Change Your Image
tomtesch
Reviews
Palm Royale (2024)
Why do so many great actors generate such an weak show?
I love Kirsten Wiig, Alison Janney, Laura Dern, actually all the actors featured in Royal Palm. So why did it end up such an annoying show? I really tried and watched a few eps. However it actually got worsens worse as one couldn't identify or sympathize with any of the main characters. The show can't decide whether it's a parody, or farce or comedy or everything together? If the story is so boring, why even produce something Royal Palm, Apple? I am sorry to say but more and more Apple Original shows are forgettable and badly done. And O don't get why a person with Kirsten Wiigs talent can't find the right vehicle.
The New Look (2024)
What a waste of talent and money
This series could have been so excellent. And despite the talent involved and the rich material & production value, The New Look fails miserably as a series. Whereas Balenciaga was a triumph on style and substance, The New Look can't decide what it's about. Binoche is stellar as the survival artist Chanel, while Ben Mendelsohn is horribly miscast as Dior. He sleepwalks through the series like he's under narcotics. And why is half the story about Catherine Dior? I have watched 9 episodes so far and can't express my disappointment. It could have been so great. Save your time and rather watch Balenciaga instead.
Poor Things (2023)
I wanted to like it.
Sorry, Poor Things just wasn't for me.
I appreciate the attempt to create an original, creative film.
However, it just felt icky and rather misogynistic after all.
From my POV, films like Being John Malkovich are much more original and creative.
Yes, the design and art direction are noteworthy.
And I very much liked the director's The Favorite.
But Poor Things was more grotesque than smart or funny, a wildly overplayed and overlong farce that just left a bad aftertaste. It definitely wasn't the female empowerment and self realization opus many critics and viewers wanted it to be. Look at me, I am an art project and wildly pretentious.
And even though I like Emma Stone a lot, I would have rather seen Lilly Gladstone or especially Carey Mulligan win their first Best Actress awards than Emma her second.
But life's not fair and great actresses like Glenn Close who never won an Oscar are proof that Academy Awards are often given to the wrong films and performances .
The Super Models (2023)
Very uncritical documentary produced by the subjects
As much as I wanted to like this documentary: unfortunately it failed on many fronts. I understand the supermodels' reason to make this 4 parter on their legacy control the narrative & sell the package to AppleTV+. Too bad it became such a soft fluff. Yes, Linda's health issues in part 4 brought some depths. But it's never a good thing if a documentary is dictated by its subjects. Hearing Naomi's closest friendliness fans what a good person she is? Really?
Giving a great documentarian autonomy could have made this fluff piece noteworthy and worth watching. As someone who has lived in the supers' times of glory there was hardly anything new I haven't seen or heard before. Yes, it was a stroll through memory lane, but it could have been so much better.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (2023)
So impressed, best show of 2023 for me
Now that I have watched 6 of the series' 7 eps and I am so impressed. I started to watch the Lost flowers of Alice Hart because of Sigourney Weaver. She is such a formidable actress and her in the main role and producing the series is a quality sign.
What made me continue to watch is the excellent way the series transports you to another world and culture, a feeling like getting enthralled by a great book. The production value, the script, the actors - everything is perfect and couldn't be better. The direction, camera, music, everything together creates this masterpiece, where each part contributes to a wonderful and very fulfilling work of art. I watch a lot of films and series and this series has left such a deep impression on me - do yourself a favor and get swept away by the lost flowers of Alice Hart like I did.
Based on a True Story (2023)
Get past 1st episode
I love a series which doesn't take itself too seriously. I wanted to throw the towel during the 1st episode as "Based on a true story" seemed to be predictable and uninspired. But then t got me hooked. The actors are great. Tom Bateman gives a career making performance. And Kuoco continues her winning streak, becoming America's next Goldie Hawn. This series has a lot of dark humor and keeps surprising me - which is exact what I want.
Since Öztürk I am a huge Jason Bateman fan. And knowing that he is one of "Based on a true story"'s producers is another indication that the series is worth watching . From my point of view it's an evolution of " Only murders in the building" and I like it a lot more.
Citadel (2023)
This series is so much worse than I thought
I hoped that Citadel was at least acceptable.
Given that Richard Madden starred in Game of Thrones and the much better Bodyguard and good actors like Stanley Tucci & Lesley Manville in supporting roles I hoped that this new series could be fun.
However it starts with a CGI-heavy opening scene on a fake looking train with horrible dialogue & embarrassing acting on Priyanka Chopra's part and goes only downhill from there.
Excessive killings and violence as if we were in a video game, amnesia, no finesse, no surprise- a by the number series for people who have neither seen James Bond nor Kingsman nor Jason Bourne. This series is an embarrassment for everybody involved and especially for Amazon, which poured a ton of money into this new franchise.
