s_imdb-623 Reviews

Wild at Heart (2006–2012)

First 3 episodes showed promise but its a show for old ladies

[5/10 · 19 May 2024]

The first three episodes showed promise for a great show for all the family to enjoy - great fantasy of africa and big game, some local flavour, family/relationship issues, romance, romance of Africa, love of animals, some adventure, danger and manly redneck flavour, drama, thrills, suspense...everything. Sadly, some empire view of africans too. However, it rapidly disintegrated into what it is; a pantomime, Mills and Boon romance for old ladies. Advertising tells all - in the UK the advertising during this show is for old people's walking aids. Its a shame as the premise/idea was really great and it could have been a much much bigger show. As usual, the cause is likely to do with dumbing down to appeal to the low-brow masses to make money (and yes, in doing so you can lose the appeal to the masses - there are plenty of cerebral shows that appeal to the masses).

So, its a 10/10 for non-discerning old white ladies, 1/10 for grown men, black Africans and people too in touch with reality, but 5/10 for the rest of the world. There's nothing wrong with it being a show for old white ladies, but lets not pretend its something more, or that it deserves any awards.

The stories are mainly about 'my feelings' and repeat the same relationship/family themes and animal danger over and over again, usually in a clodhoppingly obvious manner. Directed to have pantomime, over-the-top emotional responses to every little thing. There are also lots of glaring inconsistencies and discontinuities. The daughter with the thick northern accent that nobody else has? Who has, out of the blue, between show seasons, within one year, inexplicaby lost a boyfriend and gone off to university in England and dumped it and come back. The middle-aged vet, who's got one grown up daughter and two step children, is absolutely crushed and can't go on with life because his wife decided she didn't want any more children? All the various old people, father's, mother's, friends, who are all hated, turn up, make a nuisance of themselves and then, in the end, there's a fuzzy warm feeling ending, whether they die, go back to England or are all lovey-dovey and forgiven. And throughout all the seasons, they run a lodge that is basically a cowboy operation that makes false promises to its guests - one of those holiday providers that ruins people's hard-earned holidays...but the show treats them as just slightly naughty children who have good hearts...so the ruined holidays are just a bit of fun that everyone will magically end up being happy about.

And in every episode there are children that endanger lives, children who totally abandon their responsibilities, neighbours that try to destroy livelihoods, people who commit actual crimes, hated family members that keep turning up, all causing much angst, but all any of them get is a finger wagging and stern look. No shouting, no punishment, and they can all just turn up to stay whenever they feel like - nobody can tell them not to. Its extreme. Pantomime to artificially and clod-hoppingly create some angst. With hugs and smiles all round at the end of the show. Sometimes a few dead animals that are rapidly forgotten. In season 2 episode 6 Sarah hits a buffalo with her car injuring the buffalo and causing 1000s in damage to the vehicle, which also prevents them carrying out their business. Why? Because her mummy upset her by criticising her, which is normal, not new, and it made her cry and suddenly drive fast and recklessly, and totally out of character. And the vet who goes loopy about anyone harming animals? He just pats her back and is only concerned about her poor feelings. Season 4 badly needed help, new vet Alice, turns up, finds love and a new family, and is committed to the idea of Leopard's Den and making it a success for the animals so...naturally, in season 5, she dumps it and gets a full time job at neighbouring Mara, because...she wants to do her own thing...and not be ruled by 'A MAN'...who suddenly, totally out of character, starts telling someone (her) what to do. Season 4 ep 3, the rugged, hard-drinking, man's man, rough bushman, goes snooping around another man's room to read love letters...

And, as each season goes by, they realise they add more black people as they realise that, as its set in Africa, there should be black africans. Otherwise, it looks like a empire fantasy show - white man goes to Africa to look after the animals and the little black people. In season 2 they introduced the only non-servile black african (Fatani) who, within two seasons, goes from being a strong, young business leader to a child needing to be looked after by the white English people. More of a child than the white children of the family. Seasons 4 and 5 is a big improvement on this as there are more black africans involved, with more of their stories, and action in actual townships and homes.

Jack Ryan: Falcon (2022) Season 3, Episode 1

Is this Jack Ryan or a season of Chuck? Difficult to tell.

