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Reviews
Celebrity Help! My House Is Haunted (2022)
Really?
This show is so bad, so in-your-face fake, that it is almost beyond description.
The 'ordained' (really?!) exorcist claims, in the first episode of the second series, to have been a medium to Princess Diana; current research strongly suggests this is simply not true! Wow!
Playing on people's minds, playing mind games, using suggestion, jumping to outrageous conclusions, making wildly vacuous links between dead people and houses, and therefore capitalising on people's fears and insecurities, is not at all OK. Providing faked voice recordings and using mini Bluetooth speakers; having pre-provided details of the property being investigated, and then acting as if they are reading the house and the spirits, when is a fallacy of outrageous dishonesty, is incredibly dishonest. A very sharp practice.
This type of entertainment has victims; either the viewers and/or the people who own the alleged haunted buildings.
That the makers are deliberately misleading viewers, and some of the owners, is a degraded, deranged, form of entertainment.
Cancel this gutter garbage!
Saltburn (2023)
A DAMP DISAPPOINTMENT
Salburn
What starts off as a film of promising Technicolored, homoerotic, pulsations, ends-up as an almost unfathomable foray into half-assed pseudo-black comedy, with few laughs, a little horror, and quite a big ask in the believability stakes.
Not a great movie, beautifully filmed, yet depleted by a strange slightly abstract narrative; the storyline is riddled with Brideshead Revisited and The Great Gatsby tropes, amongst others, and an array of stilted allusions to various done-before devices, set pieces, and hoary grand spectacle. It is at once essentially unoriginal, and with an obscured and confusing storyline that leaves holes where a cracking narrative should have been.
Weird plot jumps and cinematic padding elongated an already sparse storyline, not helped, either, by irritating plot twists, made so by jolting screenplay holes, that begged explanation, or the dramatic hinting of other rational realisations and character interlocutors.
The miscasting of the lead is a frustrating mistake the casting director should have been fired for; in this role Keoghan was not meant to be, despite his considerable talent. His portrayal seems to leak his own difficulty in portraying such a monstrous, conniving, psychopathic killer with ideas of predatorily seeking unattainable sex and his gaining of power and riches.
The movie,which was far too long, confusing, dramatically ineffective, and generally unbelievable; even the ending of a naked Keoghan dancing through, now, 'his' property, was jarring and inexplicable. A hairy ass crack is not a good denouement; a bizarre irrelevance.
Finally, the other big issue with this movie, is that there was not one single sympathetic character; they were all vacuous, facile, fanciful, stereotypes, or just plain boring individuals barely sketched out, as if through a window obscured by dust and grime.
The only real high point, was that of the locations. Oxford and the mythic Saltburn were both stupendously easy on the eye.
Recommended with reservations; 4/10.
Here Comes Hell (2019)
Entertaining supernatural hokum!
I was surprised at this hammy, melodramatic cinematic deliberate bloody fiasco.
Silly, funny, occasionally hilarious, daft, yet well made, directed and with lively performances from good actors, this shock horror comedy is strangely entertaining.
Tom Bailey, a notable new face who shows great promise, and his above average acting fellows who run riot but in an amusing way, shine deathly bright with a reasonable script and tight direction from a talented director. Suspend disbelief at all costs.
The location is stellar; the extravagantly decrepit old dark house looms high as an ideal haunted location. The overacting compelling; I enjoyed this rampant foray into unhinged movie territory.
Recommended.
The Whisperers (1967)
A Touch of the Metaphysical and Existential
Disturbing film, but mesmerising and poignant, presenting a view of the realities of isolated old age, as superbly acted out by the great Dane Edith Evan's, who gives us a masterclass in superior acting, with a visceral performance of superb cohesion, graduation, as the crescendo of her life situation grips the viewer like a vice.
The story is universally always vivid and true to reality, it is well fleshed out by Bryan Forbe's excellent abilities.
All the acting is first class, as is the direction, script, production values and general creative and interpretation of the story.
It manifests a creeping sense of being trapped, as in a web, tortured by loneliness, poverty, and sad human dissolution, in a situation of pressingly familiar tropes and realities, that haunt you long after viewing this masterful cinematic transcription, of the human condition. It's power is to realistically convey the lot of an old woman, long after all her friends and loved ones have gone, died, or moved away.
A life laid bare, as afterwards, is what we see the great Dame Edith acting out, and as a feat of dramatic import few performances have ever been so sad, poignant and sympathetic.
Highly Recommended!
KMWarwick.
Tank 432 (2015)
Rupert Evan's is the Only High Point
Whilst Rupert Evan's does his usual acting gravitas, and the others are OK, there is a budget and script issue; the storyline is hackneyed, clumsy and unfathomable. It suffers from being transcribed from a bad, stale, idea that does not bloom well in cinematic terms. I do wish I could write something more positive, but I cannot.
