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Reviews
The Game of Their Lives (2002)
One of my all time favourite documentaries
The great thing about documentaries is that they teach you things in an enjoyable and entertaining way.
I have almost zero interest in football. I was over 50 before I even went to a football match, and then it was only because the tickets were free and I wanted to support women footballers.
Yet, this documentary, which I caught on broadcast TV in 2002 (over 20 years ago), is one of the documentaries that I have enjoyed most.
What I do know a bit about is North Korea, having spent some time with specialists discussing it. So I do understand that this guy SOMEHOW got unprecedented access to North Korea to document an absolutely life affirming event.
I won't talk too much about the content which others have done. What I will tell you is how it made me feel. I felt great that sport (which, like football, I have limited interest in) is something that can unite us and bring us together. That we can, despite all our political divisions, find something in common. That Brits root for the underdog. That you can see a different perspective on religion and many things we take for granted in our society. And that, after all these years, I still always have something to talk about with any football fanatic who otherwise I might struggle to connect with.
I can't rate this highly enough. 99/10.
Expats (2023)
This is so true
There is a plot here which is engaging enough, but the sub plot is the relationships between the expats and their helpers. As someone who grew up as an expat, I, as a young adult visiting my parents, became very conscious of the old fashioned paternal attitude my parents took to the servants and disapproved.
I've gone on to hire staff in the UK and the relationship is so much different. My sister lived in Asia and had servants herself, and I've seen first hand the tensions that arise between a more modern attitude towards the servants that come from a very different background to ourselves. The inequality is so great and this is truly a study in inequality as much as anything else. You just need to view this from a broader standpoint than most reviewers have done. There is much to be observed, to provoke thought, and to be learned.
For me this is one of the strengths of this series. Whilst people berate it as vacuous and boring - well, you know what, that is their lives. A serious of parties, domestic politics and no engagement with the real world of the country they live in, local politics is a mere inconvenience because it may cause traffic. This series is really true to life in so many ways. If you want to know what life for them is like, I can see it all there, it's so acutely familiar.
I agree that Nicole Kidman trying to pass for at least 10 years younger though is distracting, and there definitely is something not quite right with her face. But nevertheless, as a portrayal of expats, which is exactly the point, it's excellent. Well written and very accurate.
Professor T. (2015)
I loved this - exceptional acting
I started to watch this thinking it would be in French and it would help me to improve my French so was pretty horrified when I found it was in Flemish. But I got sucked in very quickly and ended up watching every episode right to the end and when it was over I felt that I'd lost a friend, surely this is a mark of a brilliant series.
The lead is so completely convincing as someone I presume is autistic and/or with mental health challenges and the whole premise, although outlandish, is completely believable because of this. The social scaffolding he needs to function in the world, the people that help, support and tolerate him, are really convincing because he himself seems charismatic enough to be able to attract them.
Primal Survivor (2016)
Feels quite staged
Whilst it's undoubtedly interesting, the high quality production ended up really detracting from the whole thing for me. There's beautiful cinematography, impressive shots and loads of stuff going on. But great shots of him/the scenery from multiple angles kept me constantly wondering how many camera men he had (looks like there was a crew of 5) plus you gotta think there's a translator/fixer as well and all of a sudden this isn't one guy surviving in the jungle but a whole team of people that have come with provisions, equipment, probably porters and it starts to feel really staged. Hard to think he's really going to bed hungry because he didn't catch any food if all the other guys are eating their full rations they brought with them.
He has so much information about what he sees too and that too seems somewhat unrealistic - later voice over of info would feel more genuine, but knowing it all in advance again feels like it's been staged. After one episode I decided that I probably would not watch any more.
Munich: The Edge of War (2021)
As a fiction, it's brilliant
The acting is excellent and it's a gripping story about a few days surrounding the Munich agreement. I saw that the rating was 6.8 and I thought that was brutally unfair, for the quality of the acting. This isn't my usual fare - I watched it only because my father likes war films. So for me to enjoy it when I normally find them somewhat dull and repetitive I thought it was definitely worth more than 6.8
I didn't know till I came here to leave a review how historically inaccurate it was. Indeed my father was muttering darkly about Chamberlain all the way though, which based on the movie I thought seemed unfair. Now, thanks to all the reviews, I am educated, which is great, but it was still a great film with some staggering performances by the leads, and deserves more recognition.
Out of the Ashes (2010)
I loved this story
I have very limited interest in cricket, but watched this at a showing where the director did a Q&A. It's a phenomenal story and I asked the director how did they know that it was all going to go so well? Apparently they originally thought it would just be a short piece - but "they just kept winning!" And they just kept going back and filming.
It is a really inspirational film and even if you've not interested in cricket it's great to see people beating the odds. I came to leave this review almost 10 years since I watched it because I was recommending it to someone else and I had to look up the name. I think I would like to watch it again especially in the light of what has now happened in Afghanistan.
The Man Who Saved the World (2014)
Nearly didn't make it past 13
Recently I told someone that when I was a teenager I didn't really think I'd get to 30, that either nuclear war or Aids would get me. Now looking back I have wondered if I was being melodramatic, but watching this film I realise I was not far off.
