I was eagerly anticipating "Dune" more than any movie of the past couple of years. I loved the books which I read as a teenager and was disappointed in David Lynch's crack at the story and the tv mini series with John Hurt. Sadly, I'm still waiting for the books to be brought convincingly to the screen. Yes, the movie looks good and some of the action set pieces are well done but the pace of the film is so boring that the actors seem to be sleepwalking through it. Perhaps Chalamet is the wrong actor to play the pivotal role of Paul? He's not dynamic enough and perhaps his acting style is not suited to a blockbuster movie and he's better in more intimate drama. You almost need to be bigger than the special effects and he just isn't. The rest of the cast do a workmanlike, nothing special job and leave it to the effects guys to produce the real substance of the film. The effects are fine but not as great or as exciting as I'd hoped. It was all a bit of a ponderous yawnfest and I really hope the sequel is better!
Reviews
52 Reviews
Twice Upon a Time
(2019)
Would have been better without time travel!
9 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a sucker for European drama and binge watched this little four part French sci-fi romantic drama in one evening. So much is good - the attractive and complex lead couple - Vincent and Louise, the interesting locations (Waltham Forest, England and Bordeaux, France) and the acting in general, was pretty good. What fails is the silly time travel element which just confuses and messes with the story. This would have played out better and been more convincing as a straightforward doomed romance. The dynamics of the central love story were interesting enough without bringing in fantasy. Vincent is a thirty something single dad who works in a tropical fish shop. He meets complex rich girl Louise in a bar and the odd couple somehow try to negotiate their way through a far from easy relationship. Can Vincent go back in time and change things? I ended up thinking that Vincent was dreaming the whole thing as it was too ridiculous and there were plot holes a plenty. Far too many of the supporting characters were not fleshed out enough to be interesting and seemed to just be there to move the story along. The non- linear storytelling was interesting but ended up being frustrating and the "cliff hanger" ending a major disappointment and a total cop out! The seven stars are for the actors who really did a good job with flimsy material and the look of the movie, which does try to be different.
Bonusfamiljen
(2017–2021)
Top notch rarity - a dramedy that is actually funny!
12 February 2021
I don't do "dramedy". Usually neither funny enough nor dramatic enough for my taste. However, I had run out of my usual Nordic Noir dramas and thought I'd give this a try. I have Swedish heritage but have never lived in Sweden so this wonderful show gives you a rare insight into family life in modern Sweden. It's not much different to anywhere else in the world and what we call a "blended family" in the UK, Sweden calls a "bonus family". The lives, loves, family spats, growing pains and complicated family dynamics are all here to be laughed at and sometimes cried at. This show has phenomenal acting, realistic plotting and great characters. I love them all and can identify with their struggles, triumphs and embarrassments, in work and out, at home, school and socially. It really is a "slice of life" that never hits a false note and is often laugh out loud funny. The ensemble cast is brilliant across the board and the three kids are played wonderfully by the young actors who are as obnoxious and lovable as any kids in the real world. Don't let the fact this is a European show put you off, as it's one of the best family comedy dramas that I have ever seen.
Det som göms i snö
(2018– )
Downbeat, witty and dark - Swedish cop drama with an edge.
6 January 2021
This is right up my street. I'm part Swedish, born in England and am just drawn to this type of drama. It must be in my genes! This is a cut above the normal police procedural with interesting, multi faceted characters, a believable take on mental illness and a fascinating plot of false confession, cold case detectives unravelling a labyrinth of lies and bureaucracy and believable personal dramas. All the lead characters are well played, engaging and the lack of sentimentality is quite refreshing. The suburbs of Stockholm are well used and ground the show in real life. It's based on a true story, the red herrings, plot twists and surprises come thick and fast and the rather grim story is lifted at just the right moments with wit and wry humour. Like a lot of these type of shows, it starts quite slowly but you'll be rewarded if you stick with it.
Tenet
(2020)
Another disappointing big budget time waster!
