This old guy is not remotely convincing as Riply. Andrew Scott is so so boring, the first episode drags from the outset, the conversation with Greenleaf Snr absolutely laughable. Honestly the writing is pig swill. Tom is gormless, there is so much filler waiting for buses walking up & down stairs the tedious language difficulties the encounter with Dickie on the beach.....what? If he went out of his way to ensure DG would kick him to the kerb immediately as of no account he could not have done more. And he is so old did I say that? What does he bring to the table, like literally and figuratively....absolutely nothing, no polish charm cleverness why would Marge and Dickie give him the time of day, it even renders Johnny Flynn dull flat lifeless. Im 100% not spending any more time on this. Over & out.
Reviews
21 Reviews
Injustice
(2011)
Completely stupid shocked anyone bought it
26 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
So this gets you in at first. The performances are good, Will and cop Mark both convincing as considered measured lawyer and nasty irascible detective respectively. The head cop hard assed and suitably no nonsense, Marks side kick manages his emotions well dealing with a.h. Mark. Guy playing Martin does well and Alan Stewart extracts plenty of pathos.
Will s wife with the irritating straggly hair convinces as the nervous uncertain observer of Will who she tumbles, isn't quite...right, and a caring left wing hopeful that she can do some good for estste kids, esp poor Alan. Plot hole Im sorry WHY did Will tumble onto the great unravelling of Martin as a child porn devotee? I thought he must have cravked the guys laptop but no, so not sure what I missed there. His sudden pat realisation of what went down that night was completely unconvincing and quite absurd. As if he d not thought thst through so it all becomes clear becuase Martin is left handed and guy on CCTV is ..left handed, so ...must be Martin. Lol.
Ok he s now a crazy man so shoots Martin and next job, looks like he ll track him down too and kill him if he is lying.
Barristers do not only work with those theu think innocent, system all around Will would not have made it possible, it was completely beyond the pale and a waste of time, a lot of which was flash back filler. Choose something else.
Will s wife with the irritating straggly hair convinces as the nervous uncertain observer of Will who she tumbles, isn't quite...right, and a caring left wing hopeful that she can do some good for estste kids, esp poor Alan. Plot hole Im sorry WHY did Will tumble onto the great unravelling of Martin as a child porn devotee? I thought he must have cravked the guys laptop but no, so not sure what I missed there. His sudden pat realisation of what went down that night was completely unconvincing and quite absurd. As if he d not thought thst through so it all becomes clear becuase Martin is left handed and guy on CCTV is ..left handed, so ...must be Martin. Lol.
Ok he s now a crazy man so shoots Martin and next job, looks like he ll track him down too and kill him if he is lying.
Barristers do not only work with those theu think innocent, system all around Will would not have made it possible, it was completely beyond the pale and a waste of time, a lot of which was flash back filler. Choose something else.
Dune: Part Two
(2024)
Dune 2 get a good scriptwriter, it's everything!!
1 March 2024
Yes its spectacular at times visually, Geidi Prime best scenes, Austin Butler best character, why oh why do they speak "American" in such films??? Keep it **neutral** dont say "dook" Omg the DOOKAL RING. LMAO. "What are you guys laughing at", ??? Paul Atreides doesn't say that! He s out there in a fantasy interstellar space world, he is on Arrakas he is not in Noo Yawk.
Austin Butler s language was excellent. Made such a difference.
The script was poor, no punch, no reason to believe Paul was something special, different, above, higher, a teacher a leader, and once he became recognised he should have been held apart, should not have spoken English * at all * just Fremen with subs, were the worms hard to ride ?? As it seemed like this great challenge above all else, then it seemed everyone could there at one point, as my friend said zooming around "like greyhound buses".
Did Stilgar have to be given an accent so I couldn't understand a word he said?
This was bloated often boring and did not nail important things, it got the hard stuff right and the easy stuff wrong.
(And Har KOH- nan is much tougher sounding than Harr- kar-non...when did we start saying it like that? )
Why does Hollywood do this, get the hard stuff right and the easy stuff do wrong.
Btw sorry but TC does not have the bearing, gravitas and manpower for this role, and doesn't transition from boy for all his efforts and his efforts are great but...
Oh did I say spend your money on top professional screenwriters ??? The screenplay did not grab you by the throat it was weak.
Disappointing Dune 2 was let down in ways it didn't have to be. Sad.
Austin Butler s language was excellent. Made such a difference.
The script was poor, no punch, no reason to believe Paul was something special, different, above, higher, a teacher a leader, and once he became recognised he should have been held apart, should not have spoken English * at all * just Fremen with subs, were the worms hard to ride ?? As it seemed like this great challenge above all else, then it seemed everyone could there at one point, as my friend said zooming around "like greyhound buses".
Did Stilgar have to be given an accent so I couldn't understand a word he said?
This was bloated often boring and did not nail important things, it got the hard stuff right and the easy stuff wrong.
