johnniecaven Reviews

Oliver! (1968)

A great musical spoiled by Oliver

[8/10 · 19 February 2022]

This is a very good version of the the musical that is a perennial favourite in Britain. The actors are all excellent with the exception of Mark Lester as Oliver Twist. The format of having a very middle class child playing a boy that was brought up in a workhouse follows on from David Lean's otherwise great film. The problem is compounded by the weak singing dubbed onto his refined mouth. Nevertheless the rest of the cast make up for this annoyance.

Late Night (2019)

A rare failure for Emma Thompson

[4/10 · 2 January 2022]

It's an enigma that has baffled scientists for decades: why are films set in the world of comedy so excrutiatingly unfunny? This particular offering is worse than most for the fact that it stars Emma Thompson whose other films are almost all so good. It's surprising she agreed to appear in this farrago in which we are expected to believe that live audiences go into paroxysms of laughter at the weakest material imaginable. On top of that, the character of Molly Patel is so annoying that it's impossible to like her and Mindy Kaling, who plays Molly, is also the writer so the fault can't be laid anywhere else.

Countdown to War (1989 TV Movie)

A very good insight into the prelude to a world war

[8/10 · 20 October 2021]

I remember when this was first shown over 20 years ago and l'm as impressed now as l was at the time. How anybody can rate this production or, in fact, any production as 1 or 2 is beyond me - if the film is that bad then anyone of any sense would stop watching after a few minutes, in which case how can the review be a fair one? I notice that the poorest review was by an outright Nazi sympathiser who blames Jews for bringing Germany to such a pass that it forced the country to invade its neighbours and it must be convenient to have a world view that dismisses some of the complexities that are brought out in this TV play.

The Last Kingdom (2015–2022)

An enjoyable series, for the most part

[7/10 · 29 October 2020]

Setting aside the anachronisms and major deviations from Bernard Cornwell's novels there is much to like about this series. lt retains sufficient drama and action to keep me watching to find out what happens (rather like John Buchan who asked Alfred Hitchcock how the 39 steps ended). The principal weak spot is the protagonist, Uhtred. He is supposed to be an impressive and dominating figure that brings fear into the hearts of most that confront him, but in this series he is a less than imposing figure who can't even grow a proper beard and not likely to unsettle anybody but the most feeble Dane.

Roadkill (2020)

Corruption in government??

[8/10 · 19 October 2020]

It's evident that there has been a concerted move by far right anti-BBC reviewers to downgrade this drama, giving very low marks that are contrary to the majority of reviewers not related to the Daily Mail et al. In fact, after watching just one episode l think this appears to be an absorbing political drama, not wholly unconnected to events at the present time. l know the idea that certain politicians are nasty pieces of work who are strangers to truth upsets some people, but not the majority of people and I believe this is going to be a very good series based on what I've seen so far.