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The Whale (2022)
This film made me think about my life...
...in a way most other films don't. It made me rethink who I am as a person and made me want to be a better one. Life sometimes extinguishes our ability to care and empathise with those who have been hurt, lonely, isolated, or simply less fortunate than us in life and films like this have the ability to bring us back to caring. It has been a long time since I almost cried at a movie, this film came pretty close to making me. To me, that's something alright.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dark humour addressed at anything religious. The narrow-minded, hypocritical, corrupt system in its various forms certainly had it coming for a long time already.
More than the incredible acting performances (sure enough, that they were) I'd like to applaud and thank the authors of this film for bringing this heart-felt story to the screen. This movie has a message and people need to watch it with their heart open. The main character's ability to see the silver lining in his daughter's dark future is truly remarkable, something we should all learn from. So, ultimately, there is hope for all of us. Let's just be better people, it's not that hard.
Omerta 6/12 (2021)
A little disappointing
Although the film started out pretty ok then, at some parts, the acting was really mechanical (e.g. At the beginning I thought the character of Anya was either played by a humanoid robot or was computer simulated... it was eerily caricature... like a glitch in the film, like somebody from a neighouring movie set stopped by, straight out of a bad sci-fi movie...
Anyway, I think what went terribly wrong with this film was that the actors were made to speak a foreign language that most of them weren't particularly good at. Of course it is going to affect their performance! If it's a Finnish film, why not let the actors act in their mother tongue? I think it would have made a world of difference... It's weird if characters from Finland are talking to each other in English... cause IRL they never would. This film was like getting a massage when the masseuse is wearing gloves... kind of there, but, kind of, also NOT.
I think there was only one believable character in the film, that was Titov, the Belarussian mobster/villain (but that actor is also not from Finland), who mastered English with a Russian accent pretty well (but he had an advantage - he didn't have to sound good in English. Also, his acting had kind of a rough street cred, I enjoyed it very much. If it weren't for that character, I'd have given this film 3 stars, no more.
The set that was supposed to be in Tenerife... hmm... I could almost swear I recognized a beach in Estonia... the colour of the sea certainly points to that as well, and an old yellow swing set from Soviet era... maybe also Latvia or Lihtuania... I will eat my hat if it was really Tenerife.
I think that overall, the plot was pretty ok, except for maybe the last quarter of the film (why just tie up all those "loose ends" - so unnecessary). The execution of the film was, like, really bad, however. Mainly, I guess, due to a lot of rushing through the film shoots and a low budget, probably. So, for anyone not from Finland or Estonia or any other countries wherever the actors came from (and therefore would like to cheer on for their fellow courtymen) - please, don't waste your time... there are a million other such action movie-ish thingies out there that are a whole lot better.
Virgin River (2019)
Deteriorating, unfortunately
Upon my first encounter, after watching season 1, I obviously gave this series a 10, since the acting performances of two leading actors (who played Jack and also the young lady doctor) were charming and they really had chemistry and everything. But after 2 more disturbingly slow seasons, unfortunately, I lost all interest. Maybe there is a season 4, even if I watched a couple of ep-s, I didn't finish that...
It just gets way too sentimental for my personal taste. It isn't even uneventful, but it's unbelievably slow-paced and ultimately falls short of triggering any intelligent thought... same old small-town bickering over and over... otherwise good initial intrigue just loses the attention span of anyone who'd expect to see this story develop... in the end it is way too one-dimensional to enjoy any more... I'd immediately cut out the character of that old hag, what's-her-name, the old doctor's wife, if I were the producer... oops... too late... she shpuld have been cut in the middle of season 1, actually... unbelievably boring busybody.
Dark (2017)
This show is so ahead of our time its out of this world_ edit: Season 3 was a meh...
