joebloggscity Reviews

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

This TV talkshow host cum horror deserves its ratings...

[8/10 · 31 March 2024]

Wow! Having heard a review of this, I was intrigued to watch this film, and I can say that it was a great watch.

We have a film that centres around a talkshow host who is constantly playing catch up to reach the top of the food chain in the 1970s TV talkshow world, and has long past his peak. Now we find him resorting desperately to performing some horror excorcism and seance on his show to boost ratings, and as you can guess already, things get out of control.

First of all, this is a retro horror film and it works perfectly well, and has a wonderful feel like an old Video nasty. However, it's not by any means the most scary film out there, and actually uses a lot of dark humour to mellow the atmosphere, which allows this film to be more accessible to a larger audience. The film feels like a theatre play on screen, and works perfectly for it here with a very claustrophobic atmosphere. You're in but you can't get out.

The film is clearly derivative and pays homage to others like obviously 'The Exorcist' but also found footage movies too, but it's the acting that is the real crux, and I can't think of a single bad performance in this film.

David Dastmalchian plays our TV talkshow host without needing to pander to being smarmy or evil, but really like an welcoming uncle. The benefit then of that is that he sucks you in. The real star turns out to be the possessed young girl (Lilly) who is incredibly performed by Ingrid Torelli, who creates one of the most genuinely disturbing and frightening character portrayals I've seen in years. The young lady broke the mould after what has been decades now of cliched portrayals of young women in horror.

As we follow the happenings, the tension is ratcheted up, but humour provides some respite, and it is quite funny at times without in any way undermining the horror. The twists and turns ensure we are wholly engrossed, and I myself was hooked.

I'd really recommend you catch this when you can in the cinema, this host very much deserves an audience. Just please don't ruin this fine film with unnecessary sequels.

Furies: Namaste connard (2024) Season 1, Episode 8

Season 1 Review: Sassy, offbeat and exciting. Cool watch...

[7/10 · 26 March 2024]

This French series is quite an anecdote to the often much maligned series that Netflix in particular churns out. We have a young lady who is led by what is a surrogate mother. The catch is that the young lady is the daughter of a murdered money launderer working for the big gangsters in Paris, whilst the surrogate mother is actually the 'Fury', the one who keeps the gangsters in Paris in check with ruthless abandon.

The series is clearly quite a homage to Nikita and Leon, but also feels like 'Wanted' too! This entire mix gives us an interesting mix, and I was quite hooked. The show does try to keep off the well-trodden path, and was unafraid to upset expectations. The two leads were exceptionally good, and many other series/films with lead action roles with women could definitely learn a thing or two from this one.

I found it fun, exciting, crazy and cool. Must add a word for the two side-kicks who stole the show whenever they were on screen (Simon & Le Boueux) who I wished had more screentime.

What did dent the show was some of the ancillary characters, especially other gangsters, were often too ridiculous to take seriously (even though the show was really mostly tongue in cheek). I just lost interest when they were on-screen. That doesn't take away from the rest of the series I found.

Overall, this is fun and exciting, and I really loved the lead two women working off of each other. Worth a watch.

10x10 (2018)

Aduction thriller where more than meets the eye...

[6/10 · 17 March 2024]

I'm a little surprised by the low rating this film has achieved. I think this is a surprising little film which I enjoyed and a far great successful risk taker than has been the case with even films with budgets far in excess of this one.

We have a storyline that begins with the abduction of a lady (Cathy) by (to her) an anonymous man (Lewis), and as it turns out, they are far more connected that at first she wants to believe. There's twists and turns, and some very dark moments too.

This feels like a theatre play on screen, as we see Lewis reveal why he has abducted her, and we find the secret behind Cathy. It's the acting the taut nature of the thriller that keeps you on edge. I thought it was very smart, and kept you on your toes. Both Kelly Reilly and Luke Evans are excellent in the lead roles and deserve a lot of praise for what they brought to the roles. Very impressive.

If you want a dark thriller and intelligent watch, I'd recommend this. Deserves more attention that it's got.

Huset (2023)

Worth getting locked up with this series...

[8/10 · 9 March 2024]

"Prisoner" as this has been renamed for the showing in the UK, is a dark & difficult but thoroughly engrossing viewing. There's been plenty enough prison series over the years, but this one takes a different take, mostly concentrating on the dramas of the four key prison wardens rather than the prisoners themselves.

