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Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Peculiar
About 3 minutes into this film I just knew I wouldn't like it. It might be some people's thing but the comedy is just so juvenile. Yea, it's a 12 and marketed around a young boy and his imaginary friend Hitler, so what do you expect? But really it felt like that typical American Will Ferrell/Adam Sandler slapshtick. Hitler was probably the funniest part of this film just for the stupidity of it, but is fat man in funny moustache an original idea? No. I'm sure there's a million and one better portrayals of this idea somewhere in Hollywood.
Also, and this was the deal-breaker for me, is the weird directing decision to make the narrative of this story so skittish and nonsensical. All throughout, the story just doesn't feel continuous & always lacking in context, and then about half-way through it becomes largely one-room based. It just didn't feel like a film, but more like a vaguely connected series of skits with mild attempts at bittersweetness in it.
These attempts at bittersweetness didn't really work for me either. There are bits in the film where it's nice to see the delusion of German people at the time, the hopelessness of it, the comedy disguising the horrors going on around them, but it's so understated and surrounded by dry attempts at comedy that it becomes hard to take seriously. The tone's all wrong.
The acting's alright, but for some reason they make everyone have German accents. Maybe for comedy, but they never make a joke around German mispronunciations or anything like that, so I was just distracted by how bad the accents were most of the time. Everyone just sounded Russian or braindead.
If you wanna watch this film with your kid, it might be alright. There's some sensitive ideas expressed but they probably won't notice as they'll be too busy laughing at Hitler (fantastic). Just don't be fooled by the good reviews as I don't think they're reflecting the actual QUALITY of the film, but more just it's 'humour'
Hang Ups (2018)
My arse has improvised better dialogue.
This show, at the time of writing this, has released 5 episodes, all of which I have watched. Bear in mind more are to come, and perhaps, miraculously, something will change the fundamental format of this show which will make it less tedious, unfunny and repetitive as it currently is.
However, within the first episode, the viewer is left with a clear image of what's to come, and, thus far, I don't see Hang Ups doing a Spin Around.
I was enticed to watch this little show by a keen interest in new sitcoms, an appreciation for Richard E Grant and the typical excitement of the rumours of all the cameos to be included. I must say, my faith in all three has diminished since.
The problem with Hang Ups (and there are many) for me, first and foremost, is its childishness. I could compare it to Friday Night Dinner in the way it uses AWKWARDNESS and PECULIARITY to create a... laugh? I'm no stranger to the feeling of shock consequently turning into humour, as in A League of Gentlemen, but I think this whole effect is lost when the show is glossy bright- unrealistically bright- and very fast paced. The main character, Richard the So-Called Therapist, is constantly introduced to weird and wonderful victims of his Skype therapy sessions. And either he goes through with the surrealism of the encounter perfectly naturally, or he acts uncomfortably confused.
The acting is very good, as should be expected from such a cast. I believe it's all improvised, and the improv is decent in terms of consistency (each character has their own ark and backstory), but there's no hugely engaging or funny moments in any of the short clips, or 'sessions', with each character. There's a funny tone, you could say, but real jokes and witticisms are completely missing. I suppose it's too much to ask these professional, well-travelled actors and comedians to come up with something innovative to fill our 30 minutes with. As I've said, I like Richard E Grant, but even his segments don't please me.
One innovation, if I could call it that, in Hang Ups is that all the scenes are filmed from the POV of the webcam of whatever laptop, phone or tablet the character being filmed is using. Most of the time. Sometimes a good enough plot device can't be devised to have X and Y be in front of a laptop, so the directors say 'sod it', and just film normally instead. This isn't as confusing as it may sound for the viewer, but, considering its Hang Ups' USP, it's surprising that they'd throw it away so carelessly.
All in all, this show's watchable. I might continue to absorb each new episode from a small desire to see how the plot will conclude, but never would I call what I've previously watched as 'comedy', and certainly not comedy above the maturity of a 17-year-old psychology student.
If you really, REALLY like Green Wing, Hang Ups might be worth a watch-- but otherwise, stay away.
Friday Night Dinner (2011)
Triumphantly Awful
I have yet to laugh at Friday Night Dinner, and I have watched every episode of every series due to my family liking it, and my friends having commended it to me. I will never trust either of them again, and am, frankly, considering removing them from my life. To enjoy such a predictable and disgustingly bland piece of childishness is a bad reflection on the psyche.
The main reason that makes Friday Night Dinner fails for me is the reoccurring theme in each episode, and that is the character of Mark Heap, playing as 'Jim', the wacky and suspicious character next door. Heap has played the same character in everything I've seen him in. It was hilarious in Spaced. It did the job in Green Wing. In Friday Night Dinner, it's a headache and seems incongruous with the rest of the characters. I understand that it's difficult to form a full series with only a small family- but introducing one character who more or less does the same odd behaviours, is not the answer.
In general, the comedy is your typical 'family' sort: it's like watching the Simpsons. You don't laugh at it, but it's suitable for the kids, and maybe they'll be entertained by it. If they've not developed full self-awareness yet. The interactions are generally limited. You have the mother and father. The father, Martin, does something unacceptable, and the mother, Jackie, reacts with aggression or frustration. Relatable. Then you have the two brothers, who prank and tease and fight each other as typical brothers do. But the actions are repetitive, and the chemistry is non-existent. If it's supposed to make people with siblings smile, punch each other on the arm and go 'That's us!', it fails. You never get the impression that anybody likes anyone else in the series. It's all superficial.
