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Reviews
Nameja gredzens (2018)
Not Vikings
Small budget paid for three actors who were strong enough to carry this average Pagan versus Christian film. James Bloor plays the evil villain who rides the line of comedy evil to gratious malevolent wannabe King. His nemesis Edvin Endre plays the good king as good as other more shorter roles in the similar set of Vikings. Ivo Martinsons attracts the camera with his wild eyed aggression and stereotypical Viking looks; bald head and long beard he backs up Bloor and Endre keeping the action swift enough to want to watch more. Sadly more is just a lot of fighting, a lot of blood spilled and stunt men and women doing their bit. I wanted more from the romantic interest of the King but she must still be learning her craft. I gave it my time just to watch those three actors but Vikings has set the benchmark too high to really appreciate this ' trying very hard' film.
I must point out that reference to Rome spoils the historical context as Crusaders came along a few hundred years later but may be it's there to focus on the Christian versus Pagan narrative which doesn't really add much value to the film.
Miasto 44 (2014)
War realism!
Warsaw 1944 is harrowing and thought provoking and not for the faint hearted! There are lots of young actors who give everything to their part even young children show the despair and fear of living under such a ruthless attack. There may be romance but set against such a gaunt background it's as rare as any sense of peace you may find whilst watching this compelling film. It's well directed and brilliantly filmed even to the final shot which depicts Warsaw morphing from hell into the modern day Warsaw. It's worth watching to the end for it. I'd rate it an 18 because of the gore but unlike other films of similar ilk it adds to the story rather than glorifying it.
Boudica (2023)
Boo dica
I was disappointed that they killed off Clive Standen ( Rollo from Vikings) but this epitomises this potentially great film. There's nothing wrong with the action, typically vicious and graphic for this genre. There's nothing wrong with the acting; Peter Franzen and Olga Kurylenko hold your attention and rightly take centre stage. The script is good enough to make it all believable with appropriate subtitles to emphasise the multi cultural aspect but my biggest grief is WHERE IS THE MONEY? Clearly the budget was big but then not realised! It needed a bigger cast and much better and bigger location. It makes the whole production look cheap and totally spoils it for me. May I add a personal gripe that clothes and uniforms looking like they have literally bee chosen off the peg means I have to suspend an amount of belief which is a shame.
Animal Kingdom (2010)
"It's a crazy f#!*ing world "
Jacki Weaver steals the show as the mother of the wayward sons She really is the glue that holds this intense and gripping drama together! Guy Pearce maybe more famous but he's a bit part as a cop trying to arrest a family of crooks who eventually and inevitably turn in on each other. It's not your regular cops and robbers and the set up is cleverly implied ie the original crime is not shown. Its focus is mainly on the relationships between the brothers, the controlling matriarch and the vulnerability of the youngest son. Mom admits that all the brothers have different fathers but seems to favour the elder. The ending is dramatic and leaves me with a feeling of a couple of hours well entertained.
The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)
You can't be serious!
I didn't last for more than 30 mins and I am very tolerant!! There was Loads of action, loads of swearing, loads of dead and injured ( all men btw) and loads of jokes- which landed like an Elephant jumping from a tenth floor window not ( cos I hardly smiled) Samuel L Jackson is an 'A' list actor but this is one of many films that he would not have been missed from and was only in because his mate was in it too. Salma Hayek was there for eye candy, as she was not asked to act much and once I realised that every situation is more shooting, more miraculous escaping with not very funny witty conversations - I gave up!
La catedral del mar (2018)
The Virgin Mary wins
This is a story of misogyny and anti semitism in 13th century Catalonia. It's the story of a male hero whose daring do's helps him reluctantly rise through the aristocratic ranks leaving loved lost in his wake. To fall in love with our hero is to be cursed with a broken heart and violated body This series leaves very little to the imagination when showing the darker side of mans ( and it always is male) humanity to man.
The only woman to not suffer is the Virgin Mary, who 'helps' and eventually rescues Arnau with some predictability!
It deserves its 18 certificate but if you can stand the bleakness and violence and forgive poor continuity as children grow to adulthood whilst no one else ages it is worth watching all 8 episodes.