As this follows in the tradition of prision dramas, you know some of the obvious events that will occur, but the truth is that its emphasis on the prison wardens is an interesting departure that makes a big difference in what we encounter. From the mother with the drug addicted son, the new warden who finds his friend behind bars and so on. This all leads to a major collision, as sins & crimes are covered-up with more sins & crimes, and it all gets out of hand. Hanging over the heads of the wardens, is the threat of the possible closure of the prison with the the head warden under pressure from the inspectors.

This series is for me one of the best Scandi Noir series. Generally, I've not been as impressed as others with Scandi Noir but this is an exception. A dark, nasty and very intelligent bit of drama that makes you question morality in these worlds.

I don't want to give anything away, although some things are well sign-posted from early on but that doesn't devalue the series in any way.

I'd recommend this very highly to everyone.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Dune 2 - Desert Rats v The Empire

[7/10 · 9 March 2024]

Dune Part Two is one that I feel will divide more people that some will admit. I thoroughly enjoyed the first part, and rewatched it a week ago before watching this sequel, and it was a great film that pushed the boundaries in what Cinema can do best on a big screen. Part Two follows that same pattern, and is mostly on part with it.

We have a continuation of sing our lead protagonist Paul out to fulfill his destiny is this Tatooine linke planet against the evil empire out to exploit the indigenous groups (like the unsubtly named Freman). He seeks revenge and to find himself, and clearly ther are Star Wars parallels as any fanboy of the sci-fi genre will bore about (Star Wars having been heavily influenced by the original Dune book).

It's incredible to look at, with the setting and effects brilliant. The action scenes keep you going without the need to just keep going on forever trying to outdo each scene each time.

The issue was though that most of the time, I'll admit I didn't have a clue what was going on! The exposition was difficult to understand if done, and the conversations were often hard to follow. I wasn't convinced by Timothee Chalamet as a revolutionary leader, but he is a fine actress. I thought Rebecca Ferguson stole the show for me, and I loved the cameo roles by Charlotte Rampling and Dave Bautista.

This is definitely one for sci-fi devotees. For me? Well, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it but I get he feeling there will be many others who won't feel invested in it, but it's worth giving it a try.

Kin: Episode #2.8 (2023) Season 2, Episode 8

Season 1 & 2 Review: Irish gangsters....

[6/10 · 2 March 2024]

Here we go again another tv series based around the machinations of a Gangster family. Netflix is chok-a-blok full of these series, with off the top of my head varieties such as Australian, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Canadian, Latin American and so on. So much so that they seem to almost ape each other.

This one little differs from the others yet I'll admit I still enjoyed it. Maybe the only difference is that this is not about first/second generation immigrants who are finding their feet and end up choosing the dark side, but rather is really wholly based on the Irish, albeit a couple of non-Irish descent characters too.

What we have is a dysfunctional family of Irish Gangsters who end up in existential crisis which threaten the livelihoods of everyone in contact with them. Just to remind you that that this is all set in Dublin, they repeatedly showed shots of the Aviva stadium (the national football stadium) over and over again!

You have the usual gangster dramas, but what helps to elevate this show is some great actors & performances. With all due respect, the surprise is Clare Dunne as the wife of the weak link in the family, and without any genuine attempt or agenda, ends up making herself the focal-point and de facto head of the family. This is despite the rest of the family having greater experience and strength, and so on.

Anyhow, it's a watchable gangster series, and in some ways goes its own way. There are a lot of nonsense too, and the friendly professional gangster trope really did grate a little, with the family portrayed as moral and really doing it all to support their family and children, with no really attention given by the series writers to show the negative impact on the rest of society (as The Sopranos was willing to do).

It's a decent thriller drama series. I enjoyed the first two series, which only came out recently here, and I watched them back to back. I look forward to the next upcoming seasons in time.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

A biopic of a difficult life...

[7/10 · 22 February 2024]

I finally sat down to watch this lauded movie which supposedly was half of the reason that saved cinema in 2024. Personally, I wasn't blown away like most others, but there's no denying this is an exceptionally well put together movie as you would expect from Christopher Nolan.

