fromkin-23-290370's reviews

I'd just finished reading Eric Amber's "A Coffin for Dimitrios," and thought I'd watch the 1944 film adaptation. I'd assumed it would be interesting given Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet were in it. The film is a excellent adaptation, faithful the story - right until the end - with period noir filming. Yes, they changed Lorre's nationality from English to Dutch (had to account for the accent), and they changed the ethnicity of Dimitrios' first Victim (1944, a Jack Warner was Jewish). Still, a worthwhile entry in the category of mid-40s, film noir.

Breathless came out when I was 10. I just watched it yesterday. Well, tried to watch it. I know it's a film we're supposed to love for its New Wave pioneering status, but I'll take Truffaut any day. Sorry, but I found Breathless unwatchable; the two stars in my review are only for Jean Seberg's incandescent beauty.

I really wanted to like this, but I didn't. First, I enjoyed The Witch and The Northman. Second, I briefly knew Eggers' parents in Laramie, Wyoming. I get that Eggers wanted to replicate Murnau's German Expressionist atmospherics, but this new version was just too melodramatic for modern tastes. The Sarsgaards are a talented acting family, but Bill's take on Orlock was more comical than sinister. The direction was stolid, and the editing was clumsy and choppy. I much prefer Coppola's version of Dracula, with a more nuanced performanceby Gary Oldman (I'll concede Keanu Reeves' wooden performance). After a half hour, I checked out. I simply can't recommend this film.

John Rebus, Jimmy Perez, Jackson Brodie. Now, add Karen Pirie to the list of Scottish detectives to light up the small screen. A wee lass with a tidy brain and a good heart, Karen Pirie is a young detective in St. Andrew (spoiler alert - no scenes of the historic golf course), thrust into a cold case review with modern consequences. From a novel by Val McDermid, the story is well plotted, dialog well scripted, and characters well acted, particularly Karen, played by Lauren Lyle. Lyle is best known as Marseli Fraser in Outlander, but also played an anti-nuclear activist in the equally excellent submarine mystery Vigil. She's transitioned well from supporting to lead actress in Karen Pirie. My only regret is that this first - hopefully not last) season is only three episodes. Looking forecast to a second season.

Episode 7. George Abeyta, enrolled Eastern Shoshone. A graduate of University of Wyoming, George teaches and coaches at the middle school in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. He is an accomplished fancy dancer.

I had my first misgivings when I saw the golden Civil War era Colt revolvers. Then, the mishmash of characters. Bill Pickett was a rodeo cowboy; Jim Beckwourth was a mountain man. They were not outlaws. The people responsible for this film should know better.

I was really enjoying this series, right up until the end. And, then, it was apparent that the show runner had no idea how to end the season - and so he or she just ended it.

After watching one-and-a-half episodes of the execrable series "The Witcher," I'd begun to doubt the reliability of IMDB ratings. Then, I decided to try "Giri/Haji," suspicious of its 7.9 rating. Also, I'd seen Joe Barton's series "Cuffs," and while enjoyable, it was pretty weak beer.

"Giri/Haji" was an absolute revelation, right from the start through the eighth and final episode. The writing and direction, art direction, cinematography and effects, were just superb. And the acting! I was not familiar with any of the Japanese actors, but they were great. So were the British actors, many of them familiar to fans of UK films and TV, including Kelly Macdonald (first seen in Trainspotting), Charlie Creed-Miles (from Peaky Blinders), Tony Way (from Ricky Gervais' "After Life"), and new-to-me Will Sharpe.

Part family drama, part police procedural, part Yakuza film, the movie flips between London and Tokyo during a Japanese gang war. Strange as it may seem, the various filmic elements hold together beautifully, whether changes in screen dimension to denote time shifts; brief uses of anime; and a lovely ballet sequence.

It is bloody, violent, tender, exciting, and contemplative. Something for everyone. I fully recommend this series.

A little "Cabaret," a little "Dr. Mabuse," a lot of fun. After viewing this series, I read the first volume of the series on which this series was based. First off, kudos to the writers and the director. A masterful adaptation of a stolid book into riveting television. Add superb acting, fleshed-out characters, evocative music, lighting and sets, and you have a real winner in "Babylon Berlin." Eagerly awaiting the third season.

The outrageous number of 8-10 ratings . I was really hoping to like this, but I managed only 1.5 episodes. Bad writing, bad acting, cheap set design, silly costumes. This had been billed as the next "Game of Thrones." What a disappointment. A serious Netflix failure.

I read the book and saw the Diane Keaton film about100 years ago, so I can't vouch for the fidelity of this TV series to the novel. And, while I don't remember much about the film, I did look at its trailer on Amazon.com. Keaton's done some fine work, but, based on the trailer, her performance in the movie was over-the-top-and-down-the-other-side.

Some reviewers on this site have complained that this production was boring - like watching paint dry. Well, that's LeCarre. I'm not talking film adaptations, since a two hour adaptation has to compress a lot of activity into a short time. "The Little Drummer Girl," in six parts, every bit the equal of the Alec Guinness/Ian Richardson production of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." Nuanced, thoughtful, well acted.

I recently saw Florence Pugh in "Outlaw King," about Robert the Bruce. It was a small part, and she did not have much of a chance to shine. But as Charly, she proved herself a fine actress. And, while all of the rest of the cast was good, Michael Shannon gave a wonderfully shaded performance, quite unlike in "The Shape of Water."

LeCarre rarely writes any character as a hero. These are complex characters who deserve a viewer's patience, which will be rewarded throughout.