sykespj Reviews

Renegade Nell (2024– )

Splendid blend of comedy, action, fantasy and humor.

[9/10 · 8 May 2024]

This one was a complete surprise to me. I expected one of those tongue-in-cheek historical dramas laced with dramatic tension and full of good looking women (which always seems to get the blokes on board). OK... the women aren't unattractive, but rather, the main character in particular is just tough, with a "no backward steps" type of attitude.

The costumes are great, as are the realistic sets (check out the dead horse surrounded by buzzing flies), the acting is very good, and the plot is a typically underdog right vs. Fiendishly wrong non-stop adventure. To sum up, this show is just plain fun.

P. S. Don't look for anything like it, because it doesn't exist.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022– )

Trek is back!... Big time!

[10/10 · 8 May 2022]

For any real trekkie (or trekker), this has to be mana from heaven. Episodic drama with a nice slice of humour, beautiful production, terrific acting and - most importantly - a dedication to Trek folklore. If you are a fan of TOS, this won't disappoint. If you are new to Trek, this is what it is all about!

Australia in Colour (2019)

Other reviews highlight the problem

[9/10 · 13 February 2021]

This is a fabulous series that effectively backs each statement made with footage and fact to highlight it. I am an Australian living in a small town, who has the benefit of spending 16 years going to school, university and working in the United States, Canada and Singapore when I was young. When I came back to Oz and eventually became a high school history teacher, I was appalled by the lack of effort made to address racism, sexism, and any other -ism in the curricula.

I left after ten years and became a wildlife ranger working for government. I loved the job, but as a union workplace rep, hated some of the racism I saw. So it hurts to see hear the shameful truth, but it is still the truth. And by the way, federal government studies show that women on average still make less than men.

If you don't like the truth, then avoid this series. If you have an open mind to accepting the past for what it is, you will probably love this technically brilliant and fascinating series.

Red Headed Stranger (1986)

Good movie based on a classic album

[7/10 · 28 August 2020]

It must have been an absolute delight for Willie Nelson to be in a position to turn his classic Red Headed Stranger album into a movie. The greatest country album of all-time serves as the soundtrack and, like the record, the film moves at a steady pace through a story saturated with heartache, revenge and redemption. Nelson's acting has certainly improved since his earlier efforts, while the still-beautiful Katharine Ross turns in a charming performance. The production values are a little lacking, but the story more than makes up for it. Add a half-star to the rating.

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014)

A very good film... but...

[27 August 2020]

This is another good B-movie documentary from Australian Mark Hartley, noted for his film about Ozploitation movies from the 70s and 80s, Not Quite Hollywood. I am, however, a bit perplexed as to why any Australian government, state or Commonwealth, would invest public funding in a film about two Israeli filmmakers who buy a company in the U.S. and churn out schlock movies at an incredible pace. I live in Queensland, one of the states that poured in a bit of money. This film has absolutely nothing to do with Queensland. As near as I can work out, it must be some sort of foreign aid or something.

Australia: The Story of Us (2014–2015)

Not as bad as some are making out

[7/10 · 8 June 2020]

I am a white Australian with a few drops of Aboriginal blood in me... of which I am both proud and fascinated. Before I entered into a career in wildlife management, I was a senior high school history teacher. This series is by no means great. In particular, some of the dramatisations are a bit lame. But it should not be condemned for failing to adequately explain the complexities behind the history of Aboriginal Australia or the country's involvement in military conflicts. I can't think of another nation on the planet that celebrates a major defeat as its main military holiday.

We are in many ways a nation of contradictions. If you want to hear the Indigenous views on the nation's history, I can highly recommend the SBS series 'First Australians'. Alternatively, for a good chuckle jump on YouTube and look up 'Babakiueria' (Barbeque Area), which turns our racial viewpoints inside out. The fact is that there is no real alternative to 'The Story of Us' that gives a good compact summary of Australian history. Until something better comes along, this series will have to do... and it is not all that bad.

Australien skies (2015)

You gotta be kidding

[1/10 · 5 May 2020]

At times I thought some of the 'actors' were going to lose their straight face and burst out laughing. You don't need a canoe to get to the spooky Sunshine Coast community near Caboolture where supposedly horses have gone missing. And it is hardly in the middle of nowhere. I reckon any Year 11 film student could pick any number of issues with the film presented. Ed Wood would be proud of these guys for keeping his legacy alive. The dumbest UFO movie ever made.

