veronicadiall Reviews

Civil War (2024)

Film Title Is Very Deceptive.

[1/10 · 21 April 2024]

I should have known that there was something wrong, when I went to see the film yesterday and I was literally the only person in the theatre.

The title of the film and the trailer are pure click bait. You are given the impression that the film is about a civil war taking place in the. US. With thinly veiled MAGA supporters against Antifa liberals.

Instead what the film really is about is 4 war reporters who go on a road trip during a break down of law and order in the US. It is nothing but a derivative, didactive story about war is hell.

There is no background on the conflict or why people are fighting or the positions of the character.

Instead it is just cut and paste of virtually every global conflict you have ever seen placed inside of the US. There are times when I felt as if I was watching the prequel to the Last Of US.

Do yourself a favour and skip this film it.

Cursed (2020)

Awful

[3/10 · 19 July 2020]

I am a big fan of costume dramas, fantasy and a serious Anglophile to boot. So I became excited when I saw the trailers. But this is just awful . Clunky dialogue, un inspiringly characters. I just gave up on it 2 episodes in. The only reason I'm giving this 3 stars is the soundtrack and the cinematography.Otherwise I would give it a 1. This is not the show to tie you over until the Witcher season 2 Comes out. Please just skip it.

Princess Principal (2017– )

Principal Perfection

[10/10 · 25 May 2019]

This is a wonderful series. I don't normally watch Anime but I took a at look at it based on the recommendation of someone I know. It's very, very sophisticated and very nuanced and I've actually found myself re-watching episodes multiple times and picking up either new or different things each time and not getting bored The story takes place in an alternate universe in a fictional steam punk England of the late 19th century, called Albion. Albion has gone through a civil war and the country is split in half. One called the Commonwealth of Albion and the second called the Kingdom of Albion. The Commonwealth is a break away country taken over by the poor and working class, and The Kingdom still retains the monarchy. Both portions of the country are involved in a secret shadow war involving the spies. At the moment there is a détente between the two sides. But there is a secret shadow war being waged between the two sides involving spies and scientists. With each side trying to get an advantage over the over. The story involves two Commonwealth spies Ange and Dorothy whose cover are school girls at a prestigious boarding school located in the Kingdom. They are tasked with stealing secrets from the Kingdom. While at the school they take on three additional members to their crew. Chise a Japanese transplant. And Princess Charlotte ,the 4th in line to the throne and her young friend Beatrice. The story is not told in a linear fashion and jumps back and forth between the past and present. And it is up to the viewers to piece together what is going on. There is a massive reveal in the show. The animation is wonderful and so are the action scenes. As an Anglophile I preferred to watch the dubbed version as well as the action. Not only does it make for easier viewing. But the cool mellifluous British accents (voiced by American actors) lend more confidence to the characters. And gives them an air that they can handle whatever difficulties are thrown their way.

Not only is the story rich in terms of plot. But it also has wonderful themes. Such as friendship, loyalty, learning to trust, duty, service to one's country, being the bigger person and of course the courage and character you develop and in becoming someone completely new...better, stronger after encountering a tragedy. All of these themes are picked up without coming across as heavy handed and preachy. The characters are wonderful and fully fleshed out, In fact they came across more real and authentic and like flesh and blood human beings ,than much of what comes most of Hollywood. I especially the main protagonist Ange, and what drives her. The show determines that she really is a hero in the truest sense of the word.

It's been ages since I've been able to fall so deeply in love with a story and characters that I spend days thinking about it. Robert Ford in Westworld says that good storytelling is supposed to help us ennoble ourselves, to fix what was broken in us and to help us become the people we dreamed of being. Lies that told a deeper truth. And the truths that I've learned from watching Princess Principal have really added to my life in ways that I can not describe.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

Boring and Predictable.

[5/10 · 27 July 2018]

There's a theme I've noticed with the MI films. I have liked all the odd numbered ones and disliked all the even numbered ones and this one was no exception. I loved Rogue Nation (or to be frank the character of Ilsa Faust played by Rebecca Ferguson). But she wasn't allowed to shine in this film. She had more agency in RN, in this she's just the woman action heroin.

This had none of the drama and intesinty of Rogue Nation. It was essentially one action scene after the other. The plot was paper thin, and the motivation of the villain was laughable. Henry Cavill as Walker was just obnoxious. An American meathead. And Angela Bassette' s actions really served no purpose.

I was also very irritated at the resolution of the marriage. I had been under the impression that Hunt lived with his wife in secret to protect her, and it was an important aspect of who he was and it kept him anchored. It just seemed that the kiboshed the marriage so that they could make Faust his love interest. It was just forced and contrived.

The only thing I liked about the film was Hunt's willing not to sacrifice even one innocent life. And the cinematography. The film is a great advertisement for visiting Paris and London.

To be frank near 75% part of the film, I was just tempted to walk out and read the plot resolution online.