adrian-m-miller Reviews

NCIS: Sydney (2023– )

1 Episode Was One More Than The World Needed

[1/10 · 6 December 2023]

I write this as an Australian, proud until very recently (see screening date of this series in your area)

Dear World,

We regret that for some reason known only to the CBS Corporation, our nation was roped into taking part in the spectacle which you have had to suffer through

If it were not bad enough that every possible jingoistic, over the top representation of Australia was used, they failed to make any single character likeable or exist beyond a singular dimension.

Not even the great William McInnes (oh how great the pay inducement must have been to corrupt your beautiful soul and make you sign on) could make this watchable, though he tried with what he was given.

Sadly what he was given was written by a room of 3 year olds, with crayons.

In particular the lead male Aussie actor, very Aussie (have i mentioned) was too metro sexual and a poor attempt at an analogue for Michael Weatherly - there is only ONE DiNozzo, you fiends....

As for any other possible character equivalency attempts, i just failed to even bother caring, because i felt the entire episode i watched looked like it was heading for one and done for the franchise spinoff.

Gibbs would not approve.

Squid Game: The Challenge (2023– )

Weak.........

[1/10 · 22 November 2023]

I thought this might be fun, but the weakness set in early

1st there was the usual bunch of people who had huge egos talking themselves up, and usually im here to watch them fall, but then the further weakness set in because most of them (sadly for everyone watching this) still got through because the 1st game was weak, as far too many people didnt get punished when they were obviously moving. Especially weak was the mother who was caught on camera moving after the doll turned, but they let through so she could join her son so they had a story arc they thought would resonate with people?

Nope

Weak.

The Bear (2022– )

I came because i kept hearing about it

[10/10 · 4 September 2023]

I had no previous knowledge (or bias) of any of the actors in the show

I just kept hearing people recommend it, and im glad i listened.

This is a well rounded show with well rounded characters, most of whom seem to be on their own (and collective) paths to redemption on one level or another.

Theres really no weak links in the cast, and if you dont particularly love Sydney by the end of her 2nd episode, then we're watching different shows. RIchie also rings so true as a character. Having worked in a demanding ristorante in my youth, this feels so very authentic....right down to the shady characters both inside and outside the place....

I just made it through season 1, binging it (always a good sign), and about to start season 2...

One of the best shows in years....

Update (post Season 2 viewing):

This was always a show about redemption, personal or collective, and Season 2 really does ramp it up and round it off, for all characters.

There was something special though about episode 6 (it is my favourite) where one character in particular finds their purpose, and to me it was powerful, as we can either perhaps personally identify with that struggle for purpose, or see it in someone we know. While i think its a high watermark for the season and show, it ultimately plays out its second act in the final episode of the season, where that purpose comes to the fore in place of a character perhaps you'd expect to lead in the chaos. Episode 6 is pivotal and powerful, and even beautiful...it moved me, almost to tears, as perhaps i self identified....

Ahsoka (2023– )

This is every bit as good Mandalorian, and may eclipse

[9/10 · 1 September 2023]

Im going to say 2 words, then 3 more.

Rosario Dawson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Talk about great casting. Im up for whatever these two ladies do to be honest, but theyre just really doing the roles justice here

Nod too to Ray Stevenson who has a character who walks an odd path

And David Tennant in non-corporeal form still manages to inhabit his character with his usual wit and a bit of sarcasm to boot

Im an OG Star wars nerd, saw the original in a drive in (google it gen z'ers) in '77, but im not a pedantic super nerd who analyses every frame and consults the cannon at every turn. Ive learned to just enjoy modern Star Wars episodic dramas in their own right, and sometime i wish the pedantics would do the same.

This series is only a few episodes in but already im waiting for each new episode to see where we're going next, which is sadly the opposite to some of the other modern episodic Star Wars dramas, i wont name.

A Small Light (2023)

When We Need A Reminder

[10/10 · 24 June 2023]

Of the depth of darkness mankind is capable, any retelling of Anne's story stands as as good as any story.

