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Reviews
Unorthodox (2020)
Different
I found this series engaging and gripping at the same time. Good use of flashbacks to build up the story and very well acted.
Jane Eyre (1943)
Didn't stand the test of time
This is a very good story. Unfortunately this version did not stand the test of time. The story was presented in a very melodramatic way which feels out of place in 2020.
Star Trek: Picard (2020)
Disappointing
I found this slow to begin with but stuck with it in the hope that it would improve. I am sorry to say that the pace didn't really improve and the plot became more and more confusing.
It was interesting to look at but that wasn't enough to offset the pace and the , unintended, laughable script.
Dark Waters (2019)
Very one note
I was looking forward to this film as it is the subject is interesting. However I found the film very ernest with no light and shade. As a consequence I ceased to care about the characters. I would have thought that a documentary would be more impactful for such an important subject.
Son-Mother (2019)
Moving and sad
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival. The is split into two chapters and although it covers a situation I am not familiar with, the story is told in an easy to understand. In effect everybody is trying to do their best in an impossible situation. The acting and directing makes you feel for the main characters although their situation is very sad.
Les misérables (2019)
Gripping
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival. Initially I thought that the film was a straight forward French police drama. However, quickly I realised that it was as much a social commentary than anything else. The story moves along at a good pace and you are never bored as the tension is ramped up.
The film has a false ending and in a lesser film this would be a source of irritation but in this film it positively works. Recommended.
Bacurau (2019)
A modern western perhaps?
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival. It starts out like a South American rural drama and takes about 40 mins before the true story is revealed. The film has clear nods to classic westerns of the past like A Fistful of Dollars but has also traces of Westworld and , although not a western, the purge.
I didn't find it as good as the directors/screenwriters last two films but nevertheless it has more than enough going for it to hold your attention
Hvítur, hvítur dagur (2019)
Not what I expected
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival. I expect to see a scandi noire Film about the main character tracking down the person with whom his wife had maybe had an affair with. Instead it was a film about grief. The acting in the main is very good by the retired policeman and his Grandaughter. However, some of the direction is a bit self indulgent the opening scenes of the new to be built house, seem to go on for ever. Also the two football scenes are a bit clunky. Nevertheless the story and acting are enough to forgive these minor irritations.
Arracht (2019)
Good start and end
The first thirty minutes of this film is very good in setting out the core of the story and the concluding ten minutes is also good. However, the middle section is a bit plodding and drags. Overall the film is well acted and very atmospheric. I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival.
Pity the Lovers (2019)
Straight Forward
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival, it is a pleasant Icelandic Film about two brothers who tackle relationships in different ways. The film follows a predictable path but, to it's credit doesn't end in a predictable way. Undemanding.
Moffie (2019)
Harrowing and Gripping
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival. The film is beautifully shot and tells the gripping tale of 16 year old Nicholas's two year of conscripted service in 1980's South African army. At the same time Nicholas is coming to terms with his sexuality. The film pulls no punches in setting out Nicholas's initial experiences. The acting by all concerned is very good and the film moves along at a reasonable pace. My only criticism is that the ending is a bit dragged out but overall that is minor as the film is a very good watch.
Nabarvene ptace (2019)
A compelling Tour de Force of Misery and Cruelty
This is a long hard watch which builds over the length of the film. The movie is beautifully shot and tells the story of a young Jewish boy in wartime Eastern Europe. Initially he is an observer to the cruelty but over time he becomes the recipient. This film will not be for everyone but if you have a strong stomach it is worth sticking with. I saw this at the Glasgow Film Festival and only 3 walkouts.
La odisea de los giles (2019)
Very Engaging
I saw this at the Glasgow Film Festival. It starts out like a feel good movie which you think will be a capper film before a tonal shift sends it darker. However it is always engaging and well acted by the end able cast. I enjoyed the film.
The 20th Century (2019)
Monty Pythonesk
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival. The film is very heavily influenced by Monty Python and it takes a little while to get used to it. Not everything worked and the film is not as funny or as shocking as it thinks it is. Nevertheless the film has enough going for it to maintain interest.
Standing Up, Falling Down (2019)
No Surprises
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival. It starts off very well for the first 30 mins and I was very engaged. Thereafter the film gets bogged down and never moves out of second gear. A shame as a good and interesting film was struggling to get out.
Il pleuvait des oiseaux (2019)
Charming but slow
I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Festival. I found it confusing to start with but once I got the plot and characters established I was more engaged. The plot has two strands which sometimes interlink not always successfully. However as the film builds to it's conclusion the dominant plot line relating to the aged protagonist builds very well.
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
Slow Build
The film takes awhile to get going but stick with it as time is taken to allow the story to develop. The acting and directing is very good but the audio is superb from the choice of music to the crashing of the waves and the crackle of the fire.
Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
Interesting
This documentary goes into detail about horrific animal abuse and the mutilation and murder of a young man. The level of detail can be overwhelming at times and as a consequence the documentary requires your full attention. At times the pace of the film drops which is a shame. Ultimately it is a good documentary and worth watching.
Greed (2019)
Dull
This is one of the most boring films I shave seen in along time. The film has nothing to commend it. The pace is slow, the acting is one note and the writing is predictable. I actually walked out of the film before the end which I have not done for many years.
Emma. (2020)
Enjoyable
This was a pleasant and entertaining film which is well paced. A good soundtrack. Emma is not a character I particularly warm to but the film generates sympathy for her.
The Confession Killer (2019)
Twists and turns
This is a very good documentary series which keeps you gripped over all 5 episodes. You think you know how it will end but then you start to question yourself. Very good.
The Devil Next Door (2019)
Gripping
A well crafted documentary series broken up in bite sized chunks of around 40 mins. The documentary explains in an easy to understand way the twists and turns of this fascinating story the majority of which I had forgotten. Well worth a watch.
Non uccidere (2015)
Plodding
This is an ok crime drama but it has no pace or tension. I also did not care about the characters. I give up on this after 4 episodes.
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)
Boring
This was a disappointing film. It was a series of comic book action sequences shoe horned into a predictable plot. I would give this a wide berth.
Pennyworth (2019)
Bonkers Fun
This is a really good watch. The story is set in an alternative 60's and rollicks along at a good pace. Sometimes the story doesn't bare close scrutiny but it is engaging all the same.
Good soundtrack which adds to the atmosphere.