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Reviews
D.I. Ray (2022)
Line of Duty has set the bar high!
I liked D. I. Ray and thought Parminder Nagra and Maanuv Thiara were great in their performances. However the storyline felt disjointed at times and key information about characters was missing. Line of Duty really has set the bar high and I hope they meet it in season 2.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)
Classic B grade horror
Not bad for a modern day slasher. I was dry wretching when he put on his face! There were good elements but it was another stock standard horror. It's more proof that making a good horror isn't easy. Hill House shows it can be done and I'd love to see Netflix make clever, unpredictable, A grade horrors.
Archive 81 (2022)
Jumped the shark
I really enjoyed the first 5 episodes. Suspenseful, interesting and the scene with the medium was intense! Mamoudou Athie was great. Dina Shihabi was good but her character was annoying with a typical "weak female" storyline. I started losing interest in episode 6 and episode 7 jumped the shark. It didn't flow with the rest of the series and the characters not believeable. Proof yet again that horror is a hard genre to master!
Lead Me Home (2021)
No silver platter.
Other reviewers criticised the lack of depth or storytelling. For me, that was the beauty of this documentary. It was an honest example of the huge difficulty that faces people who are homeless, and the community workers trying to provide support. Solutions are rarely easy and we are often left with many questions to be answered and unmet needs. Perhaps those who didn't like the doco were left feeling like the situation wasn't resolved. Perhaps that was the point. An extra 20 minutes sharing the interviewees solutions to the crisis would have made it a 10.
The Morning Show: Kill the Fatted Calf (2021)
Best ep so far
Oh so many layers! The relationship between Cory and Bradley. Mitch's excommunication. Charlie's boomerang experience. Waiting for Laura to show her true colours. Daniel either clasping at straws or a brilliant strategy. Alex's privilege. Stella... oh she is brilliant! This episode showed the complexity of humanity in obvious and subtle ways. I can't wait to see how the story unfolds.
Clarice (2021)
A solid 7
I thought it was well cast and I liked the dynamic of the ensemble, but it appears the storyline took a dive so it was a bit laboured in the middle of the series. Fortunately it recovered pretty well and overall I enjoyed it Hopefully the writers do better in series 2.
Rev.: Episode #3.5 (2014)
God in a tracksuit!
God in a tracksuit! This series is bloody brilliant! They have done well to share a funny and positive expression of church life and the burden that falls on the leader.
Rev.: Episode #3.6 (2014)
The ups & down of church life
This episode beautifully expresses the grief & loss that we experience in church life. I loved the final scene of them sharing in the Christening as a community of believers. Great series!
The Me You Can't See (2021)
Mental Health Matters
The reviews clearly show how far we have yet to travel for people to understand, and accept, mental illness. Episode 3 was an excellent insight into the shared vulnerability humans have whether Prince or Refugee. Wealth is a protective factor but it does not exclude people from illness, or trauma. The excessive criticism of Oprah & Harry is ridiculous, especially as this series is supported by exceptional clinicians like Dr Bruce Perry. People are welcome to their opinion, however if they are criticising the person rather than the content, I would ignore their review.
Upright (2019)
Thelma and Louise driving off a cliff
Episodes 1-4 were great. Funny & heartwarmimg. Episodes 5-8 were average and unrealistic.
Us (2019)
Missed the mark
The first half hour was good but then the movie lost the plot. It felt like someone trying to imitate a Kubrick film, but missed the mark. Shame really, it had potential.
The Outsider (2020)
Double feature!
My 2 fave actors and genres in one series! I love Jason Bateman and it is so good to see Ben Mendelsohn kicking goals from his earliest, and abfab movie, The Big Steal. A cop show with supernatural themes is brill
The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
A ghost story, not a horror.
If you like horror, this will be tame for you but it is worth watching. A greater focus on storytelling than scares, eps 1-3 were good, as were 8-9. It sagged in the middle but overall good. I liked all the characters and young adults Amelie and Ben were outstanding!
