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3 Body Problem (2024)
Overall a Pretty Decent Adaptation
As a preface, I haven't read the books, but I have watched the full Chinese series.
I was reluctant to watch this version, but am glad I did. I thought this was, overall, a pretty decent adaptation. Not perfect by any means, but then neither is the Chinese version. I think the Chinese version does a great job of explaining the science and the reasoning behind the decisions better, but it lacks any real sense of dread and the present-day characters seemed a little bland. The US version also lacks that sense of dread, and also cuts out a lot of the explanation for certain decisions, but it does (in my opinion) have more rounded present-day characters, even though they are a little bit 'cookie-cutter'. This version also cuts out a lot of the 60s/70s back story , which I thought was one of the more interesting parts of the Chinese show, and helped lend weight to the main characters motivations.
This version moves at a much faster pace than the Chinese version, which in some ways is good, but I think they blew the whole plotline too early. I would like to have seen more focus on the mental trauma caused by the slow realization of what was happening. A director like M. Night Shymalan who is very skilled at building dread would have been perfect for this project. I would also have liked to see a stronger focus on international co-operation and reaction to the events. It seems the whole world is ok with the UK making all the calls.
All in all it kept me hooked enough to binge watch. I look forward to the second season.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
If you hate this movie you've been watching too much Marvel
I thought this was a great movie. If you want an action movie with everything spelled out for you then this is not your movie. If you want a movie that feels real, full of great performances and believable characters then this is for you. Everyone is complaining about the ending, but is that really important? Enough information was given to guess what happens next, but that's not what this movie is about. This movie is about how the characters would handle a situation like this. Would there be trust? Would they care for each other, or turn on each other? Would they become better people, or worse people? This combined with the gradual unfolding of information as to what was going on around them made it a very thrilling and interesting movie. At least for me.
The Crown: Aftermath (2023)
Top Notch Acting, But Feels Very Unbalanced
Imelda Staunton's ability to portray the repressed emotions of the Queen is again absolutely astounding. It had me on the verge of tears. She is without a doubt one of the top actors of her generation. I have also warmed significantly to Dominic West's portrayal of Charles. It didn't click with me to start, but now feels very natural without being a caricature.
With the positives out the way, the thing I didn't like was the unbalanced feeling between the Al-Fayed side of the story and the royal family's side of the story. It felt like the royal family had been made to feel more like the victims and the Al-Fayeds (especially the father) portrayed as some kind of manipulating monsters. This REALLY didn't sit well with me. I can understand the series not wanting to be overly critical of the royal family, but to do it at the expense of what amounts to character defamation of the Al-Fayeds was completely unnecessary. In fact, I would say unforgiveable.
Hijack (2023)
Rooting for the Bad Guys!
I don't remember watching a thriller before where I've rooted so much for the bad guys. It's not difficult to imagine why though, there's not a single likable passenger on the plane. And that includes the main character. Not sure if this was by design, but if it wasn't then it's a big misfire. Dialogue and acting is bearable for the most part, but there's certainly a lot of 'that would never happen in real life' moments. To be honest though, it's hard to find a thriller these days that's believable. Anyway, here's to a good outcome for the bad guys, and with any luck they'll let the kids off and then blow the plane up before they make their get-away.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Great Movie, but Too Much Screaming of Lines
I really liked this movie, it has lots of great points, but from the get-go there was way too much screaming of lines. There's always been a lot of banter in Guardians movies, but it's never always been screamed before. I felt everyone was constantly angry, and it kind of ruined the rappore between the characters a little. That aside though, it's a solid movie and a great addition to the trilogy. Adam Warlock's character was a good balance between bad-ass and a bit goofy, and the main bad guy did a great job of being 'unhinged' and scary. I think this could have been a solid 10/10 if they'd paid a little more attention to maintaining the character's individual demenors instead of throwing them off-balance. As it stands though, it's a good 8/10.
The Crown: Ipatiev House (2022)
An Absolute Powerhouse Performance by Imelda Staunton
I've been enjoying this season of The Crown, but in this episode in particular I was absolutely blown away by Imelda Staunton's performance. How she was able to express such a torrent of conflicted emotions with hardly any words was indeed a testament to what an amazing actress she is. Her voice, her movement, her breathing. An absolute masterclass in acting. It's a tough episode to watch because there is a lot of brutality at the beginning, but it really sets the scene for just how much weight is carried by some of the decisions the royal family has had to make throughout history, and how they sometimes have to make the choice they least want to make.
