Padreviews Reviews

The Fall Guy (2024)

Even better than the trailer

[10/10 · 3 May 2024]

I honestly didn't expect to like this as much as I did but it over delivered

It's a great homage to Hollywood & a great nod to all the people that never get a mention at the Oscars, without whom no film 🎥 would be made .

For anyone who's studied film as a degree like me there are so many references there from the obvious like the script font throughout all the credits before & after to the 100s of film references from Tom Cruise to Momento to Raiders , Star Wars , Love actually , Bond movies . Like La la land this was a beautiful pastiche & a nod to Hollywood . It was cheesy at times but in a good way but it set its track along a beautiful romance with plenty of comedy along the way & skulduggery all around , it didn't quite bring me to tears but brought so much happiness that it deserves a 10/10 .

No spoilers as always

I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did , it overdelivered & it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Alien v Cowboys Metal Storm actually gets made !

Go see & enjoy

Pad. A 10/10.

Boy Kills World (2023)

Kill Bill vol 3

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

I'm not a huge fan of violence & gore and Tarantino films are not my thing , although this had nothing to do with Quentin , you could see the influence

The fact that this was an original story straight to film was impressive , it had the feeling of a well established game or comic but the influences are definitely there and I can see this being spun into a franchise with sequels, games & comics

With it dystopian theme it had hallmarks of films like The Hunger games & running man and to an extent Total Recall . There were also hints of Rollerball , Westworld & Logan's Run with a touch of Pythonesque humour around the violence & gore

All in all it wasn't a bad film , it was above average & it worth watching if this is your genre , it's not mine but I didn't dislike it , I thought it was ok

Pad. A 6/10.

Ordinary Angels (2024)

Tears will flow

[10/10 · 26 April 2024]

Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster, this will play on your heart strings

An amazing piece of storytelling based on true life

A story about retribution, community & faith.

The casting & acting was top notch , in particular the father as he struggled with his own internal demons being unable to show emotion but you knew his heat was in the right place despite being dealt such a terrible hand & his character's reluctance to accept help was incredibly believable & the plots within a plot were great

As usual I don't give spoilers so I just concentrate on the craft and in this case it was perfect

Go see it you won't regret it , but I can guarantee you'll end up in tears , I cried through the whole film

Pad. A 10/10.

Challengers (2024)

New balls please

[8/10 · 26 April 2024]

Tennis was the metaphor that laid the track for this triangle of romance

It had the hallmarks of the classic Sense & sensibility by Jane Austin .

Conpliments to the director & in particular the camerawork during the tennis games showing both point of view for both the players , audience and ball

It was a film about friendship, about lust , love and honesty and most importantly trust or lack of , coupled with ambition

The music score was high adrenaline and added to the suspense and tension

Don't go expecting to watch a simple tennis & a love story , this was layered more like a thriller with classic mr nice guy and devilishly handsome bad guy looking like a young Richard Gere with the same cad like charm . The casting was spot on

What was also really good was the costume & make up - the characters spanned nearly 20 years with same actors realistically aging in front of your eyes as the plot timeshifted through the years

More like this please Hollywood

Pad. A 8/10.

Abigail (2024)

Genre busting

[6/10 · 21 April 2024]

As usual I went to see this film knowing nothing about & im extremely glad that I went to film without reading any reviews, so there were no spoilers

I had no idea what genre it was although I thought it might be horror & the trailers shown before the film confirmed that but of intuition.

Then the film started and I thought we are in for a edge of seat thriller like Taken or Die Hard but I was wrong I was very wrong

What you did get was a twist on various staple film stories but with twists . So there was a bit of knives out , a great deal of The usual suspects , a bit of horror comedy like M3gan and then a complete change in direction but I won't say what was as it'll spoil the surprise .

Did it work ?

I'd say no overall as it tried to be too many things in one film which ended up with plot holes , it's not a bad film it's just not a brilliant one & where it could have emulated the Usual Suspects it took a completely different path

It was full of surprises but not all of them were nice surprises

Pad. A 6/10.

Swede Caroline (2024)

Never seen one as big as that before

[5/10 · 19 April 2024]

So I have to say I love spoof documentaries & when they're done well they're brilliant

We have a history of making good ones in the UK , The office being a great case in point & the American version actually was better in some ways & ran for 9 seasons .

Then there's the wedding ones like Confetti & Wedding video which were both great .

