Reviews

Admission: I only made it halfway through this movie.

Why?: I'm really sick of wasting my time on stuff that doesn't get to the point in some logical way.

We jump from soil to The Green Powerhouse without really consolidating the position on what's important and why.

There's so many interconnected messages that don't connect, focus and hit that your brain just gives up, eyes glaze over as you watch the next individual get their 15 minutes.

Maybe I'm the average audience, maybe not.

But I'm less interested in the personalities - in fact I don't give a damn about self promotion - as it removes the focus from the process and the benefits.

More science please and less guff.

There's a significant part of me that also wonders that if this is such an ongoing thing then why hasn't it proliferated given the years since the documentary was made?

I don't buy the fact that it's suppression from GMOs.

...then that's art people.

Man I loved this movie. So much. Don't wait to see it on the small screen. Get out there and see it in a cinema.

Let go of any preconceptions, expectations, etc - just sit back and go along for the ride.

Story is great. Acting is great. Direction is great.

The biggest eye opener with this movie is that there's some really solid emotional moments in it. Kinda caught me by surprise but welcome nonetheless.

Not just the best GOTG movie but maybe the best fictional entertainment of the last few years. It really is that good.

The narrative can seem a bit misguided at times but then it comes together again. It runs true though to the type of chaos that happens in the GOTG universe and in retrospect even these minor imperfections seem perfect once all is said and done.

It's a mighty effort to make a film this good so go enjoy.

I spent the majority of the time watching this show analysing how it got to air...

The conclusion I invariably came to was that the big guy (Sam) actually paid for the show to launch the careers of his daughters seeing that he'd been a stuntman in Hollywood for decades.

There were a few things that led me to that conclusion:

1. The format of the show isn't really 'connected'. Or rather, the only connection between parts of the show - stunts, race prep and racing - is that big guy has a daughter (or two) in each part.

2. In the stunt parts, the two daughters who apparently do that work in real life, are filmed standing still most of the time preening themselves doing little hair flicks in front of the camera. Also the stunt work they're doing doesn't really look like stunts to be honest. Big man seems to have that covered to be honest.

3. The eldest daughter and her love for cars and racing is obvious and she seems very talented. The family members she's got supporting her however look like they've been roped into it and are in real life completely inexperienced. This is evidenced by the fact that one of them is asked to get 'balanced' parts delivered and completely fails to do so even though that's a basic task within the race parts industry. In fact, it's not just weight but also after an engine has heated up that much, blueprinting is also another method I would have thought was used to check for heat warping but it wasn't mentioned. So that didn't quite make sense to me.

It's trying really hard to be something but ultimately falls short. Not for a lack of effort mind you. More like they just rolled the dice with this show and didn't quite make it.

Normally in a biopic you get some added dimension or different perspective on the subject but there's just no substance in this at all.

This is it in a nutshell - and I'm using lines from the actual show:

"I always say my boobs had a career and I just went along for the ride..." Puts on a big smile. "Do you want to see them?!!"

It's demeaning to her and the audience and should have been scrapped.

I have totally no idea how anyone would find anything of value in this that hasn't been covered already in what is now a well worn path of biopics and biopic making.

These types of personal docos have become almost the exact same script just with a different subject's face on it.

Where do you even begin to tell someone how good this film is? I don't even know.

Let's start with the visuals. So say for a period drama that The Godfather is one of the best in the business. Green Book almost makes The Godfather look two dimensional. The colour, the costumes, the sets, the everything just leaps off the screen like I've never seen any film do ever. It it astonishing how well this is filmed and edited.

The story is great and is well told through the screenplay. The moral of the story is so well balanced with the characters and the action that this is nothing short of some of the most masterful filmmaking you will ever have the privilege of viewing.

Everything from the script to the casting to the scenes, the acting, the shoot, the edit all the way to the final product weaves a thread so fine that it's impossible to pick a standout feature of the production.

Everything shines.

We should be so lucky as to have film like this in our lifetime.

Absolutely flawless.

I absolutely loved this film. It slows the world down for a minute just so we can take a look at what the hell is really going on. Now when you read the words "slows down" then you're probably thinking sluggish and boring - and for some it will be - but when you're crafting film this good then it's a pleasure and a privilege to watch.

There isn't a single thing you can point at on this film and say that it's the standout because everything absolutely shines from first frame to end.

