Reviews

It's a tricky review. Let's start with the story, which actually was pretty good - I'm not going to add spoilers here, aside to say, it's a great tale, with an outcome that's not what I was expecting.

The acting was first class with a cast of accomplished stars who without doubt delivered superbly.

Cinematography too was very good. There were many scenes that were beautifully composed and lit.

But... and here is where it starts to fail, why use academy ratio? As mentioned above, some scenes were exceptionally composed, but would have been so much better if we saw the missing "sides" I felt that I was falling victim to the "instagram" generation, where I was hostage to a statement image ratio which spoilt the otherwise excellent cinematography. All through the movie, I constantly wanted to see the sides that I was missing. This was the first major negative issue of this film. IMHO, this type of framing should be kept to college projects, not mainstream movies.

The other issue spoiling this movie, is the storytelling. I said at the start that the story was pretty good - but it was blurred by a director who struggled to interweave the viewer into the story. I felt like the director was simply trying too hard to make "art" and forgetting that we, the watchers, needed to be absorbed like osmosis into this movie. The director, Emerald Fennell would do well to remind herself that movies are generally for the benefit of the watcher, not for the director.

Overall however, it was watchable, but could have been so much better...

What a terrific series - it is well made and well told. It was binge-worthy TV and one, for me, that really hit the spot. It was creepy throughout and I watched it with a feeling of unease in my stomach. I love drama like this - very "British" with a great cast, well filmed, very believable and no unnecessary special effects, or irrelevant side plots.

To those that said it was not true to the book - get over it,! Its not the book.

To those who say its not reflective of diversity in the home-counties - where do you live? I live in Hertfordshire and am surrounded by diversity.

I loved it!

Was unsure about this at first as it sounded a little odd, but I was soon totally hooked. The key notion is one of "what if" - what would our life be like if, at key moments, we made a different choice? It makes a very thought provoking story.

But for me, the story is only one aspect. Its based in a period where life was simpler. Although this is shattered by the backdrop of conflict, and with current world events, seems very relevant.

The cinematography is terrific, with certain "devices" signifying key moments in the episodes. The actors are all very well cast, and their acting excellent. Particularly Thomasin McKenzie who plays Ursula, the main character.

My only grumble, is why was it tucked away on BBC2? There is so much rubbish currently on the UK's premier channel - BBC1, why did it not displace some of this?

Anyway, well worth a watch...

Not going to say too much here, as most has already been said, but I avoided this movie first time around as it was seen as just "chick flick"

But I just watched it in 2022 and realised what an absolute classic it is. It's a "feel-good" watch from start to finish - amazing music, classic lines, and a straightforward plot - so crank up the sound system, grab a glass of your favourite tipple, and I am sure you will have the "time of your life"

It was all rather disappointing really, with not much really happening. A group of friends on holiday together, acting like one big dysfunctional family. Then some dramatic things happen at the end.

I really can't put my finger on what it was, but the production quality reminded me of a typical TV series made in the 80's (Bergerac/Howards Way/Etc) and for me, that's what really let it down.

Oh dear, a simple confrontation that starts an avalanche. If this had been real life, I would hate to be the policeman that has to work out what actually happened... Its an enjoyable watch, though be warned, it will give you that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach. I enjoyed it; it was not complicated, no having to remember a whole load of characters, just a cautionary tale of someone who, when in a hole, should have stopped digging...

Oh and great acting by Maxine Peake.

Was pretty critical of the first episode of the Flux, but this episode was an improvement. We experiences a bit more storyline and fewer exploding planets. The dialogue was also easier to hear (perhaps because there were less explosions)

The sinister level of peril was also increased, but there were still some laughs - I loved the "mans best friend" thing, particularly with the comedic northern accent.

Hopefully this series continues to move in this direction.

Good episode.

I'm old enough to remember the original series, so perhaps a bit old for this, but it's so "British" and is a lovely watch - the pleasant countryside and stereotypical, traditions that many remember with fondness, bring an hours easy watching that always leaves me smiling.

This was a great episode, Toby Jones in particular totally excelled as "the bonfire committee" indeed all of the actors gave sterling performances and the scenery was just.. well lovely.

Keep up the great work Mr McKenzie and the team, this is first class TV that the whole family can watch together - I loved it!

Let me apologise in advance as I feel guilty for giving such a poor rating to such an iconic show. But this first episode, in my opinion, was not a good start. I watch Dr Who because of the creative stories. The Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, Silence in the Library, to name but a few.

The best episodes rely on creative storylines and NOT excess CGI.

This episode relied on exploding planets, recycled enemies, ray-guns, sparking consoles, explosions and more explosions and a barely audible dialog.

OK, so there were some interesting seeds planted; a new companion introduced and some welcome humour. But lets just keep our fingers crossed that there is a proper story hidden in there somewhere.

Thought we would give this a try. Powerful drama but hard to watch (there are no laughs here), but as the best drama's often do, it got its claws into us from the very start. Episode two was equally hard to watch and I vowed never ever to commit a crime, as prison life depicted here, is really not for the faint hearted. Couldn't wait for episode three, which was equally hard to watch but with a generous topping of strong emotion added for good measure.

One thing is for sure, this is going to win some awards. Its British gritty drama at it's very best, and some exceptional acting from all involved.