[3/10 · 5 June 2023]

I loved season 1, liked season 2 but season 3 seems to have been written and directed by people who know nothing or care nothing about spies, politics, geography, etc, etc. Not even watched any of the million other US spy shows to get some pointers to the basics. The only thing they seem to be experts on is girl power - thats pretty well covered in season 3. What a shame it has to be in such a bad vehicle. Could have been written by 12 yr olds. Or...maybe it was written FOR 12 yr old - people who know nothing about anything but like loud bangs and running around. In the title I mention that it could be a season of th series 'Chuck', but even that is better due to the romance with the beautiful spy storyline.

The Ipcress File (2022)

7/10 until ep 4 then 3/10 then usual US college kid production

[3/10 · 4 April 2022]

Its very good in the first few episodes except marred badly by Cole looking like a schoolkid. Yes, he's attempting the Michael Caine deadpan, but he just looks like a schoolkid, its off-putting in many scenes. However, if you overcome that its really very good. Until episode 4 when it all falls apart. It departs the original IPCRESS story and shoots off into the typical run-of-the-mill stuff out of the minds of film school: to stretch it out for profit we'll crowbar-in a mish-mash of conspiracy stories. All the cold-war intrigue is dumped for the typical on-going X-Lost-soap. (Lost as in the TV series - "answer's just round the corner") In this case spy-Lost-soap. OK fine that might work. But this doesn't. Just becomes ridiculous. Even the cold-war spy stuff is sometimes ridiculous. A British defence guy goes to a British island where the US lease a military base for nuclear tests - he goes missing & nobody in Britain gives a hoot? Really? US & UK are allies & US is further in nuclear weapons than UK, but for some reason US will kidnap UK nuclear scientists? When they can just simply hire them? And they want to pretend its the Russian that kidnapped the scientist to start a war between UK & Russia? While the Brits are worried about the special relationship? Idiots came up with this nonsense.

Boss Level (2020)

Its OK if you're drunk and haven't seen the twenty prior films its a mish-mash of

[3/10 · 22 August 2021]

This is a film for men who have the mind of a 12 yr old or are drunk on a guys' night. Watching someone say the F-word over and over isn't cool & isn't entertaining. If you love shooting and action this film is let down by long periods of attempted witty chatting and chatting about 'how I abandoned my son but I really love him.' If you love witty mind-bending action thrillers, this film is let down by too much "uhhh...duhhh...whaat um am ah sposed ta do now, duhhh? Oh yaa, an hour lata I figured out I shud do whut ma ex-waaf tols me tuh doo, errr (drool)." This is far from Inception, Edge Of Tomorrow, Minority Report, Deja Vu, etc. The title shows some link to video games, as do the section titles and the games arcade, but the film itself has little to do with gaming or boss level fights.

The guy learned how to be a swordmaster in 50 days. From a swordmaster (Yeoh) who happened to be sitting in a bar waiting for a flight the next day. Because thats what swordmasters do. And the sword assassin he was trying to kill? He couldn't hit her with two machine guns at 20 paces. This is the hardass special ops guy. Dumb. But there are lots of car chases, explosions, shootings, stabbings, decapitations & kung-fu, and making fun of geeks, so will appeal to the above mentioned. No idea what Gibson is doing in it (he's been in such violent films before, but not usually this low brow). There is zero chemistry between the hero & the love of his life. There's more between her & the villain. The tender moments with the kid are cringey. And whats with the stupid $750,000 Adolf Hitler gun? Is the the 1960s?

Sneaky Pete (2015–2019)

Enjoyable well produced Ocean's 11 twisty type stuff but super-contrived

[7/10 · 1 February 2021]

It is fast paced with lots of twist & turns, suspenseful cat & mouse going on *all* the time. Its very Ocean's 11 but with a very good & highly novel basic premise related to family & upbringing. New story arcs keep appearing, but another great thing is there are a lot of misfits, well developed characters with their own motivations, pulling the story around in lots of directions. It all keeps you on your toes and makes quite exciting and attention holding seasons. Very entertaining.

