Even if you're not that into cars, this is a seriously funny series! It's very dry at times and the improv is hilarious. Afzal is a man of funny quirks. Just the look on his face when he's winding someone up cracks me up. For some reason, something that really sticks in my head as being especially funny is whenever he says an animal isn't an animal :') "fish aren't animals, are they? They're creatures that live in water." "A chameleon isn't an animal, it's a reptile."
:')
He's a seriously funny dude and Doug, Mike and Suzanne in particular play off him fantastically. Despite not being very into cars myself, the show does a great job of making that aspect interesting too and integrating a real sense of improvised humor into the review segments. I do prefer the scenes in the office though. They are easily the best episodes.
Reviews
29 Reviews
Solid documentary
23 September 2020
The Droving
(2020)
Solid flick
11 June 2020
Beautiful cinematography and an interesting tale. If you're a fan of The Wickerman or Midsommar, this film is a little similar be it on a much smaller scale. Nevertheless, striking landscapes, intriguing ideas and very impressive for an indie.
You Were Never Really Here
(2017)
Absolutely Excellent
20 November 2019
This film is perfect. A film of simple beats which logically and gently push through the story. It's a stunning performance from Phoenix, probably my favourite of his. The whole tone of this film is individual, artistic and a huge achievement. A slow, gritty yet heartfelt drama.
Andrew Santino: Home Field Advantage
(2017 TV Special)
What's with the brutal reviews?
14 November 2019
I'll admit, Santino is a little slow off the mark here, he takes his time and spends a little bit of time expressing his affection for Chicago which I think is understandable. He does seems like he is a little nervous at first and maybe feels the heat a little because this is his special in his hometown. At first, the jokes are few and far between, and the ones which are there don't seem to land as well as the gags later.
All that said, once he gets going, man, he absolutely kills it. He's a beast. You're all crazy. Let's shove a mic in your hands, put a camera on you, and see if you can do anywhere near as great as this.
I loved this special. Santino is hilarious. He has a casual, dry delivery that is so individual to him and I honestly think the brutal reviews here are unwarranted because there were genuine moments of 'I've never thought about that but that is so true' and when a comic can do that whilst being hilarious, it's a sure sign of genius.
The only reason my review is 8 and not a 10 is because he takes a little time to get warmed up and does seem a little less natural than Santino usually is but once he gets into the meat of his set, he relaxes, absolutely beasts it and it's truly great!
Are you all seriously telling me that Bill Burr loved this set but some guy gives this a 3? Well, I'm sure you know more about comedy than Bill Burr whoever you are... loI I loved this set, watch it, you won't regret it.
I think Santino is due a Netflix special and I am seriously looking forward to his next special no matter who picks it up.
All that said, once he gets going, man, he absolutely kills it. He's a beast. You're all crazy. Let's shove a mic in your hands, put a camera on you, and see if you can do anywhere near as great as this.
I loved this special. Santino is hilarious. He has a casual, dry delivery that is so individual to him and I honestly think the brutal reviews here are unwarranted because there were genuine moments of 'I've never thought about that but that is so true' and when a comic can do that whilst being hilarious, it's a sure sign of genius.
The only reason my review is 8 and not a 10 is because he takes a little time to get warmed up and does seem a little less natural than Santino usually is but once he gets into the meat of his set, he relaxes, absolutely beasts it and it's truly great!
Are you all seriously telling me that Bill Burr loved this set but some guy gives this a 3? Well, I'm sure you know more about comedy than Bill Burr whoever you are... loI I loved this set, watch it, you won't regret it.
I think Santino is due a Netflix special and I am seriously looking forward to his next special no matter who picks it up.
There has been some serious filler this season...
31 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
...But this episode was so amazing! Seriously enjoyed it. The Waterfords are finally getting theirs and it's going to drive the show to a super interesting place. Also, loving the dynamic between June and the Lawrences, and the Kate Bush ending was amazing, fit the whole sequence so well. Just such a cool episode!
Alien vs. Predator
(2004)
A different vibe but not bad.
15 July 2019
At the end of the day, this an idea spawned by comics and the film has a comic book sensibility. Some of the characters are bad and a lot of the dialogue and beats are very difficult for the actors to sell: Reducing Tommy Flanagan to a onenote screeching guy probably wasn't the best shout. Great actor, poorly utilised and the same can be said for many of the cast. That aside, gotta say, I did really enjoy the first half of the film. The manner in which the set up revealed itself was interesting. The second half of the movie gets a bit too daft but overall, I did enjoy this film. It was fun and to put it simply, you just can't take it too seriously. Don't go in expecting anything like the tone of Alien 1 or 2/Predator because this just isn't that movie.
