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The Woman in the Wall (2023)
Compelling Viewing
To begin with, both Ruth Wilson and Daryl McCormack deserve an award for absolutely outstanding performances in this.
For anyone not aware of the background, the story - although fictional - is rooted in truth. A quick online search for topics such as Irish Mother & Baby homes, Magdalene Laundries or the Tuam babies mass grave scandal will give an insight into the corruption, illegality and abuses committed by the Catholic church in Ireland spanning decades. Not that this experience is unique to Ireland, they have also carried out similar activities in Spain, France, Canada, and elsewhere around the globe. All in the name of being "good Catholics" helping people (sic).
So, as you might have gathered, the plot is not for the faint-hearted. If you are expecting an easy watch or some light entertainment, this is not it. What it is, however, is a unique look into the long-term human effects of such abuses. The story is hard-hitting and is not afraid to speak the truth. The series, created by Joe Murtagh and directed by Harry Wootliff and Rachna Suri, offers a rare glimpse into the suffering and widespread destruction of lives resulting from the actions of the Catholic church.
At times, the plot can seem a little slow-paced, however, this is in keeping with the subject matter and it does pick up in pace in the final episodes. Cinematography is very well carried out and the locations are in keeping with the story and the times. The music, created by David Holmes and Brian Irvine, fits perfectly and is at times haunting.
The series was filmed in Northern Ireland and originally aired on BBC (UK state TV). It will be interesting to see if it will be picked up by RTE (the Irish state TV) or if, even in this age of streaming, they would prefer to sweep it under the carpet and pretend it doesn't exist.
This is a breath of fresh air for both UK and Irish television and I would say it is recommended viewing. A truly unique series. Well done to everyone involved.
Kohrra (2023)
Dire
As a murder mystery, this series is very average, even below average. It's slow and drawn-out with a lot of time spent of characters who are not relevant to the main plot. The acting is average, nobody really stands out.
But that is not the worst thing about this show. That has to go to the unnecessary, gratuitous and blatant police brutality which really makes the show hard to watch in places. This is normal behaviour for police in the Punjab? Really? And everybody just accepts it? They are unable to even speak to someone without resorting to violence! This show certainly does not paint Punjabi police in a good light.
Another issue with the show is an abundance of toxic masculity, often violent in nature and often coming from the police, as noticed by other reviewers. Then add it a few other themes like arranged (forced?) marriages. Is this the image the Punjab wants to display to the rest of the world?
Barun Sobti is a good actor? Really? His character is absolutely vile in this and I would be quite happy to never see his face again.
Suvinder Vicky's character comes across as some kind of bully-boy creepy stalker.
This show is six episodes long and I was trying to force myself to watch the last two just to get it finished. Was it worth it? No. I will watch murder/mystery shows from all over the world without any issue but this was dire.
Do yourself a favour. Leave the toxic, violent Punjabi police to wallow in their own issues and misery and simply avoid this excuse for a show.
The Gallows Pole (2023)
A hidden gem
Wow, I really don't get a lot of reviewers on here. Although reading through them, I am seeing a lot of similaries, almost copy and paste with a few telltale phrases appearing constantly. Now it's not like anyone would create multiple accounts just to give bad ratings to one particular show now, is it? Is it??! Well, it certainly looks that way from here.
However, fake reviewers are not my problem so I will leave them to their own misery.
The show itself is stunning. It's an absolute gem and easily the best thing to come out of the BBC for years. Shane Meadows is perfect in this, absolutely flawless. A special mention also to Stevie Binns (Mand) and Sophie McShera (Grace) who both deliver excellent performances.
The intro is really well done - cinematography, lighting, dialogue, everything and the inclusion of the Stag Men gives the show a darker, slightly supernatural twist which is very welcome.
The dialogue is appropriate for the area, people and period. At times, it was hilariously funny. I guess some people think a period drama must involve living in a mansion with a maid serving you tea and scones. Well, most people did not live like that and this series reflects this perfectly.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it kept my attention throughout.
My only complaint is that it was too short. Only 3 episodes? The story was just getting started properly! So hopefully, there will either be a continuation of this season or a second season.
Great Coastal Railway Journeys (2022)
Boring and a sad reflection of the state of British television
So, having already read the reviews on here and being familiar with other similiar shows from the UK - all of which are of poor quality, I decided to give this a watch out of boredom.