5 January 2021
Swap the actors playing the main roles. Washington plays Pattinson's role and vice versa and you may have improved this movie quite a bit. Washington hasn't got the charisma or action hero chops to play the lead in this type of movie. You need a Keanu, Brad or Tom! Why oh why was it so long? I almost lost the will to live half way through. Why is the leading lady two metres taller than the hero? What is actually happening here? You could also swap out Washington for Daniel Craig and "Tenet" could be the new James Bond movie, "You Only Live Backwards"! Long, confusing, sub par special effects, nowhere near as good as "Inception" and very disappointing. All involved should try harder...
Equinox
(2020)
Wicker Man this is not...unscary pagan romp!
5 January 2021
I so wanted to like this as it had many themes which are very appealing to me but it was so disappointing and very bland. A bus full of Danish high school grads disappears mysteriously and 20 years later the sister of one of the missing teens sets out to investigate. To cut a very long story short, the miserable heroine treks about Denmark talking to various people involved in the bus mystery, with mixed results. Her ex husband mopes about in the background with their little daughter, trying to persuade her to come home. He is a totally pointless character, as is the child. Miss Misery slowly (very slowly) pieces together the mystery and all sorts of pagan nonsense ensues to include a fair amount of sex and nudity, cue man dressed up like a giant rabbit having sex on an altar with a teenage girl, an ancient book full of prophecies which always come true, a hippy cult worshipping Ostara the Goddess of Spring and a silly ending which left more questions than answers. If you like Wicker Man, Midsommer, Hereditary etc don't bother with this - unscary, slow and ultimately rather silly. Could have been tied up in a couple of hours rather than dragged out for 5 yawnsome ones!
Monster
(2017)
Twin Peaks in the Arctic Circle - could have been better....
5 January 2021
I love Nordic Noir and this is a fairly watchable entry into that canon. Unfortunately, the implausible plot, wooden dialogue and plotlines that are too confusing to hold this snowy saga tightly together, prevent me from awarding it any more than 6 out of 10. The problem is it's trying too hard to be weird and quirky to really engage on any plausible level. The two lead detectives are weird and quirky, the locals are just weird and the plot is lifted from about a dozen better films and tv shows. Mysterious blonde teenage girl is murdered in a ritualistic manner in small Hicksville town and said murder is investigated by inadequate local cops and fish out of water city cops. The city cops both dislike each other and then through mutual blackmail work together to solve a current slew of murders which may be linked to murders 30 years previously. The cinematography is great and the scenery breathtaking but a handful of good action set pieces, including a machine gun shootout at a drugs factory, cannot save this chilly potboiler. On a positive note, the acting is pretty good but the dialogue is very stilted and strange which adds to the off kilter feel of the show. None of the characters are very likeable and seem to have no issues with breaking or twisting the law to their own ends - and that's just the cops! I did like the portrayal of Hedda, a very unglamorous female cop who at least had some dimension to her character. Could have been so much better, the potential was there!
The Last Kingdom
(2015–2022)
Captivating, exhilarating and totally immersive!
21 November 2020
I give a rare 10 stars to this phenomenal historical epic drama series. If you want to really see what life was like in the Dark Ages in Britain, watch this uncompromising depiction of the harsh realities of life during this turbulent period of history. All the characters are superbly drawn and totally convincing, there are no "good guys and bad guys" as everyone has a pretty dodgy moral compass. Each episode is compelling to watch from intrigues at the court of King Alfred, in Winchester, to the personal tragedies and triumphs of the main characters. The action scenes are brilliant, bloody, gruesome and real. The battle scenes almost too realistic in their brutality. For anyone interested in the Vikings, the Dark Ages or British history should watch this and be amazed and educated. History has never been told as vividly or thrillingly. The acting is pretty good as well!
His House
(2020)
Well that was different!
31 October 2020
I'm always looking for a different twist on the horror genre and here is a good one. African asylum seekers in Britain get housed in a haunted social housing property. The leads are just brilliant and utterly convincing as a married couple who have literally been to hell and back. Remi Weekes, the director, has a very sure hand with horror and breathes some fresh life into the haunted house/demonic posession/witchcraft genre. A very small cast, a disconcerting and claustrophobic atmosphere and winning leads make an original and fresh movie. It starts very creepily and builds the tension throughout although the end was a little heavy on the virtue signalling.
365 Days
(2020)
Soft porn, hard to believe!