Blinded by the Light (2019)

A different way to hear the music

[9/10 · 27 March 2020]

I first saw Springsteen in a small hall in Houston that was only about half full. The show was incredible, so the next day I bought his first album. After seeing him several more times over the years, I never thought his albums came close to capturing the sheer energy of his live shows. This movie changed my mind.

Springsteen's music had been speaking to me all along. The scenes where the headphones went on and select words appeared on the screen are particularly effective. I knew every word... felt every emotion. This film pays homage to one of the truly incredible artists of our time, and does it in a way that tells a genuinely touching true story. Fans will love it. As for the newbies, there is no better place to find out what all the fuss is about.

Yesterday (III) (2019)

I should have known better

[5/10 · 26 March 2020]

This movie never really found out what it wanted to be, let alone what it wanted to say. As a comedy, it really isn't all that funny, except of course for the premise which sounds like it should be a side-splitter. As a romance it was as predictable as they come. That kind of leaves us with the Beatles.

I was in the pub one day chatting to a pretty young bar attendant (admittedly, not the intellectual type) and the Beatles came up in conversation. She said, "Who are they? Can you hum me a song they've done." Momentarily stunned, I sang some lines from a few classics... which got me a blank look. "Nope... don't know any of them."

My point is that the Beatles were a product of a time and place, and their own hard work to get to the top. If the world really did forget about them, it is highly unlikely that any mildly talented artist would find success by releasing their songs today. They followed the times and, to a degree, the times followed them. And may their souls live on forever.

Upstart Crow (2016–2020)

Intelligent satire with a healthy dose of truth

[9/10 · 22 March 2020]

I am a bit perplexed as to why so many find canned laughter offensive. When Red Dwarf did a few shows with no laugh track at all many fans complained bitterly. This show is smart and funny. It took a couple of episodes to really get going, but when it did it took off. As an ex-teacher who used to use an old Vincent Price movie to get kids into Shakespeare, I wish I had this around in my day.

PS: It is nothing like Blackadder.

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Trek gets even sillier than Discovery

[4/10 · 21 March 2020]

This series is a bit sad. It uses a Trek icon (Patrick Stewart) to squeeze a few more dollars out of the franchise's reputation. As many have pointed out, where are the Federation ideals that Gene Roddenberry based his entire original concept on? It shouldn't be a surprise, as Discovery had already proven to us that you can be a two-time mutineer and still be a Starfleet officer. Dumb gets even dumber this time around, with a very old Picard and a rogue crew off to save the galaxy, because the Federation doesn't do that sort of thing anymore. It hurts to see something I love so much turn into dross like this.

77 Sunset Strip (1958–1964)

Cool and clever

[8/10 · 11 March 2020]

As others have pointed out, this show was the coolest of the cool. West coast jazz at the time provided a chilled out counterpoint to the hard bop dominating the east. Cool jazz, femme fatals and smoother than a baby's bottom private investigators made this show tick. Not to mention the cars, which nowadays are to die for. Kookie, of course, was the rock 'n' roll rebel who brought a whole new vocabulary into our lives.

One thing that doesn't get enough credit is the camerawork. Most of the classic black and white film noir movies made after WWII featured a 1.37 aspect ratio... not far off the 1.33 on TV. This series played like a best of everything that made those movies what they were. The use of shadow, lighting, scene framing and talent close-ups was nothing short of brilliant. The show simply looked great. Don't bother with the disastrously stripped-down sixth season, it simply doesn't compare. The rest, though, helped defined what quality television was all about.

Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

No message, no originality and no spark

[4/10 · 10 March 2020]

This is just another comic book movie trying to cash in on the superhero phenomenon. Problem is that Alita isn't really all that heroic. She's not fighting for anything of great importance, in some small measure she fights for love, but overall... she just fights. With the megabudget it had, one has to wonder how many really good sci-fi movies could have been made with a mere fraction of the money. The special effects are OK, but nothing to write home about. The acting is probably as good as it needs to be for something this lame. If you are looking for thoughtful entertainment, give this one a miss.

