mouserd Reviews

Incredibles 2 (2018)

The Average-ables

[6/10 · 28 February 2024]

Oh boy was this film a disappointment and I dreaded this review but I will as usual at least try and look at the good first.

Technically The Averagables er...uh...well I mean The Incredibles 2 is technically a slicker than the original tech wise but that's about it.

If you haven't seen the original this is probably a wow of a film, but I had seen the original.

But it just is not in the same league as the original or for that matter any Pixar film.

Harsh words? Not really, the big problem is that this is the same film as the original except they swap the parents places and replace the baby sitter for a Racoon.

WOWEE!

I remember the DVD extras for the original where Brad Bird made it clear that he would absolutely, positively, definitely not make a sequel unless he had a good enough story to warrant it that it had something new to say.

Well that has gone out the window, as its just the same story again.

The wrist watch test: I was part way through this film and I'll be honest I started checking my watch for the time, why?

Because I was BORED!

The final bit of WHY DID THEY BOTHER is that this film cost 200 million just to make, HOW?

If it was new story wise I could understand but Its the same film and most of the same 3D resources could have been re-used, where did the money go?

Not on the story or script that's for sure.

So is it a bad film?

NO it is not bad it is an average film that cost 200 million to make.

The Brittas Empire: The Trial (1993) Season 3, Episode 1

HELP ME FOR GODS SAKE BEFORE I HURT SOMEONE!

[10/10 · 9 February 2024]

The Brittas Empire was an okay show that I watched when nothing else was on as I was a Red Dwarf fan but this episode sucked me right into the series.

Its a bit of a Rashamon, court mystery of a comedy and without doubt the best episode of the series and made me a fan.

So what does a court case, involving drug lords, multiple gun murders, decapitation, an out of control chainsaw and super glue have to do with each other.

If I say any more I would spoil the surprise, just see this episode immediately before someone spoils it for you.

Brittas makes mister Bean look positively sane and Arnold (Judas) Rimmer seem competent in comparison.

This is as far as I can tell Barrie's best work and worth the watch.

Just remember the reviews title when you watch this: HELP ME FOR GODS SAKE BEFORE I HURT SOMEONE!

Citizen X (1995 TV Movie)

Together you make a wonderful person

[9/10 · 24 December 2023]

Watching this great film I wondered why it wasn't better advertised at the theatres but then I find out its a made for TV film.

Damn its a good made for TV film.

Dramatically violent when it needs to be but not for the violence sake.

The people both the investigator and the killer living their lives little dramas as naturally as you would expect.

The story of the lack of divide between politics and the legal and investigation process which displays clearly the danger of corruption & incompetence that let a killer off the hook to kill more than 50+ people.

Having to juggle your job in a paranoid political/bureaucratic society that is at the same time seeking anyone to blame including those trying to catch this killer.

This should have been released to the theatres with full fanfare, the cast the story every thing is great.

Well, perfect?

As this is set in the USSR they have the obligatory fake accents to tell you they are Russian so it a nine instead of a ten as it does at times take you out of the world it is creating.

Other than that a perfect film;)

Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

Jesus Christus! Get this Scheißkopf off me!

[9/10 · 29 July 2023]

Unfortunately I missed this one at the theatres but it was the first DVD I purchased, is it as good as I remember?

Hmmmm, its even better!

Not perfect as some say but a useful, entertaining and strange look at Vampires & filmmaking.

Its hard to tell who is the monster at times Herr Schreck or the dictatorial producer Mernau who is willing to feed him his cast & crew to make his art.

Horror & comedy when done right go hand in hand but you have to play it straight and I think that is the key here.

Its hard to think of any bad here except for maybe the final act where it felt as if the story had written itself into a bit of a corner and the only way out was to kill everyone. This is strange as all the cast who died in the film survived long after the film except for Murnau himself but that's entertainment for you.

The horror Max Schreck is wonderfully portrait by William Dafoe who bounces back and forth with the fanatically good John Malkovich.