However, as is common these days, a lot of contrived events and magic (for the confidence tricks) happens. Basic premise related to family is highly novel & very good, but also held together with huge contrivances. It also gets stretched way too far over two seasons let alone three. Also, sometimes the characters act out of character (just for contrivance). In addition, there is a subtle glorifying of crime, which I don't approve of. Yes, the real baddies usually get their comeuppance, but, as a result, the minor baddies end up being our heroes. But, they're still crooks. Even some of the ordinary people are crooks. They may be driven by having a harsh life, but its no excuse & is too common on this show. The equivalent of using sex to sell a product.

Its well acted & well produced on the whole, although the actors do seem to lose a bit of interest in the work during season 3. The very intricate plots and stories do hold together well (with contrivances, of course). Cranston in the 1st season is excellent, as usual.

You'll love it if you're not the type of person to notice contrivances or out of character behaviour & magical happenings don't distract you. And can stick with the same theme over and over again.

The Wolverine (2013)

Lots of action but a bit boring & predictable.

[3/10 · 28 December 2017]

Story close to style of comic, sadly I just found it boring, lots of running around & a bit predictable. Typical Wolverine story, bad guys will keep pushing the hermit-guy & force him to slice them up, the big villain will beat him up badly but he'll just win in the end. The nuance this time is all the Japanese stuff, but its all the cliched stuff thats been done a million times.

The Accountant (2016)

Faux intellectual run of the mill Bourne Identity like thing with autism & math

[5/10 · 28 December 2017]

Its just another typical Bourne Identity super soldier spy thing, except the super soldier also is autistic & great at accounting. The attempt at a romantic interest is non-existent, in fact, she's really annoying. A very contrived story with contradictions, e.g. Dad gets accidentally shot at funeral of his ex-wife, where, not only for totally unknown reasons a gang of funeral-goers decided to throw them out, but super soldier decides to fight them all & then also the cops. All so that dad can get killed poetically & with angst near the wife who abandoned him & his autistic kid...who is now a grown man & cold-blooded mass killer. Then, by another HUGE coincidence the guy defending his next target just happens to be his brother. And they have a fight where just stands & takes a beating from his brother, but seems totally invincible, like the guy is just slapping him with a small fish. The amazing savant accountant who's a genius at money laundering, somehow manages to get all his own money laundered through companies that are all in the same block where he has his own practice.

Lets not mention (or lets mention) small geek annoyances, loose ends & magic happenings: like sniper bullets hitting at exactly the same time as the noise of the shot, or the guy just running around in the open while in a firefight with 5 men. Its like the A-Team. The huge thing about the Airstream trailer which is there so he can quickly disappear...except...throughout the whole movie, including when he disappears, he's driving around in exactly the same pickup truck. Law enforcement procedures too in this film are just 'convenience' or imagined procedures & lacking any kind of believability.

Everything else, like the acting, is so-so (professional). Except, Jon Bernthal as the brother is great, as are the child actors. John Lithgow, his usual charismatic self.

If you're not the sort to notice these sorts of things & is happy with a bit of super soldiering, mass killing, good guy with troubled life, then its probably a 7/10 movie.

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Snakes on a plane is a better film & I didn't like that.

[2/10 · 23 August 2017]

The title of this review basically says it all. The best thing about it is the Black Sabbath sound track and what I call the helicopter sequence just before they meet the ape about half hour into the film. Thats the only positive. The characters are dreadful. The period setting is all wrong - computers, black people, asians & women involved in military roles that never happened. Which is OK to do, its just so badly done, its like "we know its 21st century so just pretend" shallow lazyness. Forget this piece of crap and watch Shin Godzilla instead.

Arrival (II) (2016)

Sci-fi for housewives (no offence to housewives)

[1/10 · 23 August 2017]

Sorry, but dull dull dull. I'm into very clever mind stuff and slow sci-fi but this was boring and pointless and well over-hyped as usual. Imagine you're a housewife who's grown three kids & had job in a kindergarten and suddenly you're called on by military to talk to octopus like aliens because you had a college degree in languages and can speak 10 human languages. Then imagine a floating camera following you around as you meander around every minutiae of moving around & eventually meeting the aliens. Its all portrayed from point of view of housewife who's never contemplated such wondrous things, only looking after cute little children. And, thats the film. The sting in the tail is that the housewife part never really happened but happens now... May have worked if it wasn't so long and something else happened. Oh yes, the Chinese, of all people, known for their jumping into war at the drop of a hat, the savages they are, want to start a war with the aliens.

