wernedal Reviews

Mayor of Kingstown (2021– )

Season one was great but season two devalued the rating

[6/10 · 6 September 2023]

Was thrilled by the raw and gritty season one. I really was looking forward to follow this show as I thought it was a new take. Unfortunately it quickly went downhill after season one and turned in to a whining melodramatic and average cop show. It was like they kicked the screen writers and directors from the first season and replaced them with a bunch of no talents. In season two the writing became bad, repetitive and without any edge. The direction also suffered mayor backlash as the scenes start to lack all the dynamics from the first season. If I was responsible for this show I would withdraw the seconds season and redo it. The first season had so much potential and it's hurtful to se how bad they messed up with season two.

The Illusionist (2006)

Aged well and is still a wonderful little film

[9/10 · 30 March 2023]

Watched this again back to back with The Prestige. They both came out in 2006 and I remembered liking them both back then. Now when I've seen them both again I must say that The Illusionist aged better. It's a classic made as a classic, while The Prestige breath a little more major studio and therefore has a little more sign of the times woven into it. I liked them both in their own ways, but I think that The Illusionist will still deliver that classic movie magic when I see it next time in 15-20 years from now. Time will tell.

Over all good cast, intriguing storytelling and beautiful cinematography. As a classic movie be.

Triangle of Sadness (2022)

Satire, oh so I missed you

[10/10 · 12 October 2022]

Let's face it. I haven't had so many good laughs in a while. I'm a big fan of all kinds of comedy but I just realised after seeing this one that I've been mostly giggling the last couple of years. I left the cinema with a big grin on my face and rushed home to tell all a my friends. So if you're a fan of laughter and not afraid of awkwardness and uncomfortable situations, you should go and see this one. I'm not gonna tell you what the film is about, nor will I say something about the craft about this film. I will just say it felt good, laughed like never before and I was feeling elevated as I left the cinema.

Yellowstone (2018– )

I tried so hard, but can't justify the ratings on this one

[6/10 · 3 May 2022]

I was really looking forward for this show. Not been available to me until recently. I did the whole first season one weekend and was a bit put off with all the soap opera quiches and the storyline that hade more holes than you are used to these days. But hey, I was still intrigued to see the next season. But now I'm in the second season and the storyline gets even dumber so I find it hard to finish it. The writers are surely no dramatic geniuses. Most scenes are built up with drama until one character is offended and walks out of frame. It's a pity since the actors are doing a great job with the material they have. Unfortunately the directing isn't working either. The old, vicious and strict patriarch Kevin Kostner is the most likeable character in the show. He's like a big teddy bear and you can't understand why everyone dislike him so much. The daughter is just JR and Sue Ellen in one character, and the poor lawyer son character doesn't provide any substance to the story what's so ever.

I still give the show a 6 because of the nice photo of beautiful Montana and the sometime sublime score that accompany some scenes. Some characters and acting are really good as well. Unfortunately would this show benefit a lot with other writers and directors.

Euphoria (2019– )

Bad reviews to not likable characters?

[9/10 · 8 April 2022]

Has it come to this? A show get bad reviews on the likableness of the characters instead of the acting, the script, the directing and the the total execution of the project?

I thought it was excellent and well performed. It raised a lot of angst/blissfulness from going to highschool and packaged it without making it silly, embarrassing or cliche. Some episodes was just pure art put together with innovative ideas.

If you're interested in the art of film and storytelling, don't pay attention to the reviews. Take your own time and make your own opinion. It's like nothing you've ever seen.

Arkansas (2020)

Not that bad. Not that bad at all

[8/10 · 18 November 2020]

I enjoyed it. It somehow got me to think of the Cohen brothers earlier movies. I'm usually not to keen on Vince Vaughn but he put on a faceted character. Also nice to see John Malkovich and Michael Kenneth Williams in here too. I won't give away any spoilers, but it you like a slow driven crime drama with some flair of existentialism this one might be for you.

Agents of Chaos (2020)

Ripping democracy apart

[10/10 · 27 September 2020]

Sad story about where we are heading. Polarisation of the world just so the narrative will suit a few.

Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

A little gem

[9/10 · 29 April 2020]

Fun, exciting, thrilling and beautiful to look at. See that many downrate this movie because it's QT-esq, but I'm thrilled that I found it and even if there's some Tarantino-moments it's still different to most releases out there. I just wish there was more movies with broader imagination coming out besides endless Marvel-franchises.