andrew-805 Reviews

The Estate (II) (2022)

Total waste of talent...

[1/10 · 22 April 2024]

IMDb says the gross worldwide was half a million dollars- I would guess that represents 50,000 somewhat disappointed folk. This is a terrible screenplay. It's varies between predictably dreadful sweating and slightly amusing one liners. How or why any of the talent like David Duchovny. Toni Collette or Anna Faris even gave this a second look is frankly astounding. The ideas are ghastly and the actors must have cringed in the takes.

The rest of the world sometimes looks at American life with distaste and if this comes anywhere near it then their view is correct.

Give this dreadful movie a wide berth. It's awful, rude and unreal.

There are no spoilers here as these actors dance around getting into an inheritance without really asking about the current will and what it contained until it's at risk. And as the movie progressed I just didn't care either.

Duchovny at least seemed to play it for the rubbish it is. For that he's to be commended!

Silent Night (I) (2021)

A misunderstood movie

[8/10 · 12 April 2024]

First Keira and Roman shine - they are terrific

Written at the pandemic time, the script sees through the fictitious government official line that everyone should take a pill to kill themselves. The blind and unthinking obedience to authority is humorously explored.

Some of the cast question the bought off doctor's line and the parents especially with their doom scenarios made up from scant propaganda.

As the thunder rumbles on, is the man-predicted apocalypse nearing! With the background of Michael Buble music and then thundering music has the end come or has it been manufactured?

This is a black tragi-comedy. Watch it to see the ending. Will they be fooled or wise up? It sums up the last 4 years worldwide....

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Hollywoodisation of American History

[3/10 · 14 March 2024]

I'm not American but have published papers on Quantum Theory experiments. An hour was spent on this and it was fascinating seeing depictions of men I've read of, and who equipment I've used. But the overlong depiction of politics that would mostly be important to American left me cold. I can see why it led to Oscars but not.why it won as many BAFTAS.

There are excellent performances and the actors deserve their awards, but after three hours I guess this movie won't be rewatched by me.

Maybe the years will change minds about this movie. It's certainly a story that will generate emotions. At least several million surviving Americans and Japanese they'll be around to do do, as the American invasion of the Japanese home islands wasn't needed...

Arthur's Whisky (2024)

It sort of flies ...

[6/10 · 2 January 2024]

The premise is good - and the cast is great - the premise is that an inventor who.invents the temporary fountain of youth, and then dies.

His wife and two friends find this and it works for a few hours! There follows a shallow exploration of the age divide (40yrs) and then the movie screenplay goes 'what the heck' and they go to Vegas. And then it incredibly begins to drag with some more thoughts and stock characters and what ifs.

We all have to walk our own paths says the drag queen. Got that right!

Then - the story moves and there's a big twist - wait for it ... and it's back to the beginning nearly..

I wanted this movie to be very clever and yet it never really had a good robust storyline to match the idea. But as a chick flic it passes (a sort of lesser Mamma Mia! -and the remake) with a sweet conclusion.

Btw Lulu is great and never needed to de-age!!

Brief Encounter (1945)

Should have won Oscars imho

[10/10 · 26 December 2023]

A snapshot of realism in time yet one that transcends it exploring tragic fleeting love

In a few films/movies every actor is brilliantly cast and this is true in this masterpiece.

The turmoil of the war(s) and the start of the social earthquake it caused is examined. Not talked about Noel Coward shines a light on it. Rachmaninov's wonderful music elevates it cleverly.

Love shatters ideologies, and with this little tale of ordinary people suddenly falling in love, the screenplay and performances reinforces the dangers in an ossified society.

I looked at what Oscars were given that year. No film i had heard of won, acted by Hollywood celebs. It was nominated for three but to American eyes it looked strange?

However, masterpieces survive and this one does and will. It transcends time - only a 10 could suffice. Brilliant.

77 Chances (2015)

Genius does what it must....

[3/10 · 10 April 2023]

Talent does what it can... This movie is the latter The Groundhog Day script and direction was flawless - this movie has an annoying over-loud often syrupy soundtrack which tries to paper over the sparse cringey language.

The problem is the lack of characterisation in bland dramatis personae - including the lead - it seems like the actors are putting much feeling into the scenes.

The lead doesn't learn ice sculpting nor to play Rachmaninov 2nd piano concerto, or really anything.

The church visit gives a chance for him to change himself and He just gets her pawned broach for her.

Personally, I'd have preferred to learn the piano. There is a nice twist at the end, which is sweet. Watch Groundhog Day instead ....