However knowing that the Russo Brothers are behind it, I have my explanation why Citadel is as bad as it is. No wonder, the Russos are also behind 2022's equally embarrassing and bad The Gray Man on Netflix.
Anybody who expects at least some quality: Please do yourself a favor and don't watch this disaster.
Next in Fashion (2020)
Season 2 was a major decline in every possible aspect
I was a mjor fan of Next in Fashion season 1.
The quality of highly professional contestants, each very advanced and successful with their own lines, competing in international locations in a series of sophisticated tasks, was outstanding.
In contrast to other fashion themed reality shows like Project Runway, the skill level was unbelievable.
Each designer was highly accomplished and creative. The result was exhilarating and a big success.
I couldn't wait for the second season.
However the pandemic and accompanying production limitations plus severe price cuts by the producers shrunk this show to an undersized Project Runway imitation solely focused on streetwear.
The majority of the second season's contestants were such one trick ponies that it was embarrassing.
All participants were American, though some had immigration backgrounds. I kept asking myself whether I was still watched the same format?
While Tan France was pleasant as a presenter in season 1 together with the formidable Alexa Chung, season 2 paired him with supermodel Gigi Hadid and they behaved like parodies of themselves, cracking embarrassing, unfunny jokes. Why? Who produced this mess?
Overall the designers were mainly only accomplished in 1 genre, be it male or female fashion. They were neither versatile nor creative enough to outlast more than 3 episodes in any other fashion competition format. Focussing only on US designers and only on streetwear was a joke. I feel embarrassed for everyone involved in Next in Fashion season 2 and hope that Netflix cancels the series.
Liaison (2023)
What a waste of talent and money
It hurts me to see very competent actors like Castel and Green being thrown away in a horrible script. The dialogue is so bad that I couldn't take it anymore. Production design is top. And I am sure that Apple spent a lot of $ on this series. Last year AppleTV+ brought a handful of pretty good new series like Bad Sisters, Panchiko and Slow Horses. This year (23) the only watchable series so far is the return of Ted Lasso. (Dear Edward was at least watchable- if they had just left out the unbearable constant soundtrack)
Somebody at AppleTV+ should be made responsible for wasting all this talent and money with ridiculous series like Liaisons.
Elvis (2022)
Don't listen to the critics - Elvis is so much better
Elvis is a Baz Luhrman Opus through and through. Every shot is choreographed, styled, witty and memorable.it starts with the Luhrman credits and ends after almost 3 hours, every minute worth it. If I think back to musical biographies of recent years, Bohemian Rhapsody is at the bottom of the biography barrel. The film changed essential parts of Freddy Mercury's biography and put his straight love story in the center in order to appeal to a mass audience. A big lie. And it brought undeserved Oscars and huge box office bucks.
Much better in every aspect was Rocketman with Taron Egerton as Elton John. A spectacle, a musical, a visual feast and a total delight. And truthful to Elton's lifestory.
Elvis is the top. This visual feast has a great story, gives Tom Hanks his best part in years with Colonel Tom Parker and makes Austin Butler a magnetic star. Austin Butler is very much an Elvis Doppelgänger. He can dance, sing and incorporates Elvis with every inch of his body and soul. Baz Luhrman's storytelling never bores and I discovered new aspects of Elvis life and music that maybe only Baz as an Australian and thus Non-American could show us in this clarity.
Elvis is a masterpiece and total delight, Austin Butler will become a major star and Baz Luhrman clearly deserves that Elvis becomes the biggest hit of his career and receive major awards in the upcoming award season.
The Unforgivable (2021)
Much much better than expected
I was wary before watching this film. Heavy subject matter. So so reviews. And I was blown away. Wonderful script with some unexpected turns and stellar performances. One has to give credit where credit is due. Sandra Bullock is spectacular. A very authentic performance by a great actress. Wonderful actors in all the other parts, from Viola Davis and Vincent D'Onofrio to Ann Dowd etc. Wonderful cast throughout. Thank you, Sandra Bullock for getting this movie made. Without her star power. Netflix would have hardly made this film. Unfortunately movie studios don't bring out films for grown ups like The Unforgivable anymore. So glad this film was made. It still resonates with me a day after having watched it. Please watch it. The comments about Bullock's face are superfluous and beside the point. Kidman had much more work done and is less criticized than Bullock. Bullock has never been better than in this film. An actress in her prime.
The White Lotus (2021)
Great new Mike White Series
Mike White, the director & writer of The White Lotus is not everybody's cup of tea. But if you get his dark, twisted humor you will love this new show. Very promising start. Great characters, excellent actors and a tropical paradise vacation which took the wrong turn. Even if you are in a beautiful place, you cannot escape yourself. Perfect show for summer to remind us that even though we all long for a change of scenery after months of lockdown, some vacations can go horribly wrong. What I very much like is that the stories are twisted and dark, but still realistic and human.