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Station Eleven (2021)
At First I Had No Idea What It Was About...BUT
So much is interwoven here, particularly lives, people, their lives and relationships; their struggles before and in the aftermath of a pandemic. For the folks who require instant gratification this series will disappoint because it's a journey more than a story and things, along with the characters evolve, as it moves on. About moving on, this series moves here and there, forward and backward in time so if you're one of those folks who only half watch or pay weak attention you will end up lost; bits are fed to you that are pieced together. Stories - films, of this technique really lose folks if not done right and Station Eleven is done right. What I like is how the build up of tension diffuses rather than whips you on the 'roller coaster ride' so formulaic in films that rely on jolting the audience rather than appealing to them, skewering feelings rather than evoking them.
The series introduced me at least to several actors I had not previously experienced: Machenzie Davis, Matilda Lawler, Himesh Patel and Danielle Deadwyler. They are amazing in this series and that's because they are superb actors. Each character is hit by the tragedy that envelopes everything and rightly so each actor must go really deep in bringing their character's emotions to the surface. Right from the beginning young Kirsten solidly portrayed by Matilda Lawler involves you in her situation and Steven, played by Hamesh Chaudery is brilliant as an unlikely hero. In many ways the series is about the hero in us all. Machenzie Davis emerges as the older Kirsten and never once do you doubt her, she's Kirsten grown up hard and tough and caring. And this makes sense because you never doubted young nine year old Kirsten's ability to make it through. There's a point, presumably she's ten years old by then, where they're living in a house in the hills in winter where Kirsten's instinct's for leadership emerge. "We need protein" she announces and shoots a deer. She also practices with a knife which seems to disturb Steven. Love this scene. Matilda Lawler is brilliant as a young actress. She doesn't over play her part and yet thoroughly involves you in the way she involves Steven. She at first seems helpless and yet is not helpless at all.
This is not a film experienced at a distance but rather it's close ups, you are are always close up to what is happening. In light of the pandemic behind us, this makes for sobering viewing with an ever present thread of hope. I won't get into the story any more than this and mainly because there's so much to unpack, so much story, I could never do it justice. It's just a great watch.
Midway (2019)
Excellent!
Some technical errors such as pilots and rear seat gunners talking to one another without mikes with the canopy wide open. Stick your head out of a car window going even 70 mph and try talking with someone up front; you'll see how difficult that is and those planes were 250 mph plus. There's also some typical Hollywood historical inaccuracies for the sake of drama. In one clip Doolittle takes off from aircraft carrier just when the ship is dipping into a wave trough that throws up a curtain of sea water. First, it never happened and second it would've been like hitting a wall. For us history and Tech buffs we notice these things and there's a few of them but despite that the film really delivers. It's very even and balanced as it moves from one adversaries point of view to another, all the actors especially Harrelson Quaid, Wilson are at the top of their game; perhaps their finest performances.
Seeing the war from the Japanese point of view is also one of its huge plusses and is beautifully done. It illustrates the different views and antagonisms between Japan's main players - the Navy and Army. Scenes of historic Japan from that time period, the people, are lovingly done doing honor to that beautiful heritage. We see them in their complexity as ruthless enemy and beautiful and cultured people. If it leaves us with anything, it leaves us with a sense of tragedy at that war's awful mistake; its costs to everyone.
I've watched a lot of films, rated it 8 stars based only on some historical and technical discrepancies otherwise this is one finely crafted piece of work that will hold your attention beginning to end. I have a term for films like this - it never stops for lunch.
After Life (2019)
Beautiful, Heartbreaking, Clever and Funny...
I'm going to keep this simple. It's Ricky Gervais's genius at it's best and his character, how he plays it just leaves one dumbfounded, drawn in mesmerised. All the characters, the situations are on a completely different level. There's nothing like this.
I laugh, cry, laugh, cry all through. Heart breaking and thought provoking it's a statement on life and the human condition; winning, losing, loving, getting your heart broke and finding happiness in making others happy.
Pure genius.
Raised by Wolves (2020)
A Good Start That Slides Down Hill
You have the story line and I won't toss out any spoilers; this series spoils itself. The problem is that after a good start and a setting up of a story its writers fall prey to worn out, cheap plot devices where nothing ever seems to really go anywhere, just back and forth. The bad guys seem to have almost incredible luck and the good guys, such as there are, not. But again it's all back and forth with one episode pretty much like the one before. New elements get introduced and then left hanging. These plot/sub plot devices are what I call "dropped gun plots". They're a revolving door rather than a satisfying finish. I'm reminded of Battlestar Galactica which began so well and then just got lost in a mish mosh of things. So why did I stick with it? For one thing the promising prospect that it would eventually lead somewhere and the somewhat androgynous female Android referred to as "Mom". There's just something sexy there in that skintight body suit.
