Reviews

Which bird brain thought Claire Forliani would be good for this movie? Her annoying facial expressions, yukky speech and altogether scream out loud failure to make any eye contact destroyed this movie.

The premise is sound though I deplore why rich people get special treatment by the Angel of Death. The film would have been better if it was an everyday setting rather than hoity-toity uber rich. I fail to gather why the angel of death would be so bemused by the environment he's in.

There are touching moments and Brad Pitt looked fine and dandy.

If Claire Forliani's scenes and storyline were ommitted and the Angel of Death made a bit sharper in wit this film would have been an upper 7, instead it hovers around 5.

Come on in and look all you want. We'll also put this unarmed rookie police kid in charge.

Honestly, I never much thought of Jodie Foster as an actress but she's pretty dire in this even by her poor standards.

An absolutely train wreck of an anthology that has failed to recover even a slightest pulse after the jaw dropping 1st series.

The dialogue is hilarious, acting to make your eyes bleed and a drama so devoid of tension, charisma and credibility that it's enough to ruin careers.

I gave it a chance. The setting was promising, an isolated community in a sunless season in Alaska. Unexplained deaths unleash the most comical detective work on the face of the earth. Not carrying on after ep2.

Ethos came recommended.

The drama involves a a selection of people living or working on the fringes of greater Istanbul. Each character is connected to the other in a perplexing way and frankly a bit stupidly.

Central to all that's going on is the domestic turmoil of Meryem's and her brother Yasin's household. Yasin's wife Ruhiye is suffering mentally. Nothing Yasin or Meryem do makes a difference. Add to this the other characters, like Peri the stuck up psychiatrist, Gulbin, another Psychiatrist, Hodja the holy man and a few others.

Each has a story but the drama doesn't really delve too deep on anyone besides Meryem, Yasin and Ruhiye.

Meryem is the star. Sharp as a razor and always catching out Peri her therapist. Meryem's simple demeanour hides a razor sharp wit and perception.

In the end, the drama delivers a solid performance by everyone. For me, Meryem, Yasin and Ruhiye were the stars. All the others were a distraction merely to highlight the loneliness of modern life.

It sags in a few episodes. 8 epiosodes could have easily been cut down to 6 if you excluded a few story lines and slow camera movements. Maryem and Yasin give powerhouse performances.

A very pleasant and charming spectral story with the very much missed George Cole.

Set amidst a sleepy village where James, a young man from a care home, goes to live in a mansion owned by his great uncle.

There is of course a backstory involving his great uncle. Turmoil and grief.

James is visited by apparitions that hint at a tragedy that befell the mansion in the distant past. The story meanders through the past and present where we learn of the friendship between child servants and the son of the master of the house.

It's a gentle drama that can be watched by the whole family. Prunella Scales plays the housemaid that's been working in the family for generations, she and the great uncle share a history.

It lacks a high budget production but perhaps that contributes to the beauty of the film. Well recommended.

Three crooks. The usual cliche driven plot. These are nice crooks. They have a golden heart, well two of them do.

How they don't get busted after the initial robbery is beyond me. No masks. Fingerprints and DNA everywhere.

Expositions like they're going out of fashion.

Next on the list, the blind man's house.

Why would someone who has received a big settlement keep the cash in his house? Why would anyone assume he's got cash in the house? Why do compensation payouts/settlements always get covered in the news for everyone to see. More exposition.

Moronic crooks get a face off with a blind veteran who's hearing is ridiculously poor. I mean there's windows smashing, people crouching next to him and all sorts of sounds that are being failed to be picked up.

It's a daft film. Watch the first 20 mins. Fast forward to the last 15 minutes. It's dumb.

Don't get me wrong, the setting is phenomenal. Acting is top notch. Characterisation is on point. The biggest let down is the incredibly slow paced story; confusing plot lines and the absurd depiction of the Osage as a people who for some reason were ignorant of these killings until much later in the film. I mean, there's tribal people getting shot in the street and none of the Osage bring this up.

