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Reviews
Scenes of a Sexual Nature (2006)
Clichéd and disappointing
I watched this after reading the reviews here and having noted the stellar cast list. This was a mistake. This is dull, plodding and devoid of humour. There are 2 dimensional caricatures who follow a dire script which creates utterly unbelievable dialogue. In essence this is middle-class London smuggly patting itself on the back. I'd avoid this unless you want to test your credulity that this was ever made.
Too Close (2021)
Watchable
You need to watch all three episodes to enjoy this series, and to make sense of it. There are two stories here and really it only needed one. This lead to unnecessary histrionics; though generally the acting is good. At times it is overwrought and over acted but it passes the time well enough.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Disappointing
This was a disappointment. A stellar cast fails to inject any emotion into this story. The cinematographic effects are too heavy and intrusive and further detract from the story - the multiple, unusual viewpoints just become irritating.
Scottish Mussel (2015)
A waste of time
A poor script with unbelievable, but still stereotyped, characters. It is a vehicle to showcase the talents of the cast and it certainly does display the severe dearth of acting ability. At least there are no successful jokes to lighten the atmosphere
Gwen (2018)
Give this a miss
This was a big disappointment. As other reviewers have said, the scenery is wonderful but this is the only good thing in this film. This is an unremiiting tale of misery and depression. There is no let up, one disaster after another, filmed slowly to prolong the misery. They did not waste any money on a script so this was sparse but it was delivered by actors portraying exagerated stereotypes. The major baddy is an evil capitalist - if you want to imagine him just think of the Nazi era, or Russian communist, cartoons of capitalists - waistcoat, watch chain, wide sideboards and a top hat - all that is missing is the sinister cackle. The two girls, on the other hand, have lovely hair and complexions despite living in grinding poverty. There are a number of of mistakes : if all your sheep are killed you are unlikely to throw away the fleeces and carcasses and you do not butcher a horse with a hatchet! In a way it is a pity the scenery is so spectacular, as this film shows, but at the same time this film kills the tourist industry as you would want to give this area a body swerve.
Midnight in Paris (2011)
A disappointment
This was very disappointing containing no real insight nor any comedy. The characters never become more than stereotypes (not particularly likable stereotypes) and the whole confection seems little more than a puff piece to flatter the egos of the makers.
No-one is more than we expect them to be and no attempt is made to use the time-shifting to explore differences to art, morals or society. Despite the persistent talk on the theme of nostalgia there is no successful attempt to actually discuss this. Perhaps any attempts were unable to come to the surface under the weight of layers of cliché holding them down.
The only saving grace is the visual depiction of Paris and the high quality acting but form without content id essentially unsatisfying.