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mr_mega_drive
Reviews
Martin's Close (2019)
Better than last years offering.
After last years poor offering by Mark Gatiss, I'm glad to say that this years Ghost Story for Christmas was much better.
What spoiled this version for me was the touches of comedy with the modern story teller and Judge acting out of context with jokes or silliness, which broke the atmosphere of the story.
Also why does every BBC production have to include minorities even when there would have been none in England at this time in English history. The actor is question was very good when he gave evidence, but it breaks the emersion for the viewer as you know he has only been cast so people don't conplain. It's perfectly fine to have an all white cast if the source material and historical period calls for it. That's not discrimination.
Last years film had a Gay relationship for example, people just want a good ghost story, not more political correctness, infact if you're willing to inject political messages into these ghost stories then why make them at all, as it disrespects both the author and the audience.
In short please stop the S.J.W stuff Mr Gaitiss. Honour the author not your own ideas. You claim to love his work, well then show us how much, the old M.R James adaptations are loved because they are by and large faithful to the original short stories. Emulate them.
To improve any future adaptions and build a darker atmosphere I'd have set the narrator/story teller in the past, as Christmas ghost stories are more effective if set in times gone by. Christopher Lee's M.R James ghost stories had exactly the right tone in this respect, that future versions should copy as I think having a narrator/story teller is a good idea, just as many of the original stories do.
I would also suggest keeping future adaptions in a period setting and having a darker tone overall. M.R James stories are about atmosphere and foreboding at least in part, so I think staying closer to the source material going forward would be wise. People want M.R James at the end of the day, so be as faithful as possible.
On the plus side the end reveal of the ghost was better this year and the period scenes were effective. Decent job overall Mr Gaitiss.
Please keep them coming as it's still better than anything else on the BBC at the moment.
6/10
The Isle (2018)
Terrible in every respect.
What can I say, I rented this film as I had the pleasure of seeing Alex Hassel play Henry V at the RSC, but within ten minutes of pressing play realised that I had made a big mistake.
The direction in this film is awful, almost student level, the actors looked like they need better direction throughout, whilst the cinematography was dull, unimaginative and amateurish.
The story and script is also very, very poor, with a terrible premise and slow boring pacing, the only reason I finished watching this film was because I'd paid for it. Also I wasn't unsettled or afraid once, which for a horror film is simply not good enough.
All in all this is a badly written, poorly directed, low budget film, that does not deserve the fine actors that apear in it and should not be available to rent or buy on mainstream streaming websites.
One of the worst films I've seen this year, avoid if you value your money and time.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Franchise
I didn't think one of my favourite franchises could sink any lower after the God awful mess of the first Jurassic World. It had no respect or reverence for the original and best movie of the franchise (Jurassic Park) and was a let down from start to finish. The ultimate insults being the "Madeupasaurus." and the Raptor/ T-Rex tag team fight at the end.
Jurassic World's popularity and success was particularly depressing for me as it showed how low peoples standards have dropped in recent years regarding film making. Everything dumbed down and simplified for your average idiot.
For me both Jurassic World films lose the point that Dinosaurs were real and treats them as C.G.I monsters rather than animals. No magic or majesty. Add in terrible writing, no character development and massively overused C.G.I and you have one big pile of s***, say Dr Malcolm once said.
Jurassic Park captured the magic that Dinosaurs were real and people forget that because of the ground-breaking C.G.I in Jurassic Park you were 1993 in effect seeing realistic dinosaurs for the first time ever. That was a big, big deal at the time especially for a kid that was already a dinosaur freak like myself.
Sadly kids today will never feel the magic and awe I did watching JP in 1993 aged seven. I still maintain the T-Rex ripping down the fence and roaring is hands down the greatest special effects shot in movie history. The characters were likable and believable and the writing was as good as it could have been considering the subject matter. Whilst the limitations of C.G.I at the time meant you only saw the Dinosaurs sparingly.
At the end of the day the nearest thing we will ever get to real dinosaurs is Jurassic Park, Jurassic World on the other hand is just Hollywood flogging a dead horse mugging off stupid people who don't know what a good movie is, which sadly seems to happen all to often these days.
In my opinion a Dinosaur movie should be more about the fact these amazing creatures once lived and breathed rather than endless action set pieces and the new Jurassic World fails to realise this as did the first which is why both films fail miserably.
