stuarttomanek Reviews

The Missing (2014–2016)

Enjoyable But Let Down By Some Absurdities - Spoilers

[6/10 · 31 October 2023]

I did enjoy this series despite the absurdities which begged the viewer to suspend their disbelief. The chief would not reopen the case because of a picture - the picture which proved beyond any reasonable doubt that Olly had been in the house.

Of course I guessed quite early on that the chief was involved in some way.

The finale left everything unresolved - as Tony said to Baptiste - they only had Alain's word that Olly was killed. Very odd that - the dodgy romanian finding Olly alive did not think to contact the chief and ask what to do. So Olly had seen his face. What crime had the romanian been guilty of to that point? But he killed the boy and went from no crime to murder? Yes the chief said he has a dead boy and get rid of him. But he's not dead. He has no order to kill him. That made no sense at all. A quick phone called would have cleared it up.

The final scene showed how maybe Olly did not die and how he may have been trafficked to Russia.

I thought series 2 was going to show how Tony tracked him to Russia and now I see it is a new story with rave reviews.

Not sure if I am going to watch.

The Ropers (1979–1980)

Poor Copy Of George And Mildred

[1/10 · 7 October 2023]

Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy are incredibly funny - backed by a super script. There was just no way that an American copy of this show was going to be any good as the whole idea is rooted in British characters. I have seen some of the Ropers and it was embarrassing to watch. I suggest you go and find George and Mildred on Youtube and enjoy the original.

Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy are incredibly funny - backed by a super script. There was just no way that an American copy of this show was going to be any good as the whole idea is rooted in British characters. I have seen some of the Ropers and it was embarrassing to watch. I suggest you go and find George and Mildred on Youtube and enjoy the original.

Who Killed Jill Dando? (2023)

Enjoyable 3 Parter

[10/10 · 28 September 2023]

I enjoyed this 3 part series on Jill Dando - her early life, rise to fame and awful murder.

I have seen other documentaries and I think what I found interesting about this one was the reaction of the police to the release of Barry George. They - or at least the man who led the investigation - stubbornly ignore facts and claim they got the right man. I think they know - just don't want to admit it as they would have to reopen the case.

Nobody heard a shot. Experts say this indicates a silencer was used - something that would be in the toolkit of a pro assassin but a hapless loner like George - would be unlikely to possess.

There was no evidence he had ever been in possession of a real firearm.

No motive was established. He had an interest in women - had some assaults to his name and collected photographs he had taken in the street.

Assaults and photos are one thing - killing is quite a leap. And no motive. Why would George want to kill Dando? He might want to photograph her and maybe assault her sexually. But kill her? It seems highly unlikely such an inept person could carry out this crime and not be seen or leave evidence in his flat which was a tip at the time.

As shown by the program, the police were clearly under pressure from the press and public to get a result and they must have thought it was Christmas when George fell into their clutches.

Thankfully the gun residue evidence was debunked and he was freed.

We may never know who killed Jill Dando and I think a Serb gunman acting in revenge for Britain's actions in the Balkans is probably the motive.

A good show with plenty of footage of Dando, her family and most importantly - an interview with George as he is today living in Ireland.

Tenet (2020)

Reverse Time Action Shots Make No Sense

[1/10 · 27 August 2023]

Just what is so complicated about this movie that people have to watch 2 or 3 times?

So an embittered dying Russian Oligarch is determined to die and take the world with him thanks to some fancy inversion algorithm which comes in 9 instalments. The agents aim to stop this from happening by thwarting the grand finale when all 9 components are united and they are in a race to do this before his wife exacts vengeance on her horrible husband.

There is honestly not much more to it and I can't believe this stretched out for 2.5 hours. I find it truly hilarious that people are watching this 2 or 3 times like it is Citizen Kane.

There was not even the satisfaction seeing the baddie die as we might expect and hope for.

The reverse action made no sense at all - so we see the end of a fight and then watch in reverse to the beginning - all the punches unthrown and bullets going back into guns? It is a curiosity seen once but not the default.

Utter rubbish.

Dragged Across Concrete (2018)

Kept Me On The Edge Of My Seat Despite Implausibilities

[6/10 · 24 August 2023]

How can a film divide people between 10/10 and 1/10 like this film. It is clearly highly rated and despised in equal measure.

I saw the 6.9 rating and liked the synopsis if not the run time so gave it a go and watched with interest - how is this switch of sides going to pan out?

There were some odd plot details.

Why does this main criminal murderer rob a 2 bit convenience store? Test out his weapons maybe? Or just for fun. After all he has a multi million dollar heist planned. What if his bit of fun goes wrong?

And why introduce a character and then have her killed within 10 minutes? Why the long drawn out return of this lady to her place of work. Cake, welcome by manager etc.

