Things Heard & Seen (2021) Review

This film made its way to Netflix today and I managed to find two hours spare so I watched it and here is my review for Things Heard and Seen. The premise of the film sees a couple move to The Hudson Valley where things start to unravel and there might even be supernatural forces in play. 

Main Character

Amanda Seyfried and James Norton plays the two leads here and they both do okay jobs. Neither of their characters are particularly interesting but they are clearly two talented performers and they try to make the most out of what they have and that is some pretty good qualities. But you won't care about either of these two characters or there plights as it is just really dull and mundane with very little reason given as to really why these characters are in this situation. 

Supporting Characters

The amazing Rhea Seehorn is here and she is obviously the best part of the film having some great scenes and she is the best character in the film. This is the first thing I have seen her in since watching Better Call Saul and it is great to see that she is still really good here and despite every other part of the film faltering she doesn't for one moment. F. Murray Abraham is in this film and he is decent but his character is a bit all over the place but he is a presence on screen and it is nice to see him here. But the rest of the cast just play these generic characters that offer very little whether it be the young performers or Karen Allen of Indiana Jones fame they are bland. 

Story 

This story is absurd and not in a good way. It just doesn't work, despite a few okay performances there is nobody to really latch onto and the whole supernatural element is wasted and feels just like a reason for a wacky ending and to stretch this film to 2 hours long. It has plenty of clichés and the last act in particular is just ridiculous and comes out of nowhere and makes these characters feel more like actors playing roles then real people. Plus the awful ending and you have a pretty terrible plot. 

Script 

The script is also bad, the dialogue does nothing to enhance the plot or its characters. It just comes across as mixed convoluted and basic and these two styles just don't mix and make this a nightmare of ideas put into one film. 

Style 

The style of the film looks okay, it does a half decent job of showing the small scale of the place that this couple moves too and has some decent camera work and cinematography. But this film is just really boring and its pacing is lacklustre. This film should never been so long and probably could have done away with the whole supernatural aspect and it might have been a slightly better film. 

Overall

Overall, Things Heard & Seen is a poor movie. It just lacks any interest or intrigue, it is too slow and when it does try something shocking it fails at it. Give this one a miss. 

Rating - 3/10

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Mini Series (2021) Review

So yes better late then never but here is my review for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, the second Disney+ series made by Marvel Studios and after the success of WandaVision there was big hype for this show and let's see if it delivers. The premise of the show sees Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes have to unite in order to take down a new group while dealing with personal issues that have defined their lives. 

Main Character

Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as the lead characters are fantastic here and they have amazing chemistry together. I've always felt like Mackie has been underutilised in the MCU but he is given the spotlight here and he is great, you see how real life circumstances affect his performance and after the events of Endgame he is really struggling what his role exactly is as a hero and it is very effective. Stan has always been great and he gives a really strong performance here, there is so much emotion to the character of Bucky Barnes as he really tries to move on from his past as The Winter Soldier but it provides some stellar scenes and I love both of these characters and felt like they really moved up from supporting characters in the films to main characters here. 

Supporting Characters

Wyatt Russell plays John Walker and this guy is amazing, I mean the internet literally united to hate this character and that takes an incredibly skilled actor to do that. I actually felt like he was such an interesting and real character that had plenty of depth towards him and you see how he is really affected by the pressure of his new role. Daniel Bruhl is back as Zemo and he is probably my favourite part of the show, when he arrives on the screen the show just gains more life and energy to it with Bruhl clearly loving his role and allowing more freedom the he had in Captain America: Civil War. Emily VanCamp is also back as Sharon Carter and she is really good, they do some interesting things with her character and you see how the past 5 years that the character has had to go through has really affected her more then most. Carl Lumbley plays Isiah Bradley and wow this is such a strong performance, the emotion is ramped up ten fold when he is on screen and it feels appropriate due to the real life issues that are clear inspirations and he knocks it out of the park. Erin Kellyman plays Karli and I think she is okay, the MCU has sometimes had issues with antagonists and I think Kellyman does the best she can and really tries and it doesn't affect the role too much and more of the issue is the storytelling for her and her groups role. 

Story 

The story is good, the dynamic between Sam and Bucky is really affective and I love how it develops as the show goes on and progresses very naturally. The show is also effective in showing the legacy of the shield of Captain America and how there is way more then we knew from the films. The show also manages to spend more time with the characters and find out more about there characters and ideals and that is only something this show can do. But there are a few issues and for me it was mainly to due with the villains The Flag Smashers, I think when they wrote them it sounded great on paper but it just wasn't as good as it should have been. The show needed to do more with them and make us actually care about them which they just missed here. 

Script 

The script is really good, The MCU has always had a blend of humour and drama but this show does it ever so well. There is a nice amount of laughs and that is mainly due to the chemistry between the two leads. But the drama is really well done with some truly emotional scenes that are made really well and executed in a way to really make you care. 

Style 

The style is good, in terms of the action scenes and the scale I thought it was really good. It at times feels like one of the films with action scenes that are huge in scale and feel like they slot in really well with the rest of the MCU. But I do think this show has a few issues with its pacing, there are only 6 episodes but I think it needed at least 8, there are a lot of story arcs going on here and not all of them have as much time dedicated to them as they really needed. 

Overall 

Overall, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is a great show that does a great job with its characters. This is just another great addition to The MCU and sets up some pretty exciting things for the future that may affect the TV and Film universes so give this one a watch. 

Rating - 8/10 

Saw 2 (2005) Review

The next film in my prep for Spiral is Saw 2 and I have now watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a detective attempt to rescue 8 people who have been placed into a game by the nefarious Jigsaw. 

