BILLYBOY-10 Reviews

Murder in Provence (2022– )

Another Fun Murder Series

[9/10 · 2 August 2022]

I love light hearted murder series with snappy repartee dialogue and quirky characters. Vera this is not! Nancy Carroll from Father Brown is perfectly matched with Roger Allam and the outdoor locations are beautiful so its a wonderful series and I hope it gets picked up for more. Probably not tho its much to pedestrian for the gourmet viewer. Pity. Anyway I have to kill time to list at least 150 characters which is total nonsense as when I read a review it needs to be short and concise not filled with endless yack yack in useless detail.

Uncoupled (2022–2023)

Not GWTW but OK

[7/10 · 31 July 2022]

Bottom line is I want to see Season II as the series ended on a double whammy. The stories are OK, the writing sometimes crisp, sometimes not, but all in all an enjoyable diversion from reality of what it's like to be gay, single and 50 or over..or as I call it: The Gobi Desert. Fantasy land here but fun and worth a watch. Lotsa puns and story lines to keep it fresh and ongoing and basically its mainstream gay soft-porn.

McDonald & Dodds: The War of Rose (2021) Season 2, Episode 3

Alway intriguing

[9/10 · 18 October 2021]

I like this series and this particular episode is well written, with lots of twists along the way keeping you on your toes all along to the very clever conclusion. My only criticism however is the very annoying background music starting with the way too loud beginning song and then all along loud and overwhelming music interludes and crashing noise throughout. It is not only unnecessary it is distracting from the goings on and should have been eliminated altogether. Nice production, direction and super acting but again, get rid of the annoying music track.

Midsomer Murders: The Wolf Hunter of Little Worthy (2021) Season 22, Episode 1

Enormous Disappointment

[3/10 · 20 April 2021]

I've been waiting for this season forever and it finally came with a gigantic thud.

I am glad to see Barnaby & Winters still a great team and was interesting to see Father Brown do a stint on the series, but too bad about the script which did away mostly with the bucolic english village and it's quirky characters. I guess MM decided to plunk a little youth in it's formula with internet cafe's, memes, under 30's by the bucket load and a uber modern online contest which resulted in a particularly offensive costumed character going around with steel claws and silver bullets. Whatever happened to poison tea and tumbling down stairs? Cute, quaint rose covered, thatched roof cottage down the lane? Forget it. A brick barn turned into a giant internet cafe with old IBM CPU's lining the walls. Ug.

The local pub has a few scenes at the bar but that's it. Red herrings galore and a sloppy end to it all--unbelievable. I see so far it got 6.1 rating here. Maybe an all time low for a MM episode and it is well deserved, altho I'd give it a 3. Back to simpler "ye OLD merry England" times I say.

The Prom (2020)

Fun for an old guy

[8/10 · 6 January 2021]

I'm 80 years old and found this video or film to be fun. I love how Streep makes fun of herself and was not sure Kidman was Kidman until the credits ran since she doesn't look like her that much anymore. Has she had a lot of work done, anyway she was wearing way too much eye shadow/liner. I liked the songs but the dance numbers were too cut and jummpy. They should have had the camera still on them dancing and not have the camera jumping around. The film was fun, a bit long but I did enjoy it mostly because of Streep.

Café Society (2016)

Who Cares?

[2/10 · 12 December 2020]

Poor Woody knew he had to crank something out to keep him on track so he penned this pot boiler while make morning tea. The three principals are people I didn't care a brass farthing about. No sympathy for any of them. The old guy leaves his wife for the spunky secretary who is maybe in love with the mousey newby in town (glitzy 30's Hollywood)...yawn....then the second half back in London where it takes place mostly in a cafe where society congregates and therefore a movie title is born...yawn...So a couple of years later everyone connects again and we hope it doesn't go too far altho lust and passion and red roses intervene. Then one night the movie ends. Will it doesn't quite end, it just fades to black and credits roll so I guess it just stopped. Anticlimactic. All in all the cars and clothes are impressive and some nice hair styles and jewelry too but the story sucks.

Possessed (1947)

Nutty as a fruitcake

[7/10 · 8 June 2020]

Here's loony tunes Joanie being all "I love you" to Van Heflin who is being all "get lost" and she just can't let go....ever....I just watched "The Two Mrs. Carrolls" where Bogart plays a murderous psychopath so this movie was appropriate. Whereas Bogie ends up killing one wife and almost another, here we have Joanie in love with one man( Heflin) and marrying another after she confesses to killing his first wife...or did she...or maybe not...oh, well, she's nuts so we don't really know. Whenever she's is around Heflin each time he shows up in the flick, she goes into uber overdrive schitzo. Finally she does go off the deep end and murders Heflin as he is about to go off to marry her husbands daughter. Ouch. So somehow she manages to make it from back east to L.A. then to the hospital Psych ward, where we do all these flashbacks. Finally, alls well that ends stupid and its THE END. The movie has more holes than a sieve but whenever Joanie goes ga-ga her close-up are worth the price of admission.