We have a biopic covering the turbulent life of Robert Oppenheimer who helped develop the atomic bomb, and we watch him having to juggle the political battles with his personal ones at a complex junction in history due to World War Two and then the Cold War. In some ways, the biggest battles for him were those in his personal life rather than on any battle-field.

There's no getting around the brilliance of the direction and performances, with many (especially Cillian Murphy) deserving of all the praise that has come their way. Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are brilliant in their roles, and may do little better in their careers (which is a high bar taking in what they have been previously involved in).

My problem is that as much as I was engrossed, but at three hours I thought the run-time was excessive. I was left very uncomfortable with some of the scenes covering his mistress which were lurid & mostly unnecessary. I think the film was also a little hagiography, but you do see his negative side as much as the positive.

This film deserves credit, taking a chance on a storyline of someone whom few if any will praise (even if only reluctantly) for what he achieved. In a cinema scene devoid of any genuine quality at present, it's a nice change.

Did it help to save cinema? Personally, I think it's a stop-gap in the recent decline. Far more is needed done to save film & cinema, but this is a welcome addition. I found it of interest, but not one that I will likely revisit again.

The Many Saints of Newark (2021)

Well, with all due respect....

[5/10 · 21 February 2024]

...this film is one of those rarities, in which I'm astounded to say I was left so incredibly underwhelmed as against my initial expectations. I got into the Sopranos very late, but once i started watching it and it finally does hit the mark, I was left speechless at times. Incredibly, for a show that lasted for so many seasons, it managed to maintain high standards throughout and up to the end (albeit with some setbacks along the way). So that's why this film is a surprise disappointment to rank it as a mis-step.

As The Sopranos was very famous for its misdirections, the storyline carries on that tradition, with the main protagonist being the father of Christopher Montasanti (Dickie Montasanti). We follow his story until his untimely demise which was already known from the show. Johnny Soprano turns out to be a sideshow character which was quite a surprise for this story, whilst Tony Soprano turns out to be in his youth little different to Anthony Jr years later.

The storyline ebbs and flows with some dark turns, as we watch the moral livelihoods of the mostly unpleasant characters. However, we also see a surrogate father son relationship between our lead and the young Tony Soprano which adds some uncomfortable background to one of the main arcs in the TV series.

The acting is great, and you can't fault anyone. Vera Farmiga as Livia was frighteningly superb in a role that could easily have gone wrong, but I did feel sorry for Jon Bernthal who probably expected to be the centre of the story as Johnny Soparano, only to surprisingly find himself as a bit-part character!

However, I was just felt underwhelmed by the film. Too much was skated over and I feel maybe a film was too little for what was needed here but rather a series. If this was a 2 part TV show, maybe I'd have been more accepting of it. Also they already did the same actor playing twins in the original, and that quite kind of pushing it with Ray Liotta's character, albeit he still did brilliantly in his roles.

Maybe it's actually a lot better than what I have stated above, as it's going against a classic of the onscreen media. Yet I can't shake off this feeling this was a partially lost opportunity. I still enjoyed it but.... There's will always be a "but" with this film when speaking about it...

Sidenote: As The Sopranos at heart was always a paen to Goodfellas above any other movie, it will likely have been a huge personal achievement for David Chase (the creator of The Sopranos) to finally get Ray Liotta ("Henry Hill") into The Sopranos world. Reports claim he had previously failed to bring him in before. Sadly, following Ray Liotta's untimely death, we will not see his like again onscreen. RIP.

Big Shark (2023)

Coming right up at you... Fun & silly....

[2/10 · 18 February 2024]

Just watched this back to back with The Room, and the only question that needs answered is whether this is as much fun as The Room. My answer is No, but it's still a lot of ridiculous fun in the cinema.

The Room is a one-off, loved & admired by film aficiancdos as much as b-movie lovers for its unintentional ridiculous direction & writing, and when you watch it in the cinema the effect is multiplied. It's so much fun to watch in a fun-loving crowd.

Big Shark makes it way up along to The Room, and Tommy Wiseau is still Tommy Wiseau. This is really just a Sci-Fi channel movie with the expected nonsense. It's daft, it's corny and funny.

It isn't anywhere near as much fun as The Room, but don't fret, as in the cinema with a jolly crowd, you'll have a fun time.

Enjoy!

Yankee (2019)

Best leave this one buried out in the desert...