Main Character 

Before starring in what feels like 100 series of Blue Bloods Donnie Wahlberg plays the lead here and the best thing I will say is that he is pretty functional in his role. He plays the detective well and feels like a natural fit with the franchise as a whole. But the issue is that there is nothing special or unique about him and he is just really generic, I just wasn't particularly interested or captivated by anything to do with him at all. 

Supporting Characters

Shawnee Smith is back as Amanda and she is given more to do with her role here and she is similar to Wahlberg in that she is very functional in her role and this is a very physical role that she has to achieve. It's just she isn't that good in making you care and really she could have been a completely new character and I feel like the film wouldn't have been much different. We actually get to see more of Tobin Bell as Jigsaw and I just feel like he has such an interesting and cool voice that it makes Jigsaw pretty maniacal. It is just I feel a little bit that this film shows a bit too much of Jigsaw and where the first film built this aura around him it just basically tells you everything here. But the cast of the people captured by Jigsaw are so all over the place and bad that you won't care about a single person and want to see them die pretty horrible deaths. 

Story 

There is no doubt that this story ramps it up from the first film and raises the stakes in a pretty large way. There are also some pretty cool unique death traps here that are way more creative from the first film and in typical Saw fashion there is a twist and it works pretty well even though I feel like it will never have the impact that the first film have. But the film has an issue with its characters and not making you care about a single human being presented to you which for me is pretty important even in a 90 minute horror film. 

Script

The script just isn't very good. The dialogue is poor and the characters are poorly written which just makes this film feel a bit cold and pointless. Yes I said there is a twist and it is executed pretty well but for me it doesn't save the mess of a script that is put on screen here. 

Style 

As mentioned above, the film is definitely bigger in scale and for the most part it does work as it allows some more creative deathtraps that may have been off the table before and that works here. But even though the film isn't that long, it feels long and I think that is down to just the larger amount of characters that have to have backstories that just aren't explained well enough and slow the whole thing down. 

Overall 

Overall, Saw 2 is a below average film and for me is a step down from the original. Yes it has a bigger budget and more well known actors but it falls flat and loses the charm that the first one had and I would saw it is one that can be skipped. 

Rating - 4/10 

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) Trailer Review

So a big day for Marvel Studios yesterday as we got the first trailer for their upcoming film Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings and I have watched it and here are the main things I took away from it. 

Shang-Chi is living a normal life

The trailer starts off by telling us that the titular hero is literally just your average guy that you would see around the town at any point. It seems for some reason he left his old life behind and decided to just be a regular person which is no doubt going to lead him to be dragged back in. 

We see the true Mandarin and Shang-Chi is his son 

After the debacle that was The Mandarin in Iron Man 3, Marvel Studios are finally redeeming themselves by giving us the true Mandarin in this film. It is a shame we will never see him go against Tony Stark but he can still play a large part of the MCU and the interesting detail is that in this film Shang-Chi will be his son leading to all sorts of father/son dynamics. 

He has the rings of power from the comics

It is also shown in the trailer that The Mandarin is in possession of the rings of power that he has from the comics. They seem to be a bit different here as they seem to give the possessors super powers and the question now has to be will it be alien like in the comics or magical. 

Who is the man in the mask? 

A few times in the trailer we see a masked man training and then fighting Shang-Chi. Now this could just be an excuse to have an opponent for the hero but I have a feeling there is something more there. It will probably be revealed that it is someone close to the main character and maybe that will add something. 

The action looks great 

We have seen many things in the MCU but we have never seen a martial arts film and it seems like like Shang-Chi is going to deliver on that. The action looks really well filmed and the performers doing a great job to make it exciting with some elements looking really high budget. 

Overall

Overall, this is a really good first trailer. With WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier really delivering, Marvel is set for a great 2021 and hopefully this film is also one of the real highlights and sees a bright future for Shang-Chi. 

Why Did You Kill Me? (2021) Review

This documentary made its way to Netflix this week and with its short run time I thought I would give Why Did You Kill Me? a watch and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a family use social media to attempt to track down who killed a member of their family. 

Onto the good bits and that is that the film is pretty well paced, usually I want quite a bit of time spent to understand all the aspects of a doc but this one really only needed 80 minutes and that made it an easy watch in terms of its runtime. 

It was also pretty cool to see the actual footage of the police interviews with the suspects. It feels very authentic and it just adds a sense of realism and intrigue as you see the different people getting interviewed. 

But the rest of it is a bit of a mess. the issue is that pretty much everybody involved is unlikeable. The film wants you to care about the victims family but they all come across as truly terrible people and it just feels like I kind of waisted my time. 

Also, it's something I have mentioned before but this just doesn't feel like something that needed a documentary. Obviously, somebody getting killed in terrible but the whole thing isn't that absurd, the use of social media is common place these days and I think this would have been way more impactful had it come out closer to the event though that was not possible. 

Overall, Why Did You Kill Me? didn't do much for me and I think it isn't gonna be one of those big documentaries. If the premise interests you then give it a go but other then that I really wouldn't bother. 

Rating - 4/10

Love and Monsters (2021) Review

After a much delayed release the film Love and Monsters made its way to Netflix yesterday and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young man in the apocalypse as he tries to travel for 7 days to find his Girlfriend, in a world that has become infested with monsters. 

Main Character

Dylan O'Brien plays the lead here and he does a really good job. He is just such a likeable character and one that is easy to root for, it makes the audience really want to see him succeed in his quest. He is funny and charming and just a really good lead character for this film. 

