Reviews
Gladiator II (2024)
Entertaining with some niggles
This was never going to live up to the original but it is entertaining. Paul Mescal is a worthy leading man and some of the battles are epic. Connie Neilson returns as Lucilla and annoyingly doesn't appear to have aged along with the rest of us, what's her secret. There are also a smattering of good supporting characters.
The niggles come far too often though. Clearly a great deal of money has been spent of the battle scene at en beginning. However, later on the movie when a character gets beheaded it seems they spent a couple of dollars in the local joke shop for the head that was then displayed and looked nothing like the murdered victim. Also too much of the script mirrors that of the original. In the colosseum we are expected to believe that they can float a huge replica warship in about two feet of water.
The biggest niggle though is Denzel Washington. He has a great character but it's no excuse for the woeful overacting throughout. It's tiresome and annoying, he should have taken a leaf out of Paul Mescals book who could convey what his character was thinking just by his facial expressions. Instead we get ridiculous over enunciation, unnecessary parading around a room in the middle of conversation.
These are minor issues though but enough to stop it from being a great film. It does run along at a good pace, amd the set and production design is superb.
Bad Monkey (2024)
Very Good with one exception
For the most part I really enjoyed this. The story is excellent with many different threads gradually weaved together as the series progresses. Vince Vaughan in the lead played a slightly dialled down version of his usual persona but with enough of his trademark quick witted dialogue, his ongoing dispute with his neighbour being a particular highlight on the comedy front.
The main storyline is entertaining without being too taxing to follow the jumps from one thread to another or through flashback. There are great characters throughout with a few nice surprises thrown in for good measure.
The series moves on at a good pace and benefits from avoiding all the usual police/detective tropes and entertaining us with a unique slightly offbeat tale.
The one exception that I found irritating was the constant narration. In my view it was unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story. I have nothing against narration in film and TV it was just that this was telling us what we could already see on the screen. We also didn't need the narrator to tell us what a character was thinking. The actors throughout were skilful enough to convey that. In some ways it was as though the director thought the audience is dumb and needs everything explaining. Spoiler. We didn't and I have knocked a star off because of it.
If you can tune out the the narration this is a very entertaining series.
Wolfs (2024)
Disappointing
Not even the combined might of Clooney and Pitt can salvage this drab affair. The two stars share the screen for most of the film and their real life friendship and chemistry shines through but beyond that he storyline is neither entirely original or strong enough to keep you invested throughout.
Apple have been responsible for some excellent output recently but this gives the impression of investing in a project solely because of its two stars rather than the quality in order to increase subscriptions, and that is the biggest disappointment for me. As with other Apple output the production values and design are excellent. It is solely the weak story that is the let down.
If you like a story where things spiral out of control you will get much more from Game Night or The Man Who Knew Too Little, neither of which are really great movies but will at least give you a few laughs.
Das Signal (2024)
Misses the target.
After a promising opening two episodes this falls away badly. Too many scenes are so ridiculously unbelievable it is impossible to shrug it off as fiction. When you spend more time picking holes in what you are watching it is easy to not care how it ends. However, despite that it ends badly and with an overly preachy denouement. More skilled writers and directors can make their point in a much more subtle way than this sledgehammer approach.
For the most part the premise is good and you are, initially at least, left with plenty of questions as to what is going on. It's just that the answers when yiu get them are laughable weak. For the most part the acting is strong so kudos to the cast for that. Unfortunately one of the main characters is so badly written it is annoying. Florian David Fritz as Sven spends most of the time in an expressionless and emotionless fog. In one episode all he seems to do is shout "Charlie' for about 45 minutes. Sven's reactions to things that happen or lack of reaction is inconsistent and make no sense. For example when he thinks his daughter has been abducted he flies into a rage with the suspect. Yet later on when he and his daughter are run off the road, over a steep ledge, by a huge juggernaut, he doesn't even question where he is or who picked them up when he wakes up. He just makes his way to the kitchen and sits down for breakfast as though nothing has happened,
After apparently being left for dead in the middle of a desert, that they only got to by helicopter, there is no explanation as to how they got home, and don't even ask about the timescale for being at home again, also as if nothing has happened. There is so much more nonsense like that by the end it was unwatchable. I stuck with it as there were only four episodes but any longer and I would have left it alone as I no longer cared how it turned out.
There are so many good things coming out of Germany over the last few years but this isn't one of them.
Madame Web (2024)
Not as bad as led to believe but....
I was expecting a total car crash of a movie based on the reviews but it's not that bad. That doesn't mean it's good after all it's still annoying when you prang your car and need expensive repairs. It's not that there is anything particularly terrible about the movie but nothing stands out as being particularly well done either.
