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Reviews
Fake (2024)
Good but too slowly paced
This series about a journalist Birdie (Asher Keddie) who dates a compulsive liar and fantasist (David Wenham) has great characters, actors and script, but needs more drama. Maybe cliff hangars. So the anxious, reserved Birdie spends this whole series having huge and justifiable doubts about her charming, enigmatic new boyfriend's claims about money, his ex-wife, work and his past, and how Birdie puts up with his constant unreliability and grand plans that sizzle out. I thought that the whole premise of the show was that's Birdie does eventually start looking into her boyfriend's shonky life, realising he's a fake and calling him out. But this first season avoids that, maybe to string the program out into a second season. If there is one made. But it means that the first season gets repetitive, in that the boyfriend continually fails to show up to important functions, cancels at the last minute or cuts it short. Or he says he is buying a mansion but decides not to, making up semi-plausible excuses. Each time, there are close ups of a panicked Birdie trying to phone him but only getting voicemail. What the series needs is more tension, more of Birdie making big discoveries. The series is interesting in that it points out that on dates, we cannot predict who the other person might turn out to be. And that Birdie all too readily believes or forgives her lover's bad behaviour because she fears being alone.
Maybe also it would have helped to see a little of the boyfriend's perspective. How he rationalises being so opaque and stuffing Birdie around.
Back to Black (2024)
Interesting film about an enigmatic woman
I am not sure why this film has been slagged so much here. Maybe because Amy Winehouse drew so much attention in her short life that we all have an opinion about her.
I've seen two documentaries about the young jazz and pop singer but this film takes us 'behind the scenes' to her family and love life.
Star actor Marisa Abela is excellent in bringing Amy to life, with the right voice and singing.
The support cast is perfect, including Eddie Marsan as Amy's outspoken father, and the brilliant Lesley Manville as Amy's cherished grandmother. And Jack O'Donnell as Amy's husband Blake Civil Fielder brings a boisterous charm to the role. Civil Fielder was blamed somewhat for being a bad influence on Amy. But the film is quite good to him.
All up, a good film.
Cabrini (2024)
Brilliant film - highly recommended
The danger with this film, about the deservedly saintly nun Francesca Cabrini, would have been if it got too hagiographic or schmaltzy. And while at times it does seem a tiny bit fawning, what saves it is lead actress Christiana Dell'Anna and the script portraying Cabrini as an extremely smart, stubborn, spirited woman who refused to take no for an answer and who knew how to do good works. She acted, not just talked, about helping the poor and sick. And instead of cowering or being defeated by adversity, she came at it from another direction. She was a phenomenal woman. Imagine all the lives she saved and people she inspired.
The supporting cast is great, too. Even when the New York mayor, or the Pope or the New York archbishop and blocking the dreams of Cabrini, you can see why they feel that way, such as ignorance or sexism or politics. And Cabrini also had this insight. The actress shows how the nun deftly played these situations like a chess game. And she did not quit.
It's one of the best movie bio subjects ever and a great tribute to a legendary woman.
Meet the Fockers (2004)
Not great, but not bad
Most of the cast in this farcical comedy go all-out to be funny. Barbra Streisand, as the groom's sex therapist mother, goes over the top to be embarrassingly touchy-feely at all times, and she is funny, and as her husband, Dustin Hoffman is an able sidekick, if eclipsed by La Streisand.
Robert De Niro is great as the uptight paranoid father in law. As his wife, Blythe Danner is sweet but under-written. Ben Stiller as the groom is the usual put-upon schmuck while Teri Polo as his young bride is again under-written and more a straight role. It is not a great movie, but it is watchable and well scripted and directed.
Vera (2011)
It's a pleasure to watch
The writers of Vera set themselves dizzyingly high standards. Every episode of this grassroots detective series is like a movie, with complex characters and intricate plots. But it is always clear what is happening and who is who. The creators manage to make the most of the north of England landscape and old buildings. Of course, Brenda Blethyn as Detective Vera Stanhope has got the X factor in spades. She's riveting. There is crisp delivery of her admittedly excellent lines, her intelligence and best of all, a grandmotherly aura that means suspects grossly underestimate her abilities. Love the many inserts of humour. But the tone of the drama is never patronising of its audience or overly soppy or obvious. The scriptwriters must be a crack team, and they obviously love the character. I only dip in and out of this series but it never lets you down in terms of giving you a good story, that is well told.
