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Reviews
Nuevo orden (2020)
Brutal but important
Countries collapse quickly and this is one of the few movies that express that speed.
Set in Mexico, New Order takes from a wedding day through riot to a military coup and beyond.
The story focuses on the events around one family and their servants. Each subplot deals with the personal and family tragedy that evolves.
Each character reacts to their circumstances and the challenges they face - asking us how we would react faced with similar circumstances. Would we buckle under or would we stand for right.
It is well portrayed and acted but be warned it is graphic. The prison scenes in particular are difficult to watch.
Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)
Not Big Little Lies - a weak disappointment
Liane Moriaty is a very talented author with some excellent material to base tv series on, but this is perhaps the weakest of her stories. To have it rushed into production (during a pandemic no less) ahead of some of the others, reached an inevitable weak outcome.
The result is a series that fails to use the talented acting pool and meanders through eight episodes to a very weak conclusion.
This is not the next Big Little Lies.
The basic story is nine strangers attending a health spa run by a women who is plaqued by her own demons. Through an escalating series of drug trips each guest has to deal with their own issues.
The Morning Show: Ghosts (2021)
Ambulance noises increasing
Listening to the ambulance noises in the background of 'The Morning Show' on AppleTV+.
Increasing each episode.
Wonderful writing to show a normal with covid creeping up on the characters.
Foundation (2021)
Good start
After a long wait with great expectations this was a good start.
The special effects are stunning. The acting is excellent.
The script appears written for those who have already read and love the original Asimov novels. It does not seem to have the quick catch that attracts and keeps modern viewers. Hopefully the visuals will keep them until the story develops.
The South Westerlies (2020)
Better than other reviews suggest
Having seen the trailer we decided to give this a go despite some early negative reviews.
It was a good story, more complex than initially suggested. The characters are well developed and the story flows across the six episodes.
There are a couple of new actors that put in excellent turns.
Overall well worth the time.
The Politician's Husband: Episode #1.3 (2013)
Finale falls flatter than a runny pancake
This was a series with so much potential as a political drama. The scope of a husband and wife scheming to overthrow the PM, while not sure who to trust including each other. This could have played out with twists and turns that would have kept everyone guessing.
Instead a 58min time constraint meant a final rush and a series of unexplained shortcuts means this falls flatter than a runny pancake.
Let It Snow (2019)
Read the book, you'll enjoy it more
This takes the three storyline's from the book but ...
The screen writers decided to play with each storyline in ways that probably make no sense to the authors.
I would recommend reading the book and then not bothering to watch this.
The War of the Worlds: One, Two, Three (2019)
Great potential poorly delivered
HG Wells wrote one of the greatest stories ever. This is yet another filmed version that takes some of the elements but butchers the overall story. The story has been rewritten, influenced by other stories (the beach scene for example has a gun & life boat panic incident that looks and feels like Titanic).
I will keep waiting for a true to book version, but have little hope I will see it.
This version has some great actors, whose talents are only partially used by the reworked story.
The special effects are obviously digital, and the image quality changes between shots with effects and those without.
Sleeping Dogs (1977)
Welcome to Fascist New Zealand - or America?
'Sleeping Dogs' was the first major New Zealand feature film to find a wider audience.
Featuring a young Sam Neill as a loner caught up by accident in the fight between a Fascist government taking control and those resisting the loss of freedom.
The film is directed by Roger Donaldson (whose main stream movies include 'World's Fastest Indian','Dante's Peak' and 'Species') and is based on the excellent book 'Smith's Dream' by C.K.Stead.
It features Warren Oates (US) and Ian Mune (who co-wrote the screenplay) as well as a cast of other New Zealand regulars.
While action packed the human drama behind the movie is also of interest and the DVD (a double with 'Smash Palace') features an excellent making of documentary highlighting the issues of making a movie in New Zealand in the mid-1970's.
This is an excellent movie which realistically portrays a nation accepting the gradual loss of freedom for all the right reasons - which seems very topical even today.
The story will grip you and the end will... well see it for yourself!