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Reviews
The Believers (1987)
Forgotten 80's horror with disturbing themes
Like many have stated on here, I'd never heard of this before, but I gave it a shot when it appeared on TV the other night, especially as it starred Martin Sheen and was directed by John Schlesinger.
Overall, I thought it was an interesting film - the sort that really wouldn't get made today with its religious and cultural themes. Sheen plays the lead well and is supported by a good cast, even if I was distracted by his massive quiff of hair and occasional overacting. The cinematography and production values give it a quality above your average suspense/horror tale, and reminded me of films from the previous decade such as The Omen. Whilst the first half builds the tension and creates a mystery around a number of child murders, and their links to ritual sacrifice, it starts to lose its way in the second half, with the motives of the "believers" not exactly clear. There are jumps in the story and changes in certain characters that make you wonder if there was a longer version - it definitely felt like some scenes had been cut. The final showdown was a little silly, although there was a classic twist at the end.
As this was made in 1987 - a few things stood out for me that related to the time: smoking in offices, kids being driven around with no seat belt on, a somewhat cheesy 80's synth score in the background and a couple of prostitutes being booked in the background of a police station (pretty much standard for any police station scene in the 70's or 80's).
Definitely worth a watch, if just for Jimmy Smits convulsing in a diner.
Reacher: Fly Boy (2024)
What an awful finale
I really enjoyed S1 - it introduced the Reacher character and had some good, old fashioned action. But this season has been poor, with a finale that frankly stunk.
As each episode dropped, the invincibility of the main characters increased to almost ridiculous proportions and, by the end, their smug, indifferent attitude put me right off them. It's one thing knocking off the real bad guys, but the casual way with which side characters were killed was down right nasty. After the helicopter was taken out, I just couldn't be bothered anymore and turned it off.
Either go full on cheesy with silly action, or pursue nuance with an element of realism - but this series straddled both and, in my opinion, got it badly wrong.
Home Before Dark (2020)
Enjoyable - but difficult to categorise. S1 better than S2
An odd one this. I enjoyed S1 and thought it had an interesting premise with a surprisingly dark storyline. Brooklyn Prince was very good as the determined youngster striving for the truth, ably supported by a good cast. The swings between "Goonies" style adventures with her friends and more serious scenes were a little jarring, but on the whole it kept up the mystery right to the end.
S2, however, was a different matter. Even though there were linkages to the plot from S1, it felt like the tone had changed and the storyline dragged into a recurring familiar pattern. Characters that were quite nuanced suddenly lost their edge and became one dimensional (the police in particular) and every scene with the family ended with some emotional speech and lots of hugging. It could almost have been out of some 70's/80's sitcom, with "villains" straight out of Scooby Doo.
After a while this became quite annoying and made me wonder about other aspects that I was willing to ignore previously: What did Hilde's dad do all day? (not much reporting from what I observed). Did she ever go to a class in school (she never seemed to be there). How did her parents afford her extensive wardrobe? (I'm not convinced her or any of the other kids ever wore the same clothes more than once). Did she realise she could create a drinking game with the number of times she said "Pop-pop"?
I don't want to be too hard on it, as overall I think it was a good series - but I was frustrated, because I felt the writers/makers lost their nerve and weren't sure what they were actually making anymore. Was it for adults or for kids or both?
Reptile (2023)
A good thriller
I was surprised at the fairly low rating for this film and thought it was definitely worth at least 7.5.
It isn't perfect, and perhaps the ending is a little too simplistic and sudden, with a number of connections between the police and the Grady family left unexplained, but the build up and acting in the first half were super, creating a genuine tension as to where the story was going. Del Toro in particular has great presence.
A few reviews have referred to this as having shades of David Fincher, and you can see it in the cinematography and editing, especially in the initial scenes when they are investigating the murder.
Definitely worth a watch.
The Killer (2023)
Enjoyable, but flawed
It seems a lot of people found this boring or pretentious, but I enjoyed it and thought it was one of the better offerings from Netflix.
