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Reviews
Craith (2018)
Dark and somber and great Welsh drama
Overall a very good series. The first series set the scene. It got quite deep and delved into the personal lives of each character. It was interesting to see how often angry rebellious young men still had big responsibilities at home. People are complex. The series did some good character development. The series was a bit slow going at times and the eight episodes could have been put into six and nothing lost. 7/10.
Wonderful scenery photography. Somber Wales at its best.
The second series was my favourite. The characters were perfect I thought. In particular Annes Elwy is just great in the character of Mia Owen who is a deviant, and possibly psychopathic, teenager. This second series was a 9 out of 10 for me.
For me Series 3 was not as gripping as the first two series, actually it was quite different. Every opportunity the director tried to illicit pathos and this was somewhat over stretched. Part of this strategy meant somber background music that seemed to never stop, so at times this just really really annoyed me. It was probably meant to be noir but it was a little over 'noired' for me. This third series was 5/10 for me.
Rams (2020)
An Australian interpretation of a great Icelandic movie
Yea I know don't measure a film against the original. Possibly true but I have also seen some great remakes and new interpretations that beat the original.
While this film aimed to put the Australian humour and outback attitude into the movie it never quite made it for me . While the original had a lot of believability in the scenes I found this remake not so. The heat of the outback really did not come near the cold of Iceland in terms of setting suitability for the plot. The lead actors were good, as one would expect. I thought Michael Caton in particular fitted the part like a well fitting glove. If you have not seen the Icelandic version do so.
Karppi (2018)
Good acting but plot a little stretched. This is for series 1 only
I thought the characters were well chosen. I enjoyed the parts various actors played and thought they fitted in well. As is usual, and possibly realistically , the characters all seemed to have very complicated home lives. There were many situations and sub plots weaving in and out to various degrees of credibility.
As many other reviewers have said, and I agree with them, is that the whole series was simply too long. Scenarios and situations seem to be repeated albeit with different slants. An example is the swat teams were always making appearances in the same choreographic manner breaking down the doors, saying saying "all clear" and disappearing within a few minutes. By episode 9 I was struggling. My recommendation would have been for the series to have been cut in half with two lots of six.
Modus (2015)
I found season 1 pretty good and season 2 pretty bad
I enjoyed season one. I like the variety of different characters and the interplay between them and the plot. The roles played by two children was also good. The ending was reasonably predictable.
Season two was a different matter. Season two brought in Hollywood fullbore, and Man Oh Man did it show. I can only say that I found the plot ridiculous, unbelievable and over the top. Indeed season two reflected so many of the things that I dislike about formula Hollywood movies and try to escape. It did not reflect the essence of Scandinavian Dramas that have left their mark.
Like so many films of this elk there was an attempt to try to keep pulling in new and 'exciting and unpredictable' scenarios. This approach actually makes such programs more predictable and not less. For me I ended up fast forwarding through so many episodes. The finale was just the same- predictable unpredictable.
Edie (2017)
If your over 70 and want to head for the hills this is a movie for you
This movie had a great concept in the story line. The acting was good and scenery superb. The interaction between young and old quite well done. In some ways it reminded me of the film Wild. There it was a young person finding themselves in the outdoors here it is an old person finding themselves and re-living long lost dreams of a mountain walk.
However for me it went off the boil by a credibility gap in the story line and improbable, but avoidable, scenarios. Yes sure a trained guide would let an old lady from the city with no walking experience walk into the highlands for an overnight camp on her own!! However despite the improbable script at times the scenery alone makes it worth seeing. If your over 70 it offers a dream that you too can climb Everest, if you can just sneak out of the aged care home when no one is watching.
Frankie (2019)
Well, that was puzzling!!
This film had a few interesting vignettes and some interesting character interactions. I spent the time wondering where it was actually going to go to. The answer was simple - nowhere!
The ending was very peculiar. It was a bit like the the cast just went home for lunch half way through the production and never came back to finish the movie.
What We Did on Our Holiday (2014)
Hot then cold
For the first half of this film I really loved it. Very British humour, funny, lots of laughs from kids and good old-fashioned fun in a madhouse dysfunctional family! The characters, young and old were playing good roles
I'm not sure what happened but it seemed to go downhill for me around the mid point. . The plot became ridiculous and unbelievable (yes I know it's a movie and make believe)! Then not only did the plot become eye rolling ridiculous it also became very Hollywood (you know like the 'done to death' scenes where hundreds of reporters turn up at one's house yelling questions) .
Van der Valk (2020)
Interesting at times but never gripping
While the series claims to be set in Amsterdam it is really an British detective show with British speaking people using Amsterdam as a setting.
Some interesting characters and entertaining at times but I could never quite decide if it was meant to be a spoof or a serious detective series. I leant towards spoof.
Janet King (2014)
Somewhat over the top
While there were quite a few things I liked about the show they were outweighed by the by the negatives. I liked the Janet King character,
What I did not like:
1. The plots were often overreach making the situations less believable and more soap opera in style. Good entertainment but not to be taken seriously
2. The characters suffered the same fate. Overblown making them less believable
3. Janet King's relationship with her significant other was more parent-child or employer-employeee
I felt the series missed a good chance to explore some significant legal issues.
I managed to watch series 1 but left it at that. The show while okay had none of the depth or subtlety of say that great legal series Silk.
Last Cab to Darwin (2015)
Worth watching despite some weaknesses
I enjoyed the characters and the road trip to Darwin. A number of issues explored. I did however think it got a bit off track and eye rolling in the last quarter of the film as the director/writer tried to conjure up a bit off extra drama for the audience. Last scene was however very well done.
Annika (2021)
Overall very enjoyable
The character played by Nicole Walker was clever. I enjoyed her quirkiness and in particular her relationship with her equally quirky young daughter. The show had good range of characters and cast that made the series interesting.
One thing that really brought the showdown for me was the occasional unnecessary silly scenes took away from the episode. It came across as the writer trying to be a little too clever but not pulling it off. The last episode with Annika hanging from a wall with a potential suspect who was ready to jump to his death for a minor crime was plain silly. Poor screen writing was saved by good acting
Other than that I look forward to series 2.
Martian Child (2007)
Had potential but fell short
A single male being allowed to foster a young child. I don't think so. From there the movie just got worse. The young boy could have brought a hugely winning character to the film, and child stars like Macaulay Culkin or Leonardo de Caprio shows how it can be done. Instead the poor child actor was asked to play something akin to a wet blanket. Sorry this is not one I could recommend.
Arthur Newman (2012)
Colin and Emily what on earth made you take this film on!!
I'm not sure who wrote the script but it was not particularly well written or structured. I'm not quite sure what the director saw in it! Possibly lots of potential but it didn't come through. Two good actors with a lousy script, they had no hope of a successful film.
Hinterland (2013)
Tries hard but could be better
Really liked the scenery. Series with its characters had great potential but it lost if for me. Why? I just found the character development of the key actors was hugely inconsistent. You think you have worked out the character then next episode it is almost a different person. Relationships between the actors are inconsistent. Time and daylight seem very flexible in some scenes. One minute it is dark, the next minute it is light yet it is meant to be only a few minutes later.
For me the plots tried to be too clever and complex.
Glitch (2015)
Season 1 was good season 3 was 'so' not good
First season kept me hooked and looking forward to season 2, which was okay.
Then came season 3 and for me it was all down hill from episode one season 3.
The final series suffered from the often acquired season-three-ites. That is when directors and writers go overboard in trying to find new (and often improbable) materiel to keep the audience interested. It did not work. This was a disappointing end to a great first season