Holly_OHara Reviews

Making a Monster (2020)

Self-congratulatory nonsense

[4/10 · 23 December 2021]

Of course the ubiquitous Paul Britton rocks up in this, telling us how he was the one who informed the police that there would be more than two bodies under the patio of 25 Cromwell Street. It's funny, because no other material on the Wests credits him with that perceptive statement.

What really bothers me about this series is the re-enactments. Rose's younger versions still look like the frumpy housewife she is most associated with after her arrest, rather than teenager she was at the time of meeting Fred and being stepmum to Charmaine and Anne-Marie. As for Charmaine, the girl who plays her is white! Even the photo of the real Charmaine is heavily filtered, erasing her Asian heritage. Really poor decision from the producers.

As another reviewer says, there is nothing that this show adds to the genre. It's a lot of very well educated people who should know better, sitting around congratulating themselves on their superior understanding of the human psyche.

Robin Robin (2021)

Beautiful animation, but otherwise strange and unengaging story

[4/10 · 6 December 2021]

Clearly I am in the minority here as so many others seem to have adored this and I will admit that the animation is, of course, visually stunning. This is nothing less than we have come to expect from Aardman. The story - about fitting in and finding one's place in the world - falls flat to me. There is not enough to really invoke empathy with Robin's plight at the beginning. Instead, she is just clumsy and there is a limit to the hilarity of knocking over glasses and causing chaos. In fact, none of the characters really draw you in. We don't see enough of the mouse family to care about them, the magpie was just weird and the cat was, predictably, an evil predator that also inexplicably understood Robin's motivation and used this against her to crush her spirit. The film somehow smacks you in the face with its message while still failing to land its punch.

The songs, such as they were, did not really justify calling this a musical and you'll struggle to remember any of them past the end credits. I was just bored with the whole thing and by the halfway point, I couldn't wait to get to the end (I was watching with others or I suspect I would have given up).

As I said, almost everyone else seems to think this is the next Christmas classic and I'm glad they got that level of enjoyment from it, but it's been taken off my watchlist and won't be a Christmas staple for me.

Friends 25th: The One With The Anniversary (2019)

No wonder there is no plot synopsis...

[1/10 · 9 December 2019]

Appallingly cynical marketing attempt to play on fans' loyalty and eagerness for an actual reunion. I went with my partner, who is the actual Friends fan in the relationship, and he was massively apologetic when it became increasingly apparent that we were just going to watch episode after episode of a series we could just stay at home to watch, for FREE!

I couldn't even understand the episode choices - episode 1 was the only obvious pick, but everything else just seemed randomly selected from series one. This "movie" is nothing but a rip off and Warner Brothers should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

They're in trouble, they're out of trouble...

[2/10 · 10 February 2005]

... and so the film appears to continue in the same vein, repeating this pattern every half an hour or so.

I am a pretty patient person - I don't need loads of action or constant surprises to keep me on the edge of my seat. However, I do appreciate a semblance of a storyline. I am told by friends that the reason I didn't enjoy this film was because i haven't read the book, but to me, this is simply not good enough as an explanation. Yes, we all know that this film is an adaptation of a famous book, but shouldn't the aim of the director then be to draw in new fans, as well as bring the book to life for those who have read the book??

I was so disappointed with this - I don't buy into hype, but I did expect a good bit of escapism with this film. Unfortunately, as already mentioned, I failed to find anything that could retain my attention. And, from a person who gets irritated if people so much as sneeze during films: I began a conversation with the person sitting next to me halfway through the film and continued to do so sporadically, whilst simultaneously checking the timer on the DVD player, wondering when my own ordeal would come to an end...

I honestly cannot remember how this ends, so no chance of spoilers from me - suffice to say, it doesn't matter in my case, as I have no plans to watch the sequels.

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

This is what Shakespeare would have wanted...