Thunder Road
(2016)
Insane
9 June 2019
I love Cummings' simple approach to filmmaking. He doesn't overthink with the shooting or storytelling but invents interesting characters and explores the scenario they inhabit in the moment of the film rather than telling something which feels linear. This film is very cringey but also hilarious, heart felt and just bizarre. As far as the cinematography goes, the one take approach is an interesting one and it's effective. Draws you in in a voyeuristic manner.
After Hours
(I) (1985)
An amazing rabbit hole of a film
8 June 2019
A quirky, well written comedy. The events of this script are expertedly woven together and beautifully presented by Scorsese as always. His style of filmmaking is as prevalent here as any of his gritty crime flicks. The acting is superb, Griffin Dunne does a great job of playing the frustrated every man and it's a cast studded with 80s regulars. I was particularly fascinated by Roxanne Arquette's performance but all of the supporting cast did an excellent job.
What a film! Ranks among Scorsese's best for me.
What a film! Ranks among Scorsese's best for me.
Rumble Fish
(1983)
An interesting movie
7 June 2019
It's weird, I really didn't think this was going to be my kind of film at the beginning but the longer I watched, the more it's bizarre charm drew me in. It has atmosphere, beautiful cinematography, great music, powerful themes of brotherhood and feeling trapped, and even though all the acting was good, nobody delivered like Mickey Rourke. It's the most muted and subtly powerful performance I've ever seen from Rourke. He was incredibly mysterious and magnetic in this film. Blew everyone else right off the screen. An amazing watch from Coppola, probably not for everyone, but I enjoyed it immensely.
One of the best shows on TV
6 June 2019
Glad to see it back on our screens! 'Night' was incredibly strong. I was worried about how they would deal with the aftermath of last season's finale. It seemed like if June didn't die, it would feel unrealistic but great writing and strong performances really sold the direction of this season! A must watch, don't get anyone who hates on this show. It's a slow burner but such an interesting world and story.
Game of Thrones
(2011–2019)
Unfortunately, rating changed.
23 May 2019
It is a show where everything was a puzzle piece for the ending. Sadly, the jigsaw did not turn out well! Take seasons 1-3 as their own arc and it's pretty good! 4 is pretty awesome, 5 starts to get meh, 6 and 7 are watchable and 8 is just, well... do I need to say? Ned, Robb and Oberyn's arcs are the best and a reflection of the true, intended tone. The GoT team are at their best with GRRM's novels as the blueprint. 6-8 focus more on spectacle and the writing becomes rushed, evidently down to the growing scale of the production and general fatigue but nevertheless, I would have happily waited 2 years for each season if that would have meant a stronger ending. Said it once, say it again: GRRM said it should have been 10-13 seasons and I agree. This show required 10 seasons minimum to develop its characters properly and be the slow burner it was in the earlier seasons. Season 8 was an abrupt clip show of an ending.
A fair review
14 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
As an episode of television, this deserves an 8! In terms of the overall pacing of the series and how we have developed to this point, not so good. I still maintain that they needed at least 2-3 more seasons to make this arc more effective. That said, I want to give credit where credit is due. The chaos, panic, and hysteria of this episode was amazing, it was hard to not get swept up in it. There are a lot of complaints about Daenerys' arc but I felt this was a fitting conclusion to her journey, Daenerys was always supposed to become the very thing she bodes to destroy. It wouldn't make sense for this show to end any other way BUT I do think it needed more time. I feel like 10 seasons should have been the order: an entire season to deal with the White Walker invasion/plant the seeds of Daenerys' decline and one season to deal with the King's Landing attack and the aftermath of Daenerys' actions.
That said, I still believe this was an Emmy worthy episode. Fantastic performances and for once, the spectacle had some real purpose in terms of character and tieing off arcs.
Aside from that, Cleganebowl was awesome, Jamie vs. Euron was underwhelming but at least ended with Euron dying, what an annoying character! And I enjoyed Cersei and Jamie's end, it was fitting for them that they should leave the world together, I really don't find Jamie's journey as abrupt as people are making out: he traveled to the North to help with the dead because he felt the threat was real and important, after the dead were buried, he beds Brienne but upon reflection, realises his true love is Cersei, this happens in real life alot. Sometimes you have to have what you think you want to understand what you truly want.
Yes, Arya has plot armour for sure but I've got to say, this time I hardly cared. It was very convenient that she just happened to be the only person alive when everything within a 10 yard radius was barbecued to a crisp but nevertheless, this wasn't enough to spoil the episode for me. I thought it was an epic hour and a half of television.
That said, I still believe this was an Emmy worthy episode. Fantastic performances and for once, the spectacle had some real purpose in terms of character and tieing off arcs.
Aside from that, Cleganebowl was awesome, Jamie vs. Euron was underwhelming but at least ended with Euron dying, what an annoying character! And I enjoyed Cersei and Jamie's end, it was fitting for them that they should leave the world together, I really don't find Jamie's journey as abrupt as people are making out: he traveled to the North to help with the dead because he felt the threat was real and important, after the dead were buried, he beds Brienne but upon reflection, realises his true love is Cersei, this happens in real life alot. Sometimes you have to have what you think you want to understand what you truly want.
