FeedingDream Reviews

The Bear (2022– )

When your deepest feels meet a tv show

[10/10 · 18 August 2023]

Relationships. This show is all about the relationships and it takes to a level that is so real and so relatable that it hurts. Jeremy is so authentic that it makes you believe this is his life. Ayo is so insanely real in her nuances and reactions - her interactions and timing and expressions are mind-blowing. Both Ebon and Lionel brought me to tears with their believable and touching performances. Every single cast member is brilliant and I can't praise Jeanie and Maggie enough for how beautifully casted EVERY character was. From Oliver Platt to Liza Colon-Zayas - I can't even list them all - fantastic performances and so committed.

This show wrecked me on such a wonderful level. Andre Wehde's cinematography is beautiful and really captures the moods. All of the editing is spectacular and flows into feelings like I haven't seen in a while in TV.

How can I rant more ... the writing is unique, but so very real. You feel attached and you understand the struggles whether or not the storyline is remotely related to your life (which for me it is not).

The trailer did not relate to me in any way. A friend suggested I watch because of Jeremy (we watched Shameless together). And it went so far beyond what I hoped. So many life lessons and really hard hit soul questions - it WILL move you.

If you're a JLC fan, this is some of her best work ever (even though she's only a side role). If you've ever had a rough go of an entrepreneurial experience of ANY kind, you need to watch.

Every actor is amazing. Nobody falls short. The production quality is the highest in TV. If you care about sound, they do phenomenal work in this. And Karen Adcock and the whole team - you just kicked my emotional soul. I mean when Richie has his moments in S2 E9 I was just verklempt - talk amongst yourselves.

Thank you for this production. Much needed in this time.

State and Main (2000)

Hilarious on Stage or Screen

[8/10 · 2 June 2016]

Already a fan of Mamet, this was one of the best works (second to Spanish Prisoner) that shows his unique style of making stage play into motion picture.

If you're not a fan of stage acting, this film will make you one. That's the unique talent that Mamet has in timing and dialogue that engages an audience of the screen as if you were sitting in a theatre. Few people can take one sentence of dialogue and turn it into a depth of character like he does.

The humor is fast-moving and subtle, and you have to pay attention to appreciate the flowing story and intricate relationships. And that subtlety is CONSTANT.

This was obviously accomplished by a superb cast and I swear that Oliver Stapleton (cinematography) was inside Mamet's head because the camera was like liquid in the story and did half the talking. You almost knew what was coming, but didn't get it until it was happening. It's a comedy that carries you along in your own head. Freaking hilarious.

No need to talk about the cast. Exceptional, and they played so well together that I wish they had done more like this. It was a while ago, but I hope Mamet comes up with something in this vein again.

This is a film for filmmakers because as messed up as this industry is, you still love it and all the bs that goes along with it. It's about passion for the art at all costs and OMG does this show how horrible and wonderful that can be. Pure genius and debauchery.

Love-hate relationships with almost every character. Almost. One or two loves in there. But mostly love-hate. I won't say who it was for me - you have to watch to make your own call there.

IF you can set aside your precepts of the cast (which is hard to do with this line-up), then you'll love this film and laugh yourself silly.

Mamet rocked this one. And if you get his style of humor, you'll buy the DVD just to have it on hand. If you don't, then this film isn't for you. I think you're either a Mamet fan or not. Maybe that's the question.

And Then There Were None (2015)

Nice Twist and Respect to the Author

[9/10 · 20 May 2016]

This is a long time favorite of mine (I have every version of this tale on DVD). This production does great respect to Christie while giving a new twist on the story.

Being a big fan of all things BBC, I expected a high-value production and deep psychological investigation. And this mini delivered! The casting was brilliant and they appropriately removed characters before they could annoy you, as other interpretations did not.

I loved how they made a simple tale into a series-serialist program. The production value is very high and as much as Aidan Turner was ticking me off in his attitude, it made sense in how they unfolded this version of the story and that character. A nice twist that made me recoil in the end.

I think Mammoth Screen really proves their strength in production and keeps the viewer engaged both visually and in character exposure, however, if you are familiar with the plot, you might find some dialogue "forced to fit". No disrespect to Sarah Phelps - I think it was a masterful interpretation (giving new life to an age old tale). It must be tough to take Christie's work in hand, and I applaud her undertaking a project that has such a die-hard following. And she nailed it, no question. Truly brilliant. But you just might feel a twinge of "what the hell?" if you've read and seen all other interpretations before this. Get over that, though, because this does overcome!

I looked forward to this becoming available on DVD because I cannot get live BBC programming, so I pre-ordered on Amazon and from my mailbox to my DVD player was less than 15 minutes. And it was everything I had hoped for, plus some. I've watched it several times now and I appreciate it more every time.

To me, this production gives meaning to "reviving and redoing". New twists and new visions while still respecting the original texts.

Casting was great! (you already know that) Production value was top notch and the editing and sound mixing was outstanding! With the high-bar that people expect in today's media world, this production will not let any fan of Christie feel slighted.

You'll be impressed and you'll enjoy!

The Admiral (2015)

Pleasing both nautical and history enthusiasts

[9/10 · 20 May 2016]

As for the technical side, this film is spectacular. The editing, the story, the production value as a whole is worth the time. This is one of the "epic" films that did not get it's due. So well done and a fantastic soundtrack - this is where the we lose Academy worthy people in the mix. This production was phenomenal.

As for the story, I found it a very worthy tale to tell (and surprised nobody attempted it at this level before). Due to the scope of de Ruyter's impact on this time period, the movie did move a bit quickly and (as expected) did not have time to encompass the importance and the intricate detail of the lives involved. So my only ding here is that it felt rushed in the aspects of the personal lives of Michiel and Anna. To give their emotional and political struggles justice, perhaps a mini-series would have been a more appropriate venue. You feel unsatisfied with the depth of their development. You are simply left wanting more from them.

While based on historical "fact", there are many aspects that needed further development. I wanted so much more background and detail on the characters and the political struggle that, again, a sense of rush was left and it left me sad about that.

When such an incredible production crew and and an insanely under- respected director (Roel Reiné) is given this type of budget and consulting, I feel like they were all let down by not being able to explore this topic and these characters further.

Overall, this film was absolutely spectacular! The brutal moments (for those who know) were almost too brutal to fit into the context of the rest of the story's examination. But HOLY MONKEY this film was a great breath of fresh air and and a great view inside the filmmaking from this part of the world.

A+ and huge kudos to all involved. You needed a better platform, but you made incredible value bleed from these limitations.

An emotional and thoughtful ride on a side of history that needs more exploration. Cheers to you all!

If you are a history buff, you'll get a lot out of this. If you are a film buff, you'll get even more. And if you're looking for some of the most under-appreciated talent in both screen and bts, then you've stumbled on a treasure-trove that all filmmakers should seek out.

Disturbingly well done.