I have absolutely no idea how this film came to be as it's so intimate and I'm not sure how that has been achieved without people acting for the camera, but I'm very grateful to have watched it and I do think everyone should see it, particularly at the moment with Putin behaving the way he is and another threat of nuclear war. It's truly an astonishing story.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
Stunning visuals
I'm now half way through episode 3. My friend didn't want to watch it as he'd heard that it wasn't that good but I honestly think he's missing out. The imagery is so rich I could watch it just for that, but I think the acting is superb, particularly Galadriel who so looks the part as well that is hard to think she isn't elf. It's set in cities all across Middle Earth and beyond, so every episode seems to have new amazing sets, they must have spent so much on the design, I could watch it again just to wallow in these beautiful places.
So far I've found the story quite gripping, so much so I've stayed up far too late!
Enemy Lines (2020)
Implausible story
Not just a series of implausible events like your usual thriller, but also decisions that I don't think would have been made by military men in wartime. They're trained to follow orders but do quite odd things, and there are very inconsistent behaviours of the characters, just to suit the machinations of the plot. Its a very simplistic story - no idea who wrote it but I'm not impressed.
I sat through it because my elderly father will watch anything about wars but it was pretty awful, one of the worst I've seen, and I've watched quite a few war movies now.
If you want to watch a good war movie, watch Black Book.
The Man from Earth (2007)
Dull and awkward
I watched this based on the strength of reviews but dearly wish I hadn't. It seems to me that some people with limited imagination or perhaps particular worldview / religious beliefs really found it shocking/revealing, I suspect they may be American. As a UK viewer, I found it contrived, so much so that the script was rather ridiculous/corny in parts, perhaps better actors could have pulled it off but I suspect not.
Yes the premise is one that can't be proven either way but simple balance of probabilities makes the whole thing utterly ridiculous. With all these millions of people in the world how does one guy get to know/be involved with historically momentous events on a regular basis?
Overall it was a tedious waste of my time, I kept waiting for some amazing thing to happen to justify the reviews but it was never forthcoming.
Talvisota (1989)
Strategy is lacking
I watched this movie to try and understand how the Finns did it, turned back the Russians, particularly in the context of Ukraine today. Was it clever strategy, luck, tactics, or Russian incompetence etc. You don't really get any of that (apart from the latter), it's just a gritty movie about trench warfare.
I didn't find the story compelling either, so overall it was pretty disappointing and at least at the end they could have put some historical context around it like how many men died on each side but they just didn't and leave you to Google it.
Given the great reviews I really found it disappointing.
Ad Astra (2019)
Nonsensical pointless story line
It's clear this movie is carried is by its stars, though why on earth they chose this script is somewhat beyond me. Good performances are the only reason to give this even a 4, though I did find Brad Pitt's suddenly reflective, angst - ridden character somewhat annoying. Still, at least he's nice to look at.
There are insane man eating space monkeys - oh yes, I kid you not - some kind of random non sequitur mid way - mad scientists and plenty of clichés. Still, I bet it was fun to make, which is probably why they agreed to do it.
Dark Matter (2015)
Full make up and hair?
I struggled thru episode 1 but any sci fi series where the people wake up on a disintegrating spaceship without even shoes, but the women manage to maintain full makeup and salon hairstyles throughout even after a full contact physical fight is going to struggle to maintain credibility with me, since I don't believe they have Elnette hairspray on board. The cast and roles seem superficial and trite, and the women are clearly there as eye candy. This isn't written for a female audience that's quite clear. The worst of sci fi.
Lontano lontano (2019)
charming, gentle film
I came across this film and enjoyed it very much. The story of three very ordinary men who hope to perhaps become extraordinary.
It's a very gently paced film, building the characters and helping you understand each ones strengths and weaknesses, and the way they relate to the world. I won't tell you the ending but it has a lovely ending and I was so happy for the way it worked out.
Swimming with Men (2018)
Quirky, funny, heartwarming
This is the kind of movie that can only be made (and possibly appreciated) in Britain. The kind that no Hollywood studio would ever consider. I love these kind of crazy subjects, and it was laugh out loud funny at many points. It's very tongue in cheek, and has a great cast too - lots of people I recognised, including Jane Horrocks. If you want some quirky, light and funny viewing, I highly recommend it.
Fu chu shui mian de ying zi (2011)
Harrowing but brilliant
I'm amazed that there are no reviews for this movie. The lead has some of the best acting I've seen, and although the subject matter is harrowing, it keeps you guessing most of the way through the movie.
Grow Your Own (2007)
so topical in the anti-immigration debate
I didn't expect a movie about asylum seekers and allotments to be one of my favourite movies. But it's British quirkyness is absolutely charming. Where else in the world do they have allotments? but more importantly, I think it perfectly captures the great British love-hate of foreigners. We like them but hate them at the same time. In this movie we have the typical mistrust yet somehow that's broken down. Partly it's through food - yes we do love our takeaways here in the UK don't we? and partly through skills (yes we are short of a few) and partly through romance.
It's a movie that I think is really topical and all UKIP supporters should see!