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Reviews
Oppenheimer (2023)
It's didn't entertain or inform
With each hr my irritation grew. Cutting back and forth, style over substance, long unnecessary asides with characters that only tenuously have a connection to the subject, and no consideration for the viewer. Dozens of characters come and go and we know nothing about 90% of them. Why? To confuse and frustrate? Nolan is a sort of genius to make a movie like this knowing that most people will pretend it's brilliant because they're embarrassed to admit otherwise. Still, the acting was excellent, although I felt I was watching actors do their craft, without me feeling the slightest emotion for them. I probably missed a couple of good bits but I got bored and started writing this review.
Treason (2022)
In episode 2 now....can I keep going?
Part one. I've read the reviews, but it's New Year's Day and I'm persevering. The bad reviews are spot on, but I've decided to be an optimist for 2023. I appreciate I'm most likely a fool as it's pretty dire so far. Main character is such a sap. Unshaven, boyishly young (but not in a good way), and infuriatingly naïve. Don't watch unless your spouse is traveling and it's a national holiday when everything is closed. Former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko has matured and she's just good enough to keep me from canceling my Netflix subscription. I'm on episode three now and, apparently, it gets better. So far I'm on Olga's (Kara) side, as Adam is so daft I'm pretty sure he's just a patsy for every intelligence agency in the world.
Part two (two hrs later). I stuck with it and I have to be honest: despite Charlie Cox being utterly useless and unconvincing in every way, parts 3-5 were pretty good. Part 1 & 2 I'd give 2 stars, but give bonus stars for the twists later on, which, may be influenced by New Year's Day generosity. Hang in there folks, each episode is only 40 mins!
Ten Percent (2022)
Trying too hard
Loved the French version, so definitely wanted to see the formula set in London. Hmm. Why did they try to mimic each character directly from the French, right down to the matriarch and her yapping dog? The characters were French stereotypes but with whining Estuary English voices; the plots were so thin as to be anorexic; the energy was a bit Sex in the City; the script was a bit Love Actually; and the zany jazzy music grated. Such a terrific idea too. Should have copied the English House of Cards and had some dark, clever humour. It's watchable of course but I couldn't help feeling I'd seen it all before.
The Gray Man (2022)
What the hell?
The whole premise of an unsanctioned hit squad for the CIA drew me in, but fairly quickly it all descended into farce. It has a little dry wit in the beginning which was ok, but then it turns into sporadic full on comedy. All the while the slightly over-egged action becomes a relentless exercise in CGI that makes you want to shout: " ok, I get it! Can we move on?!" A big budget movie made by a bunch of kids showing off too many ideas with zero narrative thread. Oh, and it feels about an hr too long.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Visiting the past is rarely this good
Saw the movie on IMAX last night and felt I was back in 1986 all over again. Not because the film was so similar to the original but because of the emotion of seeing a proper movie, with no overt PC agenda (although everything subtly ticked the boxes), and for the sheer pleasure of being entertained for 2hrs straight. Hats off to Tom Cruise for delivering on this. Loved it!
Mosley (2020)
Eye-opening
If you think you know Max Mosley from the press, you've missed the entire picture. Fierce intelligence, and a devotion to auto safety, both in F1 and the public streets (especially India), he comes across as a great man unfairly maligned by jealous rivals and the gutter press.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Yawn...
Looks to me like an exercise in visual effects and cinematography. Long drawn out shots of Tom and Thandiwe looking lovingly at each other before ultra slow fade outs. Slo-mo ludicrously overused, and for little reason other than to exaggerate an already over-stylized pointless mess. The cast does look good I admit, but the story (what there is of it) is so far down the list of priorities 5 stars is generous. Only worth watching to see Thandiwe at her cutest. UPDATE: wrote the above with 40mins to go. It gets worse. Woo is an idiot and insults us all with cliché after cliché. He must have bought himself a new steadycam and played with every feature. Towards the end you can't believe in any character as they're likely to pull a mask off to surprise us for the tenth time. Just awful.
The Saint: The Talented Husband (1962)
Beginning of a legend
First time out in this role and Roger Moore nails it. Sure the plot is comically transparent, but that's not the point. We watch the Saint, not to stretch our detective reasoning, but to be charmed. And we are. Roger Moore at his best and the rest of the cast play their roles perfectly. It's Shirley Eaton who keeps me wanting to return to this particular episode though - she's stunningly gorgeous: probably the sexiest actress Britain has ever had.
Pennyworth (2019)
How did they come up with this?
Cool and clever, well scripted and well acted, and yet, remarkably, you can still find a bit of DC in there, which is irrelevant unless you're a geek who has linked the characters to Batman and gets a thrill from that. Only watched the first few episodes and I'm gripped. A dash of Peaky Blinders, some Kingsman, a touch of Bond, and a large slice of 1960s Michael Caine, set in the 50s or 60s, or the 19th century (heavy doses of Jack the Ripper), or the 1930s, or now...you can't tell and it doesn't matter. Enjoy the ride!
Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan (2021)
Dumbed down fluff
I just can't see the point of this series. Not just inaccurate, but brought down to simple eye candy. And the narrators? Why so many of them? About 10 of them be the first 15 mins, all dorky, and all bombarding the viewer with superficial opinions rather than expert insights. Very, very disappointed. Not sure why the producers felt it necessary to bring in one narrator after another and intersperse the whole thing with highly stylized (and very expensive looking) clips in slo-mo, at super close range. Tiresome.
Tenet (2020)
Intriguingly bad
I was just wondering how bad it can get, and this movie didn't disappoint. It exceeded my expectations of how deluded a director can be. Utterly infantile, overly long, dumb-as CGI, 2-D characters, horrendous script, pathetic plot, random characters who seem to know everything appearing and disappearing. This is the emperor's new clothes. Nolan, take your head out of your ***!
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Imaginative but...
It's simply a series of clever CGI over the top graphics, disjointed, mindless, utterly boring. I found myself sitting in horror that this pretentious, self-congratulatory mock epic has an audience and a fan-base. No story, no script, no point.
Coming 2 America (2021)
Truly awful
I'm actually offended by the stereotypes in this black production. I'm white but I'm cringing at every word. Writing this 10 mins in, I don't think I'll last much longer. 19th century levels of caricature. Oh geez! Morgan Freeman just cameo'd! What's wrong with them all?
La ciociara (1960)
Heartbreakingly good
What can I say? After watching this I want to become a better person.
The Favourite (2018)
Oh for a real Peter Greenaway
Well, it's a tricky one as there are a lot of good moments in this movie. Trouble is, it's the Draftsman's Contract for the masses, and doesn't quite work in any meaningful way. There's a little bit of slapstick humour, but no wit. A bit of vulgarity, but it's not biting. A bit of gore, but it's commonplace. As for the sex...yawn, nothing as shocking as the director wants it to be. It just doesn't go far enough to be an art movie, it doesn't contain intelligent allegories, and it doesn't break any new ground. Best to re-watch anything by Peter Greenaway, who can be way more opaque but still leave you impressed, inspired and wondering if you're smart enough to appreciate him.