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johnbeatnik
Reviews
Fool Me Once (2024)
Really quite bad.
I am reviewing on the strength, or lack thereof, of the first two episodes. Adeel Aktar is great in most things but even he can't save this woeful mess. Michelle Keegan (crack helicopter pilot, really?!!!) is rubbish at acting. Joanna Lumley the same. The script is dreadful, it's staged like a soap or an unconvincing BBC drama. The pace is glacial yet strangely hurried, I got to the end of episode 2, turned to my wife and asked if she was bothered enough to continue watching. She wasn't, I was glad. The only saving grace is the comedy cop sidekick but unfortunately this could not sustain my interest in this pretty terrible drama.
Civil War (2024)
Required viewing
Alex Garland has made his masterpiece. This is an incredible piece of work. It's measured, beautifully realised and terrifying. It is also a love letter to journalism. It starts slow, jaded photographer Lee looking like she'd rather be anywhere else than travelling with a colleague to interview the US president in the final act of a civil war such has broken out in the States. They pick up a couple of passengers up on the way, a young up and coming photographer and an elder of the trade who Lee knows well. The classic road movie unfolds. As they progress towards DC for their scoop, things deteriorate as they encounter combat and combatants, some of whom seem to fight for the sake of it rather than for any cause. This is deliberate by the director, no need for why's or how's. I enjoy this approach, less is more for me when it comes to exposition. The bang bang, when it arrives, is very realistic, the sound of the gunshots is so loud you can feel it. The final sequence is jaw dropping. Watch this film! Preferably on IMAX.
The Kitchen (2023)
Could have been good.
An ultimately dull experience, this movie is like a classic slice of kitchen sink drama set in a slightly dystopian near future. Some good acting performances can't lift it enough in a work that just seems very undercooked. The script, setting, characterisation are all underdeveloped, there is no real plot to drive the film forward and we never get any background to the situation depicted, just a series of police raids and a very slow burn father son bonding story. Kane Robinson is an excellent actor but I think he wasn't served well here, he can do much better than this. A shame as I was looking forward to seeing this one but eventually just found it quite painful to sit through.
Bitter Lake (2015)
Masterpiece.
I'm watching this in 2022, Truss and Kwarteng have just tanked the pound, Putin has annexed a part of Ukraine the size of Portugal and Afghanistan remains a conflict zone, still totally let down by the collective West. Curtis creates fever dream documentaries which are part real, part drama, part history lesson. This one covers the UK and US and to a certain extent the Soviets influence in Afghanistan and also the rise of wahabbism in Saudi Arabia and it's subsequent export to the West in sept 2001. It is an affecting and thought provoking essay on all these subjects and more, done with panache in Curtis' unique style. Please watch this film.
Crime (2021)
Imperfectly brilliant
If, like some of the reviewers here, you long for the halcyon days of Taggart and long for there to have been "anuther murda" then you may come away from this disappointed. If you've read Crime by Irvine Welsh, this is only very loosely based on the original novel. In fact there isn't much about it that's similar save for the protagonist and the subject matter. In true Welsh style there are lashings of booze, drugs, intrigue, violence and also big laughs. It gets dark towards the end and there are some genuinely affecting themes here - not fit the faint hearted or easily triggered. It's not perfect, some of the acting is pish and characters are not all wholly convincing but all in all well worth a watch for anyone. Dougray Scott is absolutely outstanding. Give it a go.
Pusher III (2005)
Second best pusher.
This is good, not quite as good as Pusher but far superior to the sequel which I felt was very poor. This takes a smaller remit and shows us a bit more of ruthless supplier Milo, and introduces us to his softer side as a devoted family man. Yet his nascent sobriety is clearly in trouble and soon we are back in familiar territory with a drug deal gone wrong and a ratcheting up of tension. In true Refn style this soon deteriorates into grisly ultra-violence. A solid movie and a fitting end to a mixed bag of a trilogy.
Bull (2021)
No bull
The classic British gangster movie with a revenge slant. Or is it? Neil Maskell can do no wrong in my eyes, and he is on top form here. Nobody does the dichotomy of brutality and emotion quite like him and it's fair to say he acts everyone off the screen here. The tender portrayal of his relationship with his son set against the flashbacks of his former life as a psychotic gang enforcer and husband of gang bosses daughter Jemma is the backbone of the movie, set against the Dead Man's Shoes-like revenge ticklist murder spree. But don't be fooled, it's not the whole thing and to know what I mean you'll have to watch it. Some great set pieces here too, from an encounter with Bulls mum to an excruciating ride on a waltzer, with a side of amateur amputation. Script is sharp, David Hayman is excellent as Norm. And of course, the multiple reveal in the last ten mins. Seek this one out it's very good.
Pig (2021)
Expectation is a b****.
So if you see a film about a man who lives in the woods with a pig hunting truffles, and the man is Nic Cage, and then someone steals that pig, and Nic Cage wants it back, you know what's gonna happen right?!!!! Well, you're half right. It's refreshing to see a revenge flick that is so different, (although it's not 100% convincing and there are some out of place scenes..... ) But its good aspects far outweigh the bad. The one scene that the film works towards is at first baffling but then clicks and that's very satisfying. But if you want blood and guts then give it a miss. Watch Mandy instead.
Elf (2003)
Kin elf!
This is good. Kids like the humour, adults like that too. It gets a bit schmaltzy at the end but it's a Christmas movie so what do you expect. Having watched again tonight is clear that buddy is not only a human who thinks he's an elf, he's also autistic. So quite ahead of its time in that respect. Bravo.
Censor (2021)
Good, just not very good.
On balance it's worth watching, mostly thanks to Niamh Algar and her excellent, expressive acting performance. This despite her slightly self conscious delivery in an English accent. The period feel is well executed, as is the soundtrack, which is just doomy enough and nicely arranged. Where it falls down is in the supporting performances, with some very stilted dialogue and arch mugging. Michael Smiley is excepted of course, nobody does sleazy and corrupted quite like him and he pulls this off well. About an hour in you'll be forgiven for being a little bored but hang in there, because the last half hour is all out mental, make you sit up and go "Huh?!"... And well worth sitting through the rest of it for. Just a shame the film didn't find its true style until then.
Possessor (2020)
Masterful Sci fi with strong violent horror themes.
If you're squeamish at all, don't watch this. It's almost a shame how graphic this film is, as it is full of ideas and doesn't need shock value to carry it. Having said that, the visual effects are extremely proficient and lend the film a realism it may not have had without. Acting performances are strong throughout and the film switches between reveals, twists and psychedelic imagery. It's very, very good. As stated before it's just extremely graphically violent and as such, probably not for everyone.
Rocks (2019)
A great movie with lots of heart
This is your classic British naturalistic drama, but done with class and panache. Performances are stunning, the two main characters of Rocks and Emmanuel especially. There's some seriously emotional scenes, some laughs and a lot of lows, but this is life for some among us and as such an excellent insight into that. Loved it. Please watch this film