(And Har KOH- nan is much tougher sounding than Harr- kar-non...when did we start saying it like that? )
Why does Hollywood do this, get the hard stuff right and the easy stuff do wrong.
Btw sorry but TC does not have the bearing, gravitas and manpower for this role, and doesn't transition from boy for all his efforts and his efforts are great but...
Oh did I say spend your money on top professional screenwriters ??? The screenplay did not grab you by the throat it was weak.
Disappointing Dune 2 was let down in ways it didn't have to be. Sad.
Nowhere
(II) (2023)
Wow lot of nitpicking comments on here
24 January 2024
Ok maybe it's all doomed, unlikely and maybe the sea would not have been so kind. Most of us wont be too bothered by that having never been to sea in tin can.
She throws the drill in the water because it's dead and useless, not because she's stooopid as someone suggested, she realises the tape is useless and plugs with rubber, she doesnt succeed in removing the water obviously but keeps it at bay a little bit, she doesnt stop it leaking obviously but slows it down. She is half starved but does have some stuff and then manages to catch some fish. People saying she eats nothing and "never goes to the toilet " lol ...can we assume " toilet" happened, easy enough to get rid of a bit of body waste. We dont have to have blow by blow of that.
She has source of fresh water from rain.
They talk about Ireland at the beginning, is that where they were always trying to get to, it's not " oh gee big hats and coats, must be Ireland"... they make it perfectly clear it's Ireland and that they're Irish.
It might not have been all that credible, but doesnt deserve the enraged rants some have levelled at it. She struggles like crazy to survive and uses every ounce of strength and every tool at her disposal. I felt her struggle. It felt real enough. It is after all just a movie not a course /doco on how to survive at sea.
The only thing they should have cut completely was *any use of the phones* that was total bs and the conversations entirely unnecessary, emotionally manipulative claptrap. Phones holding charge and finding signal totally absurd, much better for her to have endured all in silence.
An entertaining thriller and terrific effort by lead actress who gave it 100%.
She throws the drill in the water because it's dead and useless, not because she's stooopid as someone suggested, she realises the tape is useless and plugs with rubber, she doesnt succeed in removing the water obviously but keeps it at bay a little bit, she doesnt stop it leaking obviously but slows it down. She is half starved but does have some stuff and then manages to catch some fish. People saying she eats nothing and "never goes to the toilet " lol ...can we assume " toilet" happened, easy enough to get rid of a bit of body waste. We dont have to have blow by blow of that.
She has source of fresh water from rain.
They talk about Ireland at the beginning, is that where they were always trying to get to, it's not " oh gee big hats and coats, must be Ireland"... they make it perfectly clear it's Ireland and that they're Irish.
It might not have been all that credible, but doesnt deserve the enraged rants some have levelled at it. She struggles like crazy to survive and uses every ounce of strength and every tool at her disposal. I felt her struggle. It felt real enough. It is after all just a movie not a course /doco on how to survive at sea.
The only thing they should have cut completely was *any use of the phones* that was total bs and the conversations entirely unnecessary, emotionally manipulative claptrap. Phones holding charge and finding signal totally absurd, much better for her to have endured all in silence.
An entertaining thriller and terrific effort by lead actress who gave it 100%.
No Country for Old Men
(2007)
No Country For Old Men ...no place for em to be no more
23 January 2024
People dissing this movie with the usual gripes are totally misunderstanding it, and in the process missing something much deeper than they seek.
Its Bell s story as indicated by the title, it's about humanity losing its way from the old codes of fair play and decency to choas and randam acts of cruelty and greed for the sake of it. Where old men can no longer make sense of the world, it's a changing of the guard film, and prophetic too as the world has continued to devolve down that path with the loss of order, morals to live by, the old constructs and values.
Those characters around Bell are incidental players created by novelist Cormac McCarthy to give this concept "narrative life". The Coens did it proud.
Ive watched it many times. One of my faves. The conversations between Bell and Wendell are priceless.
Its Bell s story as indicated by the title, it's about humanity losing its way from the old codes of fair play and decency to choas and randam acts of cruelty and greed for the sake of it. Where old men can no longer make sense of the world, it's a changing of the guard film, and prophetic too as the world has continued to devolve down that path with the loss of order, morals to live by, the old constructs and values.
Those characters around Bell are incidental players created by novelist Cormac McCarthy to give this concept "narrative life". The Coens did it proud.
Ive watched it many times. One of my faves. The conversations between Bell and Wendell are priceless.
Boy Swallows Universe
(2024– )
Stunned by the raving over this show
20 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The tone of this is wrong in so many ways, so completely nonsensical, constantly bordering dangerously close to farce and dripping with cliche. People seem blinded by Felix Cameron's adorbs turn as back chatting wise & aware way beyond his 12 years (in the 80s) sassy Eli, they're seem lulled into losing all ability for discerning thought and critical judgement. The latest absurdity is a fragile family in need find $50 000 on their doorstep and GO STRAIGHT TO THE MEDIA WITH "A OH BOY A MIRACLE HAPPENED TO US" story.
