seagull_2006 Reviews

Baby Reindeer (2024)

Bizarre

[6/10 · 28 April 2024]

Well, where do I start with this .

I gave it a 6 as I had to forward wind so many shocking scenes which would have left a nasty flavour ( thank you , remote control!) - otherwise I could not have got through this one.

Richard Gadd's bravery is immense to only to share his story so openly with the world, but to act in it and thereby re-live his trauma. Reviewers have criticised him for stupid decision making but it's a testament to his honesty that he was able to openly admit and observe his unwise decisions, clearly indication of the unmet needs which is shared by many victims of grooming , regardless their age or gender ( I wonder if people would have been quite as harsh if he'd been a woman ??).

This show definitely isn't for everyone, unless you have an interest in the dark side of people's psyche and behaviours. I found it made a fascinating exploration of the relationship between stalker and victim , and groomer and victim. Clearly demonstrating the complexities around such relationships.

I think it overdid the crudeness which was sometimes unnecessary, or I would have scored it higher.

The Asunta Case (2024)

Excellent true life thriller

[9/10 · 28 April 2024]

This series kept me enthralled from beginning to end and I had to binge watch the entire show just to see what happened next as there were many twists and turns.

Javier Gutierrez is particularly good here ( I've seen him in several films recently but he excelled in this series), but to be fair, all the actors without exception are fantastic, especially the actors who played the parts of the parents .

There is enough back story to make the police and even jury members realistic. There is also the backdrop of the beautiful Galician landscapes.

This was a real life tragic case but I feel it was sensitively interpreted by the directors and cast.

Priscilla (2023)

Yawnfest

[3/10 · 18 April 2024]

From what I've seen in the real Priscilla, she strikes me as a feisty and strong lady even in her youth.

I was profoundly irritated by the portrayal on this film , where the actress is portrayed as looking 12 years old ( and never seems to age even when she's a mother and well in her 20s).

Why speak in that ridiculous, fake and frightened voice of a 5 year old, ALL THE TIME!!

I'm sure Priscilla never talked like this in real life??

I guess this was to make Elvis look as bad as possible and portray him as a paedophile ( even though he married her well within the legal age and at a time when the average 15/16 year old was almost considered an adult and were often either working or thinking of marriage)

Not recommended.

Murder in Mayfair (2023)

I fail to see the point of this documentary...

[6/10 · 13 July 2023]

Firstly, there was minimum background/ information regarding the Norwegian girl and Farouk's relationship to put things in context.

One minute we are watching cute home videos of a 6 year old blond child , the next moment she is an adult in London and the murder has happened . Farouk is described as some random class mate that she knew but I wonder if there was more too it than that which would have put the tragedy in context . Where they in a relationship, and had a fight , or was he just bored and decided to kill her for fun ?

Secondly... although I understand the reporter wanted closure for the dad, what was she really hoping to achieve with Farouk ? Having got in touch with him via Snapchat , which seemed surprisingly easy ( do we REALLY know it's him , and not some random bored dude who was playing into this and stringing her along ) ... she insists that she wants details of what happened . We know what happened! He raped and murdered her . I'm sorry the dad , in particular, does not want more details about this tragic event .

Did she expect him to "hand himself in " and say .. yeah, I'll go to UK to face trial and life imprisonment. I mean , really ??

I can see the case will finish there and nothing more will be heard of this cold blooded individual.

If I was the dad, ( and it was evident he has money ) I would have used this opportunity to trap him into finding his exact location and hire a hitman so he can get what he deserves . It's the only way he will get pay back for what he did to his daughter .

The Joys and Sorrows of Young Yuguo (2022)

Literally made me cry

[10/10 · 3 April 2023]

I started watching this documentary with optimism and wonder. What an original , unique boy, with his unusual dreams and identification with Rumania.

He reminded me so much of myself as a lonely teenage girl many, many years ago with a head stuffed full of dreams of past times, poetry and loving the mystery of Eastern Europe ( in my case Russia was my fascination).

I was totally unprepared for the sudden ending .

I wept not just for the loss of this young life but also for his parents who lost a part of themselves. And who were brave enough to let their precious only son to follow his dreams.

