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What I'm Watching Now
Foreign Films to Make Time For
TV To See
Best War Movies - Ongoing List
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The Best TV I've Seen
Must See ASAP (2013)
Movies that I want to see have no comment. Once I've watched them I add my brief comment.
Reviews
Squid Game: The Challenge (2023)
Worth At Least 7/10
I started watching this with a lot of trepidation after seeing the low ratings and reading a couple of the negative reviews. Fortunately there were plenty of 'don't believe the low ratings' reviews as well and, as usual, they turned out to be correct because Squid Game The Challenge is very entertaining.
There are the usual player types of course. The player that you love to hate, the nice one, the annoying one etc etc. But who gets knocked out and who gets to progress each week is, so far, pretty random. Unlike your typical reality tv show.
Then there are the games. Many straight out of the original series and some completely new. All of them (five episodes in) are exciting and filled with tension and brutality (the non violent type).
So, seriously, do not believe the low ratings or negative reviews. Give it a go and decide for yourself.
Napoleon (2023)
Josephine & Napoleon - The Soap Opera
Should have just been called Josephine & Napoleon the Soap Opera.
It was incredibly inaccurate historically and all the more boring for it. Most especially the battle of Austerlitz and Waterloo, which were portrayed as mere playground skirmishes. Austerlitz for instance, in real life was a masterpiece of command and strategy and one of his greatest victories.
The battle took place over an expansive area and was a masterclass of troop movements, timing and positioning and literally made his name. Scott made it seem like it all took place on a frozen lake and was over and done with in a matter of minutes. Hardly even close to reality.
There was so much source material they could have used for this movie, material that shows what made Napoleon the greatest General and commander of all time. Instead we get a character study of Napoleon's infatuation with Josephine and his desire for an heir. Incredibly disappointing and hardly worth the 5.0/10 that I've rated it. My advice? Wait for the DVD.
House of the Dragon: Driftmark (2022)
Absolutely Ridiculous
This may well have been a good episode. Even a great one, if you're to believe some of the other reviews. How are we supposed to judge it though if we can't see it? It's ridiculously dark.
We hear voices but don't know who's talking. We see flashes of pale skin and white hair, but can't make out who they belong to. The whole viewing experience is ruined because of one man's interminable need to force his style of direction upon the viewers.
He ruined the single episode of GoT that he directed and he ruined this one for the same stupid unnecessary reasons. I'm dumbfounded as to why the producers allowed him anywhere near this series, especially after the backlash of his incompetent handling of the pitch black GoT episode. He must have friends in high places I guess. Hopefully this is the last one he directs of this or any other series.
Chosen (2016)
Just So-So
A fairly low budget production and it shows. Too many scenes shot in the same location. Too little lighting; most scenes are way too dark, and too much loud music. Probably laid over the top to increase the atmosphere, but it's at the cost of being able to hear and understand the dialogue.
There's also too much background noise playing on a loop. I.e. The sound of troops marching. And once you've noticed it, you can't stop noticing it.
All I can say is; thank goodness for fast forward.
Snowpiercer: The Original Sinners (2022)
High marks....
....for the near perfect season finale.
Lots of story arcs getting resolved or concluded, which is a must in a tv series, and a nice little cliffhanger to keep us invested enough to tune in next year. What more could you want?
People complaining that everything was tied up too quickly, forget that this is a tv series with a set number of episodes and would themselves complain if story arcs were not concluded.
Personally, after once saying that the story was told in the movie and I couldn't see where they could get more out of this, am now happy to say I was wrong.
I'm really enjoying this and very much looking forward to seeing where the writers will take it in Season 4.
Day Zero (2021)
Everyone Needs To See This NOW!
I find it appalling that it appears, at this time, that so few people have watched this yet.
As no one is going to do anything about it before it's too late. And it may already be too late. What are we going to tell our grandchildren when the water is all gone? This is frightening viewing and everyone needs to watch this. EVERYONE!
Fear the Walking Dead: Reclamation (2021)
Starting to really drag....
....and stretching reality to breaking point, whilst the loopholes and unanswered questions continue to rack up.
Extremely contrived scenes (Morgan overcoming one of TWO armed protagonists, whilst lying down being just one example) and unrealistic scenarios (An incredibly localised yellow fog that no wind can dissipate) are combining with the above to slow this, once decent spinoff, to a crawl.
Needs fresh characters and better writers.
Procession (2021)
Deserves A Ten
Any documentary based on this subject matter deserves a ten. Any production that is presented by the victims themselves deserves a ten. Every minute viewed, every snippet of the traumatic experiences of these victims that is seen, all of it helps to raise awareness of what happened and what continues to happen within the priesthood. For decades, if not millennia, the priesthood has been the go to profession for sexual predators. Documentaries like these serve to remind us of that fact and should be seen by all those who want justice for the victims and who want the church and it's evil predators brought to account. 10/10.
Mr Inbetween: I'm Not Leaving (2021)
Just One More
Wow, I just smashed through all three seasons of Mr Inbetween in three days flat. It's that good. I couldn't help myself.
It was like reading a brilliant book and saying to yourself, just one more chapter. You really have to see it to believe it.
The star. The acting. The writing. The director. The episodes. Everything and everyone incredible. 10/10.