You would have to be INSANE to publicise such a thing. You'd keep quiet as the grave about it esp in THAT neighbourhood.
I can't put into words the uneven irritating experience it has been watching this, and wonder what the author of the book really thinks of it. (I haven't read it.)
There is so much dialogue you d never have heard in Brissy in the 80 s, its full of anachronisms. The break into jail should have been told ALL by Eli as a voiceover as in, an unreliable narrator, not presented "as it literally happened " with keystone cops interjections and ridiculous conversations between prison staff and the kid, just truly cringy slapstick rot.
Now we have a new Eli ...UM, was there not a young actor in Australia that looks remotely like Felix Cameron, at least with blue eyes, he looks nothing at all like Eli but GUS HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL. Doesn't even look any older, not even a hair change, and as an aside he has looked so super healthy throughout, so well fed beautiful skin and clear eyes, i think he was badly miscast tbh.
This didnt ring true for me for 5 minutes. It's really troubling that so many people are fawning over it, and calling it a MASTERPIECE ?!?!
It is not a "masterpiece", get a grip, it's a cliched, self-consious, ham fisted, emotionally manipulative non-credible indulgence, saved only by Simon Baker s very good turn as Robert.
RIP boy swallows universe...
You would have to be INSANE to publicise such a thing. You'd keep quiet as the grave about it esp in THAT neighbourhood.
I can't put into words the uneven irritating experience it has been watching this, and wonder what the author of the book really thinks of it. (I haven't read it.)
There is so much dialogue you d never have heard in Brissy in the 80 s, its full of anachronisms. The break into jail should have been told ALL by Eli as a voiceover as in, an unreliable narrator, not presented "as it literally happened " with keystone cops interjections and ridiculous conversations between prison staff and the kid, just truly cringy slapstick rot.
Now we have a new Eli ...UM, was there not a young actor in Australia that looks remotely like Felix Cameron, at least with blue eyes, he looks nothing at all like Eli but GUS HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL. Doesn't even look any older, not even a hair change, and as an aside he has looked so super healthy throughout, so well fed beautiful skin and clear eyes, i think he was badly miscast tbh.
This didnt ring true for me for 5 minutes. It's really troubling that so many people are fawning over it, and calling it a MASTERPIECE ?!?!
It is not a "masterpiece", get a grip, it's a cliched, self-consious, ham fisted, emotionally manipulative non-credible indulgence, saved only by Simon Baker s very good turn as Robert.
RIP boy swallows universe...
American Gigolo
(2022)
Gere moved like a greased panther
15 September 2022
His shoes are not trying to be filled I know but all that's happening for me so far is wishing to see the panther.
I know JB is a fine actor so will push on and see how the writing is.
It will be interesting where he takes it. What's going on with these long reviews ???
I must go down to the seas again To the lonely sea and the sky And all I ask is a tall ship And a star to steer me by And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied
I hope American Gigalo will be poetry like the original...
Will get back when Ive watched a few more episodes.
I know JB is a fine actor so will push on and see how the writing is.
It will be interesting where he takes it. What's going on with these long reviews ???
I must go down to the seas again To the lonely sea and the sky And all I ask is a tall ship And a star to steer me by And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied
I hope American Gigalo will be poetry like the original...
Will get back when Ive watched a few more episodes.
Last Light
(2022)
Unbearable
15 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This was so irritating and non credible I had to stop watching.
When the lovely benevolent Turkish migrant woman risked her life to take whatsherface to smash open a pharmacy on a chaotic night of civil unrest, then conjured up the right medication from some stuff she picked up off the shelf on the hop, with a mortar and pestle, for a child with an incredibly tricky eye condition that was it.
There was another sideline story about the idealistic daughter the climate change activist very cliche and quite vomitous.
And sorry, but cant watch Joanna Foggett's pinched little face, she was good as Anna and that's it.
She's awful.
I thought a highly improbable non credible affair was brewing with the French surgeon but fortunately he was killed off.
Zero interest in characters or outcomes. Sayonara.
When the lovely benevolent Turkish migrant woman risked her life to take whatsherface to smash open a pharmacy on a chaotic night of civil unrest, then conjured up the right medication from some stuff she picked up off the shelf on the hop, with a mortar and pestle, for a child with an incredibly tricky eye condition that was it.
There was another sideline story about the idealistic daughter the climate change activist very cliche and quite vomitous.
And sorry, but cant watch Joanna Foggett's pinched little face, she was good as Anna and that's it.
She's awful.
I thought a highly improbable non credible affair was brewing with the French surgeon but fortunately he was killed off.
Zero interest in characters or outcomes. Sayonara.
Wind River
(2017)
Cutting
6 September 2022
So FBI agent opens door on woman cutting herself up, obviously gone over the edge, next words out of FBI agents mouth HAS TO BE "we need to get her to a hospital". EVEN IF THAT IS ARGUED AGAINST it has to be SAID.
BUT NO.