17 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Weirdly, I rewatched "50 Shades of Grey" just before watching this movie just to try and remind myself how terrible it was! This movie is considerably better and deserves to be taken for what it is, soft female centric porn and a lot of guilty fun. Tough, brooding mafioso kidnaps his dream girl (literally) and imprisons her in his castle - cue Beauty and the Beast comparisons. He is pretty horrible as a person but extremely good looking and dominating. The girl briefly fights back against her predicament before shopping till she drops at his expense and living a luxurious lifestyle that she has never experienced before. He gives her a year to fall in love with him and then the nearly constant sex scenes start (not much in the way of a plot) as captive girl begins to fall under his macho spell. Is she a victim of Stockholm Syndrome or is she really in love with this brute of a man? We never really know. It reminds me of some of the well produced soft porn movies of the 70s, it doesnt apologise for what it is and at least the sex scenes are convincing and the lovers have a great chemistry. This is what raises this movies from a Shades of Grey ripoff to something a bit more watchable. Its filmed very prettily, the leads are really attractive and its clearly aimed at a female audience. A downbeat ending with some unanswered questions may lead to a sequel? Who knows? Disengage your intellect for a couple of hours and enjoy!
The Haunting of Bly Manor
(2020)
Another "Turn of the Screw" - chillingly good!
10 October 2020
I've now watched 5 episodes of THOBM and its different to THOHH but equally good in my view. I believed this to be a prequel to Hill House as I knew it had a 1980s setting but it's a remake of the chilling Henry James novella, "The Turn of the Screw". The story has been told many times before in films and on tv but this is a refreshing update on that old Victorian tale of passion and possession and its beautifully filmed and well acted apart from some pretty bad British accents. I'm British so I know a good one from a bad one (Henry Thomas!) Anyone expecting a rehash of Hill House will probably be disappointed by this but it's a good addition to the haunted house, gothic romance canon, which is not wholly reliant on the usual jump scares and should be viewed as a stand alone series to avoid comparisons with HH. As in other anthology series, some of the same actors are present in this, there are again, wonderfully creepy kids and the obligatory ominous, brooding house. I'm enjoying it although it's a familiar story to me and I'm sure like other retellings of "The Turn of the Screw" its denouement will be the same, so I doubt the ending will be a surprise. It is slow to build but give it some time and your patience will be rewarded by a good story, well told.
Enola Holmes
(2020)
Just a fun movie! We need more like this...
27 September 2020
Enola Holmes or "Ebola Bones" as my 14 year old niece renamed it, is a charming, smart, fun little movie. Nothing world shattering here, just an entertaining way to pass a couple of hours with two teenage girls (my nieces) and Enola! Millie Bobby Brown is such a winning and charming actress that anything she's in is elevated because of her. In this she's very cute, feisty and funny. The plot is fast moving and quite exciting in places and I have to say it was great seeing Henry Cavill in a a supporting role as brother Sherlock. In tone it is quite light hearted, a bit like the Robert Downey Jnr incarnation of Holmes, but without the violence. Nicely costumed and pretty to look at, I would recommend this as a good family film for kids over 12. Both my nieces liked it a lot, and so did I!
The Haunting of Hill House
(2018)
On the eve of the sequel, I rewatched this and it's really pretty good!
27 September 2020
The sequel is released next month on Netflix and I thought I'd revisit the first season of this family led haunted house drama, as I was originally very disappointed in it and would have only given it a 4 out of 10. I've now reappraised up to a 7 out of 10! You really need to watch this a couple of times to get it. I was bored when I watched it a year ago, too slow, too much talk and not enough scares. On a second viewing I can appreciate the slow burn plot a bit more, really appreciate the great acting from the whole cast with a special nod to the kids in this, who are natural and engaging and immerse myself more into the dense characterisations. This is at its core a character driven piece, each family member has their tale to tell of living in a haunted house and how it still haunts them. It reminds me of something Stephen King might have written in his earlier days. Its actually pretty good and I'm now looking forward to the sequel which I believe is a prequel! A special note is how well the family Crain are cast. The kids actually look convincingly like the older actors playing them and the older Crains look like siblings and similar to their parents, really well cast. The three Crain girls are especially good and their dynamic is sisterly and real. I think Henry Thomas with a little grey hair could have played the older father without changing actors to Tim Hutton - a bit pointless. Needs to be watched more than once.
