bw-50712 Reviews

Father Brown: The Hidden Man (2023) Season 10, Episode 5

Return of Flambeau

[7/10 · 27 June 2023]

It's always fun when John Light returns to Kembleford. I agree with the other reviewers who are not fans of the new cast. You can always rely on Mark Williams, but the newbies don't have the same chemistry. Mrs. Devine spends half an episode looking silly (she's too young to be the mother figure that Mrs. M was). And suddenly Inspector Sullivan has turned into a whiny, petulant baby who wants to go back to Scotland Yard. During his first tour of duty in seasons 2 and 3, he did not come across as an angry man.

Not all of season 10 has been shown in the US (Britbox shows 2 per week) so I'm curious about the rest of this season.

Jane Eyre (2006)

What in the world WAS that?

[1/10 · 18 August 2022]

It's been a while since I've read the book, but I know that wasn't Charlotte Bronte's work. More like Harlequin Romance. They used as little of Bronte's dialogue as possible. I agree with others about the lack of Jane's time at Lowood...it set up her character and determination. Modernizing classics is an absolute crime.

I confess to liking the 1943 Orson Welles-Joan Fontaine version. As a gothic novel, it came across on the screen as such. I didn't get that here.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Jane deserved better

[1/10 · 8 August 2022]

I'm not a Keira Knightly fan but decided to finally check out this version of my favorite Austen story. Sorry, but it's a mess. Changing a story to "modernize" it, doesn't make it better. The Bennets may not have been as wealthy as Bingley or Darcy, but they were gentry, and in this movie looked almost like Skid Row inhabitants. Elizabeth came across as nasty instead of playfully pushing back on pomposity....should have been subtle instead of "in your face". As far as subtlety goes, Darcy's love for Elizabeth should have been conveyed in accordance with his reserved character, not overt so early. Mr. Collins lacked the comedic presence of previous versions and came across as pathetic. And Charlotte was not so nasty when she told Elizabeth about marrying Mr. Collins.

Not sure what I just watched, but it was not Jane Austen. For me, the 1980 BBC version was closest to the book.

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

[9/10 · 15 October 2021]

I saw the stage version in 1994, so it was not the original cast. Christine is supposed to be drawn to her "darkest dreams" (as the Phantom sings in Music of the NIght). Ok, Gerard Butler doesn't have the singing chops of Michael Crawford, but he brings the sexy "bad boy" to the role. On film, you can see the emotions more clearly than on stage, which is why I liked Butler in this role..you see his pain, love, obsession, etc. Not a perfect film, but very entertaining.

Heartland (II) (2007– )

Good show!

[9/10 · 8 June 2021]

I am late to the party on this show (I'm in season 5) and it's been really enjoyable. My only complaint is with Mallory and Lou. Mallory is way too annoying, and makes me want to hit "mute" when she's on. Lou often comes across as a diva. I know it seems like a negative review, but I love the other characters, the photography, scenery and of course, the horses. Will stick with it.

Lucifer: Daniel Espinoza: Naked and Afraid (2021) Season 5, Episode 12

waste of time

[1/10 · 29 May 2021]

Sorry, but this episode was not funny, just silly. I expected Monty Python or the Marx Brothers to show up. I think this show has jumped the shark.