End of the Century (2019)

Where am I?

[3/10 · 27 March 2020]

OK, I guess I'm really thick because this movie, aside from minor things like its direction, acting and plot, seem, to me, to ramble and weave and go forwards and backwards and maybe not even really happen. I mean its in a constant state of flash-back, flash-forward, imagination, dream, perpetual confusion. I like succinct films that tell a great story with competent acting and fine direction. Well, I guess as far as this goes, two out of three shouldn't be bad, but it is. For me the film fell apart a little after half-way through when I had a major "What the heqq ihappened here" I thought they got the film reels mixed up but that con't happen. No, this is how the film is provided. Confusing. It also has a lot of pithy dialogue which is meant to be intellectual but it reall comes across as, well, pithy. The acting is adequate, some of the sub-plots silly (the hunky guy in the park in the bushes) but overall its way to confusing for me.

In the Grayscale (2015)

OH DEAR, I'M CONFUSED

[4/10 · 24 March 2020]

Here I go again, the only one who thinks this was really quite boring story of a young guy who needs time away from his wife and young son so the director of the film can make overlong shot of him sleeping in the nude in his cot with the sheets strategically placed over his buttocks and this his homosexual awakening with his uncannily unattractive...actually ugly...side-kick who is very clever and street-wise and witty and together. Ugh. I found this movie plodding and cinematically pretentious what with all the longing semi-nude shots as I mentioned. I didn't find a single original, redeeming thing about it. Not very happy as I usually find South American films (e.g. The Blonde One) very satisfying.

The Scapegoat (2012)

A good use of your time

[9/10 · 8 December 2019]

I was without a clue as to what I was gonna stream next on my various subscription sites and free apps as well on Roku. I came across this title on Netflix and I was intrigued as Aileen Atkins was in it and one of the writers was Daphne Dumaurier (sp) so it was 9:30 and it would take me onto 11pm. The premise was interesting and lead actor very good, the story solid an production very fine, now as I write this it is the next day and I am thinking about the film which for me means it was very good. Seldom is anything good enough to think about the next day (well, The Crown and The Irishman are recent exceptions). Anyway, I won't give away the plot, but just say if you decide to watch the film I will go out on a limb and say you won't be disappointed or want your time back. Cheers.

The Assassin (1952)

The Song is Driving me Nuts

[8/10 · 23 September 2019]

First of all, this is a very good 50's thriller which of course, as everyone on earth knows by now, takes place in Venice and they do a great job of intertwining the city with the action of the film. It is overlooked for some reason, mostly I guess because it plods along in places but the ends justify the means in the end. M

My purpose of writing this review is because I can't seem to find anywhere the name of the song/singer during the opening credits. I know the score was done by the marvelous Nino Rota and it is haunting and appropriate as all of his scores are but given that I still have to fine the NAME OF THE OPENING CREDITS SONG. It's a male singer, all in Italian and even sounds older than the movie, but I don't know.

Journey to Italy (1954)

Interminable

[5/10 · 3 July 2018]

This is Interminable and bogged. It's a typical story of a marriage, after eight years, is headed for the lawyers. Maybe the marriage would have lasted if they had children..maybe not. Maybe it would have lasted if she had'nt married a cad in the first place....probably. In any event, the ending is corny and in-between are some nice sights of Napoli and surroundings, but without those beatiful distractions, this would have been just another dreary melodrama. Sorry.

Red Dirt (2000)

Mississippi Mud

[6/10 · 13 May 2018]

As mentioned, this is a poor-man's Tennessee Williams. Way down deep south in Mississippi where they walk around barefoot in the red mud. Slow. Very slow. Poor Auntie is mildly nuts and the young cousins are humping when the male stranger appears and upsets everything. In the end, the goombah hero of our movie, chooses to deny his true nature (he has fallen in love with the stranger) and opts to stay around in Screaming Bonkers Madville which obviously will soon drive him nuts as well. If you like this slow, southern, lousey ending movie, then it's fine.

Seven Lucky Gods (2014)

A lot better than rated here

[8/10 · 12 April 2018]

As of this writing the rate is 4.9 but that is because they dont have any reviews, just ratings. This is a story of a young Albanian illegal in England desparetly trying to get legal status but running into bad luck all the way. Very ironic story, especially when compared to the horrendous immegration situation in the USA today (2018). The film is very well done and engaging and deserves more people watching and reviewing it.

Attention of Men (2017)

It's just OK

[6/10 · 29 March 2018]

Homo hustler Colt is injured and nursed back to health by a religious nut who tries to convert (brain wash) him. Finally Colt has enough as the guy has gone too far even to burn Colt's cherished diary. Colt leaves under protest of guy, Colt hugs him and splits.

Body Electric (2017)

What's the point?

