jrgibson-51931 Reviews

The Leftovers: The Book of Nora (2017) Season 3, Episode 8

Over-rated and disappointing

[3/10 · 29 June 2022]

Having watched all three series during the last month, I am at a loss to understand the rave reviews. Is there a desire to feel superior and intellectual by claiming to revere a film or TV series that is a pretentious, pseudo-intellectual, padded out, bizarre story?

The penultimate episode of series three was a redundant, weird, nonsensical story-line like a David Lynch script written under the influence of mind-altering substances. The President of the US using his penis as a form of identification?

This show purported to be a serious depiction of the results of the disappearance of 2% of the population and how it affected those who remained, Sadly, most of the characters were unsympathetic, unappealing and foul-mouthed, making it difficult to identify with any of them - an essential quality for any film or TV series. Bizarre dreams, visions and flashbacks did nothing to help the narrative flow or the viewing experience.

Having watched The Sopranos, The Americans. Justified, Deadwood, Prison Break and Longmire, to name a few quality shows, I found The Leftovers hard going, especially after Series One - It was only stubborn determination that enabled me to complete the Box-Set.

I guess we all have to make up our own minds and treat User Reviews with caution. I have found that many seem to review political content/bias, degree of PC , wokeness, etc, while ignoring the quality or entertainment value of the show/film..

The Leftovers: The Prodigal Son Returns (2014) Season 1, Episode 10

Over-rated Series

[5/10 · 17 June 2022]

After watching the complete first series in June 2022. I feel somewhat disappointed, given the wonderful reviews that it has received.

Starting with the climax and viewing the aftermath is unusual but sadly, despite great acting, it developed into little more than a soap opera. By introducing elements reminiscent of Twin Peaks, like the rampaging deer, marauding dogs and bizarre dream sequences, attempts were made to add significance and gravitas while generally distracting from the story line. The story was probably more effective in book form where philosophical and religious themes could be explored in detail whereas in a visual medium, more action was needed to hold viewers attention. Unexplained departures were devastating for the characters and the unexplained events were equally frustrating for viewers - rather like films with ambiguous endings where viewers are expected to finish the writers job.

One wonders if such a series could be produced in 2022, given recent real life events. Family members disappearing in an instant is clearly a traumatic experience, made all the more disturbing since it also happened to others and there is no obvious explanation. Had it been heart attacks and deaths spread over a period of months, 2% of the world's population departing would hardly have have been newsworthy, especially as Bill Gates has expressed a desire to reduce the world's population by 10% to 15% and nobody bats an eye. Life is stranger than fiction.

Peaky Blinders: Sapphire (2022) Season 6, Episode 4

Why Series 6?

[2/10 · 4 April 2022]

After 5 brilliant series of crime drama Peaky Blinders, we now have series 6, Peaky Blinders the Soap Opera, complete with drug addition and a 'disease of the weak'. So sad to see a great series go out with this tedious, boring, self indulgent travesty of what might have been. A strong producer would have called it a day after series 5 but I guess the greed to make some more money by flogging a dead horse was irresistible.

Invasion, U.S.A. (1952)

Interesting B Picture.

[3/10 · 19 February 2021]

Invasion USA is an enjoyable, if cheaply made, B-movie from the early 50's. yes it has pro-American anti-Russian propaganda, which has obviously agitated some reviewers. Those sneering at propaganda in films of that period happily accept the concerted PC/Climate Change/Gender Politics propaganda emanating from Hollywood since the 1990's which is far more insidious than anything seen in the Cold War era. But I guess, your political views make some forms of propaganda more acceptable than others, and I am no different.

Dirty God (2019)

104 minutes never seemed so long

[1/10 · 13 December 2020]

Imagine a 45 minute TV documentary set on a UK Council Estate, padded out with an extra hour of tedium, and you have this 'masterpiece'. A depressing, boring drama with unpleasant characters does not equate to great cinema. Yes, it is realistic and authentic with the surroundings and behavior but it's also an endurance test to watch to the end. Drastic cutting might make this film more bearable, but watch if you enjoy depressing scenes interrupted by endless shots of walking and staring.

Jackie (V) (2016)

A Lead performance in search of a film

[2/10 · 23 July 2020]

Another film that is tedious, slow and un-involving but still featuring a fine lead performance. What makes this film a real endurance test is the grating and intrusive music score, which is quite horrendous. A film that really stands out is one that I can look forward to seeing again - Jackie is not one of those.