The film would have worked just as well by cutting 10 minutes out and just showing the robbery with a few deaths.

So a cop who is nearing retirement is going to lose his nerve and toss out his principles just because he does not earn enough money to give his wife and daughter a better life? He is going to lower himself to the level of the scum he puts behind bars - and - his partner - a young man with his life ahead of him - is going to go along with this? So basically they are going to do what criminals do when they realise they want more than they have.

As someone else pointed out - how was the van able to get away and not be challenged by the police once the alarm was raised? Would they not have had a helicopter out looking for it?

And would a van blocking the entrance to a bank in downtown not attract some attention maybe? A passing police officer for example.

Taking a hostage? You don't do that if you think you are going to need a hostage. Why would they think that? Do armed bank robbers take hostages?

And why would a hostage once out of the vehicle not be searched and secured by the police? Did the pair not wonder why she had been released and maybe it's not an act of goodwill?

And why did she kill a cop? Did she not think it might be better to get out and to safety and hope her captors are killed and then get police protection for her family? She must have known she was going to be killed in any case.

If it was me I would get out and say "hey he said he's going to kill my family!" Stupid gullible woman.

OK we all know the two black dudes in the front would have both been killed as soon as one started complaining about the excessive violence. They would have been told to pull over and bang bang. Not reliable.

Just how does an ex con manage to spend big money on a lakeside mega house without anybody asking where he got the money? And how do you move on gold bullion given that the bank who had it stolen would be on the look out for it.

Apart from all that I somehow still watched this and enjoyed it.

The sandwich eating scene I actually thought was hilarious.

Source Code (2011)

What Happened To The Real Sean

[1/10 · 17 June 2023]

The explosion on the train was so devastating that it is highly unlikely Sean's brain would have survived to any extent such that his memory could have been accessed but setting that aside - the real Sean's body becomes a shell for the persona of the soldier. The history teacher. RIght? Which kind of sours the sweet ending since one man's life is bought at the expense of another's.

Setting those issues aside the film was almost enjoyable but as others have said there are too many plot holes for this film to be taken seriously.

I suppose quantum mechanics is so mysterious and amazing that anything goes.

Messiah (2020)

Is Jesus Divine Or Just a Prophet As Islam Claims?

[1/10 · 9 January 2023]

OK if this man is the true messiah - he can settle a long running dispute between Islam and Christianity. Odd how nobody asks him really important question - like - which is the true religion? Is there life after death?

I did watch with interest and I really like the performance of Monoghan as Eva - the interview with a candidate for the CIA was a promising start. "The truth may seem to you gray but I assure you it is not."

The messiah says nothing really profound and is overall disappointing. The disappointment of the preacher and the burning down of his church was worth waiting for though.

The most interesting and well done part of this series is the way people latched on to this figure and made him a centre of their life focus. The only ending that makes any sense frankly is he is not divine just someone with a grudge against america. If he is divine - on series 2 I will expect to see the decular world converting en masse.

If I Hadn't Met You (2018)

Very Emotionally Involving Sci Fi

[10/10 · 17 December 2022]

The premise of alternate universes was enough for me to give this a try and wow was I hooked from start to finish.

The idea of being able to go back and make different choices has always held a fascination for me. What if I had taken a different path?

In this film we see a man struck by a random tragic event beyond his control and a strange chance to visit another universe in which an alternative scenario is played out.

The chemistry between Eduoard and Elisa is the main force which drives the interest in the drama but his relationship with his parents and friends and children is also made to tug at the heart strings. It will make you realise how important it is to tell those close to you how important they are to you while you still have a chance.

I think I am probably going to come back and watch this one again. Yes it was sad when it ended and I did want it to go on and if you have any heart so will you.

Unbelievable (2019)

I Watched It All In One Sitting

[10/10 · 28 November 2022]

Impossible for me not to watch this one episode after another. It was 2 AM when I went to bed. Superb story telling and really strong cast, acting etc. Socially important too - the way some cops treat rape claims. Coercing women into changing their statements and then pursuing them for making false statements is shocking. I really think that women police officers need to be hand picked to deal with rape claims and not men.

The balance is just right in this mini series and there is not too much revealed of the actual rapes. Just enough to suggest the horror and violence. So not exploitative in any way. Recommended.

The OA (2016–2019)

Intriguing Start But Major Let Down NDE Rubbish

[1/10 · 20 November 2022]

I watched the first episode - some odd things but decided it was just interesting enough to keep going. Though I must say that the five who humoured Prairie by listening to her story must have really had nothing better to do than sit in an abandoned house late at night and listen to a self obsessed young woman tell her story. The huge let down for me came when the big mystery about where she was for all those years was an underground cell and lab where an NDE researcher studies his subjects who he also keeps captive. How boring! I was hoping the mystery would be something better than that. Having now read a ton of 1 star reviews about how the show progresses - I won't be watching anymore.

