Change Your Image
duncancmccann
Reviews
Sister Boniface Mysteries (2022)
Too much prejudice?
It's interesting how many people have given their opinion on a whole series after they have evidently watched less than half of it. For those that bemoaned the lack of a guest appearance by Father Brown, perhaps you should have waited. For those that said there was no back story to the characters, maybe you should pay a bit more attention.
No. It's not 'Father Brown' - that would be because it's a different show. A spin-off is not intended to be the same as the original. If 'Frasier' had been a replica of 'Cheers', would it have run for 11 years? If 'Torchwood' had been identical to 'Dr Who', would that have worked?
This is more comedic in places than 'Father Brown', it's not intended to be a labyrinthine 'no idea whodunnit' show. It's just a fun way to spend a bit of time.
For some reason, US audiences seem to think that everything that comes out of the UK is 'Downton Abbey'. Well it's not - some of it is light entertaining fluffy stuff, you know, like 'Murder She Wrote' or that blatant Father Brown rip-off (Father Brown has been on TV before in the 70s), 'Father Dowling Investigates'.
Just stop being so petty and enjoy stuff - it's much less tiring!
Agatha Christie's Marple: The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (2010)
Pretty good.
Gridoon did so well with their review until it got all sexist. For me, the movie with the redoubtable and fabulous Angela Lansbury didn't quite work. Everybody did their job, but, much as I adore her, Miss Lansbury was not right for the role. It's taken me some time to get used to Julia McKenzie, but I'm enjoying her now. I like that the UK television versions are less 'Hollywood', but I also love the glossy Peter Ustinov movies. Overall, I reckon that this is true enough to the book to be valid, the acting is as good as any and the production has a lot more dedication to the original. The Agatha Christie stories will never be bettered, the books will remain the best. Modern audiences demand a different pace and are perhaps not as willing to accept that these mysteries are not, and never were, written to be on screen, they are not fast paced or high drama. Each adaptation has to stand or fall on it's own merits, I don't see any reason for this one to fall, I enjoyed it and I'm old school.
Allegiant (2016)
Get over yourselves.
Fans of the books need to get a grip on the fact that a movie can never follow every wrinkle of a book. They would all be 24 hours long.
I've enjoyed all the films in the series, some of the effects are a bit too 'games console', but the story is good, the acting is reasonable.
They are all audience fodder - stop hoping for them to be art, or even what you expected. Just go with the flow and stop whining.
The Cell (2000)
Thinking too much maybe...
I've read so many analytical essays amongst the reviews on here. You know what? Stop watching every film as if it's a challenge to something else. Just let the present experience envelope you. I saw this on TV and immediately went online to buy a copy. All the actors do a good job, the plot is not 100% new it's true - but hey, c'mon, go with the flow. Visually it is stunning, beautiful, terrifying, glorious. Too many people look at films to find the flaws - every film has flaws, but this one overcomes any you may pick on. Sit back, relax, then realise thet Vincent D'Onofrio give Hannibal Lecter a run for his money.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Kinder Egg.
Wrapped in the shiny yet disposable wrapper of Kenneth Branagh's remaining talent, we come to the strangely dry and weird-tasting layer of the 'names' pretending to be the chocolate that should be the best bit. FINALLY, we arrive at the cheap and disappointing core. Oh look! It's Kenneth Branagh's ego.
We soon got bored with that didn't we children?
Mortal Engines (2018)
Spectacular.
Given the choice between Blade Runner 2049 and this, I'd go for Mortal Engines every time. At Blade Runner 2049 I was bored rigid, clock watching and waiting for the tedium to end, I loved this and the time flew by. A shame it didn't make it's money back, so no sequel I'm guessing.
Rammstein: Paris (2017)
New to Rammstein.