This is the outpourings of an America that has no clue of the world, and not much about sci-fi or about mathematics, science or military. Avoid. Unless you're a housewife (who isn't highly educated).

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008)

Its based on existing Japanese anime

[6/10 · 21 February 2017]

1. It is competently made but all the concepts are derived from Japanese anime - so the reviewers saying its the best art ever made are wrong. Its the best thing they have seen. I refer them to Naruto (and especially Naruto Shipuden), which will truly blow their minds. After you have watched a few Japanese anime shows you can see that Avatar is just OK not the best thing since sliced bread. Its not new.

2. Regardless of the above comment I would like to rate Avatar 8/10 but I can only give 6/10 because the storyline (main plot) is a mess, some of the stories are just boring & contrived, and there is too much middle-class American teenager TV culture (which ruins the fantasy). E.g. episode The Beach. In many episodes you just know that the characters are going to do exactly the thing they know is going to get them into trouble. At one time there is a scary time limit to the 'end of the world' but at other times it is totally forgotten and lots of clowning around wasting time without a care in the world is happening. In addition, they really milk the tropes too far. E.g. Zuko is so foul, traitorous, and angry all the time compared to his poor treatment as a child, that trying to make him out as having an internal struggle is just a joke. Sokka is always sceptical of everything supernatural no matter that everyone uses superpowers to bend the elements or that they have met numerous spirits and hang around with a guy that can contact the spirit world. Gets bit annoying after 10 episodes. Etc.

3. Finally, the avatar learns how to fight using all sorts of bending but hardly ever uses anything but air bending, even in fights. He mastered fire bending but he won't use it to even light a cooking fire or a torch. And of course there are strange things like metal bending being a subset of earth bending, but it is used by the fire nation to build all of their machines because they are safe from earth benders. Everyone (earth & fire benders) uses metal cells to hold earth benders. The fire nation uses a huge fleet to attack everyone but some how the water benders never thought about sinking the ships by just filling them with water. The water benders can also bend ice. Apparently no-one has heard of unsinkable ships being sunk by icebergs either (Titanic anyone?). The air benders can only apparently fly with the help of kite wings. They can't create jets of air to help them fly. Earth benders can disappear into the ground and move about but they never use this ability to sneak around. Etc, etc, etc. These holes are endless.

Its a good show but the 10/10 reviews are just stupid (as usual).

Sicario (2015)

Got 30 mins in and its like some girly feely movie

[2/10 · 5 February 2017]

I'm sorry, got as far as 30 mins into this trying hard but it seems to be some kind of girly feeling stuff sort of thing as its spent staring at some woman policeperson's face reacting to things and nothing out of ordinary TV happening. Boring boring boring. Yet more usual hyped up Hollywood nonsense? I don't know, I have a life to lead.

Apparently I have to write 5 more lines of text because I wasn't clear enough with the first 5. Well, I'm all for the women's point of view and equality and all that. I'm just bored out of my wits, being a man, with watching some poor woman's face all day long as she reacts to emotional stuff. Those guys have a job to do. Get over it and get on with it. Yes people get killed because of the drug trade. We know that. There have been a hundred films about it already.

All the Hollywood hype is just plain shite.

Father Brown (2013– )

Depends on if you're looking for brain stimulation or not

[5/10 · 19 January 2017]

I haven't read Chesterton's books and I accept that many reviewers have indicated that the link with the author is very tenuous and its probably only made for legal reasons. My review is based on interest in period TV detective stories.

