Reviews

Billions does what so few American shows are capable of doing, it finished. It didn't get cancelled post-cliffhanger. It didn't run out of steam and leave us wondering what happened. No one woke up in the shower after a dream. Instead, it finished. A completed, clever, interwoven series of story arcs that left you feeling satisfied but wanting more. In fact, I'd be amazed if some version of it didn't return in the future.

Over the seven seasons, and the many, many characters, very few have disappointed. The characters are wonderfully written, beautifully styled, and wonderfully acted. All of the leading cast have been perfect. Both Lewis and Giamatti have cemented themselves as some of my favourite actors.

If you haven't seen this, get on it. It's amazing!

I'm a lifelong fan of football. I understand it's tribalism. I support my local team. I've been a season ticket holder when life allows it. One thing that is a core truth of football is that you love your team and nobody else. Welcome to Wrexham changes that.

Wrexham are not alone. They are not unique. Scores of teams exist that have had the same troubles, and worse. Nothing special to see here. But, a big but, so big that Sir Mix-A-Lot could rap about them, is that this programme does such an amazing job of understanding and documenting the culture, community, and impact of small team local football that you can't help but fall in love. No show I've ever watched so perfectly articulates the importance of a community lynchpin on local people.

I came for Ryan and Rob, I stayed for Wrexham.

It's difficult to believe that Martin Freeman allowed himself to be associated with this horrendous movie.

I've tried several times and it is impossible to find a single redeeming feature to this film.

The story is beyond ridiculous, it makes no sense and is so unbelievable as to be actually painful.

The acting is all horrendous. Even respected, talented actors do a truly awful job. None of them would ever work again if this was the only thing in their portfolio.

I have to assume that the direction is terrible as it's impossible to determine that there is any.

Production values are non-existent

Do not, under any circumstances watch this film.

I had high expectations for this show. Recent Lucasfilm TV adaptations have been exceptional. Beautifully structured, well acted and just the right amount of Easter eggs. That's not the case here. Willow is almost entirely cast and crewed by Lucasfilm and Disney alumni whose sole purpose is to reenact scenes from other Lucasfilm properties. Not subtle nods to other properties, just famous scenes lifted wholesale and copied cynically and without any hint of respect or good humour.

Once you get past that, if you can, you're then confronted by the use of modern language, contemporary style and vernacular that is completely at odds with the original film. This almost feels like a reboot but with the same leading cast.

Enjoyable if you restrain your hidden nerd, otherwise pointless.

It's World War II, a violent geriatric alcoholic lonely madman, witnesses his unusually young son (whose age no one seems to question), who he left alone in church, get killed by an unexpected bombing run from passing bomber planes. He goes on a destructive rampage which leads to him hacking down a tree and angrily carving a puppet of a small boy, with a head modelled on Castaway's Wilson. A late night deal with an evil wood sprite and a failed author, who also happens to be a cricket, brings the puppet to life. The puppet immediately goes on a malevolent rampage and turns into a horrendously angry young lout. A local fascist and member of the SS comes up with a plan to build an army of wooden super soldiers based on the malevolent young puppet.

If that sounds like the Pinocchio you've always wanted to watch, you're in luck. Otherwise steer well clear of this disgusting abomination!

This, very poor film, borrows some character and place names from a Ronald Dahl book called Matilda. They are in no other way connected. The story is entirely different and loses all of its magic as a result. Unfortunately, they haven't replaced it with a better story. They haven't even replaced it with an average story. Instead, they've created a lame version of The Midwich Cuckoos with some nasty and vengeful kids who seem to enjoy violence, rather than being driven to it by an alien force.

As you would expect, Emma Thompson and Stephen Graham can act, no one else in the film can. In fact, Stephen Graham's Mr Wormwood is the closest relation to a Roald Dahl character as he has a deep orange tan and bright green hair so has a striking resemblance to a 1970's Oompa Loompa.

If you're a fan of the book, the original film, the musical, or anything Roald Dahl related, ignore at all costs.

The premise sounded worth a watch on a Saturday night. It was never going to be vintage Spielberg but nor should it have been this bad. It should have been fun and at the very least it should have been passable entertainment.

Stopped watching after half an hour as it quickly became unwatchable. It made no sense whatsoever, the acting is embarrassingly bad, the script is puerile and unimaginative. Someone should be banned from movie making for this.