This retelling from a fresh perspective was an unexpectedly powerful and moving one. Seeing it from Mieps eyes brought a new kind of sadness to the story for me. One cannot imagine how she went on to live to 100 years old and deal with losing the Franks and other friends, the sense of "what more could i have done" is palpable in this story, and i cannot imagine living with that. If you dont come away from this with a new level of respect and admiration for Miep and the others who did their very best to try and ensure the survival of their friends and colleagues, then i cant help you.

I fell in love with the contagious and hopeful, despite all available evidence, spirit of Miep, who is wonderfully brought to life by Bel Powley, to the point of transfixion. I had not seen her in any of her other performances, and suspect i have very much been missing out.

All performances were great in this, and i was happy to see Liev Schrieber put in a solid job here, as well as our (im an Aussie) Noah Taylor.

If Annes story ever fails to resonate, and make one as deeply sad as it does with every retelling, (and i was bucketting tears with this powerful new take), then we have failed as a humanity.

My own life was informed by the time and larger events touched on in this story, as my paternal grandfather was a member of the Dutch resistance, who, once the war was over, could not bring himself to go back to his village and live amongst so many of his neighbours who had been collaborators, so he left Holland with his wife, my aunt and father and moved halfway aroudn the world to Australia, where i later became the 1st generation of my family born here. My sense of rigth and wrogn i think is very much informed by what my grandfather stood for and stood up for. We must never again let humans visit this darkness on each other.

You will love Meip, but you will also come to understand what must also have been her burden for the remainder of her life, and how she did her best to honour her friends and colleagues, and especially Anne...

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Insane not to watch this, so enjoyable!

[8/10 · 12 June 2023]

You'd be forgiven if you looked at the title and htought it was going to be a movie that pandered seriously, and only, to the geeks (note: i am one), but its simply a funny action movie from start to finish.

I NEVER played dungeons and dragons, and i was hesistant thinking it would be just a lot dice work, and take itself seriously, but no....

If you have to take just ONE "just watch it" from a review about a movie you think you know will be like like, take it from me, this is a great way to spend 2 hours

If you feel youve long been missing an action comedy with a good helping of silliness, this ones for you!

The entire cast does a great job here.

Special shout out goes to everyones favourite, Jarnathan!!!!

Long Shot (2019)

Copy my review from ANY Seth Rogan movie

[1/10 · 30 May 2023]

Just in case you cant find them, it goes like this:

Who keeps hiring Seth Rogan, when will producers and movie executives stop doing it? The rest of us sane people have long discovered the stoner slacker was played out decades ago but no one seems to have told Hollywood and the powers that be, who keep inflicting this wood block upon us.

Poor Keanu often gets hammered with claism of wooden acting, but he positively has the range of Geilgud on his best day comapred to this lazy oaf who mines the exact same path through every film thats unlucky enough to have him cast in it.

When will the madness end? What has Rogan got on these people that can be so bad they keep casting him?

Lazy Hollywood, in decline...this is just more proof.

A Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys (2023 TV Movie)

Not For Anyone Who Wants To Retain Fond Memories Of Their Songs

[1/10 · 3 May 2023]

This is not for you if you are expecting a documentary where you get to relive the stories AND hear the beach boys sing.

If however you want to hear contemporary (and i need you to understand that i view most musicians as talentless hacks in 2023), and have them murder your cherished memories, then by all means watch this.

I'd arguably throw and exception out for Leanne Rimes who can, and has always been able to, sing. I wouldnt give you $1 for the rest of them....

I skipped fomr one "performance" to the next and kep thoping there would be signs of a bell curve and someone would redeem this grim spectacle, but alas, no such luck.

My advice to you, as your doctor, is to take any Bech Boys CD, even a compilation one from the $2 bin at KMart, and put that on instead of whatever this thing is....

They say you should never meet your heroes, well im going to create a new syaing here now and say sometimes you should never try and salute them either.....

1 star for Leanne Rimes.

