robwhitlam Reviews

Videodrome (1983)

Clever but cold...

[6/10 · 3 April 2022]

Have just watched the uncut version of this for the first time since watching the original on video, shortly after first release. Even having seen the rise of VR in many fields and recognising the prophetic aspects of Videodrome, do I appreciate it more as a film? No, not really... Although clever, I didn't develop any interest in the characters (who are all poorly realised or just plain unlikeable), what they're doing or why. I am no stranger to arthouse films but this film is interesting but simply not a fully rounded film.

Cronenberg's The Fly was much better, though was that partly because Jeff Goldblum emotes more warmth and has more range than James Woods?

Passengers (I) (2016)

Critics know nothing!

[9/10 · 26 October 2021]

I've watched and enjoyed this film three times now and will probably watch it many more times. A beautifully told tale with engagingly warm and genuinely human performances from its small cast. The expansive, authentic-seeming set & outer space effects create a genuine feeling of isolation and helplessness in the great expanse.

A great film, horribly underrated. Not a film for anyone craving a Marvel film-type fix, though!

Ghosts of War (2020)

Imaginative & scary!

[9/10 · 14 November 2020]

I watched this last night and was really impressed by the imagination and skill that went into its making. I came on IMDB to see how it was received and wow, aren't there a lot of viewers that want their film to follow a familiar pattern! As another reviewer said, probably too much has been said on here about the film's content, but it all makes sense if you're willing to hang on, pay attention and not get all indignant, feeling like the filmmaker has set out to make a "fool" of you (Jesus!!). I won't say more, other than see it if you like a spooky story. It delivers more than 90% of the genre.

Land of the Lost (2009)

Fantastic Ferrell!

[9/10 · 20 August 2018]

Thankfully, I had no preconceptions about this film as, to the best of my knowledge, the TV series wasn't shown in the UK. The baggage some of the reviewers here seem to be burdened by cheated them of appreciating a truly hilarious film: I just viewed it as a pastiche of those type of adventure series, with all the stereotypical characters present and accounted for. Between the brilliant bookending chat show experiences of Farrell's character the action is a wild ride of events with Farrell as the deadly earnest but forever backfooted hero. Blood sucking insects, Farrell reluctantly (at first!) considering having to eat the companion that had become a thorn in his side and, yes, an episode around dinosaur urine all had myself and my teenage daughters laughing and squirming throughout. So glad I stumbled across this hidden and criminally underrated (by some) film and I feel sorry and frustrated about those who just don't get it. You guys probably wouldn't appreciate Pride and Prejudice and Zombies either, but it's your loss!

For All Mankind (1989)

One of a Kind

[10/10 · 28 July 2015]

I own about a dozen documentaries covering the moon landings, being someone who remembers the endeavour from Apollo 8 onwards (collecting the newspaper clippings and building my plastic Saturn V) and this is easily the most watched in my collection. The atmospheric soundtrack allied with the voice-overs from the actual Apollo astronauts and flight controllers raise this above the others, giving a real insight into how it felt to be creating history. It's a great shame that some reviewers have seen fit to mark down this film because it doesn't do what the majority of the other documentaries do. For All Mankind is one of a kind and all the better for that.