Moscow Noir
(2018)
Twisty, fast moving thriller - nothing ground breaking but entertaining
19 September 2020
After watching Young Wallander on Netflix, I was in the mood for more Scandi TV and found this on All 4. Yet again, Adam Palsson plays the protagonist and he's easy on the eye and better in this than YW. A strong supporting cast and excellent production values lift this twisty thriller set in the world of high finance, above the usual potboiler and it's quite gripping in parts. It does get a little convoluted as it goes along but it's still entertaining enough. I can see comparisons being made with "McMafia" but this is not in the same league. The theme music and titles are awesome!
Young Wallander
(2020–2022)
Formulaic but good to binge watch on a boring weekend!
6 September 2020
I was firstly disappointed that a series called "Young Wallander" was not set back in the 70s when the beloved Swedish detective would have actually been young! I was a big fan of the original Swedish series and the British series with Kenneth Branagh. However, I'm obsessed with Nordic drama and binged watched the whole series this weekend. They missed a trick here as this could have been like "Endeavour" or "Young Montalbano" the story revisiting the early days of a popular detective and also giving us some 70s Swedish action - cue ABBA! That said, this is easy, watchable and a bit derivative but Adam Palsson is a charming lead and the rest of the cast are solid. Why the lead actor is Swedish and the rest of the cast is British, with no attempt to even speak with Swedish accents, is a bit odd. Wallander is the only character who appears to be authentically Swedish with the rest of them transported from any British cop show! Elise Chapple (Poldark) and Leanne Best ( Line of Duty) give solid support as the love interest and police partner respectively. The story moved along at a good pace and was interesting enough to keep me watching. I was impressed with Adam Palsson the most. He's in almost every scene and has a quiet charisma, he isn't your usual macho policeman but has an understated power. You can see the burgeoning of the Wallander we know and love. Not ground breaking and would have been better set back in time but entertaining enough crime drama.
The Fall
(I) (2013–2016)
One of the best and most chilling tv dramas ever. A triumph
9 August 2020
Dark, moody, menacing but never formulaic, The Fall takes you inside the mind of a murderer and it's gripping stuff. Gillian Anderson, plays an icy yet vulnerable female police chief and Jamie Dornan is the family man who has a deadly double life. Both play their parts beautifully, never over acting or over stating anything, just delivering believable and charismatic performances in this cat and mouse tale. Because of the subject matter, it is very hard hitting and may be upsetting for some viewers of more delicate natures. You will never see a better thriller, and although I have seen comparisons to the also excellent "Hannibal", this is a bleaker, very British tale of the psychology of murder that would give nordic noir a run for its money - even Krister Hendriksen of Wallander fame, turns up in this as a Swedish head shrinker! Scary, adult, uncompromising and compelling drama. Although Season 3 has a slightly different tone, all seasons are stand out. The little girl who plays the killer's daughter is one of the most convincing child actors I've seen for a long time. Highly recommended.
Deadwind
(2018–2021)
Finnish and noirish with lots of polish!
19 July 2020
Beautifully shot and laconicly plotted and acted, "Deadwind" 1 and 2 are not for someone wanting fast paced action with a thrill a minute but for anyone who isn't in a hurry, this is a tantalising series with complex twisty plots, exciting and original "set pieces" and solid acting by the leads. Both the leads are also extremely attractive and there is great chemistry and authentic sexual tension between them. The gorgeous, frosty, intense Nurmi and the more passionate, driven Karppi with her wild curly blonde tresses. You don't get cops this good looking in British police procedurals! Season 1 is longer than Season 2 but both are densely plotted and keep you guessing as to who the perpetrator of the crimes may be with a lot of red herrings thrown in. Comparisons to "The Bridge" will no doubt be made as we have a quirky blonde heroine in this series. However, Sofia Karppi is a very different type of cop to Saga Noren! "Deadwind" is well named as you can feel the Finnish wind chill in every scene. Classy Nordic noir to curl up in front of the fire with.