The one thing for me was this:

So many films TRY to achieve what this film does. But because those films are not grounded in any real tradition they fail miserably.

This film is steeped in storytelling tradition and that's why, from the ground up, it is an absolutely brilliant piece of work.

Awards will flow I expect.

Three episodes in and already a chorus of haters have smashed the series's ratings into the dust.

If you frame this up correctly it isn't actually that bad a presentation.

Good things:

• They don't really blame the Royal Family for anything as far as I can tell at this point but do lay blame for intrusion squarely on the shoulders of the paparazzi

Not so good things:

• Activism is pushed but it doesn't delve into what the couple values the most and how that's expressed as public service (assume that'll be in subsequent episodes)

Surprisingly - I actually liked learning about Meghan's background.

Also found Harry to be remarkably lucid and not as spoilt as I would have thought at all. Did not know he'd done ten years service. Thought it was less.

Originally I was going to say that you only need to watch the first half of the first ep and the second half of the third ep so far but actually having put it on in the background I found myself turning around to watch it as it definitely had enough to keep me interested.

As a couple who've probably got every reason to be dysfunctional / screwed up I found them to be more down to earth than I expected.

Yes, there are bits where you roll your eyes but I pretty much roll my eyes at everything anyway so...

Just reading through the reviews here and honestly, how privileged have we become as a viewing audience? I can understand if the music or the era, sexual orientation, excess and hedonism, etc... just aren't your thing.

However those things don't even begin to cover the sheer overwhelming amount of comedy and tragedy and world conquering heroism this movie dishes out in its relatively short time frame.

The reviews also bring out a discrete difference in viewing audience geography.

UK - yeah, tough crowd BUT the more obscure you are, the more on the fringe, the more the odds are stacked against you no matter where you come from Brits will claim you as their own on masse and make you their champion.

USA - if it's not in a cultural vein, which is mostly very middle of the road, then it's kind of pushed by the wayside.

So what's reasonable to say about this film?

This film is a triumph. This film makes that triumph look so easy a lot of folks are going to miss it. It's *that* good.

It's a triumph not only of its subject matter - which in itself is a monumental 20th century classical story - but also of film making, especially Rami's performance which is one of the more gobsmacking portrayals of a real life person possibly in the history of cinema. You get the feeling that even Freddie couldn't have done Freddie as well as Rami. That's not a slight on Freddie the maestro at all. It's a testament to the tall order it was to bring him to life on screen and nail it to the back of the theatre wall because quite frankly nothing else would or could have been good enough.

It's a kind of magic.

The story has everything you'd ever need to inspire young and old.

There's just something missing.

That something is that the screenplay, direction and chosen edit feel like a glossy magazine - not a gutsy drama.

The treatment of the subject matter is misguided at best.

Then when the director realises that there are massive lulls in the story it's jazzed up with some Hollywood-like plasticity just to keep a pulse going.

The story itself is moving, definitely. The casting and acting near perfect.

It's just difficult to understand how with all the industry experience for bringing incredible tales like this to the screen that the audience is subjected to the incredible stretches of outright boredom when there's all this material to choose from.

It's a real shame because the tale itself is mind blowing.

TV is really hit and miss these days but at least this coming out of NatGeo as it does gives you some guarantee of quality.

I found this to be really watchable.

Because Chris tells us in the beginning he has trouble coping with stress then that really contextualises this series.

He goes off and explores ways of dealing with stress in a more positive fashion and succeeds and fails as well from time to time making this a bit more human than you'd probably expect.

It's shot in very scenic parts of the world making it nice on the eye.

The show also brings in experts from around the world to inform Chris and us as to how different factors make all the difference - and possibly even prolong life - when stress is a factor.

I also noticed the soundtrack by Keefus Ciancia was really well done.

It's quality.

Watched three and a half episodes and got fed up to the back teeth with Blunt preening herself in front of the camera and how that seems to constitute a shot, sometimes almost an entire scene, within the edit.

It doesn't help that she's an executive producer on it either.

Sometimes you might as well be watching a still of her against an amazing background that's been colour graded out of its mind.

So that whole layer of BS failed to allow me into the story pretty much at all. It's waaaay too manicured and not in a way that seems to parody itself.