Questions, mysteries, get raised regarding the planet but never get followed up on, followed through or answered. The story, what there is, just seems to drag you along from one place to another. Travis Fimmel evolves into the troupe's leader but evil personage who miraculously survives everything as he drunkenly stumbles along. His character is unbelievable and he just should've said "no, I'm not reprising Ragnar's downward spiraling crash and burn from Vikings" which is basically what he does.
Pretty much halfway the story loses itself going in one direction then the next and then always back to the same place - nowhere. The series has Ridley Scott's "Scott Free" stamp but it ends there and compares dismally to all his other stunning works. The end episodes are draggy and much like all the episodes except they're really, really, incomprehensible. If the dissatisfying, mysterious, ending was a set up for a Season 2 you can count me out.
The First (2018)
Pretty good, holds your attention.
Pretty much a series about mounting a mission and everything that goes into it including wrangling with congressman to keep funding your project. One of the main themes is the relationship between Sean Penn's character and his daughter played by Anna Jacoby-Heron. She's had her issues and after an absence comes home. She's at first fragile and you cannot help but be drawn in. I think that ability comes from Jacoby-Heron and her handling of her character, Denise. She's amazing at every level and involves you, gets you to care. You want to be involved, you worry for her. Anna's expertly nuanced characterisation is about as good as I've seen. She's a huge plus, you'll love her. But truly, this series is handled so well, the acting is superb, the drama intelligent and well thought out - there's nothing cheap here, no "standard, done again, off the shelf dramatic devices".
One scene folks will love is When a couple take to the Karaoke machine and beautifully duet I'll Be (500 Miles) at a party get together with the crew, engineers, etc., etc. Most of us should know this song:
When I wake up, well I know I'm gonna be,
I'm gonna be the man who wakes up next to you
When I go out, yeah I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you...
You know, just simply wonderful, you see and feel their relationship, the spark. And that's the thing that comes across from everyone, it's beyond acting, it comes across so real and genuine that it moves you, involves you.
All of the characters rise to the various challenges, and there are many, to surprise you. Program director Laz Ingram played impeccably my Natasha McElhorne at first comes off as a remote, cards to the vest, high level player and then surprises you, especially when it comes to Denise and Tom Hagerty (Sean Penn) whose relationship begins to hit bumps in the road. He's so concerned for his daughter it throws him off from time to time. The back drop to this is the missing mother/wife who you figure passed away but the how, which comes later in flashbacks, devastates.
I haven't got all through it yet so this is as much as I have. It's truly one of the best, most intelligent, productions to come along in a while.
Warrior Nun (2020)
Never Quite Rises to Its Potential
We never quite get to what this is all about even though it starts off pretty good when Ava, a bedridden paraplegic dies and gets the "Halo" inserted into her back during some sort of attack on the Order of the Cruciform Sword. First question, how did her corpse end up on a slab beneath their HQ? They in the morgue business? Continuity is a bit weird because there seem to be so many unanswered things. It's not uneven, you're just left wondering at times like, skipping ahead here, when Ava takes a hissy fit around her friends and due to the power of the Halo her tantrum causes the apartment walls to suddenly crack earthquake style. Except for a moments pause before she yet again runs off they don't seem to think a thing about it like, "something's up with that kid". These moments aren't a big deal but you notice and wonder.
Anyway, in the beginning she springs to life and gets out of dodge during the mayhem where she ends up wandering around not overly concerned how she went from crippled and dead to bouncy teenager. From there she hooks up with some pretty interesting characters and deservedly decides to enjoy her situation and her new friends . This is all okay except a lot of space is wasted on this, especially when she's returned to the OCS order - remember, she's got the all important Halo in her back and he really needs to sign up for the "mission" or give it up. There's some fierce wrangling there, these Nuns don't screw around and one in particular has Ava's number from the start. She knows Ava is a serious detriment to have around and wants to cut the Halo right out of her. I'm no lover of martial arts films and their habit of going on way too long with the slapping and defiance of gravity so I have to point out the series gets it right. The training scenes are great and when the Nuns go into action it's all speed and mobility. Here the camera work is some of the best I've seen. Great to watch. Ultimately though Ava beats feet again and the next episodes are really nothing more than the first three until half way through. Ava hasn't come into her own but no matter, the rest of the series, holes and all hold their own thanks to good acting, characters, and production values. I won't say the episodes don't get anywhere it's just that it seems it should have got further, explained more despite a lot of interesting elements, places, and people getting added in. The problem: Ava, the main character. She spends the entire Season 1 pretty much hitching a ride with this great bunch of Warrior Nuns and does nothing but screw up, with a lot of snarkiness and giggling thrown in. She's never a serious person. Just baggage the Nuns unfortunately pack along like a silly little sister. For example, and this isn't a spoiler, the ninja-like Nuns sneak up on some guards from behind and use a Spock-like grip to render them unconscious. Ava slips right up next to her target and smiles, giggles, and gets punched in the face almost blowing the stealthy sneak up. Great writing, not!
