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andy-thelwell
Reviews
Elvis (2022)
An Exceptional Movie
Baz Luhrmann's 2022 epic "Elvis" is a truly exceptional movie. Like every movie, it has its imperfections, and like every piece of art -- at least any that is worthy of calling itself 'art' -- it will divide opinion. On balance, though, for me it is an absolute triumph.
Let's be clear: the movie is liberal with the facts. But, who in their right mind goes to watch a big-budget biopic expecting to get a factually-accurate documentary-style account? Where creative liberties have been taken, it's easy to see why that has been done for dramatic purposes, and for the most part, it works. The movie is also very heavily-styled but, again, we're talking about the life and times of one of the biggest style icons of the 20th century, so it's entirely appropriate, and it's done really, really well for the most part. The pacing is sometimes dizzying, rattling through 20 or so years of history and slowing down only occasionally for some dramatic sequences. For me, Luhrmann gets it right more than he gets it wrong.
The absolute pinnacle for me is the middle section of the movie, covering the sixties and early seventies. Austin Butler puts in a solid performance throughout the movie, but in these hallowed central 30 or 40 minutes it is truly next-level. The recreation of the '68 Comeback Special had me thinking the film had reached its pinnacle, but I quickly had my opinion changed as I watched the movie recreate Elvis's opening night at the International Hotel, Las Vegas. This is utterly tremendous stuff, with Butler giving the single most convincing recreation of an Elvis performance that I've ever seen in a movie. I'm talking hairs-on-the-back-of-my-neck-standing-up type of stuff. Utterly tremendous.
There are some low points and some chapters of Elvis' life that are surprisingly missing but Luhrmann and team had to make some choices to bring the movie in at a reasonable length. These imperfections are utterly forgivable as, all in all, they have pulled off something very, very special with this movie.
The ending is cleverly constructed and, for this reviewer at least, a real tear-inducing moment.
A fantastic movie that, like Elvis himself, not everyone is going to like. As far as I'm concerned, that's alright, mama.
Highly recommended.
The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021)
A real treat for the whole family
What a pleasant surprise this movie was! We watched it as a family on a Saturday night. It was my 10-year-old son's turn to choose the movie and, honestly, when that's the case I usually get ready to zone out as I'm not expecting a film I'm actually going to enjoy. Not so with 'The Mitchells vs the Machines'! I thoroughly enjoyed this hyperactive, crazy, artistic, hilarious and endearing animated romp. It was an absolute treat!
The script is very on point with regard to what's happening in the world of technology. The artwork is fantastic, with a unique mixed-media style of CGI layered with some traditional drawn styling. The voice acting is great. The comedy timing is exceptional. The story is solid, and all in all it's just a really well-put-together animated movie that the whole family can enjoy.
I note that it's up for an Oscar this year. It absolutely deserves it.
Highly recommended!
11.22.63 (2016)
Right up there with the best
I'm not one for hyperbole, nor am I one to hand out effusive praise, because I'm hard to please. Just ask any of the folks who have worked for me for the past 10+ years.
All that said, I'm awarding this show a 10 out of 10. I think it's utterly brilliant.
Here we have a wonderful high-concept storyline based around one of the defining moments on modern western history. We've got great acting all round. We've got a fabulous, understated narrative on the difference in social, political and gender norms between the 1960s and the 2010s. We've got some great, straight-up thriller action. And we've got all that interwoven between a set of fictional and "fictionalised" real-world characters. For me, as a bit of a JFK fan-boy/nerd, a lover of this era, and someone who just loves the feeling of being drawn into a "can't stop watching" binge-fest, this show ticks just about every box.
Sure, it's not perfect... as with any time-travel-related storyline, it's pretty easy to spot plot holes, but the whole thing is just an absolute joy on multiple levels.
Absolutely fantastic show. I love it, and I recommend it most highly.
The Father (2020)
A Masterpiece
This film is a masterpiece. Acting, cinematography, direction, production, story... All first class.
An absolute, full-blown, outstanding, wonderful, haunting, beautiful, devastating, mind-bending masterpiece.
Congratulations to all involved.
Highly recommended.
Passengers (2016)
I loved it
This is a movie with plenty of flaws and plot-holes, so it's easy enough to see why the critics panned it. Nonetheless, I disagree with all those negative reviews as, honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a genre-defying, thought-provoking and beautiful movie, with Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence doing a good job in the lead roles with a couple of great cameos including Michael Sheen and Laurence Fishburne. The plot is decent albeit with some pretty huge holes, there are plenty of meaty moral conundrums to make you ask yourself "what would I do", and the movie straddles genres in a unique and fascinating way,
The ending is disappointing, the pacing could use a tweak, and some people might struggle to accept the rather "old fashioned" boy meets girl + "happily ever after" plot, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and will give it a solid 7.
We Can Be Heroes (2020)
Truly Awful
Even for a kids film, this is abysmal. Surely one of the cringeworthy, cheesy, boring, awful movies I have ever seen. It's just horrific in every conceivable way.
I'm never getting this 1h 40mins of my life back.
Avoid.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
A comic-book masterpiece
This is a masterpiece, pure and simple. Where others have faltered - I'm looking at you, DCEU - this movie shines. The script is clever. The story is tight and compelling. It pays homage to the multiple-reality nature of comic books. The voice acting is awesome. And it looks absolutely sensational.