Alaska Daily (2022–2023)

Great series flying under radar, just watch it

[10/10 · 31 March 2023]

The cast is tremendous, and im not just talking about Hilary Swank (one of the handful of actors/actresses alive who practically have "Safe Bet" tattoo'ed on their foreheads), but also Grace Dove (who has one of the greatest faces you'll ever seen on screen and inhabits her character so very well). No, this is an ensemble cast, and each manages to make their character feel very real, Jeff Perry is notably perfectly cast.

But it has to be said the two strong female leads are a wonderful team of their own. Its great to see tough and negelected topics covered in a long format, over a series, that forces you to think outside your safe bubble to what native communities are dealing with, and have been for decades.

This series doesnt just serve you up a convenient bite sized grab of a topic that your instagram attention deficit brain will cast off easily, it fleshes out the how the why, and most importantly the failings of systems whose very purpose is to serve, but ultimately neglect.

There are many shows i could happily not bother to catch up if i missed them, they are disposable, but this one was one of those series where i looked forward to the next episode.

I cant wait for the next season.

Dave Hughes: Ridiculous (2023 TV Special)

Lost me during COVID, lifetime fan

[1/10 · 26 March 2023]

The "storyline" reads:

"While Melbourne was locked down, Dave Hughes was trending. He went viral during the pandemic and managed to get himself in trouble with pretty much everyone. Luckily, Hughesy is zen."

Problem is that the rest of us Aussies arent zen about Dave making an absolute pillock of himself and carrying on like some backwoods American conspiracy nut. Spouting dangerous anti vax nonsense, when he decided he'd crossed from being a comedian into a self professed medical doctor means he doesnt get a pass and lost many, including me, after a lifetime of being a fan. COVID really did show up a lot of people who we once enjoyed as really poor human beings. Eric Clapton was another lifetime figure who i happily removed from my life because im tired of celeb-experts. Have an opinion, but dont spout bs as fact....

This is a man who made jokes about people suffering COVID and people were dying from it. This is a man who spouted his Trumpian "alternate facts" into the toilet bowl of the internet, twitter.

Do not reward him by watching his attempt, im sure at trying to spin his way out of it, he doesnt deserve it.

Couldnt give it a zero, sadly.

Dreamland: A Storming Area 51 Story (2022)

Go Watch Paint Dry - It Will Be 1000% More Entertaining

[1/10 · 6 January 2023]

Trust me when i tell you that EVERY "review" of this that gives it more than a 1 and promsies humour is lying to you. I feel cheated that i have to write enough words to satisfy the requirements to warn you, this movie is a thief in every way.

Theres no redeeming features, no humour, and literally everyone in it should never appear in a movie, tv show, documentary, and if i had my way, just life in general, ever again.

Apparently the main guy is a comedian...hmm...there must be a very different definition thatn what we call comedy in Australia.

I have genuine sympathy for any who was stupid enough to hand these people money to make this appalling drivel.

Causeway (2022)

No one does broken to redemption like Jennifer Lawrence

[7/10 · 5 November 2022]

But that has its own issues, its like a slight reversal of Silver Linings Playbook, where she is the now main character returning home to re-stablish broken bonds with family and finding another lost soul to ease her journey and find redemption....its not a criticism, just an observation

She still makes a lot of the material, just theres not the "air sucked out of the room" moment that better writing may have provided...the closest to that is probably the pool scene where both her and her new friend (excellently handled by Brian Tyree Henry) both highlight unkind but accurate character failures of the other, both in the classic method of hurt others to avoid self assessment or to take accountability. Its felt, but thats as close to a human moment there is in the entire film.

I'd watch Jennifer Lawrence eat cereal, and this is still a good performance.

I hope to see more of Mr Henry....

Andor (2022– )

Dull, Slow, Lifeless - They Couldnt All Be Good

[4/10 · 28 September 2022]

I'll start off by saying that at age 6, i was, along with my sisters, privileged to be at a drive-in in 1977 when the original Star Wars opened. So im an OG as-it-happened Star Wars fan, and not a millennial.

