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Reviews
Reptile (2023)
Don't bother
An overlong and confusing film where if you don't concentrate you have to wind back a few minutes to get the thread back.
Benicio Del Toro looks grubby and far older than his years as does Alicia Silverstones.
It takes a while to link everything up and the mystic of/reason for, one of the initial women's back tattoo is left a mystery.
I found it slow moving with a climax that was no great surprise at all.
Basically certain police officers are in league with the bad guys and lots of people get shot.
Shades of the brilliant L. AConfidential-but certainly not in the same league.
Disappointing really as there are some quality people in the cast, but they can only do so much with the script they are given.
Inspector Morse: Deceived by Flight (1989)
Just not very good
I find these early episodes of Morse difficult to follow and full of procedural gaffes that an experienced DCI would not make.
For starters murders are never investigated by just two officers and a DCI would be managing the enquiries not out and about.
Why is Morse allowed to use his own car and who authorised the fitting of a police radio to it?
In this episode Morse is again romantically pursuing a witness before the case has been resolved.
Lewes acts as an undercover officer, when that would be a specialised role.
And
At the end Morse turns up at the suspects place of work and charges her with murder without arresting her and in any case the decision would not be his to make unless PACE does not apply in Thames Valley.
Our House (2022)
Awful
We watched this series as it was recommended to my wife, by friends of her bestie.
What utter drivel a house is sold as a result of one of the joint owners being blackmailed following a road rage incident in which a child in a third car was killed. The trouble is the blackmailer was the driver of the other vehicle involved in the road rage so would have been as guilty as the man he was targeting.
The usual nonsense of nobody calling the police about the blackmail as that would be too obvious and easy, is as always a key part of this nonsense.
Plus house selling procedures being binned to suit the drama.
We watched two of the four parts and then felt obliged to keep going, Ho Hum.
One to avoid.
The Arrival (1996)
So boring
I watched this film hoping to be entertained as I knew that Charlie Sheen was a quality actor, but IMHO it is truly awful and best avoided, in fact my wife stomped out of the room and went off to read a book.
An odd combination of comedy, science fiction and greeness.
I wish I could say anything to recommend that you waste two hours of your life watching this but I can't.
Best do a jigsaw, or build an Airfix instead.
Don't Bother to Knock (1952)
Absolutely Superb
I am quite surprised that the overall rating for this absolute gem of a film isn't closer to 10.
I have rarely bothered to watch Marilyn Monroe films before, but I will do now.
This film is quite simply superb, Marily Monroe plays her role to prefection, as do Richard Widmark, Elisha Cook and the gorgeous Anne Bancroft.
A1!
Endeavour: Striker (2021)
Disappointing Start
I was looking foward to the new series but the main story line for this was plain silly.
Anyone with a slight knowledge of football would know that Oxford has never had a major football team, yet one of their players was meant to be so well known player to be worth a "This is your Life" capture.
There were phones call being made from push button call boxes in 1970/1971?
The Chief Superintendent Bright wore an ill fitting uniform and had hair touching his colour, like some latter day William Hartnell. Whereas fifty years ago he would have been immaculate.
The other half of the plot "the bombing" was better, but hardly likely.
Jungle Street (1960)
Good in Parts
I enjoyed this short, British B film, though David McCallum as ever comes across as a bit too small to be a villain.
The high point of the film is fairly early on, when the gorgeous Jill Ireland as the star stripper , takes to the stage and strips down to her stockings, basque and heels.
The rest of the film is entertaining enough and shows views and lifestyles in London that have long since disappeared.
Good stuff!
Interpol Calling: Trial at Cranby's Creek (1960)
This is all rather silly
I know this whole series is just meant to be entertainment, but if a judiciary want a suspect arrested and extradited from another country they get the local police to nick them and then send officers over to escort them back.
In fact there's actually every chance that Interpol would not get involved at all in such matters, other than from an intelligence point of view. So there's no way that on his own Duval would go to the middle of nowhere in Australia.
Unforgotten: Episode #2.1 (2017)
Enjoyable but nonsense.