The plot is thin, the characters are not fleshed out in any way making it difficult to identify with any of them. The villain is not given any back storyline, nothing to let you understand what his motivations are or how he became so powerful or what he had done with that power.
The four female characters who have to defeat the villain are thrown together tenuously and the three under threat move far to quickly from mistrust to trust merely by following Madame Web to run away from the threat, then ignore her instructions when the immediate threat is over, before even more quickly flipping back to being her acolytes. It smacks of a school essay thrown together at the last minute to avoid missing the deadline for submission.
Then there is the dialogue that clunky would be a compliment to. It's dire and boring and people don't talk like they do in real life or movies. Right from the off it's as though the cast know the script is poor and deliver their lines with no passion or energy, I've seen footage of first table reads delivered better than this. It's almost but not quite laughable when the villain is on screen because he has the worst dialogue of all to deliver.
For a superhero movie there is almost zero super hero action, and what CGI there is looks unfinished. Like everything else in this it's not quite right.
I was left with the feeling that there was a good movie trying to get out but in the end it decided to stay at home.
Argylle (2024)
It just doesn't work
I liked the idea of this film but very quickly realised not all good ideas are fully realised. The plot is nonsensical the switching between reality and fiction doesn't work and with the best will in the world neither Sam Rockwell or Bryce Dallas Howard convince as action stars. There is no tension and you can predict what happens next far too easily and far too often.
Then there is the sleight of hand with the marketing which would have you believe Henry Cavill is the star with support from Dua Lipa. Now I didn't watch it for that reason but it's a bit of a con when the combined time of the two of them on screen is barely more than about five minutes.
The cat is cute though and Samuel L Jackson saves it from being 2 stars.
Daddy Issues (2024)
Warm and Witty
This is a warm hug of a show, the sort of series that is quintessentially British with the humour coming from real situations. The humour isn't forced, making the best lines real laugh out loud moments.
David Morrisey is outstanding as the hapless Dad, and provides most of those laugh out loud moments. Aimee Lee Wood proves again, as she did in Sex Education, that she is a master of playing the relatable character that you just want to root for. Whereas is SE she played a somewhat ditzy character, here she plays a much smarter and self sufficient character but again pulls off the warm loveable persona. The chemistry between the two main character is faultless and as we come to expect from very British sitcoms there is a fine supporting cast of characters to bounce off, some serious and some for comic effect. It all just fits together nicely and once I had finished episode one I just wanted to carry on and watched the whole series in one go.
The final episode is very moving with a couple of twists that leave scope for a second series and I for one would welcome it.
High Country (2024)
It's good but...
There is much to commend this series but it falls short of greatness.
The plot and the mystery is well done and the script and acting are very good throughout. However, you can't help feeling you have seen it before. The reason for this is the plot line has been dropped into a paint by numbers tv detective drama structure with so my of the usual tropes present. For example, the retiring old policemen, the strained relationship with the partner, teenage child who is rebellious and feeling neglected to mention just three. However, despite this it is watchable amd is also designed for bi fe watching. Deliberately so in that each episode leaves you with a cliffhanger to lead in to the next episode. The only problem is that by the time you get half way though you realise that the cliffhangers don't really amount to much at all.
Another flaw, as mentioned in other reviews here is that while the main plot reaches a conclusion and you find out who is doing what etc, it still leaves a few loose ends unexplained or unresolved. This deliberate in an attempt to justify an2nd series. Except that although these thing are unresolved they aren't going to tempt you to want more and so it all seems flat.
Young Woman and the Sea (2024)
Great storytelling.
This is one of those rare cases of a film so well written and directed that you get drawn to being emotionally invested in the outcome even though, with it being a true story, you know how it ends before the film even starts.
Whilst I didn't know about Trudy Ederle before the film came out, and I'm sure the writers have taken a few liberties with all the facts for dramatic purposes, the central theme remains faithful. That is a talented woman who had to overcome the inherent bias of women in sport to achieve her ultimate success. And this is where the film hits all the right notes building up that picture of her fight to be allowed to swim, to be allowed to attempts tje channel swim and to ultimately succeed.
The film also benefits from a great cast, with great performances. Stephen Graham and Kim Bodnia are as reliable as ever, Jeanette Hain, Sian Clifford and Tilda Cobham-Hervey put in great supporting performances as mother, trainer and sister respectively. However, this for me is Daisy Ridley's finest performance to date and marks her out as a serious dramatic actress where she can finally shake off the threat of only being remembered as Rey from the SW franchise.