The Wandering Earth (2019)

Absurd premise... but a lot to like

[6/10 · 8 March 2020]

As others have pointed out, the premise of this movie is totally absurd. All we have to do is stop the earth from spinning, knock it out of orbit, and find another solar system to live in. If you suspend your disbelief, however, the movie is a reasonably satisfying piece of sci-fi dross. I thought the special effects were its best attribute, being well done, but not overdone. The rest is a typical Hollywood movie with a "Made in China" stamp on it.

The Sisters Brothers (2018)

Sensitive story of friendship and loyalty

[9/10 · 27 January 2020]

I am now officially a big fan of John C. Reilly. This is a wonderful story about two assassin brothers and the men they are chasing. It is one of those westerns that steps outside the traditional confines to deliver character studies that go deep into the soul. The thing that got me most was how Reilly's portrayal of Eli Sisters was so honest and thoughtful. The film is almost a 10, but one early scene in particular was a little bit disturbing. If you liked Reilly in this you will love 'Stan and Ollie', also from 2018.

Ad Astra (2019)

Total waste of space

[3/10 · 26 December 2019]

This is a big budget movie?! I reckon they must have spent their whole $1000 props budget at the local hardware store (thank goodness for duct tape), then ran around collecting old musical gear and a few junkyard parts. Realistic! Pitt's motorcycle helmet keeps fogging up and is there petrol in that fuel container on his back?

The "story" is basically an amalgam of a couple of old Star Trek episodes (but there's no Captain Kirk) with a dose of sedative thrown in to bring your pulse rate down low enough for space travel and death by boredom. And in universal radio protocol you don't say "over and out". Over to you, but I won't be here if you reply, because I'm out? So there wasn't a single ex-soldier or person with a boat licence in the film crew? Over...

This piece of space junk is about as bad as "serious" sci-fi movies get. The best thing I can say is at least they are into recycling. Out.

Out of the Blue (2003 TV Movie)

Straightforward, non-alarmist delivery... a good overview

[8/10 · 23 December 2019]

There are a lot of really hokey UFO documentaries out there, but this is the best I've seen at trying to tell it straight. It doesn't make wild claims, and relies instead on real people talking, photos and footage, and documentary evidence to give a good overview of what we know (and don't know) so far. The reality is that there is a lot we just don't know.

What it doesn't do is put forward a few 'non-alien' possibilities for the 'unidentified' in UFO. What if the more convincing cases are actually earth-bound? To its credit, the documentary simply makes a case for 'disclosure'... something, no doubt, many of us would like to see from our governments.

Let's face it, there are questions to be answered and they need to be answered openly and honestly. Perhaps that is the big bug-bear in the room. "We know it's not ETs, but we really don't want to tell you nasty truth." OK... that's a stupid "what if" that UFO documentaries typically rely on. Let's face it, if invasion day ever does come, let's hope they are benevolent conquerors.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

Should be more movies set in ancient Persia

[7/10 · 22 December 2019]

As an historian, I have always been fascinated by ancient Persia. Of course it always seems to get a villainous bad reputation from its attempts to invade the Greek city-states, but they weren't so bad. Sure, there was plenty of invading and killing as they built their empire, not unlike anyone else at the time, however they also had a fairly progressive and tolerant side to them as well.

This movie is full of historical inaccuracies and just plain nonsense, but it is also a lot of fun. Kind of 'The Princess Bride' in an ancient Persian setting... and the Persians don't come off too bad here. It's no masterpiece, but it is entertaining and well worth a look.

Rick and Morty: Edge of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat (2019) Season 4, Episode 1

An absolute mess...

[3/10 · 18 November 2019]

Up until this point, R&M prided itself on taking an 'out there' idea and turning it into a packet of fun. This episode basically tried to tie together every good idea the show ever had around a single very loose premise. It just doesn't work, because we have seen it all before. Where is the devilishly witty creativity we have come to expect? I suggest you get back to basics before it's too late.

Russell Coight's All Aussie Adventures (2001–2018)

A delightful embarassment to Australia

[9/10 · 23 January 2019]

This show is silly, completely predictable, shamefully slapstick... and absolutely hilarious. Glen Robbins plays the antithesis of Steve Irwin. He is a terrible bushman and every time he tries to "help" someone, total disaster quickly ensues.