The Square (2017)

If this is art, I'm an orangutan.

[1/10 · 12 June 2020]

I saw a review that described this film as a 'farcical satire' - I must have blinked and missed the farcical part. This has to be the most pretentious, tedious, self-congratulatory, masturbatory piece of garbage ever put on celluloid. Critics were obviously thrilled at their own brilliance in finding intellectual and artistic depth in this rubbish and fall over themselves to heap praise upon it in the mistaken belief that they are now as brilliant as this 'masterpiece'. This director needs to recognize that film is primarily an entertainment media and as such 'The Square' is not a film, but merely random nonsensical scenes 'about how people behave'. If I want to spend over two hours watching people behave, I can sit in the town square, happy in the knowledge that the experience will be more interesting and less tedious than this mess.

City of Tiny Lights (2016)

PC Noir mess

[1/10 · 10 May 2020]

A feeble attempt to make a PC Chandler-style noir set in London today. Of course the BBC Films & BFI logos at the start are signs of a right-on multicultural PC propaganda story to follow and they rarely disappoint. City of Tiny Lights tries unsuccessfully to depict a tough Chandleresque PI in London. Sadly, a poor script and direction by someone who has either not seen or not learned from the classic Film Noirs of the 1940's results in a confusing and plodding narrative. In place of smart dialogue and engaging characters we have gimmicky shots and a restless camera, which despite a fine lead performance, results in a tedious film set in a very multicultural part of London.

If you want to see real film noir Chandler, watch Edward Dmytryk's Murder My Sweet instead.

Victoria & Abdul (2017)

'Mostly true' - Well we know Queen Victoria existed.

[1/10 · 12 April 2020]

BBC co-produced this PC propaganda so all good Liberals will hail it as a masterpiece.

To be fair, it s well acted and directed and is quite an enjoyable film. IF you ignore it#s blatant PC lecture. I am sick of virtually every new film hammering home some SJW PC propaganda with the subtlety of a rampaging bull.

The sequel should be fascinating. Based on a long hidden secret, it features Victoria's secret black son who went on to free slaves and spend the rest of his life fighting unbearable levels of racism. Whoopi Goldberg is a good bet to play the Queen..

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

Amazing - but not good

[2/10 · 1 April 2020]

War for the Planet of the Apes has amazing make-up but is still boring and too long. Others her have identified the weak script and gaping plot holes so I won't repeat, except to add that a scenery chewing ape did not help me to enjoy the boredom..

Before directing Citizen Kane, Orson Welles watched John Ford's 'Stagecoach' more than 30 times. Although both films are totally different, Welles learned camera angles, pacing, story-telling, etc and produced a masterpiece.

The director of this film watched a bunch of classic films by John Sturges, David Lean, Francis Coppola and many others and then made this long, tedious, slow-moving epic that fails to totally engage it's audience. Matt Reeves managed to steal individual shots and scenes from his viewing marathon but proved that he is no David Lean when it comes to storytelling. Great films need more than make-up and CGI.

However, expressive the apes may be or impressive the CGI, most people have to work harder to identify with an ape hero. Clearly heroic apes were intended as a left-wing allegory but creates a difficulty in generating sympathy for these alien creatures. Of course this narrative totally reverses the plot of the original extremely successful 1968 film but the idea of superior aliens ruling and overcoming humanity was irresistible to today's Hollywood.

If the film had set out to be an action adventure with less pontificating, which is clearly what most viewers had hoped for, the result could have been two hours of good entertainment. The film's undoing is it's pretentious attempt at gravitas, which together with the obligatory preaching and ponderous pacing, has alienated many viewers.

I enjoy long films, but they need great writing and film-making to keep the viewers engaged and not checking the time every five minutes. I suggest Matt Reeves buys a large box of popcorn and views, Lawrence of Arabia, Gone With The Wind. The Godfather, Barry Lyndon & 2001 A Space Odyssey before attempting his next epic - he may improve his film-making skills because sometimes less is more and tight editing improves pacing..

I keep watching new films but am finally realizing the insanity of repeating an action and expecting a different outcome - every time it's the usual PC message, left-wing propaganda and lecturing which has become so irritating, especially when tacked on to the usual Hollywood garbage that passes for entertainment today. I shall go and cleanse my brain with some Hitchcock, Ford, Welles or Kubrick and remind myself of the great film makers who are no longer with us.

