declandoyle Reviews

First Man (2018)

ho hum here we go to the moon

[5/10 · 22 November 2018]

I got up at 3 or 4 am to see the original landing. my uncle & i sat transfixed while the rest of the house slept on. little did we know that the rest of the astronauts & NASA members were just as dis-interested, IF you believe this movie. they were, it seems, capable of writing a headline on july20 of '2 civil servants land safely on moon. nobody killed'

ryan gosling is an excellent actor but it would cost me blood to be able to differentiate between his character in blade runner.2049 & first man. are they related?

disappointing movie, very little of the grandeur of space flight or the achievement.

Yellowstone (2018– )

Uneven writing almost spoils big screen western

[1 September 2018]

Only in the times of 50" flat screens & TV serial thrillers could this programme hope to get a showing. The best by far? The sweeping landscapes.. I suppose there are ranches like this ficticious Yellowstone but headed by a murdering patriarch of such a dysfunctional family i very much doubt. & I'd like to meet the surgeon who can get a 60 year old + man back on his feet one week after "i took 2 feet of his colon out". A real shame, as i had so looked forward to it

McMafia (2018)

dying of boredom before you get shot

[3/10 · 30 January 2018]

A small story that could have been far better told in 2 hours by netflix. padded drama, lots of padding flab, very little meat of drama. the only mildly interesting character, vadim. the godmans, a mumble of russian emigrant clichés...& a hit woman with a small baby as cover, which was totally unnecessary & only screamed out 'this is a hit lady with cover!' i gave up after episode 6. the rest they can phone it in, just like the acting & the writing

Hard Sun (2018)

the angels of our better nature...

[6/10 · 21 January 2018]

Half way through the 6 episodes. uneven but quite gripping. anyone who has read the last policeman will see & appreciate the obvious parallels. at times a bit too graphically violent but perhaps a sign of the times the producer director is trying to highlight. reportedly renewed for a 2nd season already so.....

Derry Girls (2018–2022)

funny script, but the acting......

[5/10 · 20 January 2018]

The lead actress playing Erin is way too old for the part, 24/25? going on 16? its a pity because the writing is funny, the situations promising. ep 1 was a hoot but i found myself being more & more annoyed by 'Erin'. still, i'll stick with it, for the writing....

Britannia (2017–2021)

so far so Berry Berry baddddd

[2/10 · 19 January 2018]

So far so Berry Berry baddddd....Is this the Bifth of june, in reverse? B(abes) day? bbbbbluddddy 'ell, its the corniest clichedest. the longest .....65mins? has sky atlantic decided that the middle of the ocean's deepest chasm is where this belongs? or even better , i trumpsville country where the men are men & the druids are very careful & NEVER EVER touch Bussy. Beam us up....Scotland? wats left, BBBBBBraveheart in drag?

Godless (2017)

beautifully filmed well acted thoughtless western at a snail's pace

[7/10 · 29 November 2017]

the modern tendency to have stuff happen in a series or a movie just coz it suits goes into overload here. the acting is superb, the cinematography deserves an award, but the plotting & the execution of some of the set pieces leaves a lot of logical & very deep pot holes, especially the superbly filmed shoot out at the end. the women barricade themselves into 'the only iron & brick' building in the town but ....leave the door wide open? the gang of ruthless experienced plunderers stay on their horses in front of withering fire like ....ducks at a circus? & a fair few more that cant be mentioned without really giving the story away. worth seeing but regrettably the verdict is 'cudda been great' & way too funereal in its pacing.

The Trip to Spain (2017)

banal boring bombastic brits

[2/10 · 18 November 2017]

i live in spain. if i ever see that range rover heading in my direction i'll try to be out. who watches the full length of this crap?. they cant even be funny reading from a supplied script. how many times do the y do the same me English you jane scene before they realise ITS NOT FUNNY. truly madly deeply......awful. worse than awful, its boring

Torpedo Run (1958)

lame brained slow stupid movie

[2/10 · 9 December 2016]

lame brained slow stupid movie. torpedo run, or sorry honey, i torpedoed the kid. does anyone out there seriously believe that a man might make a choice like that & then live with it so easily? it would have been far more interesting to see him mistakenly sink the captives, learn about it afterwards, & THEN start his revenge path. & i don't know about reviewers who claim submarine experience but so blithely heading into a mine field & so easily escaping from it? nah? pathetic American 50s propaganda, & bad propaganda at that. if you want to see a proper submarine movie, burt lancaster & clark gable in run silent run deep or curt jurgens & robert mitchum in the enemy below are far superior fare.