It's a simple story, told in a very understated way and that is its strength. The story sells itself and the director just shines light on it. Very well done.
The Acolyte (2024)
Bewildering and Bland
Every time a new Star Wars story drops the usual suspects are quickly out of the traps to spill their bile irrespective of the quality of the production: I generally like the output but obviously some more than others: I try to never lose site of the fact that Star Wars always was intended as a sort of Saturday Morning kids matinee. Yet so many fans from those days are expecting deep thoughtful adult drama and it was never supposed to be that: That's not to say that the stories shouldn't appeal to adult's too as many films and books etc do.
In that light I really want to like this but 4 episodes in it's a bit of a struggle. It's like going to Michelin Star restaurant and finding your meal hasn't been seasoned: it looks right but it tastes all wrong: The set design and production values are very much Star Wars, the opening scene with Carrie Ann Moss promises much for what is to follow. Unfortunately so far that was good as it gets.
It's hard to know what the story is, there is no tension, no hints to keep you guessing, just a void of nothingness: Dialogue is clunky at best and at times just bafflingly banal. The acting is almost universally awful but I reserve judgment on whether that is down to the dire dialogue they have to deliver or whether they are genuine bad actors. With the exception of Carrie Ann Moss, who is barely in it at all, I have never seen anyone else in anything so it's hard for me to judge.
It's not completely awful so far but it is a long way off from essential viewing.
Gojira -1.0 (2023)
Terrific
This is my favourite Godzilla movie so far and so much more than just a monster movie.
The scenes with Godzilla are superbly done and the CGI is so well done it has realistic look about it. As with any Godzilla movie there is plenty of destructions and defensive manoeuvres to satisfy action movie fans.
However what sets this apart are the scenes in between. Tackling themes of war, nuclear proliferation, survivors guilt, redemption, urban renewal and family all cleverly interwoven amongst the carnage. Overall it is a smart movie and for westerners at least an education into Japanese culture.
My only criticism is that the acting is inconsistent. The same characters are portrayed believably and then at other times quite amateurish. I know this isn't typical of Japanese productions and it is a minor gripe.
Overall it is just a very good film.
American Nightmare (2024)
A Jaw Dropper
Right from off this seems so completely unbelievable. Yet as the story is unfolded you don't know who to believe but aren't really prepared for how it all worked out in the end.
I was left with a whole host of differing emotions everything from fear rage to a sense of joy and relief with everything in between.
Netflix doesn't get everything right but where they consistently hit the mark is with true crime documentaries. The old saying of fact often being stranger than fiction never felt more apt.
When one of the victims lawyers describe the case as totally crazy and then it gets even stranger you're hooked.
The Flash (2023)
Saved the finale.
For the most part this is incoherent mess and in Ezra Miller surely one of the most irritating of superheroes made worse by there being two of him on screen for a large part the story. Some of the CGI is less than convincing in comparison to other bid budget movies of the genre.
Hiwever, it's not all bad. Sasha Calle and Michael Shannon as Supergirl and General Zod are great but the return of Michael Keaton is the standout from the whole enterprise.
Fortunately the final act is excellent and so different to what went before it's almost as though the they have stitched together two different movies and hope we wouldn't notice.. That final act shows what could have been which is a shame.
Orphan Black: Echoes (2023)
Misses the target.
The original Orphan Black is one of my all time favourite series. I was delighted when this was announced but it is a terrible disappointment.
The basic storyline is sound. However, the connection to the original Orphan Black is tenuous and in my opinion this is not am Orphan Black story. Using Kira as the main character with an occasional nod to the original clones who never appear is a cop out.
That's not the main issue with this though. The main is issue is the terrible dialogue, which at best is clunky and at worst is cliche ridden nonsense. It's easy to say the acting is terrible but when reliable talent like Keeley Hawes has to try and deliver it and fails what chance does everybody else have? What have the writers got against Felix? In the original series he was an outrageous and fun character. They have turned him into a crushing bore who now affects a stilted posh English accent. Don't even get me started on the fake beard that any amateur dramatic troupe would be ashamed of.
Orphan Black had a bit of everything. This has taken the name, removed all the drama and fun of that series and left us with this drab affair.
If like me you loved Orphan Black and haven't watched this my advice is don't.
