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Reviews
Still Game (2002)
Better written than only fools
I have a London friend who's a massive OFAH fan, seen the theatre show twice in the last year. I had a bet that if he watched all the still game episodes and came back to me it wasn't as good as OFAH I'd buy all the beers on a night out.
He couldn't say that Still game was worse afterwards and has been recommending it himself to other Foolies. Still game has the advantage that the precept is rather timeless, the basic messaging will still be relevant and funny in another 30 years regardless of technological and societal changes. The real strength of SG is the character development and the writing. Even if you are naturally against Tam or Stevie the Bookie, you get enough of their view to still have sympathy. The characters are so well rounded it's easy to believe in them and they are always consistent (unlike some OFAH characters)
In short it's a must watch, but I strongly suggest leaving out the first episode and start with Ep2.
Winter's Bone (2010)
Watch it again
This is a surprisingly good film, with strong acting from most of the major players. You can feel that Lawrence is more Katniss to the book in this ( As soon as the HG casting saw this film she must have been a shoo in) than she was made to be in the film, and John Hawkes as teardrop should have had more than just the Oscar nomination.
However because of all the secrets in the film kept from Ree which you are seeing through her eyes and gradually become uncovered, it can make some of the supporting actors attitudes and unhelpfullness seem jarring and off key. If you watch a second time with open eyes, then you begin to appreciate the quality of the acting, especially from John Hawkes' character teardrop, and even Little Arthur.
First time, whatever you rate it, you'll jump another point at least from the second viewing.
3 Body Problem (2024)
Alternative earth with super smokers.
I'm only two episodes in so bear with me, but the thing I've noticed so much is the smoking. There seems so much of it at a time where in the UK less than 20% of the population smokes, much lower the younger you are, and definitely not in any type of workplace. It makes London feel quite Sandmanish. Apart from that I agree that the main character seems unable to express real emotions other than a uniform aggrieved look. I will continue to watch as I have been drawn in a bit, the video game does seem an interesting addition to the plot, and clearly a winking universe has some value, but I'm still going to guess that the average cigarette lighting per episode will continue at a mark of four plus.
Firefly: Out of Gas (2002)
Nothing equals this, nothing.
I'm right there with Mr Fusion.
It's not just the best episode of Firefly, it's one of the best episodes of anything, anywhere. The depth of the characters created prior to this in the series only sets you up for this truly emotional and bonding episode. Not giving anything away but the ending will probably give you goosebumps.
Messiah (2020)
Last episode stopped future series
This is a brave attempt to try and play the possible coming of a new messiah through the middle.
Is he the son of god returned, or a very clever magician?
The episodes try to weave doubt but the consensus if thought through weave to a messiah. The fact we are talking he is from the Middle East and not a Christian must have caused concern for mainstream USA.
This is acceptable until the final episode which stretches the idea of happenstance too far and firmly puts him in the son of god role. I think this cost the idea of any future series as it was too hard to see how doubt could be maintained and also must have mightily pissed off Christian America. It's a shame. It was a good series and the main character was particularly charismatic.
The Office (2001)
Watch both series so you can see the Xmas special
This is one of the first mockumentaries ever made, so it's a bit hit and miss. Very funny insights of office interactions mixed with crass exaggerations. However it builds to an Xmas special that if you have invested in watching the show to this point, is one of the greatest pieces of television ever to appear on our screens.
Podolskie kursanty (2020)
A film worth seeing
Yes there's a fair bit of propaganda here and a touch of war and peace as well, but there is good honesty in the limitations of the Russian armoury that used the soldiers lives as its shield instead. Better than most war films and refreshing to see it from another countries perspective. From a UK trivia point of view the girl at the heart of it is a dead ringer for an early Julia Salwha, spooky how similar she is.
Ender's Game (2013)
Great film until the last fifteen minutes
Ender's game is the story of a child genius forced to become the hero the earth needs due to attacks by "buggers" an alien ant-life form that nearly destroyed us. The paradox is we need a thinking reasoning empathetic psychopath, hard to find, so one needs to be created or tricked.
It'sdifficult in the film to ascertain why Ender is the one being thought of as the saviour compared to other side characters in the film apart from the fact that he had shown aggressive tendencies at a young age or will argue with a senior officer.The film mostly follows the book to the crescendo but then jars discordantly and illogically from the book and reality, Ender has just destroyed a threat (unwittingly) that has killed hundreds of millions of humans but we are led to believe that the Generals watching this final battle against insurmountable odds are more concerned that he has exterminated an alien race rather than him saving humanity from their threat? Ridiculous. They would be on their knees,crying, grabbing his feet, puking in relief etc. Same again all the kids battling with him suddenly knowing that they have saved humanity from this threat. In the book Ender is the only person that feels this way, in the film we'd rather have not destroyed them and Ender has gone too far. So add one some superficial I can also meet the last of the Buggers and fly away forever garbage and you have the worst of all compromises.
Pete
Return to Waterloo (1984)
An underrated masterpiece of the 80's
Ray Davies' Return To Waterloo should stand up in British culture at least as high as The Who's Tommy and even Pink Floyd's The Wall.
The saying " the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation" Has always been specifically applied to the British middle classes, and never more so that to Ken Colley's rendition of the Traveller, continuing his daily pilgrimage to Waterloo, to his Estate Agent's Job in the centre of London, despite his possible mental breakdown , or the more disturbing realisation that he may ( or may not ) be the sought after Surrey Rapist.
Like any Rock Opera, what makes this production is the quality of the songs, from the kids at the platform mickying "ladder of success," to the hauntingly beautiful ( and tearfullly sad ) "Have you seen this face" Davies manages to keep many possibilities and happenstances open, until you are unsure if what you are seeing from the Traveller is a collection of morning train daydreams, the visions of a fast decaying mind, or guilt aligning itself to reality and cognisance and the necessary reparations.
Pete
Doctor Who: Blink (2007)
Dr Who at it's very best
As a kid I used to hide behind the sofa when Patrick Troughton fought the Shop Dummies or Jon Pertwee the sea monsters , I never thought that in my 40s I'd be scared by watching a new episode of Dr Who , but Steven Moffat surpassed all my expectations with this intelligently written and truly frightening episode. There will be adults 25 years from now scared to look at a stone angel in a cemetery as a direct result of what they saw as a child, due to Steven's continued ability to tap into what frightens us at so many levels. The best Dr Who episode ever written, and I say that well into my forties.
Pete