Tetris (2023)
Fun, But About As Believable as Independence Day :D
I would say probably less than half of what happened in this movie actually happened, but it was still a fun ride. Russian KGB are apparently a bunch of bumbling buffoons. Car chases and 'just in time' scenarios abound. If you go into this expecting a comedy/action movie you'll enjoy it. If you go in expecting some accurate drama and portrayal of what actually happened you'll be seriously disappointed. Taron Egerton did a great job as always, and the actor playing Alexey was also very good. Toby Jones, of course, was fantastic as always. I felt a little sorry for the other actors, as their characters felt like comic book caricatures. Anyway, despite the flaws it's an enjoyable couple of hours if you take it for what it is.
Happy Valley: Episode #3.6 (2023)
Unforgivable
You bring back the series after a long hiatus to close the story off and you end it with a half-a$$ed episode like this? What happened to the doctor and the PE teacher? How did the doctor's family react and how did it affect them? How did Ryan deal with the death of his dad? Did Catherine ever get to go on her trip? In a series where the family drama is given equal weight to the police drama it's unforgivable to drop the ball like this. This needed at least another episode or 2 to tie up the loose ends. I was a serious let down after what was, for the most part, a pretty good season. Such a waste.
Andor (2022)
Adult-Size Star Wars
Andor is why I pay my Disney+ subscription. This is Star Wars for those who have grown up with the franchise and are yearning for a more mature take on the Universe. It's hard to use the work 'realistic' when it comes to sci-fi, but everything about Andor feels real. The characters act sensibly and their actions never feel like they are purely made to drive the plot forward. I think the last time I used the term 'sci-fi that transcends it's boundary' was when talking about Battlestar Galactica. I think I can safely use that term here too. It's not a action sci-fi, so it's audience it probably smaller, so I hope it will not get cancelled. I hope Disney can find the courage to front a show based on quality and not just audience numbers. I believe that quality shows will always be good revenue earners over time as they are appreciated by more people, even if they are not the most popular out of the box.
Monster (2022)
Without a Doubt the Best Serial Killer True Crime Dramatization Ever Made
This is some seriously quality work, from the way the story is structured, to the respect it shows the victims, to the amazing cast. This is not some cheap slasher cash-in, but a seriously thought provoking and moving experience. We are able to see the story from many angles, most of them absolutely heartbreaking. It makes us feel for the victims, for their families, for others impacted, and even for Dahmer's family. But it does so without making excuses or having us sympathize with Dahmer himself. I could go on and on about the performances, but suffice to say EVERYONE brought their A-game. Hats off to everyone involved.
The Terminal List (2022)
Glad I Stuck With It
I nearly bailed on this after the first 2 episodes. I thought it was going to be more gritty and realistic, but by the second episode it became clear it was something more like 24. However, I'm glad I stuck with it because I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It did require some suspension of disbelief, but the cheese was kept to a minimum which I appreciated. It kept me interested enough to binge watch, so for that it deserves at least an 8 in my book.
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022)
A fun watch for Kristen's performance, but...
It was kind of a fun watch, and I enjoyed Kristen's performance, but I thought it wasn't really funny enough to be a dark comedy (which is was obviously supposed to be) and not serious enough to be a thriller. It was kind of an awkward mix of the two. I think they should have played up the comedy elements a bit more.
Jiok (2021)
Very interesting and gripping show
I don't understand the negative reviews on here at all. I thought this was gripping from start to finish, and raised some great questions about how it's dangerous to follow without question. I really liked how it was split into 2 acts.
I'm looking forward to see where they go with this in a season 2, because it has the potential to shape into something really exciting.
Shadow and Bone (2021)
Much Better Than I Anticipated!
I'm probably not the usual target demographic for this kind of teen fantasy drama, but I really enjoyed the Hunger Games series, so I thought I'd give it a go. I was very pleasantly surprised. The two lead orphan characters do a great job, and are very charismatic without being annoying. They really makes us feel for the characters and root for them. The acting all around is very good, and very well cast. The dialog isn't too corny, and the characters act in believable ways and don't make stupid decisions like in some shows that can really be a turn off. Really looking forward to another season of this. Well done!