However, there are issues. As has already been pointed out, in undertaking his revenge spree he appears to disregard his own advice. I'm not sure whether this was deliberate and part of the plot (because he was basically finished) or just poor writing and execution from the film makers. Some examples include: wearing clothes that definitely didn't blend in, pulling out from a security line, literally sitting outside someone's house for hours (neighbours do notice that kind of thing), being visible in CCTV that could be used in any nationwide alert etc etc etc.
He may have been able to get away with some of the stuff in real time, but I have a feeling it wouldn't be long before he was discovered in his not so small house in the Dominican Republic.
Saying all that, it was still worth watching for Michael Fassbender and there were some good action scenes inbetween a lot of sequences hiring cars and vans.
Hijack (2023)
Good beginning but falls apart rapidly at the end
I actually enjoyed the beginning of this, and for the first 4 episodes I thought there was some real tension in what was happening.
But then as the reason for the hijacking began to reveal itself and we had increasing interaction with British government types it started to lose any semblance of credibility.
Firstly, the positives:
- Idris Elba - always a good watch
- Some good early suspense, especially trying to work out what was going on and where it was going to end up
- Some reasonable "action" sequences
Unfortunately, the negatives far outweigh the promising start:
- I'm not knowledgable about aircraft/security protocol, but some of the things that happened didn't seem logical. Being able to smuggle guns on a plane, even if a security handler turned a blind eye, seemed unrealistic. Airports have many layers of security to prevent there being a dependency on just one person, and this seemed silly.
- There is no way two senior members of an OCG would be let out of prison like that. It just wouldn't happen, no matter what they were going to do.
- Similarly, there is no way the aircraft would be allowed to just fly randomly over London if they had deemed there was no one properly controlling it.
- So it was all about money and shorting a stock to take advantage of a pending disaster. Again, I'm no expert on financial trading, but any such deal would be picked up as potentially suspicious and if it seemed a stock price was being manipulated trading in those shares could be suspended. The likelihood is that the OCG may never get their money.
- Knowing the British justice system, it is also highly unlikely the navy pilot would not have faced some consequence for killing the captain - even if it was under duress.
- The individuals in the UK ATC seemed a little unprofessional in the way they acted and larked around in the control area. It is a high pressure role, it's not something you just turn up late for and have colleagues playing computer games on their screens.
- Many loose ends were never explained. Where did the other OCG boss go? Would the navy pilot's daughter at the end really have been safe?
I could go on.
If you like Idris - worth a watch - but if you really like Idris, just go and watch The Wire, which is still the best thing he's ever done.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
Enjoyable take on the short story
I remember having this read to me as a child at school and found it fascinating with its story within a story format, so I was interested to see what Wes Anderson would do with it.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. The set design and cast were up to the usual expectations and, whilst a lot of people have complained about the speed delivery of the lines, I think it worked perfectly well.
At the end of the day, it was a short story and needed to be conveyed as such. Whilst the original writing was captivating, upon reflection the tale is just a modern day fairy tale with an appropriate feel good ending. Telling it in a straight manner would probably have exposed some of its weaknesses - so keeping it quirky was probably a good idea.
Good to see Jarvis Cocker though.
Liebes Kind (2023)
Had promise but unravelled at the end
I thought this started off well and had an intriguing and creepy concept, but it seems either the writers didn't know to end it properly or the number of episodes were curtailed, as the final one was fairly poor.
Yes, there was some kind of resolution, but there was still no clarity about motives, and hardly any back story about everything that happened before Jasmine and Hannah were discovered, leaving me quite frustrated at the end. I guess you could argue that some of it was deliberately left out to create a sense of ambiguity, but I don't buy it.
As a few people have mentioned, there were some incredibly stupid characters, especially within the police. Events occurred that you know just wouldn't happen, whilst characters who were prominent at the beginning seemed to fizzle out. For someone who did everything to follow her father, and had been nurtured over years into a certain way of life, Hannah didn't seem that fussed at the end when he was dead and she was wandering around on the beach.
What about the other perpetrators that were supposed to be involved? How did Jasmine escape in the first place without triggering any mines? Too many odd plot holes for my liking.