Wow. How low standards have slipped. This is absolutely atrocious codswallop.
Let's start with the title, "Great Coastal Rail Journeys". It gives the impression we are seeing some stunning rail routes from around the world, right? Wrong. This is strictly focused on Britain. So, perhaps a name change would be first in order.
Secondly, the content. The episode I watched was Liverpool to Blackpool - hardly a great distance by any stretch of the imagination. So, what did we get? A history of the rail line perhaps? Some views of the journey? Even a map? Oh no. Why bother with anything like that.
It started in Liverpool, where we got very brief shots of the Albert Dock followed by a talk on the slave trade. This takes up the first nine minutes of a 28-minute show before we are shown a very brief glimpse of a metro line. A metro line which looks completely unremarkable compared to hundreds of others around the world.
The metro takes a brief journey to Birkenhead and we are given about 5 seconds worth of footage from the metro before we are treated to a German U-boat from World War 2 and some incoherent ramblings about WWII which dragged on for 6 minutes. Then, we are mysteriously teleported back into Liverpool city centre where we get another couple of minutes on Liverpool's Chinatown district.
Eventually, we see another train, this time going to Crosby, to the north of the city. Again, footage of the train is limited to around 10 seconds and no details are given. What we do get is some sculptures in the sand, a guesthouse and a skype interview with the sculptor, which drag on for another 6 minutes.
Finally, it's off to Blackpool. Slightly more footage of the train for this one, perhaps around 15 seconds. Again, no details or history is given. We are now 23 minutes in and it's back to banging on about the second World War, cleverly disguised with some vintage photography and the interior of the Winter Gardens. Perhaps for me the most outrageous part of the show followed, with Michael Portillo claiming England "stood alone" in WWII. Seriously??!! I guess the French, Dutch, Russians, Americans and everyone else would be absolutely thrilled to hear this piece of BBC historical revisionism.
So, if you want to watch this because you may be interested in railways or would like to see some stunning shots along a particular rail route, then don't bother because you will not find them.
I feel sorry for the British tax payers who are forced to fund the creation of such jingoistic nonsensical productions.
Donkerbos (2022)
Slow Burner
Donkerbos (translated roughly as "dark forest") is different from your average run-of-the-mill detective show. Yes, it is slow-paced, but the story and various sub-plots build slowly and the characters are developed further with each episode. The story itself is quite dark and the lighting and cinematography serve to reinforce that.
The actors all do a good job, in particular, Erica Wessels (Fanie) and Nicole Holm (Marietjie). Some of the scenes, in particular, the final episode, must have been quite tough to film. Yet, all the cast managed to play their parts well.
In relation to the viewer who complained about the language. The show is based in South Africa, where both Afrikaans and English are spoken as well as several other languages. So it is perfectly natural that the spoken language will change depending on setting or who is being spoken to. As for "badly-accented English", I only heard South African accents. Perhaps the reviewer has never heard a South African accent before?
If you're looking for a detective/mystery series with a decent plot and some substance, then Donkerbos is a very good choice. It is a refreshing change from the below-average detective shows being pumped out by both the US and UK. Hopefully there will be further seasons in the future.
Suspect (2022)
Just Awful
This can't really be called a series as such. 8 episodes of about 20 minutes each gives it a running time of around 2.5 hours. Despite that, it is far too long and at least an hour could have been shaved off this backwater dirge. Perhaps in this way they could have released it as a film and sent it straight to DVD saving everybody else the misery of having to watch it.
James Nesbitt plays a completely unlikeable character. To the point that I never want to see his face again. By around halfway through the first episode, I really didn't care what had happened to his daughter, I was just wishing he would hurry up and join her. Any of the characters whose lives he barges into and attempts to intimidate could have quite easily taken him out - and deservedly so. In fact, it might have made the show more enjoyable if somebody had.
This is a stereotypical English drama - dull, plodding, grey, devoid of any form of life, humour or fun. Stale plot, stale dialogue, no real thought put into anything. Just give it up already Channel 4, these are atrocious. Even as a daytime police/detective show this is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.
With any luck, Nesbitt will crawl back under his stone and disappear from screens everywhere. He has certainly disappeared from mine.
