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Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againThe list is not in priority order - the films are listed purely as I remember them.
Reviews
Dune (2021)
An impressive adaptation, so much better than the earlier version
I wasn't sure about watching as the previous version, despite Sting et al, was so disappointing, boring and more of a mangling than an adaptation but it was always going to be a huge challenge to do justice to the books. It's probably around 50 years since I read any of the books and apart from knowing I greatly enjoyed them. I didn't remember much else, apart from the Fremen,the suits they wore and why; the worms and lots and lots of sand - obviously - and I thought I remembered what is only shown right at the end of the film*. I'll only add that at the end of this.
The cast is very strong. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya are beautiful to watch. I enjoyed seeing Charlotte Rampling who is a great favourite and so pleased to see Jason Mamoa who struggled so much getting roles after Game of Thrones seemed to typecast him as gorgeous, powerful but dim. Not a great fan of Aquaman mind.
It can be hard for films over 2 hours long to maintain momentum but this did for me and I'm really looking forward to Part 2.
*Now comes the spoiler. I was proved right - the Fremen ride the worms.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Disappointing for me
Despite the cast and performances I didn't really care for this version but as the BBC 1995 production, is my all time favourite and set the bar very high for all that followed, I'm not sure it could be bettered - for me anyway. I like many of the actors but Donald Sutherland, though I like him a lot, didn't quite fit the bill for me.
I watch the 1995 series when it is repeated, usually about once a year. I know it's not absolutely true to the book but it's very hard for anything to match that. It doesn't hurt that it's my favourite of all Austen's works. Closely followed by Sense and Sensibility and even though she was really too old for her part, I love the Emma Thompson version of that best.
I've seen many versions of Pride & Prejudice, of varying quality and this version probably ranks 2nd for me. The absolute bottom is the dreadful 1945 version, which makes me cringe. I could only stand about 4 minutes of it last time I took a look. I like Olivier very much and am quite fond of Greer Garson but it really was dire.
Completely understand that others rate this much higher but just not my preference.
The Winter King (2023)
Disappointing and increasingly boring
I hoped this might be nearer in quality to the excellent 'The Last Kingdom' especially beung by the renowned and eminently readable Bernard Cornwell. I like Arthurian settings too but I enjoyed the tv series 'Merlin' far more. That wasn't meant to be high quality drama but this should have been, or at least, much better ghan it is. Arthur is not convincing and though not bad in early episodes became less. I lost interest around mid series. There were some interesting plot twists but they weren't sustained and the fatal choice of wife, by Arthur and it's consequences, seemed reminiscent of GOT 'The Red Wedding' but compared very badly. It's hard for anything to equal or rival GOT* yet The Last Kingdom was excellent.
*apart from the let down of the last episode- the writers haste to move on to Star Wars was sadly evident in that and the actors and fans didn't deserve that.
My husband stuck with Arthur and co but I largely tuned out. Such a shame, it could have been so much better.
Lo sbarco di Anzio (1968)
Not very convincing, accurate or well made.
Others have written about the historical accuracy and I wish I'd known to ask my father about that when we watched it on TV. Why - because my father was there. He fought there. Lost friends and colleagues there. I have his tiny diary with it's daily entries from the time. It's blank after March 1944 because it was 'captured' with the rest of his kit, by a German patrol. That's part of another story though.
Dad wasn't impressed by how little the British and others were mentioned. He didn't speak about the war much, mostly funny stories but enough other mentions to know that what he didn't talk about was far, far worse.
My father mainly said the film was skewed and thousands lost their lives needlessly, in his opinion because of command failures.
Lewis (2006)
Morse Legacy
Morse is one of my all time favourite TV series and John Thaw gave masterly performances in the superbly written scripts. The episodes were beautifully shot and made full use of Oxford' beauties.
One of the top contemporary critics regarded them as high quality films that were made for television.
