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Reviews
C*A*U*G*H*T (2023)
What were they smoking?
What on earth would posses serious actors like Bryan Brown, Erik Thomson and even momentary Susan Sarandon (let alone Sean Penn .... credited as Daniel Day-Lewis!!!!) to be involved in this absolute piece of s**** is an utter mystery.
The only interesting thing about this fiasco is how to summarise it: unmitigated garbage; incoherent crap; cringe worthy cross between "Dr Stranglove" and "Dumb and Dumber"? Ultimately the only question which remains after sitting through this piece of adolescent mental diarrhoea is : What were they smoking?
My review was too short, so I have to add some more characters but what on earth do you say about something as pointless as this what-ever-that-was?
Avoid at all costs!
Deadloch (2023)
What's "feminist noir comedy"? It's great irreverent entertainment.
Deadloch works on two levels, with homicidal mayhem on one side and satirical mayhem on the other. The two aspects coexist surprisingly well. The whodunit is a reasonably well crafted puzzle, with a confused field of possible perpetrators narrowing until close to the reveal, with at times massive red herrings, misdirection, deception and other standard devices of the genre. Cluedo is referenced more than once.
The comedic element is what actually raises the series to a higher level, as anyone familiar with McCartney and McLennan's work would expect. The humour is however probably rather Australian. We have a particular flare for good-natured mockery (and a love of creative, frequent swearing) which Deadloch delivers in spades. Calling it a "feminist noir comedy" is a clue to what's actually going on, as well as (incidentally) a link to the denouement and quite a noir joke in its own right.
Sections of the Australian public are currently obsessed with culture wars and / or correctness in a myriad of forms. So it's difficult at times to know whether it's OK to laugh at things we're presented with here by the Kates, for fear of being inappropriate or worse! It is this obsessive correctness which Deadloch mocks mercilessly under the guise of a whodunit.
Stunning cinematography by Katie Milwright and Simon Ozolins, together with Amanda Brown's eerie musical score leverage the southern Tasmanian location to generate an oppressive noir feel, relieved only at the end by a beautifully lit waterfall. It would be interesting to see how a second season set in Darwin (if that is the suggestion) could make use of a similarly evocative, yet totally different location.
Magpie Murders (2022)
Not a spoof but an homage to a genre
It's no coincidence that Anthony Horowitz is responsible for the best of the classic Midsomer Murders episodes, the superb Foyle's War and 11 episodes of David Suchet's monumental Poirot. As with all his work, there is a lot going on in Magpie Murders, a whodunit about whodunits.
Horowitz gives us an insight into the relationship between authors (editors, publishers) and their characters, particularly their protagonists. He reveals the love / hate relationship which can exit between a creator and their creation. How characters and plots, the present and past, of necessity force themselves into the consciousness of authors (and in Susan's case editors).
Magpie Murders also deals with the relationship between the reader (viewer) and a much loved protagonist. How do we deal with the inevitable loss of a character in whom we have a significant emotional (or financial) investment? I've never been able to watch David Suchet in "Curtain". Conan Doyle brought Sherlock Holmes back from Reichenbach Falls when readers revolted. Charles Clover's solution is to liquidate the author and bring in a ghost writer to continue the series!
This isn't a spoof, let alone "woke" (whatever that is supposed to be), nor is it a parody, it is in fact an homage to a genre by one of its best practitioners. It endorses Brent's view when he asks "why does a book have to matter, why can't it just be enjoyed?" It does this with typical Horowitz wit. It's Alan's pen which wields the fatal sword. A CWA dagger almost knocks off our heroine. Susan initially got it wrong, the answer isn't in the book (at least not how she thought), the answer is the book.
Dune (2021)
Business is Business .... or Producers Need to Eat Too!
Given that Frank Herbert's vision is a sort of Scottish Play for movie makers, you can't blame them for wanting their money up front in order to deliver catharses. I'm 70 though and may not make it that long! I blame Peter Jackson, J. K. Rolling and ultimately that villainous tease George Lucas.
The two part / two year interregnum seems sooo cynical and makes for a rather turgid part one, paradoxically short on context and meaning despite its unnecessary length. Read the book! Like Jackson's Hobbit, this Dune seems exploitative. Fortunately I've read the book(s) and seen David Lynch's commendable (but 9/11 dated?) version, so **** *** Villeneuve, I know what happens.
Hans Zimmer's extraordinary music defines and saves Villeneuve's atmospheric, though at times vague adaptation of part of Herbert's work. Lynch tried hard but became melodramatic with some really bad acting and despite TOTO's commendable 80's musical contribution. Both versions would be much diminished sans their musical setting.
Maybe I'll live long enough to see part 2 but I should have waited. Doubtless more money will be made by all involved screening part 1 as a catch up leading into part 2. Note to self: save those $$$ for now, wait to binge the lot.
Ultimately though, Producers Need to Eat too. Poor dears!
Bliss (2017)
Andrew is no Dexter
There is a certain type of person who watches shows like America's Funniest Home Videos and finds them hilarious. I've never understood such people but I suppose that is who the creators of Bliss thought their show would appeal to. Needless to say, I wasn't one of them.
This is a tedious little series about a narcissist without any redeeming features and we are not even allowed the catharsis of seeing him get his just deserts in the end. Andrew is not even an intriguing character in the way anti-hero supreme Dexter was. The cliff hanger ending in the hope of a second season shows just how delusional the creators of Bliss were and adds insult to injury already inflicted on viewers. Don't waste your time.
Only Murders in the Building: The Boy from 6B (2021)
Self indulgent, tedious episode.
First Ted Lasso with "Beard After Hours", now Only Murders with "The Boy From 6B"! Seems writers these days feel compelled to come up with at least one self indulgent, pretentious, pseudo-art house episode, just to show everyone how clever they are. Despite other reviews, I found this episode unwatchable, which was a pity because it apparently did significantly develop the series plot. I won't know because I gave up in frustration after 15 tedious minutes.
Aftertaste (2021)
Wasted opportunity
Inevitably Aftertaste begs a comparison with 800 Words, the latter being a much more convincing work. Where Aftertaste really fails is its 30 min format. There are the interesting characters and situations here but it is impossible to become immersed in either because they are presented in such a rushed way. Why this was done is a mystery. There is light and dark, comedy and pathos, potential for character development not to mention an excellent cast but all is wasted on a format appropriate for frothy slapstick. Great potential but disappointing execution.