You, Me and Dupree (2006)
Another movie about men
I really like Owen Wilson. And this is a great plot for a comedy. A loser friend, Dupree, imposes outrageously on a newlywed couple, staying at their house, being lewd and loud and taking over their lives. They're too nice and confused to resist. The movie gets off to a fast paced, funny start but loses momentum half way through. It's not inventive enough. But the most annoying thing is that once again women are there as ornaments and love interests. Kate Hudson is perfect for the role of the wife, Molly. But the movie is mostly about Wilson's antics and while he is funny, he hogs the limelight. Kirk Douglas, as Molly's father and Carl's boss, is not that funny and a bit boring, always talking about business.
Breaking Bad (2008)
You get addicted to it
While I have reservations about how Breaking Bad depicts the humour and humanity of drug dealers, I guess that's the point. These people are human and for various reasons choose this path. Instead of faceless evil monsters, there are more grey areas. We get an insight into what might be the everyday lives behind the TV footage we see of arrests and court cases. The script and directing are first class and the actors are great. The series does not treat viewers like idiots. I really like the FBI guy. He is a bit goofy and gung ho but his heart is in the right place. Walter, the anti-hero, is a great character but at times it stretches belief how he gets away with various atrocities. His young dealer buddy is a funny and interesting guy although hopelessly addicted and aimless in his life. The wife of Walter, Skyler, is depicted as intelligent and idiosyncratic. I am only five episodes in so I will wait and see how the series pans out. So far it is very watchable.
The Glorias (2020)
Beautifully filmed and well acted biopic
For much of her life, Gloria Steinem seemed a fully formed celebrity. You would be forgiven for assuming she was from some big, rich, privileged family and had the luxury of doing whatever she wanted in life. So it was really interesting to see that Steinem had two very unusual and intelligent parents who she loved and who were unconventional and had their own troubles. As a young Steinem, Alicia Vikander is amazing. It is a very affectionate and reverent film, but also very informative, intelligent and respectful. It is very useful to see how Steinem had to cope with openly sexist newspaper colleagues, and how she came from an era when not much was expected from women other than to be pretty bunnies, like when she worked at the Playboy club, or homemakers. The film shows how courageous and incredibly confident Steinem was, in saying 'no' to people trying to steer her towards various paths in life. Her two year trip to India was life changing and amazing in itself. The shots of Steinem as a child are really well done. Affectionate and interesting. Overall, this is a really good film.
ABBA: Against the Odds (2024)
Unashamedly for fans, but good
I like how this doco largely is narrated by ABBA themselves. It is slavishly even-handed and tries to be sympathetic to Agnetha, who at the height of their fame had two children but had to tour extensively. Oh, and go through a divorce.
I like the music they play, especially the unusual sessions like the TV special with Olivia Newton-John and Andy Gibb. The program exaggerates how tough ABBA had it - I mean, they got very rich and millions adored them. What more did they want? Still, it is quite touching when Anni-Frid and Agnetha are asked are they happy and they say life has ups and downs, and "some of the time".
I love the bit about them singing Chiquitita in Spanish.
This is very much a promotion, but it is entertaining.
Women Who Rock (2022)
Good effort to look at rock music woman
The critics of this show are too harsh. Do they realise how hard it would be to get top rock stars, who live far and wide, to be interviewed? It would have been a logistical nightmare.
But they manage to snare a succession of great artists like Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Tina Weymouth, Kate Pearson, Shania Twain, Sheryl Crowe, Ann and Nancy Wilson and Pat Benatar.
That's a pretty good line-up!
You also realise just how hard these woman would have had to work to overcome the sexist culture of rock amid male musicians, producers, fans, etc.
And to be taken seriously.
Often they would have been the only woman performer in their bands. Chaka Khan tells how she would remind her band that she was boss.
I'm glad this doco recognises a very confident, brave array of women.
