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Kaninusferoingus
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Bridgerton (2020)
When Shonda Rhymes imagines herself being Julian Fellows ... and fails miserably.
The first season was rather a soft porn movie, but the second one ...with cheesy lines and, in places, forced and false chemistry, is beyond bad. I would have got over the total historical inaccuracies (it is, in the end, a "fantasy" and that somehow should justify it all?!), the "diversity" that is being forced on our throats (just to show to everybody that she cares about the all the human typologies), thing which would have NEVER existed in the very conservative England of the 19th century (centuries of racism wiped out just by a ... royal marriage?, really?), the cheesy music made "old" (Madonna, again, really?!), but I could not get over about how silly and shallow the second season was, how its plot is simply insulting our intelligence.
Where to start? The queen is rather a brothel madame who takes pleasure in who is getting together with whom, is more interested in reading gossip than in actually being the head of a country, laughs like a commoner and what a heck is with those RIDICULOUS wigs in 1813? Regency era was famous for its elegance and if Shonda wanted with any price to show in the series the morals of the time and the fashion, she should have done a better job.
Then the main characters. Anthony is a bully, who doesn't know exactly what he wants from life (or imagines he knows), uses everybody with the scope of fulfilling his own goals. And we have to consider him charming and lovable, right?! Or to feel any kind of pity for him, because he had a trauma in his youth seeing his father killed by ... a bee? Kate is a stuck up girl, whose dedication for the whinny little sister borders the ridicule. And then she risks being ruined by having sex with the "lovable" Anthony in the gardens where anyone could have walked on them. And it goes on.
The rest of the characters I would not bother, even though I liked Penelope and Violet Bridgerton.
I never understood this need the American film makers have to take destroy everything European, imagining that somehow this will bring them success. Disney has been trying that for years (killing all the wonderful children stories), quite successfully, then were the countless American "versions" of successful european stories (Torchwood, Forbrydelsen and so one) and now comes madame Shonda and believes that by doing this series could reiterate the succes she had with Grey's Anatomy. 🙁She should have stuck to doctors and nowadays era. The historical movies are not for her, not even in the romance department.
A California Christmas: City Lights (2021)
Ha??
I was reading all the comments and wondering if we actually looked at the same movie.
It was utterly insipid. And full of cliché. The pair is so much in love, but still, somehow, it is enough a trip to San Francisco to break them apart in a split of a second, just because, surprise, surprise, she was "not" aware of his colorful past. Really? Then the sister throws a tantrum because she is "ignored" a couple of days. The farm works by itself, while the workers play games all the day into the night (does anyone from the filming crew know what amount of work and how little glorious the work in a farm is). Then the main lead believes the machinations of the "villain", because, isn't it?, it is easier to believe a sour loser than the woman you love and who has never given you a reason to doubt her. The screenplay is simply insulting everybody's intelligence.
Sorry, no. It was a waste of time, I looked at it just because the first one was quite sweet. But this bored me to the bone and, to be honest, I am amazed about how many ow's and aw's in the reviews. So little demands have people from movies nowadays?
Free Rein (2017)
Who comes with ideas for movies like this?
Usually I do not waste my time writing reviews for brainless stories like this, but this particular one was so bad, I HAD to do it.
Typically American movie. Girl with no particular talent, no training and no knowledge about horses becomes a skillful rider just like that. She is so good at it that trainers and people who actually have knowledge about horses, are just idiots who can't teach her anything. She gains over night skills which real riders accumulate over decades of training. She's so outstanding and mesmerizing that all the boys fold at her feet. Of course we have to have one of the usual cliches: the love triangle. I love you, I do not love you, I love the other boy more. Of course, the "right" boy remains by her side, while the other one, not very heartbroken apparently ... quickly reorientates himself. And have I mentioned the perfect hair dues and garderobe?
She has, of course, a younger sister, a spoiled brat (with a heart of gold, of course!) who roams around unsupervised for hours and hours and without any concern whatsoever from her mother. And who (who would have guest that?) becomes the hero of the day by finding out who is the rich man who could save the stables from ruin. As a result of a ... treasure hunt.
And then comes the story with the smugglers and the duke. Who appears, surprise, surprise, exactly in the moment of need. After finding a neckless 100 years old in a box in a hole in a wall, which looks like it has just been bought from a jewlery shop.
Did I mention the "staff" of the stables made only of ... children who seem to be rather dressed like going to a party than for work? Stables are not this pristine places where everything is clean and spotless and the amount of work there is huge, a child will not cope so easily. Did I forgot to mention the miraculous complete recovery of the pony Bob due to an equally miraculous remedy administrated by a child who happens to have extended veterinary knowledge? While a experienced vet (6 years of university, people , school not of the easiest kind!) gets to the point of actually euthanizing the horse and who accepts without an ounce of doubt to administrate an untested and unknown remedy :/
Ah, and last, but not least, no one seems to have anything to do with school or real work (of the "earning a living" kind). Exactly like some of the CW series where each episode is about a party of a sort in a sleepy town usually south where everybody seems to sleep on pile of bucks, siping cocktails and cavorting around.
When did the movies for children become so stupid and stereotypical? Everybody becomes successful over the night, there is no fail, no struggle, no serious mistakes, no loss. What had happen to stories like "The Road to Avonlea" for example, which actually were entertaining and very proper for kids of different ages without too much effort? When did the standards go so low that atrocities like this series become popular enough to justify a renewal? Do people have so little so low standards they accept anything crappy just because it is ... overly optimistic and shinny?
The only good thing where the animals. Stunning horses. And Bob is a sweetheart.
Utterly disappointed. Completely waste of time.
Real Steel (2011)
Boy, I was in for a treat!
First time when I read about the new movie of Hugh Jackman I told myself "Oh, no! Not another action movie!" And to be utterly honest, I wanted to see it for the actor, being almost sure I'll get somehow disappointed by the subject. I couldn't have been more wrong.
It says the story of a man who changes, learning to be a father, learning what responsibility means, learning to love, learning. It is the story of a little boy whose determination, huge heart and good nature wins and changes people around him. It is the story of a robot who melts our hearts.
Real Steel is a very good drama which brings everything on the table: emotions, smiles and some ... darn good fighting scenes. And Hugh Jackman above all. Definitely worth seeing.
North & South (2004)
Just a thought
When I first seen this movie (browsing the DVD's on amazon site), I just have been tempted of buying it because it was a period drama and nothing more.
I love English literature, especially Austen, Hardy and Cronin, but the name of Elizabeth Gaskell was not saying anything. And when I saw it first time... that was a shock, in the good sense of the word. I liked everything, beginning with the realism of the workers life, continuing with the costumes and the atmosphere and ending with the actors who manage to make the viewer feel something. Almost like being a part of the whole story. It was heartbreaking, emotional, exciting and beautiful in the same time. So what it had some little imperfections? That final scene ... it makes you feel that love and tenderness still exists and everybody can experience it sooner or later.
This movie really made me to buy the book, even I am not so capable to read in English (my mother tongue is Romanian). So, in the end, it had a good influence and I hope it will do the same for many others.
Maybe I am a little bit too romantic, maybe I see this movie with a subjective eye, but it was wonderful and I have to thank for that little moment of beauty brought by it into my life.