Ive watched every moment of Star Wars ever since, ive suffered through the prequels, issued my own fatwah against Lucas for Jar Jar Binks, and enjoyed Baby Yoda being a bit of an ass eating everything that wasnt nailed down in The Mandalorian.

But i barely made it through 2 episodes of whatever this is, it was dry, dull, lifeless and felt like watching molasses slowly drip down a wall.

I suppose not all spinoffs are going to work, and this one isnt going to.

I wont be watching a second more of it

But, If this be the end of Star Wars, then theyve really tanked it.....

It seems like someone wanted to make a series for getting off on sets and effects and lighting and the technical stuff, because THERES NO STORY HERE...

The Phenomenon (2020)

Nothing new here

[2/10 · 22 September 2022]

Any "UFO Documentary" loses me immediately when they bring in a "UFO expert".

Here's a tip, you can't be an expert in something thats not legitimately provable and accepted

Do i believe we're alone in the universe? Absolutely not, the vastness and maths will tell you its highly improbable

But do i believe that the most advanced beings in the universe are predominantly revealing themselves to the average American, seemingly above all others, nope, by now they will have realised America is broken, not worth their effort or their interest and moved on to higher life forms

That alone is how i know we've had no alien contact, so far

Americans love conspiracy theories, because they have such little faith in anything real, including science....and theyve largely tried to eradicate that from even being taught in schools....

When a UFO turns up over my house in Sydney, i'll be sure to let you know.

Nope (2022)

What Even Was That?

[1/10 · 27 August 2022]

I loved Peeles previous films, but what even was that thing that just ate my time more efficiently than horses and people?

So its an otherworldy monster that can be brought down by plastic flags and oversized balloons? So earth is sorted then

Is this an allegory on microplastics?

Is that what soaked up my time?

Was it? Please tell me it wasn't...what i really did just watch it and tahst exactly what it was?

This was like a student film, only a millionty times worse.

Like really bad....

At least the bore that is an avante garde film maker got eaten, as is what they all deserve....

But still, it wasnt worht watching everything else for that singular moment of joy....

Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams (2022– )

Inspirational TV

[8/10 · 14 July 2022]

This is the antidote to COVID stats and post Trumpian fallout

First let me say that as an Aussie male of 51, there have been times in my past during Freddies playing career when i would have been duty bound to heckle the man, but not this day

On having seen 2 episodes so far, its heartwarming to see not only Freddie's genuine personality and care shine through, but to see how quickly he takes a ragtag bunch and soon has them turned from disinterested into believing in themselves.

Im genuinely astonished at what Adnan from Afghanistan has been through in his young life and to see how he has adapted to life in England, learning to speak English and showing raw talent. Along with the rest of the boys who perhaps dont get a lot of positive reinforcement in their lives, and who perhaps have sadly perhaps bought into a narrative that they dont matter, to see them quickly bond and support each other hopefully means great things ahead. I hope so.

Pint on me Freddie if youre down this way....

The Old Man (2022– )

Jeff Bridges...always (but also Amy Brenneman too)

[10/10 · 18 June 2022]

Episode 1 was a great lead in

Episode 2 changed tack and feels like its starting to lay some groundwork and character development for the character of the great Jeff Bridges, and his new lady friend

Joining him in episode 2 is Amy Brenneman, who i have to say just looks fabulous, i was rewatching Heat the other day and whatever she is eating and doing is obviously working (better than my regime). Always had a crush on her, and here she is putting in her usual solid performance.

Case in point in the restaurant scene, you can feel the palpable tension, that theyve just created with some great dialogue, not without some humour, leave the room when they both answer yeah to the waiters "Would you like to see the wine list?"

This is going to be a good series going on the 2 episodes ive seen. I suspect it will do best with the slow burner accepting crowds of which i am one, and i have zero time for those wanting immediate gratification, the insufferable attention deficit types...thats mostly you millennials *sigh*.

Night Sky (2022)

Great SciFi Offering

[8/10 · 22 May 2022]

Cant wait until the second season, because the first one was one of the best series this year

I'd probably watch anything with J. K. Simmons in it.

