moggie992002 Reviews

For All Mankind (2019– )

All a bit limp

[6/10 · 18 July 2023]

I'm up to episode 5 of series one and frankly I'm a bit disappointed. Everyone has been telling me how great this is but I'm not convinced.

The dialogue is very often clichéd and unrealistic, the special effects that relate to aeroplanes are very, very clunky (to put it politely), as are many of those relating to the spaceflight sequences, and the whole feel is underwhelming.

I'm (just) old enough to remember the Apollo programme and have seen lots of real footage over the years. This programme's attempts to recreate that look are quite simply not good enough. People and objects on screen just don't move in the right way and with 21st century film/TV technology the producers should be able to create something that looks like a high definition version of real footage - but have failed dismally.

All of that could be forgiven if the characters were engaging and believable and if there was ever any real feel of tension, drama of jeopardy. But no, there's little or none of that. It's also missing a trick by being too American centric - this is a space RACE but we only ever see one competitor. If we got to see at least a little of the Soviet side of the story then we might get some tension . As it is, the USA is in a one-man race and still coming second!!!

It all feels like a lost opportunity. Far from being the "A+" I'd been led to expect, it's more of a "C-".

I'll stick with it until the end of the first series, but unless it pulls its socks up I'll cut it adrift, leaving it Lost In Space.

The Last of Us: Left Behind (2023) Season 1, Episode 7

Pointless waste of time (mostly)

[3/10 · 28 February 2023]

Up to now, The Last Of Us has been gripping, with me eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next episode. However, episode 7 has left me thinking "I hope that the next episode gets back on track".

I get that we ought to see/hear how Ellie came to be infected and the opening 2 minutes (maybe even the first 60 seconds) flagged up that this was the episode to do it. But......that could have been done in a few minutes of flashback in a proper storyline. Instead, we spend ages going nowhere, losing momentum and leaving the viewer in danger of falling asleep.

I'm not going to mark this episode as containing spoilers, because it doesn't. It's dull and predictable and had me wishing that it would hurry up and get to the end, I had better things to do. There were no surprises other than how long would we have to wait to get to the inevitable plot "twist"?

Come on guys, you can do (have done) better than this.

The Last of Us: Long, Long Time (2023) Season 1, Episode 3

Not what I expected

[10/10 · 12 February 2023]

Wow! Episode 3 was a real bolt from the blue. Not at all what I expected.

I won't let slip any spoilers but this was television drama at it's absolute best and the writers, cast and directors should be immensely proud of themselves.

We're only 3 episodes in but it is clear that the makers of this series have created a narrative with a depth and breadth of characterisation that The Walking Dead never achieved. This series (and especially this episode) seems to be able to make it all about the humans who survived and just use the Infected as the vehicle to tell their story.

If this episodes story doesn't move you deeply then you have no soul.

Mayflies (2022)

Heartbreaking but heartwarming

[10/10 · 29 December 2022]

There's a critic review which calls this drama "flat" but I can't help wondering if he was watching the same programme as me.

This is a beautiful, absorbing and deeply moving story. The writing is superb but is eclipsed by some of the best performances you are ever likely to see. The three central characters draw you in and make you FEEL this story, not just watch it.

The subject matter is challenging but it never felt exploitative. It doesn't so much focus upon Tully's illness as on the relationships with family (and more importantly) friends. The dialogue is natural, the emotions raw and believable and the effect upon the viewer deep and touching.

The end of the story was handled with a degree of sensitivity and love that surprised me and showed a depth of understanding from the writers and director that left a warm glow in my heart and tears coursing down my cheeks. It could easily have been done coldly, clinically and carelessly, but it was not the case.

It wasn't always easy to watch but I am so glad that I chose to do so. Clear a couple of hours, grab yourself a box of tissues and sit down to watch this - I don't think that you will regret it.

Rogue Heroes (2022–2024)

Seriously over rated

[4/10 · 9 November 2022]

I keep hearing good reviews about this show and it makes me wonder if I was watching a different programme.

