digigod-738-671527 Reviews

Her Smell (2018)

Not a Courtney Love biopic!

[9/10 · 10 March 2020]

Maybe you don't have to be a rock fan to love this film, but it certainly helped me. And this film is definitely not about Courtney Love, although it does draw a few parallels to her story.

The negative reviews of this film are written by people who have no understanding or appreciation for the art of cinema. This is a powerful drama about a woman who has become so drug affectedly detached from reality that she is mentally ill and affecting the lives of every one around her in a disastrous way remorselessly.

The writing was superb as was the editing the mixed camera approaches and above all the acting. Elisabeth Moss gives a powerful tour de force performance, she mined depths of anguish to play this character, and all the supporting cast were as perfect in their roles.

But it never gave itself away, I didn't know whether this would turn out to be about redemption or self destruction until the last scenes.

I couldn't give it 10 because of the slightly awkward ending, but to say that is to undermine the fact that this film kept me riveted for most of the two hours and fourteen minutes of it's running time.

Carnival Row (2019–2023)

Could This Series Be The Next GOT?

[9/10 · 9 March 2020]

This is a flawless series that I gulped down in one sitting.

Writing 8.5 Acting 8 Mis en scene 9

A dark Victorian murder mystery with supernatural elements and a topical comment on diversity and dog whistle politics, without being overly 'woke'. To draw a comparison to Guillermo Del Toro's (who happens to be in the list of producers) 'Pan' would not be too much of a stretch in terms of atmospherics.

The world in which the story (or stories, there are many subplots and subtexts) is an impeccable realisation; technology, costume, architecture all combine to create a seamless whole that is utterly believable, in spite of the fantastic creatures that populate it.

I hope it gains the same level of popularity, acceptance and longevity that GOT did. Unlikely because Sword and sorcery epics just seem to trump magic realism in the popularity stakes, but that is how good this series is IMHO.

Midway (2019)

Hilarious CGI cartoon version of real events

[5/10 · 21 February 2020]

The CGI in this movie was so exaggerated that it gave the whole film a cartoonish, 'war game' look...

That said, maybe the script, the acting or something could save it.

Sorry! The characters, if you could call them that, were two dimensional sterotypes of lantern jawed, all American heroism. No nuance whatsoever. The producers did try to inject a bit of humanity into the story, but again, it came across as twio dimensional soap opera.

Some laugh out loud scenes, when they just got it sooooo wrong it was 'bad enough to be good' e.g. The Japanese aircraft carrier taking 'evasive' action to avoid a US torpedo, with the maneuverability of a small, speedboat! Worth a look just for that.

And there are other richly satisfying ups...

Worth a look. Very entertaining, but don't expect a realistic account of the battle of Midway. Watch with an open mind and I'm sure you'll be entertained, and may even get a few laughs, as I did.

Truth Be Told (2019–2023)

Oh Poppy!

[8/10 · 6 January 2020]

I have to agree with supervalleyboy that as a protagonist Poppy does not come across as vewry endearing. She's like a tank, just plowing through peoples lives, people who are suffering already, without a tad of remorse or introspection.

Talk about no boundaries! Octavia does a brilliant job of portraying the headstrong Poppy whose 'crisis' of conscience is what propelled her down this path, which is all about her own exoneration.

It'll be interesting to see if the series writers let her completely off the hook by the end, or if she gets to feel some measure of responsibility for her clumsy, self righteous and bombastic actions.

Aaron Paul seems to have found a typecasting niche, but it's what he does so well and he totally plays it in this part.

All the support actors do a sterling job but above all this show is about writing.

A really interesting story that keeps throwing up new twists with every episode, building up to a hopefully feverish finale.

I love it!

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

This Film Is My First Ten Star Review

[10/10 · 22 December 2019]

Best film I've seen this year and one of the best I've ever seen. Waititi's previous work did not prepare me for the depth and beauty of this tale. Films rarely bring tears to my eyes, but this one did. That said, I laughed a lot as well.

Several love stories, a riveting suspense story, an observation on the vulnerability and flexibility of young minds, a coming of age story, a tragedy and a hilarious and biting satire on hatred, in which love prevails, and more...

The soundtrack is an economic use of great music, always perfectly placed. Two beautiful young protaganists with a fine ensemble cast of stars who are always absolutely brilliant. And an ACTUAL STORY! Which is becoming a rare thing in this post millenial era of film making.

Now that he has entered the 'A' list I am really looking forward to Waititi's next film. I can't imagine how he would top this but given the extraordinary humour, depth and subtlety of this film I anticipate great things.

And casting himself (a Maori man) as Hitler? CLASSIC!

Not a film for the "woke" brigade!

Ad Astra (2019)

Ad Astra: Best Space movie Since '2001'?

