Reviews
The Mummy (1999)
My favourite
It's been years since I first watched this film at the cinema. I love Egypt and I was blown away watching it the first time. Years later it is still one of my favourite films. I have watched it countless times. The casting is brilliant. The Rick and Benny relationship was so funny. Evie and Jonathan are great.
There is nothing I would change. I love that they kept it not too scary but still with a serious side where the Mummy is concerned. Great acting from everyone.
Brendan Fraser is just amazing. I read he did his own stunts and nearly died doing one of them. Damaged himself a bit along the way. What a brilliant actor. The Mummy actor Arnold Vosloo is so good and perfect in this part.
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
Sick film
Sick sick film. All the people involved in the making of this must have something wrong with them. I seriously can't believe that there are sequels. I caught it one night on Sky Horror channel years ago. I couldn't believe what I was watching. Who would even think of something as depraved as this. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be anyone stopping all these sick films being made and going out into the world. These films are going out there and doing damage. The thing is people don't seem to care as long as they are making money. I can't see any reason whatsoever to be proud of making this.
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022)
We will always love you Whitney.
I cried nearly the whole way through this movie. Especially when Whitney hit those high notes and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I loved Whitney.
I think this film did an incredible job of bringing her back to life. The actress playing her had all her movements and was so like her. If only Whitney had lived longer. So tragic. She had some good people round her who really loved her. Her Mum, Robyn Crawford and her manager. She self destructed like so many other people when they become famous. It's a lot to deal with.
She has left an amazing legacy. This movie capture that and didn't focus too much on the negative aspects. It's made me fall in love with her all over again.
The Perfect Couple (2024)
Brilliant
I nearly didn't watch this reading some of the reviews. I try not to take any notice of them normally. I'm so glad I decided to watch it anyway. I throughly enjoyed watching this series. It reminded me of an Agatha Christie Poirot murder mystery. It kept me guessing until the end. There is a star studded cast. Nicole Kidman who is great in everything. Dakota Fanning who is brilliant. Eve Hewson who is amazing and I would love to see her in much more. It is a very stylish and clever series. It's just the right length of episodes. Donna Lynne Champlin and Michael Beach were brilliant as the police team. Donna reminded me of a female Columbo. This deserves a higher rating than it has.
Eric (2024)
Brilliant
Wow. Powerful. Thought provoking and just brilliant.
This mini series deals with so many issues head on. Abuse, racism, homophobia, alcoholism, addiction, Mental Health and homelessness. Also love and loss.
It has such a moving ending I was in tears.
I do not personally think it was drawn out. The six episodes were just right.
Fantastic performances from all the cast. Particularly the leads. Benedict Cumberbatch, Gabi Hoffman, Mckinley Belcher III and Ivan Morris Howe. They all deserve Oscars for their performance.
It was just so incredible I sat for a while after it had finished just staring at the screen.
There are so many messages in this. We just need to listen.
Interview with the Vampire (2022)
Fabulous
I'm a big fan of Anne Rice. I have read her books and seen the film of Interview with the Vampire which I loved. I hoped this would be good and it went far beyond that. It's exceptional. It's the expensive vintage wine amongst all the lesser ones. The acting is superb from all of the cast. It's a tragic love story amongst all the blood. It's about pain, love, loss and mistakes. The three leads are just outstanding. Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid and Assad Zaman. Such emotionally packed scenes. They all deserve Oscar's. Eric Bogosion is great as Daniel. Also Ben Daniel is wonderful as Santiago. The sets and scenery are stunning. I haven't watched anything with such love and passion in a long time. I'm really looking forward to a season 3.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)
Brilliant first half
I love the Hunger Game films. They are superb and especially due to having Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. It took me a while to watch this one knowing she was not in it. This film started off so well. Showing the origin of the games. Some quite brutal scenes and very well done. The second half of this film just changed tempo. There was for me far too much emphasis on the character Lucy Gray and her singing. Rachel Zeglar is stunning and has a really beautiful voice. But there was just too much. I know the story is from a book but the second half could have been done so much better. It seemed to lose it's way.
Ripley (2024)
A work of art.
Watching this was for me like drinking an expensive bottle of fine Italian red wine. Sheer absolute pleasure. The cinematography was stunning. Beautiful shots of Italy. I think I can see why they filmed it in black and white. There are no colours to distract your eye from the wonderful visuals. The casting is brilliant and the acting superb especially from the very talented Andrew Scott. I expect great things from Eliot Sumner. It plays with your emotions. I went from really disliking Ripley to admiring him in a way at the end. Which I felt really bad about. This is a brilliant work of art and I will definitely watch it again.
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Brilliant
I've just rewatched the three originals finishing with "Return of the Jedi". I thought Mark Hamill was amazing in this. He looked so handsome in his black outfit and played the part of a Jedi knight superbly. He definitely stole it for me. I know the Ewok's are a bit like Marmite. You either love them or you hate them. I've never really been a fan. (Apart from the baby one is soo cute) This film has major events happening. The death of Yoda, Darth Vader and Palpatine. The fall of the Empire. Maybe you need the Ewok's to add some humour to the darkness. Whatever people think they are part of Star Wars history. I have definitely fallen in love with Mark Hamill all over again. The scene with him, Darth Vader and Palpatine is one of the best scenes in the whole of Star Wars.