Supporting them is a great cast including the ex-Dracula himself Udo Kier and a wonder Eddie Izzard as ham actor Gustav.

This is a film I sometimes watch again and it is still as entertaining as when I first saw it.

The DVD sits on the shelf with Bela Lugosi, Klaus Kinski and the original Max Schreck.

The Thin Man (1934)

Why are you in town? My wife is on a bender. I'm trying to sober her up.

[9/10 · 6 April 2023]

I'm not sure if this is the first of the husband & wife detective stories but it's the best I've seen so far and that goes for the other five Thin Man films they made, all of em great.

So I'll start with the good and that is about most of the film but its the trio of actors William Powel, Myrna Loy and of course Asta. You'd think they where a family, its not acting they just are a family.

Powell plays Nick Charles a now retired and married private detective who just wants to sit down, relax & get drunk.

He is of course foiled by people dropping dead in mysterious manners whom he cannot ignore due to Nora his wife insisting he get off his ass and solve the mystery (while trying to match him drink for drink).

Watching over these strange human pets is the family dog Asta who should have at least been nominated for an Oscar for his performance.

The chemistry is spot on here and I haven't seen or heard any better than between Nick & Nora.

If there is any weakness to the film its the story/plot which is at best there only as a back-drop for the casts performance.

Are You Being Served? Again! (1992–1993)

Better than first I thought

[7/10 · 8 March 2023]

When I heard about a sequel to Are You Being Served I didn't think it would work, pleasantly it mostly does.

So what works, the cast which the writers clearly wanted to put up a tree and throw rocks at and they do here in a fish out of water way.

They are all retired and have known each other most of their working lives but what to do? Fortunately dear old (young) mister Grace has just passed away and left them a manor house/farm to live in.

As a country bumpkin I can definitely see how the city slickers in a country setting would be fertile ground for comedy and it works as the Grace Brothers store setting had been going for ten years and was near the end running out of steam.

What didn't work, the music is terrible and kept taking me out of the show but that is the only thing other than more episodes where needed, two seasons are definitely not enough.

Still I'm glad to have seen this and yes its not as good as Are You Being Served at its best, its a better send off for the Gents & Ladies ready made.

Doctor Who: The Evil of the Daleks (2021)

Dizzy dizzy Daleks!

[10/10 · 23 November 2022]

As a kid I watched any sci-fi on TV my favourite then being any of Gerry Anderson's super-marionet shows and occasionally, Dr Who, until I saw: THE EVIL OF THE DALEKS.

This had a complicated plot, plenty of drama between the Dr & Jamie as the Daleks force the doctor to conduct an evil experiment.

And how many Dr Who story's do you have Daleks playing choo choo trains.

Here the Daleks seemed more fleshed out for the first time rather than just mechanical mustache twirlers, especially showing Terry Nations Neo-Nazi inspiration for the armoured Fascists.

The Dalek Emperor was obviously based upon Hitler forever screaming for everyone to OBEY and that included the other Daleks while his Body Guard the Black Daleks where ever paranoidly vigilant like the SS.

I had been watching Dr Who since William Hartnell but this was the story that got me hooked on the show, but is it as good as I remember, yes.

Its sad that only one episode remains but this is an excellent reconstruction built around the surviving sound track.

Patrick Troughton was always my favourite Doctor, although Matt Smith's first season is a very close second.

So yeah I'm giving it a ten, the best of epic TV using cardboard, tinfoil, glitter & toilet plungers.

Toby and the Runaway Kite (2012)

A nice little shadow tale of lessons learned the hard way.

[10/10 · 18 August 2022]

I first saw this short animation almost a decade ago when in media school and forgot just how good it is.

The shadow art is crisp and matches well with the brown coal burning, steam driven world of chimney sweeps & air ships.

A nice little lesson in life clearly told with only what needs to be spoken and leaving the minimalist shadow animation to express the rest.

Not bad for just 3 minutes.

Plus flying kites are fun especially in thunder storms, just ask Franklin;)

Yes Minister (1980–1984)

Almost a documentary on The Political Will vs The Administrative Wont!