The Guvnors (2014)
Predictable Nonsense
Predictable. Contrived. Far-fetched. Ridiculous. Nonsense. And about as detailed and dramatic as this review. It gets a 5 from me though, but only because I've seen worse.
Sweet Girl (2021)
All over the place
This movie is summed up halfway through by Jason Momoa's character when he says "We need to pull over here until I can figure out what's going on" Yeah, you and me both mate. Full of characters you neither love nor hate and with a story that is all over the place, this is almost a complete waste. Of everything. 5.5/10.
The Spa (2013)
Deserved A Second Season
There's more than a hint of the hilarious Brittas Empire about The Spa and it's all the better for it. This version though, is more up-to-date and has more quirky characters in it than the Brittas Empire ever did. Yes it's a bit crass at times, and silly, but it's also very funny, as in laugh out loud funny. Unfortunately, just as the cast seemed to be really getting into their various characters, it was canceled. A real shame because a second season would have been great to see.
Cruella (2021)
A Fun Movie.....
.....that's considerably lifted by the two Emma's and the incredible talents of the costume design department. 7/10.
The Liberator (2020)
Excellent Series
This is an excellent series that could easily have filled a half dozen or more extra episodes but it's let down in parts, in my opinion, by the occasional gung-ho cheesiness that we've all seen before in old Hollywood, John Wayne movies. "It's been an honour serving with you sir" - "No, the honour is mine lieutenant". Still, for all that, it kept me glued to the screen 7.5/10.
A Quiet Place Part II (2020)
A Worthy Sequel.....
.......and if you enjoyed the first one then you'll certainly enjoy this one too.
Most sequels that flop tend to do so because the powers that be think the audience simply want exponentially more of the same thing that was in the original. More bad guys, more explosions, much, much more of everything. Except story and depth and character development.
A Quiet Place II, thankfully, doesn't fall into that trap. It starts almost exactly where it left off. Right at the point in fact, where we were left wanting to see more in the first film. Then it simply and effectively expands on the original.
Overall I rate it as good as the first instalment, if not marginally better in places. If it has any fault at all, it's in the runtime which, IMHO, is a tad short. We definitely wanted to see more though and who knows, maybe there'll be a third one? Let's hope so.
Godfather of Harlem: It's a Small World After All (2021)
It's Been Better
I thoroughly enjoyed the first season and thought it well worth the 8/10 rating. However, this season, and especially this episode, feels like a diluted version of the original and is just too predictable. Someone needs to lift their game.
The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021)
So So
It's nowhere near as good as the early reviews will have you believe. Likeable characters and a decent story can't lift this beyond being a Pixar wanna be. It lacks the heart to be that good.
The facetime animation overlays are also more irritating than innovative. I enjoyed it enough to see it through, but it was a bit of a slog getting there. 6.5/10.
Love, Death & Robots: Life Hutch (2021)
Enjoyable Enough
Polished graphics and an exciting enough story but, even if it were fleshed out more, I couldn't imagine this being any more than the short story that it is. Very watchable though and reminded me to keep a torch handy at all times. 7.5/10.
Love, Death & Robots: All Through the House (2021)
Short Sharp Shock
A merry twisted Christmas to one and all. Shorter than a pair of budgie smugglers and much more fun. So far Season 2 is looking even better than Season 1.
Love, Death & Robots: The Tall Grass (2021)
Stylish Horror
All good short stories give you more than your money's worth and this one is no exception. It plays out like a snippet from someone's nightmare that's been transferred to the screen and it's done very nicely indeed. It also made me wonder if the writer had been reading some Stephen King lately. 7.5/10.
Love, Death & Robots: Snow in the Desert (2021)
Quite Incredible
Incredible graphics and an exciting, short, bloody tale had me hooked and wanting to see more of this Borderland style world and its characters. 9/10.
Love, Death & Robots: Pop Squad (2021)
Awesome Animation
This one has a great Blade Runner feel to it and awesome, realistic animation. There are a lot of questions asked in the 18 minute runtime and it left me wanting to see more. Much more. 8.5/10.
Love, Death & Robots: Ice (2021)
Middling
I tend to rate these shorts by whether or not I want to see more of the story. This one is a yes in that respect, but only because it needs a bit more of an explanation. I really wanted to know more about what I was watching. Other than that, it's a 6.5 for me, mainly for the cool comic book animation.
Love, Death & Robots: Automated Customer Service (2021)
Another Gem
Thoroughly enjoyed this episode. Like all of the better ones it's 10 minute runtime is packed with quality animation, a good story and more than a few laughs. A great start (This is Episode 1 on Netflix) to Season 2.
Miasto 44 (2014)
Watch It For Its Historical Significance
It's a little stylised in parts but otherwise this Polish production is very well made. It tells the story of a group of young adults who join in the Warsaw uprising of 1944.
Fully expecting it to be a two day, patriotic adventure, with the Russians (allies of their allies) at the outskirts of the city, they attack the Germans with little more than small arms and a few grenades. But.. the Russians didn't advance and, perhaps more importantly, the Germans didn't retreat.
What followed was the absolute destruction of Warsaw, the slaughter of 200,000 of its 900,000 inhabitants and the imprisonment of all but 1,000 of the rest of them.
It's gritty and violent and sometimes even disturbing, but it's also a part of history that needs telling and seeing. Watch it for that reason if nothing else. 7.5/10.