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nickpink
Reviews
Eternals (2021)
Watching this to the end would be a challenge
Tried hard to avoid the characters speaking in strong regional accents (Remember "a lot of planets have a North ... " ? ) but it just detracted from the film and then the whole thing just started to drag into mind numbing boredom to the point where sleep or death would be a welcome change.
Hopefully there will not be a sequel.
Summer of Rockets (2019)
Stellar cast dragged through the mire by bad writing and direction.
Apparently the writer and director is well known for his stage plays and it shows ...
This is like watching a 1940/50's film thats been coloured with lashings of lemonade.
If the scenery moved it would be equaled only by Acorn Antiques and the Biorb fish tank from episode one seems to have travelled back in time from the 21st Century.
The War of the Worlds (2019)
Wasted opportunity (yet again !!)
With over a year of anticipation that FINALLY a proper TV/movie version of the original book was going to be made we are finally let down because some utter IDIOT decided to rewrite the story for no good reason whatsoever.
No wonder the BBC let this out with a whimper and I can only surmise that the delays were because the BBC executives were so appalled at what was finally turned.
Unnecessary changes to the backstory of the main character are most unwelcome and the first episode suffers from a multitude of extended scenes and pointless shots that give the impression that insufficient material was shot to actually make the story move at a reasonable speed.
Special effects look like they were done by a third rate computer game company with no reference to the original material.
Avoid this !!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE will someone buy a copy of Jeff Waynes War of the Worlds, look at the artwork and booklet, listen to it several times over, read the ORIGINAL book and then produce a proper film.
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Pretentious Twaddle
Having just painfully sat through this with my 13 year old daughter, we both then looked at each other in bewilderment.
Clearly the director was trying to push forward a view of the inner workings of a child's mind as it experiences various real life situations, but what comes across was quite honestly tedious to watch with the only high point we could find being the actual realisation of the "Wild Things".
I really can't find anything else to say that would redeem this other than my wife managed to catch a good hour and a halves sleep through the whole dreadful experience.
Quite possibly the worst movie we have ever seen and I can only imagine that the other reviewers here are seeing a fully clothed Emperor ?
Robin Hood (1991)
Starts well - ends as a farce
Whilst nearly keeping close to the traditional Robin Hood Theme apart from the missing Sheriff of Nottingham (Replaced by a Baron for some reason) this film starts well but is of course sadly lacking in any real acting talent apart from the actor playing Much The Miller and perhaps Ms Thurman.
However for those that like to see really really badly directed movies then there's a treat for you in the last five minutes of the film. The fight scene has to be one of the worst ever seen eg "Are Robin and Marion going to make that balcony whilst swinging on the bell rope or are they going to smash into the wall because the rope is too long ? - no chance, cut scene, phew they made it".
Funniest line ? - (To Uma) "you are the most beautiful bride in England" followed by a cut to Uma looking more like a rejected model for ET.
Certainly the worst ever Robin Hood film EVER made, even the many TV series put this in the shade.
Torchwood (2006)
Disappointingly used as a soapbox
The premise for Torchwood is basically sound, excepting that we have already had UNIT in the Whovian universe before. Unfortunately the series, whilst having a small number of interesting plot lines did tend to fall on the script work. One episode in particular fell into the same trap as last seasons Dr Who, of viewing the main characters from a third party perspective. This might look good on paper but you really need strong actors and scripting for this to work and the result was just embarrassing to watch.
The other major flaw is that the script writers and the Producer have a very clear vision of Torchwood as a vehicle for their own lifestyles. Normally I would have no issue with this at all but it just seemed too forced to come off successfully in this particular program.
No where near the teams standard for Doctor Who - I can't see the point of a second season.
The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007)
Anyone remember Slurm ?
My daughter loved this and being a old fan of Liz Sladen I was looking forward to this as well (Ok yes I have a copy of K9 and Co !!). It was a good romp and we shall look forward to the series in due course. Acting was excellent all round and the monsters, whilst toned down for the earlier slot worked well.
All I would say however, is that credit should be given where due and the similarities between BubbleShock and Slurm from the Simpsons stable's "Futurama" were far to close to be co-incidence. Mind you we had "Fight Club" in Torchwood the other week so plagiarism is obviously alive and well at the BBC these days ....
Doctor Who: Doomsday (2006)
Stunning Finale !!!
Last two episodes of the season more than made up for the two earlier preceeding throw away episodes.
I have a single moan though - Why oh Why did we have to see Eastenders in Doctor Who again !!! It was bad enough with the Children In Need thing a decade ago but what a shame to have to have it forced on us again.
Eastenders is the worst of what the BBC has to offer and I truly believe that it has led to the degradation of the English language amonsgt people living in the south-east for the last 20 years. On the other hand DrWho is the best of what the BBC has to offer and trying to hitch a ride onto DrWho's ratings was just embarrassing. Eastenders is now getting audience figures lower than DrWho did in the Eighties when it was taken off air. Lets hope the same fate awaits Eastenders and we finally see the last of this drivel.
DrWho though - Brilliant Entertaining Family TV.
Doctor Who: School Reunion (2006)
Thought provoking return for some old friends
Past incarnations of the DrWho story have featured returns of previous Doctors and also of previous companions, the best of these to date being the five doctors.
School Reunion, however is the first of these that really looks at the situation from the companions view point and what emerges is a story that tingled with emotion and the actual plot line of aliens taking over a school pales into the background as we watch Sarah-Jane and Rose's mixed emotions in what is essentially the traditional Girl meets Aien, loses Alien, meets Alien again but he's met someone else, loses Alien again ! A story I am sure we can all relate to in our daily lives.
Highlight has to be Elizabeth Sladen's magnificent return, A shame we don't see much of her these days as this episode clearly shows she really is a fantastic actress and I hope that, (if she wants) we see her in something new very soon.
A must see Episode !!
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)
Well executed adaptation of an un-popular book
Having been a fan of Peter Sellers work since my early teens in the seventies and having read all of the biographical work including the long-winded Roger Lewis book upon which this film is based, I had been looking forward to how Geoffrey Rush would handle the character and I was pleasantly surprised especially at the number of mannerisms that Geoffrey had obviously carefully studied for the role. I don't see the point in dwelling on whether the book is bad or good as the majority of Sellers books deal with the issue of Sellers troubled life as a father and husband (try PS I love you by Michael Sellers for possibly the closest true story). The fact is that Sellers is up there with the greats of Comedy not the greats of expert parenting or marriage and this film clearly covers this in a slightly toned down version from the book. Rush is excellent and Charleze Theron as Britt is frighteningly similar to the original swiss miss. I strongly recommend this film to all fans interested in the life of this most interesting of 20th Century stars.