A beautifully made documentary but one I found extremely painful.

The Beach (I) (2000)

Just read the book . It's 100 times better

[4/10 · 13 March 2023]

In fact I remember the book being so darned exciting I literally couldn't put it down . I always felt it would make an amazing movie but it was mismanaged completely .

What about the part where they have to swim through an underwater cave passage to get to the island , which made it so thrilling in the book ? It didn't feature at all in the movie

Again... the book if I remember, had a rich and complex plot.

The film is a shallow, commercial version which has little to do with the original. Lots of sex and gory scenes thrown in to appeal to the mass market. As a cheap McDonalds burger compared to a steak .

And what about the main character's now classic sentence.. "I carry a lot of scars. I like the way that sounds . I carry a lot of scars ".

It wasn't mentioned anywhere in the film ...

Fortunes of War (1987)

Almost 100% true to the original books

[10/10 · 1 March 2023]

And that is maybe the biggest compliment that can be given to any Tv adaption of a book, which the majority of the time miserably fails .

Having read and loved the Balkan and Levant Trilogies by Olivia Manning (an excellent, underrated author), I can vouch that this adaption is so true to the original book that every time I have re-read the books, I see in my mind's eye all the characters in this series.

Kenneth Branagh in particular is outstanding as Guy Pringle, the absent minded English professor more in love with his work than with his wife ( until something occurs near the end which makes him realise what it would mean to lose her).

Excellent musical score , landscapes and acting throughout. Of course the 80s production looks a little dated for today's standards but as long as you can overlook this, it's a masterpiece.

Shtisel (2013–2021)

Loved it

[10/10 · 14 February 2023]

I don't know why I loved this series so much because to tell the truth, it's a fairly simple plot line . I understand it wouldn't be for everyone but for some reason I was quickly drawn in and by the end I felt they were my own family.

Maybe I just got fond of all the characters, with all their foibles and imperfections, as all families all over the world have .

I know some critics have commented that Orthodox Jews wouldn't act in this way but to be honest I could see only their humanity and love of family with all its ups and downs, which are irrespective of religion

Also some really comic moments mixed in.

A lovely , gentle series which I really missed when it ended .

Don't Look Up (2021)

Totally unrealistic and US centred

[5/10 · 30 December 2021]

Okay so it's a parody I get it however several points irritated me as the film makers assume all its viewers are stupid or uneducated

So.... A couple of unknowns discover a comet hurtling towards the planet ... and from there go directly to the White House from wheneceforth the whole movie focuses on the USA and it's plan ( or not ) to stop this comet ... Whatever happened to the enormous scientific community across the globe ? The many telescopes across the globes and attendant expert Astro physicists (including the giant telescope in Chile , where incidentally the comet is heading for ) which would have immediately added credibility to the comet , instead of relying on half arsed tv chat shows ?

Unconsciously or not , this film continues to demonstrate Hollywood's assumption of American global superiority and importance, therefore , I can't even begin to take this film seriously.

Sabrina (1995)

Didn't watch the original but still think this was tripe

[1/10 · 27 October 2021]

Most of the complaints here about the comparison with the Audrey Hepburn original.

Well , I can't comment as I never saw that one.. but I watched about half of this tripe on Netflix and had to give up.

The acting was horrendously bad, especially from Julia Ormond - I have rarely seen such dull dispirited and dead acting with fake "breathy "'tones as if she was trying to copy Marilyn Monroe.

As someone else said , the clothes and fashions were ugly as hell ... the 90s were not THIS bad !!!

Disappointed in Harrison Ford and the one who acted as the part of his brother

Came across as one of the cheapest of the cheap rom coms ... totally forgettable.

A Serious Game (2016)

Ignore the bad reviews - this is a subtle telling of an obsessive love

[8/10 · 17 February 2021]

I liked this film ( stumbled upon by accident on Netflix ). I fail to understand it's critical reviews and accusations of bad acting and lack of passion . One critic ( not on here ) even criticised the lead actor for being "pale and slack shouldered" and being the antithesis of an American hero !! (Thank God for that )

To all the negative reviewers both here and on other sites - I don't agree! Yes, the film has a Scandinavian calm and subtlety about it which some viewers used to frenetic and " in your face " Hollywood movies might not understand. It has a mysterious ambient quality , reflected in the piano score and beautiful artistic shots of nature and of the city and the decor in the houses .

