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Reviews
Gangs of London (2020)
It has become trendy to dislike or like
This is a response to people who give a TV Series 1,2 or 3 then say they watched it to the end. Pretty sure that is utter BS. Why watch something to the end if you are not enjoying it. 50% of reviews on places like here are about the reviewer wanting to feel important and liked by like minded people. Frankly, that is getting old. Firstly complaining about a show called "Gangs of London" being violent is like me buying a Rap or HipHop CD and being offended by foul language. Then to complain about the actor playing Sean Wallace clearly has not understood that he was more or less thrust into being a Kingpin. His mother went from relatively sweet to being a monster. Yes, that is correct. She also found out that Finn Wallace, her husband, had a mistress who was pregnant. I guess that might send you loopy. Also the magnificent choreography and filming of the Barn shootout was epic. Some were disappointed that the victims arms were flailing about. Geez. I guess you would do something different with your arms. Maybe your arms are permanently strapped to your sides. Maybe you have been shot and know what it is like. I did not feel like the ending was stupid. It left everything open ended. The series has a lot of surprises and is not meant to be taken seriously. Whenever I read incredibly negative reviews about shows I love, there are no actual specifics. Only comments like "bad acting", "poor direction", "childish script" etc. No specifics. So, through the whole approximate 9 hours that you apparently watched, what "specifically" did you not like???? You clearly got paid by somebody to give a poor rating or you just don't like anything or you are not fond of violence (well duh) or you just feel you are so cool by writing a critique. It is like you are holding your mobile waiting for a message to say you are the new critic assigned to the local paper. Honestly, just go away and appreciate the good in life.
The Movies That Made Us (2019)
Narrator is horrendous
My god. I watched 10 minutes of Back to the Future. The content could have been so good. There was no need for that style of commentary. These are great movies. You don't need to add your own banal humour into it. I really wanted to watch these. Talking about the "Two Bobs". Was that meant to be funny? It must have been. Because it was repeated ad nauseum. These are some of my favourite movies. I started watching the Jurassic Park one hoping for a different narrator. Same garbage.
Dunkirk (2017)
Should be renamed Dumb Crock
I love Christopher Nolan's films. So unusual and most have great depth. He is terrific at using a creative imagination. I feel he should not have come within coo-ee of a true War story. It is not his genre. I am stunned - although I guess I should not be - at the high ratings from so-called experts. Were they facing the screen when this was on.
Why do Americans have to spell everything out for us? A plane makes a massive thud into the ocean as it is shot down and one of the men says "It's down". Thanks for letting us know. Then you see 30 men swimming towards a boat and I think the same guy says "There are man in the water". Really? I thought they were dolphins. Do we really need Cellos and Horns to try and build tension. I do understand the war was tense. We don't need bloody Cellos to inform us. I missed most of the dialogue. I felt sorry for the Cello players. They are probably in hospital right now with some repetitive injury.
The actors looked so disengaged. The older dude in the small boat got emotional once and it looked weird. Kenneth Brannagh looked like he was on Prozac. He probably teared up towards the end because it was possibly the worst movie ever made. Tom Hardy wore a mask through the whole movie until the last minute. One of the finest British actors and you cannot see his expression nor hear him over stupid Cellos.
There was flitting between time lines without explanation. Cillian Murphy suddenly appears on a boat refusing to let some men on. Like huh? A boy gets killed for no reason and nobody really cares. The son of the captain starts to care and then he suddenly stops caring for some reason. There is mention of 300,000 men on the beach. Were they in crab-holes?
Lastly with all the budget on this movie why do war scenes in other movies make these look dull?
Fargo: Morton's Fork (2014)
So so perfect
I so loved the Fargo movie. It never gets old. This series carries on the vibe and black humour of that movie but it is its own presentation. The writing is first class. To take on the movie and turn it into a series takes a lot of guts. Billy Bob is simply magnificent in this. He is cool as Bad Santa but a lesson should be learned when writing screenplays. You don't have to swear to be menacing. I wish Hollywood would get that because they have put out a lot of dross lately. Bad Santa 2 being a prime example IMHO. Just filth meant to be comedy. At least the original had a bit of heart. But I think this is Thornton's best work. Martin Freeman is incredible. Also his best. I always love his work but he has shown if he is challenged with material he can really step up. He got huge Kudos for Sherlock and he has even gotten better as far as I am concerned. Alison is wonderful as Molly and is a character similar to Francis McDormand's Oscar winning role. She does the role proud. In this episode two things stood out. Bob Odenkirk's speech about how he felt and his future. He is one hell of an actor. Molly's speech to Lester about throwing the second glove out of the train. If you get that you get the pair. Lester was confused but this was saying if you get either Lester or Lorne you get both. Really brilliant writing and I am in awe. I am about to watch Season 2 and I am drooling at the thought.
Moonlight (2016)
I don't get it. I really don't
Firstly I am not racist. I love most other cultures more than my own. Very much so. Particularly Asian. Very gentle and great manners. I understand there was a lot of resentment about the non-nominations over coloured actors last year. I really don't care much for the Oscars. I never watch it. However, I do watch all of the movies. The Oscars are par se. They mean nothing now. It is all politically driven and they needed to make up for last year's non acknowledgement of coloured actors. I don't care if they are black white purple red or yellow. It matters not. If the movie is great I don't care. Movies like 12 Years a Slave and the Colour Purple are terrific movies. This movie was good with the first two parts being quite okay. The third part was inconsequential. No explanation of what the lead role was doing and why. Trying to get people to accept coloured or gay people is so clichéd now. I certainly accept them and most people I know do. Why make a movie about it. I have watched 6 of the other movies nominated for Best Picture and they blow this away.