Supporting Characters

Jessica Henwick plays his girlfriend and when she is on screen she gives a good performance. Obviously, due to the narrative we don't spend too much time with her but when we do you really see the chemistry that her and O'Brien have and it raises up this pretty simple quest for love story. Michael Rooker is here as a survivor and he is great, he is just the perfect person to play his role and the scenes with him are some of the best of the film, it's just a bit of shame they didn't do more with him and Ariana Greenblatt's characters as they were highlights of the film for sure. I mean there is even a cool dog called Boy that joins them on their journey and plenty of time is given to show the bond between him and O'Brien and it is done really well. 

Story 

The story is interesting, I like the lore and backstory as to how the world went to hell and led to monsters being everywhere. There is also no denying that it is fun seeing O'Brien having to travel outside for the first  time where he is pretty useless at just about everything. But, I would say this works for the first two acts and then falls flat in its last act. It's like the writers wrote the film chronologically and weren't exactly sure how the film should end so they ended up with this strange last act of the film that doesn't quite mesh with the other elements put on screen. 

Script

The script is actually pretty good, this film is pretty funny and had me laughing quite a lot which considering it isn't a straight up comedy deserves some big credit. Also the film has some nice amount of heart, not all of it works but it is handled well enough. But as I said above I just can't get over the writing for the last act and how it feels very different to the other parts of the film and not in a particularly positive way. 

Style 

The style of the film looks great, the visuals are really good with the world being shown to be very luscious and beautiful despite all the bad that has happened. Also the creature designs all hold up and the CGI for them is all of a good quality. But the pacing for the film at times is a little off and yes I am mostly talking about the last 20/30 mins. which makes the film drag and maybe something more creative and keeping with the first two acts would have been better received by me. 

Overall

Overall, Love and Monsters was a big surprise for me and I ended up thinking that this is a good film. If you have 2 hours then I would say give this film a chance and with a pretty open ended ending there is chance for a new franchise to be made here.

Rating - 7/10  

Sound of Metal (2021) Review

For a long time now I have heard great things about Sound of Metal and with 6 Oscar nominations the hype intensified. But due to the Coronavirus it has only just come to Amazon and I watched it this morning and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a drummer's life changed when he starts to lose his hearing. 

Main Character

Riz Ahmed has always been an actor I have liked but I never saw this performance coming as he is absolutely amazing in this role. This is easily the best performance of his career and he truly deserves all the praise that is coming his way. You really see the tragedy of his character as he starts to lose his hearing and you feel a connection with him here and the real life changing journey that he has to go through in the film. 

Supporting Characters

Olivia Cooke plays his girlfriend in the film and she is also really good, there relationship is really well presented and you see how they care for each other and react to the situation that he has been put in. She isn't in the film a huge amount but she plays a very key role and she realises that very well indeed. Paul Raci plays a sort of mentor figure to Ahmed and he is also fantastic which is crazy because he hasn't really acted that much over the last 10 years. You can see this is a film and character that was important to him and he gives it his all having an interesting and great chemistry with Ahmed that carries a large chunk of the film. Lauren Ridloff and Mathieu Almaric have small roles and are both good, with Ridloff probably being the most high profile deaf actress that there is, her presence felt appropriate and added some real depth to the project here. 

Story 

The story is really good, if you want to watch this film for loads of cool music scenes then you are going to be disappointed. This isn't a film about music, it is a story about one mans journey and how a life changing experience affects him and the others around him and it does an amazing job of that. Riz Ahmed sells it so well and you really see his journey play out and you care so much with an ending that is equally thought provoking and rewarding in its nature. 

Script

The script is really great, the drama is really well presented and handled differently to what you expect from movies with a serious subject matter in there. There are also some nice bits of humour that adds some levity to the whole film and what is going on. Also the film has plenty of sign language and I really like how it was handled and made it something that an audience member such as me would be interested in learning. 

Style 

The style is good but mainly the sound design which is incredible. The film does an amazing job of making you feel like you are going through this crisis with Ruben our lead character. The lack of sound and ability to hear other characters is equally uncomfortable and tragic but adds so much depth to the characters and the film. But literally the only thing holding this film back from a perfect score is the pacing, it just drags its heels in at times and the subject is interesting enough but I think a slightly quicker pace at times would have really helped. 

Overall

Overall, Sound of Metal is a fantastic film that everybody should see. It's also amazing that this is a directorial debut by Darius Marder so expect a big future from him. This film has to be in contention to win the Oscar categories its in and deserves the two hours it takes to watch. 

Rating - 9/10  

Saw (2004) Review 

In general I have one genre that I just don't like and that is Horror. I find a lot of them dull and predictable riddled with jump scares that are cheap at best. But I thought with the new Saw film Spiral coming out next month I would take this time to watch this franchise through for the first time and that starts here with my review for the first Saw film. The premise of the film sees two men locked up in a room when they realise they a part of a serial killers twisted game. 

Main Character

Leigh Whannell and Carley Elwes play the two men who are locked up and I think they did an alright job. They both sell the situation they are in pretty well and you do feel for them and want to see them get out of this whole situation. The film also does a decent job of exploring their outside lives and the possible reasons that they are in this whole situation. But at times I though both of them leaned into horror film genre 101 and just started screaming and being all over the top and it just didn't work. I think they were meant to be serious but they came across as a little bit funny. 

Supporting Characters

Danny Glover plays a detective on the hunt of the killer and he is good here. Glover is a pretty big name so he does stand out in this film, his character is interesting enough and at least for me it got to a point where I had to start question his motivations. Michael Emerson has a smaller role but plays it well enough here. But the rest of the cast just aren't given much to work with, it's not that they are terrible it's just there is no reason to really care. 