Girls Trip (2017)

A SJW's wet dream

[2/10 · 29 March 2020]

Girl's Trip ticks all of the PC boxes, 'strong' women, weak men, black cast, ,Feminism etc so the quality or content are irrelevant In other words, typical 21st century Hollywood propaganda. That said, it is long, loud and tedious with generally unpleasant characters and lacks subtlety and humor. Recommended to idiots and the PC obsessed.

Midway (2019)

Excellent!

[7/10 · 26 March 2020]

A fine depiction of events leading up to Midway and Woody Harrelson was surprisingly good as Nimitz. As expected, the film has attracted mixed reviews with some clearly angry that America won the war and that the US military are not depicted as homicidal, xenophobic murdering maniacs. It is a film and not a documentary, so character's behavior has obviously been modified for dramatic effect, however, it manages to be generally factual and covers the crucial events and actions leading up to Midway as well as the day of the battle.

Doubtless, someone will complain that there are no female generals or women in significant roles, but if you are looking for a good factual war film, Midway is the best for some time.

Mindhorn (2016)

As funny as a slasher film

[1/10 · 25 March 2020]

This was billed as a comedy and some claim that they found it funny - I did not smile once. Funny it isn't, more apt adjectives would be - tedious, boring, idiotic or awful. Don't waste time on this garbage.

The Big Sick (2017)

The Hollywood Woke continues

[1/10 · 29 February 2020]

The Muslim interracial aspect of the script must have had the very woke Judd Apatow excited while cynically deciding - 'we can sell this as a comedy to Liberals, it's a moneymaker'. The obvious agenda of the film could be overlooked if it was a comedy or entertaining, but sadly this is just a boring turkey. In the words of Sam Goldwyn - 'Messages are for Western Union'. Films are essentially an entertainment medium - The Big Sick is too long (like all Apatow films) too tedious, too boring and too much of an endurance test to watch.

Beast (III) (2017)

Failed Hitchockian Noir

[3/10 · 15 February 2020]

Before Mr Pearce attempts to make another Hitchock type film, I suggest that he watches a few of the master's works and learn about creating mystery and suspense with humour and a narrative that draws in the viewer. As for the noir elements - filming a police interview in the dark adds nothing except derision within the viewer. Perhaps Mr Pierce should view some early Anthony Mann films, like Raw Deal, to see the use of lighting and shadow to create that noir effect. Beast could have been a good little film but despite Jessie Buckley's fine performance, it is a tedious un-involving bore that plods along for 107 minutes to an anti-climatic ending. Rave reviews for this turkey are puzzling but perhaps some viewers like to feel superior by appreciating something that they imagine is profound.

Daphne (2017)

A strong woman?

[1/10 · 31 January 2020]

As all Liberals are now 'Feminists', a film featuring a supposedly strong independent woman who doesn't need a man for support and does her own thing regarding sex and drugs was obviously seen as a masterpiece for millennial's.. That may be true in the case of the 'woke' crowd but to everyone else, this film is tedious beyond belief. It is presumably intended to be a character study but such a film needs a fairly sympathetic character with whom an audience can identify, but Daphne has no appealing characters. Its paper thin narrative is drawn out over a mind-numbing 88 minutes and the end credits is the high point in this turkey.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Lots of pretty colors.

[1/10 · 31 December 2019]

Over two hours of mindless CGI colors and explosions - there may be some kind of story in this mess but I didn't have the enthusiasm to look for it. I assume that this is aimed at under seven year old's because I fail to understand how any semi-intelligent adult can possibly be entertained for more than two hours by the 'narrative' in this garbage. It's sad to see so many 'name' actors take the money and run for appearing in such trash - essentially Teletubbies for older children.

American Honey (2016)

The Director Loved the Script

[1/10 · 11 December 2019]

This 163 minute epic highlights the need for a good producer and editor. When the director writes the screenplay, there is a loss of objectivity and the director is reluctant to cut one line from the masterpiece that they have written. This applies to the editing too. A good producer would question such a long self-indulgent running time for a pretentious little film with a flimsy to non-existent narrative. Eighty minutes would have stretched the patience of the average viewer of this drivel, but at it 163 minutes it is a test of masochistic endurance. Obnoxious characters speaking moronic dialogue in a vague criticism of Capitalism and the American Dream obviously appeals to pseudo-intellectual right-on critics, but its entertainment value is somewhat less than watching iron rust. This garbage will only appeal to simple-minded viewers who can relate to the characters and pretentious critics eager to hail another film 'auteur' who abhors the idea of a film with any commercial potential..

