Ignore any reviews complaining of this being slow. It's brilliant. It's a Cold War drama set a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, with wonderful characters, played by brilliant actors, teeing up a story we're all familiar with. There's very little levity, but it's indicative of its subject matter: it's not a happy time. If your favourite moments in the three trilogies or spin-offs are light sabre battles, you'll be disappointed with this. But, if you enjoy the politics or the technology or the aesthetic of Star Wars, and you enjoy accompanying characters as they journey to a point where you actually care - regardless of whether they're rebel, empire or trying not to be either - this is for you.
Reviews
8 Reviews
Are You There God? It's Me, Coach
2 April 2022
Until this point, every episode has been from the perspective of Ted: light and breezy, with little jeopardy or peril. This episode is from Beard's perspective and his mind is a very different place to Ted's. An episode with a tone similar to the rest of the show wouldn't have given us an insight into Beard's psyche, how he views the world or how he views himself; this episode revealed how different he is to Ted, but also how similar they are, particularly in their refusal to quit.
Some of literature's greatest work has a 'palette cleanser' at the beginning of the third (or, in Shakespeare's case, fifth) act; something completely different, but strangely illuminating - think Act V, scene I of Hamlet, or The Pipers at the Gates of Dawn of The Wind in the Willows - which can confuse and confound, but allows us to draw breath. This was that episode. Beard is illusive, but this episode pulled back the curtain. I'm happy to get back to Ted, but I'm happier that I know Coach better.
Some of literature's greatest work has a 'palette cleanser' at the beginning of the third (or, in Shakespeare's case, fifth) act; something completely different, but strangely illuminating - think Act V, scene I of Hamlet, or The Pipers at the Gates of Dawn of The Wind in the Willows - which can confuse and confound, but allows us to draw breath. This was that episode. Beard is illusive, but this episode pulled back the curtain. I'm happy to get back to Ted, but I'm happier that I know Coach better.
Zack Snyder's Justice League
(2021)
A bit better
22 March 2021
The original theatrical release was a mess. This isn't (at least until the end... the end... the end... the end... is that the end? Ok. Oh, there's another one), but double the celluloid only changes this from a five star film to a six, based almost entirely on Cyborg being humanised. Could easily lose an hour by not having two minutes of establishing shots before any dialogue/action/another ending, which wouldn't have gained it another star, but would've made me more likely to watch it again at some point.
It's better than the theatrical cut, but not to the extent of all the 10 star reviews people are splooging all over the show.
Yesterday
(III) (2019)
The hill upon which I'm willing to die...
3 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a fan of The Beatles. I like Richard Curtis (sometimes) and Danny Boyle (for the most part). I, generally, like this film; the music is good, the characters are likeable/funny/frustrating/sweet (or whatever archetype they're there meant to be) and it's an interesting premise. But, that is the one huge issue I have with this film: the execution of this premise.
I completely understand that one has to suspend disbelief for the premise to work, but the film tries to explain them away. No Beatles somehow equates to no Oasis (lol), no Coca-Cola, no cigarettes and no Harry Potter. So, Messrs Curtis and Boyle are expecting us to accept that a world that doesn't include the most influential music act of the 20th Century, the biggest band of Britpop, the largest producer of plastic waste in the world, an industry responsible for over 3m deaths per year, and a cultural phenomenon spanning books, films, spin-off books, spin-off films, plays, studio tours, a Universal Studios 'world', etc, etc, would be almost exactly the same, apart from a few missing CDs and people looking at you funny when you ask for Coke? Come on, guys, that is utterly preposterous.
Ok, the reason I'm annoyed is simple: the film is completely dependent on the audience asking no questions of it whatsoever. An example of this is that Oasis don't exist - haha - however, Coldplay do. But Coldplay were signed to Parlophone, who signed The Beatles. Yet Coldplay exist exactly as it did in a Beatles world.
Some people may not mind being asked to remove their brain for the duration of a film's running time - and I'm generally pretty happy to do it - but this film stretches the premise to breaking point, then breaks it, then burns the pieces, hides them in a draw.
It's not terrible, by any stretch, but it is infuriating.