There are so many possible ways this could go after the episode 8 finale

I dont get where all the "slow, nothing happens" comments come from, im guessing from all millennials with no attention span....

Dual (2022)

Just no.....worst premise in movie history

[1/10 · 20 May 2022]

I thought perhaps Karen Gillan might be able to save or do something with it, but no.

I LOVE Karen Gillan, the only reason i gave it a crack.

Made it 20 minutes, it felt much longer......

Deep Blues (1992)

First Blues Doco I Ever Saw (and possibly still the best)

[9/10 · 10 May 2022]

This really should be a first stop for anyone wanting to experience the atmosphere of, as near as possible in 1992 (when it was shot), how the blues originated.

It gets closer to that country blues and early jook joint feel than any other doco.

Im revisiting it now, 30 years after i last saw it, on release (in an art house cinema here in Australia), and it still speaks to me the way it did on first viewing.

I was drawn to it after Stevie Ray Vaughan sent me down the blue rabbit hole, he was always quoting his sources and wanting people to know and respect the original artists, this was a natural progression

Watch it.....

As They Made Us (2022)

Tremendous, an all round great effort

[9/10 · 25 April 2022]

The writing alone is fantastic, but add on the wonderful ensemble cast and youre a for an emotional exploration of which there are few better in the last few years.

Diana Agron is the central character, and is just wonderful, and deserves accolades for the performance she puts in, its good to see her in a great post-glee role. She has such a presence, and even her voice is as warm and beautiful as she appears.

Simon Hedberg as the estranged brother likewise gets a good opportunity here to show us his post geek potential.

Not sure i need to single Mr Hoffman out at this stage in his career, he puts in what you expect, complete with humour and grace.

Ms Bergen is just great, as the matriach, doing so well with the material that you will probably dislike her character (immensely)

The film feels well paced and recollections and flashbacks to me at least seemed perfectly timed to explain characters reactions to circumstances through the film.

If this is Mayim Bialiks first outing, then i cant wait for the second....

Slow Horses (2022– )

Gary Oldman Is Disgusting And/Yet Brilliant

[10/10 · 10 April 2022]

This has gotten better week after week. This review is after the third episode, and this is where i feel the pace picks up, and the early character establishment starts to pay off.

Gary Oldman is just in top form here as the disgraced? Spy seemingly on the outer edges of the security services, who taken in other compromised agents. Yet he clearly is not just counting down the days in a dead end post, as we see as the ride hots up.

Welcome to Flatch (2022–2023)

Go and watch "This Country" (2017) insetad

[1/10 · 18 March 2022]

Go and watch what this seems to be a yankified version of, This Country (2017-2020), with Daisy May Cooper as "Kerry Mucklowe" and her brother Charlie Cooper as "Kurtan" Mucklowe. It actually won awards and is actually funny....

Youre welcome.

The only successful transatlantic remake ever was, and will ever be, was The Office. Deal with it Hollywaste. Stop remaking stuff and sapping all the humour from it.

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022)

This might just be the best perfomance by Mr Jackson yet

[10/10 · 14 March 2022]

2 episodes in and Mr Jackson is nailing it on all fronts. As someone who has a thread of dementia in our family, and who has seen it first hand when supporting family is suffering from this, it rings very true. Especially the mistrust - essentially the person the person who has dementia sees most is the most trusted, everyone else is suspected of plotting against the afflicted person. Its heartbreaking.

I came back to update my review to add that Dominique Fishback as Robyn is just gorgeous, her caring given freely, her protection endearing and her character is a mirror of many in similar circumstances. Ms Fishback will hopefully end up in many more projects to come!

And thats just one aspect of the story. I wont throw any spoilers about that side of it....

Troppo (2022– )

I love homegrown shows on the ABC, but not this one..

[1/10 · 3 March 2022]

The female lead character was annoying as hell. Apparently someone in casting thought too many cliches werent enough....

The male leads American accent seemed overly forced, like its what you would do if you wanted to make sure the biggest simpleton realised he was American....

Couldnt get past the first episode.