Hill Street Blues (1981)
A fantastic, big-hearted, eloquent drama series
This series was one of those rare gems. It was funny, poignant, intelligent, entertaining and you loved the characters. It was on par with MASH, Cagney and Lacey, Law and Order and St Elsewhere as being dramatic and popular without losing its integrity. It had class, which is a factor sadly missing from a lot of TV drama. Too many TV series were much more concerned about car chases and looking good than having a plausible and engrossing plot. But Hill Street Blues smashed that convention. It never assumed its audience was stupid. I was a little young to follow every episode at the time, but I remember warming to the wonderfully well rounded and well written characters and gritty plots and locations. You responded emotionally to what was going on, on screen, and it felt like the characters were real, or could be real. Hill Street Blues was justly lauded for its scripts and acting. It is justly remembered as being one of the best police series of all time.
Shakespeare, Rise of a Genius (2023)
Has so much potential, but falls short
This series tries to cram in Shakespeare's entire life and art, and so thus comes across as over-wrought, rushed and a bit flashy. It is made with passion, and I love the actors and experts helping narrate the story. The re-enactments try hard, but again are too rushed and earnest. The music is too intrusive, as if it wants to ratchet up the tension. I understood what the story were saying, and I did learn quite a bit. But I feel the script could have done with more work. The lighting is dank and drab - yes I know it was a plague era, but I can't believe Queen Elizabeth's court would be so poorly lit. Still, you realise how terrified Shakespeare and his actors must have been to perform for the Queen, in an era where she could have sent them for punishment for their subversive and semi-political, if historical, plays.
A Murder in the Family: Jennifer Cronin (2023)
Well made piece about domestic violence
True crime documentaries can be over-wrought and repetitive but this one tells a terrible story in a very clear and concise way. A happy, loving father and husband started abusing drugs and alcohol, and his life spiralled out of control. He became a mean, nasty person. His wife left him for the safety of herself and their two daughters, and the husband started getting jealous and angry. He started stalking them, and ended up murdering his wife's mother. And taking his own life Sadly not unheard of. We didn't hear about his upbringing, or his early life, and it would have been good to maybe look at ways to handle stalkers. But generally a very good program.
McCartney 3,2,1 (2021)
Pure pleasure to catch up with those songs
If anyone else boasted and name-dropped like Paul McCartney does, and said things like 'yeah I think it's pretty good' when listening to his own songs, you would think he was conceited.
But in his case, he is right. This show gets McCartney in a rather ridiculously dark studio to go through hit after hit, chatting about who played what instrument in which Beatles song, and how he got the idea for the song.
In many cases, I had heard the story before, but it is still a lot of fun to stroll down memory lane. And McCartney, for all his cocky self-confidence, has an infectious positivity and enthusiasm. And he is a good story teller.
Unlike many other rock gods, he is not neurotic or twisted. He has childlike qualities and he tells his stories, such as how he met Little Richard and Roy Orbison, without embellishment.
Rick Rubin, the interviewer, is really great. He lets McCartney have the spotlight, interrupting to clarify something or to ask questions as if he has always been curious about it.
So this is a good series.
One Life (2023)
Quite a good movie
The true story of Nicholas Winton's efforts to save over 650 children from the Nazis in Prague, by ensuring they were transported to England and adopted by British families, is remarkable and deserves to be told. The movie is self-assured and clear in its story-telling. The actors are all great. I had quite a few reservations, however. The movie lacks a bit of passion, action and drama. It kind of ticks off the plot points but does not take any risks with deviating from the straight narrative. The families and personalities of the children are not gone into enough. I felt the writers could have shown more imagination in profiling the lives of two or three families in Prague and how they got there, then what happened to the parents staying behind after their kids were sent to London, and what happened to the kids in London. It would have evoked more emotional investment from viewers when the children reunite with Nicky Winters. The scenes with Anthony Hopkins at home can be quite plodding. I am glad the other refugee workers in Prague are shown but it still seems like Nicky gets the bulk of the credit. What about the bravery of the adults that stayed in Prague as war loomed, and those who accompanied the children on the trains? Also at times the film seems to hold back on showing the true violence of the Nazis. It comes across as a little sanitised, although I am sure it is not deliberate. I think that showing the families left in Prague going to the concentration camps may have brought home the dire danger the kids were in. And the scenes with the kids on the ninth train that never made it to London do not have enough tension.