The Lodge (2019)
Chilling
I paused it a few times which isn't a good thing when watching a movie. It's one of those movies which are a slow burn. The ones that leave you afterwards, reflecting on what you just watched, chilled to the bone. In fact the more you think about it afterwards the scarier it becomes. I can honestly say I nearly baled out but it's definitely worth watching till the end. I writing this before going to sleep hoping I can sleep as it was quite disturbing. I think these kind of movies which don't have loads of things to make you jump get bad reviews. It's a good movie with good acting especially from the young actors.
Wonka (2023)
Masterpiece
I've just come home from watching Wonka at the cinema. Bit of an emotional wreck. Such a lovely film.
I've always loved the Gene Wilder version since a child. There are so many nods to that version. Timothee Chalamet is a young Gene Wilder. But a softer version. He has the same magic and charm as Gene Wilder.
I spent a lot of the movie with tears rolling down my face. Especially when Timothee sings "Pure Imagination".
There are some amazing scenes. Especially when they are dancing over the rooftops of London.
Hugh Grant is just so brilliant and funny as an Oompa Loompa.
This film just blew me away.
It is utter movie magic.
It has everything. A heart warming, tear jerking, show stopping, pure imagination, whale of a ride.
Infinite (2021)
Enjoyable
We really enjoyed this. A good Saturday movie with snacks. Great car chases. Some stunning locations. It's a cross between Bond and The Bourne identity with elements of The Matrix. Also a bit Highlander. What I really liked and maybe why some people gave it a low rating is it is quite a simple plot. It didn't hurt my head and make me think what the hell is going on like some movies. In fact the storyline is quite original and clever. There are some good fight scenes. The only thing I would say is maybe it needed a bit more character development. But probably not enough time to fit it all in. It could have made a great mini series.
Ghosts (2021)
Brilliant
I'm a great fan of the British version "Ghosts" It's one of my favourite programmes. After wondering for a while whether I should give the American version a go, I gave in and I am so glad I did. It's so well done.
There are different ghost characters and some with a different spin on the originals. It's really funny, clever and sometimes a bit naughty.
I don't think the two versions should be compared as they are different but equally as good. I've been binge watching it.
I think the chemistry between the cast is very good. Great casting.
It has the same feel as the British one in that the relationship between the ghosts, Samantha and Jay comes across as more like a family and it's just lovely to watch.
The Essex Serpent (2022)
Absolutely wonderful
What a joy to watch. Everything about this is first class from the minute it starts to the end. Beautifully filmed with a lot of scenes utterly breathtaking. Such a emotional and complex story. I have the book but haven't read it yet. I was debating whether to read it and then watch the series. I chose to watch the series first. The casting is superb. I hope to see Frank Dillane in more productions as he is brilliant in this. As are the rest of the cast. Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston are great together. This is a gentle paced story set in the late 1800's. It mentions a few historical facts like an earthquake in Colchester that I didn't know about. I absolutely loved it and look forward to reading the book.
The Crowded Room (2023)
Utterly brilliant
If I could give this a higher rating I really would.
I thought this such a brilliant show. From the moment it starts to the end. The music and paintings moving at the beginning are mesmerising. You don't realise until the end the significance of the paintings. There are quite a few things I didn't realise at first which is what I really liked about this. It's very cleverly done. Tim Holland is fantastic. He was also the executive producer. He deserves an Oscar for this. I read it actually broke him and he had a year off after. I'm not surprised. The way he shifted into each character was acting at it's best. Amanda Seyfried is brilliant as are the rest of the cast. It's tackling quite a sensitive topic concerning mental health. Split personality disorder is a topic not spoken about much. I think there is still a lot of stigma around mental health sometimes. The way they portrayed his condition was really well done. I think this is a programme ahead of it's time. I've read a lot of negative comments and I just think some people
find the topic unsettling.
Barbie (2023)
Such a fun film
I love this film. It's so what we need right now. A bright and happy movie that makes you smile.
The way people have embraced it is amazing. People dressing up to go and see it. It's so cleverly done. Margo Robbie is stunning and brilliant as Barbie. Ryan Gosling was the right pick for Ken. He has that cheeky charm and vulnerability down to a tee. He is such a great performer and dancer. If you ever had a Barbie this will bring back memories. It's got it's political undertones and it's trying to get a message across. But it's a film I think will be doing the rounds for a long time with the likes of Mamma Mia.
Inside Man (2022)
Brilliant
This is such a cleverly written story. Proving that anyone is capable of murder in the right circumstances. It really messes with your head. It's a hard watch as it really makes you ask what you would do in the same situation. The cast is superb. David Tennant is brilliant as the Vicar. Stanley Tucci is also chillingly brilliant. His character and the guy in the cell next to him could be the next new detective team. I'd love to see another series. Dolly Wells deserves an Oscar for her performance. This is scary in the way that it shows how something can escalate and get out of hand so quickly. The comedy element for me made it all the more chilling.