[4/10 · 18 February 2024]

Yankee is a very strange one to really review on. I think it is a series with an initial curious idea that loses steam badly early on but is still entertaining viewing.

The story centres around the central character "Yankee" who is forced into exile to Mexico following a shooting of a cop.

However, the premise develops into become a little annoying if not offensive, with the American (mixed white Latin/American) outsmarting all the Latino locals who really are all supposedly dubious. His wife & family is stranded north of the border, whilst with little really skill he is able to rise rapidly to the top of the food chain in the drugs world.

The truth is that they had an initial germ that could have developed into something, but seemed to have taken a lazy root. Maybe the series was too long, and they could have simply had a better story if it was much shorter. The lead playing Yankee to me was very unconvincing. Never convinced me he was some streetwise capo in the brutal drug world in Mexico. If anything, he was weak to me, and counter to his mirror psychopath in the show, it made little sense he survived.

The lady who played Yankee's wife in particular was terrible, and in some ways her character on-screen was treated in an almost creepy & leery way for just the sex scenes etc. She was also a bad actress, the way her story played out was really total nonsense. If anything, it made little sense.

However, the one character who really does stand out for me was the undercover Laura Wolf who was a brilliant interesting character and was very well played by Ana Layevska who I will keep an eye out for in the future. If anything, her story was the main crux of the show for me, and I'd argue the only thing that will keep you watching.

Sadly, overall the show was poor. It's clear why there's no follow up season. Sad note, that one of the lead actors died prematurely not long after the show aired, Sebastian Ferrat. He was actually decent albeit over-the-top. RIP.

Memories (1995)

Incredible & Poignant Anime...

[8/10 · 17 February 2024]

Having been a really devoted fan of the seminal Anime movie Akira, I hate to say I've only finally managed to watch this collection of three short stories wrapped in an anthology for the big screen. All three clearly sharing similar themes of Akira, with all three having been written by the same legendary writer (Katsuhiro Otomo) and one of them directed by him too.

First off, we have what I thought was the best of the three segments, "Magnetic Rose", a sci-fi story in space with similarities to the classic original Solaris movie, which is poignant as we see a space crew board a distressed space station only to find that their memories & fears are being played in front of them. The second story "Stink Bomb" is comedic but again very telling, esp as it long proceeded Covid, and there's a lot of dark humour in this tale about a young man who accidentaly becomes a walking death trap for anyone who breathes the air around him, forcing mass military intervention to try to contain him. The final tale is an kafka-esque tale of city that is centred solely around war, and is all visual, but the catch is just who are they supposedly under threat from? It's a poignant and very thought-provoking tale.

All three are superb, and can even stand on their own. We have a great cerebral anthology of tales that really is a stand-out even after all these years, and in many ways has been unfortunately been overshadowed by Akira, when really this also deserves attention.

I'd recommend for everything. The writing, the art work and direction are all superb, and you can definitely rewatch it over & over again, and find new things to learn from. I think this could be very seminal for aspiring directors & writers.

Definitely highly recommended by myself, and I just wish more of this quality & standard could be made in the present day.

Ares (2020)

High Society horror show...

[5/10 · 10 February 2024]

Ares is a curious Dutch psychological horror series that you have to give a lot of credit to. We have a story about a young mixed race lady who finds she herself immersed in the world of a very exclusive & secretive high society members club who claim to have been the historical power behind Dutch society. The twist is that there is some supernatural horror wrapped up in everything that no one can understand, and our protagonist finds herself infatuated and obsessive to be part of their group to move up in their world, whilst at the same time certain others seem to be trying to stop her for whatever reasons (for good & selfish reasons).

Jade Olieberg is very watchable and helps keep us engrossed in this Dutch language series, as we try to figure out what is going on. The big problem is that we really don't know what is going on, and I don't think the writers themselves knew either. In certain ways they had a very good idea, but they had to drag it out into a roughly four hour series (8 x30 minute episode), without an idea of how to wrap it all up. The series kind of reminds me of an old horror movie called High Society, and maybe this series was a 'homage' to it. It kind of reminds me also of very manga horror series too.

If you like some more adult and cerebral psychological tv shows, then really this is worth a watch, but it does sadly lose its way badly. I still enjoyed it, but think there was a bit of a missed opportunity too.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

A dark tale of the American dream...