Anon (I) (2018)

A movie they'd rather we didn't watch

[10/10 · 21 February 2023]

The bleakness and lack of privacy go together here. This is a future the Elites want which they want everyone to have. No freedom, no daydreaming, no joy. It's the ultimate online status. Sal and the anon girl battle it out.

Watching folk passing with wireless earplugs on, oblivious to the world makes me think this is the future we will get...

Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried are excellently cast playing the roles deadpan. Colours are muted colorised type greyscales fitting the mood.

This movie hasn't fared too well but is a hidden gem among higher budget sci-fi that has almost zero philosophy input.

A sobering watch.

Operation Mincemeat (2021)

A disappointment

[4/10 · 6 January 2023]

I loved The Man who never was (1956). This rendition was 25 mins longer adding nothing much, except to shoehorn modern fripperies into the story. Yes, it gets boring, and yes we fooled the Germans by talking them to death - sorry, deceiving them.

O what a cast but let down by little genius in the screenplay. All the actors did their best to add gravitas and drama into the mix - the use of the scenery was excellent although the cramped war offices were not emphasised enough.

The main fault was the attempted love triangles and rivalry that never seemed to click. The German response was less than the 1956 film, which was a good twist. Overall though I endowed cleaning an old hoover out whilst watching it on Sky preferable.

Never mind - it won't win any awards unlike the 1956 dark compelling tale....

A Simple Favor (2018)

A movie gabbled through

[4/10 · 1 November 2022]

I must be getting old. The cast gabbled their lines in a flat monotone that seems normal today. Consequently no character is fleshed out or likeable and one doesn't care what happens. At least when the girls are drunk they slow down and so do the police when Emily goes missing.

Stephanie her friend narrates in her cooking vlog when Emily is apparently found dead.

Stephanie begins to play amateur PI amongst these un likeable characters and things turn crazy weird rather like a Scooby-doo movie!

I'd like to say this was a comedy movie or a murder mystery but it falls between two twin stools until the ending. It passed a few hours anyway, but that's all.

Meet Me in New York (2022 TV Movie)

Meandering and dull chick flick

[1/10 · 7 May 2022]

I feel sorry for the composer - he tries to provide some musical carpet but nothing really can raise this one long yawn into any sort of life. Nothing seems to matter in this pile of mediocrity and IMO it's a miss. Zzzz.

The Oxford Murders (2008)

Pretentious and tedious

[2/10 · 22 February 2022]

With a stellar cast and the beauty of Oxford how can this be so bad?

Lots of mistakes and pseudo mathematical gobbledygook this is an attempt to repeat a Da Vinci code type movie.

In the end it's all a bit deflating, and the murderer dies - or was there more than one, and the solution more devious...

Clever, clever, but O dear it could have been better. C+

In the Loop (2009)

Dated, ultra sweary, and not that clever

[1/10 · 8 February 2022]

Drones on and on. The amount of swearing makes up for the lack of dialogue - just a catena of cheap slightly clever lines that is simply a take off of Iraq and Blair and Co.

The winning of any awards is frankly amazing and compared to the genius of Yes Minister this might have been produced by drunks.

Could have been so clever but ended up horrible IMO

Not recommended and a wasted opportunity.

Mach 2 (2000)

Worse film ever

[1/10 · 8 February 2022]

No need for a spoiler - it all sucks - I have been on Concorde and it's tiny and nothing like this Obv they had Concorde footage but no access The acting is as fake as a high school production with a dire screenplay.

Every piece or event is incorrect or impossible

One line is 'welcome to amateur hour'. A great summary of an atrocious movie.

So bad and obvious it's amazing those in it didn't burst out laughing all the time.

Poor Michael Dorn - Worf in Star Trek.

Nowhere Special (2020)

Slow and hard to like

[5/10 · 7 February 2022]

A window cleaner looking like James Norton could have taken Michael to school and all the young teachers would have come out, and fought their way past the single mums. Problem solved!

There is a strange disconnect with real life in this for all it purports to reflect it. The sparse dialogue doesn't help. The little boy is sweet, fortunately.

A smattering of attempted philosophy doesn't work either.

The actors try and Norton rises above it all but in the end it's the miserable screenplay that lets it down until the 'happy' ending (know thy place!)

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

So shallow it's incredible

[1/10 · 28 August 2021]

Why spend money on a Hans Zimmer soundtrack when the movie is a complete turkey?

Sleazy men and idiotic bimbos

Sums up all that America today comes across to the rest of the world as...😳😳🙄🙄

They don't do 0/10.

Dan in Real Life (I) (2007)

Like visiting an awkward family

[4/10 · 10 August 2021]

You get invited to a family dinner party and midway they start arguing. You feel uncomfortable and want to slide away.