There's so many straight out lies around this series almost like people are being paid to like it or leave good reviews. Make no mistake - from an objective filmmaking perspective - it's poor. As a result it fails to keep even a slightly aware audience engaged. Here's an example of the guff:

The Guardian gave it five out of five, stating: "although you might lose track of the details, the plot never becomes impenetrable or the performances less than compelling" citing Spencer and Blunt's performances as "a revelation".

Yeah. Sure. Riiiiight. Sorry Guardian, that's simply not true.

Strange isn't it, when you have a relatively simple script, some good direction and one or two artists who know how not to overact, then you got yourself a winning formula right there and your audience will thank you for it.

I really enjoyed this film.

It didn't overplay or underplay its hand. It just told the story and allowed us into the actors' world as they played the characters without conflating them.

Honestly, it would seem as though it's not that difficult to put a film together but seems like every film suffers from either doing too much or not enough.

This effort was bang on target.

Had not seen Plaza in any films before but damn she's good. I mean like incredible. A slight shift in facial expression from her is the difference between tragedy or potential comedy. She totally wowed me.

The supporting actor Theo Rossi fell into his role effortlessly as well.

Well done to all who made this film. I was beginning to believe good, solid crime dramas were dead.

Unlike previous seasons the whole premise is starting to wear thin and it shows...

The plot is completely predictable.

To say Charles is miscast is a grand understatement.

Other characters whether it be via the plot, the script, them being miscast or a lack of ability bring no substance to the table which leaves the whole production - no matter how lavish - feeling disastrously bereft of anything to offer the viewer relative to previous seasons.

Then, in that context, if you take the names away basically it's a bunch of rich white folk swanning around on mega yachts throwing inordinate amounts of fuel onto the fires of their first-world drama.

Unfortunately this episode is pretty much a complete failure.

In previous seasons the production was so impeccable - including the casting and acting - that the series itself was almost a spectacle.

Here you just feel like you're sitting through a Mickey Mouse re-run of historic events the world knows all too well and to have to watch them again in this production is completely unnecessary and has no real world merit whatsoever.

If you make it through this episode to the end then bully for you. You probably have no idea how bad it actually is.

The TV series du jour.

Combining the best elements of sci-fi, cyberpunk and dystopian elements this series also paces itself incredibly well so that by the time it reaches a crescendo you realise that the spell you're under goes right back to the beginning of episode one somehow without you fully realising it.

Apart from its themes and the way they're delivered that is the real magic of this show.

There's nothing more to say really... The casting, acting, direction, storyline and script all work together perfectly. So much so that I kind of think that it wouldn't matter what subject was being presented, it would still be outrageously excellent. Because the themes are so relevant to today's world though it's even more brilliant.

Don't miss it.

Saw this on a list of great movies and although I'd seen it when it was released I thought I'd give it another go.

Wasn't disappointed.

Everything in this movie shines.

I remember at the time of release there was a lot of praise for Hillary Swank and the amount of training she'd put in to add credibility to the character. She plays this role to perfection. It would have been so easy to fall short of playing this role because of the technical and fitness requirements but it was only after the film finished that I even thought about it. Totally seamless.

Another great aspect of this film is the greed of the main characters family. Another aspect that could have jarred but didn't.

I suppose Clint Eastwood and Malpaso were just a film making machine at this point in time and this film is a master class. Every scene is treated with great consideration and extensive experience in what works for audiences.

Not sure what happened here...

The first half gets off to an incredibly good start but then it runs out of plot to fill the hour and a half screen time.

The acting is great it's just not supported by the script, the edit and the soundtrack.

It's really quite a pity because the quality of the first half of the film only serves as the film's own benchmark that it then fails to live up to.

There's lots of atmospherics, montage and unnecessary scenes and it lurches toward plot turning points like its almost afraid of its own shadow.

Then once it does round the corner the polish is off and everything just feels a bit lost when compared to the first half. So much so that at points I considered it to be too self indulgent.

I used to live next door to Baz Luhrmann in Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia. After Gatsby came out (brilliant adaptation by the way...) he used to throw these outrageously loud parties and I'd go down into the front carpark and throw rocks over the fence at his house. Don't think I ever hit anything. Was just trying to get some well earned sleep from working double shifts at local hotels.

So anyway, yeah, the Elvis movie...

Damn this movie's good. I mean I've found most of Baz's films, except for Gatsby of course, to be unwatchable - but you know what?! - all of Baz's unique talents come together in this film seamlessly to the absolute advantage of the viewer.