I really want to love this version of Father Brown but, for me, it is let down by plot holes, blundering contrivances and shoe-horning in of 21st century liberal morality and angst. It appears to be written for women in their 70s and 80s. I.e. lots of social mush and Women's Institute fantasy but missing the intelligence and subtlety of competent mystery writers, and unconvincing action scenes, whose only purpose is to add to the romance of the story. As there are so many writers I'm not sure if they are responsible or the production company (the BBC). Its the sort of thing you put your feet up and switch-off your ability to think, just immerse yourself in the feel of the place. That is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a valid purpose for making a product (TV show) as many people want that. I'm just stating it to show that the appeal will depend on what you're looking for and this show may be deceptive because of the association with Chesterton and a production that is similar to other UK period mysteries. The morality and religious link are also deceptive (unrepresentative of the time).

Everything else about the production is great; wonderful locations and period feel with a warm, rural, affluent, Women's Institute fantasy (that I love), great actors (although they can be a bit pantomime but I think they are directed to be), great directing except for the pantomime, great camera work, theme tune, etc. Sorcha Cusack is wonderful and I'm a fan of Mark Williams, he does a great job here too. I believe they intended to make Father Brown a jolly nice, understated chap whose religion is more about morality and 'love from God to all' than dogma. Sadly a 21st morality but, brightly, he himself steers clear of showing morality of any sort, preferring to leave EVERYTHING to God, except catching murderers and adding a touch of light-heartedness. Williams delivers whats required, delivering humour by raising an eyebrow, averting his gaze or pausing at just the right time. These actors a let down by the poor writing/mushy intention of this product.

Would give it 10/10 if the stories were more along the lines of the Suchet's Poirot, Brett's Holmes, Columbo, Midsomer Murders, or even Murder She Wrote. Would give 9/10 if the stories even just showed a little bit of intelligence, political comment or art. 5/10 reflects the well produced, warm, period rural fantasy.

The Witness for the Prosecution (2016)

Fantastic in ways terrible in others - for specific tastes only

[5/10 · 5 January 2017]

In many parts it is 9/10, but in others 2/10.

I haven't read the book and, though I'm sure I have, I don't remember seeing other versions. Firstly and primarily this very very slow and plodding. The story is there, watchable and interesting but the scenes are so overly stretched out that they've gone beyond art and into boredom. So, if you like slow moving stories steeped with brilliantly astute and deep vignettes on life, garnished with an excellent but dark period drama, you will love this.

The acting is generally very good as is the period feel. The cold reality of life, especially due to the war, imparts the darkness. The twists and turns of the plot are very good, except the final twist of the crime story, which leaves you feeling the whole rest of the story was just 'camera tricks' (as in magic shows) to mislead us. It felt like a big con. The whodunnit part is maintained well throughout.

The poignant imprints of war on life are genius, especially the generational statement at the end, but the time spent on them turns parts of this more into an Alan Bennett play than a crime thriller.

Psych: Indiana Shawn and the Temple of the Kinda Crappy, Rusty Old Dagger (2012) Season 6, Episode 10

One of the worst things I've ever seen

[1/10 · 3 December 2016]

I guess after so many seasons of great episodes it was bound to happen sooner or later that they would get bored making it. This episode has absolutely nothing of value. Extremely contrived to the point of disbelief and nothing funny or witty whatsoever. Actors just going through the motions. For example, the scene of the tour in the old house where Shawn & Gus are looking for a slot for the dagger-key. Shawn is looking in the cushions of a sofa for the slot. OK thats ridiculous and his usual nonsense, but the stretch it out, it just goes on and on and on. It was so unfunny it became embarrassing. In the rest of the show people just keep appearing and disappearing like magic.

Other than a few recent episodes like this (though not as bad) the show has been excellent.

Pacific Rim (2013)

a badly spoiled masterpiece

[5/10 · 23 September 2016]

I would love to give this 10 out of 10. Its the closest Hollywood has ever come close to realistic manga (with CGI)(AFAIK - the previous Godzilla films were too much Hollywood and not enough manga). Lets face it, the big draw of this film is big robots vs. big monsters a la the well loved Godzilla. Those parts are perfectly implemented. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEM and I'm v.critical. Where the film fails, uncommonly for Del Torro, is the effeminate screenplay and bad acting. Idris Elba & Ron Perlman are excellent but others are wishy-washy and the scientists are terrible - which I cannot believe from the guy who made the excellent Hellboy.

