I have never forgotten how miscast I found Sophie Thompson in this otherwise well-made children's drama serial. I even called my mother into the room to ask her if she agreed with me that Sophie looked awkward and rather unattractive in the role. I felt liked laughing at some of the dialogue which portrayed her character as outstandingly beautiful.
Since I found out later that she was the younger sister of Emma Thompson, I have conjectured that Emma had been the original choice to play the heroine, but that when she was suddenly unable to perform, her sister had been called in as a last minute replacement.
Reviews
10 Reviews
Flip or Flop
(2013–2022)
Not Actors! Genuine real estate people.
23 April 2016
I am glad to find a home renovation program that uses actual people in the real estate business not actors. I was upset when I looked in IMDb at Hilary Farr (of Love it or List it) and the Property Brothers and discovered they were listed as actors, and had no real estate, interior design or architecture in their resumes. In these programs you hear them laying forth and want to believe that they know what they are talking about, but Tarek and Christina are the only ones who have any real experience backing their opinions. Now when I watch the other two programs, I won't enjoy them because it is all fake. According to a recent law suit, even the things the customers say are scripted. Presumably Jonathan Scott does very little of the work on the houses or else one would be worried about the standard of his skills. He is an actor, not a contractor. Thankfully Tarek keeps his hands off the plumbing and electrical work.
The Hairdresser
(2010)
I was hooked in the first two minutes
25 November 2013
The hairdresser, Kathi, is talking to a dowdy customer in the opening scene. She tries to persuade the woman to let her cut and color her hair in a rejuvenating style. Kathi is so warm and appealing that the customer opens up to her and they get into deep conversation. This scene enchanted me, Kathi has a great personality, and the actress portrays a truly human character, much more real that the stereotypes that commonly seen on the screen. There are interesting insights (for US viewers)into the welfare system in Germany. I enjoyed the humor, although not able to speak German. I don't like reading subtitles usually but this story really got to me. I needed to find out what happened next, would Kathi get her Beauty Shop running in the end, and what about the Vietnamese? Inspiring, feminist and entertaining.
Gone Baby Gone
(2007)
This film seized defeat from the jaws of victory.
14 August 2008
The acting seemed excellent apart from enunciation. I could not make out a lot of the dialog.
The story is a monument to misguided sentimentality, however. The ending made the rest of the plot seem pretentious twaddle.
The main protagonist was downright stupid in making his final decision. I saw that it was just another idiot plot, after such a promising start! If Kenzie had only just talked it through with the people who hired him to do the job in the first place they would have come to an amicable and rational arrangement that would have left everyone happy, and out of jail.
There was such a wide streak of self-righteousness in this disappointing movie that it undid all the good will created by skillful film-making.
I was able to understand every work Casey Affleck spoke, so I know I was not mistaken in my comprehension of his character's motives in doing what he did.
The plot was ruined by the final twist. The film seized defeat from the jaws of victory. It could have been a contender.
The story is a monument to misguided sentimentality, however. The ending made the rest of the plot seem pretentious twaddle.
The main protagonist was downright stupid in making his final decision. I saw that it was just another idiot plot, after such a promising start! If Kenzie had only just talked it through with the people who hired him to do the job in the first place they would have come to an amicable and rational arrangement that would have left everyone happy, and out of jail.
There was such a wide streak of self-righteousness in this disappointing movie that it undid all the good will created by skillful film-making.
I was able to understand every work Casey Affleck spoke, so I know I was not mistaken in my comprehension of his character's motives in doing what he did.
The plot was ruined by the final twist. The film seized defeat from the jaws of victory. It could have been a contender.
The Lost Room
(2006)
a surprisingly original premise leaps out of a morass of hackneyed ideas
14 December 2006
The Lost Room has a surprisingly original premise leaps out of a morass of hackneyed ideas that litter the landscape of movie science fiction. I loved the mystery and the novelty of the story line. The main characters were excellent and well performed by a solid cast. Especially notable in the quirky roles were Dennis Christopher as Ruber, and Ewen Bremner as Strizke. I never cared much for Peter Krause in Six Feet Under but he was very watchable in the lead role of Joe Miller. It was somewhat disappointing that much of the action depended on cars and telephones, which are to my mind the most boring of screen props, but nearly everything else in the scenery was interesting and different. The theological theories were most amusing, almost reminiscent of Douglas Adams at his best.
A Scanner Darkly
(2006)
Oscar worthy performance by Robert Downey Jr
23 July 2006
At first I thought why go to all the bother of rotoscoping this movie. It has top stars in it, and it had to be filmed first, so why not just distribute it in conventional form?
But after I had seen it all the way through, I appreciated the effort that had been made in altering the look of the film. It suited the theme in a way that is almost ineffable. The wavering view of reality matched the loss of mental clarity of its characters, and left me with a set of really memorable images. Occasionally, as in some of the driving scenes, the amount of over painting was minimal and I found myself wanting to see more rotoscoping. In the next shot it was back to the max and I felt reassured. The technique enhanced the feel of the film in a
But the most striking thing about Scanner is the amazing performance by Robert Downey Jr as Barris. He has created a multi-faceted character, funny, eccentric and very creepy. His body language is as convincing as his delivery of the lines. Near the end of the film, when Barris's fate is sealed, I felt relieved that he got his just reward. Downey made me care what happened this weirdo.