The Dark Horse (2014)
Such an amazing moving movie
What a powerful movie. I think the kiwis due to their culture make the rawest movies. You wonder what might happen next. So much real tension in scenes.
It is great to have movies that empower people to have a sense of purpose. Cliff Curtis plays the part of a kind of Rainman of Speed Chess back in the day. I wont give too much away but this is established early in the film. He is a simple man that really knows his chess. His nephew Mana, played brilliantly by James Rolleston (Boy) isdestined to be part of a gang that is father Ariki is a key part of.
Mana wrestles with this future. The dynamic between his father and uncle and what is best is incredible. It really hits at the heart of a group insisting you be part of that when you are torn.
Cliff Curtis is great in whatever I see him in. He can play any part and all of them are memorable. He has had a lot of powerful cameos but this was a lead role. I think this was his best and he won awards for it deservedly.
Please watch this movie and hopefully walk away with a better appreciation for yourself
Westworld (2016)
Yes this really depicts the worst of "West" World
Oh dear. I loved the original Westworld it had a dash of humour and cheekiness. Yul Brynner was superb as the gunslinger. He was made for that part. This show depicts what Western culture is like now. It is getting worse. Don't worry I am not racist. I am a Caucasian Aussie male so I am talking about Aussies as well. You know, in many cultures, getting angry or being aggressive is a real sign of weakness. Apparently it defines people in this show. There is a difference between having great strength and being aggressive. The woman boss "Theresa Cullen" is truly horrific. She has nothing pleasant to say and is sarcastic and nasty. A real piece of work. Women do not have to try and prove themselves in every interaction to be strong. I have met a lot of strong women in my life, and none of them had to be aggressive. What is worse is that everybody just cops it sweet from her. It's a disgrace. I started watching the movie "The Truth" the other day. Again, it had Cate Blanchett playing an aggressive woman. Why? Can a woman not walk into a room and make a case without being aggro? I am sure they can. Women have a lovely strength to me anyway, so what has happened? The only thing that makes everyone look good is the "Lee Sizemore" character. Wow. Could this be the worst acting I have ever encountered. Apparently if you rant and rave - again you are strong. I guess he is British so he is the stereotype of a whinger. The only character I had any empathy for is Jeffrey Wright as "Bernard Lowe". He has a quiet assured dignity. Anthony Hopkins is one of my favorite actors. You can tell when he is engaged in the show. This is not that time. He may as well lay down on a park bench. What a waste. Ed Harris would look better if he had some strong support around him. Again, I love him in just about everything. He talks too much to be mysterious in this one. What is sadder is we have to go back over the same scenes that are woeful the first time. Somebody here mentioned it is like it was written by teenagers. That is so true. Plus, you don't have to say F to be cool. You can drop it in from "time to time". If this is what the "West" has become, then please place me in a time capsule back to 1973. The only positive is that I only wasted an hour of my life and will not feel like I will have missed anything
Mr. Robot: eps2.9_pyth0n-pt1.p7z (2016)
David Lynch would have been in awe
I loved this episode. As the first reviewer mentioned, it was very Lynchian (nice word). They were also getting frustrated with the teasing going on. I understand that. I would not worry too much. That has been the set-up for Season 2. The biggest one was in episode 7 with Elliott apologizing at the end for messing with us. This episode was directed very much in a Lynch style. Bizarre interviews and Q&A. Cryptic messages to decipher. Odd music in the van. Atmospheric organ, violin and piano music. Long pauses with non-answers. The taxi driver angry in another language. If you love Lynch then you will love this episode. If you don't love Lynch you might be a bit restless. Thankfully I do love Lynch. Mr Robot is one of the most original TV Series ever. It has been very consistent and there are not many flat episodes. The acting is first class. I don't want to say too much more about this episode because I feel that reviewers basically give everything away too much and that is a little bit selfish. So enjoy
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Please see this movie
I cannot fault this movie. I was deeply moved by the heart of it. The boy who played Ricky Baker was perfect. Absolutely amazing. When the welfare worker describes his history you feel he is a handful. He is. But he has a real heart and given a chance he is a warrior. There was never a dull moment in this movie. So much great humour and a big deal of suspense. Sam Neill is wonderful as per usual. One of his best for some time. I just saw him in The Daughter and he was also wonderful there but this was up a level. The supporting cast were fantastic but they also graciously took a back row to the main players. I am recommending this to friends and family and know they will not be disappointed.
Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Should have been called "Everything Wrong With The World"
I lasted 30 minutes and that seemed like some form of Chinese Water Torture. I could see where it was heading. Not where I was heading that is for sure. I like Anne Hathaway and feel she does some great performances. But her character was so unlikable. I did not care whether she died. It reminded me of Mark Wahlberg in The Gambler. Again, I love his acting but his character was so selfish I would have been happy for him to meet his end early on. Looks like he would too. But her character "Kym" (wow what a cool way to spell Kim..not) was so selfish and self-absorbed and really felt sorry for herself. It did not help that the other main characters were like this too. She smoked so many cigarettes as well it is lucky she survived the movie. Her character reminded me of women I have worked with that do an awful job, cause trouble for others and have to be constantly pacified, and yet keep their jobs. This movie showed what is wrong with the world. People like "Kym" get way too much attention. Also the fact that whoever was holding the camera had DTs did not help. I pray I do not watch another movie like this again