Making a Murderer (2015–2018)

Riveting And Disturbing

[10/10 · 20 November 2022]

This is a superb production. To think that cameras were following Avery around and his lawyers, family etc and they all cooperated in the making of this show is really quite special. It is particularly disturbing as it could happen to YOU! After watching all 20 episodes I have few doubts that Avery is innocent of this crime - OK - not a nice guy - evidence of abusing partners and doing really dumb and criminal things - but that does not make him a murderer. The real juice is the impact on his mother and father who somehow struggle through life coping with losing their son to the brutality and indifference of the US criminal justice system. The stitch up and manipulation and coercian of Brendan Dassey - who just wanted to help the police write a story so he could get home to play his nintendo. Part 2 felt slightly padded as it did not have the drama of the trial. Instead what we get is mainly appeals and Kathleen Zellner's brilliant take down of the prosecution case. I watched all 20 episodes in 1 week. Compulsive viewing and I recommend it.

Dark (2017–2020)

Watched This Because 1899 1/10 Reviewers Said It Is Brilliant

[1/10 · 19 November 2022]

OK so I gave 1899 1 star because of the dullness of the series. Many who did not like 1899 said they only watched it because they loved Dark. So I gave 1899 1 star as I hated it and wanted to see if Dark really does set the standard. Oh yes! It sets the standard for dull dull dull. I could not care less about the youngsters that go missing or any of the characters as the writing is so bad. Another total flop. I am not even curious about what is in the letter. I am fairly certain the police would have insisted that letter be opened to shed some light upon the hanging death. I think I am going to avoid German series from now on.

1899 (2022)

OK I Get That It Is A Slow Build Up But No Excuse For Ep 1 Boredom

[1/10 · 18 November 2022]

I admit I only watched the first episode and half of the second. 10/10 rating reviewers are saying you need to keep going etc and ignore the dark drudgery of the first several episodes. I do not accept that - for a multi million dollar production - if the characters and dialogue do not look like they have potential and interest in the first episode - clearly things are unlikely to improve given the same writers are doing the whole series. They lack basic talent no matter how they try to wow you with plot twists and innovations etc. I have reviewer out-of-focus to thank for his brilliant 1 star review and take down on this white elephant. I was in fact going to give this series another go until I read his review and realise that my initial pessimism is fully justified. 1 star reviews are also building up. Life is too precious to watch hour after hour hoping to get intrigued enough to consider the time spent watching worthwhile. Squid Game was captivating from the get go - with believable flawed characters you could sympathise with and root for or against - it is also a mind blowing plot - making it a winner. This 1899 is an epic fail and I hope the IMDB rating will fall significantly. It would not surprise me if Netflix pay people to do 10/10 reviews to inflate the score.

Killer Sally (2022)

Miscarriage Of Justice

[10/10 · 4 November 2022]

I don't usually watch Netflix docu series but having just started a real lemon of a film I switched onto this instead and did not regret it.

The fact the Ray MacNeal beat his step children in front of each other tells you most of what you need to know about whether he deserved to die or not. But you also have to question why Sally allowed this state of affairs to continue. It seems - by all accounts - she was obsessed and besotted with Ray and may have allowed the abuse to continue just to keep him.

The second shot no doubt convicted her - since the belly shot had him writhing on the ground. She then reloaded and shot him in the face. I don't think her lawyer could have prevented the verdict and it was probably correct. She is now out after 25 years and happy. Her children are fighting their own demons and have grown up in dysfunctional abusive relationships.

Very moving and beautifully put together and I hope the children get can their lives on track.

Man on the Moon (1999)

Still Don't Know Who The Real Andy Kaufman Is

[1/10 · 1 October 2022]

I am no fan of Kaufman. Even his popular role in Taxi - I found him to be the least funny - he is nowhere near Christopher LLoyd's level, or Danny DeVito.

There is nothing terribly new about performance art and in this film at least - the pranks start to wear thin. OK we get the point - now do something different. It is not meant to be funny but it may be - any response is allowed - yes we know that. He is not a comedian - he wants us to have an experience - a response to his act. Carrey does a good job of getting this point over. Personally I would rather spend the time rolling with laughter from a stand up comic's jokes than have this vague existential experience but each to their own.

The problem with a continual prankster - is you never see the real person. I can't believe that Kaufman was never in non-performance mode. But it was not easy to draw the line in this film Was his death some grand prank. Well - he was buried right - we know he died. He actually did something that was real.