You can tell that it was made by the Peaky Blinders team because all the cliches are there. Intrusive heavy metal music, pointless over-use of swearing (I'm no prude - I'm ex-miltary myself - but it adds little to the show) and even the "slow motion group walk towards the camera" is straight out of the PB playbook.

Peaky Blinders finished up imitating itself but Rogue Warriors has begun by imitating PB imitating itself.

The characters are more like caricatures and the overall effect is to create something that is un-credible, rather than incredible. The story is a great one, but it deserves so much better than this.

4 out of 10 is actually slightly generous.

Summer of Rockets (2019)

Polarised by Poliakoff

[8/10 · 29 September 2022]

Clearly this is either love it or hate it - and I loved it.

Like so many Poliakoff stories it is a slow burner but doesn't have the crescendo of an ending that is found in the utterly splendid "Shooting The Past", but perhaps that is intentional.

I won't give away any spoilers but to my mind the rather understated ending perfectly fits the plot - a big story with a conclusion that............well, you'll have to trust me that the conclusion is spot on.

Aside from the main storyline, this is a wonderful denouncement of the British class system and public schools at the end-of-empire era, in all its absurdity. Seen through the eyes of immigrants, émigrés, minorities and minors the racism and prejudice of the time is laid bare.

Throw in a good helping of political incompetence and perhaps it's as much a comment on the present (which, of course, was then the future) .

Enjoy - I certainly did and it stands up well to re-watching, despite the passage of time (or maybe because of it!)

Demolition Man (1993)

Nostradamus meets Hollywood

[10/10 · 14 August 2022]

I can watch this film time and again without economy tired of it, thanks to the perfectly judged mix of action, humour and biting satire.

Over the last few years I have come to realise that it is also a depressingly accurate prediction of how stupid the 21st century world has become. Advertising jingles replacing music, fast food chains regarded as high class dining and the fact that everyone is so delicate (woke) that they are unable to handle life outside of their cotton wool shells.

Sublimely funny and entertaining - with little gems like "president Schwarzenegger?"

The Old Man (2022– )

Good start, rapid decline

[2/10 · 25 July 2022]

Such a promising start and decent storyline, but totally squandered in later episodes.

It started so well - Jeff Bridges as the retired CIA agent, trying to enjoy his life, despite having to watch his back constantly. However, after about 3 episodes it just seemed to run out of steam. I was prepared to overlook some of the silly decisions and actions that Chase made/took whilst on the run (mostly seeming to be there to pump up the tension) but from episode 4 it was as dull as ditchwater.

Endless navel gazing and soul searching, wasting the talents of some great actors with a script that would have made reading the phone book feel like a James Bond novel.

I guess that the end of the final episode was meant to be a cliff hanger......but it wasn't. It just petered out into a "well, I don't think I'll bother with series 2" scenario. Ironic, really, as John Lithgow was great in "Cliffhanger" :)

Such a shame. Don't waste you time on it, unless you are having trouble sleeping in which case episode 7 is the perfect insomnia cure.

DCI Banks: Playing with Fire: Part 1 (2011) Season 1, Episode 3

Ok, but miles away from the books

[6/10 · 17 July 2021]

I know that when you read a good novel it creates pictures in your head that are way better than any TV company can manage but......they really do miss the mark in so many ways.

Setting the stories in a later time frame than the books for a start. "The Americans" managed to do a good job of recreating the 1980s, but the producers here haven't even attempted to place Banks in the 1990s, or even the first 5 years of the 21st century.

Banks himself is written wrong. In the books he cares deeply about the victims, gets emotionally involved with the case and beats himself up when he feels he's let them down. But he doesn't spend most of the story letting this emotion prevent him from doing his job, unlike on TV And his relationship with his team is wrong - there's no warmth, no humour and no evident teamwork.

It could have been done so much better. After all, the books are superb.......and maybe that's the problem. ITV cop shows are often guilty of getting lost in clichés (strained team relationships, maverick lead detective, idiot superior officer) and that seems to have happened here. But then, we do have to keep the advertisers happy, don't we?