Story

The story is really interesting, the film does a really good job of putting the audience in a similar situation to the main characters as to knowing what exactly is going on. It also succeeds in showing the backstory to both of these characters and the killer themselves so it isn't just a simple horror film but one that stands out more. Also there is a twist at the end of the film that is fantastically done and I legitimately did not see it coming which doesn't happen that often these days.  

Script

The script is fine, it has some decent dramatic moments and dialogue to it and as I mentioned that twist which is really well realised. But there are also some cheesy horror trope moments that don't quite work and there is no escaping that there are certain parts of the film that do feel a bit generic, at least to me. 

Style 

The film is really good at creating a very intense atmosphere and feeling of suspense. There isn't as much gore as I was expecting which is fine by me and the jump scares are at a minimum which is a good thing. But I did feel like the film was a little long, maybe 10 to 15 mins could have been chopped off as I though the 2nd act dragged itself out a little too much. Also this film hasn't aged that well, there are some pretty outdated filming techniques and sound issues that are noticeable. 

Overall

Overall, Saw is an above average Horror Film. I had a decent time watching this film and felt pretty engaged by its plot and lore that is created. I mean it isn't a film that is that revolutionary but if you like horror then this is one for you and if you aren't then this isn't the one that is going to convert you in my mind. 

Rating - 6/10 

Intruder Season 1 (2021) Review

This show has been airing the last few nights on Channel 5 and I have now watched Intruder and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a couples lives change when two teenagers break into their house. 

Main Character

Sally Lindsay plays the lead character and is basically the one leading the investigation and this will be a similar theme towards this review that she is bad. The character is very one note and the performance doesn't give you any reason to care about her and the situation that she is in. There is nothing to care about and Lindsay is just such a a weak character. 

Supporting Characters

Elaine Cassidy and Tom Meeten play the couple and they are so bad that it actually transitions into hilarious. They are so over the top and cheesy that it is absurd and you will not care about either of these annoying people and the situation they are put in. Then there a character called Angela who is one of the stupidest and ridiculous characters I have ever seen on film or TV and I mean ever. The rest of the cast are also really bad either they are so over the top or so dull and it really meshes poorly. 

Story 

The story of this show is absurd. Nothing makes sense and the characters act so strangely and make decisions that I don't think any human being on Earth would do. As the show progresses it attempts to expand the story and none of it works as you sit there baffled and why the hell you decided to watch is 4 hour monstrosity with one of the worst endings any show could ever have. 

Script 

The script is laughably bad. It wasn't like a fellow Channel 5 disaster The Descendants which was so crazy it was a stupid fun mess, this is just really bad. The dialogue is awful and cringe, there is no humour, the drama is really forced and none of the characters act like real people. 

Style 

The worst thing about this show is that despite the absurdity the show is really boring. The episodes are dull and don't add anything original or captivating in any way. I feel like if this show if going to be over the top and absurd then it should have embraced that but it really doesn't and it fails at everything here. 

Overall

I have always said that it is really hard to find a truly terrible 1/10 show but it finally happened. Intruder is probably the worst show I have ever seen and should be avoided at all costs and when they release this show on DVD and Blu-Ray all the copies should be burned to ensure its death. 

Rating - 1/10

Thunder Force (2021) Review

With the Coronavirus pandemic shutting Cinemas worldwide it seems like Netflix have become a force in terms of gaining the rights to films with big stars in it and Thunder Force is no different and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees two former friends both get superpowers and attempt to save Chicago from other superpowered beings. 

Main Character

Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer play the two leads here and its weird, I think both of them are pretty bad in this film but there is no denying they seems to be having fun together and it actually added a bit of energy and life to this pretty generic film. But on their own it doesn't work, Spencer isn't an actress that does comedy much and it clearly shows as she is quite stiff and rigid in her performance which is clearer due to the over the top performance by McCarthy. Now I know Melissa McCarthy can be funny, I have seen her do good work such as Spy and Can you ever forgive me? She just isn't funny here and she needs the right director and project to get that out of her and this film was not it. 

Supporting Characters

Jason Bateman. That is it the best part of this film is Bateman, he plays a half man half crab and he is actually pretty funny. He just adds some quirkiness and ridiculousness of the right kind that really fits and it is just a shame that the others in the film just can't get the same quality out if them. There are some other decent actors such as Bobby Cannavale, Melissa Leo and Pom Klementieff but they are such dull characters and for me it is just a real waste of the talent that the film has and sometimes I wonder why bother casting these big name performers if you aren't going to give them interesting and funny material to work with. 

Story 

The story is absurd, but it doesn't embrace it enough. I want to see more superpowered beings for Thunder Force to go up against and it feels like the film either didn't have the budget or weren't creative enough to do that. The film tries to make you care about the characters but I really couldn't as apart from Bateman I just didn't care about the characters or their whole story because the film does nothing to make me care. This film also has something that happens in the last act that really annoyed me because it didn't feel earned and even though this is a comedy I feel like things should at least feel like they fit in the film we are watching. 

Script

The one job of a comedy, make me laugh and this film really failed at that. I maybe smirked a few times but I never laughed as they is no clever comedy here, it is just the most basic of basic attempts to make you laugh and you can easily see right through it. Also the drama doesn't work, it has all been done before and this film isn't good enough for it to get me invested. 

Style 

When the action is happening there is no doubt that it can be fun to watch and fitting for a spoof of Superhero films. But I checked and the first time Thunder Force go on a mission is 45 mins into the film, that is unacceptable and by that point I had already clocked out of what the film was trying to achieve. 

Overall 

Overall, Thunder Force is a bad comedy. McCarthy is in another comedy stinker and I just think this film lacks any of the qualities that a good comedy needs and unless you love the two leads this is one to avoid. 