I thought series 3 might be a bit of a letdown, given the 16-year gap between series 2. Our intrepid bushman may have aged a bit, but he is as idiotic as ever and doesn't seem to have learned a thing in the interim. It is a comforting thought that some things don't have to change much at all to keep up with the times.

If you haven't seen any of this series, definitely start with the first series. I am not sure about the current availability of the 2018 series outside Australia, but if you have to exercise patience until it shows up, it is definitely worth the wait.

The Devil-Doll (1936)

Mesmerising special effects

[8/10 · 25 October 2018]

I have watched this film a couple of times trying to work out how Browning achieved such startling reality with miniature lifeforms in the 1930s. Zoom ahead to the late-60s and 'Land of the Giants' looks pale in comparison. The scene where the 'doll' steals the jewels is priceless. I doubt the budget stretched to building perfect replicas of the furniture and outdoor stuff that the tiny woman moves nimbly and realistically through... including a vine on the side of the building near a balcony.

I'm sure there are plenty of filmmakers out there who could fill me in. Regardless, I'll bet none of them could have done the same in 1936. Everything else is pretty good too. A mad scientist, an innocent escaped crook full of vengeful hatred, a couple of pretty girls, not-so-successful cops, and some evil (and very guilty) bankers populate a classic early sci-fi horror tale that pretty well has it all.

For fans of the somewhat obscure classics, you won't be wasting your time checking this one out.

Dunkirk (2017)

Who killed Christopher Nolan?

[6/10 · 30 July 2018]

Christopher Nolan is, without a doubt, one of the most talented directors going around. So where is he here? Nolan's movies are typically trim, taut, tense, somewhat complex, and totally terrific. Unfortunately, Dunkirk meanders through its 107min and doesn't come close to telling a story that is in the least bit engaging.

The film completely lacks the gritty realism of Band of Brothers, can't hold a candle to the feelgood inspiration of the 1958 film, and makes no real attempt at providing historical insight. That leaves us with a pretty pedestrian WWII flick that doesn't do much at all that is Nolan-style out of the ordinary.

For a man who has made a somewhat spectacular career out of obsession and puzzles, the only puzzle here is where is the genius?

Under the Skin (I) (2013)

60s-style Arthouse

[5/10 · 16 July 2018]

I am no fan of CGI-laden films that numb our minds with a bombardment of not-so-good special effects, but this film heads in the opposite direction, to its own detriment. It's the type of film that was all the rage in the 1960s... slow, lumbering, minimalist sets, and just plain uninteresting.

I can't complain about the performance of the actors, as there really isn't all that much to do. Blackout/whiteout sets are also just a way of not having a budget to do something better, or worse, getting around not being able to think of anything better.

At the end of the day, this movie was just plain dull. An unoriginal plot, mixed with uninspired acting, topped off with some pedestrian production values.

Garrison's Gorillas (1967–1968)

Garrison's Mission: Impossible!

[7/10 · 26 March 2018]

With 'Combat!' becoming increasingly expensive to produce and WWII dramas in general on the wane, the ABC network decided to try a makeover. Ostensibly inspired by the film 'The Dirty Dozen', 'Garrison's Gorillas' has much more in common with the 1960s series 'Mission: Impossible' than anything else.

Within the limitations of the time, 'Combat!' was known for its gritty realism, with most of its stars WWII vets themselves. ABC's historically inept 'Rat Patrol', not surprisingly, showed the network was more interested in ratings than realism. It ran for two seasons... 'Garrison's Gorillas' was lucky to make it through one.

From a 2000-Teenies point of view, the series isn't that bad. Unfortunately, there don't seem to be that many good prints of the show getting around. 'Garrison's Gorillas' has good production values, decent acting, and relatively entertaining scripts (and it was shot in colour). Fans of '60s WWII dramas should find it more than passable.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Most ridiculous Trek ever

[1/10 · 7 February 2018]

Star Trek is supposed to be about small stories that say big things. This is why an ensemble cast full of real people has been so critical to the franchise's success. This is just plain bad... bad writing, bad acting, bad everything. The tech and prosthetic Klingons throw the continuity rule book out the window. And how can a Starfleet officer get stripped of rank and sent to prison for life, then eventually end up as captain! C'mon, give us a real Trek series with stand-alone stories, an occasional two-parter, plenty of action, a great sense of purpose, all written with the continuity rule book in mind.