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Reviews
Jovi & Lou (2023)
ignore the fake reviews
Look it has a decent look and story is OK I guess. The key problem is the acting which is quite amateurish, the sound editing which is adds comic effects poorly, and the direction which is average. But the main problem is the .acting, which is.not up to par. It is an indie production so some slack has to be given, But you would not want to.pay to see this..
Ive said all I need to to so the rest is just to make up the imdb word quota which is stupid considering how long I have been contributing. Anyway to summarise, not reccomended so watch on your own recognisence. Substandard movie acting and production.
Future Soldier (2023)
Amazing film considering the budget but still falls short
Using the money found in the back of the sofa and CGI the director and producers have crafted a work of love with nods to Bladerunner, Judge Dredd etc. Set in an alternative "future" with flying cars and handheld scanners etc the hero battles villians and evil corporations.. The acting is tolerable with a largely unknown cast of semipros but sometimes seems amateur. The filming is largely done at night to disguise the lack of real sets, but also to give it more atmosphere.
Ultimately the story is nothing you havent seen before, CGI good for the budget but still transparent, Many plot holes and questions abound probably forced by the budget, e.g. You have flying cars but everyone still fights with their fists?
If you are a fan of low budget indy films or scifi then this may be for you. Full kudos to the makers for the effort and I hope they can raise a decent budget next time.
Hello Tomorrow! (2023)
Interesting but not captivating
The acting is great and the story is fine. The retro science which annoys some people is hardly noticeable after a while. What I find hard is that the story is based on conning good people out of their savings in an obvious con. While I am sure it will all be hunky dory by the end of the show with warm fuzzies all round it is hard to root for any of the characters in the meantime.
It is also hard to beleive that anyone could beleive that it is possible to have a cheaper and better life on the moon than on earth. I suppose that people have shown enormous gullibility in the past but its just a lttle too much for me.
Paul T. Goldman (2023)
Intriguing, hope it ends up being worthwhile
Having watched three episodes it was entertaining, though the main character gets more annoting as time goes on - I can see why his wives left him! It is next to impossible to tell what is real or not - maybe the whole show is one big spoof in which case I will be rather annoyed at the end.
Still I will keep watching though with guarded reservations. Its also not clear whether the movie in a movie concept is real or just something for the show - e..g will it see the light of day separately.
If it turns out that the whole show is fake then the lead character Paul deserves an Oscar for playing someone so gormless so well.
The Loneliest Boy in the World (2022)
all over the place
Is a a teen romance? Horror? Comedy? Or just a splodge of all three?
It was set in America but filmed in england with half english actors with dodgy accents. Which added to the oddness I suppose. The acting was fine but the story was very juvenile with over the top performances. I certainly wouldnt pay to see it but if it came up streaming for free and you were a bit drunk then it might make a an OK evening. Otherwise I would avoid as there is much better stuff you could waste your time with.
Needed to be darker and less jokey. Basically a Halloween film for 12 year olds , which is probably the target audience.
Nope (2022)
Tries to be deep but misses by a mile
The cinematography and acting is fine. Its just that the story is muddled, illogical and as clear as mud. No body including the alien behaves in a realistic fashion, which leads to a frustrating experience. I want my 2 hours of my life back. And how with so many negative reviews does this get a 7.3 overall? The critics seem to like it though as they can apparently get something out of it which will miss the casual filmgoer.
Jordan Peele is going downhill, the first film was inventive and had something to say, Us was OK but this one will soon be forgotten. Avoid if you can - there are so many better films around at the moment.
Our Flag Means Death (2022)
Uneven but sometimes entertaining take on pirate adventures
After watching the first episode I didnt have high hopes as it seemed very slapstick and weak. It improved once the various protagonists were introduced. It reminds me of "What we did in the shadows" - if you.like that then this may appeal.
The Royal Treatment (2022)
for undiscerning teens only
+ 2 stars for filming in Dunedin New Zealand. -5 for everything else - accents , plot and acting. A bit of fluff that may entertain some. Cant think it will be a plus for Netfilx's coffers.
The Lost Daughter (2021)
Will appeal to some but not an simple watch
There is some good acting here but it seems wasted on a story line that is deliberately obscure and goes nowhere in particular. A character study of a woman haunted by the past, but I couldnt relate to the dialogue or emotions presented here.