I was delighted by the making of Lewis, whose character is portrayed differently in Colin Dexter's wonderful series of books, all of which I've read and reread, however it works very well in the TV adaptations. When Morse ended I had felt something akin to grief, so the spin off was very welcome and pleasing. John Thaws death compounded the sense of loss.
I greeted the prequel series Endeavour with some nervousness initially, it was a bold move and I wasn't sure how it would measure up. I needn't have worried. Much in the series was a tribute to Morse and so well done. I especially liked Abigail Thaws inclusion and appearances.
Lewis was an excellent legacy with great performances but Laurence Fox's views have spoilt them for me. I may be able to get past that in time and I hope I can, as they were great favourites and the on screen relationships work very well.
Calendar Girls (2003)
A Celebration
This movie is a celebration of women. Women who not models but real people who are more like most of us who are older and not like usual models and definitely not those you'd expect to see nude in a calender.
The W. I. has come a long way in recent decades and has shown it's still relevant and I think the real women who made this calender, have played a huge part in that. The reasons for making the calender are laudable and so many of us have been touched by cancer in one way another and for some of us it's been repeated. My father, 2 of my siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends et al, have been lost to this dreadful disease. Only a few have beaten it and I'm very thankful for that. Anything that supports the families going through the awful journey of cancer is more than fine with me and was obviously a huge hit with all who bought that trailblazing calender.
I view this film as a tribute and celebration of those courageous, compassionate women who wanted to remember a victim of cancer in a meaningful way and help others going through what happened to him and his loved ones. It's an unusual love story but a heartwarming one that touched the hearts of so many.
It's sad and joyful and watching it has made me happy each time I've watched it.
COBRA (2020)
Disappointing and Ridiculous
I wanted to like this but it's fairly awful. Good actors. Awful script and though some failings may be due to poor editing that doesn't explain the ridiculous plotting. Chaotic and dialogue is often garbled. Cliches, dreadful stereo typing and incoherent. I know the story is about the chaos that would ensue but it's very weak plotting. Just not credible.
I've given up. Tuned out part way through episode 2. I was going to stick with it but it's boring. Not what you want or expect from a disaster scenario.
It could have been so much better. Mind you tgat would require Believable storylines, rewritten script, better pacing, coherent dialogue, improved filming and editing. Apart from that it is great!
Six Four (2023)
Better than I thought
I wasn't sure about this after the 1st episode and I'm not keen on the lead actress.
I left it awhile then decided to gave it another go. James Cosmo is often worth watching apart from anything else.
There are twists and turns, jeopardy and tension. I'm glad I kept watching. There was enough that's credible enough and some surprises too. It's not always easy to tell who are the good guys but some are very obviously either bad or, at the least questionable. Even at the end, the ending made me wonder if a second season was planned but I'm not sure that would work. Perhaps it's more believable because not everything is answered.
It's not Line of Duty but what is?
The Irregulars (2021)
Oh Dear and Definitely Not OMG I A Good Way
What we're they thinking? Well, apart from the obvious attempt to cash in on youthful characters making another TV series a smash hit. They could have done it too. Perhaps it will improve but so far it's cringeworthy.
The dialogue is insulting anachronistic and intensely irritating. There can be modern idioms to some extent without creating an absurdity. This takes it to absurd and beyond.
Too often Netflix produces disappointing material. In this case it's a shame as Sherlock Holmes did have what he called his 'Irregulars' and the premise that they did much of the investigating could work and work well. Not in this series and I'm not sure they could improve it sufficiently without completing reworking it.
Worzel Gummidge (2019)
Charming Folktale for Today and Tomorrow
This short series is such a delight. I missed watching it over Christmas and was reminded of it while watching Michael Palin's well deserved award at the NTAs, so decided to try and find it. I'm so happy I did.
I didn't watch the earlier series but would catch glimpses kow and then so knew who was in it and liked them. I never read the books either. Does any of that matter? I don't think so but I may look for the books for my grand and great grandchildren.
The idea that the seasons got locked in 1963 and 1976 is a fascinating one and I remember both years well. It really did seem like the seasons and weather got stuck.