She says "Im really sorry" then gets the flat eyed accusatory stare from the husband that says "yeah so there you are you ignorant unknowing POS from Vegas thats what our lives are like here, thanks for that".
Spare me.
Taylor S could not write his way out of a paper bag, this this is leaden and dull laden with cliches and nonsensical dialogue. Im damned if I know why he gets any accolades at all Yellowstone was exactly the same. I guess if you dont know yr **** and you push on through like yr great a percentage of the population will buy it.
We choked when Olsen emerged in the cute perfecly fitting blue ski gear.
He is telling her about daughter Emily nearly in tears... she says " can you point me to the bathroom"??
Can't continue on with this, it's honestly too irritating.
BUT NO.
She says "Im really sorry" then gets the flat eyed accusatory stare from the husband that says "yeah so there you are you ignorant unknowing POS from Vegas thats what our lives are like here, thanks for that".
Spare me.
Taylor S could not write his way out of a paper bag, this this is leaden and dull laden with cliches and nonsensical dialogue. Im damned if I know why he gets any accolades at all Yellowstone was exactly the same. I guess if you dont know yr **** and you push on through like yr great a percentage of the population will buy it.
We choked when Olsen emerged in the cute perfecly fitting blue ski gear.
He is telling her about daughter Emily nearly in tears... she says " can you point me to the bathroom"??
Can't continue on with this, it's honestly too irritating.
I Came By
(2022)
Why was this made
5 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
And why on earth was HB in it is he broke?
What possessed him to besmirch himself with something so poorly written highly non credible and cheap.
Vacuous non event about same old, kid abused turns into monster with secret room in basement All the extraneous padding to prop up central premise was concocted contrived and iclumsy...then it careened to an out of control ending, as it only could, something laighable.
And people give this 10/10.
Sad.
Toby was good and his mate too.
But full of tired cliches and hollow beats, honestly we know SO MUCH about plottimg good stories now after hundreds of years of literature even Save the Cat will show this up as a belaboured sloppy mess.
Narrative trainwreck.
And it passes muster. Wtf.
What possessed him to besmirch himself with something so poorly written highly non credible and cheap.
Vacuous non event about same old, kid abused turns into monster with secret room in basement All the extraneous padding to prop up central premise was concocted contrived and iclumsy...then it careened to an out of control ending, as it only could, something laighable.
And people give this 10/10.
Sad.
Toby was good and his mate too.
But full of tired cliches and hollow beats, honestly we know SO MUCH about plottimg good stories now after hundreds of years of literature even Save the Cat will show this up as a belaboured sloppy mess.
Narrative trainwreck.
And it passes muster. Wtf.
The Old Man
(2022– )
Honestly this is hogwash
17 August 2022
Contrived non credible
Im not going to get past the stupid first episode with its drawn out brawls and old man winning over operatives who ve been surprised by a vehicle pouncing on them out of nowhere
And the phone calls ? How was that happening?
Those dogs reminded me of The Cousins lol Why did he wait so long to whistle them in ?? So we could see what a toughie he is in the fight?
Nuh it all felt super fake.
Those dogs reminded me of The Cousins lol Why did he wait so long to whistle them in ?? So we could see what a toughie he is in the fight?
Nuh it all felt super fake.
Eyes Wide Shut
(1999)
Late to the Party
28 June 2022
But better late than never, might now chase down Clockwork Orange.
This film reminded me what a cautious conservative I am now, never going off the beaten track. I used to but like Bill found it a very scary place to be.
It will effing destroy you.
Languid, mysterious, hinting at the grotesque and cruel, those entitled to carelessly use and discard are depicted with tremendous restraint, mastery, style.
An amazing masterpiece. It's the story of a couple opening up to experience and being present, the price of honesty and facing those fringe parts of each other and accepting you can never own or fully know them. No dream is ever...just a dream.
If anyone ever says Cruise or Kidman "can't act" (as people commonly like to do for some reason) this knocks that on the head.
Both fantastic. Am a big Cruise fan and he is beautiful here. Beautiful.
Must be weird to have been a couple, to have had this amazing experience, then to move on and separate. A reminder that these people are just not....ordinary people, they inhabit a space so much bigger than anything I could ever imagine inhabiting.
Inspirational....
This film reminded me what a cautious conservative I am now, never going off the beaten track. I used to but like Bill found it a very scary place to be.
It will effing destroy you.
Languid, mysterious, hinting at the grotesque and cruel, those entitled to carelessly use and discard are depicted with tremendous restraint, mastery, style.
An amazing masterpiece. It's the story of a couple opening up to experience and being present, the price of honesty and facing those fringe parts of each other and accepting you can never own or fully know them. No dream is ever...just a dream.
If anyone ever says Cruise or Kidman "can't act" (as people commonly like to do for some reason) this knocks that on the head.
Both fantastic. Am a big Cruise fan and he is beautiful here. Beautiful.
Must be weird to have been a couple, to have had this amazing experience, then to move on and separate. A reminder that these people are just not....ordinary people, they inhabit a space so much bigger than anything I could ever imagine inhabiting.