Foundation (2021)
Almost like a science fiction Game of Thrones
I haven't read the books, so I can't compare it to them, but based on some of the comments it sounds like that's not a bad thing as I can treat it on a stand alone basis.
I wasn't expecting much to be honest, but as I started working through S1, I got more and more hooked on the storyline and the worlds being created. It's rare you get adult level science fiction, and whilst I'm not saying it's at the level of Asimov, it's far better than anything else out there at present. The special effects and set design were superb and the acting was definitely a cut above average.
However, it's the creation of the Cleon genetic dynasty and the scenes involving Brother Day that stood out for me. Lee Pace dominated every scene he was in - displaying the kind of arrogance and entitlement from someone literally born to be Emperor. I've not see a character like that since the peak of Game of Thrones, and in some ways there were quite a lot of similarities.
On the flip side, the problem with the whole psychohistory/Hari Seldon strand is that there is a danger of a "mission impossible" style creep - where when something goes wrong, it was actually kind of planned for. We're already seeing this with the multiple Hari Seldon's - it's apparent he cannot be killed and seems to have all the answers, which removes an element of tension and uncertainty.
It will be interesting to see how this all works out in S3 and whether the writers have a definite plan themselves.
Evil (2019)
Different, daring and enjoyable
I found this by accident one night when flicking through the Alibi channel in the UK, and it immediately caught my interest. Fast forward a few months and, three seasons in, I look forward to the fourth (whenever that may be).
I can immediately see why some have compared it to the X-Files: strong characters, individual stories, a dark continual theme and slight tongue in cheek humour. There's a definite quirkiness - with demons, horror and, somewhat surprisingly, quite a bit of raunchy behaviour - but it's also sprinkled with some serious issues.
There are times when I wonder what on earth is going on, and in the back of my mind I can't help but think if the writers are making it up as they go along, but the randomness of certain events kind of adds to the whole thing. Yes, certain storylines seem to fizzle out (what was with the strange animal tail that Lexis had?), and there is quite a bit of moral ambiguity and hypocrisy with main character (sometimes I can't work out whether I like her or not), but I'm happy to forgive that as I watch the various schemes of Sheryl and Leland, and the numerous demons that pop up every now and then.
Some people have commented on how annoying the kids are, with their excitable, talking over each other, chatter. However, I think they are a key element of the show, especially as one feature of demonic possession is very much based around corruption of the innocent. They also provide some interesting focus around parenting and use of the internet!
The use of the pop up books and other animations are also well done, as was the title sequence introduced in season 3.
It might not be massively original, but compared to what else is out there, I think this a great little series.
Ahsoka: Part One: Master and Apprentice (2023)
Average opening episode
Never watched any of the animated series so coming to this fresh with fairly low expectations.
It wasn't bad - but, like many Star Wars spin offs now (apart from Andor), it feels like everyone is going through the motions.
Good points: the FX, good music, general production design and the robot.
Bad points: stilted dialogue and contrived scenes for plot purposes.
Had to laugh at the pondering of the Holocube "map" thing. Anyone who's played "The Room" could have figured that out in a few minutes. Why it needed Sabine Wren to chin stroke over it for a few hours I've got no idea. In addition, does no one else use that road that we had multiple shots of her speeding along?
I'll stick with it and see where it goes - but I'm not holding my breath.
Predator (1987)
Seriously...they don't make them like this any more
Before the days of on demand and streaming, there were some films on TV that you just had to watch when you stumbled across them. Predator is in that category.
At a time when Arnold Schwarzenegger was probably at his peak, this had everything: a straightforward story, great action sequences, a thumping score from Alan Silvestri and a plethora of memorable lines that are still quoted today.
For all its production problems, John McTiernan did a cracking job on this - establishing a fantastic cast who bounce brilliantly off each other. Whilst Schwarzenegger is obviously the star, he doesn't over dominate and (apart from the ending) fits in nicely to the overall ensemble. The pacing of the film is perfect and moves along with great energy whilst also giving space for more poignant moments.