The whole of episode 1 is charming, delightful and enchanting. All descriptions I've read in other reviews as well and completely agree with. Perfect programming for Christmas and family viewing. Thank you BBC and please make more.
Thanks most of all to Mackenzie Crook for imagining Worzel for today. Brilliantly inspired and I loved it. The story, the songs and music, the characters and subtle use of CGI and other effects, which didn't dominate. So cleverly done. Thank you all who created this.
Now going to watch episode 2.
Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar (2019)
Delightful
I didn't have great expectations so it was a very pleasant surprise to watch this story unfold and be so unexpectedly charming.
I found it delightful.
Lyndsey Marshall is eminently watchable and Jonah Haur-King is beautiful.
There may not have been many other performances that matched but Sir Constance was good I thought.
The dialogue was sparing and often the lack of it was the source of enjoyment and though not a serious work I thought the attitudes towards the digs and artefacts was true to the times and how arrogant that could be, though some valued them as they ought to be valued. As far as I can tell that is. Of course my own views colour that and how we may view such things now.
In summation. My expectations were exceeded and I enjoyed the story immensely.
Lark Rise to Candleford (2008)
Beautifully crafted stories from the wonderful books
It's some years since I watched the adaptations but my fondness hasn't diminished. I loved this programme and I wish it was repeated.
Knowing the adaptation was being made, I read the books first and they are such a treasure trove of the times, the places and the people. They chart a period of great change and tell of a way of life largely lost to us now. Told with great affection but not seeming to be glossing over the things we would find unacceptable or incomprehensible today. That's how it should be. Things change, times change and so do attitudes.
There's great charm in the stories but also a lot of candour amongst the foibles and amusement. We see the uncertainties, the insecurities and precariousness of life. The sweeping changes brought by the railways shouldn't be underestimated. They were profound and changed much of the world as well as our country.
The programme doesn't of course, replicate the books as written but takes the material and weaves a thoroughly fascinating story based upon the memories captured in the books. It's exceedingly well done.
The Lone Ranger (2013)
Immense fun
I'm somewhat surprised at how negative many critics reviews were. I thought it was very, very funny.
I found it engaging and entertaining and I've watched it several times with the same enjoyment and I don't say that lightly.
Perhaps having grown up with the Lone Ranger TV series gives me a different viewpoint.
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
An Instant Classic
There are some films that are so good you can tell they are special as you're watching them.
I saw it on release in the cinema and loved it almost from the start. Before the end I knew this film stood out and so did most of the lead actors. Yul Bryner was already a favourite and I knew something of others. It was no surprise that several became stars and enduring icons of film that endure today.
It was based on the excellent 7 Samurai, which I saw years later and did a good job of transferring to the setting of the wild west. The later version of 2016 is better than I expected. For me though it doesn't have the magic of the earlier version but it was always going to be difficult to better.
The Dressmaker (2015)
Great Fun
I'm definitely at odds with professional critics on this film.
I watched it by chance, on Sky Cinema I think. I enjoyed it so much I bought the DVD and that is a rare thing for me to do.
I'm not alone in loving The Dressmaker My elder and very discriminating, sister enjoyed it hugely too and I've recommended it to other close relatives and friends and they think it's great fun too.
I love the quirkiness. The cast are brilliant and the dresses are truly, absolutely fabulous. I think my favourite scene is the women, wearing their fantastically out of place costumes, draping themselves in optimistically glamorous poses, in the main street.
I don't care what the critics thought. I'm very glad I happened on this film and I can now watch it whenever the fancy takes me - depending only on access to a working DVD player.
My DVD collection isn't large but it contains a mixture of comedy and historical drama mostly. Jane Austen dramatization dominate, TV series and films, plus some off shoots like The Jane Austen Book Club etc. CRANFORD, Wives and Daughters, are part of it too. With the odd Historical programmes, like Full Steam Ahead and Michael Woods, History of England.
The Dressmaker joins those, with The Knight's Tale, Master and Commander, plus several series of QI.