[6/10 · 27 January 2024]

You can't deny that this one film that stands out. The problem is that it is relying on the names rather more than all else, but credit to Scorsese for bringing an original and important story to the big screen.

What we have is a dark thriller on screen based around a true story that centres on the manipulation and murder of a oil rich wealthy family from an American Native Indian community around the 1920s. It's different that's for sure. The film centres around Leo DiCaprio who marries a wealthy Native American lady in order to infiltrate them, guided by his manipulative uncle Hale played by De Niro.

You can't deny the acting is great, and it looks good too. However, the big elephant in the room in the runtime! It's around 3.5 hours long, and really there's many people who won't be able to stomatch that in a cinema. Personally, I found that I was able to manage the time, as really the film is engrossing, but they could have lopped off around 90mins without much loss in impact. As this was produced by Apple TV, then you could argue that they cared more about it being a long film like a streaming box set. So it's like crudely hammering square pegs into round holes here.

I like the film, just could have been more succinct. If anything, I think there was a lost opportunity for Scorcese to make a final epic film (with his age, it's possible this could be his last epic but you never know).

I think it's worth a viewing but it's worth checking reviews of it before you start if you aim to watch it in the cinema. Many might not find they are able to stomach the length of the movie in one sitting in a cinema.

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Surreal.....

[6/10 · 21 January 2024]

After some recent big trip-ups of late by Netflix which has included the poorly received Rebel Moon, some credit on the way I'd argue for this intelligent tale of paranoia and fear. It feels like a stage play on screen, and what we have without giving anything away is a wealthy family who go away for a holiday in a nice home in the US countryside/woods, only to find the wealthy owner turn up with his daughter to stay over, and not all is as it seems.

We have a variety of stories that blend in here, and personally I found it interesting. The problem was that despite the risks taken, it wasn't necessarily as gripping or intriguing as it would like to be taken. Clearly this film does take influence from the far superior "The Road", but adds lots of surreal aspects, which you will either take or leave, and there are some very left-field moments.

The film still has its own character with our leads in their roles brilliantly portraying the mental torture when you don't know what's going on. Julia Roberts in particular is exceptional as the hard-nosed matriarch to her weaker more kind hearted husband, and she really brings out a character when you watch her that you will be left ambivalent about, and in this case it's a compliment.

For anyone with Netflix, I'd say this is worth a viewing.

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Astounding gargantuan film

[9/10 · 14 January 2024]

This film is a major surprise. I saw the reviews all giving it praise, so I decided to look it out, and was fully astounded by this.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the big monster movies, most being really just B-movies with shockingly bad storylines & acting, with Jurassic Park being the last truly decent film in the genre. This film though subverts your expectations, taking the basis of the film being both a decent thoughtful story and some decent acting, with the monster being a macguffin to pull everything along.

The story is based in early post-WW2 Japan, which is the real crux of the story. We have a kamikaze pilot who shirks his military role, but then takes the personal blame following a Godzilla attack. Back in war-torn Japan, a lady with a baby move in with him, but he is still not recovered from the war (PTSD). This film then follows this with a Godzilla attack on Japan being the event to shake him up.

The film is just surprisingly heartfelt and cerebral, not something said about any monster movies for many years. If anything this film could reignite the genre and shake up the rest of the movie industry. With so many film genres obsessed with universes full of repetitive movies, this film shows that one with a strong storyline is what can truly work! It's as near a perfect monster movie as you can get.

I don't think I've felt as emotionally invested in the characters of a monster movie as much ever before.

Seriously, give this one a shot, it's truly excellent.

You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment (2024)

A preachy sermon on veganism!

[3/10 · 14 January 2024]

Upfront I will say that I have been a flexitarian for at least 5 years now, and really do only eat meat very rarely (usually at a family gathering). I've watched a number of documentaries & podcasts on health & food, and found the Game Changers was quite a pivotal viewing (albeit there are some issues with that one too). I've also watched the counter-arguement documentaries too, and in fairness they have their points too, but personally I'm swayed towards vegetarianim BUT not to veganism.

As for this documentary, it's clear from the off that it is hardly an unbiased non-partisan viewing which really does count against it. Most of the talking heads in this are very well known (and admittedly respected) via other documentaries & podcasts, but they are all vegan proponents, there was no counterpoints, there was no arguements for the other diets or aspects. This meant that this experiment was really just confirmation bias or slanted too much towards one angle. That is disappointing as it really worked against what they were trying to demonstrate, if anything it made it all quite preachy.