I gave 1 star so that my review will be read but OK I watched it through and enjoyed it reasonably well. It is probably worth 5 or 6.

Broad Peak (2022)

Stunning Mountain Climbing Film

[9/10 · 22 September 2022]

The breathtaking mountain climbing shots - especially when they pan out and show you where the climbers are in relation to the size of the mountain - is terrifying - how they get up these sheer ice faces is just amazing. I found most of the film very gripping and my only issue is that the time lag between the first attempt to climb Broad Peak and the second attempt is supposed to be 25 years later. This length of time seems more like a few years as all you see the main character doing is some joinery and giving some school talks etc. Plus he and his wife look no different 25 years later. I had to go and check that it really was 25 years later. Just a quibble though.

Cop Land (1997)

Could Not Get Into Rooting For The Good Guys

[1/10 · 16 September 2022]

I just found in this film myself not getting sufficiently engaged enough to really want the bad guys to get their just deserts which is what we see at the end. So some corrupt policemen wanted to save a colleague who had possibly not acted unreasonably by shooting down a car driven by two men who taunt him and threaten him with what looks like a gun but turns out to be a steering lock. The shootout is really not worth waiting for. I saw this in the 90s when it came back and really only remembered parts of the shootout. When you see a film like Goodfellas - you remembers a lot. But Copland is no Goodfellas. As for Stalone's acting - he has this silly dimwitted smile on his face for most of the film. If that's great acting - well ok!

Life (I) (2017)

Would Never Happen

[1/10 · 14 September 2022]

In the world where this happens the astronauts would have watched Alien and understand how important it is not to breach quarantine regulations. If your colleague has an alien life form killing him in the lab you leave him there to die and you make sure all the vents are shut and call earth for what to do next. Frankly if such a form were discovered it would be taken to earth and kept in a secure unit with several layers of firewalls in place until the scientists know exactly what they are dealing with.

It was entertaining though if you overlook the plot issues and accept that highly trained astronaughts would make such basic errors.

Solo (II) (2018)

Better Than The Average Review

[10/10 · 10 August 2022]

A very moving true story and one that is really relevant to all of us. Not to wait for a near death experience to do and say the things we should do now. The film really conveys the desperate and remorse of a man who beieves he is going to die and finally gives up the struggle.

OK so it is not Steven Segal or Rambo Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne - the low scores on here are just ludicrous.

Event Horizon (1997)

Wow - Baffled By The 9/10 Reviews On This One

[1/10 · 3 August 2022]

A B movie at best. Like many others I am baffled why there are so many top reviews of this film. Scary? You must be joking. To be scary in space there has to be some kind of hostile visible alien life form to be scary and a living space ship back from a trip to hell is not it.

The characters were indeed flat and the only interesting scene was the crew member who went out through the air lock with no space suit.

No good.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Watch The Original and Forget This Rubbish

[1/10 · 2 May 2022]

Dreadful boring and dull. They have attempted to capture the atmosphere of the original and succeed to some extent but the actual storyline is just dull beyond words. The fact this blade runner is a replicant is given away at the start and it kind of makes it hard to root for him. But I just found it awful and stopped watching after 20 minutes.

Beckett (2021)

Can't Understand Bad Reviews

[8/10 · 30 April 2022]

This film has taught me not to consult the IMDB score when choosing a film to watch. I really enjoyed it and found myself continually rooting for the hero to get out of a sticky mess. Satisfying ending. Great on location sequences.

Midsommar (2019)

Top Class Pagan Realisation

[10/10 · 28 March 2022]

Brilliant film which seems to be inspired by the Wicker Man but goes much further. Beautiful setting, costumes, choreography etc and realisation on film of the rituals - powerful ending - loved the music and the final frame was just perfect. Will never forget this film. I suppose you will either love it or hate it. I loved it.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

It Didn't Work For Me - Lame and Boring

[1/10 · 5 March 2022]

It's an original premise - poorly executed.

There is no real chemistry between Winslet and Carrey and there is not enough basic work done on binding these two to make you care about what happens to them after the memory clean.

Very poor and I am surprised yet again to see 9/10 10/10 scores with only a small number of naysayers like myself.

I imagine standards have slipped so drivel like this - because it has an original premise - is eagerly devoured and highly rates.

I saw 3 days of the Condor a few days ago - not a brilliant film - but Redford and Dunaway were absolute magic together and made it worth watching. Sadly Carrey and Winslet look just like two very average people trying to forget a relationship gone wrong.

Against the Ice (2022)

Great Survival And Arctic Adventure

[10/10 · 2 March 2022]

Based on true events this story was very well told and the settings were breath-taking. The characters made the tale and there was a feeling of being with the two men right to the end. A satisfying conclusion.