rt-ingram Reviews

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (1998– )

Was a great show until they changed the format

[8/10 · 14 January 2022]

When WWTBAM first came on to the scene, it was a great show; it had a simple idea that made everyone think, 'I'd love to have a go a that!', and the emphasis was on tension and suspense, rather than speed, which was what made the show. Chris Tarrant was the ideal host for the show, he was encouraging to the contestants whilst gently reminding them of how much they could potentially lose.

And then, for no great reason, they changed the format, by having the contestants answer less questions to win the big money, and then, later on, the contestants had to answer questions against the clock, which killed the show.

The show has been brought back, and reverted to the original format, with Jeremy Clarkson as host, and whilst it's nice to see it back, it's not the same show without Chris Tarrant.

Thunderbirds: Cry Wolf (1966) Season 1, Episode 18

Good premise, not so execution

[3/10 · 22 December 2021]

'Cry Wolf' has a good premise, two young boys unintentionally call out International Rescue and are later ignored when in real danger, and yet, the execution doesn't come off that well.

After an intriguing start, it just seems unlikely that the team would show the boys around the Island, and potentially putting their security at risk. Whilst it's good to see The Hood making a return, he isn't at his most menacing, and there is no depth as to why Williams's photographs are so important. It's difficult to engage in that part of the story.

Not bad, but not particularly good either.

Thunderbirds: Cry Wolf (1966) Season 1, Episode 18

Good premise, not so good execution

[3/10 · 22 December 2021]

'Cry Wolf' has a good premise, two young boys unintentionally call out International Rescue and are later ignored when in real danger, and yet, the execution doesn't come off that well.

After an intriguing start, it just seems unlikely that the team would show the boys around the Island, and potentially putting their security at risk. Whilst it's good to see The Hood making a return, he isn't at his most menacing, and there is no depth as to why Williams's photographs are so important. It's difficult to engage in that part of the story.

Not bad, but not particularly good either.

The Secret Service (1969)

They got it all wrong

[3/10 · 9 September 2018]

The Secret Service was one Gerry Anderson show that got it all wrong. Firstly, you can't have a show mixing puppets with real live actors, it's either one or the other. Secondly, the idea of a Church bishop doubling up as a secret agent and going on dangerous missions is too far fetched for its own good. The episodes weren't that memorable either; each puppet show has standout episodes, but this has none. And that whole 'Unwinese' thing was just plain silly. Only worth watching if you are a die hard Gerry Anderson fan, otherwise, this is a very disappointing series.

Stingray: Stingray (1964) Season 1, Episode 1

Stingray

[7/10 · 1 September 2018]

Stingray gets off to a very good start with the first episode; all the elements are introduced well, and contains plenty of drama and tension. My only real criticism is the lack of action, especially when compared to other pilot episodes. And the episode ends with terrible jokes and forced laughter, something which becomes all too common in the series. Nevertheless, a very good start to one of Gerry Anderson's most popular series.

Thunderbirds: Give or Take a Million (1966) Season 2, Episode 6

Goes out with a whimper instead of a bang

[2/10 · 8 December 2017]

Give Or Take A Million ends the original series of Thunderbirds with a whimper instead of a bang. The episode has none of the redeeming qualities that made the show so great; once again, the Tracy's allow a young boy on to the island, the story has no excitement, it's all told in flashback (which I'm not a fan of personally), and, the biggest sin of all, there is no rescue mission. The final scenes where Brains makes Tracy Island snow are charming enough, however, the episode would have been so much better if it contained the series' usual elements, and that would have made it more enjoyable.

A real shame.

Thunderbirds: Sun Probe (1965) Season 1, Episode 11

One of the standouts of the series, and the best of the Thunderbird 3 rescues

[9/10 · 8 December 2017]

Sun Probe is an episode most people think of when it comes to Thunderbirds. It may take its time to set the scene, and the Rocket launch at the beginning is dragged out, but when it gets going it becomes hugely entertaining.

This is the best of the Thunderbird 3 rescues, and it's efforts to rescue the crew are the usual tense moments. I like how the puppets are seen sweating in the heat, it makes the situation more realistic. What makes it even more dramatic, and something that may not have worked, is when the Spaceship runs into difficultly itself, making Virgil and Brains save their own team. This has always worked well in the series, and is used to great effect here.

A great episode and one of the standouts of the series.

Die Hard (1988)

A masterclass in how to make a great action film

[9/10 · 8 December 2017]

Die Hard has often been cited as the greatest action film of all time, and it's not hard to see why; for the first half an hour, the film takes its time to introduce us to the characters, who are well developed and likable, and as soon as the action kicks in it becomes a thrill ride and you can't help but root for John McClaine, and feel for the plight of the other characters.