[2/10 · 26 March 2018]

Excuse me but a 6.5 rating for this rambling mess is absurd. There is no basic plot except the gorgeous central character is gay and mostly hooks up with a future drag queen and wants to hook up with the new hire. There are very long overhead scenes of people walking down the street in the rain with umbrellas up. Why? I guess because the director thought it was really great altho it had absolutely nothing to do with the non-plot of the movie. If the main character of the film was suppose to elicit some sort of sympathetic response from the viewer, then he failed completely. I kept pausing to see how much time was left but didn't bail because I had too much time invested in it, so I kept watching it and then it just simply ended. Awful.

Beyond Plain Sight (2014)

Just Plain Sick

[1/10 · 20 March 2018]

Black dude kidnaps people and chains them up in his apartment and sexually abuses them then kills them with a hammer. Delightful.

Death in Buenos Aires (2014)

Deserves way more than IMDB 5.4

[9/10 · 16 March 2018]

This is a terrific film and has only 5 reviews all 10 & 9, so how come only 5.4? It deserves at least 6.8 since it's a really good film beginning to way amazing end. All performances are top notch and the story is super. Highly recommend.

Last Summer (2013)

Like Watching Wallpaper Peel

[3/10 · 5 March 2018]

Be very sure you are aware this is not first and formost as story about two teen gay guys with a bit of typical angst and one of them is going off to college and the other is staying behind in Nowheresville. Its about pretty scenes like rain drops on plants, spider webs, beucolic pastures with a cow, long (too long) shots of car parts, trees, nature, etc., you get the message. It's beautifuly shot images are beautifully shot as far as images go but the actual story drags and goes essentially nowhere and then ends. I was disappointed. I see it was written, directed and edited by the same person, so a pictorial ego trip.

Female on the Beach (1955)

Joanie and the scenery: A chew job

[5/10 · 24 January 2018]

Joan was 49, Jeff was 36 but he fell for those big eyebrows and those crinoline skirts that almost knocked over furniture as she swiveled her abundant hips around the beach house. Sure he was a gigolo but she loved the hunk and he loved her but the fuel pump almost blew the whole thing. Oh, well....all's well that ends well and as he hugs her from behind while she's (ever) facing the camera with her hand contorted backwards on his face cheek, the screen goes black and the floozy music oozes to The End. I taped this pot-boiler over 20 years ago on VHS and it still amuses.

Beyond the Forest (1949)

Bette at her worst best

[10/10 · 24 January 2018]

What a hoot. Her last flick before leaving Warner Brothers which she hated so much that she impersonates a (male) female impersonator impersonating her. Just think of it! Way way over the top Bette. "What a dump" "If I don't get out of here I'll die...If I don't get out of here, I hope I die" Later, Liz Taylor would do an impersonation of her in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe in the opening scene of that movie. Here Bette plays Rosa Moline, as Liz describes her: "She's a housewife, she buys things" and "she's discontent". Boy, oh boy, Is she ever. And mean. And evil. And conniving. And scheming. And toting a rifle and shooting porcupines because "they irritate me". A million laughs. Honestly, its precious. Almost as bad (good) as her 'Dead Ringer'

Chuck & Buck (2000)

Disturbing nonsense

[23 January 2018]

Mental case Buck wants to re-kindle childhood relationship with Buck when they were 11 years old. No redeeming value what=so=ever. Pure Garbage.

Everlasting Love (2014)

There should be a "minus star" system for garbage like this

[23 January 2018]

Middle age teacher falls for young student, ends up getting eaten by same, then burned and skeleton hanged from tree. Delightful. Sick minds making movies.

Back Soon (2007)

SPOILER ALERT!: This movie sucks big time.

[1/10 · 20 January 2018]

Oh, me oh my, where to begin? The actors don't speak their lines, they obviously read them from 3x5 cue cards stapled to each others foreheads. For one, I can't look at the ugly one because of his goofy looking circus clown ears (surely as an actor he could afford to get them fixed?) They are suppose to be playing two straight guys so why are they dripping gay (check out the hideous purple fairy shit the cuter one wears). So, now we add a absurd plot/story-line to the mix, a huge dose of dreadful directing and you come up with..as the french would say: Gar-bage. This is one of those movies that is so ridiculously bad, its laughable, like the worst movie ever made, you just can't keep you eyes off this train wreck...and in slow, dragging, plodding motion. Oh dear, I've spoiled this heap for you but please do get yourself in a mood for and hour and twenty minutes of disbelief.

Tomcat (2016)

Cat Lovers Beware

[6/10 · 13 January 2018]

I don't know how they got those cats to do all those cute thing because mine would simply refuse and walk away. Maybe half way into the film a nana second violent action turns the relationship between Moses's housemates up-side-down and the rest of the movie explore the long, long road to forgiveness and attempts at recovering normalcy. It's not that bad, but nothing really spectacular. I was expecting something worse at the end, so was surprised it turned out well after all.