[10/10 · 12 July 2022]

As there is no bad in this series other than I want more episodes I'll go straight to the good.

The good? Plenty!

This show was written by Antony Jay & Johnathan Lynn who when in Cambridge considered a career in politics but decided to stay clear as he noticed many of his classmates went into politics. He described them as pompous, self-satisfied clowns (many ended up in parliament) and became a writer instead. Thank Goodness;)

Both writers where aided by two government insiders and as a result many stories are based upon actual government events with only the names & places being changed (episode The Moral Dimension). Both writers admitted that after listening to what was really going on in government that they could not come up with stories even half as cracked as what was (and still is) going on.

The stories take for granted that the audience is not stupid and can follow the Machiavellian plots usually woven by the Administration's Sir Humphry to confuse the elected front bencher the honourable Jim Hacker.

The good thing about this war between the permanent civil servant and their temporarily elected masters is excellently told (and explained in detail.) There are both valid & invalid reasons (often simultaneously) as to why either side wants their way.

The three main characters The Right Honourable Jim Hacker, Sir Humphry Appleby and Bernard Woolley

The civil servant Sir Humphry who is the permanent secretary who believes the most efficient way to ensure good government is to ensure their is no changes to how the government is run as the civil service will have to action any changes. To ensure this he of course has to ensure their is no changes to government policy, the one thing the administration has no direct control of.

The right honourable Jim Hacker (who does have control but who cannot himself implement the policies) believes passing his parties new policies will ensure the efficient running of government which is the polar opposite of the administration's position.

In the middle of this war of wills (and double dealing) is poor Bernard Woolley the Minister's private secretary who has to answer to both Sir Humphry & Hacker. Bernard is often the eyes of the audience, witnessing both sides attempting to get their way.

The result is a fly on the wall's eye view of just how messed up any government is and this show is still as relevant today.

Are You Being Served? (1972–1985)

Are you free? Sort of!

[8/10 · 24 June 2022]

Mmmmmostly it worked, the first five or six seasons are pretty good stuff filled with wonderfully pompous characters, eye rolling out of date traditions, groan inducing inefficient processes, bigotry, sexism and a fair amount of shoddy & shifty service by the staff.

But that is why it worked, if they where nice and the store competent and the wares they where peddling were of any decent quality it wouldn't work.

Its something some critics don't seem to get as they do not have a sense of humour, people are interesting due to their flaws not their strengths.

What didn't work?

Sadly actors left or passed away as the show progressed and the replacements played pale clones of the characters they replaced. It would have been fare better if they had been allowed to create more origional characters.

About halfway through the series the stories certainly suffered, rather than dealing with issues that everyday staff at a store such as this would encounter the stories got zanier and less funny.

The wrestling match comes to mind as the worst and a sure sign the show was running on fumes for the last few seasons.

The first half dozen or so seasons are excellent (10/10) but best ignore most of the later episodes (5/10).

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020–2024)

To averagely go where everyone else has already gone before

[6/10 · 4 May 2022]

Well this series is kind of average.

Whats good? As I rated this a 6 instead of a 5!

Art & animation is pretty top notch and the voice actors are definitely doing their duty.

Some of the stories/scripts are actually good.

Finally the working class Starfleet is a good idea with plenty of potential.

So now here's where its dragged down to a very average show.

While the art is good the character designs look like Rick & Morty wannabes. The characters would have been better if they had gone for something original. I smell lazy!

The working stiff Star trek is as I said a good concept but is rarely used some (very few) story's highlight how just getting the job done is important. The Buffer time episode did this well but instead the lower deck crew has to keep saving the incompetent command crew stories quickly become stale. I smell lazy!

I'm frustrated at the missed opportunity this show is due to the creative side being SO LAZY!

Despite this it is not a bad show and has more good than bad but if they continue in this LAZY vein I see no future for this show which is a shame.

The Star Trek Next Generation episode Lower Decks showed how it could be done, so do it!

I want to like this show as considerable work has been put into it but if they continue to be so creatively lazy I don't think I'll watch any more.