Honestly, the only reason I stuck with it is the fact that it does have its moments and some really great characters help shape the story despite Ava, the silly little protagonist that never develops as a character, never comes through in a crisis. In fact she spends most of her time running. I can see kids liking her character misplaced as it is. She's a typical teenager with all the know-it-all sarcasm, lack of seriousness and lack of dependability denoting way too many kids today. Now having said that, none of this is the actress's fault, it's what she's given - Alba Baptista is actually an engaging and talented actress. Blame the writers and directors for not getting that script under better management. Perhaps season two will fix all that.
Shtisel (2013)
What a Surprise...
I was surprised to find myself hooked on this show, and I don't get hooked unless a show is smart, sophisticated, doesn't rely on gimmicks and most of all the characters are interesting and engaging. Each actor carries their character well with a lot of honesty. Kive, the main character, is himself so enjoyable. He's lighthearted, decent and not so lucky at love. Ruchami, a 15 year old niece is certainly another main character because their's a lot that revolves around her; she's not just not just one of the kids. She smart and strong willed; reliable as early on in the series she has to take on some matriarchal duties, responsibilities. It could be me but one of the interesting aspects I find in her portrayal is her, hmm...posture? Demeanor? while she's going about, almost like a predator; not nasty or hungry, just confident and direct, eyes forward. If someone annoys her they know about it.
Suffice it to say the cast really grows on you. It's a great slice of Jewish life with pathos, humour, sadness. I've had my share of Bar Mitzvahs, Seders, weddings etc. but not being Jewish myself the show brings a lot to me. As with many ethnic peoples they have their quirks, nuance, etc. and the things that make them unique which this uneducated viewer trusts they portray honestly. It certainly seems so. Street scenes in Israel, the buildings architecture, the culture, everything just reels you in.
Oh, and let's face it - it's quite different from the usual, even brave to develop a show like this and then completely pull it off.
Beyond (2014)
A Little Hard To Figure...watch closely....
I kept watching this because the first 15 minutes were a wow and Gillian MacGregor. She was absolutely captivating and throughout the film her character generated emotion, pathos. If she was cold, hungry, you felt it. All the acting was fine and it's a good film, it held my interest even right to end where you have no real idea what is going on as it slips from on time line or a reality to another. Three to be sure. Thing is, it's all taking place in Cole's head as he lay in a hospital bed. The clues to this are all around but, you've been tricked into thinking it's about an Alien invasion.
Sanditon (2019)
Second Season? Don't Bother...
Put it to sleep. What starts off with promise into a confusing muddle. With the exception of Lord Babington and Esther Denham everything by the end is reset to the beginning - and God knows what they'll end up doing to Esther and Babington's romance. If there's a second season they can just start over and re-use everything - evrything; simply alter some lines, move some stuff around.
I do not know if there's a Miss Lambe in Jane Austen's original but she could be written out and it would not affect a thing. I do not believe the writer(s) knew what they wanted to do with her other than creating a disagreeble, sulking, girl who, of all odd things, gets sold by her black boyfriend to pay his debts only to show up after she's rescued by others professing his love - weird. Her protector, Parker who's done a miserable job of minding her interests throughout does however leap from a speeding carriage onto hers. A scene right out of many Westerns but never tried before in a Jane Austen production. But again, Sanditon is so predictable you saw that coming. Well, I did...
People and romance often dance around one another in Jane's novels but Sanditon takes it to the extreme by going up and down, back and forth - predictable and tedious. As for that predictable ending - I saw that coming the moment Stringer walked out on his old man. Yup, something happens to old Mr. Stringer and a candle gets knocked over.
I'll will say this, production value is high so it's not altogether bad and the actors make the most of what they're given even if contrived, predictable or improbable. Jane must be spinning in her grave.