There's much more to discuss, but as this is a comedy series, and on comedy it royally, embarrassingly, irretrievably fails, anyone reading this can be assured that Friday Night Dinner lets down the expectations of well-regarded UK sitcoms (if you can even call it that). As I write, the latest episode is blaring in my ears. I've not once switched the tabs to view the visual plot, but, of course, it will be the same plot as it is in all the other episodes. A true disgrace to the imagination.
Wilde (1997)
Thoroughly Educational.
I came into the film with a moderate liking of Wilde. His poetry is good, and his plays are funny. But Stephen Fry adds more personality to the already wit-stuffed words of Wilde, being oftentimes charming, but also painfully affected by the actions of his dearest. The film makes a sure job of introducing the viewer to his works, with the narration dipping in and out of quotes of his, and they are all said in a realistically witty manner.
Bosie is fascinating in this film. Just as Fry was born for Wilde, Jude Law fits perfectly for Bosie, who, in an irritating manner, does seem like a siren who lures in Wilde and ultimately destroys him. Even if you don't know the story of Wilde, it's blatant what will happen, because their relationship is cloudy and bipolar right from the start, and yet woefully romantic too.
Most of the more fundamental aspects of Wilde life is retold, with his aforementioned works, rise to fame, sexuality, marriage, trial and prison life being painted with the expected poetic licence and adaptation of a biographical film.
The aspects where the film loses marks is in the slowness of its pace at times, which, although small, can be affecting. I didn't feel it myself, but there are a fair amount of blank spaces and reflective scenery which weren't needed given the fullness and possibilities of Wilde's brilliant life.
Damned (2016)
Nice Intentions and Watchable.
My father caught me watching this and sneered. It's one of those programs that remains 'meh', hence the 5/10 rating. An 'alrighter'. An 'it's decent, yeah' one. The acting is what you'd expect from a bunch of comedians: they behave as they usually do, being humorous over deep. Sometimes there are moments of character building, but the amount of care put into them is shallow. Alan Davies was surprising, as he managed to play quite a different character than his QI persona, and, out of all the team, I'd say he was the most interesting.
The saving grace of this one is the fact that Jo Brand has had experience with social work and the greatest pits of human suffering. When watching, you get the impression she may have pulled this from reality, which makes Damned more touching to watch. The scenes expressing mature or morbid lives in less fortunate households do work, and the viewer finds themselves rooting for the poorly funded, barely functioning team.
The plot, whilst working when it needs to, does often feel bare, with reality somewhat being prioritised over interest. There's a lot of filler, so to speak. It relies on the banter to keep it going, which is moderately humorous, but nothing above what you'd hear two strangers on a bus laughing about. I think for Damned to have been more successful, it should've really taken control over the resources it has, since the setting is that of room of sweating, miserable people. There was room for a darker sense of humour, true gallows, mischievous stuff. It might've retracted from the message, but that's precisely the problem.
Damned is a social commentary, and that's respectable, but it's not educative ENOUGH for it to work, and nor is it risky enough to be truly comical. It's in a grey area, and it had to push one way or the other to be anything above 'decent'.
Siblings (2014)
Reading the Reviews Makes Me Question Criticism.
The idea that anyone could seek enjoyment from this is beyond me. I am fond of forgiving even the most embarrassing or bizarre sitcoms, because we British fundamentally try new things and aren't afraid of pushing the line- but Siblings is the opposite of this. It's packed full of cliches. Every episode is 100% predictable, whether that be because we've seen the 'character accidentally has sex with other character because of a lack of sobriety' trope a blinding amount of time, or because we know that the story will go like this: everything's good, something bad happens which forces the watcher to cringe in some vile attempt to achieve emotion, and everything gets better (or sometimes not- this is where the sole excitement stems from).
I appreciate that the show itself wants to do two things: advertise sibling relationships as positive and ultimate, and show the modern British millennial in a new, trendy sitcom. However, the sibling relationship is lacklustre. I would describe how hollow and psychopathic both Hannah and Dan seem, but these qualities are shown in the lack of chemistry between their characters and how the script seems adamant to disallow anything bordering on emotion between the two.
Their relationship exists purely to summarise the slapstick scene we've just witnesses for maximum comedic potential, which sometimes works for a minor laugh- I'll give it that- or to reference previous funny experiences that the two have supposedly shared. The actors are new, upcoming. I wish them well. But in this, whether it be the script or the tired material they must cover, I wasn't too impressed.
If Siblings represents the British millennials, we will be dead within weeks. The careless, 'up for anything' characteristic is fine to a certain extent to create a confident, likeable character, but when everybody is this, it makes it hard to appreciate anyone.
I shan't elaborate anymore, because the hope and eventuality of this sitcom is that it will be forgotten, and all I can say is that, if you're thinking of watching it, don't. Rewatch Fawlty Towers, One Foot in the Grave, or Peep Show for programs which utilise the painful moments of life to a successful attempt.
The music is alright. There's no obnoxious screaming, as far as I recall (I've watched the entire two series just so I can comprehensively condemn it). Apart from the swearing and occasional sex scene, it's safe to watch with family around. Perhaps you could tolerate in the background of something, like grating cheese.