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Reviews
Krigsseileren (2022)
Heart-in-your-throat Moving
I'm partial to films based on historic events and facts. The dramatizations give us a glimpse into how those events affected individual lives, lending a better understanding of the past and the present.
The high quality production values of this series include a delicately understated script (always a favorite), compelling performances, and sensitive direction. The friendship between the two main characters struggling to follow their better angels is a haunting backdrop to the horrors of war.
The heartbreaking denouement is a reminder of the persistent scars and lifelong consequences for veterans and the society at large. The film is not an indictment of war, but rather the aggressor.
Parfum (2018)
Perfume: It Smells Like Misogyny
The storyline is undeniably clever, albeit far fetched, but the film at least deserves credit for originality. The pace is slow, with some scenes adding little or nothing to the plot.
Watching this series might (maybe should) make you feel guilty. Nearly all of the major characters are fatally flawed and completely unsympathetic. That's really a failure, because once you know the story, it would be appropriate to have empathy for the characters.
But the primary annoyance with this series is the raw misogyny. It seems unhealthy watching women depicted so negatively and treated so brutally. I'm not sure what anyone could possibly take away from this series.
Heartstopper (2022)
Smitten!
We watched 10 minutes of the first episode earlier this year and stopped because we thought it was teen scene TV. Recently we watched the full first episode on a lark and, well, boy were we wrong! Sure, it may appeal to teens, but it should appeal to everyone with a thoughtful mind and a compassionate heart.
Everything here clicks. The script is stellar and the young actors deliver their lines with a knowing maturity that suggests craftsmanship far beyond their years. The lead characters are painfully sympathetic and the storyline feels authentic and is very moving. You may find yourself a bit embarrassed by the fuzzy joy you take in the seemingly silly embellishments (they're not).
This is a series that is suitable for the entire family and it provides a great platform for meaningful discussion on sometimes difficult topics.
The End of the F***ing World (2017)
Dark Humor and Stark Hope Intersect
If you're an empath, you'll love this series, and for all of the right reasons. Even if you're not, you'll like this series for its originality and craftsmanship.
All of the characters are rawly drawn, particularly the two central principals. Alex Lawther, who plays James, the protagonist, delivers lines with a knowing, emotional intelligence far beyond his years. Jessica Barden, who plays Alysa (intentionally misspelled in the spirit of the series), delivers heartbreaking pathos as his fitful companion.
Together, these two young stars make magic, thanks to a captivating and sensitive script, artful direction, and creative filming and editing. But mostly, this is a series for people who want memorable characters and a compelling story.
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
You will think about this film for days.
Avoid regret and stay with it. This film starts with a brief mashup of what feels like standup, documentary, and live concert. What follows is an inspired interpretation of an astonishing story that draws you in slowly and relentlessly, almost against your will. The pain and joy you feel along the way are authentic ... true relationships and actual events that can make fiction seem frivolous.
Performer Andrew Garfield creates an energy and passion in his portrayal of real-life composer Jonathan Larson that leaves you in a hazy space between exhausted and exhilarated. The storyline itself and the cast of insanely talented performers is a somber and soulful reminder that there is far more artistic talent in this world than there is demand for it.
Finally, this film leaves you with a sense of urgency to live and to love as though there is no tomorrow. Because there may not be.
PS: Created my account specifically to write this review.