There is obviously an element of "Alien in the Jungle", but the creature itself is still unique enough to offer something different., and whilst some of the optical special effects look a little dated by today's standards, they don't detract from repeat viewing.
It's a massive cliche to say they don't make films like this anymore - but they generally don't. So, if you want to see how we were all spoiled in the 80's, watch this film. It's worth it for one of the best discharges of ground level automatic weapon fire ever put to celluloid.
I'm gonna have me some fun...
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Chilling villain
As part of MI7 coming out, I thought I'd go back through all the old films.
Compared to MI2, which seemed over-stylised with a weak plot, MI3 seemed much edgier and I was surprised to find it was directed by JJ Abrams. The plot finds Ethan Hunt "retired" and on the verge of getting married (not sure what happened to Thandie Newton then at the end of MI2), but a missing IMF agent brings him back into the field with Luther Stickell and a couple of new colleagues. The plot revolves around corruption within IMF, a biological weapon called the "Rabbit's Foot" and a particularly unpleasant arms dealer played by Philip Seymour-Hoffman.
In fact, Hoffman's performance was one of the stand out aspects of this film. He was genuinely chilling and not your normal pantomime villain.
Overall - it was good film. Cruise was his usual self and there were a number of well done stunts and action sequences, but the ending felt a little lame. Hoffman went too easily in my opinion (and didn't have enough screen time overall) and there were some fairly big plot holes that kind of spoiled it at the end. For example, the "CPR" sequence was just medically ridiculous.
That all said, you can see how the franchise was starting to change with this film, and it was nice to see the introduction of Benji who would obviously become a major character in the later films.
Silo (2023)
Great - but not sure it's getting the recognition it deserves
When I first started watching this, I thought it was going to be a cross between Snowpiercer and a myriad of other dystopian science fiction that we've seen recently.
But the more I watched it, the more I became engrossed in it, which kind of surprised me. Yes, it flagged a little in the middle, and there were quite a few unresolved questions/discrepancies (surely, someone would have spotted the "cameras" in the rooms at some point?), but the way the story wove between the episodes, from the time shifts at the beginning to the reveal at the end, was done really well. The production design was excellent and whilst the music had a Westworld feel about it (with shades of Inception in the finale), it created a suitable atmosphere.
However, what really made this series stand out was the acting. Whilst I know Common divided quite a few people, overall the quality has been superb. Rebecca Ferguson, Harriet Walter, Tim Robbins and many others, took something that could have been mediocre and lifted it to a new level.
I haven't read the books, and although I had an inkling about the final reveal and the possibility of multiple silos, it was done in such a way that it never felt obvious.
I would definitely recommend this and am looking forward to S2.
Hunger (2023)
Good first half, but fizzles out
I enjoyed the first half of this, and thought it was going to be some kind of "The Menu" clone, but once the protagonist left the "Hunger" of the title, it kind of went downhill.
The transition from someone who can fry good with a wok to a top class chef, was unconvincing and jarring. Whilst the plot device of returning to the traditional family restaurant at the end, after going full circle, was basic and cliched.
Have to agree that the acting range of the lead actress was somewhat limited, but there wasn't much emotional range from the other characters either.
However, the cinematography and overall look of the film was good.
Deo geullori (2022)
Enjoyable Korean revenge drama
After watching a few other Korean programmes recently (mainly apocalypse end of the world stuff), I thought I'd give this a go.
Overall, I really enjoyed it and thought it was well produced with a good, satisfying ending. Some of the characters were a little over the top, but I'm not sure whether that's the norm for Korean dramas or just me. Similarly, I struggled a bit trying to remember all the different names - but that's my issue rather than the series. I would still recommend watching with subtitles though, as I'm convinced you lose something in the overall performance with dubbing.
What it did show well was the comeuppance of entitled, rich kids - and what a nasty bunch they were. Some of the torture and bullying was pretty hard to watch, but the way the lead character got her revenge was cleverly thought out.