At 3.5 hours it was like wading through treacle. I could have skipped half of it and wouldn't have missed anything significant.

The FBI investigation was feeble and there was little in the way of drama or tension.

One to miss.

Chanced upon this series. Its three second in the anthology I'm led to believe, the first being the Haunting of Hill House.

Set within an isolated island community with the usual mish mash of people. Central to it is the church where a young new priest has taken over after the disappearance of the old priest.

There are subtle goings on, strange things. There's also a mysterious flying creature.

I found it watchable. The presence of the new priest, father Paul, brings the community together as he provides wisdom and support. All is not what it seems though, as you may have worked out.

The let down has been the jarring cynicism which permeates the small community. The make department tried their best wit old people faces but it is laughable.

Aside from them (and the self pity with some characters) it's fine.

Am I missing something here? After reading such rave reviews at what was supposed to be a beautifully crafted, emotional film I thought I'd give it my time. My initial scepticism was not misplaced.

A dire drama played out over period jumps in units of 12 years. Boy/girl at school, girl's family emigrates, leap forward 12 years, leap forward another 12. Nothing of note really happens. A deep longing for each other materialises over distance but there is little in the way of drama. Bland as bland can be.

Zero character development and clichés by the bucket load. Everyone has to be successful and beautiful. Ordinary lives don't make it into this film.

It has good cinematography and production. Acting is poor to middling. Cinema's anchor in the doldrums is firmly stuck.

Came across this on Prime amongst oceans of other movies I had never heard of. Some spare time on my hands and a sucker for all things TLJ, why not? I thought.

Based on a true story (aren't they all). A funeral home director, O keefe played by TLJ feels hard done by an investor who wishes to run the business to the ground after a supposedly contract deal.

Jamie fox plays the hot shot lawyer trying to recover the damages. This bit I didn't understand as to why exactly they were taking the investor to court.

The film was dull, I mean really dull. With implausibility and cliches circling like a poltergeist haunting nothing was capturing my attention. Everything was predictable, zero surprises. The opposition lawyer, Mame, supposedly a super-lawyer who had never lost a case was a complete amateur.

The production standard is quite good and tongue in cheek performance by Jamie Fox gives a few chuckles but that's about it.

One to avoid. In fact movie standards have crashed in the last 20 years and this film bears all the hallmarks.

A warden who oversees death row is on turmoil at the emotional stress of her job. Bernadine, the warden, occupies a sterile prison where she is faced with difficult decisions which ultimately drags her down.

Her marriage, inevitably, suffers. She suffers insomnia amongst other things as she witnesses the human cost.

The film however is flat. Acting is good but there is a certain aspect about the warden's behaviour which does not ring true. Basically why would someone who occupies a position of such authority breakdown as she did? Surely she would have created a professional distance? The run time of the film was too long and many characters were just too one dimensional. The priest was the worst. I'd kick him out of my sight.

Best to avoid the film. There's hardly anything worth of note.

It must have been a really poor year for films; this 1955 offering took many accolades for let's be honest a truly unremarkable performance all round.

Marty, an overweight thirty something guy who works as a butcher. No other life besides drinking and bumming around. He eventually meets a shy, retreating young woman who has been unlucky with men. The two hit it off immediately and enjoy an absorbing night together. There are family tensions, domestic challenges and predictable shouting matches of the extended family.

I watched Marty as I had heard very good things about it but frankly I was left unimpressed. How Borgnine won best actor and the film Best picture is beyond me. Sure it is a film about a sincere guy and 'life on the streets' of New York but hardly jaw dropping. There is a noticeable sag in the plot 3/4 of the way through and you begin to wonder if it's actually running out of things to say. Spoiler alert, the story wasn't really doing anything besides going on the same tracks hundreds of other films had done before this.