[9/10 · 26 January 2005]

This is the film to blow away all those cobwebs of Shakespeare-as-it's-taught-at-school and show people how The Bard should really be enjoyed. I watched this film when it was first released and ignorantly didn't even realise it WAS a Shakespeare story until the opening credits appeared. My initial panic turned to pleasant surprise though, as I found myself laughing out loud and really getting into the story.

This is one of Shakespeare's comedy romps with all the vital ingredients: comic idiot characters, villains, and of course, young lovers, whose path of true love does not run smooth.

Kenneth Branagh stars and directs, and you really get the feel for how passionate he is about Shakespeare's plays. The whole cast seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves for entire film (apart from Keanu Reeves - possibly frustrated at his failure to produce an English accent, or possibly because he plays the baddie of the piece) which in turn transfers to the audience. The sunny climate and beautiful setting add to this, and by the end of the film, you wish you were there with them, dancing and singing forever in a land where all is bright and lively! This really is a great feel-good film, ideal for when you need a bit of a pick-me-up. It is also the perfect introduction to Shakespeare - it totally converted me!

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Absolutely Gorgeous

[9/10 · 26 January 2005]

For those who remember being forced to endure Shakespeare at school as a dusty, dry and thoroughly tedious affair, Shakespeare in Love is the film to change your mind! From start to finish, the film is colourful and captivating, and the audience is made quite aware of the tongue-in-cheek attitude with which it has been made. There are light-hearted references throughout regarding Shakespeare and his contemporaries, but even if you are a complete Shakespeare ignoramus, this won't hinder your enjoyment.

Joseph Fiennes is stunning as the besotted Will Shakespeare and Gwyneth Paltrow's Viola convincingly balances the fine line between genteel Elizabethan Lady and feisty young woman. Supporting roles by Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush and Tom Wilkinson add some excellent comedy touches. The performance of Romeo and Juliet within the film itself is the icing on the cake.

I would equate the experience of watching SiL to watching a live theatrical performance - you are whisked away in a world of colour and splendour for 2 hours and you almost don't want to leave. I adore this movie (in case you hadn't noticed) and recommend it as pure escapism for anyone.

The Wedding Singer (1998)

The Worst film I have ever had to endure

[1/10 · 17 January 2005]

I watched this film for two reasons: I was told from a variety of quarters that it was great and I have a soft spot for the music and fashions of the decade I grew up in. I cannot put into words just how disappointed I was by the time I had sat through it. The storyline could be predicted by a four year old, with every new 'plot development' leaping in front of the camera like a camera-hungry wannabe long before the script called for it. The jokes, such as I could define them, were also set up with scaffolding just in case the audience might fail to notice them.

Yes, some aspects of the 80s are indeed laughable, however, to devise an entire movie around this 'joke' is really scraping the barrel. The Wedding Singer was on TV about a year ago and I wondered if I should give it another try - perhaps I had been too harsh before. But no, in fact, it was worse on the second viewing and I actually found I could not watch another second... it was just too cringeworthy.

West Side Story (1961)

Great songs, great story - but see it on stage

[6/10 · 8 January 2005]

This is the modern day Romeo and Juliet tale of two lovers who try to overcome the rivalries between the gangs they are from. The are also themes of the gang hostilities themselves, the relationships between other central characters such as the gang leaders and the sentiments of socially disadvantaged youth trying to find their own way in the world. This is all brought to life with the help of some original and memorable songs, including 'Tonight', 'America' and 'I Feel Pretty', to name but a few.

I absolutely adore the stage version of this musical, so I was eager to watch the film. Obviously it stayed reasonably true to the script, although it was disorientating to hear a few of the songs sung in completely different parts of the film. The other problem is that it has not aged well. Many of the colours (both set and costume) just look garish today. Additionally, some of the acting seems a little overcooked, especially from Tony, the male lead.

Having said that, the overall messages of the story, as well as the fantastic songs, do provide for enjoyable viewing and it is incredibly moving. However, (and I really am not being snobby!) I would recommend a trip to a theatre to watch it on stage if you want to get the full impact of this musical.