There are different diets on the spectrum but this one had a very black & white view which was disparaging, especialy to those from vegetarian communities who have been in existant for many generations and eras.

There are excellent parts to the documentary, and I'd love to watch a full documentary on that chicken farmer who turned his coups into mushroom farms, which was a fascinating story.

As for the rest of the show, well you can go on youtube and find some five minute videos which will summarise all you will find from this documentary series. I'd even say best just find something else to watch to get the same message without the sermans.

The Goldfinger (2023)

Rise & fall of a crooked Hong Kong developer - A great affair

[8/10 · 6 January 2024]

I watched Infernal Affairs when it first hit these shores, and really was engrossed in what was an incredible tour de force of a movie. This film reunites the two leads from that classic film in an attempt to reignite that spark, and personally I found it generally worked.

We have a reversal of roles, with Tony Leung playing the villain as againt Andy Lau playing the dedicated policeman. The storyline centres around the rise & fall of the a crooked developer during the growth & rise of Hong Kong through much of the 1970s onwards, all with the background of the story of Hong Kong behind it.

This film really does get so much correct, and matches Infernal Affairs in terms of acting, direction and pacing. I was engrossed in this film, and thoroughly enjoyed the storyline as we saw the ebbs & flows of the Tony Leung's crooked developer rise to the top, and all his amorality in everything he does. He plays everyone, not always winning, but comes out on top at the end. Andy Lau plays the cop dedicated over the decades and failing to bring down the crooks, with the case taking its total personally as much as professionally.

Despite the positive aspects, the problem is though that I think for what should be a more serious film, there were moments of ridiculous nonsense which were unnecessary and took away from the film, in its humour and at time comic representations of various people (especially of the foreigners in Hong Kong). Tony Leung is excellent, but at times it was hard to see how his character really was a genius or was he just lucky. It just seemed to not add up. That kind of took away from the film.

Regardless of that, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and look forward to watching it again. I was surprised by the negative reponse by some to this film which is a shame. Maybe this film is a throwback to an old era of Asian gangster movies, which I admit is one I truly love. In this day, this film seems like a relic, but I don't care, I still find there's a place for films like this.

Personally, it's the best new film I've watched for a long time, and much better than any new film I watched over the past year in particular. I just hope that this film will help to introduce a new audience to Asian gangster movies, which rely on character and storyline as against CGI & comic book heroes.

I really recommend this film, it's been wonderful to watch these two great actors again a film that matches their status.

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)

Mish mash of Sci fi movies... Keep expectations low.

[5/10 · 24 December 2023]

Rebel moon is a mish mash of movies and personally I found it left me with similar feelings over this production.

You take a dollop of Star Wars, Seven Samuarai, Lord of the Rings, Potter, John Carter of Mars and Avatar, then just mix them altogether to get this film. So clearly for the maturer viewers of this film, we've seen it all before. To summarise the story it surrounds a young lady out to gather a group of Rebels together to take on a mighty but unconvincing invading empire. So you've heard it all before.

Thel most impressive part of the film is clearly the special effects, which unsurprisingly are very good albeit some ropey moments too, but in this age that's not enough.

The problem for me is two key aspects. The acting & dialogue is woeful, and really the producers could have taken just a bit of time to improve this and we'd have had a decent film.

Quite frankly I just mentally switched off throughout much of it. I was mostly unimpressed but it's still watchable.

With so little out at present and this being on Netflix, I guess it won't cost to watch it. Just go in with low expectations.

The Oath: A Batman Fan Film (2022)

Punches above its weight...

[7/10 · 20 December 2023]

For a fan made effort, on the budget this is a very commendable and impressive production.

The basic premise is a cop under pressure to raise funds for cancer treatment, succumbs to temptation, with Batman watching proceedings.

It's a short film, only really 15 mins long, and apes one of the old animated series setups and storylines.

Personally, I was impressed. The crew clearly pushed to the limit what they could achieve, aided by some fine use of atmospheric music.

Pacing, acting and costumes was fine. Admittedly action on this budget was ropey, yet still far superior to certain of the big scale efforts.

I'd recommend it, and wish the crew good fortune in their future efforts.