Shogun (2024)
Excellent
An almost flawless drama with so many great elements. The set and production design provides a convincing background for a multi layered drama. The story unfolds with perfect pacing and benefits from a mostly Japanese or Japanese speaking cast adding to the authenticity. This works particularly well when John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) is at the centre of the scene with his lack of understanding of Japanese requiring interpretation. Anna Sawai is excellent as Toda Mariko with one of the most nuanced performances you will ever see. Having to play the dutiful part of a woman in a time were woman were little more than a chatel, while being able to portray every inner thought and at the same time adopting a facial expression that shouldn't give anything away is astounding. However, as good as she is the entire cast deliver exceptional performances, there are no weaknesses even amongst the bit part characters.
There is no shirking from the brutality of feudal Japan and is not for the squeamish, but it doesn't cross a line into unnecessary voyeurism. A shout out too to the special effects team for the earthquake sequence that is brilliantly done.
This is so close to being a 10/10. Having not read the book I don't know if the ending is accurate but it does feel like it was ended with an eye on a follow up. Leaving a sense that there was something left unsaid but it does make sense in regard to the whole series. Also the exception to the great acting on show is sadly Cosmo Jarvis whose bizarre low grunting while literally stumbling around as though he has just put his back out grates throughout.
As it turns out it has now been announced that there will be a further series and that the Clavell estate will have oversight, so fingers crossed we will get a worthy follow up.
The Fall Guy (2024)
Solid fun entertainment
Some films have deep meaning and tell important stories. Some exist just to put a smile on your face and this is the latter. Yes it's a live action tribute to all the stunt performers in movies and the plot is thin but who cares. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt exude on screen chemistry and it's obvious they had a blast making this. Ably supported by the rest of the cast this slowly cranks up the pace to an increasingly action packed finale.
Of course there are stunts a plenty, each more outrageous than the last. Just sit back with your favourite snacks and drinks and let the film fill you with a feel good factor. The director and cast do not take this too seriously and neither should you. It's fun and sometimes that's all that is needed.
Spoiler Alert - do not leave when the credits start rolling.
Furies (2024)
Flawed but entertaining
I enjoyed this despite it being very frustrating at times. The basic premise is good and the main storyline is also very good. However, it is let down by too many plot holes and some of the acting is very amateurish. Nevertheless if you approach this in the same way as you would something like Die Hard or anything with the likes of Jason Statham or Jean Claude Van Damme then you will get enjoyment from it.
Like most action movies the action sequences in this become ever more preposterous to the point where I started wondering whether it was a parody. Entertaining but in a trashy way. You know the drill, the enemies have all the firepower of a small army but can't hit anything remotely close to a target while the protagonists can bring down said army with a small handgun and only two bullets.
Mother/Android (2021)
Dull and uninspired
Like sci-fi? This isn't for you.
Like dystopian drama? This isn't for you.
Like post-apocalyptic thrillers? This isn't for you.
Unfortunately this falls short in every way as it doesn't know what it's supposed to be. Lacking in any tension or drama the cast struggle with a woeful script. It's so slow I could barely keep my eyes open sticking with it only because there may be some dramatic payoff. There isn't. The whole thing sleepwalks to its uninspiring conclusion.
The premise will draw in sci-if fans and will only disappoint. It probably looked good on the page but it is a massive let down.
Renegade Nell (2024)
Entertaining
A fantastical tale not to be taken too seriously, loosely structured around a real historical story. However, this is entirely fiction and should be seen as such, unlike some reviews on here. The scripts are tight and the acting consistently high from all with some wonderfully over the top incidental characters to lighten the tone.
Every episode tells a story within a story and keeps moving along at a good pace to keep you entertained and wanting more, with no weak episodes. The whole series wraps up nicely which is a refreshing change these days when most series end with a part of the story untold.
Recommended for when you want a little bit of escapism for your entertainment.
Gran Turismo (2023)
Dull and contrived
It takes a special skill to take an interesting real life story and make it this dull. Everything is just so contrived so that every critical moment in the film goes right to the wire while miraculously managing to avoid creating any tension or drama. It is almost laughably bad in how it portrays the end of every critical race in a way that any motorsport fan knows is very rare at any level of the sport.
It is also astonishing that for a game based around the most accurate racing simulator on the market it is less real than the game.
The dialogue is clunky and the acting, David Harbour aside, is pitiful.
As player of the sim and a fan of motor sport this misses everything good about either.
The Gentlemen (2024)
Overlong, unoriginal and predictable
I've seen this a hundred times before and usually in a Guy Ritchie effort. They all follow the same template and the characters are identikit replicas of previous films. Stoner imbecile f...s up - check, gang of scousers - check, Vinnie Jones playing caricature of Vinnie Jones - check, east European gangsters - Check. The list goes on and by half way through episode three I felt as though I was trying to walk waist deep through treacle. There just isn't any tension or excitement when you know that with each scheme/job/task it's going to go wrong and that will lead to an escalation.