It is sweet in places and the actors do well. Marty does become very annoying and whatever charm he possessed that endeared you to him evaporates quite quickly after he meets Clara.

It is a watchable film, incredibly dated but no way deserving of any special recognition.

Recalling my distant childhood I remember Blake's 7. It wasn't something I watched when it first aired but then came across it recently. Encouraged by the reviews I gave it a go. Watched the first two episodes and was astonished at how much it has dated.

It's not as if science fiction was a new genre in the late 70s, there were many good films and dramas it could have referenced. Blake's 7 looked as if it was made by a gang of science teachers using school props. Okay, I understand budget constraints may have contributed to the dire sets but what about the plot? There was zero credibility and unbelievable how poor it was all thought out.

Sorry to all you fanboys but there is a reason it has been forgotten. Even the spacecraft looked it was running on diesel about to choke on its own fumes. Totally absurd.

Went into this film with an open mind. The first hour of the film is captivating, almost play-like. The moral dilemma unfolds and Gondo (the industrialist) is faced with two choices; save himself by buying more shares in the company he has worked so hard for, or use the money as ransom to save his chauffeur's kidnapped son.

Then the inevitable keystone cops fumbling descends as is so often a blight on far Eastern dramas.

In my opinion there was no moral dilemma for the executive. His son was safe. In this situation the responsibility for the welfare of the kidnapped child lies with the state.

But apparently not.

The film was incredibly long with a glacial pace of plot development.

Nothing was of surprise. The police were predictably stupid and there you have it.

I'm always up for quirky dramas. In a way IMDb has ruined the watching experience where all films are reduced to a mere score which prejudices the film from the outset.

Beast is set on Jersey, UK, where a series of murders are taking place, although it does not dominate the story throughout. The focus is more on Moll and Pascal. Moll works as a tour guide on 'Granny wagons' as Pascal puts it.

Moll has a troubled life and a family that does not always see her point of view, for a reason.

The relationship between Moll and Pascal quickly escalates and the murders begin to take prominence.

The film captures the claustrophobia of Moll's life as reality is very often blurred with the surreal. After watching it all I was left dissatisfied. The drama and tension fizzled and was left scratching my head.

Geraldine James was miscast. She hasn't the range nor depth.

Beast failed in delivery of a simple plot that should have been more than what we got. Jessie Buckley I must add was fabulous.

What must be new a very familiar trope; failed public figure etc forced to mentor/coach a difficult group/team. This has Woody Harleson as an assistant basketball coach in a spot of bother with the police and his career.

Up against a hard nut judge who supposedly does not tolerate DUI bizarrely displays toleration in the sentencing.

Woody has to coach this basketball team with learning disabilities. A likeable bunch. There is absolutely nothing which will be a surprise in this film. A character out of their element but then finding solace and acceptance in the new environment.

I watched it because of Woody Harleson, one of my favourite actors. He does ok but you know he's only done this film to tick a box. His love interest in the film Ms Olsen is incredibly flat. But what can you do in a film as formulaic as this?

It's about teamwork, acceptance and redemption. No surprises but adequately done.

Good guys are intelligent. Bad guys are stupid. That's basically the whole premise. After decades of superhero films nothing has changed.

Rocket is hurt. The others need to save his life. In order to save his life they think it's justifiable to kill others. Yeah, that's the logic.

Aside that we witness terrible set pieces. Dumb characterisation add endless retro music to keep us in the mood.

I could have told the ending half an hour in. No one in the gang is even remotely in danger ever.

The first guardians was pretty original but that's when they exhausted the story. All else that has followed is milking you for your money. I didn't spend a single penny on this. My time however won't be recovered. Am I the only one that now thinks the golden age of cinema is now several decades in the past? Avoid this film for sure.

What is this obsession with these superhero film makers to mess about with dimensions and universes? It gets in the way of a decent plot. From one cranky subplot about crossing space time boundaries to multiple characters. The daftness refuses to diminish.