Inspirational....
Peaky Blinders
(2013–2022)
Amazing performances in this series!!
24 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Cillian obviously, he was unbelievably awesome as Thomas Shelby. I loved that we never saw him eat anything, that kept him somehow with the Immortals. I thought to myself, has he eaten once in this serious and googled it... no he did not.
Honestly it's a shame there's nothing as big as Oscars for these tv series roles that must be HUGELY TAXING. Not even an Emmy for anyone here either as not the kind of show to pursue them. Peaky Blinders has gone under the radar in many ways really.
Paul Anderson my god what a our de force, broke my heart really a full bodied effort that looked so draining, thanks man for all you gave.
Noah Taylor intense and fantastic! Just so good.
Tom Hardy, what can I say. Did not recognise him upon his entrance at all, loved Alfie he made that character come to life in such a unique and compelling way, a ruthless creature yet utterly adorable at the same time.
Sam Neill, wow, missed him when he was gone, he was so damned good every nuance, the accent, the frailties so courageously and nakedly depicted by this wonderful actor who I remember way back from his work in the 80's with insane director Zulawski in Possession, if you have not seen that film seriously do so you will never see SN the same way again lol.
Aiden Gillen always awesome to see Littlefinger in other roles, loved him back to Queer as Folk. Adrien Brody, just so so good as Luca, omg the accent. Inspired choice.
Paddy Considine perfect too as the truly evil ghastly cruel priest.
Stephen Graham an acting heavyweight was given the short role of Stagg, he is always on point and a pleasure to watch.
The only person I thought was mis cast was Michael, Finn Cole just didn't seem to have stature and gravitas needed to bring real force to that role though the actor did his absoloute best with the material, his real life brother Joe Cole as John Shelby was very good indeed, every believable and brutal a real PB, was sorry when he was killed.
The character Finn was kind of poorly drawn. I never got a handle on him.
The music was obviously a major strength, shame to see some here quibbled complaining it was out of time with the times etc goodness what silliness, it added tremendous spark and flare to the grey Birmingham pallette, was sad Red Right Hand disappeared from the credits and totally disagree with writer Steven Knight that it needed to go because it did not suit the character any more.
It was trademark! Sure it did nt need to be played during an episode any more, that had run its course, but that music was an intrinsic part of the closing credits of every ep and we watched the credits always to hear it.
Bad misstep. Silence for the episode dedicated to H McC as a mark of respect yes but for all others it should have played!!!
All the females did so well, my fave dear Lizzie, we really suffered along with her. Natasha O Keefe brought all that that was needed to be brought to that role capturing the many difficult aspects of Lizzie's complex experience with Tommy, that society and the family.
RIP Helen McCrory my god, can't imagine what it was like for everyone losing her like that, what a great Polly she was. Esme Ada Gina Linda Grace Diana (Peaky Blinders female Cool Hand l=Luke lol !!! What a piece of work she was) the Russian too, all amazing.
Sam Claflin looked like he just had so much fun as Oswald he was perfect choice. The assassination attempt was a mistake I think, there was no way that was going to be able to happen, they would not have strayed that far from the true life of Mosely so no tension.
Series 6 was a strange mix, also as an aside there were too many Bobby Ewing fake type deaths in the series, a poor narrative trick. And the whole fake diagnosis though well acted out, was very low on credibility, but whatever.
I actually would have liked to see Tommy riding that horse back into the city with Red Right Hand as it started, full circle, that would have had me in tears for sure knowing he was going back with no many cobwebs cleared away, so many things to actually look forward to, it would have been an awesome parallel experience for audience.
Anyway there's plenty of material there with Duke and Finn and Tommy back for a great movie but will really miss Peaky Blinders the tv series, they came to feel like family, even Michael's adoptive mother really touched one's heart in her short performance.
I wondered what powerful dude they would bring in to play Uncle Nelson, saw immediately it was J from Animal Kingdom, he did very well with accent and sociopathic tendencies suitable for the uncle of the truly ghastly grasping Gina.
Lot of series 6 felt like filler, and some unnecessary cruelty which I think crossed the line and didn't have to, the show had established itself well and truly by then the scene esp with Billy;s s death, perhaps Uncle Nelson's scene was justified as it showed us who he was but the other with Arthur and Duke looking on was just horrible and sadistic.
Duke's character was poorly managed, his thundering in at the end did not ring true and was too heavy handed but do not want to end on a negative note because this series is one of the best and I thoroughly recommend it. How anyone could mark it down from a 10 (Ive read the reasons given and none of them justify a low score, its just bloody minded nonsense".
How Tommy S escaped lung cancer is a red hot mystery, thank god Cillian was only smoking fakes. Every. Single. Scene. He. Was. In. Anyone trying to give up smoking, do not watch.
So long to the Peaky fokken Blinders, long may they live Will watch this again one day it's such a show, along with BB and Sopranos.
Curly you were such a sweetie. Bless your kind heart. Johnny Dogs you too.