Dracula (2020)
It's a different Dracula and not altogether unlikeable
No spoilers her except to say it is a bit tongue in cheek at times. It's a different spin on Drac and what I liked the most is the interplay between the Count and Sister Agatha. Wow, she's different. Right away you know something is up with her - you just don't know what. Dolly Wells crushes it as Sister Agatha. Her delivery, her characterisation, demeanor makes for a powerfully interesting character.
There's enough to hold one's attention although you do get the sense that things are being drawn out - nothing new when it comes to multi episode series. There are some pretty conventional plot twists but there's a lot that's weird, surprising and unconventional.
Is it awful? No, not even close. And like I said, this Dracula is cut from a somewhat different cloth which I find refreshing. After all, at this point we know Vampires, what they get up to and this one is no different. Giving him Sister Agatha to contend with plus a new "look and feel" so to speak works for me. I'll continue watching.
Imaginary Crimes (1994)
There's heartbreak, disappointment, and wonder
Fairuza Balk absolutely charms as a brave young girl, a clever, loyal daughter and sibling responsible for holding things together. Harvey Keitel is a wastrel, thief, and a con artist who shouldn't be raising two young daughters but you both love him and hate him. The film and its characters talk you all around the emotional merry go'round that is their life. There's hope one moment and disappointment the next. Balk gives a stand out performance as the young herione upon whom every responsibility falls as she tries to keep herself and her younger sister in school by maintaining the subterfuge of a normal homelife why her father is off who knows where. It's a great story and you'll love it. It's a shame Fairuza didn't get better parts after. Going Goth later on did nothing for the charm she really possesses.
The Brokenwood Mysteries (2014)
Worth every minute.
The series depends as much on the characters as it does a story line. These aren't thrown up characters shoved in for effect to underline the story. Many are stranger than life but come off so real, they have details. Cristina Serban Ionda as Gina the Russian medical examiner is superb, her character, you just have to listen to everything she comes out with. It's fun, well written and full of surprises.
The Snow Walker (2003)
A Very Lovely and Touching Film
It's easy to be frustrated with Barry Pepper's character and think much of him but as the film progresses he progresses. Annabelle does a wonderful job in her role and will absolutely get inside you. Also, the film drives home some hard facts of the Inuit and how they were treated - like all Native Americans. I don't want to give anything away here so I'll just say I watched this years ago and recently came across it again. I put off watching it because I knew it would touch me on a lot of emotional levels. But it's such a nice film, so well written and directed I had to see it again.
The Lonely Halls Meeting (2018)
A Feel Good Watch
This documentary is so worth seeing for all the right reasons.
Very seldom do a group of brilliant individuals come together and cooperate on a project this huge and complex. Everything, including the math, had to be invented new or re-invented. Some projects are a race, this was a race of unending hurdles. The problems they over came were nothing if not mind boggling. The film throws up some charts and equations not because they'll interest you but to show you just what they had to work through. Get to one point and "oh, looks like we'll have to account for Einstein's theory on relativity". What? But they all believed in what they had, what they were doing. It may come as a surprise but these were all military Air Force officers and government contractors. Unsung heroes of a technology so ubiqitous now that we ignore it. But in 1983 when KAL 007 was shot down by a Russian fighter with the loss of all on board it was apparent to President Reagan how important the technology was, how it could save lives, and thus he determined it needed to be free to everyone. Free to everyone, to the world.
This is not the most exciting documentary I've seen but moment for moment it makes you feel good because the GPS team are an exceptional group of incredibly smart, decent, people. If you like science and technology there's plenty in the right doses with no yawn factor. Some will argue GPS was not born in 1973 and there's an argument for that which the film does not hide. I see it this way, it was the day GPS left the womb and began its journey to becoming a fully formed technology.
Mr. Turner (2014)
Beautiful film but no story
The film is visually stunning but there's no depth. You never come to understand the artist or the relationships around him. He goes places, he sketches, the scenery is breathtaking and that is it. You never really see his work in much detail. Some people pop in an out with drama but who are they? You never know what they're about or what any of it means. As a biopic it fails because you really learn nothing. Take the 1956 Lust For Life with Kirk Douglas, you learn something of Vincent Van Gogh and his work. In this film you really learn nothing. It's a series of scenes that are often remote.
The actors are superb and they do their job. I've loved Timothy Spall in everything he's done and Dorothy Atkinson as Housekeeper Hannah Danby is superb. She's a constant in the film and doesn't say much but her performance is quietly powerful. It's worth watching if only for the fact it makes you curious who this painter was. He left behind an amazing volume of work and it's worth a look. I'll be checking our museums to see if his work is displayed. I think it's amazing, expecially if you've had expressionists up to your eye balls.