[9/10 · 5 December 2019]

I used this title because a lot of the scenes in this movie reminded me of Kubrick's masterpiece. I don't get all the negative reviews. Maybe they were expecting a swashbuckling space opera with 'goodies vs. baddies' and loads of massive explosions. This is definitely NOT that movie. It's not even 'traditional' SF, it's more of a slow burn, complex psychological drama set in space. I NEVER thought I'd write those words in praise, as that synopsis is the usual drivel that millennial amateurs with one digital camera, churn out. There are definitely some adrenaline boosting action scenes, jump scares, tension abounds, everything one desires in a 'serious' movie. So, like I say, what's with the haters? What do they want? Somebody else said this could be Brad Pitt's career best, so far. I'm not sure about that, but it would have to be right up there. This movie is awards material, no doubt. If only for the space effects. I gave it 9 stars, partly to counter the negative reviews, but I would have definitely given it an 8 anyway. Watch it, suspend your disbelief and enjoy an SF thrill ride and a psychological story of father and son estrangement. Best of two worlds (at least)!

Mayans M.C. (2018–2023)

No It's not SOA

[7/10 · 6 September 2019]

But I was amused by the subtle (and not so subtle!) references to that show. Like, as someone else pointed out, EZ running over the dead crow in the opening shot. Like having Gemma Teller (Katey Sagal) visiting Prison while EZ is being recruited by Jimenez. And reprising the role of Michael Ornstein as Chuck 'Chucky' Marstein. I'm not sure of the chronology, is he supposed to have already been with the Sons or is he yet to team up with them?

Yeah, it's NOT SOA, but if that's what you were expecting you won't be disappointed. Different but the same. We have heroin instead of guns, the cartel instead of the Irish, Mexican bikers instead of WASP bikers, the list goes on...

The cast is great, the storylines are compelling enough to have kept me watching, the camera work is fine but not exceptional as is the writing. The sense of humour is still there, tho' I thought they missed out on a chance for a great joke when 'Bishop' was discussing the dead drug mule with the mayor and he said "who's been playing Oxy wacker?", what a waste. The obvious joke was "who's been playing Wack-A-Mule?"

Some of the criticisms I've read here are absurd. Some people seem to think that this show is supposed to be an accurate portrait of a real outlaw MC! That is hilarious. This show and SOA before it are basically Westerns with intellectual outlaws, not a very plausible mix.

The criticism that the Mayans speak English most of the time is completely redundant as they are mostly Californian born Latinos who's first language could well be English.

The bikes are pretty nice eye candy (although I found it a bit boring that they were all basically identical barring colour) as is the scenery around SoCal and South of the border.

All in all a very respectable 7.5/10.

Hellboy (2019)

Not Quite As Awful As They Say...

[4/10 · 16 July 2019]

...But not very good either, and for fans of the Guillermo del Toro movies, a huge disappointment. This is not so much a reboot of a much loved franchise, more a cheap knock off to cash in on the name and headed straight for DVD remainder bins everywhere.

I actually got some entertainment from it. The acting wasn't terrible, Ian McShane delivered his usual strong performance, the story was silly but, hey, it's Hellboy. It is silly. Humor was OK, I did actually laugh out loud at a couple of the gags. I don't know if it was budgetary constraints or just incompetence, but the CGI in this film looks like it was made in the 1990s, before Jurassic Park.

If you've got a couple of hours to kill and are not looking for an intellectual challenge, this movie is an OK way to spend them, but like I say, don't be fooled by the name, this is NOT another chapter in the Guillermo del Toro franchise just a cheap 'B' movie featuring the main character. but without the panache of Ron Perlman.

Triple Frontier (2019)

So much disappointment!

[9/10 · 16 March 2019]

Intelligent suspensful actioner Intelligent suspensful actioner Intelligent suspensful actioner Intelligent suspensful actioner Intelligent suspensful actioner

That's it!

What more do you want from an action movie?

I don't understand the negative reviews. It had one weak scene which lasted all of two minutes. Was way better than I anticipated. Superb direction, acting, cinematography, locations...

Not a wasted minute!

Intelligent suspensful actioner!

After Life (2019–2022)

A Perfect Series

[10/10 · 14 March 2019]

And how often can you say that about anything?

Poignant, laugh out loud funny, heartbreakingly sad, brilliantly written, lovingly crafted, from the casting to the cinematography to the soundtrack...

Ricky Gervais has always shown incisive intelligence and nuanced humour but in my opinion this is definitely his best work so far, which augers well for his future projects.

Ricky Gervais has a wicked sense of humour and a beautiful heart.

Binge watch with a big box of tissues and your dog!

Lurking in Suburbia (2006)

Not a review but a warning.