There is way way too much touchy-feely talky talky and girly stuff. The fact the film makers missed was that girly girls are not ever going to flock to giant monster/robot films. So all you managed to do was alienate the majority of the potential audience. I feel VERY VERY let down by the glaring flaws in the run-of-the-mill areas of the film-making.

I really hope the next film plays to its strengths - there's a big worldwide audience for that, and the potential technical achievement of 'reality' Manga is a world first.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

A poor film unless you just like lots of things happening & effects

[3/10 · 29 June 2016]

It HAS got superheroes. It has got non-stop action. It has got special effects. If you like only those, you'll love this film. If you like story that makes sense and is not too contrived, some moral point to a film, and the original comics, you won't. Best not to watch it.

This should actually have been called an Iron Man film, or an Avengers film because a) its mostly about those and b) it ruins the half-decent Cap. America franchise. In addition, all these superhero films are becoming the same. This could have been an X-Men film, there's little difference.

The moral point they tried to make was about who should wield massive power. Sadly, this point was lost in all the contrivances and out of character hero behaviour. They were like a bunch of teenagers having a gang fight in the school playground. The villain story was also far-fetched and highly contrived, and forgettable. Also, sometimes in the film I didn't know who side characters were, but felt I needed to.

Finally, they introduced Spiderman & Black Panther. As a boy my favourite hero was Spiderman. I really didn't care for Iron Man (a guy in a magic suit) or Captain America (a guy that threw a shield for American propaganda - yes' even as a boy I thought that). I haven't liked previous Spiderman films (I didn't hate them). I liked everything about this new Spiderman except for the fact that he's around 13 yrs old and his aunt is about 40. Call me picky, but thats just not Spiderman. Did they really stoop to this just to rope in younger film goers? I liked the Black Panther story-line and the acting, however, his in-costume movements & behaviour were not Panther-like. Another indication that this is just a formulaic offering for a quick buck. There's no love of comic genre here.

The Night Manager (2016–2025)

Excellent but let down by some idiocy mainly in last episode

[5/10 · 18 April 2016]

Really wanted to give it 9/10. If you're someone who can ignore absolutely ridiculous things happening just for an exciting story this will be 9/10, its great, and a breath of fresh air. Great acting great locations and thrilling storyline. Really loved the dangerous gay guy - acting and storyline. However, if your brain stumbles over totally farcical things or uncharacteristic behaviour, you'll have the occasional trouble until the last episode. Until then I'd give it 7/10. For example, the head of a secret service unit is so naive he's not even mildly suspicious about his boss when only a few hours of passing a document to her it ends up in the hands of another department and then the baddies.

But the last episode had too much stupidity for my liking, so only 5/10 for me. It reeks of writers trying so hard to cram in thrills they lose sense of reality or even of the genre. For example, the guy torturing a girl in hotel is told to go kill agents in another room. So whats the most sensible thing to do? Drag the beaten girl around the hotel to the other room. Another one; girl wants to secretly pass boyfriend's safe combination to guy she has regular hushed words with, without her murderous boyfriend noticing. So, the best plan of course is just to bet on those numbers on the roulette table - with her boyfriend standing next to her. The boyfriend who knows the numbers by heart. Its not about her being an ordinary person, who can easily make a mistake. Its about her knowing her boyfriend would brutally murder her if he found out - and therefore would never be so brazen or careless. What a shame.

Grantchester (2014–2025)

The second series is better.

[5/10 · 14 April 2016]

I love period crime dramas. Loved Sherlock Holmes (with Brett) and Poirot (with Suchet). Liked some of Father Brown too, but like that series this one is flawed (unlike Holmes or Poirot). The main problem I have is that in a rush to cater to women and romance (I feel) they have thrown out some common sense. Mainly most things to do with Christianity. Quite odd for a vicar. And added instead emotional baggage to do with the war that conveniently pops up to make women swoon for the lead character. Otherwise, this could be a brilliant series. Series 2 seems to tone it down a bit and focus a bit more on the crimes and is therefore better. There were episodes in series 1 that I just gave up watching due to incredulity, thats why I can only give 5/10. Would have liked to have rated higher.