This movie made me feel this way a lot, and it is quite unrelenting.

If this doesn't bother you it'll score 10/10. If not 2/10.

Movies seldom reflect real life. Maybe this did reflect American life a little bit too much.

The ending was predictable and perhaps the least like messy real life!!

PS the singing is dire....

Horizon Line (2020)

Hedonistic 30 somethings and little plot -great comedy

[2/10 · 24 July 2021]

Plane bigger on the inside than the outside. These planes are noisy. It gets quiet throughout.

Experienced pilots will be n tears at what they manage to recover from. Even Microsoft software is more realistic So sad that the pilot did not return as a zombie. They missed that.

Getting out of the plane and the duct-tape is priceless at 120knots!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

So many priceless lines. Hilariously bad physics

Do not pay more than $1 to see this,

Duct tape shares will soar I predict.

Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)

A happy irritant in a small shallow solipsist's world

[6/10 · 3 June 2021]

Life is often mundane and silly Poppy does her best to make it go happily, contrasted with somewhat gloomy music, this movie gives out confusing signals.

There's no real story at all but to the Hollywood set it must have seemed novel writing and got a nomination. The nearest to it is a date where It gets real and slightly embarrassing. The final scene with Scott is stupid and unlikely.

Fortunately there are few other such movies where teachers rule the world.

Is Poppy lovely or ghastly? It's left for the viewer to decide. She is always centre of attention, and maybe life isn't like that in realty (in the opening scene she ignores Roger Penrose's book on Reality).

Eventually it runs out of script and I suppose carries on .... ...

Blow Dry (2001)

Gold that is not annealed quite well enough

[5/10 · 4 May 2021]

This movie bombed but with a stellar cast of British actors and Patrick Doyle music it's the script that sadly makes this a dud.

To take on awful events like cancer the comedy needs to be stellar and it's just not.

Maybe it's the Yorkshire accent which the Americans will find tough but it's the overall effect of just not sparking into life

All the folk may want to forget this but chalk it down to experience. Dark humour doesn't always work.

Watch it.for some late, great actors though..😎😍

Six Minutes to Midnight (2020)

More subtle than most movies today - entertaining though

[8/10 · 27 March 2021]

No CGI superheroes or Hollywood schmalz this very English feel is predictable but nuanced and entertaining nonetheless.

Don't believe the poor reviews; it is not that bad if a bit 39 Steps and the script isn't poor at all. It is understated which is a bit of a disadvantage in these over the top times.

Judi Dench and Eddie Izzard shine.

The soundtrack is excellent

The ending. Is pretty effective. - in these days it's better than most dark offerings.

Midsomer Murders: The Sting of Death (2019) Season 21, Episode 3

Another unreal caricature episode

[3/10 · 23 March 2021]

The eccentric, the mad old vicar, the stalker and unlikely relationships litter this dreadful episode. Unreal to the point of silliness, it's the mad woman's literary babbling that identify the murderer - not any real detective work

A parody more than anything - two hours I won't get back. Not recommended - sorry.

Midsomer Murders: Blue Herrings (2000) Season 3, Episode 2

Fizzles out

[3/10 · 17 January 2021]

All set for an insightful ending after 2 hrs and it fails to deliver. A year before Shipman, the police bumble around and it's rather silly and contrived. Obvious leads are never answered - one of the most lacklustre endings Give it a miss - a dud 🙄

Over Her Dead Body (2008)

Only just makes it to funny when the premise was so good

[7/10 · 14 January 2021]

The screenplay is so important in a comedy. There is no comedic timing and the not that bad actors gabble their lines, probably as they are so cringeworthy in the first part of the movie Maybe someone will re-do the premise - however - Only when Henry sees the diary is there any real depth, and humour to emerge. The actors slow up as their lines have some meaning. It becomes funny when it turns sad. Th. Parrot is a funny cameo though. There is a neat ending if a bit awkward in the airport. Anyway, the wife liked it and didn't fall asleep. A lockdown when there's nothing else much good on TV 4/10

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

A laugh a minute

[4/10 · 3 January 2021]

But not for the other 103 minutes 😂😂

They are mostly cringeworthy

I suppose humour just changes over 25 yrs plus.

The songs are the best bit and raise a smile

Cats (2019)

Wife begged me to turn it off

[1/10 · 28 December 2020]

It is genuinely difficult to work out what audience this is meant for. The poetry was odd to begin with... but this?! Creepy and weird don't quite get to the bizarreness of this. The fat cats are horrid.

A loss of $22million is surprisingly small

There are no spoilers as I never understood what was going on.

BUT - kids, don't do drugs or else this is the nightmare you'll wake up too. 😳😳😳