True Detective: Who Goes There (2014) Season 1, Episode 4

The one take to end them all;)

[10/10 · 5 April 2022]

I have only seen season 1 so far so my comments are releated to this episode and the 1st season it came from.

The best Cop thriller, buddy cop, psycho killer that got away show there is.

I didn't think anything would beat the show Justified but this is DAMN close.

The characters, the places and the crazy situations just WORKS.

And this episode is the most tense, squirm in your seat single shot scene I have ever experienced.

Okay so why are these two glorious idiots TRUE DETECTIVES!

Simple they just cant stop, there's still a killer out there and they are going to bring him in dead or alive come what may.

To be honest I give this season a 10/10 see it.

Color Out of Space (2019)

The colour, the colour...

[9/10 · 2 April 2022]

Hmm I was unsure if I would like this one, how do you show a colour no one had ever seen before?

You call Richard Stanley, problem solved;)

The Colour Out Of Space is a hard story to bring to the screen but Stanley and an excellent cast & crew have nailed it.

Strange things are happening as a Colour from a meteorite seeps into a farmers land affecting everyone and everything and I mean everything from plants, animals, people and even time.

Old Lovecraft's stories are hard to port to film but they did this with only a budget of 6 million, it looks as if it was made for ten or more times as much.

The cast is excellent with Nicholas Cage slowly going mad as the COLOUR BURNS.

But not just Cage the whole cast is great, its hard to cast kids right but they are totally believable as is everyone (including Tommy Chong).

I only hope Stanley can get his next project The Dunwich Horror into production, if its half as good as this they can take my money now;)

The Incredibles (2004)

Honey, about the job, something's happened...WHAAAAT?

[10/10 · 2 April 2022]

Its been a few years since I looked at my favourite Pixar film, is it still Incredible?

OH YEAH!

This film is the Fantastic Four film we never got.

Like many Pixar (especially the earlier ones) films its hard to find any bad here, uh actually I cant think of any bad its all good.

Brad Bird knocked it out of the park and I don't think there is another Super Hero genre film that is even as close to this for fun, action, romance...well the lot really.

I said Fantastic Four film as the F4 was a dysfunctional family and that is what you have here, the stresses & joys of family ratcheted up to the max then multiply it all with super powers.

Then you throw the supervillain with a touch of James Bond to boot.

In lesser hands this would have been a mess but the chaos fly's by in a chaotically orded way.

Originally I rated this years ago a 9 but no it deserves the full 10, this is Pixar at their very best.

What can I say other than story is king!

Hazbin Hotel (2019– )

Every one wants a piece of me and I have the creepy fan letters to prove it;)

[9/10 · 30 March 2022]

I have to admit this pilot episode took two viewings spaced apart before I got it (the only reason this isn't a ten) but to be fair that's probably the fault of my puny brain & not Vizviepop's talent.

There's not much bad here so I'll go straight to the positives.

The art, animation, story, voice actors (and I mean ACTORS) knock this thing out of the park.

Bad people, in a bad place doing bad things to each other with just the faintest hope of redemption and maybe a song.

A lot of critics don't seem to get that its peoples faults & weaknesses that audiences go to see for their entertainment but fortunately Vivziepop sees it and is guilty! Of giving people what they want;)

The characters are all wonderfully broken (they are damned and in hell after all). Its a toss up between Angel Dust & Allister as to who is the coolest with Nifty being the cutest (in a fanged murder kind of way).

The musical numbers are great and slotted in-between scenes to help the story along just nicely

As to negatives?

There's not much to complain about here except maybe they crammed too much in this pilot which can confuse you as to what is happening story wise.

Recently they did show online some changes to character designs (that look okay but also look unnecessary) and I hope they don't accidently ruin it as the pilot looks perfect as it is.

Here's hoping the hotel opens;)

Helluva Boss: Loo Loo Land (2020) Season 1, Episode 2

Whats wrong my little Owlette?