God's Own Country (2017)

A Day on the Farm, with Gay Men

[1/10 · 15 November 2019]

My title sums up this tedious and boring film, (although it actually takes place over a longer period). The ecstatic reviews appear to be based on the film having gay characters, which is apparently sufficient to make it a masterpiece. An opening 35 second static shot of a house indicates accurately what the remaining 100 minutes will be like. I have had more entertainment from watching grass grow and film is first and foremost an entertainment medium. In the words of Sam Goldwyn 'If you have a message, call Western Union'.

Mother! (2017)

My dog defecates better art every day.

[1/10 · 29 October 2019]

Mother! appears to be pretentious garbage intended to fool gullible critics, Hollywood elite and Academy voters in the hope of netting a few Oscars. It has a number of Hollywood's favorite themes, which explains the stars and funding: * Female lead character: * Dysfunctional families: * Negatives views of Christianity: * Climate Change: * Immigrants are welcome. Yet this pandering to Liberal talking points failed at the Oscars but managed to be incoherent, boring distasteful, pretentious drivel. Those who view this as a masterpiece are obviously trying to demonstrate their intellectual superiority by claiming to perceive great depth and meaning in incomprehensible nonsense.

It all reminds me of a satirical interview I once saw: Pretentious Critic to director - ' Your use of black and white in the final scenes was a masterful stroke, demonstrating the bleak future of the leading character'. Director's reply - 'Actually, we ran out of money and couldn't afford color film'. That aptly sums up critics.

Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist (2018)

Westwood commercial

[2/10 · 27 October 2019]

This rather tedious documentary is revealing of the fashion industry but do these phony narcissists think that they look cool while having the appearance of having dressed in the dark in a thrift store?

Moonlight (I) (2016)

Oscar winning formula on full display

[16 October 2019]

I am old enough to remember when any film won an Oscar in one of the top categories you could expect a quality entertaining experience. All that changed around 2000. Since then, in general, Oscars seem to be a measure of how many Politically Correct boxes have been ticked - Dallas Buyers Club, The Danish Girl and Moonlight are typical examples {although DBC is the best of these three). These films may have fine acting and/or directing but lack any real entertainment value but proudly flaunt their 'right-on' credentials. If I was a cynical film-maker desperate for an Oscar, I would have no trouble including the necessary elements. An Oscar used to be an indicator of a 'must see' film, for me it is now an indicator for 'must avoid'. Moonlight got eight Oscar nominations but is as entertaining as watching my clock tick through 111 minutes, Two fine performances, Ali and Harris, can't save this turkey.

Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)

Swearing Females

[1/10 · 23 August 2019]

If you find women swearing and using foul language funny, you will laugh hysterically. If you are seeking a witty, well written and funny film. you will get more laughs in War and Peace and BJB feels as long as that seven hour epic. I assume that Hollywood's obsession with 'strong women' resulted in the 'writers' deciding that foul mouthed women would be men's equals, nay superiors. Who needs humor when you have political correctness? I smiled once, but that was in relief that this boring garbage finally ended.

Mistress America (2015)

I almost smiled once

[2/10 · 26 July 2019]

An old style screwball comedy or a modern I Love Lucy? yes, but without the laughs. I find the rave reviews puzzling - a bunch of shouting PC feminists who swear a lot may appear trendy and right-on but I found this film tedious, despite a relatively short running time. If I want to watch a screwball comedy, I shall watch a real one and not a modern pretentious PC feminist lecture.

Warning Shot (2018)

Neat little thriller, but . . .

[5/10 · 21 April 2019]

I enjoyed this little thriller and it's always a delight to see Bruce Dern, but even in his heyday, he could could not be as nasty as the bad guy in this film. My only complaint is the writer's use of one of film-maker's favorite cliches - 'a potential victim is being chased by the villain and victim manages to temporarily disable villain with shovel, etc., villain falls and drops weapon, victim ignores weapon, doesn't finish off villain but runs off, villain get up and continues chase'. This writer loved this cliche so much, he used it three times. Surely a decent writer could extend the chase without using this silly plot device, it's already been done to death.