I don't have any problem with romance and programs that cater to women (or even only for women). I have a problem with throwing common sense out of the window to do it - which is actually insulting to women (like saying women can only cope with Mills & Boon type romantic mush). I really loved Sharp and Hornblower, which were also popular with women. They also managed to pull off some strong female characters (given the male infested nature of the settings) without throwing common sense out and without the lead characters always trying to look sexy-moody.

I'm beginning to think I either don't have any understanding of religion or this program is actually anti-Christian (I'm not Christian nor religious). This vicar, the hero, never consoles any of his flock or any victims of crime with the mention of god or religion. He just wanders around with a puppy-face. In addition, he is carrying on affairs with two women, one of whom is about to get married (so basically destroying that marriage without any serious intentions toward that woman), while having sex with a third. What a nice man. Forgive me for being dense but I thought some sins before Christ happened here. Now, this guy takes confessions, but he doesn't confess himself. Maybe after the war only children could be made vicars? Its all a bit sick and some people are lapping it up. He is the opposite of a hero.

Fortunately, there are the real and quite gritty police, including Geordie (Robson Green), to save the day. And the period features are very well done. The police are made out to be nasty with their harsh treatment of the 'vicar', but I'm on their side. He often hides or makes off with evidence and police files - he needs to be in jail for that. I like that Geordie has a young family and they deal with the real-to-life version of that. The hard life that his wife has to live at home by herself.

True Grit (2010)

Pointless waste.

[4/10 · 13 April 2016]

Cannot think of a single reason this film is better than, or even as good as, the original. Although its well made, the acting good, Bridges great, its just a totally pointless exercise. Watch the original. Re-release the original. It is 100 times better. Its a very good academic example of how you can make money from dumbos pure through marketing. Its like getting Warhol to copy the Mona Lisa and then people paying as much as the original to buy it. They buy it simply because its new and because the original had a reputation. Thats all. The dumbos totally devalue the original work, and thats saying nothing about the people trying to make a quick buck off the backs of the original artists.

Snowpiercer (2013)

A collection of contrived stupid things happening on a dumb train

[4/10 · 13 April 2016]

I'm still trying to figure out how this has got such a high rating. Although some mildly interesting things happen and there is a little bit of good acting (I enjoyed Swinton's comic character), and the set design is great and CGI good, but thats all. The very concept of a perpetual motion engine indicates the level of intelligence involved in the making of this movie. Nobody told them that the only reason people talk about perpetual motion is that its impossible. I expected some clever loop-hole to allow us to ignore that, but no. It sounded nice & clever so they put it in, and that is the method used for everything in this movie. I.e. some schoolboys thought up stuff that sounded cool or emotional so they put it in. And everyone else went along with it cos of the dollar signs Similarly there's no attempt to explain who clears the tracks of avalanches and landslides or who repairs the tracks or the train or where the factory that makes the metal is. There may be a perpetual engine but does that also mean that the wheels and bearings don't wear down? Some people may say I'm nit-picking, but, I'm sorry, I can' help it; my brain stopped accepting that people run down the middle of a road to avoid being run down by a car when I was about 8 years old. I am an adult now and this film is for adults.

Gets 4/10 cos its not utterly repellent, the set design, there is some watchable action and because it was a bold manga-esque idea (and bold ideas are to be encouraged if we don't want to live in a total desert of pop films).

Godzilla (2014)

A film made by 11 yr old minds

[2/10 · 12 April 2016]

There is nothing of any value in this film. Its boring. The CGI Godzilla monster was believable. Thats the only positive thing I can say here. I've given it higher than 1/10 simply for not being repellent. I would recommend people re-watch ANY of the old Godzilla films rather than this. Even if its a drunken party viewing. I liked many old B-movies, some that were really bad. So its nothing to do with the quality of the story, or making sense, or anything. They at least all had something; tension, likable characters, over-acting, really rubbish effects, etc. This film simply has nothing. And as its a modern film you'd think they'd update with all the latest military technology, but no. Also the MOTU monsters were pathetic. The only worthwhile acting was Cranston (his usual), but he was hardly in it. I really have no idea why they even thought about making this. Maybe they thought they'd just make money from the name Godzilla. So glad I did not go to cinema to watch it.