[10/10 · 13 March 2022]

As I could find no wrong in this episode I'll go straight to the praise

Helluvaboss is a hoot with episode 1 being a surprise ten like Star Wars in 1977 but Loo Loo Land is an Eleven out of Ten!

As Vivziepop you've done and managed to Empire Strikes Back us.

Art, Animation, voice acting (and I mean ACTING!) plus some wonderful music numbers all in just over a quarter of an hour.

Childhood wonder to Edgy teen fustration, a smutty romance teeming with some danger (and a robot clown).

So come along and win a THING!

Something Big (1971)

Great cast looking for... something?

[5/10 · 6 October 2021]

Okay as usual I'll try to be positive, what is big here?

The cast, a lot of damn good actors & actresses making the most of a very empty script.

What wasn't that big?

The script what little there is comprises of characters going from place to place, the reasons are not interesting but the actors do their best.

Was there something Big?

You keep waiting for something big but you wind up waiting for anything to happen.

I'm giving this an average score but only for the cast who did their duty unlike whoever helmed & wrote this 2+ hours of bordem!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

Even I am impressed!

[8/10 · 9 September 2020]

After watching this again after a decade or two yes still even I am Impressed!

Well its not perfect but I'll start with the good and there is plenty of that.

The cast is great especially Mostel as the crafty slave seeking his freedom while avoiding torture & death at every step.

A cast of excellent supporting actors (foils), Phil Silvers as usual after a buck (sesterci), Jack Gilford the other slave who will wind up blamed for Mostel's antics, Michael Hordem a weak willed patriarch and Michael Crawford as Hiro the love struck twit on whom Mostel is hoping for his freedom.

But its got to be Leon Green as General Miles Gloriosus who thinks hes gods gift to the world that presents danger to Mostel's ever complicating plans. There are plenty of small parts played by many a great, Buster Keaton, John Pertwee, even Hammer girl Ingrid Pit is there somewhere.

The music is fun and the cast sing the songs well especially as some where in the original stage production.

What didn't work?

Sadly the final act almost ruins the film with a very drawn out, boring and very un-funny chariot chase. The other issue is that many songs where dropped from the original stage version that would have been better to be left in (instead of the stupid chariot chase).

But to be fair I say ALMOST ruins it, there is still way more good than bad in this film and that's from a guy who doesn't really like musicals;)

The Big Store (1941)

Not their best but my it is my favourite;)

[9/10 · 30 August 2020]

Its 1941 and the brothers had been going for a few decades now and where starting to slow down. The film fills in between the insanity with some music numbers, you either like the music or don't (I did).

Groucho is doing fine as usual opposite the unknown Marx brother Ms Dumont, insulting the uptight store manager and doing not too shabbily in the music numbers.

Chico is as usual smashing it on the piano as well as bouncing insults back and forth with Groucho.

But its Harpo who steals the show with his best Harp scene ever and a wonderfully insane chase at the end.

Yes time was catching up with them here but The Big Store: allowed them one last A class film!

Carry on Screaming! (1966)

Please don't say it. What? oh you mean, FRYING TONIGHT!

[9/10 · 6 June 2020]

Loved the carry on films when I was a kid but now I can only stand to watch a select few of them all the way through.

But this one still works.

Funnily enough the best of the cast is a temporary replacement for Sid Jame's part, Harry Corbett who is spot on as inspector Bung of the yard. Sid James was always my favourite actor of the carry-on series but I think Corbett does it one step better.

The rest of the cast are the usual suspects who play their parts well especially Kenneth Williams & Fenella Fielding as the sinister & fun Watt family.

A romping send up of the 60s Hammer craze, dry ice fog, Tesla Coils and monster makeup so gloriously bad you cant help but laugh.

Its dated but still works;)

A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–2002)

I can dodge folly without backing into fear

[9/10 · 31 May 2020]

This is second only to Colombo as my favourite detective show.

I can't think anything bad about it so I'll go straight to whats good.

The show has a bit of a repertoire cast (all excellent) where some of the actors will appear in different story's as totally different characters perhaps even as the killer.

