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Perfect Pub Walks with Bill Bailey (2024)
Wonderful trek and Reminiscence
The proposition that Bill Bailey makes is that walks like these provide an opportunity to talk freely and and reflectively while surrounded by the natural and historical landscape offered. This first walk with Alan Davies was very enjoyable and at turns both humorus and heartfelt. Having seen both of them many times in their acting milieu .It was interesting to see them in a more open and "unscripted" setting. I will be sure to look for the further walks of Bill and his selected ramblers. Time to strap on my own boots and consider some hikes I might like to take with a number of "old" friends I have not seen in some time. Without drones and production crew.
Ahsoka (2023)
I am seeing this through to the end
There are many things to enjoy about this series but there are some hard to ignore and hard to understand shortcomings. The overall pacing seems quite slow. Often, pauses for dramatic intensity, are used to create "chemistry" between characters. The pacing here just seems slow without any benefit. There is an overuse of sword play and the choreography is often slowfooted and wooden, This has been done hundreds of time in earlier series and episodes, but here, with some exceptions, the fighrt choreography is just too formulaic. The fight sequences between Sabine and Shin are far better and the personalties clash as welll as the sabers!! Was it not noticed how much better these sequences are then most of the others. I am a a big fan of Rosario Dawson but many of her her figh sequences were slow and lacked intensity. They really looked orchestrated. Seemed as if practice fight sequences were filmed. She didn't deem to show the same fiercess as we saw with Sabine and Shin. Ahsoka's fight sequences should have been the best. Watching the series, knowing in advance of the untimely death of Ray Stevenson, was bittersweet. He was a menacing but interesting presence. I wondered if some od his scenes were completed with CGI. I have watched 5 eposodes and hope the remaining episodes pick up the pace to put this series on a comparable level to prior series.
Kandahar (2023)
As with sports, you need a program to figure out who the player are
Production values were great. An overladen plot was rescued by explosions and the acting performances of Butler, Fimmel and David Neghaban. Using mortars(a stationary weapon) to track and attack a vehicle moving at full speed over open ground was bizarre if not impractical. RPGs would have been more plausible. Great explosions. The entire subplot with a Pakistani ISI agent in co-pursuit across miles of desert on a motorcycle looked neat but was entirely uneccessary and muddled the story line. There was great potential that did not materialize. Throw ISIS, ISI, Taliban, Quds, CIA, Afghan Special Forces and weaponry in a blender and hope for the best.
Moonfall (2022)
Science Fantasy or Sciency Fiction?
I guess the slim $150 million budget did not include science advisors! The 'special' effects were very interesting but did not portray anything credibly like mainstream SF. In one scene a warning is broadcast about an incoming gravity wave. Gravity waves move at the speed of light! It might well impress those who don't realize how incredibly unrealistic it is. Only the actors kept this watchable. It could have been so much better. I hope somene in Emmerich's circle has the stones to tell him that he should only provide a brief story concept then turn the writing over to professioals!
Hit and Run (2021)
Great series dropped by Netfix
This is a solid series. Lior Raz is a fascinating lead. Saw him first in the series Fauda which was also brilliant.
Netflix says the series is too expensive with all of the Covid restrictions. The series has real international breadth and the cast is fantastic.
Even without the cliffhanger ending now in limbo, I would have eagerly anticipated the next season. Perhaps, it can be revived at some point.
Raz portrays an atypical lead. He is rough looking. It is a role somewhat like Neeson's Taken persona except gruff, balding, unshaven, sullen, a little stout and bruised! Whats not to like? He's a man on revenge mission and menacing. Great action and story lines!
Ted Lasso: Beard After Hours (2021)
Surprising and fabulous out of band treat
This is a "mushrooms" side venue. We knew Coach Beard was different. We got to take a walk in his shoes. Noone appeared to notice his magic pants at the end. Coach is a study in understatement. He deserved this episode.
The Midnight Sky (2020)
Depressing, uninspiring, pointless.
Long, and unnecessary. The science is way off. So, sciency fiction more like a fantasy. Nice visuals and decent acting. A crap gift for Xmas!
Bir Baskadir (2020)
Totally remarkable and unexpected masterpiece!
I am an Anglo Canadian for context. This series is among the finest I have seen in a long time. This gem needs no polishing. Every aspect is absorbing without any pretentions. Despite the cultural setting of multiple slices of Turkish society enveloped in secular and traditional tensions; each of the characters was well developed and very real. The interactions between the characters are so brilliantly crafted they elevate the drama beyond national borders. The actors are completely new to me but have become instantly memorable. A follow-up series? Just do it!
Stateless (2020)
A taut depiction of how the 1st world shamefully turns a blind eye
A harrowing drama and descent into human degradation. Solid characterizations of simple people thrust into desparate dilemmas.
The postscript to the movie sums up how faint the hope is for anyone unlucky enough to become a refugee.
In response to one of the stories in this series the Australian government did a housecleaning of their detention facilities. All of the detainee camps were moved from mainland Australia to islands offshore where access to the detainees by legal advocates or others are sttrictly controlled.
OUT OF SIGHT- OUT OF MIND. Makes one confident that the root problems have been solved??????
If they make a sequel to this series they can't call it Devil's Island, that title is already taken. An island where people can be detained indefinitely without prying eyes. Sounds like The Island of Dr. Moreau In Reverse.
Just think, many SS guards thought they too were doing heroic work.
My sense of Australia has been deeply shaken. Thanks to Cate Blanchett for shining a bright light here.
Black Dawn (2005)
Worth watching for Seagal fans
The reappearance of Jonathon Cold is fitting as this is a probably the best of the 2005 movies from Seagal. The martial component is toned down and thus becomes a decent B-thriller. The brief interview with Segal on the DVD is interesting. His view of himself is revealing. I don't think he was tongue-in-cheek with his discussion of ego. Tamara Davies gives a credible performance's and the casting overall was decently done. I have seen all of his English language movies, with this one maybe he is trending back to better scripting and editing. Under Siege 3 might provide the vehicle. He is wearing the former-CIA-OPs-specialist-and-now-ronin-on-the-road role a little thin.