume that the director and writer of this film sat through numerous movies about the music business and pilched bits from them. From the start I could predict exactly what would happen next. It is that predictable. Add in some awful casting - just who thought Paltrow would make a believable country star; her main contribution is bursting into tears every 5 minutes - and music that is, with just a couple of exceptions, bland and indifferent and you end up with this sorry mess. If you want to watch a great movie about county music check out Wild Rose.

Along Came Polly (2004)

When they revert to toilet humour you know they are in trouble

[3/10 · 21 October 2021]

To say it was enough to make anyone cringe (except the person who has apparently watched this film 50 times!) is an understatement. Ben Stiller sitting on a toilet making a series of imaginative farting noises while conversing with a weasel or similar furry creature. Laugh I almost started. Well actually I didn't then or when Hoffman's character apparently messed himself or ....well anytime during this rather pathetic mess of a movie in truth. If you end up watching it then the good news is that it only last 90 minutes; the bad news is that it lasts 90 minutes. Embarrassing is the best way of describing it.

Papillon (I) (2017)

Boring and amateurish

[4/10 · 18 October 2021]

Papillon was a great book that spawned an excellent film. This remake is totally unnecessary and pointless. It is long and drab and tedious and even the moments of gore and violence are straight out of a comic book. It is also quite badly made; the scenes on the boat have all the realism of a 1930's movie and were clearly filmed in a large tank. The acting by the two leads is decent but other than that the film has few if any redeeming features.

Miss Sloane (2016)

Brilliant quite brilliant

[10/10 · 19 September 2021]

If you are a fan of movies about US politics don't miss this wonderful film. A terrific story with a script Aaron Sorkin would be proud of and a captivating performance by Jessica Chastain - I doubt if there is better actress anywhere in Hollywood at this time . I recently watched a couple of Oscar winners (Green Book and Parasite) and didn't enjoy either as much as this 22ct nugget.

The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch (2018)

Sweet and funny

[8/10 · 12 August 2021]

Nice little film and lots of fun but yet with a message. It is clearly not to be taken too seriously - if you want that go and try the wonderful Shistel - and yet a couple of reviewers condemn it because some of the characters are over the top. Of course they are - that's comedy. If you can't laugh at the mother's over reactions on the grounds that they are unrealistic the you clearly have undergone a successful humour by-pass.

Blinded by the Light (2019)

Warm, funny, moving and heartwarming

[9/10 · 6 July 2021]

A delightful film that is a joy from start to finish. A coming of age story that uses the wonderful uplifting music of Bruce Springsteen to great effect. Well acted with a tight and entertaining script. Blinded by the Light is everything that the over hyped Yesterday fails to be.

Yesterday (III) (2019)

Totally ridiculous

[5/10 · 6 July 2021]

I am not referring to the premise that practically everyone on the planet suddenly forgets about major figures because the lights go out for 12 seconds. That is acceptable. What is just madness is the idea that Ned Sherin would turn up at an unknown singers door in Lowestoft after hearing him sing for a minute on a local TV station and ask him to open for him in Moscow. And from there it just gets sillier and sillier. It is also far too long - 2 hours for a waver thin story line is just self indulgent. I expected something along the lines of the excellent Blinded by the Light. This definitely wasn't it.