As a few others have noted, she was a little one dimensional and wooden - but I think that's down to the experiences of the character rather than poor acting. There was also an element of invincibility, where even when things seemed to go wrong, it's like they had already been planned for.
You could argue it was too long and could have been trimmed back to 10 or 12 episodes, but personally it was gripping enough for me not to notice that much.
Well worth a watch.
La chica de nieve (2023)
Started off quite well, but full of cliches and overacting
I guess this was a little different in that it was set in Malaga, but other than that the plot felt like it had been lifted from many other similar child kidnap dramas.
The problem is that it seemed so unrealistic. By the time I got to the end I just didn't care anymore, as it was so obvious what was going to happen. The big reveal in episode 5 just felt stupid - how could the police or other people miss what was going on? As someone else has said, surely the police must have considered it could be a fertility clinic patient. Doh! Are they really that incompetent?
Even worse were the people who took the girl. Why on earth would you send a VHS video recording to the parents? Are they so idiotic that they didn't think it wouldn't get out into the public domain?
To be fair, some of the acting was ok, but like a lot of Spanish stuff it always seems over the top. Perhaps that's a cultural thing and I just don't get it, but everyone is always emotional and looking angry all the time. Even though something terrible happened to the lead journalist, I just didn't warm to her at all and by the end I found her quite unlikeable. I still don't know what relevance the whole side story with her attack and the illegal online site had to do with anything, apart from teeing up a second series.
Overall, I wouldn't bother with this one.
His Dark Materials (2019)
Started well but faded in S3
I was looking forward to the adaptation after reading the books, and for the most part it captured the essence of them really well.
S1 was great and the BBC/HBO collaboration looked well made with excellent production values. There were some slight changes (as to be expected) but nothing that departed from the main thrust of the story. The casting seemed pretty spot on, with Ruth Wilson standing out with her menacing Mrs Coulter. S2 continued in a similar vein, and whilst I found a few of the adult characters a little annoying, and some of the dialogue a little exposition heavy, it still held my interest.
But for some reason, I just haven't been able to get engaged as much with the final season. Now, my personal belief is that the final book is the weakest of the trilogy, and whilst it does tie up things at the end (a little too neatly in my opinion), there are so many worlds and concepts flying around that it can become somewhat disorientating. The final series suffers from this to a degree, but it also came across as one paced, like everyone was going through the motions to get the thing finished. If I felt this, then it must have been difficult for others who have never read the books.
I know the pandemic hasn't helped here, as I believe it delayed production, but Lyra and Will seem too old based on the beginning of the series and Lyra's role seems somewhat diminished. I've never been that struck on the actor playing Will, often he just looks like he's reading his lines from a piece of paper. More liberties were taken with the story in this final series, especially to flesh out the scenes with Lord Asriel (I guess you've got to get your moneys worth out of James McAvoy), but some of the sequences during the final battle felt very McGuffin like. Whilst I know the final episode reflects the book, when translated to screen it just felt flat and I wasn't convinced by the Will/Lyra relationship that suddenly bloomed.
Strangely, this was released over the Christmas period in the UK but felt very under promoted. Although it went out in weekly episodes, the fact they were all dumped on iPlayer beforehand felt like someone in the BBC just wanted to get it out there and over and done with.
Overall, a good production and the fact it kept the main themes from the book has to be admired, but I just felt a little underwhelmed at the end.
Katla (2021)
Different with great locations, but ultimately bleak.
Having been to Iceland and travelled around the southern roads where the series is set, I loved the cinematography of this. The "apocalyptic" landscapes and black sands caused by years of volcanic ash are captured very realistically on screen. Iceland is a beautiful country, but it is also harsh and unrelenting. There are many communities that are difficult to get to either because of their remote locations or as a result of volcanic and geothermal activity. As a result, this impacts on the people who live there and gives them a character which is both calm and resilient. Whilst I agree there are things in the series that seem unrealistic (in terms of what we would expect to be normal behaviour), some of the individual reactions to certain events didn't surprise me at all.