Mission of Honor (II) (2018)

A good story but lacking somewhat in execution

[7/10 · 15 September 2018]

Many people will not be aware of the contribution made by foreign personnel to the Battle of Britain effort - but this film goes some way towards redressing that balance. The Polish crews fought with distinction, courage and skill, as did those from other allied countries in occupied Europe, the British Empire and the USA.

This film tries hard but is let down by some technical and historical innacuracies and second division CGI but is nevertheless enjoyable to watch. It does feel more like an episode of "Foyle's War " than the classic "The Battle Of Britain" but it is still watchable and credible and shows the stress and fatigue that the pilots lived with as their duties pushed them to the limits of their endurance. Some of the plot does appear to have been borrowed from Guy Hamilton's 1969 classic film, but then death, destruction and hard partying would have been recurring themes.

Basically, if you don't expect too much then you won't be disappointed.

Lastly, I take issue with the idiotic plot summary that described the Hurricane as obsolete (a correction has been submitted to imdb). The Hurricane was a modern, capable, rugged and reliable aeroplane that was the mainstay of RAF Fighter Command during the battle. Hurricanes destroyed more Luftwaffe aeroplanes than all the other allied forces COMBINED - including the Spitfire which seems to get all the glory.

The Last Post (2017)

Definitely disappointing

[1/10 · 6 November 2017]

Pretty bad overall, unfortunately. I had hoped for better from Peter Moffat but this series really has missed the mark.

I can forgive minor technical and procedural errors but there really are some glaring faults that can not be over looked. First - isn't there anyone else stationed in Aden? The place seems to be solely populated by RMPs with no other Army personnel to be seen, let alone the RAF and Royal Navy. This is about as realistic as the whole of London containing no-one but the cast of The Bill and their families.

Second - some of the acting is woeful. I know that the 1960s was an era of "stiff upper lip", especially in the Army, but the director seems to be unable to get the cast to be less stony than the scenery. The script and plot lines are no more believable - the courtroom "drama" in the final episode appears to be a cross between 1970's "Crown Court" and a rejected "Ally McBeal" story line.

Third - who signed off the CGI stuff? The BOAC VC10 looked like it had been built from recycled tramp steamers with panel joints that would shame a 40 year old Range Rover!

Fourth - and most shocking. The appallingly disrespectful portrayal of the SAS in episode 2. They were made out to be half trained, incompetent buffoons who jeopardised themselves and their mission by taking a policeman along for the fun of it and then having no idea of how to fight a gun battle when attacked. These are arguably the most competent and effective fighting men in the world and in conflicts such as Aden and Oman, they operated with courage and professionalism yet Moffat chose to make them look like rank amateurs - an insult to every SAS trooper who has lost his life on operations.

If there is to be a second series, they REALLY need to start listening to their military advisers and raise their game.

Tales of the Unexpected: The Man from the South (1979) Season 1, Episode 1

Plot "borrowed" by Tarantino

[10/10 · 22 September 2007]

This is probably my favourite Tale of the Unexpected - both in written form and as a TV short story. Like all of the "tales", the slightly amateurish nature of the film making lends an almost documentary quality to the story which just serves to draw you even further int the plot.

I was therefore more than a little surprised to find that Quentin Tarantino had lifted the plot (very nearly complete) for one of the segments in "Four Rooms". As usual, Tarantinos film lacked subtlety (I'm not a fan of his films) but I suppose it proves that you can't keep a good story down.

I wonder if Roald Dahl's estate gained any royalty payments?

Cuba (1979)

Bond links

[7/10 · 27 November 2006]

There are a number of links between this film and the James Bond movies.

As well as the obvious presence of Sean Connery, we have Walter Gotell who played Morzeny in "From Russia with Love" and then played General Anatol Gogol in 5 Bond films as well as the "James Bond Jr" TV series.

In addition, the Spanish city of Cadiz in Andalucia was used for much of the location shooting - a location which also doubled as Cuba in "Die Another Day".

Aside from that, the film creates a wonderfully atmospheric impression of a regime on its last legs, attempting the resist the seemingly inevitable regime change sought by the rebels.

Not a great film but perfectly watchable (even if I did find myself looking out for familiar Andalucian scenery as much as following the plot!).