The first 2 seasons: intricate storyline, good acting performances, makes the viewer rack their brains, like, thoroughly... And the philosophical pearls of wisdom that have been wowen into the story... almost seems a superhuman creation... An absolute must-see for anyone who likes puzzles and mysteries and making sense of human existence. Like the most delicious cake you'll ever eat... makes you want to devour every bite, every minute of every episode... Oh, and it's also a treat for anyone who's a fan of the 80s... so, all my favourite components are present in this series.... BTW, I'm anything but a fan of sci-fi, usually.
EDIT: after finishing season 3, I'm actually quite disappointed. The entire last season was a pain to watch... slow and boring and frustratingly repetitive... characters blabbering on and on about some kind of a knot that needed undoing or whatever... couldn't care less anymore, actually... almost didn't finish the season. Almost as if the author crashed into a wall at the speed of 200 km/h. Absolute disaster. I really don't understand how something that started out so perfect could end up such a trainwreck.
1899 (2022)
Truly enjoyable mystery
I absolutely enjoyed this mystery series, binge-watched it just in 2 days. Next to never do I give anything 10 points, well this series is totally worth it - I'd say, mostly thanks to brilliant acting performances, which really were nothing short of impeccable.
I have not seen Dark (I guess, after reading some of the user reviews here, now I'm going to), so I'd kind of compare this series to Matrix meets Lost. Blue pill-red pill dilemma can easily be compared to white syringe - remember, black syringe - forget. Characters slowly gaining insight into the fact that they are but lab rats... and somebody sinister conducting human experiments in the name of science...
I would also seriously disagree with anyone who says this series is too slow. It really is not, at least for anyone who enjoys thinking or for intelligent mysteries. The pace of the storytelling is just right, it is easy to follow, actually. I thoroughly enjoyed all the philosophical words of wisdom embedded in the story, as well as the music and references to pop culture. It really is a masterpiece. I hope there will be many more enjoyable seasons and the story will get more and more intricate.
Flood (2007)
Probably the worst movie I've ever seen
I liked the part played by Joanne Whalley though. The rest of it was just painfully awkward. An absolute torture to watch... poor script and mortifyingly bad acting from a lot of the characters...
Apteeker Melchior (2022)
Mediocre historical crime story
I was much looking forward to this hyped-up "new milestone of Estonian film-making" that this film was supposed to be... sadly, was also much disappointed. This film is trying to be an all-in-one - a crime story, a historical film, a gory horror story and also a love story... but, sadly, fails to be any of these. I admit, it is visually stunning - the views of Old Tallinn are breathtaking and, to every last detail, seem to be historically accurate (at least to an average Estonian viewer that I am, with limited historical knowledge). As it was shot in actual city locations around Estonia, a lot of effort went into turning the streets into a medieval setting. My favorite shot is a moonlight view of a street in Old Tallinn... that is a gem indeed. So, this film is a success as a historical depiction of Old Tallinn, that is its greatest achievement.
Some acting performances were also solid, e.g. A loud and rowdy mayor Marko Matvere in a supporting role of Spanheim and also Maarja Johanna Mägi as Keterlyn (amazing green eyes). Leading role, Melchior Wakenstede, played by Märten Metsaviir was quite one-dimensional, however (the book character is much more interesting).
This is where my positive comments end, sadly. The crime story is not something that would keep any modern viewer at the edge of their seats... yawn... it isn't intricate or exquisite or mystical as it is in the book, it's a clumsy wobbling through random lucky strikes, I don't see a cunningly clever detective, but just a random bloke stumbling upon clues.
As far as trying to be a romance, this is an epic failure. Sorry, but I don't understand what this relationship between Melchior and Katerlyn is supposed to be - the viewer is left puzzled about what did or didn't happen between them. There is no believable chemistry, no romantic connection happening, no development of a real love story... it looks like a "friends with benefits" situation at best... convenient enough since she already kind of lives with him... why not take advantage... no pursuit at all... lame and boring... double yawn... An abrupt turn of the female leading character at the end of the film, where, out a modest helper boy who's trying one's best at blending into the background she suddenly turns into a diva - sorry, but it wasn't believable in any way.