In terms of the actual story, I thought it was intriguing and modern portrayal of old folk tales woven into the environment of Katla. Some people have found it slow going and then somewhat rushed to get a resolution at the end, but I thought it worked well. There was a purpose to each of the people coming back.
In saying that, some of the strands worked better than others. I wasn't convinced about the tale relating to the young boy and was somewhat confused by the Grima double. As someone has said, the husband seemed to not notice her even though she was standing just right there. I appreciate it could have been a somewhat exaggerated metaphor that he just didn't see her anymore, but it kind of jarred. In addition, the Russian roulette scenario felt odd and it was left ambiguous as to who survived - it seemed to go against the premise of why the "changelings" (if that's what they were) came back in the first place.
It was noticeable that some characters just seem to vanish - like the two scientists at the glacier station. Just when you thought they were getting to an explanation of what was causing it, they kind of just dropped it and focused on the human element.
Overall though, a good watch with a lot of themes to think about. The effects and photography were stunning - I especially liked the underground shots of the glacier and the interaction with the volcano. Based on the final shots, it will be interesting to see if they make another.
Christmas on Mistletoe Farm (2022)
Dreadful - even toddlers may struggle to keep interest
It seems many of the reviews here have never seen any of Debbie Issit's work - namely the Nativity franchise.
This follows the same pattern: silly script and story, poor acting, choppy editing and weird costumes. It even has the same premise of a hassled father and an odd "Mr Poppy" type creepy character. However, this is even worse and looks like it's been made with a budget of about £100.
It's obviously aimed for younger kids, but it flits between slapstick humour and more serious issues around gender and loss of a parent. As a result, the tone is all over the place and I'm not convinced there's enough there to satisfy even the most easily pleased child.
One to avoid.
The Old Man (2022)
Enjoyable at first, but got worse and ended badly
I really enjoyed the first few episodes of this and I assumed it was going to be a cat and mouse type thriller with Bridges avoiding the CIA to try and clear his name.
But, as many people have already said, it gets bogged down with flashbacks to Afghanistan and goes off in a slightly different direction. The pace slows, Bridges becomes more incomprehensible and the plot more convoluted.
Then it ends - and I mean, it just ends. I've made this mistake before, looking at an episode guide on IMDb and thinking there were 8 episodes, not realising there were 7 in season 1 and another already lined up for season 2. So after I'd watched the 7th, I waited for a week for it to drop only to realise that it had already ended.
So, I guess this was done knowing full well that a season 2 had already been commissioned, but even so it just felt flat.
If you like series that have convoys of high end 4x4's moving quickly in a close formation across the desert, then you'll definitely like this. By the end though, I felt as permanently exasperated as John Lithgow - maybe he'd read the script and was getting frustrated as well.
Ivalo (2018)
Good start, but becomes silly
I enjoyed the first half of this series, and if my review was based on that alone it would be higher (this is based on season 1 - I haven't seen the second one yet).
It starts off with a local Laplander police woman finding a Russian prostitute held in captivity and a body buried in the snow outside. Off the back of this, a virus is discovered and a German virologist is brought in to help identify the source and who has been infected. Ultimately, this leads to a much greater conspiracy involving some military types and shenanigans between Russia and Finland.
On the plus side, the locations are pretty impressive and if you like lots of snow (and people on snow mobiles) then you'll definitely find some enjoyment here. The acting is reasonable and it moves along at a fairly swift pace (although whether it needs 10 episodes for the first season is debatable).
However, my main issue is that the plot starts to become a little ridiculous towards the latter half. There are so many little sub strands and coincidences going on that it starts to lose focus. The whole operation into Russia is just stupid and unrealistic and at the end I was none the wiser about what the people instigating it actually wanted. The stories about the German doctor's nutty wife and the liver transplant for the daughter were fanciful (take note, you can get a liver transplant in a day in Finland - it was like someone swapping a new hard drive in a computer).
This brings me onto the relationship between the policewoman and her daughter. What an absolutely appalling parent she was. She was constantly dumping her child on her mother and then abandoning her for work. One minute she was concerned about her, the next she was off again, spending nights with the German virologist.