Tomorrowland (2015)
Terrible Film That Takes Forever To Get Going
Can't believe people liked this but, if gadgets, effects thrill you it's okay. This film takes forever to get moving. A story needs a Beginning, a Middle, and an End. This one stays in first gear through a series of scenes that are little more than misadventures laced with gadgets, an annoying, difficult, argumentative protagonist in Britt Robertson as Casey who argues relentlessly against anyone trying to help. She's a very annoying character. Raffey Cassidy as the young girl Athena is the only thing that keeps the film alive. Her character adds intrigue, gets you wondering plus you genuinely like her - she's not annoying. Okay, so the film and cast stumble along through one huge beginning of predictable action scenes, mishaps, and the usual screaming. The film has no real Middle just a long disappointing End. I mean really, all that to get to "that". It wasn't even a clever film, just a lot of Disney style antics and effects
Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
In Historic Drama Accuracy is Everything.
Okay, top awards for PC diversity and there it ends. The diversity in the cast made no sense. The actors of African descent are fine, really good actors but they don't fit in an English or Scottish court. Why? First, in order to be a part of the court you must be of noble birth. Any job, especially that of Ambassador, who in this film is black, would require you to be a noble of some consequence. Historically, there were no Africans in the Nobility or serving in the court with of whome theimmediately has a white girl flirting with him. Silly.
And then we get to one of Elizabeth's ladies in waiting and presumably her main lady. These weren't simply hand maidens, they were Ladies of Noble Families. Don't recall any Asian family there either. Worse yet she's a bit of a sneaky snippy sulking Asian gal with a bad habit of talking back. Striking a blow for mouthy independent women I suppose. A role of Lady In Waiting to the Queen was an honor and came with advantages. Contemporary 21st Century schit attitudes...don't even go there.
If you can get past the built in Politically Correct elements of farce it's mildy entertaining. There are other problems, about all they get right is the ending which is actually the beginning. They do a kind of time flip and work back.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Trials and Tribble-ations (1996)
Ugh...Tribbles
Viewers are so predictable, somehow I knew this would be one of the top rated episodes. You see, when it comes to television if you want to boost the ratings add a baby to the show...people eat it up. In a sense Tribbles are like babies - they do nothing, they make sounds, and pretty much... they do nothing. Oh, they're cute - if others say so. Myself, I find them boring, silly, stupid. They make Jake Sisko look like Hans Solo. That's a lot for fur balls that don't do anything except multiply. I don't get their purpose in this episode but obviously someone did because as I said it's a hit.
Anyway, remove them from the story line and you'll still have the story with about as much impact as, say, removing a couple chairs. Through the magic of SciFi the team ends up back in time on the old Enterprise. They get to meet Captain Kirk and walk through the old sets thanks to some very talented film magic. They search for a bomb meant for Kirk and I don't have to tell you how things go. History records he died somewhere else. I have to say I liked what they did and could have done it all minus Tribbles - they're like babies, they bring nothing to a show but the Philistine public loves'em.
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Natural Causes (2006)
The Helen Switch
Why do they do that, switch actors for a main character - do they think we won't notice? They replace Helens. Catherine Russell replacing Lesley Vickerage is almost criminal; she's dull and unappealing. Zero crowd appeal. Lesley at least was sexy and and you wanted her in. To make matters worse they draw Lynley in to an attraction that doesn't last with Caroline Miller (Matilda Ziegler) who's quite attractive and again, a character you could see in the series. They should've dropped Helen then and there given her absence in the series and went with Caroline Miller, a new love interest.
Youth (2015)
A Very Different Film
I'm going to keep this simple - I think. I don't know how to describe this film. One reviewer hated it, said it had no structure and indeed it is a bit dis-structured in conventional movie terms. I have no patience for a crappy film, I watched this right through and loved it. It's a movie in scenes, you're always wondering what's going on while little by little it draws you in. I love and appreciate film, characters especially and everyone is superb. The characters are studied and close up. If you're a "Fast and Furious" fan you most likely will not like the film. It's an inner film, lush and full, thought provoking. Each character brings quirky insights into life, experience, as you get know them, their life. I haven't told you what the movie is about - read the cover. Warning, it can only give you an idea of where it takes place and with whom. A film on this level can only be watched in order to know. In the end I was left stunned. I'll watch it again..
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Great Film for Adults
If you like really good films that you just fall in love with, fall in love with the characters - this is one of them. On the cover it may seem like it's for kids but folk's - Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, Bruce Willis, Bill Norton, Tilda Swinton etc. it doesn't get any better and the kids hold up their end like veterans, pros - priceless. I can't believe it's five years old - how'd I miss this???