The Flash is a minor character in this film it feels Barry Allen is too goofy to be taken seriously.

After messing with time to save his parents it turns out, yawn, that General Zod has invaded Earth. Conveniently they find supergil being held captive in Russia.

Nothing in this film is original or in the least bit captivating. This endless loop of messing with time to get results without any further distortions frankly is tiresome. I failed to finish the film.

Now and again a film comes along that requires deep concentration from the viewer. Not a popcorn flick, not an out and out crowd pleaser but something that pulsates with a low beat which in time draws you in. Photograph is such a film. The lead, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, plays Rafi, a quiet but charming photographer, exuding a handsomeness which is under appreciated by those around him; that's until the even quieter but elegant Miloni takes a shine to him.

Miloni agrees to help our hero, Rafi, convince his battle-axe Grandma that she's his fiance. What begins as a little favour slowly blooms into a low key love story between the two.

We find that each is trapped in particular circumstances they wish to push beyond. They find escape and comfort with each other.

The music is dreamy and fits the mood of the film perfectly. The triumph of love is on full display, especially with the old man who produces a certain brand of fizzy pop, the last of its kind in the whole of India.

A film that deserves to be watched over and over again, by yourself, undisturbed. Though the ending is a bit vague for some, not fit me. "For a special friend, best served chilled." Let that be the last thought.

Ok, not exactly up there for comedic excellence but series 1 - 3 did offer entertaining filler when you were at a loss for watching something. But then bang! Disaster. How can writers and producers get things so bad, I mean bad on a cataclysmic scale? The reunion episode onward it's as if they had zero ideas and good production values died with Covid. Nothing that made the original series watchable made it through to R/S4.

I would give s1 to 3 seven out of 10. If you average out with the abomination that is R/S4 then the negative score I would give on that results in. 2/10.

Why don't producers give money to talented crew instead of this heap of embarrassment.

Pushed to the very brink of a bureaucratic apocalypse a restrained man, Mr Williams, reaches out to low hanging branches to save himself from obscurity after learning of a terminal illness.

What follows is the emergence of uncharacteristic behaviour of Mr Williams to perhaps enjoy the freshness of life. The film does not plunge into clichés and self pity. It is charming and warm. An elderly man coming to terms of the end of his life. People of a certain age will engage in the meaning as it perhaps communicates a timeless message that we as humans are extremely selfish and fail to understand the society we live in.

I encourage everyone to watch the film, get absorbed in the incredible performances by all the actors and actresses. There are notable cameos but it all comes together in a very emotional way. Bill Nighy is excellent and the supporting cast also.

The film will be remembered and will join the ranks of the classics.

An enjoyable but not exactly gripping series. Set in Belfast on a backdrop of sectarian tension where the police are viewed with suspicion (no change there) and hostility (again, no change).

The rookies are well depicted like deer in headlights. And there are gangsters. No cop show is complete without gangsters.

It's fairly predictable but moves along quite briskly with punchy acting.

My main issue is the low budget. Don't get me wrong I don't mind low budgets but it gets a bit dry when it's the same old crowd causing the same old trouble. The gangsters are a bit humdrum and toothless. Some might say a bit of a casting error.

On the whole there is much to like. The Bryan Cranston lookalike always gets my attention.

Recommended but doesn't hit all the right notes.

A visually stunning film with much care and attention given to its setting. 1820s almost British Nantucket, told in flashback, by a survivor to Herman Melville.

A whaling mission gets into trouble when a sperm whale targets the ship off the coast of South America. There is fatalities and disaster. Apparently it was the inspiration behind Moby Dick. How true, we don't know.

My problem is with the cast. Chris Hemsworth cannot carry a film that requires sincere and deep emotions and frankly his portrayal of first mate was dire.

None of the characters had any proper screen time except for the two leads. The pacing was very odd. No coherence and very, very dull.

Like I said visually striking but with a fair dose of miscast actors and a dour storyline.