As for gore... yes, the viewer gets a share of bloody scenes with severed heads, flies buzzing around corpses and even a truly realistically depicted leper, but that is it.. just the visual effects, but no real tension building up to those scenes or following them... I just didn't buy the horror story or mystery thriller or whatever it was they were trying to aim at. Triple yawn...
The soundtrack... nothing stands out if I try to think back to the music... just background music, nothing special. All in all... I guess I was maybe mildly entertained, and if I hadn't had any high expectations, perhaps this would have been a slightly better experience.
Noah (2014)
Dramatic to the bone
Noah had a point.... the mankind is still evil and at each others' throats, still not taking care of the beautiful Earth or its creatures... nothing has changed compared to the times of pre-flood society of that time...Noah should have ended it.... but he failed the Earth big time and now the suffering loops the loop.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Meh
This satirical monstrosity of events leading up to an apocalypse... watching this film, I can't wait until something like this actually happens... the Earth just needs to break free. The humankind is truly the most ridiculous menace that could ever have happened to this planet. Exaggerated as this film is, it is also highly depressing, so I add a little bit of a warning for people with any social empathy left: do not watch. You'll lose the last grain of hope and belief into the collective common sense of the humankind.
I onde dager (2021)
Really funny
This blood-soaked Norwegian film noir takes Pulp Fictionianism to a whole another level. Absolutely hilarious. Dark humour at its best. So many twists and turns in the plot that it makes your head spin, but its wittiness makes the experience thoroughly enjoyable. If you cannot tolerate the sight of blood, this film is not for you.
Disparu à jamais (2021)
Gripping mini series
Loved the mini series, it did a good job at keeping some of the mystery all the way, while releasing little bits and pieces of the puzzle just at the right pace to keep the viewer interested. But perhaps that is thanks to a great novel, not so much the film cast and crew. (I have unfortunately not read it.) It was fairly easy to follow.
The acting of the main character was a bit too dry for my liking, but maybe that's subjective. It was not believable how two such gorgeous young ladies fell in love with him. There was no tangible raw emotion evident in the leading actor's play, as if he was too immature for this part. The repetitive "smacks lips" comment in subtitles was a bit annoying. The leading actor smacked his lips quite a lot and it drew my attention away from the dialogue at times.
I liked the actress who played Judith in this series - she was as spicy and mysterious as the writer had probably intended.
I didn't understand why it was necessary to keep the Nazi sideline going in this series. It was kind of redundant and didn't sit well with the main narrative. Beating and kicking a pregnant woman on screen... really? And why was that even relevant to the main story?
The scenery of Nice - amazing. I was able to recognize some spots I have visited, that contributed to my viewer's experience quite a lot.
All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable little series. It didn't make me binge-watch, but I didn't want to leave it unwatched, either - returned on consecutive days.
Beckett (2021)
Suspenseful
...and gripping, I personally thought this film kept my full attention, for the most part. The beginning was a bit slow... yawn yawn... it is true there was no evident chemistry in the love scenes or the lovers' chit chat scenes... like why drag the viewer through any of it when we're not even familiar with the characters yet?
But when the action started, the film picked up pace and kept me at the edge of my seat all the way to the end. The locals Beckett met on his journey were colorful and authentic. The villains were a bit unbelievable, especially the embassy guy. It didn't add up why they spent so much time and effort trying to off a dude who, at first, never even understood what he had witnessed until the ferociousness of the people chasing him made Beckett investigate the matter. So the script was, indeed, weak, but the acting of the main character, and also quite good directing saved this film from going down the drain.
It was good entertainment - no real artistic value to it - however, suspense-lovers will not be disappointed.
Outlaw King (2018)
Waste of time
To me, Outlaw King was an utter waste of time. The main character was so boring and tame, definitely not a hero material. I didn't quite understand whether it was bad acting or bad directing, but this film just did not take me with it. Slow-paced beginning, I couldn't care less about the main character, the anti-hero was so much more bad-ass. It was just as if some wannabe director was playing wannabe movie directing with wannabe actors and wasted the time of the rest of the crew, and - definitely - of all the audience.