Big Boys (2022)
An Outstanding Comedy
First and foremost, this is a comedy and as other reviewers have mentioned, in the genre of the classic British sitcom. In this respect, it performs outstandingly.
Yes, serious issues are tackled but they are not presented in an overbearing way, rather as part of everyday life. Which they are to the people who have to deal with them.
It has some hilarious moments and there are some excellent one-liners in there. It also has serious moments, including a very emotional and tear-jerking finale.
Jon Pointing deserves a special mention for an absolutely stellar performance as Danny. The rest of the cast all gel together nicely and all play their parts well.
My only criticism - it was too short. There needs to be a Season 2. It more than deserves it.
Trois fois rien (2022)
A Comedic Gem
I enjoyed this a lot. It's a good, solid upbeat comedy with an engaging plot and relatable characters.
Despite the fact it is predominantly a comedy, the film also deals with more serious issues. For example, what happens to a person when they become homeless, how their lives can quickly fall apart and how they can lose access to services that most people take for granted.
All of the cast play their parts well, in particular Antoine Bertrand (as Brindille) and Côme Levin (as La Flèche). Cinematography, production and direction are all of a good standard, showing what can be achieved with a relatively small budget.
As with any non-English language film, seek out the subtitled version as opposed to the dubbed one. I made the mistake of watching the English-dubbed version first. I am not a French person and I only speak basic French but the idea of watching a French film dubbed over with ill-fitting American accents is nothing short of sacrilege. Needless to say, the dubbing misses out on a lot of the nuances and is best avoided.
Overall, this is a very entertaining comedy and can certainly hold its own against any major release from this year. It may become something of a hidden gem so give it a watch if you get a chance - you will not be disappointed.
The World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys (2019)
Misleading Title
The "world" apparently consists of the UK and nowhere else according to the makers of this for-TV pile of garbage. The makers really should be fined under the Trade Descriptions Act. There is also nothing remotely "scenic" about most of the routes they pick.
Is this really the state of TV in the UK? Yes, of course it is. Insular, stuck in the past and BORING.
I wouldn't make my dog suffer watching this. You shouldn't either..
The Adventures of Maid Marian (2022)
Boring Rehash
Oh, have we run out of ideas? Well then, let's take an old famous story so we can skip paying any writers and lets rehash it AGAIN. Are we going to do anything original with it? Why no, of course not - why bother?
This is quite simply TERRIBLE. Whoever was involved in this, hang your heads in shame.
AVOID this boring pile of tripe. My one-star rating is for the camera person who had to film this garbage, it deserves a minus tating.
Uysallar (2022)
An Outstanding Series
Good script, engaging plot. Well acted and directed. Some amazing locations and overall good cinematography. Characters are developed steadily over the course of the series. Soundtrack was well chosen.
It kept my attention the whole way through and had some intriguing twists and turns. I would not describe it as a comedy - dark comedy in places perhaps.
The final episode was incredible. Perhaps not to everybodys tastes but it was done to perfection. Songül Öden (Nils) deserves special credit for an outstanding performance in the final episode.
Yes, there are questions left unanswered. But, given the final scenes, I can only assume there will be a second series. There certainly deserves to be.
Well done to everyone involved, it is an outstanding piece of work.
Dirty Lines (2022)
Loved It!
You know the sign of a good series is when you don't want it to end. This is excellent - on all fronts. If you lived in, grew up or partied in the 80s/90s then you will want to watch this.
Pacing is just right, script and dialogue are engaging and very funny at times. Acting is good, characters are likeable and interesting, soundtrack is good. Locations are accurate.
I cannot fault it on anything, except perhaps that six episodes was a little short.
Definitely one of the best series around currently, hopefully there will be a second season.
From (2022)
Ending? What ending?
I enjoyed this initially. It was a reasonably decent storyline, it was watchable, it even had a few jump scenes in there. Then it seemed to slide. The situations became more illogical and nothing really seemed to happen or make any sense. Still, I persevered.
Plus sides include the cinematography and soundtrack and for most of the first episodes having a solid scare factor. Negatives include an increasing amount of illogical storylines, nothing really being answered and average acting.