The Unforgotten is watchable but in many ways rather silly, for starters we always see the two main characters roaming around the country, interviewing witnesses and suspects when they would be office bound managing the enquiry. The legwork and the interviews are done by DS's and DC's.
In this series a body is found in the Cotswolds an area covered by Gloucestershire Constabulary yet the Met are called in from the word go.
It also then becomes apparent that the victim was last seen in the City of London, yet no CoLP officers are involved.
Still jolly to watch.
Finding Alice (2021)
Awful
I watched the first episode last night and that was enough for me. Disappointing is the "mother of all understatements" for this production.
Looking at the number of quality experienced actors and actresses I was expecting so much better, the script is truly dire and dull.
Don't bother.
Marcella (2016)
OK but that's all.
Just watched the first series.
A very wokey drama with all the PC boxes being ticked.
Anna Friel plays a loopy DS who is taking a career break, but is allowed back into the force at the drop of a hat because she's so brilliant, Ho Hum.
It's watchable but seeing endless breaches or procedure does after a while get a bit tedious as does seeing her doing silly things that would get you sacked.
Ten Little Indians (1965)
A wonderful film
A great film that has a lovely mid 1960's feel to it.
All the characters work well together with some good British actors, though Dennis Price clearly shows that the drink has taken a toll on him.
Naturally the highlight of the film is seeing the absolutely, gorgeous Shirley Eaton looking particularly lovely in her stockings and suspenders, particularly on the second occasion when she's in black undies.
I would have given the film ten stars if Daliah Lavi had been featured in a similar state of undress LOL.
One not to be missed.
North by Northwest (1959)
A Magnificent Film
A great film from start to finish, great camera work and well paced.
There are however a few points that amused me, but did not stop my thoroughly enjoying it.
Eve Kendall although absolutely gorgeous is clearly not 26 years old.
Roger Thornhill mother was played by a lady only 6 years older than him.
Also during the film.
Eve is completely smitten with Roger Thornhill, but sends him off to get killed and he doesn't seem to hold it against her.
She also towards the end goes off with Vandamm even though she knows he intends to kill her, rather than escaping with Thornhill!
Nevertheless Superb
Away (2020)
Not "The Right Stuff" but "The Woke Stuff"!
It's been a few years since I saw "The Right Stuff" film but that was an inspiring story of how the USA chose their early astronauts, following a vigorous selection of tests and how they were effectively the absolute cream.
Now I know that was based on reality and "Away" is just fiction about the first trip to Mars, but the rocket has a crew of five Hilary Swank has a husband who has a stroke and is hospital and half paralysed when he is about to take off. The Indian male crew member is an odd loner, The Chinese member is a woman with a strained marriage, The Russian has fallen out with his daughter, who goes blind and the British crew member is a Ghanaian bloke who was adopted by a Jewish woman and takes on the faith.
The various mishaps in space are simply unbelievable and the landing on Mars is a non-event.
I expect they'll be a series two, which can only be better.
Armstrong (1998)
Truly Awful
This film is truly awful, with a silly plot, poor acting and on the whole not well filmed.
The only reason for a normal bloke to watch this DVD is to see the delightful Kimberly Kates who looks divine coming out of the shower and she then is involved in a protracted chase scene in a soaking wet blouse without a bra. She looks stunning.
That's the only reason I gave it two stars rather than none.
After the chase is over turn off.
The High Chaparral: Young Blood (1967)
What is wrong with John Cannon?
Early in this episode Big John walks in on Victoria whilst she is in the bath and is reluctant to even look towards his gorgeous wife. What was wrong with the man, had too many hours in the saddle squashed his ardour, or maybe he preferred more manly company in the "bunk house"?
Any normal bloke would have scooped her out of the bath and got busy before taking his boots off and then drunk her bath water.
The beautiful Victoria must have found life very frustrating!
Knightfall: You'd Know What to Do (2017)
Without wihsing to be shallow..
Both Queen Joan played by Olivia Ross and Princess Isabella appear quite alot throughout the series and our frequently referred to as beautiful. Well without wishing to be unkind, they may well both be good actresses and I know such things are subject, but neither are in the least physically alluring.
Just saying.....