Honestly it's a shame there's nothing as big as Oscars for these tv series roles that must be HUGELY TAXING. Not even an Emmy for anyone here either as not the kind of show to pursue them. Peaky Blinders has gone under the radar in many ways really.
Paul Anderson my god what a our de force, broke my heart really a full bodied effort that looked so draining, thanks man for all you gave.
Noah Taylor intense and fantastic! Just so good.
Tom Hardy, what can I say. Did not recognise him upon his entrance at all, loved Alfie he made that character come to life in such a unique and compelling way, a ruthless creature yet utterly adorable at the same time.
Sam Neill, wow, missed him when he was gone, he was so damned good every nuance, the accent, the frailties so courageously and nakedly depicted by this wonderful actor who I remember way back from his work in the 80's with insane director Zulawski in Possession, if you have not seen that film seriously do so you will never see SN the same way again lol.
Aiden Gillen always awesome to see Littlefinger in other roles, loved him back to Queer as Folk. Adrien Brody, just so so good as Luca, omg the accent. Inspired choice.
Paddy Considine perfect too as the truly evil ghastly cruel priest.
Stephen Graham an acting heavyweight was given the short role of Stagg, he is always on point and a pleasure to watch.
The only person I thought was mis cast was Michael, Finn Cole just didn't seem to have stature and gravitas needed to bring real force to that role though the actor did his absoloute best with the material, his real life brother Joe Cole as John Shelby was very good indeed, every believable and brutal a real PB, was sorry when he was killed.
The character Finn was kind of poorly drawn. I never got a handle on him.
The music was obviously a major strength, shame to see some here quibbled complaining it was out of time with the times etc goodness what silliness, it added tremendous spark and flare to the grey Birmingham pallette, was sad Red Right Hand disappeared from the credits and totally disagree with writer Steven Knight that it needed to go because it did not suit the character any more.
It was trademark! Sure it did nt need to be played during an episode any more, that had run its course, but that music was an intrinsic part of the closing credits of every ep and we watched the credits always to hear it.
Bad misstep. Silence for the episode dedicated to H McC as a mark of respect yes but for all others it should have played!!!
All the females did so well, my fave dear Lizzie, we really suffered along with her. Natasha O Keefe brought all that that was needed to be brought to that role capturing the many difficult aspects of Lizzie's complex experience with Tommy, that society and the family.
RIP Helen McCrory my god, can't imagine what it was like for everyone losing her like that, what a great Polly she was. Esme Ada Gina Linda Grace Diana (Peaky Blinders female Cool Hand l=Luke lol !!! What a piece of work she was) the Russian too, all amazing.
Sam Claflin looked like he just had so much fun as Oswald he was perfect choice. The assassination attempt was a mistake I think, there was no way that was going to be able to happen, they would not have strayed that far from the true life of Mosely so no tension.
Series 6 was a strange mix, also as an aside there were too many Bobby Ewing fake type deaths in the series, a poor narrative trick. And the whole fake diagnosis though well acted out, was very low on credibility, but whatever.
I actually would have liked to see Tommy riding that horse back into the city with Red Right Hand as it started, full circle, that would have had me in tears for sure knowing he was going back with no many cobwebs cleared away, so many things to actually look forward to, it would have been an awesome parallel experience for audience.
Anyway there's plenty of material there with Duke and Finn and Tommy back for a great movie but will really miss Peaky Blinders the tv series, they came to feel like family, even Michael's adoptive mother really touched one's heart in her short performance.
I wondered what powerful dude they would bring in to play Uncle Nelson, saw immediately it was J from Animal Kingdom, he did very well with accent and sociopathic tendencies suitable for the uncle of the truly ghastly grasping Gina.
Lot of series 6 felt like filler, and some unnecessary cruelty which I think crossed the line and didn't have to, the show had established itself well and truly by then the scene esp with Billy;s s death, perhaps Uncle Nelson's scene was justified as it showed us who he was but the other with Arthur and Duke looking on was just horrible and sadistic.
Duke's character was poorly managed, his thundering in at the end did not ring true and was too heavy handed but do not want to end on a negative note because this series is one of the best and I thoroughly recommend it. How anyone could mark it down from a 10 (Ive read the reasons given and none of them justify a low score, its just bloody minded nonsense".
How Tommy S escaped lung cancer is a red hot mystery, thank god Cillian was only smoking fakes. Every. Single. Scene. He. Was. In. Anyone trying to give up smoking, do not watch.
So long to the Peaky fokken Blinders, long may they live Will watch this again one day it's such a show, along with BB and Sopranos.
Curly you were such a sweetie. Bless your kind heart. Johnny Dogs you too.
Squid Game
(2021– )
NO ARTISTIC INTEGRITY SO LOSES ALL POINTS
9 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Hey Hwang Dong-Hyuk you can't have it both ways!!
This is the real world, this is real people being selected from the real world to enter a surreal world to play a game fabricated by real people who pay a lot of money to be entertained.
