A much appreciated reboot of the John Cusack (2000) classic of the same name. Up until this point, I think I grossly underestimated the acting chops of the pint-sized hipster Zoë Kravitz. Performances on the whole were stellar and protagonist Zoë was subtle and empathic where needed …and angsty, sarcastic, witty where unexpected. Not generally a fan of character switch-ups, but she nailed the neurotic imbalances of Rob (aka Robin) and I felt totally engaged throughout each episode. Lisa Bonét (who coincidentally featured as a love interest in the first incarnation) would've been proud of her daughter.
With an approximate runtime of 29 minutes, similar shows of the same duration would have pissed me off. By the time you get engaged, the episode is already finished. However, Hulu's High Fidelity spin-off made for great binge watching as I collapsed one episode after another… good job!
Heartfelt, warm, realistic and possibly very true to life if it were captured in just 12 episodes… an unexpected, but excellently executed piece of televisual drama.
Although this film adaptation can not quite breakaway from its award winning Stage Play origins, it's intentions are well-founded and thought provoking. All character performances are strong, but as a single scene ensemble piece, it can't quite avoid treading on some very stereotypical tropes. Depending on an individuals world-stage experiences, you could be forgiven for not totally understanding a lot of the subtext and it's emotional connections to real-world issues that simply do not plague some members of society.
It's dark ending is refreshing; as real-life doesn't always end in silver-linings and personally, I didn't see it coming. My final thoughts are that American Son could very much be used as a teaching aid for sociology classes. It's controversial subject matter is likely to provoke polarised views and topical debate amongst diametrically opposed cultures.
It's a shame that when Hollywood decides to be more inclusive, it over-compensates to a point where it becomes more of a gesture than a sincere investment in minorities. Blue Beetle at its best is a fun-packed spectacle, full of tropes and re-hashed superhero concepts that I wished brought something more nuanced to the genre. Will there be a sequel? Who cares… I won't be spending another 128 minutes on a economy-class Spiderman.
An enjoyable binge-watch, which basically translates to a "fish out of water" or an American living in France that doesn't speak a word of French. All cast members deliver enjoyable performances that will keep you incessantly clicking to the next episode. Personal break-out supporting cast, Bruno Gouery & Samuel Arnold expertly carry the middle and strengthen the office politics satire. Lots of pop-culture, and social media references; including European and transatlantic tropes that play extremely well. Accompanied by gorgeous establishing shots of french culture and striking costume designs by Sex & the City's Patricia Field, Emily in Paris brings a nuance angle to The Devil Wears Prada franchise.
THREESOME is one of those boxsets that you accidentally stumble across whilst looking for captivating content no one else has recommended yet. It’s cliché cover art made me pause to read the synopsis, as it was visually out of whack with drama serials that cover similar subject matter, but use slicker semiotics to induce clicks from would be baying audiences.
From the pilot episode, I was intrigued at the spiders web this show looked like it could spin. Similar in nature to another show that aired in 2020 called "Trigonometry" (link - https://trakt.tv/shows/trigonometry) explores the clandestine 3-way relationship and the inevitable pitfalls encountered whilst “spreading the love”, lol. This is not a groundbreaking narrative by any means, but because the shows credits hail from Sweden with a large part of the script spoken in Swedish, I started to get Channel 4 “Walter Presents” vibes. The show is well executed with strong and visceral performances from a relatively unknown cast. Although the disclaimer warns of graphic sexual scenes throughout, I felt that not to be a prime focus as it was tastefully introduced to intensify the connections between the characters on screen.
The show is somewhat of a cautionary tale, a Pandora’s Box if you will. So if your into romance with a sting in the tail or a fly on the wall view of what I expect to be an episode in many a modern-day relationship, then you’ll really enjoy watching this… thumbs up.
They've done such a good job of not only keeping Suits relevant, but fast paced, interesting with an expansive character dynamic… kudos!
