riccoh68 Reviews

Plonk (2014–2015)

Poorly conceived 'comedy'

[2/10 · 20 April 2015]

I am not sure what Chris Taylor was thinking in being part of this project. The comedy is very poor, relying on slapstick setups that do not work. I only endured the first episode of the three-part series (available on Stan) but have no reason to believe that the rest of the series would get any better. The show didn't seem to know what it was trying to achieve. The writing was all over the place, and the acting was appalling. It is interesting that some of the great names in Australian wine-making agreed to be part of this farce because it did not do them any favours. Neither did the appearance of Nathan Earl as an actor rather than a producer. Perhaps the writers and production crew should not have done so much research in drinking the plonk, and spent more time in preparing a funnier script. 2 out of 10.

Varsity Blues (1999)

A terrible indictment on American society

[1/10 · 12 September 2005]

This is a truly awful teen-flick. I should have been warned by the voice-over during the opening scenes; I hoped things might improve, but the hopes were in vain. The performances are all half-hearted and lack focus, as if none of the actors could be at all bothered in making any kind of effort in this been-there-and-done-that movie. Having never had the 'pleasure' of visiting Texas, I have no idea if a society that is so shallow and frankly stupid could actually exist. All the well-worn clichés are here, along with the pathetic ethos of sexual ethics and substance abuse that will only continue to carry American society further down into the gutter of self-depravity. The context of football is seemingly irrelevant; any kind of activity that attempts to distract such low-life people from the sad reality of their empty lives would suffice. The inter-mixture of patriotism, religion, sport and hero-worship is so confused as to further weaken and destroy any sentiments that may be engendered within the viewer. Although the final scenes are vaguely heart-warming, the trollop that has preceded them only ensure that the viewer really can't give a stuff about any of the characters... In conclusion, really - don't bother.

According to Spencer (2001)

Only for a rainy day ...

[3/10 · 18 May 2005]

What a disappointment. That this movie is billed as a comedy is bizarre. I don't recall myself laughing even once. The setting and scripting is juvenile and primitive, and the characterisations hollow and unbelievable. There is almost no development during the movie, nor anything to really pique the interest of the audience.

The jacket description on the DVD was very misleading and thus annoying. While there was great potential in this film, it was never even begun to be realised.

I watched this movie after a four-hour counselling session with a couple who had recently lost their 17-year-old son in a car accident, and was after a pick-me-up - but this movie never even began to offer, even though almost anything could have.