Rating - 3/10

The Mauritanian (2021) Review

This film has had quite a bit of buzz about it and came to Amazon last week and I have now had a chance to watch it and here is my review for the film The Mauritanian. The premise of the film sees a man attempt to fight for his freedom when he is detained in Guantanamo Bay for years without any charges against him. 

Main Character  

It seems like that 2021 is a very good year for Tahar Rahim. After his brilliant outing in BBC show The Serpent he continues that here with one of the best performances of the year and is a performance that should have gained him an Oscar Nomination. He is fantastic here, despite being accused of terrible things, Rahim does a great job in making you feel sympathy for him and caring about the situation that he has been put in. The film explores plenty of his life and it is a good way to show the man underneath the accusation and that is crucial to the film. 

Supporting Characters

Jodie Foster plays the main lawyer representing him and she is good also. Her character has a clear arc and progression in this film and Foster does a good job in showing that and the reasons for her defending her client. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the opposition Lawyer and despite a very thick Virginian accent he is also good. The accent is a bit strange at first but it grew on me as the film progressed, I just liked how the parallels of Foster and Cumberbatch's characters affects the story and adds depth to the people that are seen on film. Shailene Woodley and Zachary Levi are also good in their roles and add plenty when they are on screen. 

Story 

The story is really interesting. There are huge questions of morality and right and wrong which is handled in a very mature but interesting way. The characters are great and really well realised by the performers that it makes you care about this interesting real life tale. But I have one issue which hurt the overall film for me and that was the fact the film spends a long time setting up a trial which we barely see. I love courtroom dramas and I would have happily watched another 30 mins to an hour if it made the film a more complete experience. 

Script

The script is really good, the drama is really well realised and makes you care about the people and the interesting story. But what also surprised me was that this film had little sprinklings of humour and it worked for me with this script maybe also getting ignored of an Oscar nomination. 

Style 

The style of the film is good, it keeps you interested for the majority of the run time and does show the real horrors that happen in this prison and to this man. Though as I said above, I felt like the film could have gone longer and needed a stronger finish. Also this film changes its aspect ratio when in different timelines and I get it for a thematic approach but I just felt it was unnecessary and was a bit jarring. 

Overall 

Overall, The Mauritanian is a great film that should be watched. It has an amazing lead performance and a gripping story and I think this film deserved a bit more recognition from The Academy so don't miss it. 

Rating - 8/10 

This is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist Mini Series (2021) Review

This documentary made its way to Netflix today and I watched the four episodes for This is a Robbery and here is my review for it. The premise of the show looks at a case in 1990 where two men wearing Police uniforms stole 13 lucrative paintings. 

First the positives, the premise is quite interesting. I knew nothing about this case or this story and the show does a pretty good job of letting you know why this whole thing was such a big deal and how it became a serious deal for plenty of people for a time. 

It is also good at showing the inside of how big this whole operation ends up being and what went into making this robbery happen and how the art industry really connected to certain criminal elements such as The Mafia. Also I thought 4 episodes was a decent length and anything longer would have been too much so it just about strays on the right side on that element of the show. 

But I feel like this documentary is a bit of a forgettable experience. Though I said it was interesting, I just don't think it was interesting enough to real sink its teeth into me and fully suck me in to its plot. I always wonder if a certain story needs a documentary and I think this is one of them. 

I think a big issue is that the story goes in plenty of different directions especially in episodes two and three where is bogs down on some less interesting parts of its story. It starts dropping all of these names and there are so many that it becomes a bit hard to follow and that ultimately lets it down. 

Overall, I think This is a Robbery is an average documentary. It is hard to make a bad documentary and this show does the bare minimum and I think unless you are really interested in the this story then give this one a miss. 

Rating - 5/10 

Line of Duty Season 5 (2019) Review 

I haven't exactly hid my love for Line Of Duty as I have watched the series over the last few weeks and today I watched the 5th season of the show and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees the team of AC-12 on the hunt for the group of corrupt officers and criminals that have been causing them trouble for years. 

Main Character

Another season and another Guest Main character and this season sees experienced British actor Stephen Graham take the lead role and he is fantastic. I mean he is a great actor who usually brings his A game and he does that here, his character has plenty of depth to him and it is a different direction to what the show usually does and I think that made his character one that really stands out amongst the others that have been on the show. 

Supporting Characters

Adrian Dunbar as Hastings as been one of if not my favourite thing about this show and this season is where he hits his stride to an even greater degree. We learn way more about his character and this is easily the most time we have spent with the character and that is a real highlight and a much needed addition to the storytelling of the season. Martin Compston and Vicky McClure as Steve and Kate are also great, it's surprising because despite the fact they have been partners since the first season I think this is the most screen time they have had together and it showed just how great a team they are together. The rest of the cast are great and just like every other season the acting is a real highlight for the show. 

Story 

The story is always moving and interesting. I love how this season starts to play the threads between the different seasons and how they are starting to come together. Graham and Dunbar's plots are the highlights as the show does a really good job with two character studies that really flesh out their motivations and ideals in a really great way. But I have to admit the story did fall a little bit flat in the finale for me, it just wasn't as amazing an episode as the previous 2 finales and I think that did affect my overall feeling on the show, though it is still great. 

Script

The script is great, the dialogue is funny when it wants to be and truly dramatic. There are twists and turns and I can't deny that the writing did a fantastic job of captivating me and making me go from episode to episode as I had not know what was going to happen next. 

Style

The show looks great, it just has a fast paced filming style to it and it really makes you feel like you are following these detectives on their quest for justice. The 6 episodes are paced very well with the finale being a 90 minute episode and the show manages to keep you engaged and invested throughout. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic 5th season of Line Of Duty and continues the really high quality going. Now I am all caught up I can't wait to watch all 6 episodes of the new season at once and get my fix for the show again. 

