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Zomboat! (2019)
Worth a look - despite some terrible accents
A female led zombie comedic drama set in Birmingham. This was actually a reasonable series despite several terrible accents.
Zombie horror films work best on a low budget and having a single barge on a canal certainly helps make this feel like a low budget despite the mainstream actors.
Imagine escaping a zombie outbreak on the slowest form of transport. Then you have Zomboat!
Big School: Episode #1.1 (2013)
Great Start
This was actually quite an amusing comedy but quite gentle.
The teachers all seem to be over 40 apart from one. And they are quite out of touch with the pupils they teach. The pupils are presented as streetwise and ignorant of their studies but maybe this hints at their disconnection with each other.
I do wonder how a 15 year old girl is called Beyonce the real Beyonce hasn't been around long enough.. yet.
With David Walliams, Catherine Tate, Frances de la Tour and Philip Glenister the show is not short of recognisable actors and there were some funny moments. Look forward to seeing how this series grows.
Shameless (2011)
Great Cast and Great Plot
I'll start by saying that if you have watched the UK version of this (Which by the way was made by Channel 4 and Company Pictures and NOT the BBC as these other reviews suggest) You probably won't enjoy this first episode. Its a straight transition of the script with some adjustments.
However having seen shows that were changed beyond all recognition I can say that is a good thing.
The cast are excellent in their roles and the story which is far from the usual tame fodder of American drama is handled with honesty and realism. The characters mostly have their own interests to consider as well as the kids trying to keep their family together.
William H Macy is ideal in a role which doesn't allow him much initial screen time but I'm sure future episodes will focus on him since Frank is such a fascinating character. Can't wait for episode 2.
Doctor Who: Last of the Time Lords (2007)
Ignore The Bad Reviews and just watch it...
I have really loved the new Doctor Who. Each season is brave addition from what has passed before. It makes social comments and appeals to a mass audience who have grown to love it in their own way.
The last episode shows just how big the arc has been. Martha has grown into a great character and splitting the story for her several times this year has made her star shine.
I'm not going to say much more about the actual episode as you should shy away from reviews. There's been a lot of negative reactions from the press and from some of the fans to Martha and to some of the story lines. But I think she is great. And the stories get better and better. Keep up the great work BBC.
The Afternoon Play: The Last Will and Testament of Billy Two-Sheds (2006)
Great Afternoon Drama
This is a great one off drama. Sarah gets given her Grandad's most prized item - his allotment shed.
I watched this as it was set in and around Birmingham and showed lots of new and familiar landmarks. But it was actually really warming and thoughtful.
All about taking time out from the rush of everyday life. Sarah is caught between the fast paced world of her middle class graduate boyfriend and the world of the older generation who spend their days drinking tea and tending their plants at the PEBBLE MILL ALLOTMENTS. It harks back to the days off gentler life in Birmingham which many people across the UK can relate too.
This also seems to be a nod to the BBC themselves as their own BBC Pebble Mill is now BBC Birmingham. And the world has changed and moved on to a new pace.
More like this please.
Never Been Kissed (1999)
School Daze
This is a fun feel good movie. Go back to school but knowing how to be an adult. It shows how young teenagers really are. I liked this film a lot as it allowed high school to be a reasonable time before having to grow up. Drew plays the idealistic and romance obsessed Josie trying to be 17 but innocently flirting with her teacher.
The world of tough reporters and heavy handed bosses is almost the fake world with ott but fun performances. Drew can look go from pretty to plain jane in a second and still get away with being likable. She is a sweet teenager and lost 20something.
I still don't want to go back to school though. Worth watching.
28 Days Later... (2002)
The horror of the beach is wiped from memory! A Great Film
This film has one of those "long awaited" tags to it.
and it actually pays off.
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland have taken a good idea and turned it into a great one. Not a horror film but a film of horrors. Without taking the credibility away from 28 days, it is Red Dwarf on earth or Outbreak in england. But also so much more. This is a film that plays with your mind long after you go home as its the chance that it could happen.
It manages to make you jump, scared, laugh, and feel for the characters. as they find themselves in a infected country with a virus all around them.
But the best thing to do when you go see this film is not to learn any more about it and read the reviews afterwards! hope this is what you are doing! inventive camera work and a great idea make this worth the visit to the cinema
Did it make you jump too?
Changing Lanes (2002)
Ben and Samuel Deliver
This film was excellent from start to finish. Ben and Samuel provide a tug of power as you dont know which side to take or who is the good guy who is the bad guy. the plot moves fast and furiously and if you dont pay attention in the first few minutes you wont know whats happened.
Worth watching
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Great Film with great performance
I really liked this film. Sat in a cinema filled with Greek families who kept saying how true to life it was helped greatly.
The characters are introduced briskly and the romance is pushed quickly but as it is realistic it does not suffer for this.
Fun and well worth watching
The Sweetest Thing (2002)
Funny film with gross jokes
Take a piece of "theres something about mary" and mix with "get over it" and this is the result. gross jokes with some funny lines. Nice acting. The 3 girls did look too much like the girls from friends and that was very distracting.
worth watching. not a lot to think about maybe thats the point.