Second in line for praiseworthy acting was Rory Cochrane. He was hardly recognizable in a role that is far removed from the one he had in CSI Miami. He twitched and grimaced with relish as imaginary bugs swarmed across his skin.
Keanu Reeves is better at existential angst that critics want to admit, and I felt his character's pain and disappointment in love more keenly than in any of his previous roles.
There were several nods or footnotes referencing other Dick novels and movies. The image of the sheep (Total Recall), the brain tester(Blade Runner), and the Anaheim drug culture (which is where Philip K. Dick lived and knew well). The scene on the side of the freeway where the characters discuss the unscrewing of the engine part was a hilarious illustration of drug-logic. If they had driven to San Francisco instead of San Diego, the screw would have turned in the opposite direction and therefore not become disengaged.
Through a Scanner Darkly was worth the wait. It is a brilliant artistic success that captures Dick's paranoid fantasy vision of the world. Robert Downey Jr gave an amazing award-deserving performance on multiple levels of Wormtongue-like druggie paranoia betrayal. You should try to see this on the big screen as the whole rotoscoping thing is much better seen large. Reshown on cable TV it reduces to the level of the cartoon network.
But after I had seen it all the way through, I appreciated the effort that had been made in altering the look of the film. It suited the theme in a way that is almost ineffable. The wavering view of reality matched the loss of mental clarity of its characters, and left me with a set of really memorable images. Occasionally, as in some of the driving scenes, the amount of over painting was minimal and I found myself wanting to see more rotoscoping. In the next shot it was back to the max and I felt reassured. The technique enhanced the feel of the film in a
But the most striking thing about Scanner is the amazing performance by Robert Downey Jr as Barris. He has created a multi-faceted character, funny, eccentric and very creepy. His body language is as convincing as his delivery of the lines. Near the end of the film, when Barris's fate is sealed, I felt relieved that he got his just reward. Downey made me care what happened this weirdo.
Second in line for praiseworthy acting was Rory Cochrane. He was hardly recognizable in a role that is far removed from the one he had in CSI Miami. He twitched and grimaced with relish as imaginary bugs swarmed across his skin.
Keanu Reeves is better at existential angst that critics want to admit, and I felt his character's pain and disappointment in love more keenly than in any of his previous roles.
There were several nods or footnotes referencing other Dick novels and movies. The image of the sheep (Total Recall), the brain tester(Blade Runner), and the Anaheim drug culture (which is where Philip K. Dick lived and knew well). The scene on the side of the freeway where the characters discuss the unscrewing of the engine part was a hilarious illustration of drug-logic. If they had driven to San Francisco instead of San Diego, the screw would have turned in the opposite direction and therefore not become disengaged.
Through a Scanner Darkly was worth the wait. It is a brilliant artistic success that captures Dick's paranoid fantasy vision of the world. Robert Downey Jr gave an amazing award-deserving performance on multiple levels of Wormtongue-like druggie paranoia betrayal. You should try to see this on the big screen as the whole rotoscoping thing is much better seen large. Reshown on cable TV it reduces to the level of the cartoon network.
The Roads to Freedom
(1970)
A very serious but grippingly entertaining TV series
8 March 2002
I watched every episode of this wonderful serial (13 weeks) as it was broadcast. It was one of the best dramatizations the BBC ever did, and although the book it was based on was a classic of French literature and political thought(likely to be dull and stuffy and utterly boring I would have guessed), the brilliance of the script, direction and acting brought it to life in a most enthralling manner. I wish they would show it again on one of the cable channels. Superb TV drama.
Topsy-Turvy
(1999)
best ever "back stage" movie
27 February 2002
this movie shows the creation of a stage musical from every angle, and the acting, the dialog and the music are all quite wonderful. I love the closing song, especially. The R-rating was awarded because of bit of nudity, ostensibly, but I think it was the portrayal of Mr Grossmith's drug use that did it really.
The Professionals
(1977–1983)
Excellent entertainment
29 May 1999
This series was the forerunner for the Die Hard/Lethal Weapon series of movies that were so popular in the 1980s. The Professionals defined the genre with its realistic settings and totally unsympathetic villains (terrorists for the most part). The bad guys were so awful, so deranged, so cruel that the audience could forgive the ruthless violence used against them by the Professionals. After seeing The Professionals, James Bond films seemed too glamorous and fanciful.
Journey Among Women
(1977)
Embarrassingly amateurish failure
12 November 1998
According to the pre-release publicity in Australia, this movie was made by a feminist collective who had no script to follow, preferring to make up the dialog as they went along. It made me ashamed to be a feminist. The acting and dialog were painfully awkward. So the plot is about a bunch of young female convicts dumped in the penal colony in Sydney in the 1780s. They live in squalor and are periodically raped by evil guards. They break out and run away to "the bush" to live an idyllic existence with the aborigines. It gets very anachronistic during this part of the movie.
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