[1/10 · 18 January 2019]

Don't waste your time. All the 'reviews' that gave this turkey 9 or 10 stars were written by 'members' who had coincidentally ALL been members for thirteen years! And all of them had in their thirteen year memberships only ever reviewed one film. Yep. Utter fakes made up for and/or by the makers of the film...

If people are so insecure about their product that they need to resort to fake profiles and fake reviews then I just assume that their creation isn't worth bothering with.

I don't get how people still think it's a smart idea to do this. Anybody with an ounce of intelligence can see through this blatant hucksterism. It can only put us potential viewers of in the long run.

I urge the makers of these independent films not to resort to unethical parctices to try and convince us of their movie's merit.

Das Boot (2018– )

Ignore the haters

[9/10 · 20 December 2018]

Great drama series. Never saw the original so I have nothing to compare this to, but I imagine that is the source of so much vitriol among these reviews.

My good fortune to be watching with fresh eyes and no preconceptions as to how it 'should' be.

Nice period drama with great mise en scene and convincing U-boat interiors and exteriors.

Plenty of dramatic tension. I don't understand the criticism that the series has women in it??? Were there no women in WW11 France? Now that would be strange.

It seems that a lot of the criticism comes from Nazi sympathizers who seem to take umbrage at the Nazis being portrayed as the 'bad guys'... Well blow me down. Maybe I've just been brainwashed but I always thought they were the bad guys. Unless history has it completely wrong.

Watching this series has inspired me to look up the original movie...

I've given the show 9 stars to help compensate for the (unfair IMHO) low scores given by so many other reviewers here.

Chappie (2015)

Nine Stars Just For Ninja and Yolandi!

[9/10 · 19 December 2018]

This film introduced me, and a lot of others I suspect, to the work of Ninja and Yolandi or Die Antwoord as their music collaboration is known.

Fine action film with low budget but very effective special effects and great casting. Worked on every level for me; story, characters, cgi, humour and feeling.

'Chappie' is one of the most endearing protagonists I've ever encountered, and Yolandi and Ninja are pretty likeable villains as well.

Pure art and pure heart with a political sub text.

Love it. Hoping for a sequel.

Bodyguard (2018)

Intense, intelligent and insightful

[9/10 · 18 September 2018]

I had to review this because some of the early negative reviews that I read almost disuaded me from giving it a view and that would have been my loss.

The opening scenario had me on the edge of my seat and I was immersed from the outset.

This is a thrilling ride, and overtly subversive in its political message as well

Not to be missed!

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Actioner for pre-teens

[1/10 · 12 September 2018]

Really. The title of my review says it all.

As an old Star Wars fan I was looking forward to this latest episode in the saga but I only managed to sit through the first 20 minutes, hoping it would get better, before I could endure it no longer.

Now that Disney owns the franchise, all adult sensibility is lost. The wry humour and subtle satire of the original trilogy which were genuinely movies for all ages, has been eradicated.

This a 'family' movie. Safe, shallow and boring, in spite of the endless eye popping effects which are actually tedious in themselves and do not substitute for good writing.

If I could give it zero stars I would have.

Hereditary (2018)

Don't believe the haters...

[9/10 · 27 August 2018]

Hereditary is a tragedy, a drama, a mystery, a supernatural thriller and a very effective horror story.

Just because this film is not a gore-fest it will fail to deliver for those genre addicted 'horror fans' who thrive on splatter effects and jump scares, although for the mature viewer there are enough of both.

First and foremost this is a subtle psychological, slow burn horror story.

The horror is what happens to the relationships of the family members as much as the horrible events that happen to them (and they are pretty horrific and if you don't think so, you have become desensitized my friends and should probably give the genre a rest for your own psychological well being).

The acting is exemplary throughout, Toni Collette gives a bravura performance as a mother and a wife who is going insane, first with grief and then terror.

So ignore the negative 'criticisms'. Hereditary delivers a lot of bang for your buck.

Frank (II) (2014)

An easy TEN!

[10/10 · 8 August 2018]

I wouldn't normally give any film 10, but I do it here to make a point (and because I can't give it a 9.5). Any movie this left of centre was always going to provoke divided reactions, so the 1's and 2's and the disgusted comments don't come as a surprise.

What's weirder than the movie itself is that it is actually based on the keyboardist's actual experience.

I found this movie funny at times, intensely dramatic and tremendously moving.

Definitely NOT for those who just want to be satisfyingly 'entertained' with all their questions answered by the end of the last act.

Overboard (2018)

Heed the warnings!

[1/10 · 13 July 2018]

Yeah... The shills are at it again. 10 star reviews for a badly construed piece of nonsense.

It must be getting too cheap to make movies these days, because all we seem to be getting are cheap knock off movies.

The 10/10 'reviewers' had all reviewed ONE movie in their 'lengthy' memberships of IMDB!

That should tell you enough.

The Oath (2016)

Much Better Than These 6 Critics Would Have You Believe

[10/10 · 1 July 2018]

Possible Spoilers!