And from the other side of the pond there's best in show which was excellent

And the king of kings playing to an audience on both sides is Spinal Tap & it's comic strip copycat The bad news tour.

And Borat & all his other characters deserves a mention & the brilliant Rutles all you need is cash.

And finally Mike Bassett England manager

All were great sadly Swede Caroline wasn't . It a few laughs & a great musical score including the original version by the poet John Cooper Clarke of the Artic Monkeys I wanna be yours

But it failed on the whole for what it ought have been and that was funny

It had some comedy , Richard Lumsden stood out for comedy as Paul & Celyn Jones as Willy was the stand out actor , though Jo Hartley put in great performance as Caroline

It was ok , it just wasn't great , watch BEST IN SHOW and you'll see what I mean & I had hoped it would be as good

You might enjoy it more than me , for me it never really got in to top gear but the second half was better than the first as soon as they got to Willy's mother's house it went up a gear

Average

Pad. A 5/10.

Back to Black (2024)

Song for Amy

[10/10 · 14 April 2024]

Sid & Nancy , Pete & Kate , Kurt & Courtney

Blake & Amy

The age of 27 something about the music industry seems to court toxic relationships that end in tragedy

You know the story , you know the music

The storytelling wins here this was a good 10/10 almost throughout the whole film from the minute she sung.

Huge admiration for Marisa Abela you'd be forgiven for thinking you're actually watching Amy Winehouse herself . The casting was perfect of both her in the main role & Eddie Marsan as her father Mitch & Dermot O'Leary as Blake ( cast as Jack O'connel ... ok it's not really dermot but he looked like him a bit ! )

But it was their toxic romance that was the track on which the story was set even if it was a roller coaster

It was story of family , religion , love , lust , loss & toxicity be it in relationships or via alcohol or drugs

The direction was top notch by Sam Taylor-Johnson as was the script , it had enough to tell the story for anyone new to Amy's career .

As you know I never give any spoilers , you'll know the story already but it's the storytelling you'll love & the music is amazing , Marisa's vocals were superb , there's even a cameo role by Mark Ronson but not as himself see if you spot him having just seen it for the second time I could be wrong it's mark adam . Also be interested to know what the final song was & who sung it , I now know that's the song for Amy by Nick Cave , it's good that songs by other artists are also used to progress the plot.

There was a lot clever symbolism of animals trapped on cage & a canary wanting to spread its wings .

At the end of the day it's a tragic story but you won't leave feeling sad or tearful you'll be uplifted by the joy she brought to millions in her very short career

Camden is an easy place to fall in love

Pad. A 10/10.

Civil War (2024)

Lost the plot

[3/10 · 11 April 2024]

I had high expectations from this , it had all the ingredients for a good film , sadly it failed .

It wasn't all bad , the last 1/2 hour actually had some action , some drama & the sound was pretty good , even if the musical numbers sometimes seem to be incongruous.

As a story primarily surrounding photo journalism it certainly wasn't Oliver Stones's Salvador or anything of that calibre

What the plot missed was the reasoning behind the civil war , how it started and why each side decided that war was the answer rather than negotiation , it wasn't even that clear who was on who's side as there so many scenes where the military were dressed the same & the same hardware , then when there were paramilitary it wasn't entirely clear who's side they were on

In some ways it wasn't as bad as the Olympus has fallen type movies but had it actually based on trump & the January 6th insurrection even if loosely it would have had a plausible plot to follow .

The American civil war 1861-65 is written in history and it's possible to see how that happened , here we were given very little build up then at no point did you realise who was on who's side & why

I just expected so much more from this & it delivered very little

Looking at early reviews I think people might have seen a different film

Pad. A 3/10.

Seize Them! (2024)

Disappointing & lacking the vital ingredient

[3/10 · 5 April 2024]

Billed as a comedy , this fell flat from start to finish , you could count the laughs on one finger .

