bagpussjazz Reviews

Helgoland 513 (2024– )

Started so well, very confused finish

[4/10 · 28 March 2024]

The whole idea was intriguing and I was looking forward to seeing this new series. The first few episodes were great. Interesting characters, loads of possibilities. I enjoyed trying work out where the series was going to go. Then the storyline started to bifurcate and fragment.. No real cohesion to the plot but I was still intrigued as to how it was going to wrap up the ending. The flashback as to how it had all started, occurred way too late, this could have been inserted in sections way earlier to keep the guessing game more interesting. The ending was was so horribly lacklustre. Such a disappointment and such a shame after the great beginning. Meh for me.

Silent Night (2023)

Sadly tedious

[3/10 · 25 December 2023]

I was expecting so much more. John Woo, for goodness sake! Normally you'd get a lot more bang for your buck... The title is a sad pun that gets taken too far. The lack of dialogue makes for a tedious film. These people are actors not mime artists. Joel Kinnaman is far too good an actor to waste merely on facial expressions. He certainly gets a work out expressing anguish, as we are shown this endlessly, over and over again. I'm tired of being treated as though I'm too stupid to work out the plot. There's an interesting beginning, then it languishes for forty to fifty minutes before there's any action. And even this is interspersed by repetitious reminders of the "anguish", so much so that you simply don't care anymore about the characters. A script would have smartened this up considerably. Woo took "Show Don't Tell" to a new level. This film should be seventy minutes and not a hundred. A waste of good plot, good actors, good action and my time.

The English (2022)

Utterly absorbing

[10/10 · 12 November 2022]

I watched all the episodes back to back. It was compelling and as my title says, utterly absorbing. The characters were three dimensional, the script was pithy and believable. The acting, Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer, as the main protagonists was completely marvellous. And Rafe Spall has a chance to show how good an actor he really is. (Incidentally, someone else's comment about Blunt's accent being all over the place, is insane. This is her normal English voice!)

The cinematography was beautiful. Arnau Valls Colomer is an inspiring artist. Hugo Blick has produced such a marvellous event. This series will stay with me for a long, long time.

I found the music completely fascinating. Federico Jusid's music fit the series perfectly; weaving impressions of American folk songs from the period and more recent with more impressions of Rachmaninov and Dvorak.

This was a tour-de-force. I loved it!

Poker Face (2022)

Better than I thought it would be...

[7/10 · 12 November 2022]

Russell Crowe's acting near the start was pretty good, and left me intrigued, and I'm not a huge fan. The pacing is fine. The scenes flow pretty well without being abrupt. Some of the baddies acting is seriously over the top though, The plot is rather obvious and has been used to better effect in other films, in my opinion. Some characters were totally superfluous to the story, and since Crowe directed it, I wondered if there had been some nepotism? The conclusion is also fine, and even brought a tear to my eye.. Overall, it was much better than a lot of Sky films. Easily passes an afternoon effortlessly.

Cry Wolf (2020)

A must watch

[10/10 · 2 February 2022]

This was a marvellous series. I thought the pacing was realistic and all the actors were brilliant at portraying their individual angst of the situation. There were no two dimensional characters even in the minor parts. I binge watched this in two evenings.

Six Minutes to Midnight (2020)

Poor effort

[4/10 · 26 March 2021]

The premise is brilliant especially as the school was real. There *are* moments of true pace and interest - it starts off really well, and I thought it was going to be good. But the pace is languid at best.. Izzard is good, as is Broadbent. Why Dench was involved was a mystery to you, as she could have replaced with any other cheaper actress.... The characters are paper thin, and their decision making skills are woeful. One scene which was supposed to be full of tension, simply made me laugh out loud. Shame, it could have been so wonderful.

The Second Time Around (2016)

Could be better

[5/10 · 30 December 2020]

This had a lot going for it initially, but the pace is tediously slow, they should have cut out at least 30 minutes. I thought Isaac was miscast, as there was no chemistry between the two characters. The daughter lacked "bite", as did most of the characters. Sad, as the reviews had led me to believe it was going to be so much better. Tbh, The Notebook is a much better film about love and old age.

The Midnight Sky (2020)

Loved it!

[10/10 · 26 December 2020]

I loved this film... It's not really a sci-fi film, so I would imagine that plebs will say this is not for them. Thank goodness! This film is for the thinking person. It is about humanity. It is NOT an action film. There is a poignancy that is almost palpable that left me in tears at the end.

The Secret Garden (2020)

Perfect Balance

[10/10 · 24 October 2020]

I thoroughly enjoyed this adaptation. I really don't understand all the negative comments from other people. The CGI was absolutely beautiful and was blended so effectively with reality. I loved the acting, the children were great, Colin Firth and Julie Walters were predictably wonderful, giving the right amount of gravitas. The sets were so gorgeous, colour coordinated perfectly. The film married the idioms of loss, love, bereavement and the harm of keeping secrets from children. It was wonderful.. If you don't love it, you're a grouch!

The Kindness of Strangers (2019)

Too subtle for some

[9/10 · 8 August 2020]

I loved this film. It has an unwavering pace and it gently wraps itself around you as you watch it. I felt gently enveloped. I cared about the characters and I realised about half an hour in, that I was hooked. I really do not understand the negative comments about no story, or ending. The story line was deftly projected, the characters being delineated almost like a web being woven in front of you. It's not a thrill film, so if you like things simple and easy to digest, then stick to a diet of fast food; this is a repast of many dishes, all of them fine food.

Noughts + Crosses (2020– )

Thought provoking

[9/10 · 6 March 2020]

I found it very interesting. The storyline could have been dealt with more efficiently however, I binge watched all six programmes in one afternoon. The characters are rather two dimensional which is a shame, but I so enjoyed seeing this story unfold. It must be glorious to be black (I am white) and see so many actors being given a chance to show case themselves. There are so many things that must ring true for people being racially abused. It was great seeing the roles reversed. It should wake people up, but I reckon most of the negative reviews will be from white people, with their feathers ruffled. The sets are great, the architecture, fashion and music were really marvellous. Simple details made such a difference and the landscape of London was amazing. Well worth a watch.

The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019)

Marvellous!

[10/10 · 26 January 2020]

I loved this film. It was effervescent, lively and uplifting. Why some people are complaining about it is beyond me. The acting was inspired, it being an ensemble cast it is difficult to pick any one person out, but Dev Patel was just perfect for the role. He has the right amount of pathos and humour for the part. The sets were great, colour abounding! What a great change for a Dickensian vibe. I get so damnably bored with the so-called "gritty" filming we often get these days. Colour has been around for centuries. I loved that so many characters were woven into the script, I'm not a huge Dickens fan, but even I picked up on them. Talking about that, the script was imaginatively brought to life. Please, let Iannucci do loads more of these adaptations. I loved it, loved it, loved it!