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richmond-clements
Reviews
Damsel (2024)
Excellent family fun
I really enjoyed this and its an excellent family film. Plot has reasonable depth for a fantasy film and made complete sense. There were a few points where I thought there were going to be plot holes but they filled these in reasonably. Good pace, although could have even been expanded and been longer. MBB kicks ass and could be a good Red Sonia replacement. The Dragon CGI in the open air let it down a little bit otherwise I liked the creature design. The use of Shohreh Aghdashloo as the voice of the dragon is an excellent choice. Ray Winston is reasonably used and puts in his normal gruff appearance, although there could have been more use of Robin Wight and Angela Bassett. Fun fantasy film.
Babylon 5: The Road Home (2023)
Good to see the characters back
This is a very generic lacklustre plot, that only seems to focus on Sheridan with everyone else side-lined to an occasional walk on appearance. I'm wondering if the plotline was constrained to try and provide a basis for the possible reboot.
There is no real meat here and just seems to be a "love is a force" plot which is just corny and lazy. As well as the daft conscious quantum observer affecting outcomes line which is just daft.
Animation is good mostly, clearly with using a CG toolkit. But the biggest stone in my shoe were the shadows. They seemed to be all over the place. We either see shadows that don't move on the face when the characters are moving, or shadows on their faces which make no sense to their position in relation to other characters and lighting.
I can only hope this release encourages the reboot, and I am wondering if the time/alternative universe plot allows a fresh take on this most excellent of series.
Ancient Apocalypse (2022)
Nice scenery and locations, pity Graham is there to spout his drivel
I will give it credit for introducing me to some unique and wonderous locations I hadn't been aware of. It's just a pity you have to suffer the absurdity of Graham Hancock's imagination. The constant "oh nobody will listen to me" and "why won't they consider my alternative view point", "they're all stuck in their ways" is hilarious. Graham the reason why nobody takes you seriously is you offer nothing to any of the sciences, you present no coherent analysis of facts or even deductive logic. You have an agenda and narrative you want to present, and you cherry pick, crowbar and misrepresent your ignorant interpretation of evidence to fit it. I suppose it sells books and pays the bills and that's probably all you have. I have seen more honesty, understanding and less cherry picking from flat Earthers. I can only think some of the high scored reviews are some kind of parody. I did manage to watch it all, just for the decent production and to see what level of lunacy you could reach. It definitely gets nuttier as you go along and climaxes on the last episode to some A class delusion. Watch for the travelogue but nothing else. There is a reason we have experts and it's about time the world listened to them more.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Finally a comic book film that felt like it came from a comic
Excellent. As the headline says an MCU film that felt like it was part of the comic universe. They actually managed to have a tenticalled monster that made sense unlilke a certain DC film. I was getting bored by super hero/comic book films/series but this managed to excite and be inovative. But where the multiverse has normally being a script cop out in so many TV series they actually managed to make it work. The last Spiderman wasnt too far off. Very clever to use the MV to seemlessly incorporate the recently integrated other franchises. Very enjoyable.
The Last Duel (2021)
Should have been good, ended up like EastEnders
Still trying to work out if it's the screenplay and/or the directing that's at fault here. The casting is weird anyway but they are seriously struggling with the abysmal material they have to work with. The production is excellent but it can't save the terrible writing. I am wondering if Scott is like Lucas and can produce wonderful looking films but seriously cannot direct actors. Only worth watching to work out what not to do.
Ammonite (2020)
Exquisite film making
Everything about this film is astoundingly exquisitely brilliant. The soundscape outside and inside, the camera framing and focus, the pace and editing, the use of the location, and especially the main actors performances. It certainly seemed to capture the feeling of a Devon fishing village of the time. Kate Winslet just gets better and better. Mare of Easttown showed this and is a similar demeanour. To some degree the other actors don't really get a look in, even Fiona Shaw, but I think the director was going for the intensity of the relationship between the two main characters. Maybe it could of built on the other characters a little, as even at two hours it flew by.. Excellent and was powerful in a gentle quiet way. Have purchased and will be revisiting.