I gave this very worthy flick 10 stars just to redress the balance of the negative reviews it has received here.

Works on all levels. The dramatic tension is consistent throughout. The father/daughter relationship is very realistic, particularly her lack of self awareness and immaturity wich are very recognisable traits of addicts.

Gísli Örn Garðarsson was convincing as Ottar. He wasn't painted as just a two dimensional villain. Just as real villains are not just villains. They love, have families, have a sense of humour, pets and hobbies and are often victims of bigger villains than themselves.

I laud Baltasar Kormakur as both a fine director and actor.

Dark (2017–2020)

Definitely NOT 'Stranger Things'...

[9/10 · 18 June 2018]

I don't understand the erroneous comparison to Darker Things. This series is by far one of the most original I have seen in ages.

Part crime thriller, part horror and part Sci Fi time travel paradox and as dark as the title suggests.

The story is complex and a little hard to follow at times for the non German speakers, but rewarding enough to justify the effort of paying attention.

This is adult viewing.

While Stranger Things probably had wider appeal as it's story was more aimed at the 'Young Adult' audience. And while Darker Things referenced a lot of familiar American pop culture, Dark stands alone in it's own claustrophobic world.

Very original, very European and very satisfying.

9/10 stars from this viewer.

100 Code (2015)

Classic Nordic Noir

[9/10 · 6 June 2018]

Just binge watched the entire series because it IS that addictive.

Dominic Monaghan does a pretty good impersonation of a haunted Irish/New York cop who buddies with Sweden's Michael Nyqvist in a very compelling, if somewhat typical, Nordic serial killer hunt.

I'm a sucker for the genre, I read every thing I can get my hands on and this series is far from disappointing. Surprisingly, to me at least, I have never heard of the author who's novels this series is based on.

The gimmick of pulling a NYPD detective into the mix gives the producers the leeway to have a lot of the dialogue in English making the series far more accessible to the linguistically challenged among us viewers.

It has all the tropes we fans of the genre love. Plenty of action, developed character arcs and good old detection.

Highly recommended.

Love/Hate (2010–2014)

The Best Of Irish

[9/10 · 31 May 2018]

Stumbled across this series...

The quality of the writing and acting is superb.

A cast of the creme de la creme of the Irish acting fraternity, including Aidan Gillen of Game Of Thrones ('Littlefinger') fame and the fragile sensitivity, punctuated with bursts of extreme violence, of Robert Sheehan, to name but two of the stars of this show. But the whole cast are delivering stellar performances.

In the same league as The Wire. Or The Bridge and The Killing (the Nordic versions)...

Also favourably reminiscent of Trainspotting and The Acid House. With a great soundtrack to match!

The accents aren't so broad that the non-Irish English speaking ear can't follow the dialogue without subtitles...

This series beats any of the Brit crime thrillers that I've seen in the last 10 years, and that is saying something!

It really pays to follow links down the rabbit hole. Sometimes you strike gold!

This series is definitely gold.

High & Dry (2018)

COULDN'T SIT THROUGH THE FIRST EPISODE

[1/10 · 19 May 2018]

Such drek. Throwback to 60's and 70's 'naughty' sex romps with all the cliched gay posturing that might have been apprpriate in Kenneth Williams' day, but reeks of homophobia now

And once again we see the gushing reviews of shills that must have either worked on the show or are friends of the producer... You've been an IMDB member for (X) number of years and this is your only review or page you've viewed? Really?

Don't waste your precious time on this unforgiveable drek.

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Intense psychological drama

[9/10 · 14 May 2018]

A return to the great film making of the early eighties.

Intense psychological drama with an embedded murder thriller.

The story within the story is gripping and heartbreaking and as it unfolds so the story of the protagonist's relationship the author of the murder story becomes as devastating and heartbreaking.

This is highly polished screenwriting and directing, with consummate performances from all the players.

I was tempted to give it a 10, but I just don't do that anymore. Nothing is perfect, but this film comes very close.

Patrick Melrose (2018)

Tour de Force

[9/10 · 14 May 2018]

Benedict Cumberbatch gets to show all his chops in this brilliantly written, directed and shot tour de force.

We all knew he could act, but here he gets to pull out all the stops. He is entirely believable as an upper class, abused and abandoned boy who turns his life and his will over to Heroin as his only source of succor.

The writing is sublime, you don't want to miss a moment of the razor sharp dialogue or of the inner monologues of Patrick.

The portrayal of a junkie at the peak of his chaos is completely and utterly believable. As one who suffered a childhood under a martinet father and is somewhat acquainted with the self medicating regimes that Patrick practices, I can testify to that.

I urge all viewers with an adult sensibility to watch this bizarrely charming, compassionate, tragic and comedic miniseries...