Highly recommended.

Perhaps I was not in the mood for this type of film, but it all seemed rather "American TV trashy movie" The US makes some amazing films, but this was like the crap that they make for TV. Sorry but I need films that have something a bit more about them rather than a load of Americans talking nonsense. Make up your own mind, just saying this was not for me...

As a Brit, I have always been a big fan of British drama, but there have been some amazing productions coming from the US of recent months and this is certainly one of the best. I was captivated from start to finish as this series had everything. Cinematography was brilliant, pause at any time and you have the perfect photograph, the story was extremely captivating, making you want to stand up and cheer at times, and in all honesty, there was not one episode that felt like a filler. If you have not seen this series, indulge yourself and get totally lost in this masterpiece - trust me, you will not regret it.

Another Saturday and what shall we watch? - Green Book. Its based on a true story - a tale of an unlikely friendship set against the racism and prejudice of 1960's America. Delightfully filmed, and extremely thought provoking we join the main characters on their unorthodox journey through the deep South of America and witness the kindness and the hatred of man against man.

It's an extremely enjoyable film and highly recommended - one that I am sure you will remember for some time.

I was struggling to find something good to watch and abandoned two movies before eventually selecting this one - it was definitely third time lucky. I always know when I have watched something good, as it stays with me - a bit like a dream you remember.

Its not a complex story, but that's half the attraction - you can sit back and let it envelop you. Its intriguing and the acting is great, but for me the atmosphere, and visuals are what captivated me. I've always been a fan of Ridley and (the late) Tony Scott, and Jordan has clearly inherited some family talent here.

Having Googled Jordan, Wiki says she is a photographer and filmmaker, well the photographer shines through in this work.

If you like atmospheric, British movies, set in the 1930's, then I highly recommend you give this film a try.

This is really a must see movie for anyone who loves movies. How they achieve what they do in this movie is totally beyond me? I have never seen anything quite like it. I had heard about the single long take, but was really not expecting what I saw.

Its a simple story about a WW1 soldier taking a note to a general across enemy lines, but what makes it so special is that we are with him every step of the way. We travel through the trenches, the mud and the gore, we encounter the dead, the dying and the sheer horror of war and are subject to every explosion and gunshot along the way. We live every moment of the struggle as if we were there.

I cannot imagine any other film more deserving of awards than this. No big stars dominating, just one AMAZING move.

It's hard to explain why I loved this so much, but here I am 30 minutes after the last episode, and I can't get it out of my head. It's rare for me to feel emotional watching a TV drama, but at times, I had to fight back the tears. Not for the loss of his wife, but for the profound journey of healing that unfolded through each episode. And some brilliant acting - such as the interplay between Penelope Wilton and Ricky Gervais on that bench. Everyone in this mini masterpiece deserves a BAFTA. This is British drama at its utmost best.

I am really not sure why anyone should not like this movie. Its a visual feast, with a simple and honest story that should appeal to the kids and the adults. I went to see it without Children, having enjoyed this story as a pantomime when the kids were younger and I was not disappointed. Visually its stunning, with detail and colour that kept me enthralled all of the way through. I am in awe at those that made this movie, as the visuals are so striking.

I have read some of the less positive reviews, and to be honest, those people must have seen a different movie to me. They clearly don't get it.

OK, so a five-year old, would not appreciate the movie in the way that I did - the colour and glamour of the costumes, the breathtaking interior scenes, and the spectacular visuals, but its still a great story and should still appeal to the younger audience, however, as an adult if you want a feast for the eyes and a feel- good movie, I would highly recommend Cinderella.

Well done Branagh - a great film!

I saw this at the cinema when it first came out, and then recently purchased the blu-ray. I have also seen the play in London. So I amused myself with the reviews that appear to be either love it or hate it. Equally I noted, although not definite that the hates appear in the main to be from the US and the loves from the UK - although as I say, there are a lot of exceptions. Personally, I absolutely loved this film. It was thought provoking, and in my view extremely well filmed. I also love to learn from a film - I never realised for example, the stupidity of the British in WW1, thinking they could charge with horses and swords against the German machine guns. I also never realised the sheer number of horses slaughtered in WW1. For me the story was reminiscent of something Thomas Hardy may have written, and perhaps therein lies the problem - today's audience has been spoon fed on the craze for 3D with flying objects coming out of the screen and crazy special effects, yet this was a far more gentle film, aimed at the whole family. So I guess you will either love it or hate it, so if you have not seen it, get it out on Blu-ray (not DVD) and make up your own mind

Well I guess in the UK we all know Colin Firth as Darcy and unfortunately Macfadyen is simply not good enough - I guess that's the theme of this movie - simply not good enough. There were a few things that really annoyed me, including the 21st century look to the Bennet sisters and the fact that Keira Knightley, looked to me as if she had the benefit of a professional make-up artist, which I don't believe ladies of the 19th century would have had. Having said this there were some nice scenes, I liked the dance scene and the wild scene on the edge of the peak district outcrop, but having been spoilt by such masters of the art as Peter Greenaway and Roman Polanski I became frustrated by the poor use of lighting, especially indoors and the failure to capture the real feeling of 19th century England that comes from Austen's book.

I guess the reality is that I was expecting a lavish cinematic experience, and what I got was nothing more than a classy "chick-flik"