I completely understand that one has to suspend disbelief for the premise to work, but the film tries to explain them away. No Beatles somehow equates to no Oasis (lol), no Coca-Cola, no cigarettes and no Harry Potter. So, Messrs Curtis and Boyle are expecting us to accept that a world that doesn't include the most influential music act of the 20th Century, the biggest band of Britpop, the largest producer of plastic waste in the world, an industry responsible for over 3m deaths per year, and a cultural phenomenon spanning books, films, spin-off books, spin-off films, plays, studio tours, a Universal Studios 'world', etc, etc, would be almost exactly the same, apart from a few missing CDs and people looking at you funny when you ask for Coke? Come on, guys, that is utterly preposterous.
Ok, the reason I'm annoyed is simple: the film is completely dependent on the audience asking no questions of it whatsoever. An example of this is that Oasis don't exist - haha - however, Coldplay do. But Coldplay were signed to Parlophone, who signed The Beatles. Yet Coldplay exist exactly as it did in a Beatles world.
Some people may not mind being asked to remove their brain for the duration of a film's running time - and I'm generally pretty happy to do it - but this film stretches the premise to breaking point, then breaks it, then burns the pieces, hides them in a draw.
It's not terrible, by any stretch, but it is infuriating.
Meh...
28 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It's ok. Far from great, but not terrible. It's just, well, boring. I felt no investment in the characters, which is a joke for the ninth film in a saga, and to spring the architect of all bad things on us now (after we saw him die three/six films ago), but miss the opportunity to tie that into anything but the lineage of one character, nor explain how the actual fudge this happened, is a travesty. Even after the horrible The Last Jedi, the saga was salvageable, but the opportunity was missed and we'll never have that opportunity again.
Just brilliant in so many ways
10 July 2019
Whatever way one chooses to judge SMITSV (as no one is calling it), it holds up incredibly well.
In terms of production and direction, it is superb; the artistic choices are on point, with each Spider-person unique in their design and execution, with the voice cast making their character as individual and essential as those who draw/render them. And these characters are placed in a world that feels ripped straight from the pages of a comic. The characters and their environment are tight, but accessible; there is no flab here.
The cinematography is first class and the editing jaunts between fluent and seamless to jarring and obvious, to great effect. I've seen this in both 2D and 3D, and this is the only film I've ever seen that I preferred the 3D version; that is not to say the 2D version is inferior, only that the production team really got this right in the 3D version.
Finally, hats off to the sound department. Bravo! From the off, this sprawling soundtrack is mixed and scratched together with imperfect precision to compliment what's on screen and is littered with effects to add garish colour to an already kaleidoscopic soundscape.
Up there with the very best in the superhero genre and a game changer in terms of animation, well deserving of its Oscar.
In terms of production and direction, it is superb; the artistic choices are on point, with each Spider-person unique in their design and execution, with the voice cast making their character as individual and essential as those who draw/render them. And these characters are placed in a world that feels ripped straight from the pages of a comic. The characters and their environment are tight, but accessible; there is no flab here.
The cinematography is first class and the editing jaunts between fluent and seamless to jarring and obvious, to great effect. I've seen this in both 2D and 3D, and this is the only film I've ever seen that I preferred the 3D version; that is not to say the 2D version is inferior, only that the production team really got this right in the 3D version.
Finally, hats off to the sound department. Bravo! From the off, this sprawling soundtrack is mixed and scratched together with imperfect precision to compliment what's on screen and is littered with effects to add garish colour to an already kaleidoscopic soundscape.
Up there with the very best in the superhero genre and a game changer in terms of animation, well deserving of its Oscar.
Blinded by the Light
(2019)
It's absolutely fine
9 July 2019
I just saw this in a Cineworld Unlimited screening and, other than having seen the trailer and thought it looked ok, knew very little of Blinded By The Light. Immediately a few people got up and walked out. Ten minutes in a couple more joined them. Others waited an hour, then popped off. Some of these people - though not necessarily in the same screening as me - have added their 1-star review to IMDb. These people should have their Unlimited cards confiscated and be barred from cinemas and writing reviews permanently. Sure, it's not a perfect film - Springsteen is shoehorned in a cringeworthy number of times and the narrative has a paint-by-numbers feel to it - but it's a cheerful film with a good message: do what makes you happy and don't be a douche. Those giving the 1-star reviews really did miss the second part of the message.
Look, it's an ok film. If you like Bend It Like Beckham, you'll probably enjoy this. Of you're a massive 'The Boss' fan, you'll probably enjoy this. Don't trust the 1-star reviews; it's never a 1-star film. I'd probably really rate this 5 stars, but I'm adding one just to counter a couple of those walk-outs who feel justified in tarring a film with their own ineptitude.
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