Such a shame with stars such as Nick Frost & Jessica Hynes of Spaced & Shaun of the dead fame

It had the low budget feeling of horrible history but lacked the comic genius

It's really difficult to find anything positive to say about this except that it's good to see an English film make a cinema appearance but I doubt if this will last til week 2

147 characters to fill so not sure what else I can say except that it's really not worth seeing especially if you pay for it , such a shame

New paragraph from the next day & still wondering what did I see ? I wish it had been as good as Horrible Histories as they get away with the low budget by making up with humour , it's been over 13 years since Gnomeo & Juliet which seemed ok but the laughs here were lacking

The casting was interesting and that in itself was similar to Brigerton by breaking the mould which is do often done in Shakespeare too & good to have two strong female lead characters & a number of mixed race roles which is refreshing , it's just sad it missed the comedy , I'd say it was a farce & not on a good way & relied far too much on bad language & taboo subjects such as excrement to tease out a laugh , the only funny scene & possibly a rare spoiler here was the disposing of one of the key witnesses which used repetitive action to capture a laugh but for the most part the audience was silent in the cinema where I saw it

I couldn't recommend this to anyone

Sorry cast & crew

Pad. A 3/10.

Cabrini (2024)

An empire of hope

[10/10 · 20 March 2024]

'Men can never do what we can do'

Frances Xavier Cabrini

An incredibly moving biopic of an incredible woman born into a man's world where men disrespected women from the top to the bottom of society in so many ways , but her faith and determination kept her going whilst battling her own failing health to build an empire of hope no man could have made

I have to admit I saw this film knowing nothing about Frances Xavier Cabrini , in the uk we know about Florence Nightingale & sadly to a lesser extent we are taught about Mary Seacole, we know about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. We know about Irish history and their immigration to the United States but we know very little about other European countries and their story and the racism they had to deal with , all the film made about Italian Americans seem to stereotype the Godfather type of portrayal.

Acting was superb, the cinematography & sets were exceptional , costume excellent & music fitting , please stay to the end to hear the final song and learn about the pay it forward angel campaign

As usual I never give spoilers , safe to say you can learn about her mission before the film but I recommend learning about her afterwards , let the film tell you the story of a woman who fought for those who did not have a voice

There are situations in the world right now that could benefit from a Cabrini to fight their cause , give them food shelter and water - give them dignity where the rats live a better life

Inspirational

What cinema should do - give us hope

Pad. A 10/10.

Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

Turn your lights down low

[10/10 · 18 March 2024]

There's a line in Plan B the defamation of the strictly banks that you cannot separate the man from the music & Robert Nesta Marley is that man.

The film wasn't prefect but it rose from 6/10 to 9/10 for most of the movie but in the literal dying minutes of the montage of the real Bob Marley it brought out the tears and that's a pre requisition for a 10/10 with me.

Although most of the fans will know the story , the storytelling was good although sometimes a little chaotic as for the most part it seemed as if it was Bob recalling his own life in his dying hours & sometimes as if we were being talked to by Bob from beyond the grave .

The reoccurring scenes ( similar to pink Floyd the wall ) of the burning plantation with him as young boy bring rescued by his absent 64 year old British military father , the buffalo soldier , dreadlock Rasta .

It was also a story as told by his 11 children & wife , you will know a lot of the story , you will know a lot of the music , but it's the storytelling of the rags to riches rose from poverty to a man who sold 75 million records with sold out concerts & number one albums from a former colony island with tentacles reaching out to Britain , America & Africa heavily influenced by Haile Selassie & Rastafari

Acting was good , set excellent & gave a nostalgic feeling , the music was key and including other chart music of the era including a live performance of the Clash White Riot during the Notting Hill riots backdrop giving pointers to Britain at the end of the 1970s with its political & racial divides

For me this was a personal story with my sisters being born in Jamaica where my father ( who sadly passed away when I was one ) was posted in the army at the time of independence but not only that my grandfather being Jamaican & his great grandfather being enslaved from Ghana - and my best friend passing away in her 59th year who was a lifelong dedicated fan of Bob Marley and she would have loved to have been there with me watching the film , she was very spiritual but I believe she was there sitting next to me together with all my distant relatives

Like the Pink Floyd the wall this was a very personal film for me , it may not appeal to everyone

The music was superb

A personal film 10/10.

Argylle (2024)

Now and then

[6/10 · 15 February 2024]

This film is FUN & will put a huge smile on your face

Michael Vaughn has produced a brilliant bond type of satire with with Ron Howard's daughter in the starting roll

Great cameo by Day lipa , Henry Cavill as the stereotypical bond type spy with Sam Rockwell brilliantly playing the real hero - but with so many twists it keeps you guessing who's on who's side

A cat has nine lives & that provides a great metaphor for a spy spoof movie.