Devs
(2020)
Best sci fi drama for a long time - just wonderful
8 May 2020
I was surprised and amazed by this drama series which I found by accident whilst looking for something new to watch on BBC iPlayer during the interminable lockdown. Not only was this different, it was compelling, fascinating and on point with regards to casting, music, atmosphere and story. We've all seen "crazy scientist with a God complex" stories before but this is just so clever and surprising in the way the story unfolds, that I was totally hooked after episode 1. The story is languorous in its pace although the action set pieces are exciting and very well done. The actors are not well known faces. I only knew Alison Pill, but they all play their parts well in this twisty, techhead fever dream that draws you into the nightmare along with the protagonists. One small gripe was the rather predictable denouement but I suppose it tied things up neatly as this was a limited series. I loved it.
Freud
(2020)
Handsome to look at but very shallow drama
5 April 2020
I love these dark, historical thrillers. Loved "The Alienist" and "Vienna Blood" and thought this would be similar fare. It was pretty bad. First episode was ok, interesting premise and great production values, costumes, make up and locations. The actor who plays Freud is very wooden and distant and I couldnt really warm to him but the other actors were pretty good especially the characterisation of battle scarred police office, Kiss. This show is trying to be something but misses at every turn. It has the flimsiest of plots but even that is confused and muddled. Too many dream sequences and flash backs which don't add anything to the story. Sex, nudity and violence. Lots of blood but no tension, no drama and no reason to carry on watching. Each episode deteriorated further into a mess of horror film tropes and hysteria. The problem for me was that I couldnt engage with any of the characters. Cardboard cutouts. Such as shame as this could have been very good with a bit more effort put into the script and characters.
The Invisible Man
(I) (2020)
Not scary but great acting for a horror thriller!
22 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I'm hard to please. I like my horror thrillers to be pretty scary and horrifying! I was waiting to be scared witless by The Invisible Man and although I was'nt, I still quite enjoyed this taut little thriller. Props to all the actors in this. The only one I knew was the exceptionally talented Elizabeth Moss. The rest of the small cast were not big names, or any names tbf. However, the acting was a cut above for this type of movie. I cared what happened to these people and that's rare. The directing was tight and the story an interesting sci fi spin on the H G Wells classic story, acting good as I've said above, but the movie just did'nt scare. The tension is ramped up and then the pay off is disappointing. A man in a high tech suit is just not really scary on any level. The original story had the scientist actually making himself invisible without the use of any prop. That would have been better. In this outing, the suit can be damaged quite easily, thus the protagonist is oftened revealed at key moments, which kind of cuts the drama. It passed a couple of hours in a ho hum way but an actress of the calibre of Elizabeth Moss really needs better than this potboiler. Watchable, mildly entertaining but overall disappointing.
Emma.
(2020)
Charming update - Austen with a rom com edge!
22 March 2020
I love Jane Austen adaptations and have seen all of them over the years. This is a very charming and witty take on Austen's most well loved, meddling heiress, Emma Woodhouse. Anya Taylor-Joy radiates poise, puzzlement and sparkle and is a relatable 21st century heroine without losing the19th century character. Her huge brown eyes are truly "windows to her soul" and I found her quite mesmerizing. I loved Johnny Flynn as one of the sexiest Mr Knightley's yet and had no idea he was an actor, only knowing him as a folk singer. He is a perfect foil for quicksilver Emma and has no problem putting her firmly in her place. Mia Goth is a wonderful Harriet Smith, loveable, gullible and sweet. Most of the supporting players were excellent with special praise to Miranda Hart for her poignant portrayal of poor Miss Bates - cruelly and thoughtlessly hurt by Emma. The costumes were stunning, the settings sublime, the music interesting (old English folk tunes in the main) and the script crackled things along well. There is a lot of walking about in beautiful stately homes or bucolic country lanes, but that is an Austen trope that seems to be compulsory now. One small gripe was the "mystery of the pianoforte", which is usually a big part of any retelling of Emma, was hardly touched upon and Frank Churchill seemed miscast to me. Neither good looking enough, nor charmingly raffish enough to be really interesting as a character. I thought the portrayal of this key character by Callum Turner was a bit flat. Another small minus was although the costuming was sumptuous and on point, Mr Woodhouse, played very charmingly by Bill Nighy, looked more Edwardian than Regency. His trousers were just not right! Overall, the best adaptation of Emma for a long time. Good performances, great locations and costumes and at the centre if it, Anya Taylor Joy's charismatic Emma.