Rating - 9/10

Loki Season 1 (2021) Trailer 2 Review

It seems like every other day there is some sort of Marvel news and today is no different with the 2nd full length trailer for the upcoming Disney+ show Loki. The trailer is really good and there are plenty of points to discuss and here is my review of those things. 

Loki knows of the Time Variance Authority 

The first surprise comes early in the trailer and that Loki knows who his captors the Time Variance Authority are. This is interesting because there has been no mention of the organisation before this show so it comes to wonder just how Loki knows of them. Also it makes you wonder who else knows about them, because surely if Thor did he would have mentioned it in Endgame. 

Owen Wilson and Tom Hiddleston are going to be one of the best pairings in the MCU. 

Over the time of the MCU we have seen some great pairings, I mean even lately with Wanda and Vision and Sam & Bucky but I have a feeling that Mobius played by Owen Wilson and Loki are going to be another one to add to the list. From the footage we have seen of the two together so far it seems like they have instant chemistry and are both having a lot of fun in the roles. 

Why is Loki stealing The Tesseract the only thing that breaks reality. 

The trailer makes it clear that Loki taking The Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame ended up breaking reality which makes sense but I am not sure why this is the only cause of this. I know Captain America returned the Infinity Stones but I find it hard to believe that nothing else in that film didn't break reality, I don't know if they will address it but I feel like The Avengers are as much to blame as Loki is. 

Loki clearly has his own agenda

It is very clear that everybody in this show is trying to manipulate each other. We know why the TVA are trying to manipulate Loki but the question is what his plan is. Obviously, he is trying to not die this time but I am expecting a much larger scheme which will be interesting to see unfold. 

Is embracing the comedic value of its performers. 

Until Thor Ragnarok Loki was a charismatic character but since then he has also been proven to be very funny and with Owen Wilson in tow the trailer shows they are going to embrace that. This trailer is really funny and with its premise and characters if it can be funny then we are onto a winner. 

Is that Black Widow in the trailer?

There is a single frame in the trailer that shows Loki sat down next to a woman who in my opinion looks just like Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow. Now it would be very surprising to see Scarlett Johannsson in this show but these MCU shows are clearly a big part of the future of The MCU so who knows. 

Loki will be jumping to multiple Timelines

In this trailer alone we see Loki jumping to a few different timelines the main two being one where he rules Asgard and one where it seems like Thanos won in Endgame. Hopefully there are more then this and it opens up endless possibilities for returning characters and story elements that Loki can alter for his own wants and desire. 

This show is huge in scale

Both WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier are big budget superhero shows but this looks on a different level. Loki looks like a huge grand adventure that wouldn't look out of place on the biggest IMAX screen possible, it shows the faith Marvel have to put this amount of money and faith on this show. 

Overall

Overall, I thought this trailer was fantastic. I have always said that out of the Disney+ shows Loki was the one I was most excited for and this trailer has only further enhanced that and now Loki is a show I simply can't wait for. 

Line Of Duty Season 4 (2017) Review

So after a little break I am back watching Line of Duty and I have just finished the fourth season and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees AC-12 look into a possible miscarriage or justice by a leading Police Detective. 

Main Character

Thandie Newton plays the guest lead character this season and she is really good in her role. She is an interesting character and Newton is really effective in selling her characters emotions and the way that she thinks and operates. The highlights of the season is when she and AC-12 go head to head in the interview room and she is incredibly captivating and even puts them under significant pressure at times. 

Supporting Characters 

All of the regulars are back this season, Adrian Dunbar as Hastings, Vicky McClure as Kate and Martin Compston as Steve and they are of course all great. I was worried about where they were going with Kate and Steve at the beginning of the season but they sorted it out quick enough and the characters are at their best here and it is interesting to see both of them now of the same rank after the events of the previous seasons. Hastings has always been a big highlight and I just love this guy, he has the best lines and he is just such a great character, with the three of them being a great triple act. Royce Pierrson is an actor I recently criticised for his role in The Irregulars but he shows up here and is good in his role providing a fresh and new face inside of AC-12 that is a welcome addition. 

Story 

The story is really good, it is always entertaining seeing AC-12 going on the hunt for corrupt police officers and it is in full force here and this season had me gripped for sure. The show makes you think you know what is going on at first but then it starts adding more and more twists and turns and layers that makes it so intricate and dynamic. Also the last 20 minutes of the finale is some of the greatest TV I have ever seen and I have seen a lot of TV. 

Script

The script is really good, I always wonder whether the show will ever get bogged down by the police jargon but it really doesn't and it is easy enough to follow but keeps you guessing throughout. The drama and humour is well balanced and the show manages to create captivating and interesting characters. 

Style 

The show has a truly special style, it can take something like an interview and turn it into must watch TV and that is no different here. The show moves at a very brisk pace and keeps you interested and invested really well with a show that knows exactly how much time and episodes it needs to succeed. 

Overall

Overall, the fourth season of Line Of Duty is truly epic. Honestly, this is some of the best TV you will see and I am truly of belief that this show is one of the best made maybe even ever and if you haven't started then get on it as it is amazing. 

Rating - 10/10

Minari (2021) Review

This film has been gaining large acclaim with 6 Oscar Nominations and it has now become available in The UK and today I watched Minari and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees A Korean family more to Arkansas and attempt to start a new life. 

Main Character

Steven Yeun became a big deal for his role as Glen on The Walking Dead but since leaving that role he has had a few roles but nothing breakout until Minari. He is fantastic in this film, he delivers such a strong performance that hits many different emotions and Yeun does a great job in making this an interesting character and he totally deserves his Oscar Nomination. 