Beautiful use of the Beatles final song 'now & then ' an interesting story of how that got included it's a shame the two weren't released to coincide with each other , the song takes you back to the 1960's when the Beatles started & 1962 Dr No a perfect combination

Why only 6/10 why not higher ? 6/10 isn't a bad score with me only anything below 5/10 is bad and anything above is good it probably only list points due it's implausibility but that was the nature of the plot

A great fun film

Pad. A 6/10.

The Iron Claw (2023)

Love is all

[10/10 · 12 February 2024]

I knew nothing about the true story & that's the best way to see a biopic like this , firstly let me say Zac Effron. - superb acting. It's a tragedy that he has been overlooked for best make actor in the 2024 Oscars - he deserves to win for his performance

This is a film with family at its heart , the love of brothers for each other & the support they give each other despite the obvious sibling rivalry & testosterone fuelled sporting competitiveness against each other manipulated by their unloving father & it's this battle that provides the main tension in the plot - it's his they respect heir father despite his mixed feeling about them & the affect his divide & conquer psychological to tire affects their confidence & mental cognitivity and all they need is love

I don't give spoilers so I won't say any more except to say it's brilliantly crafted & edited drama based on actual events that will take you through an emotional roller coaster & draw out your empathy

Superb

Pad. A 10/10.

All of Us Strangers (2023)

Love is Love

[8/10 · 28 January 2024]

I wish I could tell everything that's good about this film but you know I can't if you've seen it as that will inevitably give spoilers and I don't give spoilers as you all know if you read my reviews , so please go and see it without reading anything about it , watch the trailer but that's all.

What was so good about it ? Firstly and most importantly MUSIC the soundtrack was absolutely superb and a perfectly compliment to the plot , every song fitting in seamlessly into the dialogue - you could say it played the part of the narrator, pay particular attention to the lyrics and the finale was truly magical FGTH the film ended on a high note in many ways

Was it all good? Well I'll be honest I found some scenes hard to watch & that's probably because films showing love between two men are rare so therefore it's not something I encounter in my daily life but I did say to my daughter ( who chose the film and to be honest I wouldn't have chosen to see if I based it just on the plot ) wonder if gay people recoil in the same way I did when they see a heterosexual couples kissing in a film , maybe I'm slightly phobic but I have my reasons that I'm certainly not going into here that's for discussion with a shrink one day! But she always calls me camp & I can deal with that , I'm kind of reminded of the work outing in the IT crowd with Roy's reaction to the musical they go to see called GAY and the way they all react to it is a piece of comic genius, but the people you should be laughing at and feeling sorry for are those who fail to understand that love is love and it comes in many forms and respect for each others differences is what counts

Themes here are loss , imagination, time shift , hiv & aids , prejudice, parenting , troubled childhood , alcohol & drugs , serendipity with a sliding doors edge , love , sex

The acting was superb by all of the main characters and even the extras in the nightclub all played their part of adding to the mosaic of brilliance , the only reason I didn't give this 10/10 is the fact I struggled with some scenes plus I didn't bring me to tears which is a prerequisite for any 10/10 film but 8/10 is as high as it could achieve so in a way it's a 10 if you understand what I mean !?

Set was great too , the use of train journeys where the mind has time to ponder and look back were brilliant . I'm purposely not mentioning any elephants in the room and want you to see the film as I did knowing very little , the way the true story is developed was a beautiful crafted piece of revelationary ( new word !) cinema , the juxtaposition of high rise 21st century london with sleepy Surrey's 20th century suburbia ( they missed a trick not including that particular pet shop boys song )

So go and see this it's a superb piece of storytelling helped by the fact the main protagonist is a screenwriter so the story is told in pure cinematic genius form - there was probably a song by mike & mechanics that could have been added but I won't mention its title here as it could be seen as a spoiler , do NOT read anything about the story before you see it - let it tell you the story and you'll admire its craft

Love is love

We have one life never take anything for granted grasp it and make the most of it and enlighten yours & everyone else's life around you - in the words of Caroline Flack - in a world you can be anything BE KIND.

Pad. A 8/10.

The Holdovers (2023)

Life is like a henhouse ladder ; short and full of sh..,

[6/10 · 20 January 2024]

Ok , went to see this with reasonably high expectations looking at an IMDb rating of over 8 not many films get that high .

I like Paul Giamatti as an actor & loved Sideways ( I even loved Big Fat liar ) so like mean girls is being remade 20 years on the reunion of director Alexander Payne & Paul Giamatti had a draw to this plus the trailers looked great.