Boys State (2020)
Should have been a 2 parter
Where is the second episode, Girl State?! Whilst I don't have issue with Boy State, a comparison with Girl State would make it more interesting and compelling. The absence of women smacks of misogyny, or oversight..!
Hail Satan? (2019)
Good but misses important information
An interesting documentary which raises a valuable discussion about a person's right to religious freedom. However, the documentary did not tackle how TST balances their beliefs with the involvement and protection of children. TST state they are a non-violent organisation but as they have a lot of adult sexualised content, do children participate or are they not involved? The absence of this perspective after raising the sexual crimes of the clergy was disappointing. Evidence based medicine, which they support (tenet 5), clearly shows early sexualisation is damaging to children. So while I agree with the freedom of choice they profess, this will only be acceptable when that choice doesn't negatively impact on the wellbeing of others, especially children.
That said, I thought this documentary was good and it highlighted that TST experience the same challenges of organised religion. Whether that be unfair criticism, lack of acceptance and the negative impact of rogue leaders with their own agenda.
Fractured (2019)
Disappointing.
There was a lot to like about this movie. Sam Worthington was great and I liked the general story but they let the movie down with a predictable ending. A hospital harvesting organs is way more sinister and they should have ended with that, rather than the predictable "mentally ill man is deluded and kidnaps someone". It also frustrated me that the writer conveniently ignored "the orderly becomes doctor" and "cashier becomes hospital staffer" scenarios assuming the audience will just swallow that pill, pun intended! And the whinging wife and dysfunctional husband has been done to death. I don't know one woman who would expect her husband to "do something" in that circumstance. They would deal with it themselves. In 2019, audiences expect better characters, not basic Hollywood stereotypes.
The Circle (2017)
A solid 7
I'm surprised this movie rates only a 5.3 (at time of review). Whilst the first 45 minutes was a bit clunky, the story is highly relevant and holds a mirror up to society. Mercer's death reminds me so much of Princess Di's death. The public, via the media, didn't respect her privacy resulting in an absolute tragedy. And the hypocrisy of leaders who demand access to the public's data but unwilling to give their own. You need to look at this movie beyond just entertainment value and see that The Circle is a good movie the public needs to see.
Spotlight (2015)
Kick arse!
Deserving of the Oscar. Hard going yet inspiring. And a reminder that investigative journalism is essential to society. Excellent ensemble cast.
Black Summer (2019)
Netflix is kicking goals!
It's hard not to compare this to TWD, mainly because we think we know how people should be responding to the zombies! I liked the minimal dialogue and the stupidity of some characters, makes it more realistic :D Go in with an open mind and remember Netflix generally takes a road less travelled with their scripts, which results in something different from what we've already seen.
The Invitation (2015)
Worth watching!
When I saw this was rated less than 7 out of 10 I was reluctant to watch it but I had read a review recommending it. Glad I did! Other IMDB reviewers thought the movie slow but it's a thriller which doesn't go for the obvious storyline. I enjoyed this as I was kept guessing to the very end. If you don't want cookie cutter movie then this is for you!
House of Cards (2013)
Oh the misogyny!
So were any negative reviews for S6 from women?! Likely not. The reviews for this series is exactly why the US has Trump in office. They'd prefer an incompetent male than a female. #stupidisasstupidvotes
House of Cards: Chapter 66 (2018)
No surprises here
The reviews don't surprise me at all. Only speaks to the misogyny that we know is rife in the US. Robin Wright held her own and was a exceptional as POTUS. On reflection, KS's character was tired and the new instalment is what was needed to keep this series interesting.
Watan (2018)
Storytelling at its finest.
This is a heartwarming and heartbreaking insight into the lives of Syrians who have fled their country. How they long for their homeland while trying to survive and find life in a foreign country. It also beautifully captures how humanity hopes for the same things and very little separates us.