Both Chaykin as Wolfe and Hutton as Archie are perfectly cast in the Leeds.

The period seems well imagined and the movie length episodes ensure that the stories are properly told.

If you like Nero Wolfe by all means see it. If you don't? Pfui!

Get Smart (1965–1970)

One of Brooks & Henry's best works

[9/10 · 30 May 2020]

As a kid I loved 60s American tv comedies but now I cant even look at them any more, except for one!

Get Smart is as funny now as when I first saw it and is Mel Brooks & Buck Henry's best TV work.

Don Adams and the split second editing are spot on, each time, every time. You can almost see the stop watch making sure every punchline hits with maximum effect. Also unlike many american comedies of the era the comedy is often physical so it is universaly funny regardless of your language.

The rest of the cast is excellent as well even the dog. Everyone is both smart & stupid, brave & cowardly.

A strange combination of Pink Panther & James Bond that steam rolled along until sadly the last season which definitely started to run out of steam. But... The first four season are pure gold;)

Rock & Rule (1983)

While It does definitely rock, It does not rule!

[7/10 · 27 May 2020]

This film is one that is a bit bi-polar and frustrating for me, one scene will be awesomely good then the next is utter crap.

Well I always try to start with the good, without a doubt the musical talent (Iggy Pop & Blondie) in this film ROCKS!

All of the voice actors do their job but only if you see the original Canadian cast. The designs are old hat these days but it was striking for its day and still holds up well.

But.... The story is a bit of a mess and many scenes just don't flow right and end up not adding to the story resulting in confusion as to what the story is about. I get the feeling that it wasn't edited right or was rushed; it is just hard to put a finger on it as it comes so close to awesome and then misses the brass ring by mere inches.

Overall this film was savaged by the critics when released and I think unfairly. While it definitely has issues there was more good than bad here and the music does ROCK!

I'm sorry for being so middle of the fence on this one but that is what this film is.

The Joe Rogan Experience (2009 Podcast Series)

The cage fighting Michael Parkinson of the 21st century

[9/10 · 20 May 2020]

Joe seems to have that knack of talking with people to bring out the most interesting of conversations.

Yes some times the other person is more than a little dull but Rogan seems to be able to find something other than the single thing they are good at as no one is interested in every subject.

Actors, producers, directors, musicians, tech people, business people and even fellow cage fighters no matter what Joe keeps em talking until finally getting to those little somethings that will clicks with everyone.

You have to like podcasts or it may not be your thing and this show is a conversation rather than an interview.

The only issue is the length of the show which makes director's cuts of Lord of the Rings look short by comparison.

So beware, once you start watching...

Dark Shadows (1966–1971)

Wonderful tribute to dry ice fog & cheap chroma key;)

[9/10 · 12 May 2020]

This show has aged, was made on a shoe string, didn't do retakes for anything, relied heavily on dry ice fog & cheap chroma key.

But it works!

It starts of as a cheap cross between Pyton Place and Jane Eyre but ends up a cross breed of Dr Who and Hammer Horror.

At first glance the scripts and dialog are not always the best but when you stand back and look at how many episodes they (1200+) where making I'm stunned its as good as it is. Also helping this show was the cast which where largely stage actors who fitted their characters well as well as many actresses who where as attractive as skilled.

Near the 200 episode mark the show was on the block so with nothing to lose the show's creator decided F##k it lets drop a Vampire into the plot!

Bang the show was suddenly a hit and the writers proudly pronounced they did not just steal from horror literature they happily looted it!

The Frankenstein monster, the Wolf-man, Ghosts, witches, warlocks, Jekyll & Hyde, dis-embodied hands, even H P Lovecraft as well of course as Dracula. All became fodder for story arcs of this series.

Sadly the last season was just dropped with so many plot threads which where never finished but to be fair they where starting to retread old story lines so it was starting to run on empty near the end.

Keep in mind it is a product of its time (60s), for almost 300 episodes it was in black & white and in that time the concept was definitely new but now in the post Buffy era not so much.

So if you like dry ice fog & wonky chroma key this is for you;)