Sweet Tooth (2021)
Screw you Netflix, I'm not crying you're crying
An amazing series. The concept seems slightly daft scientifically. But it has been written, directed, acted so well I am now sold. Some of the effects are a little dodgy, possibly budget. But I was left weeping after the last episode it got to me so much. Please bring series 2 soon just to give me emotional relief.
Stowaway (2021)
Just get the basics right
*** Spoilers ***
Managed to get 20 minutes into this film and was seriously tempted to switch off before then. It was more moronic than "Life". Seriously they had stage separation, no showing of deceleration at all, just some body shaking all the way through, and then had MECO. At least get that in the right order. Plus the obligatory spinning gravity solution that every one knows just doesn't work, in order to save effects money. And then they find a body stuffed away that nobody noticed was missing. That's where I gave up. "Life" has a new competitor for most stupid space film.
Six Minutes to Midnight (2020)
5 go mad with Nazis
Wow. Just shows you can have a stella cast but it can't support a a terrible screenplay. 5 go mad with Nazis and lashings of ginger beer in a girls school. Yet another sky production, what do you expect. Abysmal.
Proxima (2019)
Astoundingly brilliant
The direction is sublime. Not quite documentary style but very realistic. From what I could see they used a lot of real locations. Great for any space nerds 😀 The performance by Eva Green and Zélie Boulant is heart at times. One of the best films on Netflix and one of the best films I have watched
The Midnight Sky (2020)
Well made, uninspiring and pointless story
Thought I would keep my review complementary to the storyline is this film. That's it
The Queen's Gambit (2020)
Writing and acting is exceptional
You get so invested in the story and the characters that you are seriously disappointed that this is not based on a true story, although I believe there is some influence from Bobby Fischers story This has to be one of the best dramas I have seen. Anna Taylor-Joy is brilliant and beautiful. It's exceptional, the story telling is amazing. I mean come on they made chess exciting and passionate.
Away (2020)
Utter rubbish
Yet more utter rubbish space drama
Don't bother. Couldn't manage my way through the first episode. Let's put a dysfunctional crew together for a long range Mars trip. Yes thats realistic. Utter "rubbish". Who writes this abysmal trash. Makes second life look ok. If you wanted a human perspective on space travel The First was great but Netflix cancelled that in favour of this tosh
Ad Astra (2019)
Made Life and Gravity look technically good
Obviously very influenced by Hearts of Darkness with the father as Kurtz and Brad Pitt undergoing the journey of discovery travelling the space equivalent of the Congo river. As far as it goes was an interesting idea. Throw in additional influences from Solaris and 2001 you could have had a decent film. But if you thought Life, Gravity or parts of The Martian gave a big middle finger to scientific accuracy, logic, and believable character behaviour, Ad Astra took it to another level.
The film looks great and the effects are stunning, but anyone with a basic knowledge of science and space travel will spend the whole film seething at the stupidity of the plot. Coupled with weak unbelievable supporting characters who behave absurdly you end up with a completely moronic story.
Have liked other films by James Grey, but he needs to keep away from anything to do with space.
Cursed (2020)
A bit cheesy and ropey in places but still entertaining
Think the BBC's Merlin but with a bigger budget. Some of the acting isn't the best but we still found it entertaining and binge watched it until the end. I am not quite sure what others expected, and I have definitely seen a lot worse. Would like to see a second series.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
My Lovely Horse 😄
Loved it. Laughed and cried all the way through. Best film I have seen this year.
Reminded me a little of the Father Ted Eurovision episode.
Yes it follows the typical Rom Com sentimental format but this really clicked with me and cheered me up no end
Another Life (2019)
Made in Chelsea in space
Well sorry Katee, I love you and all that, but this makes SyFy films look good. Why have we got a crew based on people from Made In Chelsea / Love Island sent to make first contact, who mutiny within 5 minutes of waking up. Katee makes the best of it, but the writing is utter rubbish and one of the worst series on Netflix. I would place along side Life as one of the worst pieces of sci-fi written.
Oh and by the way dark matter doesn't block light it only affects gravitation you retards
Please renew a decent scifi series like Nightflyers