Squid Game: The Challenge (2023– )

Just let this fall through the glass floor please...

[2/10 · 7 December 2023]

I loved the original Squid Game drama TV series. It was poignant, it was dramatic, funny and harrowing.

This series in contrast is just bog standard reality TV cliche, and that's never been my thing. In truth, it was as low as I expected, but as a big fan of the original drama it did hook me into watching it, and I've learnt my lesson!

When you look back on the show, the games were really just a MacGuffin for the storylines. I couldn't get invested in the reality TV series, and I switched off when I heard the backstories & sob stories of the contestants.

Personally, I think this TV series was a waste of time, but it was an inevitable cash in. I'm looking forward to the next series of the drama, but will avoid the further series of the reality challenge show, just not my thing.

Boiling Point (2023– )

Boiling Point: Season 1: worthy of some Michellin stars

[7/10 · 3 December 2023]

Finding that the experimental film Boiling Point had been made into a spin off tv series, for once I was happy to see this move. The One Take format of the parent movie was though unlikely to be possible for tv, but what we have still is the realistic drama in a kichen at the brink.

Stephen Graham returns as Andy Jones but mostly in a bit part role, the series instead centres round his understudy (Carly brilliantly played by Vinette Robinson) who is now managing her own venue in what feels like an ill fated attempt to make it a success. Lots of returnees from the original but also some new faces, and their lives and working relationships are all as dysfunctional as you'd come to expect in such a drama.

Does it match up to its successful parent film? The answer from me is mostly yes, as good as you should expect, albeit four episodes was a tad too short. This deserved a longer run so I expect there will be a second season, and will allow the story to expand. I appreciate that there's been other restaurant drama TV series around recently but I've not seen any of them.

The direction and acting is top notch in this claustrophobic kitchen. The storylines are mostly nihilistic and grim, but my only gripe is that it can all be a little too obvious too. That doesn't thankfully detract from the show though, and I still enjoyed it.

So for a bit of well directed TV drama, I'd recommend this, but would also recommend watching the parent film first for some greater context.

The Killer (2023)

A decent hit job, that only just scrapes its target..

[6/10 · 18 November 2023]

The Killer is another film from the much esteemed David Fincher, and I'll confess to being a big admirer of his films, and would happily rewatch a number of them over & over again. This one though leaves me cold.

The premise of this movie is that we have a hitman out to get revenge after there are recriminations following a botched hit job. We have a a cold calculating lead hitman who is following the trail backwards to find Mr Big, and we see the machinations that our protagonists has to follow to get to the end point.

The good parts is that we have a well-tailored movie, which puts story, direction and acting ahead of anything else. We're not watching some Jasaon Statahm film. Michael Fassbender in the lead role is excellent, convincing us of his part as the protagonist is methodical in his philosophy that he repeats to himself openly throughout when he is a job.

The problem is that, this film will understandably be judged at a higher benchmark to reach than other films because of the director. In that sense, it's well below. It doesn't mean that this is a poor movie, far from it, but it's underwhelming compared to expectations. The lead character is too cold a person to empathise with, and I felt myself losing concentration even when things were getting heated up.

It's a decent film, and in the current market, one of the few original films out there. I'd say it's worth a watch, just don't have too high expectations.

Kingdom (2019)

Kingdom - childish epic

[3/10 · 13 November 2023]

Big scale battle epics are ten-a-penny nowadays, and can be a mixed bag. There's been a bunch from the far east, which most often are grand in scale & scope. This one though is a dud.

We have a poorly written fantasy tale about a 'nice' king who is usurped by his immoral brother, and takes on the services of some heroes to help win him back his kingdom.

Really, it's not much point going on. What this film does have in wonderfuly aesthetics, colour, design and action choreography, it spoils with dreadful dialogue and acting. The lead protagonists are the most unconvincing heroes I've seen in any movie for a long while, even taking in that it's a fantasy film. One walks around in an owl costume with a blowpipe! Seriously!

I'd say best leave this on the side. I'm amazed they've made a sequel!

The Reckoning (2023)

An uncomfortable & distressing drama on the abhorrent Jimmy Savile...

[8/10 · 4 November 2023]

There has been a mountain high worth of articles written and documentaries produced over the crimes of Jimmy Savile in recent years. It's a disturbing fact that many are all so engrossed in it, but I can honestly say I just want the truth and for everyone to heed leasons. I'm not interested in the salubrious elements, which thankfully have been avoided by the more responsible journalists. Listing the worst excesses would only pander to those the media should not encourage.