So add together Cider House rules , Good Will Hunting , If , Another Country , Unman Wittering & Zigo , The Shining , Tomlinson's school days of ripping yarns fame & my own experiences in boarding school being a holdover on one exeat holiday & then you have the plot or least what I thought the plot might be .

The obvious omission from the above but not until you see it is Dickens classic 'The Christmas Carol' the transformation of Ebenizer Scrooge around the time of Christmas by cratchet is a very much akin to transformation of Professor ( or is he ) Hungam by the rebel Tully , who both have their hidden backstories

For the most part the story stayed in second gear never really moving up through the gears . There were some great lines not least the title above and below

You cannot dream a whole dream

It would make a great stage play as the story really revolves around just three characters and their circumstances & the way way they circumnavigate around the maxim

People at Barton do not lie

There's a lot of lying at Barton to protect each other , it was good just not good enough .

My favourite part was the start when the film started after the 15 standard board of certification the film cut to 1970's style film with a AA rating giving you the feeling of nostalgia for someone who attended an all boys boarding school in the 1970's that was a nice touch & I think the AA was unique to the UK so that was great for a UK audience - it set the scene - that & the constant smoking throughout the film .

So in summary it was good but it wasn't brilliant

Pad. A 6/10.

Mean Girls (2024)

I'd rather be mean

[9/10 · 18 January 2024]

As always I go to see a film knowing nothing about it and with no expectations. I knew of a film called mean girls with Lindsay Lohan but knew nothing about as I'd never seen & didn't even know there was a musical of it but then again they make a musical of everything these days , there probably Jurassic Park the musical with dancing dinosaurs somewhere that turns out to be a love story! So I judged this on its merits as I saw , and seeing other reviews it appears many fans of either the musical or the 2004 original we're expecting something else and didn't really give it a chance

My title refers to the song 'I'd rather be me' this was the point where the film notched up a gear from an average or above average 7/10 to 8/10 & then later in the film when the moral story comes out it finishes on a high 9/10.

So what's it about ? Well you know I never give spoilers but let's just say it's about the moral maze at a high school where you have the cool kids , the nerds , and the individuals and it's about the way they interact with each other with a little bit of romance thrown in , think Grease , though the musical numbers here seemed more detached than being part of the narrative

Is it worth seeing ? Yes - it's a fun film with morals & a bit of comedy and romance thrown in - it's also very techie & will appeal to the tik tok generation

Lindsay lohan made a cameo & Pam from the American office was great as the mum . Both lead female roles were great & the story of their battle for the leader of the pack proved a great plot for the storyline

Go see it without high expectations & you might enjoy as much as I did

It was better than Barbie - I was expecting it to be as bad!

No spoilers as always

Pad. A 9/10.

Night Swim (2024)

Polstergist meets IT & Jaws

[7/10 · 12 January 2024]

Everything you fear is under the surface!

Well this was much better than I expected don't go expecting to hear REM singing lol !

Jaws managed to scare a whole generation into not venturing out & going swimming in the sea & I think this could do the same for swimming pools !

This was a good horror story that had a few jumps but for the most part it felt like a homage to Steven Spielberg in a good way by putting family at the centre of the plot

A parent will do anything to protect their child. And will assume their child is lying 🤥

Bryce McGuire's directing debut was better than most of M. Night Shyamalan offerings since sixth sense. Possibly on par with The Village.

Pad. A 7/10.

Poor Things (2023)

She grabbed my hairy business

[8/10 · 12 January 2024]

I gave this film a second try , I believe everyone deserves a second chance and no one a third

This was definitely better on the second viewing as I knew what to expect & im glad I held off before writing my review as the first time I saw it I gave it 1/10 for the first half & it wasn't until the title of my review did it change gear into dark comedy & once I knew what I was watching in first look it ended up 4/10 but its definitely better second time as I knew what to expect & what would shock me - it's the comedy that makes this film

WARNING some of the language & nudity explain why it's an 18 certificate- if you're easily offended don't watch

POSITIVES - mis en scene superb , great use of black & white to signify enlightenment & use of colour as she comes into self awareness

Cinematography was superb too with the use of fish eye lens to make you feel you're in Picasso dream on Victorian steam punk opium

Costume amazing & certainly steam punk inspired , studio based location sets give you the impression you're watching a Wes Anderson film like The Grand Budapest

Music & dancing help suspend the reality

So if you put the singer bjork with all her eccentricities, Frankenstein , elephant man , dr mengele , pride & prejudice , pygmalion together then you have the rough plot.