The role of John McClaine fitted Bruce Willis like a glove, and Alan Rickman makes a suitably sinister villain as Hans Gruber. All the cast suit their parts down perfectly; there is not one bad performance to be found.

An excellent film and a masterclass in how to make a great action film.

Thunderbirds: Operation Crash-Dive (1965) Season 1, Episode 12

A worthy sequel to Trapped in the Sky

[8/10 · 27 November 2017]

Operation Crash-Dive is unusual in that it features two stories in one episode, yet both parts are equally as engaging. The first half is quite grim, in which the Fireflashes mysteriously disappear and a test crew crashes into the sea, forcing International Rescue to save the day. The rescue is quite eerie and very tense. The second half involves the team investigating the cause themselves, and this manages to be just as entertaining. The final scenes where Gordon and the saboteur face off is really nail biting. An enjoyable episode and a worthy sequel to Trapped in the Sky.

Thunderbirds: Trapped in the Sky (1965) Season 1, Episode 1

An excellent start to the series

[9/10 · 27 November 2017]

Trapped in the Sky is the ideal introduction to the world of Thunderbirds. It ticks all the right boxes on how to make an excellent first episode; it sets the scene well, we are introduced to the characters in a way that makes them instantly likable, and the rescue scene, which the whole episode has built itself up to, is the highlight of the episode. The script has a few plot holes, especially the failed rescue attempt by London Airport to remove the bomb, but you couldn't ask for a better start to the series.

Thunderbirds: Security Hazard (1966) Season 1, Episode 26

A poor conclusion to the first series

[2/10 · 18 November 2017]

Security Hazard is a poor conclusion to the first series. It seems highly unlikely that the team would give away classified information about their previous rescues to a stowaway, which goes against their initial objective of keeping their organisation secret. And clip shows aren't always the best idea; in this case, it's better to watch the episodes themselves. On the plus side, the opening scenes involving the fire are intriguing, and the 'It was all a dream' scenario is a believable resolution, but this is not a fitting conclusion to the first series.

Thunderbirds: Pit of Peril (1965) Season 1, Episode 2

A disappointing follow up to the first episode

[3/10 · 18 November 2017]

Pit of Peril is a big letdown after the excitement of the first episode. The main problem is that the episode lacks imagination; the Sidewinder could have done so much more than simply falling into a pit and lying there. And not only do we get one failed rescue attempt from the Army, we get two, so when International Rescue finally arrive on the scene, it's a relief. Luckily, the later episodes tried to do something more imaginative, but this is a real shame after the brilliant opening of Trapped in the Sky.

Octopussy (1983)

Has good moments, but is let down by an overly complex story

[6/10 · 20 April 2017]

Octopussy carries on with the serious return to the series, and with Roger Moore playing 007 with the seriousness that was evident in For Your Eyes Only, but the film is not entirely successful. However, there are some good moments.

The pre credits scene is one of the most entertaining, with the Acrostar mini jet being chased by the missile, and the scene after the pre titles where 009 is hunted down and killed is quite eerie and very suspenseful. There are some good performances from the supporting cast, with Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan and Vijay Amritraj being standouts.

The main problem with Octopussy is that the plot line is far too complex for its own good; the best films are when the story is straightforward and easy to follow, but Octopussy has far too much going on. The story does grow on you, but it's not something you take to straight away.

The film does have a few silly moments, especially the Tarzan yell, and the part where Bond disguises himself as a clown to disarm the bomb doesn't work; it would have been more tense if he'd have just gone in as himself.

Overall, Octopussy has its good moments, but is let down by an overly complex story.

Awakenings (1990)

One of the best true story films I've ever seen

[9/10 · 28 January 2017]

There are some films you watch that leave you cold and never want to see again, and some grow on you and become favourites. There are certain films though, that make an instant, and lasting, impression on you; Awakenings is one such film that did that to me.

The film is very moving, and it's remarkable to think that this genuinely happened. Whenever I've seen the film, I always get emotional. It just had that effect on me.

Robin Williams gives an excellent performance as Malcolm Sayer, and shows how good a dramatic actor he was for another reason altogether; Sayer is quite a shy character, and Williams was well known for playing outgoing and loud characters. There are moments of humour in his performance, but Williams plays the role completely straight and succeeds admirably. Robert De Niro was Oscar nominated for his role as Leonard, and it's no surprise; he goes through every emotion and gets so into the role that it's hard to think of another actor in the part. The rest of the cast, although not as well known, give excellent performances

An excellent film and one of the best true story films I've ever seen.

Stingray (1964–1965)

Not my favourite Supermarionation show, but it had its good points

[8/10 · 28 January 2017]

I did enjoy Stingray when I was younger, and still do, but not as much as some of the other Supermarionation shows. The show was simply about a submarine, and the stories weren't as varied. However, it did have its good points.