All of that is a broadly polite way of saying that the positive reviews on here are fake. No one is watching this and thinking it's good or in any way redeemable. They're simply posting to convince you it's worth parting with your cash for. Don't fall for it.

This could, and should, be the film that ends Marvel. We all know that the franchise has been in decline for a while but this latest offering plumbs new depths. MCU was one hell of a franchise but the emphasis is firmly on the word "was". There have been occasional mid-steps along the way but no one has done as much damage as Taika Waititi. He has completely destroyed everything that he touches. Stop letting him be in films. Stop letting him write films. Stop letting him direct films.

This is nonsensical, incomprehensible garbage of the highest order.

For a franchise to work it has to be in the hands of like-minded guardians of the narrative. Jon Favreau was that guy for MCU, just like he now is for Star Wars, but his replacements have been beyond questionable.

Time for this to be put out of its misery.

How is stuff like this still being made in the modern world?

The girls of the The Inbestigators are all intelligent, virtuous, thoughtful, caring white girls.

The angry, pompous, uptight, OCD boy is Asian. Who also happens to have a highly stereotyped dumb granny who speaks only in 1970's comedy chinglish, "aw, me so solly"

The dumb as a box of rocks, always in the way, comedy foil, always there to look stupid and have things explained to him by the white girls, is indigenous.

Whoever casted this show is a disgrace.

The biggest mystery with this film, maybe even too much of a mystery for the great Poirot himself, is how they took such a stellar cast and the excellent energy of the first film and turned it in to this steaming heap of dung (<< polite IMDB friendly version of what I really want to call it)

The acting is fantastic, the best that they could hope to do with the source material. However, the effects are terrible, there is zero suspense, no atmosphere, nothing at all to keep you interested. No single redeeming feature to keep you interested or to make you want to recommend it to a friend.

I've been looking forward to this since MOTOE but it misses by a mile!

Tonight I have a new No1. A new numero uno. This is it people. The worst file I've ever seen.

Boyle takes his girly obsession with Murphy to new heights. He fangirls so much that it's embarrassing.

A fine group of actors do the best they can but I guarantee they've all had to apologise to someone for being in this film.

The plot is illogical nonsense, if there is even a plot.

Please, I beg you, AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

Recent Disney entries have been painful, mismanaged and at times seemed to be trying, woefully badly, to tick cultural boxes. I even reached the point of wondering whether Disney's recent desire to explore other cultures and stories was more an attempt at engaging cheap vocal talent rather a true desire to engage new audiences. Yes, Raya, Soul, Onwards, Luca, I'm looking firmly in your direction. Not so Encanto. All of those films mentioned made me want to turn off and run to the safe arms of Aladdin or BoTB, whereas our family are already in to double viewing figures of Encanto despite it having only been released for two weeks!

It follows the tried and tested Disney formula of isolation, pain, learning, growth, coming out of the shadows and retribution but it does it so perfectly and at a great pace.

The story itself is suitably magical. The magical house as a plot device was especially well handled.

The characters are suitably rounded and developed despite there being noticeably more than the usual Disney offerings.

Culturally, I have no way of knowing how accurate any part of this film is. No experience of Colombia or it's cultures. However, unlike other films, Encanto actually talks about local culture, local food, etc. I was able to find recipes to try and recreate the food for my children to engage with. My children are far more interested in the culture of this film, than others, as it's more explicitly featured in the film.

The absolute winner though, is the music. Every song is a hit. Beautifully written, beautifully performed, upbeat, catchy tunes.

I wouldn't normally fanboy so hard over a Disney cartoon but this one is a smash. Ignore the 1/10 reviews. The reviewers hearts are clearly three sizes too small.

I feel sorry for the little children who are calling this film out as "woke" or for "snowflakes". It says far more about them than it does about your typical intelligent moviegoer.

Yes, 100%, this film is unlikely to be what you expect it to be. It is not a Christmas film. It is not family friendly. However, it is poignant and though provoking. Maybe that's why the bullies and namecallers don't like it, because it makes you think?

Everyone in this is good. Lucy Punch is great. Roman Griffin Davis is Oscar worthy. He is an unbelievable actor. There are seasoned professionals who only dream of putting in a performance like his.

Watch it. Learn from it. Don't expect to feel warm and fuzzy. Ignore the anti-woke children.