Supporting Characters

Yeri Han plays his wife in this film and she is also fantastic. They have such a great dynamic together, her character plays an important role in the film and the love but also conflict between the two characters is really effective in making them an interesting couple. Experienced actor Will Patton plays the family friend and he is good, I mean his character is crazy but it works well and makes him feel really different to the other characters but also shows how these completely different people can become friends. You know this film is really well acted because the two young children are also really good and especially the young boy play a crucial part of the plot and they do it really well. But for me the star of the film was the Grandmother played by Yuh-Jung Youn, she also got an Oscar nomination and it is well deserved. She is so funny in this film and provides some much needed laughs and comic relief but there is plenty of heart to her role and her relationship with her grandson is possibly the most effective part of the film for me. 

Story 

The story is effective, it works well in showing how these outsiders to the community learns to adapt to their new environment and how it can affect a family from the grandmother to the young children. The personal relationships between the characters is really well acted and really well realised in this really well written and well acted film. But, this film is just lacking a bit of punch and speed about it. This film has an issue with its pacing and it does affect the story, it just feels like the film takes its time which works for certain aspects but I just need a bit more to keep me more interested in the film I am watching. 

Script

This script is brilliant, the balance of humour and drama is here in abundance and it is really well handled. I though Parasite did this really well this year and with this being a Korean film too it seems like these directors, screenwriters and actors know how to deliver on a great script. 

Style 

The film looks fantastic, the backdrops of the film are great with Arkansas looking really good and shot really well. But as I mentioned above this film has a pacing issue, it just feels way longer then it is and this holds it back a bit as despite things being well done, it just finds it a bit difficult to always keep your attention. 

Overall

Overall, Minari is a great film. This film is really well acted and looks great, it is slower paced but is effective with its storytelling and I would recommend giving this is a shot especially if you are okay with subtitles. 

Rating - 8/10

Antebellum (2021) Review

After a disruptive release schedule Antebellum has finally made its way to the UK on Sky and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a woman trapped in a terrifying scenario and how she adapts to life within it. 

Main Character

Janelle Monae plays the lead in this film and I thought she was decent here. Her character goes through a lot in this film and you do really sympathise for her and Monae does a good job of telling that particular story. But the issue is that there isn't a huge amount of depth to her character and we don't learn enough, I don't want to go into depth because this film is guarded in secrecy but I think the fact there isn't enough meat to the role is what holds it back. 

Supporting Characters

There are a few supporting characters but in my opinion only one of them was that memorable and that was Kiersey Clemons. She isn't in the film a huge amount but she is the highlight of every scene she is in and you really grow to care about her and I felt like maybe the film would have been more effective if she had been the main character of the film. But the rest of the cast are paper thin, the bad guys are cliché and offer nothing unique and new to their roles and the friends of Monae's character are just annoying and really took away from the film. 

Story 

The story is interesting, there is no doubt it keeps you guessing throughout and I can't deny that I was intrigued as the story went on and then the twist came and I thought it was a good idea and something I didn't see coming. But then it all comes down to execution and that is sorely lacking here, the plot deviates too much in its second act and takes too long to get going to the point where the story gets interesting. Then the last act is a bit all over the place with plot holes and stupidity coming from plenty of different places. 

Script

Easily the worst part of the film for me. The script has no bite to it, this film has serious subject matters but the script doesn't convey them well enough and you will have seen plenty of films that have done it way better and made you feel plenty of emotions. Also don't get me started on the humour, it is awful and made one particular character the most annoying character you will see in any film that there is. 

Style 

This film looks great, the film is shot beautifully with cinematography that rises this pretty small scale film above the really bad level. However, the film is just too slow for me and takes too long to get to its point which takes interesting ideas and stretches them out for way too long. 

Overall

Overall, Antebellum is a below average film. It has a few nice ideas but doesn't execute them well enough to be at the level it wants to be. I would say unless you are a huge fan of thriller/horror then give this a skip it isn't that good. 

Rating - 4/10

The Irregulars Season 1 (2021) Review

It has taken me a bit longer then I expected but I finished the show The Irregulars and here is my review for it. The premise of the show is set in Victorian London and sees a group of teenagers have to work for Holmes and Watson to stop paranormal threats. 

Main Character

There is a group of teenagers but the main two that are focused on are sisters Bea played by Thaddea Graham & Jessie played by Darci Shaw. They are okay together, there were certain times that the two of them seemed to show genuine care and affection for each other but they don't last long enough. The show forces weak conflict between the two of them and I didn't really care about either of there individual plots or characters and that is obviously a big issue. 

Supporting Characters

The rest of the teenage group do nothing for me, you've got Spike the comedy relief, Billy the tough guy and Leo the odd one out. There characters are cliché and the actors are not good enough in their roles to make you care or interested. Billy and Leo have pretty big side plots but they are just not interesting enough and the biggest criticism is that I never felt like these characters truly cared about each other and were only together because this is a TV show. Royce Pierreson plays Watson and he gets more screen time then Holmes and he is functional, but this is a big chance wasted in my opinion. They try and make Watson more mysterious and dark and that could have worked but the script isn't good enough to deliver on these ideas. Henry Lloyd-Hughes plays Sherlock Holmes and honestly I hated this interpretation of the character, I know we have seen a few Holmes on the screen but this one doesn't work. He lacks charm, charisma and just intelligence all what I expect from the character and this drugged out loser is far from what I wanted. There are some decent actors like Clarke Peters and Rory McCann but their roles are quite weak and don't play into the story enough. 