It's okay to dip in and out of but it does t really hold your attention . You could read a book at the same time and not miss anything.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Epic
This is simply stunning in every way. Gorgeous cinematography, exceptional sound, great performances, phenomenal battle scenes, political intrigue and manipulation, religious symbolism, you name it it's there, and all done brilliantly. I enjoyed Part one but this is on entirely different level.
You don't need to have seen part one to enjoy this, it can be viewed as a standalone film in its own right. Of course if you have seen part one some elements will be that much easier to grasp. It's a testament to Villeneuve that he has pulled that off without any flashbacks retelling of anything in part one and make it completely understandable to a new viewer.
Some of the set pieces are astounding, and my internal cheerleader was whooping silently in my head on a number of occasions. On a couple of occasions I resisted the temptation, to stand up and cheer. It's extremely rare for any film to make me feel that way no matter how good.
Timothy Chalamet has never been better, his performance totally befitting the part of Paul.
The studio were right to delay release so the cast could promote it. It deserves to be seen by a wide audience and not just sci-fi fans and the cast and crew should be rightly proud of the achievement, a sold out theatre in the middle of a weekday afternoon tells you everything. If you make a movie as good as this the cinema is the best place to see it. Don't wait see it now.
I believe that we will look back on this in years to come and it will be regularly included in lists of all-time classics.
Causeway (2022)
A slow burn but worth it.
This a a beautiful study of two people finding and helping each other learn to overcome and live with past traumas. To begin with we first meet Lynsey (Jennifer Lawrence) being picked up by a carer to help her begin to rebuild her life. We aren't told what the trauma is as the script gently allows it to be revealed with those she interacts with. She meets James (Brian Tyree Henry) with whom she begins to form a bond and gradually we learn that he too is recovering from a trauma.
The whole story and the friendship is allowed to grow organically and is portrayed in a very realistic and truthful way. There are no overly dramatic or melodramatic moments, with the story unfolding at the same slow pace throughout. This is the films great strength though. With both Lawrence and Henry giving outstanding performances you feel as though you are intruding on real life rather than watching a movie. Nothing is forced or contrived. Sometimes less really is more and this is proof.
Meet Joe Black (1998)
Now looks a bit dated.
Recently watched this as I had in my head it was some sort of mystery thriller with a twist at the end. Despite realising very quickly it wasn't i watched it anyway, the full version not the cut down version.
In part it was excellent, the dynamic between Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt is great, the plot elements around business , the family dynamic are all well done and well payed out by all. I read that most if not all the business elements now get cut out on TV broadcasts and that is a shame because for me they are strongest parts and still stood up well 25 years later. There are also some gentle and subtle comedic moments such as when hearing the phrase "irons in the fire" Brad Pitt quickly glances to look at the fire, but he is not the main shot so it's not overplayed.
Where the film doesn't hold up is the romance between Brad Pitt and Claire Forlani (Susan) when he comes into her life as Joe Black rather than John Doe in the coffee shop. It looks dated and if made now I doubt that it would be written the same way, it's still a throwback to women being some sort of simpering lightweight who will will fall in love from the stroke of a finger. Yet Susan is shown as a doctor, and an intelligent women while Joe Black is, in those moments particularly, depicted as a fish out of water and a bit dim. It is just not believable that Susan would fall for him so easily, especially when he is clearly so confused about how to even kiss her. Movies and TV have thankfully moved on from that and if we were seeing a modern take I would expect that to be written differently to make that relationship stronger from the outset.
Despite that it does remain a very watchable film.for the most part, and Anthony Hopkins is very good.
If I had watched this when it originally came out I probably would have rated it a bit higher but now with hindsight it just okay. This isn't a criticism, times move on and writers and directors move on too so when you look back at old films you get a sense of differing prevailing attitudes.
Saltburn (2023)
Rosamund Pike just about saves the day.
This is not a great film by any stretch. An unoriginal plot that defies explanation. The main character is scheming and manipulative but there is never any explanation of why he is that way or what his motivation is. I've seen much praise for Barry Keoghan in this but I'm at a loss as to why. His accent changes in every scene veering between Irish and vaguely Liverpudlian. As a native of the area his attempt at a Liverpudlian accent not very good.
However, it's not all a complete disaster. All the best lines are delivered by Rosamund Pike and the only scenes she is in are veering on the humourous. There is no real depth to any characters so it is difficult to root for anyone, thank goodness for Ms. Pike who at least brings temporary relief.
Another redeeming feature is the soundtrack but other than that, and it does look sumptuous, there is little to recommend this.