The stories were entertaining, and divided into three sections; an investigation into a situation, a plan to kill Troy Tempest or to destroy Marineville. The best episodes were in the category of the latter two, the investigation episodes weren't as exciting. There were a few 'it was all a dream' episodes which did nothing for me.

The series ended with a flashback episode based on 'This is Your Life' which worked really well, and had the best ending of all the Stingray episodes; after being called out on a mission near the end of the episode Commander Shore remarks to the presenter, 'Thanks for a great show, but I'm afraid, whether you like it or not, this has got to be the end'. You couldn't have asked for a better closure.

Not my favourite of the Supermarionation puppet shows, but the entertaining scripts made up for it.

Face/Off (1997)

Another action film that tries something different and succeeds

[9/10 · 27 January 2017]

Face/Off is a film with such a bizarre story that you might think you won't enjoy it. However, once you get past the very far-fetched plot, you'll find a really good film lurking in the background. It does have a complex story, but is told in a straightforward manner that makes it easy to follow.

While the film contains some very good action scenes, and an equally good amount of drama, the most entertaining aspect is watching John Travolta and Nicolas Cage play each other; the performances from the two are excellent, you genuinely believe they are in each other's skin.

A must watch for anyone who likes action films that try something a little bit different.

Scent of a Woman (1992)

A very good character drama

[7/10 · 10 November 2016]

Scent of a Woman is one of those films with a not so terribly exciting plot, but once you get past that, is actually very good. The story is rather downbeat - with the main character wanting to do several things before ending his life – but the film is helped strongly by the performances of the cast.

Al Pacino is simply excellent as Frank Slade and you can see why he won the Oscar; he is quite aggressive when we first see him, but we soon realise there is more to him than what we first think. Chris O'Donnell is very good as Charlie, and the rapport between both characters is entirely believable. This is what's needed for the film to succeed, and it does. The supporting cast are all on fine form, and there isn't one character you dislike.

The highlight is, without a doubt, the tango scene, however, there are other noteworthy scenes, including the highly amusing part where Slade drives the Ferrari, the school prank on the headmaster and the dramatic showdown in the hotel where Slade very nearly kills himself.

The only part that lets it down is the last half hour in the school. It drags on for too long and doesn't fit in with the story. It's a shame, because all that happened before was excellent. Despite this preventing me giving out full marks, I quite like Scent of a Woman.

Wipeout (1994–2003)

Started off good, but went downhill

[7/10 · 24 September 2016]

One of the better quiz shows of the 90's, Wipeout was entertaining because it was more than just a straightforward question and answer format. The show was one where you could all join in at home, and some of the answers on the board were quite surprising at times.

The show was better when Paul Daniels was host; he would have a quick chat with the contestants before starting and just got on with it afterwards, and at the appropriate moment, generated a good deal of tension. When Bob Monkhouse took over, the show had gone to daytime, dropped part of the first round, i.e. using two grids instead of three, to make way for more banter with the contestants, which wasn't a good move. And Bob would annoyingly give away the answers, rather than building the tension.

A good game show at the time, but later became victim to 'don't fix what isn't already broke'.

Notting Hill (1999)

Enjoyable romantic comedy

[8/10 · 24 September 2016]

Notting Hill is one of those films that can still make me laugh no matter how many times I see it. The idea of a normal everyday guy falling in love with a famous Hollywood actress is an interesting spin on the romantic comedy, and shows how fame can have its downsides.

The characters are interesting and well developed, and while Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts are as good as always in the lead roles, the standout star is Rhys Ifans as Spike. He's the kind of flatmate you wouldn't want to have and that's what makes him so endearing.

The film is full of hilarious, and quotable, lines, especially from Spike. His scenes are so laugh out funny it hurts! However, the best line is at the end when William and his family are chasing down Anna, and Max exclaims 'James Bond never has to put up with this sort of s**t!'

The only part of the film I didn't enjoy was when William does several interviews while posing as a magazine editor; it simply isn't funny and just drags on. Despite that, Notting Hill is a very enjoyable romantic comedy and one that can still make me laugh on repeated viewings.

Wheel of Fortune (1988–2001)

Good concept, but with an acquired taste of presenters

[6/10 · 24 September 2016]

Wheel of Fortune was a game show loosely based around the game of Hangman, and as everyone likes Hangman, the show was sure to be a success.

Initially, the show would begin with the host asking a 50/50 question and if the contestant was correct, they could spin the wheel. If a player was incorrect, or lost his/her turn, the next contestant alongside would be asked another question to win control. This took far up too much time and there wasn't always time for the fourth round, which was rather annoying. This was changed much later on, with the host asking a question and whoever buzzed in first with the right answer got the first go, with no questions in between, and worked much better.