It's true the film isn't focused on red hot sex , and if this is what you're expecting then you'll be disappointed. But I did feel the main actors were excellent in their portrayal of an illicit love. Let's remember these are Scandinavians and maybe they're not going to be as excitable and overtly passionate as maybe other nationalities, but I felt their restraint and outward control while clearly struggling internally with jealousy ( especially the lead man ) were more convincing for this.

Give this film a go, ignore the negativity and you might be pleasantly surprised .

Step Brothers (2008)

Ranks as one of the worst films I've seen

[1/10 · 28 December 2020]

Utterly crass, vulgar stupidity . I get it's a slapstick comedy and meant to be silly , but the whole thing was ridiculous from beginning to end - I only watched it to the end as I was bored. Ridiculous plot, acting , pointless scenes cramming in as much disgusting crudeness , and again, just plain stupidity . What the heck ...?? Avoid at all costs

The Hours (2002)

What the heck was going on here?

[29 August 2011]

I spent over one and a half hours watching this film until I gave up, resentful I have wasted so much of my life on this.

I don't usually mind slow films as I am aware they need time for the plot to develop, but I conclude that this film is exclusive to people who have read Virginia Woolf's books to make any sense of this. Half way through the film there is still no hint on how these 3 women are linked. Conversations are long and deep and yet I felt like a spectator who does not know what is happening. The Virginia character was miserable and uninspiring and that ridiculous false nose Nicole Kidman was wearing meant I could not take the character seriously. As for Meryl Streep (an actress I usually admire) and her poet friend dying of AIDS - yes very interesting but who the hell are they and what are they to do with all this? Halfway through, with still no idea what was going on, I switched off.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

Complete disappointment

[2/10 · 21 April 2009]

Everyone I know has been raving about this film all year and saying I should watch it as it is hilarious, fantastic, etc etc.

Well I love Abba music and eventually about a year after everyone else I watched the DVD. What a let down!

I can only think it became so popular because of the hype of having so many 'celebrities' acting in it.The acting is ridiculously over the top and in fact plain bad desperately trying to be funny (and in my opinion failing), the plot is weak as well as pretty immoral and depressing (woman sleeps with 3 men in one week - doesn't know who fathered her child - but never mind hey, all 3 men in the end don't care and agree to all be her fathers - not exactly my idea of the happy family film I was told about) but worse, much much worse is the total massacre of Abba's beautiful songs which were just ridiculed and distorted throughout. Let's face it, Abba's songs without Agnetha's and whatever the other one is called voices, is just not the same. Total and utter RUBBISH!!!!!!

Christiane F. (1981)

Bleak

[8/10 · 9 February 2009]

Saw this film as a 14 year old when it first came out (I sneaked in to the cinema on my own pretending to be 18) as I was Bowie obsessed and ANYTHING he was connected with I had to watch....I must say in those days the film made me think drug addiction was really cool and if there had been any spare heroin lying around I would have tried it. Luckily there wasn't and I outgrew that phase and as a mature 42 year old I know realise how often the very things which are meant to put teenagers off actually make it seem attractive.....however as an example of a bleak late 70s Berlin this film is good. It has also made me want to go to Berlin!

After Hours (I) (1985)

Hilarious and evocative of the 80s

[10/10 · 5 December 2008]

Saw this film again last night after watching the original in the cinema 23 years ago, as an 18 year old! I never forgot it though and recently bought the video on Amazon, and enjoyed it even more, maybe as it brought back a nostalgia for the 1980s. I love the whole bizarre set up, the weird coincidences (for example the piece of newspaper stuck on his arm which talks about a man being ripped apart by vigilantes in the very area he can't get away from - and then the weird woman says 'I'll burn it off' - yet more reference to burns) Love the 'Berlin club', and the idea of the plaster of Paris cream cheese bagel paper weights - so evocative of that pretentious era! There were so many parts that made me laugh out loud. In fact, I might sit down and watch it again.