Second viewing is definitely better & it's great seeing how the female protagonist played by Emma Stone's character gets stronger & stronger whilst becoming a femme fatal breaking hearts wherever she goes , no kind hearted man or Casanova is safe once the black widow has you in her clutches

So go see it but expect to be shocked like Saltburn shocked you - this is an avante Garde European movie that probably wouldn't have got the viewing figures had it not had Hollywood money behind it & stars such Willem Dafoe in it

Twice as good on second viewing it's wonderful seeing mark rufalows character wdderburn fall from grace & wonderful seeing Bella rise as he falls with her lack of empathy

This is a great piece of cinema art - if you like arthouse cinema you'll love this

Pad. A 8/10.

The Beekeeper (2024)

Other people's money

[7/10 · 12 January 2024]

LAW BREAKING CITIZEN - now if you love films like Taken & Law abiding citizen this is a film for you.

The script was written by Kurt Wimmer the pen behind law abiding citizen so you know what you're in for

It's starts off well but starts to move from excellent to just above average in the latter half - but it starts well & therefore if you end up watching this at home on a streaming service you won't give up after ten minutes you'll definitely want to know how this ends

Jason Statham is great at what he does & at his age his stamina & energy levels are amazing there's no one else quite like him but if you like his films you'll love this as it's up with the best

It has all the right ingredients- good v evil - corruption , loss , exploitation- it is quite violent at times but it's more cartoon than Tarantino unwatchable

If you love Leon you'll love this

There were aspects that didn't add up but as long as you suspend your reality you'll get through it , you never know who really are good guys is it the beekeeper or the government colluding with corporate America - the case where ebay had to pay $3m comes to mind or the post office scandal did the victims need an Adam Clay - not the bassist to U2 that's clayton!

Is it worth a watch ? Yes it's an adrenaline ride like most statham films he'd make a great Bond but they'll probably offer him the role of a villain

Great entertainment & will make a great console game

Pad. A 7/10.

The Boys in the Boat (2023)

I don't care

[5/10 · 12 January 2024]

That was a line in the film and it's how I felt about the film , this was no chariots of fire , you didn't feel yourself punching the air shouting 'come on' & that's exactly what you should be doing in a film like this , regardless of the fact this is a historical drama based on actual events stories like this work if you're led to believe that something won't happen then in happens - it's possible to read up the history but I didn't , as usual I don't like to know anything about a film before I see it & then write the review for people who also haven't seen the film without spoilers just talking about the craft of storytelling.

A rag to riches story is always a good premise ' if you throw in a bit of romance , a bit of tension, a bit of good v evil & a bit of skulduggery you're on your way to a sure fire hit

Maybe this works better for an American audience ? A lot of has been made about George Clooney's direction & he's acted I some great films but I don't think directing is his forte unless he produces directs & acts in a remake of Gone Wild with the Wind which he would be perfectly cast in the leading role - age doesn't matter. The 33 year old Callum Turner was playing the main protagonist who was a 22 year old university student who's father was 14 when he went to war in 1917 then left home in 1928 when Joe was 14 something really didn't add up here !? If the war was 1894 it must've been the sino Japanese war I'm sure the book will answer that question & I have a feeling the book is better than the film

So in conclusion I'd say this only deserve a bronze medal the film had more passion for Nazi Germany which seem to be based in Hertfordshire than it did for an underdog embarrassing Hitler whilst on that subject Jessie Owen makes a brief appearance and maybe the biopic Race ( great play on words ) might be a better watch

If you're American 🇺🇸 ( I didn't notice if they got the flag wrong as it was 48 stars in 1936 but they probably did ) go & watch and root for #teamamerica if you're not then I doubt you'll come away punching the air with joy

Poor show

Pad. A 5/10.

Anyone But You (2023)

Much ado about Shakespeare

[9/10 · 4 January 2024]

Kenneth Brannagh's 1993 Much ado about nothing was a revelation for it was the first time I finally got Shakespeare & understood the language - it was excellent & this film uses the plot excellently in the way Ben & Bea deny their true love for each other

Visually the film was marvellous , great location shots provided by Sydney, Australia.