Parasite
(2019)
Am I missing something?
15 March 2020
I was so looking forward to Parasite. What a disappointment. Is this the movie that has won all these awards and put Korea on the map? I sat through it waiting for something to spark my interest, anything that would raise this oriental potboiler social comedy of manners into high art. It failed to materialise. The acting is cartoony (perhaps it's supposed to be), the plot downright silly although I would say it had some originality and overall it just seemed pretty poor. It was neither satirically funny enough or dramatic enough to be a stunning black comedy. Far too aware of itself. I did want to like this. I was anticipating another "Roma" but all I got was a frantic mess.
Little Women
(2019)
Disappointing and strangely non involving
15 March 2020
I love Little Women. It was one of my favourite books growing up and I've seen many adaptations of the story, the last being a BBC production a couple of years ago with Maya Hawke as Jo. It was a great adaptation. Cue my interest in seeing this version which I have to say was hugely disappointing. Disjointed jumping backwards and forwards in time, actors far too old for the roles and missing the warmth this story usually generates in readers and audiences. Weird modern tweaks like the bizarre dance between Jo and Laurie (wtf?), feminist virtue signalling (yawn) and costumes and hair that were not quite as on point as they should have been. Best scene was the one at the beach which looked like a Renoir painting come to life. Saoirse Ronan is a fine young actress but she looked far too old to be Jo. Just not gawky or socially awkward enough. The other March girls all looked too old to be 12 and 13 year olds although props to Emma Watson for a charming Meg. This meandering mishmash went on far too long and left me and my sister yawning well before the end. I would personally love to see a version of Little Women where the March girls are actually played by kids and the older sisters by different actresses. In the 1992 version Kirsten Dunst played a young Amy and was replaced by Martha Plimpton as the grown up Amy. I think this would be more convincing than 24 year olds playing 12 year olds! Laurie was played like an annoying spoilt brat and the family scenes within the March household were noisy, messy and cacophonous. Why spoil a classic by making it more resonant for a modern audience? Played straight it would still charm and that was sadly missing from this version. Little charm and little warmth.
I Am Not Okay with This
(2020)
Seen it all before - yawn...good teen actors though.
29 February 2020
Some very good teen actors who are actually teens rather than late 20s (Riverdale et al) make this supernatural potboiler a little better than average. Problem is, it's all been done before and better. The 20 minute episodes are just not long enough to really get into the story. I was just relaxing into the plot when the episode ended! Why this show was done this way is baffling. Can its target audience only keep engaged for 20 minutes? I think not. The lead actors are charming stereotypes - a grab bag of weirdos and outcasts, the scene where the two leads show each other their embarrassing pimples was an amusing nod to the "scar comparing" scene in "Jaws" and was quite funny but the rest of this is just a mishmash of well trodden tropes. I'm waiting for something new in this genre not more Stephen King-esque rip offs. I did like the grimy small town setting and cinematography. There's some interesting location work here but overall a disappointing entry to the telekinetic teen library.
Jojo Rabbit
(2019)
Great kids - not so sure about the adults!
9 February 2020
I was really looking forward to this movie but was a tad disappointed when I finally got to see it. I think comedy drama is a difficult genre anyway and this movie uneasily traversed the two. I think it should have been a straight out satirical comedy. The pathos when it came, just didn't sit well with the surreal lunacy of the plot. The child actors are wonderful and all of them give honest and believable performances which is an accolade given the script and what they were expected to do. The adult actors not so much. Scarlett Johansson was particularly annoying as Jojo's resistance agent mother. She didn't feel real as a character. Neither did most of the adults in this movie. I know it's a satire but some of the performances were just too cartoon like to evoke any real emotion. I did find Rebel Wilson's performance amusing but that was about it. All in all, a strange concoction which was neither witty or satirical enough to really lampoon the Third Reich and neither dramatic or heartfelt enough to portray a Germany coming to the end of its quest for World domination. I so much wanted to like this but I found it underwhelming and if I want to watch Nazis being made fun of, I prefer "Allo Allo" (British sitcom set in occupied France)!
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