The mix of English and Finnish (with a smattering of German) meant some of the delivery of lines came across a little wooden. The caricatures of the military types and baddies in their James Bond-lite villain lair with accompanying rings hanging from the ceiling (just why?) had me chuckling when I probably shouldn't have been.
It probably sounds like I'm being unfair and I don't mean to be - but it was frustrating as I think this started off well. I just think they tried to pack too much stuff in.
The Empress (2022)
Enjoyable with great production values
I saw this advertised a few weeks back and as I like European dramas and a bit of history I thought I'd give it a shot. Overall, I'm glad I did. Whilst I can't vouch for its historical accuracy it certainly held my attention over the majority of its episodes, with the first couple and end being the strongest.
The basic story follows the life of young Elizabeth, a noble from Bavaria, who captures the heart of Franz Joseph, the Kaiser of the Habsburg Austrian Empire in the middle of the 19th century. Being a free spirit, she is not suited to life in the royal court, so the focus is on how she adapts to this amongst the backdrop of increasing population unrest and border frictions with the Russians.
I watched this in German (with English subtitles) and thought the cast were particularly good, especially Elizabeth and the Archduchess. What stood out though were the production values, with lavish locations, costumes and hairstyles really giving you a feel for the period. Some people have compared this to The Crown, and said it isn't as good, but I wouldn't even put them in the same category, especially as this is set much further back. If you ignored the actual historical element it is just as good as a stand alone drama.
It does get a little repetitive in the middle and there are times where it strays into Hallmark Christmas film fantasy Prince territory (what with the Emperors medals and sash etc), but it was interesting enough for me to watch a second series (assuming there is one).
F Is for Family (2015)
Funniest animation I've seen for years
I just happened to come across this on Netflix, saw it had a pretty good rating and decided to watch it. Wow, what an amazing series - I cannot believe I haven't heard of this before.
It's not often that an animated series stirs genuine emotion and characters you actually care about, but this one does. Yes, it's fairly adult and has a lot of familiar (and more than likely intended) stereotypes, but there is also proper writing and consistency in its storytelling with threads and themes continuing across the seasons.
Whilst the drawing and animation are pretty straightforward, it's done in a believable and realistic way. Some of the little glances and actions made by the characters are just so natural and there are always lots of things going on in the background that you can miss on first viewing.
The voices are drawn from a wide range of well known actors and voice artists and each character has their own distinct style. Bill Burr is probably not as well known in the UK as in the US, but his shouty rants were a joy to behold and often had me in stitches. As a kid brought up in the 70's I could relate to a lot of this (even though I'm not from the US).
My only criticism is that I didn't think Seasons 4 and 5 were as good as the first three. Whilst I can understand the nature of the kids characters changing as they got older, some of the other characters and storylines seemed to cross that fine line of being just a bit too silly.
When I first started watching this I knew season 5 was going to be the last one, and was disappointed that it wouldn't continue, but based on my view on seasons 4 and 5 I think it was probably the right thing to do.
Happy Birthday to Me (1981)
Good characters, catchy music, silly ending
Never seen this before and caught it on TPTV the other night.
To be honest, I was expecting a low budget slasher film from the early 80's, but was pleasantly surprised at the production values, especially in the first half. The acting, set up and locations were way above any standard horror film from that era, and you really did get the sense of the friends being in a small clique at their expensive school. I was also impressed with the music, which felt classically composed with a proper orchestra and quite a catchy signature motif.
The psychological elements of the film were woven into the story fairly well, with flashbacks giving snippets of what had happened in the past. The "kills" themselves were somewhat entertaining and went beyond the norm.
However, it started to fall down in the last third, especially when it was revealed who was doing the murdering. At that point it was kind of obvious what was going to happen (with regards to the victims being sat dead around a birthday party table), although the actual twist was somewhat convoluted and borderline ridiculous.
Someone mentioned a "Scooby Doo" ending and I think they're spot on, even if it wasn't the old caretaker who would have got away with it if it hadn't been for those meddling kids.
Definitely worth a look if you're a fan of films from that period.