Baz also does something that I've only seen a few filmmakers do: he captures the spirit of a place and time. And that's something you either do and nail it - or fail dismally. There's no inbetween with that one. None.

The scene where you first see Elvis on stage kicks it off and it just keeps on going from there. Even the lead up to that scene is brilliant.

Great casting. Great script. Perfectly shot and edited.

Sorry about the rocks, Baz but jeez you really nailed this film.

Hats off.

Some adaptations leave you wondering whether reading the book would be worth it. Not this one.

It took me a little while to settle into the film however retrospectively I think the opening (and the rest of the edit) works extremely well.

The edit really links pertinent points in time very well so you get to see what's at the root of how the main character is feeling. Also, Howard uses show-don't-tell filmmaking techniques very much to the advantage of the viewer so you don't need a voiceover to know exactly what the main character is feeling. This aspect of this film really shines.

This is one adaptation that really does it's source material a lot of credit and even got me interested in the book - which is more than you can say about a lot of efforts of a similar nature in 2022.

Well worth it.

It's worth the watch of the whole series.

In the first two I was thinking - wow, what next? Ewoks? Mainly because the main storyline of this is watchable but the interjections of the proto-hobbits into the mix is dreadful. At times it's like someone picked up the Star Wars manual of how to package up screen assets and merchandising and then started producing this series.

Once I got to ep3 though I was fine. A semblance of a LOTR plot had formed and we were off to the races.

In fact this series fleshes out some of the places, names and characters we had only heard of in the book and not on screen.

Watch the whole series. Worth it.

You can't help but get the feeling that once upon a time this story, adapted the right way for a viewing audience, would have been quite a watch.

Now however it doesn't really zing on screen.

The problem isn't the production values or anything production quality related. Everything on that front is superb. However that doesn't make up for the pace of the script.

I got a few episodes in and found the pace glacial. IE. They could have edited this down to a third to a half of the screen time it actually takes to tell the tale and once I feel like something is wasting my time I tend to move on to something a little more stimulating.

That's not to say that well paced drama doesn't have a perfection about it. But this is not that nuanced world of layered meaning.

A lot of friends have read the book and rave about it. I'm sure they're right.

This, like a lot of adaptations though, does not live up to the reputation of its literary predecessor which is really unfortunate.

Twenty years seems to be in between 'not long enough' and 'too soon' for a drama adaptation of this kind.

Just watched this again in 2022.

It is still a stark reminder of how eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

It now also reveals to us implicitly how Trump was a foil for the establishment on both sides of politics who did not want Congress lawmakers controlled by them challenged in a way that could expose their incompetence.

Back in 2013 you could have been forgiven for thinking there would be a wave of social causes resulting in greater civil liberties for all. Also in watching this we're reminded of some of the less than great things about the Obama administration and the foibles of all administrations.

However by 2016 the wave of post-truth and cynical politics had put all of this in the shade.

A rewatch will quickly catch you up again on where we were and where the fight actually is.

An enduring message that should never be forgotten.

This film gave me the impression it was going for the longest, most painfully drawn out monochromatic monologue in cinematic history award.

Only problem is, there is no award. But the Academy should seriously think about adding an award like that or maybe a category even.

Book fans: this will just make your heart sink.

Not just for new science fictional elements introduced but also because the director doesn't push the plot of the actors to seem to make something "pay off" at the box office. Even though the plot could be extruded out a little further, twisted around, sure, sure... I think what you end up with is an actual science fiction movie worth it's salt that doesn't try to be anything it isn't.

It's amazing the films that a placed under the genre of science fiction these days - Spiderman, for example... No.

This is science fiction.

Make a new genre for that other rubbish.

If you want to learn about Simulation Theory then definitely do not watch A Glitch In The Matrix.

It doesn't even begin to discuss the science behind Simulation Theory apart from some stock footage of Nick Bostrom that's been edited to dumb it down so the average Joe / Jane think they understand it while they're sitting on the couch at home stoned on gummy bears.

This is the zero-effort filmmaking formula at its very best... Just get a few mates with face-hiding avatars to talk about a few coincidences they've had in life, of which none of the stories are interesting or even coincidental for that matter. It's probably even the same guy using different computer generator avatars talking crap he's ad libbing.