My real issue is with episode 10, the season finale. What??!! This did not in any way feel like the ending of a series. To the point that, five minutes before the end, I'm thinking maybe I've got it wrong and there are more episodes. But no. The episode runs its course and it ends. Nothing is explained. No loose ends are tied up. There are no answers. There is no cliffhanger ending. There is - nothing.
This makes more sense now I know it was written by the same people who wrote Lost. A series that started off well and quickly degenerated into long drawn-out confusion. The world does not need another Lost. Also, this series does not have the same kind of impact that Lost had initially - it will not survive a long drawn-out Lost-style treatment.
To the person (elizrug) who mentioned Avery Konrad's Wikipedia page - I took a look and yes, you were right! Very sloppy, incorrect syntax all over the place. I suspect written by someone who has English as a 3rd or 4th language rather than a 10 year old - too many basic errors. Although that is not really relevant to the series itself.
Would I recommend somebody to watch this? Overall - yes, if you like the genre. But there are better alternatives.
Krakowskie potwory (2022)
Excellent Slow Burner
I've just finished watching this and really enjoyed it all the way through. This is easily one of the best supernatural-genre series of recent years.
An engaging storyline, dealing with Slavic mythology which I am not familiar with, but it is easy enough to pick up on the general themes.
The mood throughout is dark and brooding, which fits the plot well and Krakow serves as a suitable backdrop for this. Yes, it is a little slow-paced, but this does not detract in any way from the plot or performances. Soundtrack is excellent and fits very well.
The acting is decent and more than adequate for a TV-series. Characters develop slowly through the season.
Judging from the end of the final episode, there will be a Season 2, which I will be watching.
Watch in the original language (Polish) with subtitles for the full effect.
The Witchfinder (2022)
Limp
The jokes grew stale after the first two minutes. The plot is tedious. The acting is well below average.
I forced myself to sit through the first episode. I won't be watching any more. Utter garbage.
Vychislitel (2014)
A Solid Sci-Fi Film
I stumbled across this by accident and it ended up being better than expected.
The plot is decent and has enough twists to keep your attention throughout. The black & white setting of the planet gives it a stark feel, which works well. CGI effects are good and the swamp creatures are relatively original.
The acting overall is not great but is definitely passable. Evgeniy Mironov stands out in this respect and his performance was excellent throughout.
The inclusion of Vinnie Jones was slightly bizarre although it did get my attention at the start. I watched it in the original Russian so hearing him dubbed was a little odd but you quickly get used to it.
The ending leaves room for a sequel although as far as I can tell, there has not been one?
In conclusion, it won't go down as classic sci-fi, but it is a solid, decent sci-film film that is well worth watching.
Boiling Point (2021)
Edible but slightly undercooked
Two things grabbed my attention about this movie. The first was Stephen Graham, who is quite possibly the best English actor at the moment. He does not disappoint and, as ever, delivered an excellent performance. He also is executive producer for Boiling Point. Anyone not familiar with his past work would do well do watch The Virtues for an example of what he is capable of as an actor.
The second was the fact that the film was shot in one take. Russian Ark has to be the leading example of this style of film-making and also ranks among my personal all-time favourites. Having said that, I had actually forgotten about this when I sat down to watch Boiling Point. At no point in the film was it immediately obvious, so full credits to the camera crew for managing to accomplish this so seamlessly.
The film is really let down by the plot, or rather, the lack of a plot. Around the half-way point, you are left wondering where it is all going. Some sub-plots are given focus but then disappear again. The characters, for the most part, are very under-developed. The ending, as other reviewers have pointed out, was really a bit abrupt and rather inconclusive. There were a lot of questions left unanswered.
I did have some reservations before watching that this would be a Gordon Ramsey shouting in the kitchen type of movie. Thankfully, it is not - although there are some elements of that. But the movie overall manages to move away from that and become something a bit deeper.
Overall, it is definitely worth a watch. As British films go, it is certainly one of the better offerings of recent years.
Spreadsheet (2021)
Hilarious
Great show! The storyline and characters are well developed, timing is perfect. There are some hilarious scenes & overall it is very entertaining to watch.
My only complaint was that is was too short! Over after 8 episodes? Can't wait for Season 2, I'd already begun contemplating starting a spreadsheet of my own.... ;-)
Red Election (2021)
Terrible
Bad acting. Lazy plot full of cliched stereotypes. Lousy dialogue. Overall boring, don't waste your time.