The problem here is all too common; someone has an idea or a script, then is determined to make a movie of it. Therein lies the rub; you need a good script,
dynamic direction, enthusiastic and effective acting, the money to provide excellent production values and continuity, and an array of manifesting talent. Plus it usually pays to have the cashflow to pay actors a good wage.
This movie lacks in all departments, even if Rupert gives his all. Sadly, I cannot recommend this film.
Victoria & Abdul (2017)
Endearing Story of an Old Lady who Salves Her Loneliness
A movie of greatly enjoyably charm, where Dench gives a wonderful and moving performance, alongside an impossibly handsome actor ,where both elevate the screenplay with most excellent acting. The story may be embroidered a bit, but who cares? This is stellar entertainment with top quality acting, production values, scripting and artistically superb direction. A total treat and a emotive cinematic experience that elevates the art of storytelling and is a movie transcription.
If the purpose of cinema is to entertain then this production wins hands down with a mesmerising narrative and a sensitive human touch.
Highly recommended.
Vienna Blood (2019)
High Grade Viewing
Most excellent cast, production values, direction and script. Storylines are crisp and cut to the bone; no room for superfluous moonshine, just jolly good scripts and exhilarating, rattling, narratives. Gripping, visually splendid, with a beautiful setting, and with a partnership in crime not seen since Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. The subtext of the relationship between the inspector and his sidekick doctor, is both intriguing and the subject of natural speculation. The intrigue deepens. This is an intelligent, thoughtful, resourceful, and ingenious, series, of the very best quality. The acting is also exemplary. Highly recommended.
1899 (2022)
Metaphysical Existential Shocker
Here, we are presented with a series with above average production values, good CGI, consistent continuity, solid acting, deft direction, good casting, and a generally cohesive, complex, but fathomable, storyline. The cinematic quality of this sci-fi horror is well defined and visually arresting, giving you a successful sense of location. From the very first episode the array of intriguing events and hints of the untoward are well flagged, and the introduction of each character fleshes out individual traits and past events.
Watchable and worth the viewing, this is recommended if you are tired of the ordinary and disappointing productions.
Harry & Meghan: The Complete Story (2022)
Fictionalised Bulldust!
So, here we are; the first edition of a four part mini series. So what do we really have here? Not long into this diatribe of a me-me-me escapade, is the apparent bizarre grandstanding of two rather self conscious people, who seem to assume that it is OK to fabricate and promulgate disinformation, peppered with pointless and enervating detail that is about as interesting a shipping forecast; and just as foxing.
Oh dear; this is actually embarrassing to watch, even excruciating, because they seem dead-set on presenting a semi-fictionalised neo-documentary, aimed at subverting reality and turning it into an unreal narrative of Sussex, lies, and videotape! Scene after scene of pathetically fake, staged scenes, including them being pursued by phantom paparazzi, and attributing misappropriated real-life video footage stolen from other peoples Which is shabby reality warping. There are more examples of fathomless deception, untruths and various wild manipulations of what is real and is pure fantasy.
Then there is the cowardly, passive aggressive bullying of the British Royal family, where they are more than pleased to besmirch every member with the same excremental brush. There is no qualifying what they mean here; no measured fairness, just innuendo, unfounded accusation and unfair implication. Harry and Meghan actually come across, at certain times, as just two school yard bullies. Or two bitter and twisted ingrates with sharp, ruthless axes to grind.
There is some tragedy here; a tragedy that the truth has been discarded in favor of disinformation. And at the core of these two truth-challenged people's diatribe, is their deliberate and callous rewriting of why they jumped over the pond in the first instance. They claim it was racism, despite Meghan claiming on her passport that she is Caucasian, changing her frizzy hair, and generally eradication her physical African heritage; which she was obviously not at all proud of. Inverted racism, where someone wants to hide their genetics, is a sad condition. For whatever reason!
We now know the truth behind why H&M left for the USA; bullying! Not any other fabricated reason. As recorded, they were both brought to book over very serious, cruel and aggressive, bullying; of over a dozen victims. We know this because their testimonies, valid in a court of law, have been recorded. Details, as it happened. Fact, not fiction. When H&M were admonished they apparently hit the roof. Denial followed denial. Soon they were hatching a getaway, rather than face up to what they were. Two bullies. Two childish, demanding, aggressive bullies. Undoubtedly there is CCTV footage proving beyond all reasonable doubt, that the prima facie evidence speaks louder than fictional nonsense. They were clocked and admonished. They ran away! So bad was the bullying that H&M were banned from Kensington Palace and sent to Frogmore, Windsor Castle. But they really didn't like that at all. They wanted a palace all for themselves, s9mewhere they could shout, scream, swear and bully without impunity? Maybe!