Enterprise (2001)
Trek Grows Up
Well i really liked this new version of star trek.
it has much more brains than Voyager ever could and is a worthy challenge to tng's role as best trek and ive only seen a few episodes.
and from the stylish opening credits with its great historic feel to the mature of the theme music. (finally trek got vocals and about time too. far better than the pam-par-parm rehash. (this isnt the sixties any more)
the characters are interesting and exciting and actually have some personality.
ill be watching with interest to see what happens next
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Well at least i can say ive seen it
This film wasnt too bad at all. and id recomend it to all the young people i know. but its part of seven and only time will tell how good it really is.
acting was excellent, story was great, direction good. think younger kids might be bored pretty easily but its gonna make bucket loads of money and some one will be rubbing their hands together.
will watch out for the other 6 films with interest.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
Nice animation shame they lost the script
To say that this film is bad does not show the true depth for how dissapointed i was watching this film.
it was so well ainimated that i was really very impressed with the trailer. but when it came to the story and the dialogue i felt like i had just rented Transformers The Movie. and so had the writers of this film.
Oh dear
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Just F A B!
Dont let anyone tell you to much about this film as it spoils all the surprise. The original music is brilliant but the covers are stunning. nicole and euan sparkle as does the great jim broadbent. GO AND SEE THIS WHILE ITS AT THE CINEMA.
Crazy/Beautiful (2001)
Interesting film not fantastic tho
I have just seen a UK preview of Crazy/Beautiful. I really wanted to like this film more than i actually did. it started smart and interesting and managed to sustain itself with very little effort untill the rather cliched ending. which is rather a shame. But as teen flicks go this has more brains than most.
Dunst is a great actress and shows her art as much as her arse in this take on the high school good boy-bad girl as she does much of her most important scenes in her pants. Newcomer Hermandez also shows as much talent as he does his chest.
Not fantstic film tho.
Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
TOTALLY MIOW MIOW (GREAT IN CATSPEAK)
This film was great and for some unknown reason got a very limited release in the UK. Its a acidic ironic comedy which almost becomes what it sets out to poke fun at. This is probably lost on many people which is a real shame. The from the moment the boyband appear before the credits you know what you are in for.
the actors exude in their fun roles and smart dialogue.
The shameless product placements and references just add to the post post modern image. with echos of austin powers' Doctor Evil lare. and hundreds of injokes it is a fast furious ride through modern teen pop.
the soundtrack is also great too.
well worth watching if you can catch it at the multiplex. or its a long wait for that elusive dvd.
Dodgem (1991)
Teen Fairground Fun
This was a pretty reasonable six part teatime drama from the beeb. Sticking closly to the book it tells the story of simon. Simons father hasnt coped with the death of his wife and is in a pit of depression. Simon gets sent to the local kids home. There he meets the tough fairground girl rose who also has her own problems.
This was a interesting programme and a good post Grange Hill vehicle for Sean Maguire (Simon) and feature a very young Lucy Speed pre Eastenders. They are well cast as the well behaved school boy and the streetwise girl.
Worth a watch if it ever gets repeated on cable
Sliding Doors (1998)
Turning back time to the real world of romantic comedy
Ms Paltrow and Mr Hannah are surprisingly well suited in this late 90s rom-com. This was a film that was funny, realistic, tender and warming.
Helen (Paltrow)and James (Hannah) are portrayed as very real people living in modern London. And Paltrows accent is excellent even when she sware using typically english slang.
The parallel universe idea works so well lifting it above the Four Weddings and Notting Hills and allows for some very swish scene changes as it switches between times.
The film was directed by Peter "Joey Boswell" Howitt and was the last thing i would have expected from him. "Making bread out of nothing but air."
Fun and fluffy.
Press Gang (1989)
At last Itv "Kids" drama got intelligent
To say Press Gang was unique in style and acting and writing was an understatment. This was a constantly enjoyable smart funny drama. In america it would have had a Prime time slot like Buffy Dawsons or 90210. But as itv saw it as Childrens tv it was left at 4.40pm though it won bafta awards for best childrens tv.
It pushed boundries with its subject matters, dealing child abuse (the award winning first season), drug abuse, bullying, and suicide and this was in the even from the very first few episodes and its humour was very adult for the time of day but the children watching would not have realised many of the more subtle oneliners.
Set in the news office of a local teen newspaper its follows the lives and loves of its reporters and editor Linda Day (Julia Sawalha) and her star reporter Spike Thompson. This setting allowed for some very funny comedy and top quality acting. Colin and the rabbit suit or the bird infestations or the ping pong balls.
like its audience it grew up very quickly but from the first episode was unmissable and like grange hill it spawned top actors who crop up every where. I was sad when it finished good thing i taped em really!
Tom's Midnight Garden (1989)
Classic BBC Drama
The Wednesday CBBC drama slot was always filled with quality Stories and this is no exeption. Well acted time travel drama. You cant help but feel sorry for tom when he is lonley in the summer holidays and sent away but the disovery of the garden and the strange girl means that he cant wait for midnight when the clock strikes 13!
Moondial (1988)
Classic Childrens novel comes to life
This Six part childrens was just brilliant. Minty is a rather sulky teenager sent to live with her aunt following her fathers death. She finds a beautiful garden in at the local manor house and there is a sundial in the centre of the garden. Minty has strange mental powers and when she touches the dial she becomes dizzy! when she recovers she finds she has been transported through time to the turn of the century. Here she finds the manor house filled with maids and servants and lords and ladies. But there is a girl who is trapped in the house as she has a disfiguring birthmark which is seen as a devils mark! Minty with the help of the servant tom must rescue the girl before she becomes part of a sacrifice.