There was a touch of serendipity to their initial meeting although the fact that all their friends already knew each other & were being invited to the same same sex wedding of her sister meant it was a tall ask to believe they'd never met before but the reacquaintance was essential to the plot

As a Rom com it touched all the right parts with a tiny bit of Cinderella thrown in . Even you or don't know the story of Shakespeare's much ado about nothing there are plenty of surprises & you're never really sure what direction the story will follow which helped keep the tension going

The cast were great & top marks go to Bryan Brown he stole the show

A great film

Pad. A 9/10.

Priscilla (2023)

I will always love you

[7/10 · 4 January 2024]

This was undoubtedly Prescilla's story told by Prescilla from her perspective.

Do not expect this to be a glorified homage to Elvis, there are always two sides no matter how thin you slice the bread. This really only shows one side

The soundtrack was interesting, the final song was very emotional & fitting & it certainly wasn't Elvi's apologetic' You were always on my mind'

The atmosphere & pace were typical Sofia Coppola and if I'm honest the first half seemed quite slow & at times unengaging & very awkward given the age difference but this was bio pic of the life of a teenager no older than Romeo's Juliet being swept off her feet by the world's most eligible bachelor. Elvis came across as emotionally autistic, overbearing and a bit of a control freak . You felt for her parents who were stuck between a rock ( jailhouse ) & a hard place concerned for their daughters well being whilst not wanting to stand in the way of her desire . Having said this Elvis did appear to respect her innocence up to a point but appeared far from faithful - life could could not have been easy at at for young Prescilla & the film portrayed this well . As Elvis was constantly chaperoned by his entourage and she rather like lady Diana was left in the palace most of the time rattling around with no one to turn to.

The latter half once they were married & she became pregnant was faster paced & emotional and lifted the film up which looked like a 6/10 up to that point but it finished well at 8/10 avenging 7/10 across the whole film.

It's worth seeing

Pad. A 7/10.

What Happens Later (2023)

Waste of time

[2/10 · 21 December 2023]

The lyrics to one highlight in the movies that had no highlights were the lyrics to the Lightning Seeds 'Pure & Simple'

Love is the truth I realize Not a stream of pretty lies To use us up And waste our time

Waste of time sums up this film .

Neil Simon's plays have translated to movies very successfully, particularly those starring Jack Lemmon, this stage play by Steven Dietz hasn't translated very well at all to the big screen .

It had the ingredients to work but just failed on every level . It had two aging stars , if some great musical references . It's rumoured that incredibly irritating airport announcer Hal Liggett is actually a pseudonym for the Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder.

There were a couple of good moments but 97% of the film was just awful , there was no chemistry , you felt no interest in the characters or their story & the dance scene was embarrassing to watch . Neither star looked their best & that didn't help where in Hollywood everything is about aesthetics if the script is a failure , a couple of good cinematic moments with reflections, and a good reference to Tom Petty. But this is a film you really want to walk out of & if you're watching at home you'll give up long before the end .

Truly awful & irritating

Pad. A 2/10.

American Psycho (2000)

Satirical horror

[9/10 · 19 December 2023]

I don't know how many times I've watched I'm still puzzled at the end - was u watching reality or fantasy ? Was it a jeckyll & Hyde story ? Was any of it real - was I watching someone's evil fantasies, did patric Bateman actually exist , have to say this is a great homage to Hitchcock , great scripting & soundtrack .

This is a cult classic , Christian Bale is perfect in the role of the ocd inflicted 80s Wall Street icon , there maybe a wolf on Wall Street and in this case a werewolf or vampire that acts out his killing fantasies in a drug induced stupa

It might be hip to be square but don't get on the wrong side of Patrick

Pad. A 9/10.

Ferrari (2023)

Tedious, just so boring

[4/10 · 18 December 2023]

2 hours I'll never get back, I think the challenge is to see if you can stay awake for the whole film!

The trailer did a good job at fooling you into thinking would be interesting

Adam Driver was far too wooden and you never really felt any empathy with the character and just grew to dislike him more & more as you got to know more about him, as an advertising platform for Ferrari it failed although that wasn't its remit.

Comparing this to Ford v Ferrari which had a much better script and was enjoyable to watch , this just plodded along and never really started , there was no excitement & no emotion

Michael Mann had directed some great films like Heat & Collateral but this is probably his worst piece of work to date.