Whitney: Can I Be Me (2017)
Interesting doco but not great
There is a lot of backstage footage here, maybe too much, but it portrays Whitney Houston as a lot more sassy and intelligent and complex than her public image. She was publicly marketed as a perfect pop princess, so it is not surprising that she rebelled against that. One theory is that drugs were a way of dealing with the pressure and also the film talks about how she wanted to stay with husband Bobby Brown under any circumstances. The doco is much kinder than the McDonald doco on Brown. The passages about her best friend Robin Crawford try hard to grasp the nature of their relationship, but fail. I lost interest in the film about two-thirds of the way through. So it is not that great.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Camper than a row of tents
Look, the actors here are not great and the script has a lot of corn. You suspect the audience are meant to laugh, to see it as a parody of a teen horror matinee. I mean, the two chicks go to a big old house alone. The hot guy showers alone in the school gym at night. I mean, really? I guess the plot is interesting,, about four teenagers who run over someone and instead of reporting it they get rid of the body. Then someone or something starts trying to kill them. They really should do something just about everyone else would do, like go to the police, or at least a psychiatrist. But I guess that would mean it was a short movie. Oh well, the scenery is pretty and there are some genuinely suspenseful bits.
Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop (2023)
Not bad but not deep
I was a teenager in the 1980s and so I found this doco interesting. Yes, it's a love-in of the type that's popular in music docos. I.e. There is nothing really negative, and little downside is presented. Which is hard to believe. The criticism that record producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman were too much of a business and were a bit of a soulless hit factory is valid. The trio of producers are not so much artists as they are producers in their approach. But that is just what people wanted, right? Some diversion from everyday life? The story of Mel from Mel and Kim getting cancer was shocking. I hadn't known that. I liked the story about Rick Astley being the nonchalant office boy before the trio recorded him.
SAW did write and craft some really average songs. However a handful of their songs were great, and were deservedly big hits. Rick Astley was never a complex artist, and was not that successful but I guess there is nothing wrong with just being a teen idol. And he can sing.
In the end of part one of the doco I felt a bit flat. But I guess SAW at least got people dancing so that's a positive.
Highclere: Behind the Scenes (2022)
It's missing something
I like the drama series Downton Abbey and it is nice to see this doco showing us the real
It is based on, Highclere Castle. The interviewees all come across as very nice.
Maybe what is missing is a little drama
Yes we are shown the luxurious exterior, rooms, gardens and farm but in a way it comes across as a promotional video.
I would have liked to have learned some stories about the real life characters over the years, or about how cooking and cleaning has changed. There were too many interviews with staff saying 'yes I really like my job and this is what I do'.
To engage the audience you need a bit more substance. Or maybe I am expecting too much. Maybe other fans will like this.
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (2021)
Don't be cynical, just enjoy!
A lovely series that allows viewers to sit back and enjoy the people and places that actor Stanley Tucci visits, all over Italy.
The fact that Tucci is of Italian background and speaks the language well is a huge bonus. He is naturally charming and funny but other bonuses are his curiosity, and passion.
The producers try to seek out local stories, beyond the tourist attractions.
I guess they do focus on happy stories, but I also saw them interview a couple in Rome whose cafe had been firebombed twice, possibly due to the Mob or anti- gentrification campaigners.
I loved the segment on Rome's Jewish quarter, and on foods such as artichokes and offal.
Overall, it is a very good series. Well done.
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (2020)
Very good retrospective
While very much a sanctioned documentary, this film about the Bee Gees is well paced and directed. I learned some things I didn't know, like how Eric Clapton urged the Bee Gees to record in Miami in the mid-1970s, and how the band had a bad falling out in the years leading up to that. As several commentators point out, if they weren't brothers, they would have split up early on. Although Barry was bigger and older than his twin brothers Robin and Maurice, which for many people would mean not hanging out, he seemed to really love working with them.
