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Ripley (2024)
Incompetent Detective story
The entire premise of this story is completely undermined by the audience being expected to believe that Paris's top detective would not know the very basics of good detective work.
You know, just simple things like:
1. Find a photo of the suspect
2. Ask anyone who knows the suspect for a photo of the suspect
3. Ask for ID
4. Examine ID
The fact that the entire story depends on the detective and police being utterly incompetent to the point of complete stupidity, totally spoilt what should have been an enjoyable watch.
I hate to see great actors, good budgets and nice production values being wasted on an extremely flawed script.
Surge (2020)
Surge. A movie that breaks the rules.
This is a nicely tempered movie about a man working at at an airport security check having a nervous breakdown and finally going over the edge. The ensuing mad rampage through London could have been worse but the directors kept their cool and made it all about believability. Their ace card was Ben Whishaw. I don't think I've ever seen a similar role played with such complete mastery. What a talent.
As others have said, don't let other reviews about 'shaky camera' put you off. The camera accurately mirrored the madness the protagonist was descending into. How else
can a visual storytelling convey he whirl of random thoughts spinning around his head and driving him insane?
Hollywood would have taken this script and produced an entirely different take on it. Probably with lots of blood and guts. So I say 'fair play' to the actual producers and director for not falling into that repetitive formula.
Uncut Gems (2019)
Awful.
If you have sensitive ears, the music score of this strange film will disturb you to the point of switching channels. I stuck with it but almost stopped watching several times due to the ridiculous, loud, ill-suited music. Whoever composed or designed the music cannot possibly be a professional. Amateur friend of the Director? If you close your eyes while watching you'd be forgiven for thinking you're watching some low budget version of 'Blade Runner', perhaps made on the Cayman Islands.
As for the plot and script? Frankly, stupid.
Alien: Covenant (2017)
Prometheus shot in the head by Alien Covenant
I agree with most of the negative comments about 'Alien: Covenant'. It is a gigantic missed opportunity. My biggest issue apart from the utter predictability and nonsensical, inept script, was the disappointment of seeing 'Prometheus' mixed up with 'Alien'.
'Prometheus' brought new thinking to the genre and left us at the end with the sole human survivor and the android flying off towards the planet of our 'creators' to find out why they had decided to eradicate us.
This question does not get answered in 'A:C' because a badly advised director decided to completely forget the huge potential set up in 'Prometheus'. Terrible decision. Terrible script. Terrible waste of good production money.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
A fulfilling movie experience
This is a piece of cinema that probably no-one but Tarantino could have pulled off in a way that holds your attention unflinchingly for the entire duration. If like me, you're a fan of both a good western and rich, superbly written dialogue, you can't but like The Hateful Eight.
As other reviewers have pointed out, it could easily be a stage play from the point where they arrive at 'Minnie's Haberdashery'. This doesn't detract from it however, as Tarantino keeps the story moving at pace, breaking it up with his 'chapters' technique. And he inserts narration at specific points in the process to make sure you don't get lost in the various interconnected subplots and background stories.
With dialogue of this quality, you almost eat every word that comes out of each characters mouth. On top of your popcorn, soda and chocolate, it all makes for a very fulfilling movie experience.
American Odyssey: Gone Elvis (2015)
Insulting to intelligence
It will take probably just two episodes to for you to find out that the scriptwriters have absolutely no understanding of the word 'credibility'. This is the TV version of a very old British institution, the pantomime, where the audience shouting 'behind you!' is all part of the typical panto experience.
The series starts off well enough to get you interested but by episode 2, you're starting to to sniff out the unfortunate fact that the script is seriously flawed. The writers don't seem to know where to take you but keep digging the hole of confusion deeper and deeper. All the main characters come across as truly brainless and no amount of shouting 'behind you' can either save them or you, from simply switching off.
Rome: The Stolen Eagle (2005)
Historical feast for the eyes
This is the episode and series that first brought HBO to my attention and won my admiration. 'Rome' is an absolute triumph of television.
If like me, you are a Roman history fanatic, you will find no other movie, TV or visual representation of any kind that even comes close to equaling the visual splendor, historical accuracy, and entertainment magnificence of HBO's 'Rome'. And this is my attempt to restrain my praise. I've watched and re-watched this entire series at least 5 times and intend to keep watching. I need my 'Rome' fix at least once per year.
But don't for a second think that the story holds less promise than the visual perfection. You cannot get a richer, more captivating true story than that of the life of Julius Caesar. The script writers went a step further and wove in the characters of Vorenus and Titus Pullo around whom the historical context revolves. And they are superb characters who, while fictionalized, are still based on real individuals mentioned in the writings of Caesar himself. The opening battle scene with Vorenus and Pullo on the front line mirrors quite closely what Caesar wrote about them in 'The Gallic War'.
Kill Me Three Times (2014)
Unbearable
I was forced to stop watching this movie after about 20 minutes. Why? I couldn't stand the music score. I think this was the very first time I found a music score to be so irritating and unbearable that it adversely affected my viewing.
Not that the visual story was up to much either. There was nothing engaging about what was going on. A succession of goofy silliness that couldn't be saved even by having Simon Pegg in the cast. Maybe the terrible music was a desperate attempt to cover up all of the other flaws. Who knows? If you pass on this one, one thing is certain – you won't be missing much and you'll avoid a real headache.