The final demonstration of this unarguable truth is when 456 - a real flesh and blood human remember on planet earth - decides he is going to take a stand, be a whistleblower, and bring the whole grotesque vileness tumbling down.
That's all fine BUT ...there is one episode where the real world crosses over into the surreal world of Squid Game, and that is when the VIPs come to town.
This would have been a very difficult episode to pull off using "real people", think about that for a minute, the all too close to home, close up ugliness of it, so the director WIMPS OUT and we do not get "real people", we get an arm's length absurdist parody of the repulsive rich, a staged nonsense drawn from the director's imagination to replace that which was just too damned difficult to make real.
Nuh! That's not ok.
Hence so many people here complaining about the VIPS poor acting. But it not POOR ACTING that is the problem, the elephant in the room is the sleight of hand and dishonest depiction of the VIPS full stop.
You can't do that, and maintain a unified aesthetic, artistic integrity.
Make an MC Escher style world full of every kind of fantasy and excess by all means, knock yourself out, but don't ALSO bring the real world - the real world THAT IS ACTUALLY RUNNING THE SHOW inside and turn it into masked comedy.
You'd have been better off keeping observers off the premises altogether, shadowy mysterious figures watching from afar via technology.
THAT would have been REAL... and may I say, a lot more spooky.
Overall, I'm truly amazed at the plaudits for this show, the raving, the buzz, the wow!!! The omggggs!!! The attention on SM....yes it is bingeable, it is easily addictive, and there are some great performances too, but I honestly think COVID has left the community desperate for distraction for people to be responding to this as they are.
Bit sad really.
Can only give this one star, because as the old saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
This is the real world, this is real people being selected from the real world to enter a surreal world to play a game fabricated by real people who pay a lot of money to be entertained.
The final demonstration of this unarguable truth is when 456 - a real flesh and blood human remember on planet earth - decides he is going to take a stand, be a whistleblower, and bring the whole grotesque vileness tumbling down.
That's all fine BUT ...there is one episode where the real world crosses over into the surreal world of Squid Game, and that is when the VIPs come to town.
This would have been a very difficult episode to pull off using "real people", think about that for a minute, the all too close to home, close up ugliness of it, so the director WIMPS OUT and we do not get "real people", we get an arm's length absurdist parody of the repulsive rich, a staged nonsense drawn from the director's imagination to replace that which was just too damned difficult to make real.
Nuh! That's not ok.
Hence so many people here complaining about the VIPS poor acting. But it not POOR ACTING that is the problem, the elephant in the room is the sleight of hand and dishonest depiction of the VIPS full stop.
You can't do that, and maintain a unified aesthetic, artistic integrity.
Make an MC Escher style world full of every kind of fantasy and excess by all means, knock yourself out, but don't ALSO bring the real world - the real world THAT IS ACTUALLY RUNNING THE SHOW inside and turn it into masked comedy.
You'd have been better off keeping observers off the premises altogether, shadowy mysterious figures watching from afar via technology.
THAT would have been REAL... and may I say, a lot more spooky.
Overall, I'm truly amazed at the plaudits for this show, the raving, the buzz, the wow!!! The omggggs!!! The attention on SM....yes it is bingeable, it is easily addictive, and there are some great performances too, but I honestly think COVID has left the community desperate for distraction for people to be responding to this as they are.
Bit sad really.
Can only give this one star, because as the old saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
The Beautiful Lie
(2015)
The beautiful lie is well named
16 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Because it is just that, a beautiful lie as far removed from real life as anything can be.
What is real life is the tragic sight of Skeet holding Vivienne alone and fractured.
That is real life.
Anna's grand passion is so beguiling, the clarion call to touch the wild thing, the wild thing will present itself sooner or later, to those who have the calling, some of us have the Anna Karenina factor in our make up, some of us do not.
Who is the luckier?
I don't know, I want to choose the wild thing but boy for the thrill of it all, the price is so high, as Tolstoy graphically showed us in his masterpiece.
This imagining does not insult the masterwork, on the contrary thanks to the depth, personality, character, and flair brought to bear by the writers, producers and performers assembled, who carry this off with a commendable combination of dark humour, deepest pathos, focused dialogue (that is mercifully controlled never tipping overly into boring cliche, though coming close enough to show, this is what people do and say in these situations), also there is a solid grounding in reality, how this would really go down for all players concerned, along with a sufficiently intense and pulsating depiction of the grand passion for us to get it , to want it for ourselves.
The characters (both supports and central), are very well drawn each with their individual contribution from high spirited Dolly to down to earth Helen, to enraptured (what a performance from Sarah Snook), fragile Anna, to Xander who is played so well by Roger Corsar showing those first fledgling steps towards acceptance, growth, processing pain after the disbelief grief and outrage passes, all his words and responses are understandable, relatable.
Kitty, Kingsley, Nick, Peter (special hearts to him) all added so much as well.