Val (2021)
Not bad but predictable
The acting was a bit over the top and the plot clearly signalled where it was going. Not scary or to be taken seriously. No where as good as the other reviews so far suggest.
Pig (2021)
In the uncanny valley beteen real and unreal
My problem with it is that it is not clearly meant to be fantasy (e.g. John Wick) but it is too far fetched to be real. Just not sure what its message is. How everyone in portland knew where the pig was is also unexplained.
3 Mile Limit (2014)
interesting though not always accurate slice of history for kiwis
The boys on the Tiri and Tiri II braved storms, police and seasickness to broadcast pirate radio to Auckland. This film relates their story in a rather cliched fashion. The acting and filmography is decent. The writers mucked around with timelines unnecessarily, presumeably for dramatic effect. Its worth a watch, and has some nice retro touches in its settings.
Binsenjo (2021)
Inconsistent, but enjoyable
It veered from cornball humour to some serious violence. It never made any pretence to being realistic so turn your brain off and enjoy the ride. Silly but quite bingeable.
Avocado Toast (2021)
Just didnt gel
Some good lines but annoying characters and unrelatable script spoiled it for me. Maybe you have to be a millenial to get it.
The Pursuit of Love (2021)
Enjoyable Diversion
Having not read the book or any erlier dramatizations I cant compare, but I enjoyed the series. The characters, though often fustrating were never dull and. I binged it in one sitting. Recommended.
Hating Peter Tatchell (2021)
History of the Modern Gay Rights movement through one man
Peter is was a very divisive figure in the past, but now probably remembered fondly even by his enemies. A pioneer and must see documentary for anyone who wants to to understand the LGBT+ struggle over the last 50 yeats.
Podolskie kursanty (2020)
Quite watchable war movie
OK forget the obvious soviet propaganda which is no worse than hundreds of american and british movies about WWII. Good action sequences, slightly cheesy ending. Well worth a watch. Slight quibble - all the german tanks seemed very light, where were the tigers, panthers and leopards?.
Normandy Is My Name (2015)
OK premise spoiled by poor acting and script
Lots of good reviews here. However couldnt really recommend. The adult actors let it down, script and direction were stilted or unrealistic. The background music often didnt really work. However it was a worthwhile attempt -and did pretty well for the low budget.
The One (2021)
Decent futuristic thriller
Episode 1 was like an extended black mirror episode crossed with a British detective drama. Acting was fine, and will definitely watch to the end. My only reservation is that the story arc at the moment seems predictable - hope it throws some curveballs.
Arthurs Gesetz (2018)
Dark Comedy
Dark sad comedy about a perpetual loser getting mixed up with local criminals. Intermittedly very funny, sometime hard to watch, Very enjoyable
Banging Lanie (2020)
Decent movie though not for prudes
Decently acted and writtten movie about nerdy girl learning how to interact with others, losing her virginity, and finding a boyfriend. Not really a comedy, but not too serious either. Better than I was expecting.
Extra Ordinary (2019)
enjoyable gentle irish comedy
Essentially an irish ghostbusters. Good fun and some laugh out loud moments. , Nothing too original, some over the top performances and fairly predictable plot and jokes, but makes up for it in charm and whimsy.
Lovecraft Country (2020)
Inconsistent but always interesting
OK episode 2 was a bit of a mess, but does form an important part of the story. Episode 3 is back to form. Whether it is your cup of tea or not and happy to watch spells, ghosts etc will vary. The cast is excellent and the "all whites are bad" trope makes a refreshing change. Happy to go along with the ride.
The Argument (2020)
Repetition spoils a promising idea.
The plot is one that has occured to all fighting couples - how do you prove who is right after the fact? The problem for the film is this involves going over the same dialogue many times leading to fatigue and a suspension of disbelief that anyones friends would put up with this. A game try and some good scenes - would make a good short film rather than a feature length one.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
Confusing slow masterpiece
On first watch it is likely to confuse and bore with odd largey unsympathetic characters operating in a unreliable narrative. Indeed I got to the end thinking what did I watch? After googling the film I found everything I had missed and it all made wondeful sense. Watch it cold, try and uncover the mystery , and rewatch to spot the clues you missed the first time.