Come Home (2018)
Brilliant
Christopher Eccleston in my opinion is one of our finest actors. He is in very good company in this mini series as the acting from the rest of the cast is superb. The children are utterly brilliant as is Paula Malcomson. It is such a raw and tragic story of the collapse of a relationship and a marriage. It shows how things can escalate by making a few bad decisions. The brilliance here is it shows faults on both sides. It also shows the impact a break up has on the children really well. I binged watched it in one sitting. It stayed with me for days after. The BBC are really the best at mini dramas.
The Idol (2023)
Gritty
I wish people would watch a whole series before commenting. This series was getting bad reviews after one episode. I watched it all. I found it stylist, clever and sometimes shocking. Lily-Rose Depp was just mesmerising. Beautiful and stylish. The Weeknd was really good. The thing I took away was this. Don't underestimate people.
Lily-Rose Depp's character seemed vulnerable and damaged. She was playing everyone all along to get where she wanted to go. It showed how ruthless people can be to get what they want. If people don't get the hairbrush reference were you really watching it. It meant she had been playing him all along.
This deserves better reviews then it received. I can see Lily-Rose Depp doing great things just like her parents.
Run Rabbit Run (2023)
Really creepy
Sarah Snook is marvellous. Such a great actor. She has such emotional range. She was brilliant in Jessabelle. That film scared the hell out of me. This film just got more chilling the more I watched. What a brilliant actor the little girl is in this. The two of them carry this movie. It's one that will stay with me. It's films like this that show you don't need special effects to make a scary movie. In fact I found everything about this film creepy. Even the house location. It's a really clever movie. In fact there is so much you can miss the first time i'll probably watch it again. I'd really like to see Sarah Snook in more programmes and films.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Fasten your seatbelts. It's a bumpy ride.
What a great movie. They have kept it to the style of the other movies. Fast paced and action packed. Harrison Ford although now grey has still got it. I loved the story. I was so relieved as being an Indie fan it was a worry that it wouldn't be as good. Definitely worth seeing at the pictures. There are some real brilliant bits to this movie. It's quite emotional watching it. I don't want Indie getting old but he isn't immortal. We have all been on the journey with him. There is only one Indie and that's Harrison Ford. Phoebe Waller Bridge is very good. Very talented woman. Great seeing Toby Jones in this. One of my faves. As is Antonio Banderas.
The Sister (2020)
Creepy
I enjoyed this series. It was very creepy. I don't agree with some of the comments that it was bad acting. I thought they were all very good. The lead man was supposed to be an emotional wreck as he was living with the guilt of it all.
It's a slow burn which I think a lot of people struggle with these days. Marvel and DC films have helped with that. Continual adrenaline rush. So anything remotely needing some thought is given a 1 rating. I've read some really scathing reviews about this series and I don't think it deserves it. It creeped me out when I watched the last episode and felt quite scared. That's what you want from a series.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Didn't enjoy
What happened. Absolutely loved the first two Guardians films. They had the feeling that they were all a family with some great humour entwined. This was like watching a horror movie. I had my eyes shut through a lot of it. I don't like animal experiments at the best of times. I know it was Rockets story but did they have to make it so horrendous. It was mainly loud explosions and the characters shouting at each other. They kicked the whatever out of the mixed tape and music. What made it worse was our Odean cinema had the sound way too loud my ears were ringing afterwards. The other two movies had me laughing, crying and wanting more. This one I wanted to walk out of half way through. It seems to have become like a lot of the other Marvel movies. Just action and adrenaline and not much else.
Alba (2021)
Powerful
This really explores the reality of rape. How destructive it is. When I first started watching it I wondered how it could be 13 episodes. It unravels into quite a disturbing and horrific story. How the rich think they can get away with anything. How power and money corrupt. How if you persevere you can overcome wrongdoing. I was an emotional wreck after the final episode. Great performances from a young cast especially the actor who played Alba. She deserves an award. Such emotional depth. All the characters seemed to play around with your emotions. Especially the policeman. I struggled how to feel about him. Loved that about this series. I don't think it was too long as in some comments. I think it's a slow burn that heats up the more it goes on. Brilliant.
Pistol (2022)
Buzzing with energy
Thomas brode-Sangster is exceedingly good. It's a great cast. Maisie Williams as Jordan getting on the train in her plastic see through top was brilliant. The real news articles intertwined with the style of filming really captured the tone. I feel we could do with something now to blow all the music out of the water. I was only 12 when God save the Queen came out. I remember being scared of seeing them on the news. Watching this I can see why they took off. It's a shame Sid Vicious became part of the band. Also sad that John Lydon didn't participate in the making of this. It showed him though as being intelligent and serious about the band. Also that he loves his Mum. I learned a lot of things I didn't know. I loved it.