Story 

The story is all over the place and the issue is that it plays a bit like a show that is a weekly show. For the first half of the season it is very much a case of the week type of show with the group investigating different monsters. But with the whole season dropping at once makes it feels so repetitive and they cases aren't that interesting. The overall plot doesn't work either with a lack of heart or emotion to it and the finale doesn't hit the levels that it should. 

Script 

The script isn't very good either. The drama doesn't do enough to make you care about the majority of the characters and that is the biggest killer for the show. The humour is forced and not funny which makes it awkward and the show just lacks depth and intrigue. 

Style

The style of the show has some decent backdrops and Victorian London does look pretty good and there are some fun action set pieces. But the show is just boring, it is slowly paced and that is a large reason why it took me so long to finish it. There could have been 6 episodes and the show would have been a bit better as there may have been less wasted side plots. 

Overall

Overall, The Irregulars is a bad show. It lacks any intrigue and uniqueness to make it stand out from the crowd with a cast that don't offer much. I can't see a huge future for this show and I would say avoid this show as there are very few redeeming qualities. 

Rating - 2/10 

Run (2021) Review

There are so many new films coming out this weekend and I hope that I can get them all in and I have decided to start with Netflix's new film Run and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a home-schooled student begin to suspect something isn't right with her mother and their living situation. 

Main Character 

Sarah Poulson plays the mother in this film and she is really good. You can tell early on that something isn't quite right about her and Poulson manages to convey that without going over the top and making it a cheesy performance. It is a character where you shouldn't know anything about her going into the film as the mystery about what she is exactly up to is probably the best part of the film. 

Supporting Characters

Kiera Allen plays her daughter and I checked this is her first ever film and when you consider that she is remarkably good in the role. She is also confined to a wheelchair in real life, which I think adds way more impact to her performance. Her character is an easy one to root for and you really want her to work out what exactly is going and manage to have a happy ending. There isn't really any other characters in this film but some of the characters that have the odd scenes were really bad and took me out of the experience. I get that they hire unknown actors for these roles but maybe make sure they can deliver a realistic and normal scene. 

Story 

The story is interesting, it kept me on edge throughout as you feel like you are similar to Allen's character as we really aren't sure what is exactly going on. Also there is a twist in the film as you would expect and I think it added plenty to the film and caught me off guard in a good way that it rose the quality of the product. But this films last act kind of lost me, its where the film starts to embrace the absurdity of everything and play it up but it is just too much and I think it is easily the least interesting part of the film. 

Script 

The script is decent, the dramatic moments are well realised by the two actresses as they really build this dynamic that is interesting. But there is a lack of any humour and when you actually think it through, there is clear gaps in logic and things just don't always make sense. 

Style 

The style of the film is really strong, the way it is directed and shot adds intrigue and suspense that a thriller truly needs. The pacing is really good with the film keeping me interested throughout and with it hitting 90 mins it doesn't overstay its welcome which is more then can be said for some films in the same genre. 

Overall

Overall, Run might be one of the biggest surprises so far in 2021. This is a good film that is suspenseful and intriguing, its not the best film ever but if you have Netflix and have 90 minutes you can do much worse then watching Run. 

Rating - 7/10

Godzilla vs Kong (2021) Review

After what feels like forever, Godzilla vs Kong has finally come out and despite the disappointment of having to watch it at home I have watched the film today and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees the two biggest Titans Godzilla and Kong have to collide in order to determine who is the true king. 

Main Character

For me this film focuses more on Kong then Godzilla and I am okay with that and Kong is handled really well in this film. He is given a sense of humanity and I really grew to care about Kong and wanted to see him get a happy ending and it is so entertaining seeing him in the action scenes. Godzilla isn't given as much character as Kong but he is still great and I will never get bored of seeing him in all of his epic glory which the film does really well. 

Supporting Characters

Millie Bobby Brown is back from the previous film and I thought she was decent in her role here. The character's story doesn't work and is part of a larger problem but she gives it her all and a fun performance which is rare to see in these films. Rebecca Hall plays a new character who is more linked to Kong and she is good in her role, she just fits it very well with the character and I just thought she was decent in the role. Though the rest of the cast do suffer, Alexander Skarsgard plays a scientist and I just feel like he was miscast in this role, I just never bought him in the role and it didn't help that his character was bland and not once are you ever given any reason to care about him or his task. Then all the human villains are as generic as they come, Eiza Gonzalez is totally wasted and I just wish more was done there. Also Brian Tyree Henry and Julian Dennison are in the film, mostly as comic relief but for me despite their obvious talent it just didn't work here and I am guessing that is mostly down to the writing. 

Story 

The story is okay, I really liked Kong's story and how they made him a way more sympathetic character and it made the clashes with Godzilla have more weight to them and make at least some of the fights have more context and investment towards them. But my biggest issue with the plot is just how safe it plays it, no spoilers but if you watched the trailer for this film then you can predict the film in a pretty easy way and that is a big let down. Especially, when I think there was more interesting things that could have been done here. 

Script 

The script does have some okay drama to it and it had real heart which the previous films failed at. But the overall writing for the plot is very weak and I guess I jut wanted a bit more then the film gave me and there is way more humour in this film but I see why they avoided it as it isn't well done here at all. 

Style

This is the one part the film has to get right and I am happy to report that this film is great to look at. The fight scenes between Godzilla and Kong is brilliant and feels huge in nature which is all you can ask for with a film like this. The film is also paced well, it is less then 2 hours and that makes the film feel more often and keeps the film moving at a nice pace. 

Overall

Overall, Godzilla vs Kong is a good film that delivers on the aspects of the film that it wanted to. For me it is probably the best film in the monster verse and if this is the end then it can go out on a high. 

Rating - 7/10