mikeos3 Reviews

The Bravados (1958)

Good stereo sound

[8/10 · 3 May 2024]

A small number of movies from this period, late 1950s onward made creative use of stereophonic sound. This film is a good example. In the interior scenes particularly there is a theatrical sound stage, with the dialogue moving with the actors. More imaginative than present day movies which are mostly interested in blockbuster cgi and overwhelming music.

Good late period movie with excellent photography, particularly the night time shooting which really does seem authentic rather than phony "day for night". By the way, its good to know that in the old west they still poured their beer in to glasses, rather than the modern method of sucking it from the bottle, an American habit which has unfortunately spread into the UK.

Battle of Britain (1969)

Personal memories

[7/10 · 29 December 2023]

I went through the war as a child. In Woolwich. My father was a munitions worker in Woolwich Arsenal, a frequent target by the German bombers. My mother was never sure she would see him at the end of the day. In our back garden we had a concrete shelter built, as my father's occupation was deemed essential. One day we were in the garden and dad called out "come and have a look at this". I ran down to him and saw a V1 flying bomb flying across at medium distance. They were looked on as just a minor inconvenience.

I had a friend some years older than me. He lived in Kent at the time. He told me that during the Battle of Britain he and a friend would take their sandwiches and a bottle of squash and lie in th fields watching the dogfights going on overhead.

Gracepoint (2014)

Enjoyed the location shooting

[3/10 · 6 May 2022]

I watched a few episodes for the locations. I've been to Sidney and Victoria a few times so enjoyed recognising locations, like the Oak Bay restaurant. However, being familiar with the Broadchurch original I see no reason for this duplicate which seems strangely lifeless.

The Twilight Zone: The Obsolete Man (1961) Season 2, Episode 29

Actual totalitarian state

[15 December 2021]

Never mind a trial, in a real totalitarian state like the soviet, or present day China, a more likely extinction would be a bullet in the back of the head in a nameless basement, after being "disappeared".

The Outer Limits: The Sixth Finger (1963) Season 1, Episode 5

David McCallum, musician

[8/10 · 24 November 2021]

David McCallum is shown playing classical piano in one scene. Rather than using a piano double, it actually is his own playing. McCallum was trained from a very early age in both oboe and piano, and is capable of playing to professional standard. His father was leader of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Long Call (2021)

Not bad

[27 October 2021]

Holds the interest, typical Ann Cleeves plotline. Reasonable acting, with one exception, charisma-free Ben Aldridge, who read his lines as if he's reading from a teleprompter. When Juliet Stevenson is on screen she gives him a much needed acting lesson.

House on Greenapple Road (1970 TV Movie)

Police procedures

[23 October 2021]

Watching this on YouTube. When August enters the house he walks all over the crime scene, including the blood on the floor, leaves his prints everywhere including the phone, rings the hospital to check admissions, all before checking the rest of the house for a body. Lets hope police procedures have improved in the decades since.

Doublecross (1956)

Robert Shaw

[7/10 · 7 October 2021]

As well as his part in the film he gets a credit as.dialect adviser. Lucky he didn't make it his vocation.

Law & Order: Standoff (2000) Season 11, Episode 4

Misconduct by detective?

[6/10 · 24 July 2021]

An inmate is stabbed in the abdomen. While being questioned by detective Green he bad mouths him with a racial slur. Green responds by torturing the inmate. Nothing is said about this by his partner Briscoe. We can assume therefore that this behaviour is approved of.

Bank Holiday (1938)

What happened to the baby?

[4/10 · 12 May 2021]

Guy's wife dies in childbirth, nurse says "do you want to see the baby now.?" Guy says "no, never", and nobody seems to think that strange, really?

The Man Upstairs (1958)

Edward Evans

[20 October 2020]

I used to play Edward Evans (Fire Brigade Officer) at table tennis.

NCIS: Semper Fortis (2014) Season 12, Episode 8

Jury trial

[9 March 2020]

I assume that if she had gone to trial there would have been a jury. No mention was made about the extreme difficulty of getting a guilty verdict given all the favourable testimony on her behalf.

NCIS: So It Goes (2014) Season 12, Episode 3

Young Ducky

[6/10 · 3 March 2020]

The actor playin the young Dr mallard is a reasonable proxy for young david MaCallum.

Jesse Stone: No Remorse (2010 TV Movie)

Good hifi

[26 January 2020]

Glad to see that Jesse uses a Thorens turntable. Swiss engineering at its' best.

[Cargo] (2018)

why not just ring the police?

[1/10 · 7 January 2020]

Would have thought he would just have rung the cops!

The Mallorca Files (2019– )

Good location shooting

[3/10 · 5 December 2019]

Stars only for the magnificent location. Plot and script disposal. Lead actress always looks crumpled and dishevelled as if her clothes don't fit.

The Strange World of Planet X (1958)

Great line frim this movie

[14 June 2019]

"Our new assistant is a woman? but this is highly technical work". I often quote this line to my wife!

Active Shooter: America Under Fire (2017– )

Questionable assertions

[8/10 · 14 October 2017]

the previous reviewer provides no citation for his questionable assertions. I would just comment as follows:

Firstly Cairn is not in Canada as he seems to think, but in Australia and secondly, the tragic murders he refers to were a terrible domestic incident by a disturbed mother involving suffocation and have no relevance in gun crime discussion.

The series under review provides a welcome entry in a very serious debate about the almost medieval level of violence in what is considered to be a civilized nation.