Dredd (2012)

Great film but Dredd could have been more menacing

[7/10 · 8 April 2016]

Love Dredd comic and this was a good portrayal, especially of Anderson. Liked the film. Liked the way things were translated into the real world from the comic but still managed to keep the look & story of the comic. Only criticism is Dredd was not menacing enough for me. In the comic no ordinary citizen wanted to draw the attention of a judge. Dredd particularly. He is basically a Dirty Harry robot. In this portrayal the robot part was good but he could have been harder - not the acting but the portrayal. For example the scene with perp holding hostage - some clever pauses or slo-mo showing emotions on faces & terror of realisation by the perp would have been good.

Deadpool (2016)

its good if you like comics not if you like x-men movies

[7/10 · 7 April 2016]

I'm not a fan-boy of anything so I don't give 10/10 for anything I liked slightly. So 7/10 is a good review from me. There was only a couple of times I found my mind wandering in this. There were times I found the wisecracking annoying, but I did not mind that because it was supposed to be annoying. I liked the comic book style. For example, we spend a lot of time in silly dialogue with a taxi driver while ignoring the main plot - just as you'd expect in a comic of this nature.

I found the story to be interesting and sufficiently different from other hero films to make it worthwhile (some reminiscences of Watchmen - which I enjoyed). I found the main villain also to be good; robotic in his evil as to be expected but also in some ways human (in a "its nothing personal friend but I'm forced to hurt you now" kind of way). The villain side-kick is also quite a scary woman. The involvement of the x-men was rightfully a side-issue as this was the story of Deadpool.

On the whole its slightly more artistic than the usual pulp superhero movie, as was Watchmen and dare I say it, Guardians of the Galaxy (but more adult than either of those).

Ant-Man (2015)

very good but last half hour turns into Disney farce

[5/10 · 7 April 2016]

Its very good until the defeating the villain begins, then it turns into a Disney movie farce - Herbie defeats the baddies. Although the clichés of super hero stories are to be expected, they're not expected to be handled in such ham-fisted way (i.e. very noticeably). We all expect the villain to escape just when things were going well and then return with the super weapon so we can have the final battle to save the world. But one has to suspend disbelief when the hero turns his back on the villain who is just standing around waiting to shoot everyone, just to pamper a buddy who got an owie. What a shame. And as usual the movie was hyped up by Hollywood beyond expectations.

Lucky Man (2016–2018)

Lot of potential at start but suspension of disbelief needed

[4/10 · 20 March 2016]

As other reviewers indicated, it had a lot of potential at the start but the suspension of disbelief gets more and more as episodes progress. I started off with 7/10 rating but this has dropped to 4/10. I managed to stick with it until episode 6 but really can't stand to watch anymore. The contrivances have turned it into a humourless pantomime. Whoever wrote and directed this lives in cloud cuckoo land as far as policing (and even common sense goes) - possibly the way things were done in '60s popular shows (when the public knew no better). The method of policing we see is: find some hearsay, arrest and accuse the alleged perpetrator very loudly, run into things without any backup and collect no evidence, get shouted at by horrible boss for there being no evidence, alleged perpetrator (who we really hate) gets released by horrible possibly evil boss, we are all supposed to be sympathetic with the heroes.

Here's an example of disbelief: cops raid container yard; one cop runs off chasing bad guy; isn't seen or heard from since for 12 hours; no-one bothers to do anything, his partner apparently tried to get him on his cell and thats all. By the way, he was kidnapped by a baddie from the container yard. This is a senior police officer going missing during work and no-one bats an eyelid - very convenient. If only this was an isolated incident, those of us who actually have a working brain could get into the fantasy.

Another issue I have is that all the actors/cops seem to be playing characters from children's TV, apart from Nesbitt. Especially his partner played by Karan. Its very difficult to imagine a children's TV presenter as a cop. The baddies on the other hand are well played, as are the side characters, especially Jing Lusi and Omid Jalili. The side characters are played with a lot of real-life angst - like the waiter whose family is being threatened by crooks. Nesbitt plays himself as usual and for some reason that always works well.

Its a shame because the novelty is that its a Marvel Hero based in London. Its refreshing; the city, the stories, the characters, and the British production.