Sorjonen (2016)
Great First Season, But Starts Falling Apart
Firstly, I really love the main characters and actors in this show. It's what kept me watching as long as I did. The first season was great, but in the the second it slowly starts to become very disjointed and starts to lose it's gritty realism. Half way though the third season things are really disjointed and some things just left completely hanging to the point where you wonder if there are complete episodes missing. The realism also completely gives way to ridiculous police tactics, just in order to further the story. It redeems itself somewhat in the last couple of episodes, but I can't help think this could have been a classic show if the writers hadn't gotten so lazy.
Lupin (2021)
Please Do Better In Season 2
This show has so much potential. It has good production quality, and the main actor is great, but it's ruined by a lot of completely implausible scenes. I mean seriously, if it's that easy to rob The Louvre I think I'll go over there myself and grab some stuff. Even if I get caught it's ok... because apparently you can easily fake your death in prison with a basketball net and nobody will notice.
Please put a little more thought into the set pieces and maybe even (god forbid) do some research to make them more believable. Without realism there's really no sense of fear, suspense, or consequence, which in turn leads to boring characters and stories.
Penny Dreadful (2014)
Could Have Been a Classic
There's so much here to love, especially the amazing Eva Green. The first two seasons were amazing, but the third season to me felt very rushed, and the Dracula character way too weak. I really wanted it to end on a high, but instead it ended with a bit of a thud for me. Still well worth a watch though, if not purely to watch Eva Green literally put her heart and soul into her character.
IMDb Originals: Aya Cash and Antony Starr Ask Each Other Anything (2020)
Brilliant
Everyone one in this show does such a fantastic job with their character. It's funny and disgusting yet sometimes moving. Such a hard balance to pull off, but the cast, writers, directors and crew nail it. A diamond in the rough.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
How Can Anybody Hate This Movie?
As someone who grew up watching the Eurovision Song Contest this was fantastic. I thought it captured the feel perfectly, and the casting was great. Sure, there were a few misses, especially with the main villain, but it had a lot of heart and the songs were great. Total, silly fun. Would recommend to anyone who needs a break from the world we're living in right now.
Gangs of London (2020)
A Little Uneven, but an Enjoyable Gangster Romp
I have to start by saying that when all is said I done I really enjoyed this show. It had a story line with enough intrigue and interesting characters to make it binge-watchable. But make no mistake, this is an action-gangster flick, not a gritty gangster drama. If you go in expecting the second you'll be disappointed, but if you set your expectations ahead of time I think you will enjoy it. The action scenes are very well done and satisfying to watch, but do stretch the bounds of believeability somewhat. For example, the main character can take on a roomful of gangsters single-handedly Jason Borne style, yet can't seem shoot someone before he drills a hole in someone. A sniper rifle round that can takes someone's head clean off, but when it hits our hero it barely gets skin deep, etc. etc.
The main actors all did a respectable job, but I have to give a special mention to Michelle Fairley (mother Wallace) and Narges Rashidi (Lale) who I thought were both great.
If you enjoy action movies like Die Hard, Jason Bourne, etc. then I think you'll enjoy this a lot, but don't go in expecting it to be a realistic gritty drama. It is what it is and is enjoyable for it. And at least it didn't have a contemporary dance scene at the end. :P
Looking forward to season 2.
After Life (2019)
Very Strong Season 2
I enjoyed the first season, but I must say I think season 2 is even stronger. Ricky does a great job as both writer, actor and director and brings out the best in a superb supporting cast. If there was one thing I'd change, I'd like to hear him talk about himself less with other people and speak more in the third person, but other than that it's pretty hard to fault this funny yet emotional comedy.
Uncut Gems (2019)
I got an ulcer just watching this
Do people really live like this? Adam Sandler was fantastic; everyone was fantastic. Great movie, but so stressful.
Giri/Haji (2019)
Great Until...
About half way through. Then the characters behavior was ridiculous and often made no sense. It's as if the second half was written by a different person. Disappointing after a great start.
The Witcher (2019)
Just the Beginning of a Great Story
The Witcher season 1 was much better than I was expecting. The time jumps can be a little confusing to start, but it's just the beginning of a great story. The actors really nailed their parts. Can't wait for season 2! I really hope they take their time with this one and don't rush it like another fantasy show whose name we won't mention.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
I Enjoyed It, But Plotholes Abound?
I enjoyed this as a popcorn movie, but parts of it made no logical sense to me. For example, if Nebula only had one Pim's capsule, how on earth did Thanos AND Gamora AND past Nebula travel to the future? Also, if people are traveling forward on their own timeline (as they suggested) then how can they travel forward to a timeline where they are already dead? Makes no sense.