There were some good tactics of play during the main game; the contestant could carry on spinning the wheel and choosing letters until they hit a 'Lose a Turn', 'Bankrupt', guessed a letter incorrectly, or knew the answer, so would you carry on spinning even though you could lose it all, or just answer straight away? And whenever a contestant solved a puzzle correctly, they could choose from one of three prizes, which was a nice feature.

Afterwards, the highest scoring contestant would go on to play for one of the star prizes, and in the final, the contestant would be told what subject the puzzle was, and then had to choose 5 consonants and 1 vowel, with any letter appearing being lit up. The puzzle was either very easy or very hard, depending on the letter choices.

The first host was Nicky Campbell, who was rather smarmy. He might be a really good presenter on current affairs programmes, but he's not the best game show host. Bradley Walsh was quite good and it was a shame he didn't do it for longer. John Leslie was wooden and used the same script each show, and Paul Hendy was more or less the same as John Leslie.

Wheel of Fortune had a good concept, but with an acquired taste of presenters.

Supercar (1961–1962)

A good start to Supermarionation

[7/10 · 9 September 2016]

Supercar was the first of the many Gerry Anderson puppet series and while the stories were simpler, and not as exciting compared to the later shows, it was a good series in its own right and a good start to Supermarionation as a whole.

Another of Supercar's plus points was that the stories were versatile; the title vehicle could travel on land, sea, air and space, so you had a good range of stories. And all the characters were likable, although Mitch the Monkey could be decidedly irritating at times.

Well worth watching if you are curious as to how Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation productions started.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

One of my top 5 films

[10/10 · 9 September 2016]

If I ever compiled a list of my top 5 favourite films, Star Wars: A New Hope would feature. It has everything that makes a great movie: • The story line is unique and more than just your typical 'good vs. evil'.

• The characters are all three dimensional, with great banter between them and some very quotable dialogue.

• The theme music is instantly recognisable.

• When you watch it again, even if you haven't seen it for a long time, it's just as you remember it.

The sequels are as enjoyable, although I'm not a fan of the prequels so I can just leave them. The original Star Wars film is the best of the saga and one of my favourite films overall.

Hitman (I) (2007)

From a reviewer who hasn't played the games and didn't enjoy the film

[4/10 · 8 August 2016]

Most people who enjoyed Hit-man are those who haven't played the games, whereas those who have didn't enjoy the film. We are all entitled to our own opinion. However, I haven't played the Hit-man games, and I didn't enjoy the film.

The film is another of those action movies with a plot so illogical it hurts your head trying to work out what's going on. The main story is that Agent 47 has set up on a mission, but why? Why do the other hit men want him dead? And if 47 is seen as a ghost, why have Interpol been chasing after him for so long? The film tries many twists and turns but doesn't provide any real answers, and ends up being a confused mess.

Another of the film's faults is that it's all told in flashback. After 5 minutes in, we are then told that all upcoming events happened three months before. So any possible dramatic tension has been thrown out the window.

So overall, Hit-man is another video game to film adaptation with an incoherent story that lets you down. If I had a go at playing the games, I think I'd be more entertained.

Fair Game (1995)

An unfair game

[4/10 · 8 August 2016]

Before I start the review, I would just like to point out that Fair Game is not entirely bad because of Cindy Crawford's performance. Her acting is one note and monotone, but that's not the real reason why the film is bad.

The plot is so illogical it makes no sense at all. We are told that Crawford's character, Kate McQuean, is a Lawyer who has been marked for death by the KGB, the reason being they could lose their ship in a court case that McQuean is pursuing. This kind of story line would belong in a courtroom drama, not an action film. And why are the villains the KGB? This was 1995; the KGB was irrelevant by then. The film itself is one long chase, and concentrates more on action instead of paying attention to character detail, which is another of the film's failings.

The action scenes are well-staged, and are the only good point to Fair Game. But there are certain questions raised; for a start, how could the villains use electronic equipment to track every move they make? Not to mention the use of a heat sensor, which can allow the villains to see everything they do (since when has such a thing ever existed?). And by the time the villains have finally captured McQuean, they are then instructed to 'keep the girl alive'; why? You've just spent the whole time trying to kill her, why not just get it done and out the way? Instead we have to watch the story get dragged out for longer. By this point, you'll be glad when it's all over.

Only worth watching if you're curious about Cindy Crawford's acting debut.

Joe 90 (1968–1969)

Had its moments, but not brilliant overall

[6/10 · 8 August 2016]

Joe 90 had a concept that most children would dream of; after all, who wouldn't want to go on missions with the brain patterns of someone to succeed? This in itself seems quite a winning concept; however, the show wasn't as successful as the other Gerry Anderson productions, and in its own right.

One of the problems with the show, and why I didn't feel it was as a big a hit, is that the first episode was rather weak; it featured a 'this is what could happen' scenario that just didn't work. Fortunately, the later episodes were much better, but this may put you off seeing the rest of the series.

Not brilliant, but still had its good moments.