I will ge watching the next three episodes, but the due is already cast, despite all their shenanigans and outright malarkey. The truth is factually the truth; and not just some partial interpretation of reality. Whatever the reason for this diatribe of bitterness, we are all the wiser for seeing through this gossamer facade, and as if through a glass darkly, focussing on the sheer deception of their truth!
Help! My House Is Haunted (2018)
An Entertainment Only.
Billed as an 'entertainment' this series is not a sober, serious ghost investigation.
Ian Lawman, the designated psychic, falsely claims to be an ordained exorcist, although it is well known that only religious organisations can ordain anyone. Seriously.
The behaviour of the team is too often unprofessional, resorting to shouting, swearing and screaming, on occasions. Behaviour that blows their claims to being bonafide. The methods they use are not mainstream, and there is no chronological linear progression of their haunting engagement. We simply do not know in what order events or procedures are happening. The use of blue tooth speakers in order to create fake spirit voices is also a major issue.
The biggest flaw is in the ludicrous idea that Ian can do remote readings of a house. No, this not feasible or rational. You cannot do a house reading unless you are quite literally in situ; you have to be there! Otherwise such an attempt is fruitless and misleading. However, there is no doubt information, gleaned from research, is submitted to Ian beforehand. Fact.
So, the show is a fabricated performance of the entertainment variety, only!
Do not take this deception seriously!
Additionally, I just watched episode 1 of the new series 2 (February 2023). I have rarely seen such a trumped-up, disgracefully fraudulent shxxshow! Here they deliberately, cynically, introduce a new ghost by fishing for local historical characters, who had nothing to do with Louis Spence's property. The wilful way they plant a ghost on this actual home, beggared belief. Dangerous and dishonest practices are at play which can have a very detrimental and harmful effect on the living inhabitants. I find this alarming and disturbing. Why is the so-called medium, Lawless, not able to speak directly to the dead? Why use a ouija board, when it is universally acknowledged that these bad boards should never be used. They are very dangerous.
All together an outrageous piece of smoke and mirrors theatre, of the totally manufactured kind. Shameful misleading of gullible home owners who's faith is abused and taken advantage of. They need to be exposed and ridiculed!
Love, Death & Robots: Jibaro (2022)
STUNNING PIECE OF ASTONISHING BEAUTY
Visually stunning work of film art of astonishing beauty and mythical horror.
This metaphysically shocking cinematic transcription of a mythic retelling, involving the mesmerising representation of a terrible force of death and wreckage, is at once a major work of monumental achievement.
The artistic genius at work here is towering and profoundly impressive.
The narrative is fast and furious, breathtaking and a breakneck tsunami of visual splendor, artistic resonance, and a deeply satisfying intellectual experience.
A triumph of hauntingly brilliant creative gravitas.
I am haunted by this artistic triumph, and in the best possible way!
Powerfully recommended!
KMWarwick.
I Want to Live! (1958)
A Performance of Extraordinary Power!
Your eyes are glued to Hayward's vivid, lively image and supremely expressive face, as she grasps at life in this gut-wrenching true life tale of tragedy and the horror/terror of a savagely cruel sentence of capital punishment.
The rhythm of this landmark movie is rapid, turgid and heartbreakingly devastating; the story is a lesson in monumental injustice and contains the greatest performance of any actress of the Hollywood age. And I truly mean that!
Hayward conveys a nightmarish situation so convincingly and so very, very skilfully, that she achieves something no other actress has done before or since; she actually merges with the minds eye and the viewer becomes a shocked witness to the movie's excoriating reality. It's the poignant, deeply painful reality of a woman facing imminent death by draconian order.
The entire movie is cut to the bone with a balanced, minimal script, firm direction and excellent casting; it fleshes out a pathway for Susan to fully develope and manifest Graham's star-crossed and unstable lifestyle. Here, the actress grabs the movie by the celluloid and flies in the face of previous critics, to present us with a superb performance of mesmerising power. A top ten best drama movie ever contender, for sure!
Flesh and Blood (2020)
Pot boiler family crime drama.
Imelda Staunton excels as a strangely lovable intrusive good neighbour with the touch of death and with her own secrets. In fact, it's her personal triumph as an actress and she dominates this acting arena. The others kind of radiate outwardly from her central performance that illustrates the finer tenets of dramatic import.
Francesca Annis and the other members of the ensemble highly ably supports Staunton in this turgid, troubled tale of violent confrontation via the damn burst of suspicious minds. Altogether a superior but moribund entertainment saved by a central performance.