Also the doco highlights just how many amazing songs they wrote. And how dramatically they reinvented themselves from 60s soul band to funk and disco stars. Few bands would have had the talent or determination to do that. I'm not sure everything here happened aa smoothly and happily as it sounds. But it's a hugely entertaining film. And I love the comments from Justin Timberlake, Noel Gallagher, Chris Martin from Coldplay, Eric Clapton and the Bee Gees band members. There is even a chat with Maurice Gibb's ex wife Lulu.
They always had huge family and industry support. But mainly they had more than a little luck, passion and amazing talent.
The Young Victoria (2009)
Accomplished retelling of an interesting story
A great script, lovely cinematography and excellent casting are among the many positives about this quality film. The writer is Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey) and director Jean-Marc Vallee, both very good operators. Emily Blunt is excellent as Queen Victoria - portraying her as a young human being and not some lofty deity. If anything, Blunt could have made her a little more posh. I don't think Blunt's accent is quite as correct as it should be. As Prince Albert, Rupert Friend is fantastic, too, although it is a somewhat straightforward role with little expressive room. Miranda Richardson is a great support as the meddling, attention seeking mother of Victoria, the Duchess of Kent, as is Paul Bettany as Lord Melbourne, the initial prime minister. Bettany tries to play Melbourne as a person not used to working with a young woman as his sovereign, or as someone in authority, which must have been strange for him. Best of all, the movie tells the tale clearly and entertainingly, and the pomp and ceremony and the music do not overwhelm the human side of the story. For example, the coronation is just a few scenes and does not drag on.
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Great script and cinematography
I'm no Julia Roberta fan and I don't think this role suits her. She doesn't look the part of a dirt poor single Mom of three. Instead of being under stress, she looks like she stubbed her toe. However, the real- life story of a fledgling law clerk who stumbles on a huge corporate water pollution scheme, is a cracker. Director Steven Soderbergh gives a confident structure and pace. As the law firm chief Ed Masry, the chronically under- recognised British actor Albert Finney is amazing. It's great to see a lead lawyer so is a bit easily led but who also knows the law and who comes to pay attention to Erin's project.
Sheryl (2022)
Well produced, but could be much better
This doco has a lot going for it. It is beautifully edited and filmed, and obviously Sheryl Crow opened her life up for it. Her parents in Missouri are adorably normal. She has some amazing friends - musicians, engineers, agents. She is incredibly musically talented - accomplished in guitar, bass, piano, singing and performing. And song writing. She left a simpler life in the Midwest and toiled for years as a musician in Los Angeles before she was famous. Keith Richards, who respects her, points out that she's both sensitive and tough. The celebrity duets are mind-blowing - Mick Jagger, Prince, Michael Jackson, and a fantastic song with Stevie Nicks, who obviously admires her.
It's just that the doco leaves me a bit flat. It's a bit too fawning and slick. It has too much of Sheryl! It's like she approved everything. And so the doco comes across a bit like a promotional piece.
Complete with a montage sequence with her kids.
I still like Sheryl and she seems to be a lovely person. Unfortunately, I don't think this is quite the documentary she deserves.
The Lost King (2022)
An amazing story, well told
The unlikely but astonishing true story of how an amateur historian led the campaign to unearth the body of King Richard III from a car park 500 years after he died in battle is told beautifully here. Stephen Frears is a great director, and the script is engaging, funny, crystal clear and well edited. Sally Hawkins is a gem - her acting is heartfelt but tinged with humour. Her character Phillippa shows how a passion in life, even being obsessed by a historic figure, can give us so much. Such as a purpose and a social life. It is reassuring that even in an age of technology and experts, an ordinary woman can achieve the extraordinary. In some respects she happened to be the one who brought the disparate threads of evidence, which had somehow been lost over time, together to locate the body. And crowd funding for the dig played a huge part, too. As her ex-husband John, Steve Coogan shows understated intelligence and love. For once an ex is portrayed positively. It is a great performance by Coogan. I loved the presence of the ghost of King Richard. Instead of being silly, it added more meaning to the film. The ghost is a silent reminder that Richard was human. The movie is quite pro-Richard but it does not convince me that he did not murder his nephews. But this is a story about Phillipoa, and that is what she believes.