Best Sellers (2021)
Classic Caine
This is a classic. Michael Caine is on fire all the way throughout and even manages to almost get a couple of old lines in.
Aubrey Plaza also gives an outstanding performance.
The plot is solid, the pace is just right, the dialogue is perfect. At times funny, at times sad, this will not leave you unmoved.
Easily one of the best films of 2021.
Annika (2021)
A Dull Snoozefest
The plot has been done a million times before. It's slow-paced, dull and the acting is wooden. The feeble attempts at humour are just not funny. In fact, there is nothing positive to be said for this at all. Everything about it is grey, dull, unoriginal and lifeless.
Nicola Walker talking to the camera did not bother me at all, however, it adds nothing to the show. It needs a lot more than a little quirkiness to save it.
Avoid unless you are in the mood for an afternoon nap, in which case it will certainly bore you to sleep.
Król (2020)
Outstanding
Excellent series, I really enjoyed watching it. The plot is gripping from the start and keeps you engaged throughout, right up to the unexpected twist at the end. It manages to perfectly combine genres, with elements of both WW11 and gangster-type series. Historical references seem to be accurate.
Great acting by all involved, with particularly memorable performances by Michal Zurawski (Jakub Szapiro), Magdalena Boczarska (Ryfka Kij) and Borys Szyc, who is particularly sinister in his role as Janusz Radziwilek ("The Doctor").
Visuals are well done throughout, in particular some of the interior sets.
This is hands down the best European series of 2020/21, full credit to director Jan P. Matuszynski for creating a masterpiece. You don't need to understand Polish to enjoy it (I don't). English subtitles are available. Make the effort, it will not disappoint.
I would have enjoyed a second season but this seems unlikey as the plot reached a natural conclusion. As it stands, it is complete.
Risen (2021)
Expect the unexpected
Well, this was something of a gem. I'm not sure what some of the negative reviewers were watching but apparently it was not the same film.
First off, the negatives. It's not perfect, far from it. Some of the acting came across as a little wooden at times. One scene in particular, close to the end, seemed completely unrealistic. But a short scene in a film of just under two hours. Overuse of the American flag. We get it, it's set in America (although filmed in Canada). Great. We don't need to see the flag popping up all over the place, it's boring and tired. Length and pacing - it is slightly slow-paced and could have maybe been shortened down a little.
At one point, it seemed like it was going to descend into generic Hollywood propaganda (the "oh no, what did the Russians hide?" section), but thankfully it did not. Despite this, the dialogue was a little cheesy at times and could have been improved.
Regarding the green screen comments other users made, I can't say I noticed. CGI and effects in general were well executed. The points about sound design were valid in a couple of places but I did not find that it detracted from the film.
Now to the positives. The plot - an interesting twist on the alien theme. It grabbed my attention and kept it for two hours. Yes, it's a slow burner but bear with it.
Cinematography - at times excellent and very good execution throughout. The score - excellent, to the point that I would actually listen to the soundtrack on its own. The music was incredible, top marks to Phillip j. Faddoul there.
I'm going to watch this a second time, next time on a bigger screen and better sound. That is something I very rarely do with any film. Also nice to see it getting some recognition by winning the Best Sci-fi Film in the Montreal Independent Film Festival. I wouldn't say it was the best Sci-Fi film of the year, but it's certainly one to watch. Its director, Eddie Arya, also shows a lot of promise.
Ju e dao (2020)
Entertaining and Fun
It gets a little silly in places but overall it's fun to watch. The acting is decent. CGI effects vary a little but are mostly well done and are very effective at times.
The plot is basic but perfectly acceptable for this genre of film. Plane crashes, random strangers trapped on desert island with giant crocodiles and spiders wandering around. What could possibly go wrong?
The film claims to be "a condemnation of self-centeredness and selfishness and an ode to the greater love in our world and selfless dedication." This is evident in some scenes, particularly at the start, but I'm not sure it managed to live up to that thoughout.
It's a decent film, certainly no worse than a lot of other films in this genre. Give it a try. You just might enjoy it.
House of Quarantine (2020)
Garbage
Pathetic excuse for a film. Don't waste your time.