Having been an advocate of the franchise, I believe like many a seasoned fan, Season 1 reigns supreme. It set the bar with an outstanding cast, an enigmatic plot, impeccable pacing, and an atmosphere of mystery that kept us guessing and anticipating with each instalment. Night Country is off to a great #@%(!)ng start with reasonable intrigue and suspense - despite the introduction of a lot of new faces, you just can't go wrong with Jodie Foster at the helm… bring it on!!
Little Fires Everywhere was utterly enjoyable and a thrilling watch. Ordinarily, if I haven’t seen a theatrical trailer or caught a word of mouth back story, I’ll use the strength of the artwork and media visuals to decide whether a mini-seres is worth the watch. In this case, I curated using the latter and I was not disappointed. Just like the cover art, credit roll, directorial narrative and subsequent character builds this has got to be one of the best drama’s out… congrats Hulu.
Reese Witherspoon since the days of Legally Blonde has been an on/off presence with a variation of hit and miss offerings. However, after an onscreen hiatus a decade past (possibly to concentrate on other aspects of her life) Reese has been putting in the grind like no other. Absolute must sees include Apple’s breakout “The Morning Show” plus “Big Little Lies” and film offering “The Good Lie”.
What a complex web of art imitating life, imitating art (pun intended), Kerry Washington holds her own and to be brutally honest, I haven’t felt her presence since “The Last King of Scotland”. Fans would probably add “American Son” and “Scandal” to this list, although I felt both were somewhat trope-esque in my humble opinion.
On the whole, if you’re into high-end drama, twists, backstories, moral dilemmas and hypocrisy, then this show will be just what the Doctor ordered… go forth and conquer with my blessings.
Not breaking any new ground or sterotypes here, but an enjoyable watch full of the usual romantic clichés swoon-worthy 8-packs and pretty-priveledge. So… if you're in the mood for a feel-good escape, go forth and spoil yourself.
WHY… WHY… MARVEL WHY!!??
What the hell are you guys playing at over there in Tinsletown?
Like every Superhero franchise blasting its way on to our BIG SCREENS, we have very much come to expect the fanfare, spectacle and seamlessely stitched CGI. However it seems to me at least, that they first resurrect long forgotten or beloved comic-book heroes on the account of failing box office sales. Spend copious years on the development and noteworthy scripts to meet the legacy hype. This often results in the start of a juggaernaut franchise the they end up milking until the teet goes limp… à la 'Thor - Love and Thunder'.
What a pile of B*ll@cks… is this an action movie or a comedy cosplay sketch show? Christian Bale and Russell Crowe were my personal favs, although I believe they were drastically under utilised - watch this at your own peril… I will not be able to refund you back the time you've lost.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, chimes-in on so many notes it’s abjectly hard to describe how deep the metaphors of this film go. Not only a tremendous ode to the legend that is “Gertrude Pridgett” but a terrific farewell to “gone too soon” Chadwick Boseman. A moving performance held together by the all too familiar and stereotyped “Mad Black Woman” magic that is Viola Davis. For many this will be seen as a straightforward Stage Play adaptation, but in reality it reveals the savvy nature of early pioneers and the snubbed Black experience. It also uncovers what is now transparently the culture vulture nature of the music industry. A definite recommendation.
I applaud what Netflix have (in my opinion) unwittingly propagated. International cross-over content that not only entertains, but informs equally. Ramy follows in the same wit and introspective heritage as "Master of None" (Aziz Ansari). Like others in it's class, ZeroZeroZero, Breaking Bad and Money Heist, you pretty much need the subtitles activated to fully immerse yourself in the narrative. A real irritant at times for multi-taskers, as it inadvertently forces you to pay 100% of your attention to the screen… worth it though, very much so. I look forward to future seasons.
Thoroughly enjoyed Season 2 of Master of None… and I think that Aziz Ansari has really stepped up his game. I very much enjoyed the "Boom Bap" era'd musical score from the first season and could not fault second offering either. To up the ante, there's a plethora renown featured actors, but also fresh up-and-coming talent such as Clare-Hope Ashitey and the gorgeous Alessandra Mastronardi (a perfect scene stealer). Overall, I found the season to be a very ambitious production that opens with a perfectly scripted Film Noir-esque throwback - 8/10.