A lot of people seem to be annoyed about the fast 'MTV' editing. I do understand what they are saying, but I just loved it! from beginning to end, I felt it brought a sense of chaos which was welcome - though I cannot deny I am probably too old to suddenly get into this stuff, I don't look to a film of this concert to be static and subtle. I doubt I'll ever be able to afford to see them live, but (despite the post-production effects), this movie just makes me want to be, maybe not in the middle , but in the suburbs of the energy and madness of the crowd. One thing I didn't like - the titles of the songs coming up. I didn't need that interruption to continuity. Still loved it.
Partners in Crime (1983)
Jolly Fun Though!
As this is currently being repeated on UK television, I thought I'd chuck my hat into the ring with an opinion. I bought the DVDs a few years ago, and do enjoy them. I agree with some other reviewers that Franchesca Annis is indeed, a bit OTT, I also think that this should be forgiven - otherwise, the two of them are the most boring people on Earth. It was also the 80s - the perfect detail and devotion to authenticity that is demanded now, did not exist then. Theatricality was allowed, and this series certainly exploits that! If you can look past the 'staginess' of it, try to allow that TV audiences then were much more acquainted with television plays, then there is a lot of fun to be had here. Please just relax and accept that it is 'actorish' and overplayed in a lot of ways. It's still jolly fun chaps!
Touched by an Angel: Remembering Me: Part 1 (2002)
Retrospect.
I am watching this in 2020. So far, a difficult year. I have no religious belief, but I am, and have been for many years, a huge admirer of Della Reese's immense talent. I feel that this episode demonstates touchingly the far-reaching, and terribly difficult to understand, effects of Alzeimer's Disease. I can see past my lack of spiritual belief to the very human story beyond. Few shows really face up to the almost insurmountabe frustration of such an illness. Whether I think God exists or not is irrelevant - people do.
Star Trek: Voyager: Muse (2000)
That'll be me then.
The other reviewers seem to be regarding this as some sort of Rosetta Stone to Gene Roddenberry's ST intentions.
Sorry, I was just a bit bored. Isn't this show about getting to ship and the crew home? Most of season 6 seems to be dedicated to weak plots and anything that doesn't actually involve the 'voyage'.
One character episodes tend to be dodgy. Whilst this isn't as bad as the Harry Kim solo flights, it is just dull. Back to the storyline please...
Star Trek: Voyager: Spirit Folk (2000)
Star Trek pretends to not be Star Trek.
Over all the series, the holodeck episodes interest me the least. A cheap excuse to provide some different scenery, they never add to the actual purpose of the crew's mission, or provide any link to the rest of the series. If there are not enough real Star Trek scripts for the season, then just make less shows. These are nonsense and whilst supposed to be a holiday for the cast and crew, are just an insult to the audience that wants to see the future, not a skewed and/or idealised version of the past.
Star Trek: Voyager: Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy (1999)
Twaddle.
Utter waste of time, it contributes nothing to any character or the story. Waste of time all round - and no, it's not funny.
Inspector Morse (1987)
Different Expectations.
It is interesting to read the different reviews fron the US and the UK.
The fast-moving US cop shows are good fun - some are good drama. It seems a shame that American audiences are so unaccepting of the different tempo of a UK series.
I see many critics of John Thaw's performance - one even saying that he 'phoned it in'. The acting is, in the UK, perhaps expected to be a bit more subtle. In the intervening years, I would say that US drama (Amazon Prime etc.) has given much more subtlety and nuance, and is better for it,
If you want to enjoy the older UK detective series, then you do have to slow down. If you take the time, these are great characters, wonderfully acted.
Star Trek: Voyager: The Fight (1999)
Filler.
It's just so DULL.
A waste of Ray Walston as the guest star as well.
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) (2000)
Take It As It Comes.
I remember watching the original when I was a kid and enjoying it.
A remake seemed a reasonable idea, then I saw who was starring in it and my heart sank. I had never been a fan of Reeves and Mortimer - I just didn't get their humour.
This series casme as a bit of a revelation, I love it. Okay, okay, the two are not the greatest of actors, but they have charm and appeal in this.
Entertaining, silly, quite dark at times, just don't look for great depth or meaning and you'll be fine.
Well produced and some (I think) pretty good story lines.
Sit back with a glass of something and just go with the flow.