One of, if not the, best comic book movies ever made. It really is that good.
Sensational.
10/10.
You (2018)
Pulpy, cheesy and utterly fabulous
Half slushy romance, half psycho killer chiller thriller, You is a weirdly compelling and utterly addictive series that keeps you coming back for more. It's strangely predictable yet somehow unpredictable, clichéd yet unique, utterly cheesy yet fabulously compelling. Definitely a guilty pleasure. I feel like I should hate it but, honestly, I loved it.
I can't wait for season 2.
Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague (2017)
Oozes style and substance
This is a fabulous concert. I only wish I could have had the honour of experiencing it live.
Zimmer has penned the scores to countless blockbuster movies, and they are presented here in the most glorious way. The arrangements are first class, the lighting is fantastic, the musicians are on-point as well as exceptionally stylish. Several of the players look like supermodels. And, being a huge fan of Batman, I found it exhilarating to experience several of the tracks from the Nolan trilogy presented in this way.
Highly recommended.
Death by Magic (2018)
Mediocre
I like magic. I like Drummond Money-Coutts' style and approach. He's a slick, stylish and ultra-posh chap of fine, aristocratic heritage. And that's fine with me.
What I don't like so much is that there are several quite obvious camera tricks in this show, and that really starts to spoil the whole thing. As soon as you see them, and believe me they are quite obvious, the possibility of suspension of disbelief goes out of the window. One example is a glowing red tattoo on the back of a guy's neck. It's 100% obvious that the 'effect' that we as a TV audience see is not the same effect that the live audience sees. And from there all bets are off. It's a shame, because there really is a lot to like about Drummond and what he does.
The escapes are pretty entertaining, although it's hard to believe the audience and their reactions are genuine. The whole thing is so heavily produced that, again, you get the sense that things are not as 'natural' as one is asked to believe.
Overall, this series is worth the watch, but it often fails to create the sense of wonder that is, in essence, the raîson d'etre of magic.
Undercover (2016)
Started well. Went downhill fast.
This show started out pretty well. Some cloak and dagger mysterious goings on, racial tensions, flashbacks to 20 years previous, various threads of story to follow. It seemed promising.
Then it really all started going downhill...
First, this show must take the award for literally the worst attempt ever (read: no attempt at all) to make actors look convincingly older/younger between two time periods. I know this is going to be challenging and there's only 'so much' that can be done, but at least do some work with hair and makeup, exaggerated fashion choices, etc. to try to convince us that these scenes are 20 years apart. Add a little grey hair and a few subtle wrinkles in the 'later' years, stuff like that. At least make some kind of attempt. This was pathetic. Everyone had the exact same hairstyles between 1996 and 2006... except Adrian Lester, whose hair is *slightly* longer in 1996. Even the restaurants in '96 have modern-day décor, and the kitchens look all glossy white and modern. Really, really poor.
Second, in the all-time awards of "most actors pretending to be American who clearly are not American" this show comes up trumps. The accents are laughable. Surely the BBC could find one or two actual Americans to play actual Americans, thus ensuring they sound like actual Americans? Terrible.
Third, there are several incredibly sloppy plot points. (Spoilers herein): 1) Adrian Lester's character deliberately breaks his wrist in the jamb of a metal gate. This is so he can get a plaster cast put on it, and use that plaster to hide a recording device to entrap the 'baddies'. Oooooh.... clever!
Problem 1: In the scene in question, he closes the gate with all the force of a feather blowing in the wind. It would never be enough to break a wrist. Problem 2: Why would you need to break your wrist in order to have somewhere to hide a recording device? There are tons of other ways to achieve this. Absolutely nothing in the plot explains why wrist-breaking was necessary, nor does anything in the plot hinge on the presence of the plaster cast itself. Problem 3: Immediately after trying to trap the baddies, Lester's character smashes the recording device, claiming that it did no good. WHY? Problem 4: ...Oh God, I can't be bothered. I'm bored now.
As for the ending... Well, I can only describe it as completely incoherent. I can only imagine there's another series to come because the major plot twist does nothing to tie up any loose ends and simply leaves more questions hanging in thin air.
I have never been left more confused or bemused by a TV show.
Thoroughly befuddled and disappointed with this.
Captain Phillips (2013)
Outstanding
This is an outstanding film, from start to finish. It's a masterpiece of acting, pacing, editing and with a perfectly-pitched soundtrack to boot. It benefits from being based on a pretty dramatic true story in the first place, but Paul Greengrass and co have treated the material intelligently to create a tense, believable and truly thrilling movie.
While I have no doubt that they've taken some liberties with the facts and added a good dose of Hollywood magic, at no point do things feel overdone or cheesy.
Hanks is predictably brilliant in the title role, with the final scene being particularly noteworthy. Barkhad Abdi, Barkad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed and Mahat Ali - all first-timers - turn in solid performances as the Somali pirates. The story is balanced and never tries to either paint the pirates as out-and-out evil, nor as hard-done-by cuddly bunnies. It simply shows, in a believable and nail-biting way, the outcome of an extraordinary set of events.
I only wish more movies coming out of Hollywood were so well executed, as this just goes to prove you don't need explosions, overdone CGI or ridiculous plot twists to create a piece of truly engaging cinema.
Very, very, very good indeed.