rjbrownmalta Reviews

Love in the Villa (2022)

Somewhat over-corked!

[4/10 · 5 September 2022]

Was tempted to give a much lower score, but confess to actually enjoying much of the movie, though it could have done with a more appealing and less dislikable female lead. Shame Kat Graham did not get lost with her luggage on arrival in Italy.

Don't ask why Tom Hopper barely seems to have more than one outfit in the entire film, nor why Kat Graham after all her costume purchases, departs for the airport, with barely more than hand luggage

Ignore the cliche's and the half-hearted subplot about trying to screw an almost bankrupt winery out of its profits and enjoy the scenery with a large glass( or three) of decent red wine in hand.

Summer of Rockets (2019)

Keeps one guessing....but for what?

[6/10 · 10 June 2019]

//Warning Spoilers//

Beautifully shot, building its plot steadily and catching the fears of the Cold War albeit somewhat laboriously, Summer of Rockets goes off the rails in the final episode, with an almost farcical ending, not least in the resolving of the mystery around Anthony and a failed coup attempt brought abruptly to an end by a rather sad TV comedy.

The cast is top notch, though nearly everyone speaks with a slowness of pace and an extreme level of intensity, which is almost unreal, but forces you to concentrate more on words, as opposed to actions.

Sadly as with too many series these days, you leave feeling that you have been unable to scoop all of the ice cream out of the tub.

Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father (2017–2021)

Interesting diversion

[7/10 · 4 November 2017]

Watched all six episodes in one day, having never been hugely familiar with Jack and Michael Whitehall prior. Liked the series for a number of reasons, not least that in the main, it avoided going to many of the obvious tourist attractions. It was well filmed too. The banter and relationship between father and soon, was initially highly amusing, though last some of its sharpness as the series progressed, before delivering some quite serious and touching messages at the end. Parts were clearly quite heavily staged and we could have easily done without the rather sorry driving lesson towards the end of the series, which was all too obviously planned for effect. Far more entertaining and informed than the vast majority of so called reality series, that proliferate our screens today.