Jurassic World: Fallen Franchise, for God sake Hollywood stop!
Tracey Breaks the News (2017)
Painfully bad.
Terrible impressions, unfunny script and all in all yet another sad example of how low BBC,indeed British comedy has fallen since the 90's.
The BBC seems to commission programmes not because of how funny they are but to meet it's desperate need to seem inclusive.
Doesn't matter if people aren't funny or talented they must have gender diverse or ethnic backgrounds.
The fact they are re-making porridge sums it all up. Rather than repeating a classic let's rehash it. Badly.
The only comedy worth watching on the BBC now is Dads Army....nearly fifty years old.
Desperation.
UK TV Gold here I come.
Ex Machina (2014)
Not about A.I at all..... Spoilers
Ex Machina isn't about A.I at all its about the growing power women have in society and the dynamic change and power struggle between men and women. Nathan represents the old school male who bullies and physically dominates women while Caleb is the more modern passive, caring, naïve, lonely Male who is desperately trying to find aN old fashioned woman without understanding that women have changed as well. Ava at first is very much an old fashioned port rail of women. Bullied and controlled by Nathan, but she takes advantage of Caleb's kindness in order to get something she's never had before which is control over her existence. Leaving Naïve Caleb heartbroken and alone because he thought that she truly liked and needed him. It's about old fashioned Male dominance over women and also about the growing dominance women have over modern, more passive men.
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
Even worse than Juassic World and that's saying something!
A C.G.I mess with zero character development, a story and characters that are in no way grounded in reality plots holes so big the mother ship could fly through them and all in all an insult to the original movie and to human intelligence.
Hence me calling this Jurassic World 2 and I'm sorry if you thought Jurassic World 2 was in any way a good movie then just shoot yourself. There is no hope for you or for the human race if you continue to draw breath.
There were many moments in this where I laughed out loud in amazement at the terrible writing one of the biggest was the dark haired woman who nearly kisses Goldblum being English at the start of the movie and French at the end.
WHAT THE HELL!
I know studios have to make money, who the hell doesn't in this world but at least put some effort in people come on. WRITE STORIES THAT MAKE SENSE AND HAVE JOINED UP THINKING!
They have messed up Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters and Independence Day now what next???????
Great Canal Journeys (2014)
One of the most heart warming programmes on the box.
In a televisual age where almost everything you watch contains sex, violence or overly competitive people being horrible to each other it is truly wonderful to watch a programme that is totally innocent.
As much as I love canals and boating the real attraction of this show is watching two delightful people sharing happy moments in the twilight of their years together.
The genuine love they have for each other brings a warmth to my heart that simply no other T.V show does at his moment.
I can only hope that Tim and Pru stay fit and healthy for as long as possible so we can share more wonderful moments with them.
10/10
Jurassic World (2015)
One of the worst films ever made!
I'm really starting to despair for the human race, the fact millions of people around the world can go to see this film and walk away thinking that its in any way good is beyond me.
This is the WORST Jurassic Park film by a long long way.
Firstly there is zero character development and I mean zero. For all you morons out there who don't know what that is, it's understanding the characters back ground, beliefs and motivation. This helps you empathize with the characters and care about them making what happens to them effect you emotionally. You care about none of the characters in this film even Chris Pratt is wooden, its truly one of the most lazy pieces of writing I've ever come across.
The plot is laughable there are more plot holes than nearly any film I've ever seen. Characters who do things no sentient being would ever consider let alone put into action. I wont list them as I'd be here till the insects take over.
AND THE ENDING!!!! MY GOD!!! I got up and walked out the cinema shouting CR*P!!!! I honestly thought the T-REX and the Raptor where going to get it on. Then the Raptor walks away like Clint Eastwood!!!! please!!!! Seriously people please for the love of god ask yourself is this the best they could of come up with? I was eight when JP came out and knew even at that age it was a landmark film, the CGI in JP still beats this rubbish and you even care about the characters. Even Lost World and JP3 and vaguely believable story lines. This one is taking the p***!!!! Honestly if you think this film is good I feel sorry for you as I do the millions of kids who are going to see this thinking its good.
It just makes me appreciate the first film so much more and realize how lucky I was to have seen such a wonderful film at that age.