Yes, Arya has plot armour for sure but I've got to say, this time I hardly cared. It was very convenient that she just happened to be the only person alive when everything within a 10 yard radius was barbecued to a crisp but nevertheless, this wasn't enough to spoil the episode for me. I thought it was an epic hour and a half of television.
Oh dear
8 May 2019
This week was the moment I was waiting for more so than The Brief Night because I wanted to see if there was anything deeper regarding the White Walkers. I think all the true fans were crossing their fingers for this. Nope. Nothing. No clever 'Hold the Door' like time travel paradox, no big reveal regarding their motivation, they are just swept away like a poorly motivated comic book villain arc. The Night King's thinking/motive: Night King do bad because EVIL! - everything this show wasn't supposed to be. I mean, wow, just utterly underwhelming writing. Evidently very rushed and I think they should have listened to Martin. This is a show which required 10-13 seasons, even if it meant a change in showrunners, I think that could have actually been a refreshing change of pace: handing the show to some other talented individual who loves the earlier seasons because these guys have blatantly become fatigued when it comes to the writer's room. I understand the logistics of the show have become tougher to manage due to the increasing fantasy element, and in turn, this impacts on the writing but from a viewers perspective, the clever payoffs I craved would have cost nothing other than more intelligent thinking and were not delivered. Furthermore, I think the truly frustrating thing is that the writers are clearly capable of delivering impactful payoffs but just seriously blew their load early with this entire season. In terms of the rest of the episode, at least the conflict that is developing between Jon and Daenerys is kind of interesting. The conversations between Varys and Tyrion are intriguing too but it still feels as abrupt as the show's tendency to teleport characters and more time was needed to deliver a satisfying conclusion. I wish they'd have gone the route of more seasons and further development for the show to unravel in a more natural manner. It's truly a shame.
Cack
6 May 2019
Zulu
(1964)
A film which truly stands the test of time
23 March 2019
Wow, this film was way ahead of its time. Gorgeous cinematography and camera movement, the blocking was just perfect. Gripping mood and conflict throughout, excellent direction and performances, the characters were all endearing in their own way, I particularly enjoyed James Booth as Henry Hook, his character was hilarious at points. Loved this movie, it was an excellent depiction of an interesting historical event and absolutely worth a watch! So many people will not watch old films now and I seriously think they are missing out! Give this a watch! It's very contemporary and well made.
Maniac
(2018)
Ignore the neigh says, they have no soul
5 January 2019
This show was one of the most original, creative and heartfelt I have seen in a long, long time. Fantastic performances, direction, incredibly original art direction, and the music anchors all these elements in the most fitting and beautiful way. The tone is dramatic and funny all at once and never feels unbalanced whilst putting forward dramatic impact and hilarious random chaos at every single turn. For me, this show did what a great piece of visual storytelling is supposed to do: a collage of every element perfectly designed to pull on your heart strings. In the final episodes of the series, it achieved this in a big way. Me and my girlfriend were sat beside ourselves and moved. This was the sort of show where we couldn't move on from it and watch something else right away. Just watch it, it's unlike anything else you will ever see.
American Vandal
(2017–2018)
A stroke of absolute genius
7 December 2018
My mate watched this and told me he thought it was terrible. No idea how anyone can feel like this about this show, I can only assume he has no soul because it is incredibly dumb but the level to which it is unapologetically dumb is exactly why it's a stroke of absolute genius. It's almost a concept so simple and silly that at first, you can't believe an entire show has been crafted around this idea. As the first episode played, I took a look at the episode list and when I realised there was so many, I was shocked because I honestly had no idea how they would manage to sustain this idea over the course of so many episodes. I was wrong to doubt this show for a second! There is so much depth to the story of both seasons and the writing/acting is consistently hilarious whilst gradually unravelling unbelievably well crafted mysteries. An absolute watch! Dylan was amazing in season 1 but Kevin McClain in season 2 is easily my favourite character so far! There better be a season 3!
Awakenings
(1990)
Amazing movie
26 November 2018
Can't believe I have never seen this before, a truly fascinating story and every thing about it was amazing. The performances certainly tower above everything. Williams brings his signature warmth whilst nailing the truly sad moments. De Niro smashes it delivering a perfect performance, one of his career best in my opinion.
A really great show
10 November 2018
I think it's a shame Showtime has cancelled I'm Dying Up Here for a third season. I loved the show. There were aspects of this season I wasn't so hot on but all in all, I feel like there pissing an opportunity for some good original TV up the wall by cancelling this show. It's a very original concept, great characters and it's been interesting for the most part. I think it's a real shame it never got the viewership it deserved but if no one's watching, I suppose it's hard to justify a greenlight for Season 3. Personally, I am gutted there won't be a Season 3, I loved this show.
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