Benedict Samuel strikes a perfect note as Skeet. We don't get to know him too well, great, we don't need to, he does not do a lot of talking, great,we don't need him to, he barely changes his outfit, he barely combs his hair, good he needs to be somehow out of reach, a representation of something mysterious to lust after then when he does need to show fire in his dialogue, his body language, to demonstrate to us the awful reality of his situation, and what it is causing him to feel, he rises to the occasion with just the right mix of anguish, helplessness and grief.
Suddenly he is very accessible.
We feel for him.
I felt for Skeet more than I ever felt for Count Vronsky and that's saying something :) Thanks to all concerned with this production, great work, really. Hope lots more people watch it.
What is real life is the tragic sight of Skeet holding Vivienne alone and fractured.
That is real life.
Anna's grand passion is so beguiling, the clarion call to touch the wild thing, the wild thing will present itself sooner or later, to those who have the calling, some of us have the Anna Karenina factor in our make up, some of us do not.
Who is the luckier?
I don't know, I want to choose the wild thing but boy for the thrill of it all, the price is so high, as Tolstoy graphically showed us in his masterpiece.
This imagining does not insult the masterwork, on the contrary thanks to the depth, personality, character, and flair brought to bear by the writers, producers and performers assembled, who carry this off with a commendable combination of dark humour, deepest pathos, focused dialogue (that is mercifully controlled never tipping overly into boring cliche, though coming close enough to show, this is what people do and say in these situations), also there is a solid grounding in reality, how this would really go down for all players concerned, along with a sufficiently intense and pulsating depiction of the grand passion for us to get it , to want it for ourselves.
The characters (both supports and central), are very well drawn each with their individual contribution from high spirited Dolly to down to earth Helen, to enraptured (what a performance from Sarah Snook), fragile Anna, to Xander who is played so well by Roger Corsar showing those first fledgling steps towards acceptance, growth, processing pain after the disbelief grief and outrage passes, all his words and responses are understandable, relatable.
Kitty, Kingsley, Nick, Peter (special hearts to him) all added so much as well.
Benedict Samuel strikes a perfect note as Skeet. We don't get to know him too well, great, we don't need to, he does not do a lot of talking, great,we don't need him to, he barely changes his outfit, he barely combs his hair, good he needs to be somehow out of reach, a representation of something mysterious to lust after then when he does need to show fire in his dialogue, his body language, to demonstrate to us the awful reality of his situation, and what it is causing him to feel, he rises to the occasion with just the right mix of anguish, helplessness and grief.
Suddenly he is very accessible.
We feel for him.
I felt for Skeet more than I ever felt for Count Vronsky and that's saying something :) Thanks to all concerned with this production, great work, really. Hope lots more people watch it.
Awesome loved it....naysayers go home
21 May 2019
Stop bleating about Game of Thrones! It delivered in spades. Sorry your character arcs didn't pan out perfectly for you guys giving this a RIDICULOUS ONE STAR. (seriously, that is just being a contrarian, self aggrandizing rubbish). Yes it should have been longer, yes it was not well paced, but it was a fantastic finish and I'm completely satisfied with everyone's fate. And so much scope for spin offs. If you whiners want an author go back to the books. Makes me cranky to see people who'll never bring anything wonderful to life talking about "D&D" with derision. Guess it makes them feel important. These guys are writing for television, for a visual spectacle. HBO congratulations, a miracle of creation. Well done also to all the cast, you were all fabulous and gave us so, so much. Hearts.
Definitely weak but...
10 May 2019
People are I think preparing to say goodbye to GoT by denouncing it overly much. WE feel relief now that there is a coffee cup to smirk at as diversion from impending loss. Soon, there will be no more of this world of Westeros to delve into, to lose oneself in. We must say goodbye to Westeros. And that, after all the emotion, hours and attachment invested in it, is very tough. The rabid appetite we have for this and other diversions is all about avoiding the void and when the last of the credits roll many will feel that void keenly. The thing is, that void is real, it lies in wait if it is not faced up to and stared down, while GoT of course is not real. If you feel bereft when this show ends, go and get some grief counselling about the losses in your life, that is what that feeling is about. Dont ignore it.
The Cry
(I) (2018)
After only half an hour am offside with this narrative....
3 February 2019
So this successful man is dragging his new wife and tiny baby across the world to take away his daughter from her mother, she is 14, he has not seen her in years, what sort of scum bucket does that? Yes what the mother did sucks too, but sheesh....mounting a "custody battle" in court years later as response? Nuh I'm not on board with that, and am going to struggle to connect to this pair or care too much about anything that happens to them. But I'll persevere a while.
Shtisel
(2013–2021)
Fantastic, best thing on Netflix at the moment in Australia if you like people dramas
16 January 2019
This show is just so special, beautifully drawn, written & presented, I loved all the characters, the opening credits, the unpretentious un self conscious feel of it and how the many aspects of personality/ behaviour around grief loss deception yearning etc is portrayed. Highly recommended. It's a shame so many people will be binging on exploitative muck like YOU and missing this wonderful heart and soul contribution. Thanks to all involved.
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