This faction drama is probably the most controversial commission of the lot, firstly as it was produced by the BBC, which is where he built his name and committed many of his crimes. I won't go into detail on those aspects as they are best left for a more appropriate forum.

The question is whether it was appropriate or not for this dramatisation to be made by them or not? Admittedly, I initially was avoiding to watch the series. In fairness to the BBC, they have done a very decent and respectful job, walking the line well to avoid falling into the many traps along the way. So in that sense, they succeeded.

Steve Coogan is eerily perfect in his portrayal of Savile visually, as well as in his mannerisms and voice. As a mainstay on UK TV for a generation or two, people in the UK are very familiar with the inimitable Savile character.

The drama cuts though the life of Savile showing the brief light and mostly shade, and giving us the theories of how it was that he managed to commit his deeds, hoodwink society, manipulate authority and thus get away with his multiple crimes. It's an unsettling watch.

The drama moves at a decent pace without needing to iconify Savile thankfully, and is interspersed with actual footage and commentary from real life victims. It's an emotional watch.

I appreciate it's a difficult viewing for anyone but one that I would still wholly recommend to all, and I think more can be learnt en mass from this than from most lectures.

The most important point is that this drama is a further eye opener to many but also a reminder to all, especially to younger people less aware of the story around Savile. Complacency will enable similar crimes to reoccur. The best that can come out of this serialisation is awareness and to help further push the fight against child abusers as well as to help victims to know that we are all out here to support them. In my opinion, this drama is a valuable addition to the challenges ahead to help in the fight against these crimes.

I, Claudius (1976)

Possibly the high mark of all on-screen drama in the English speaking world...

[10/10 · 29 October 2023]

Across the globe, every country has some incredible pieces of drama on screen, and the UK has undeniably some amazing achievements. Within the English speaking world, the Americans may in terms of quanity & prestige be more highly recognised, but in my opinion this TV series is potentially the high-mark of all on-screen drama series (bar none) for the English speaking world.

I have to admit that I only finally got to sit down over the past few weeks to watch this through properly. Previously, I'd accidentally when flicking through the channels found this and watched some episodes when it was being repeated on BBC 4. I was immediately struck by its incredible dialogue, but always I was in the middle of an episode. The ability to stream & download to watch series has made it easier to finally watch this from start to finish. This old series (from 1976) deserves to be watched by all who enjoy serious drama.

We have here the life of Claudius who is a historian & member of the ruling families that dominated Rome during its heyday. What we see is the at times frightening dynamics of the dysfunctional families who play every trick possible to win/maintain power, no matter the personal cost. Not every family member can trust their own family members. Incest, murder, poisoning, exile and torture are amongst the disturbing tools used to keep ahead. Based on Robert Graves' classic faction novels, the BBC achieved the impossible with this adatpion as actually the story is very complicated as the family lines are so messed up due to the political dynamics.

The dialogue is just incredible, and you will rewatch it just to be able to find the subtleties in the language that you may have missed the first time around.

The acting has probably the best ensemble I can ever think of, and for those of my generation and before, we all recognise so many faces who went on to be successes for many years. Obviously, there's the peerless Derek Jacobi and the inimitable Brian Blessed who really capture their doomed lives brilliantly, but for me it's Sian Phillips as the scheming matriarch Livia who takes top honours in possibly the best acting performance I've ever seen from an actress. She is captivating and frightening, her character has been since copied ad nauseum in inferior forms since this series was made. Even Patrick Stewart plays a schemer ambitious army leader in a role we are not familiar in seeing him play in most of our lives.

It's not just the larger names, British viewers will notice some smaller names also, like Nursie from Blackadder II!

This series was so far ahead of its time, and you can see how it was influential to every major series since, most obviously "The Sopranos" and "Game of Thrones". "The Sopranos" even takes the matriarch and practically transports her to their series: "Livia"!

I can't speak highly enough of this series. As story telling goes, it's dark and disturbing yet captivating and enjoyable. All other epic series will after watching this feel like only a footnote to this masterpiece.

I've started to read the underlying novels, and can't wait to see what additional story I can find for these characters. Very highly recommended by me.