Reviews

This is where concept (dark) is taken to a ridiculous degree. You can barely see this movie. The director has saturated the blacks so all you can really make out in most of the indoor scenes are highlights. You spend most of your time peering into the picture to make out what is going on and then replaying to make sure you saw what you thought you might have seen. It's simply too much viewer effort just to prop up a director's conceit. The characters are not much, either. They're icy cold and not very interesting. There is so little genuine interaction between them that you lose interest very quickly. This series might interest horror/scifi folks but if you have a decent television, this is a waste of the money you invested in the latest technology. You simply cannot see it. What a waste.

Stylized and sometimes silly, this series is fun if you leave your common sense behind. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. The acting is sub-par, the scripts feel rushed, the characters cardboard thin but still I watched the entire series. It's all so out there, so in-your- face, you can't help but watch with a perverted fascination. At times the pedantic nature of the 'teacher' character gets a little tiresome and his beautiful 'student' paper thin (literally) but this is so foreign to most crime series that it has the charm of its own. Not for binge watching but every once in awhile, a decent time waster. Caution might be exercised for younger viewers as it is quite violent, with many almost too-realistic images of violent death. Not at all PC, this show is not for everyone but if you want a change of pace, give it a try.

It's hard not to like the unspoiled, friendly and proud people profiled in this documentary. The director remarkably touches bases with both common folk like the three elderly farming brothers who make up the heart of the film and Castro himself. There's a sense of resiliency and humor that is inspiring. You also get to witness an American's view of the roller coaster ride Cuba has taken from the heady days of revolution to the horror of the 90's to 2016, when life has improved immeasurably for the subjects, some of whom have gone from gaunt to almost portly. Whatever your opinion is of Castro and his autocratic tendencies, this documentary concentrates its light on the Cuban people, their relationships with each other, their country and with the cameraman. I was surprised at how open Cubans are in criticizing their leader and their predicament, especially in the horrible 90's. One gets the feeling from western media that Cubans have been silenced and jailed under Castro for their views but here, nobody seems to be intimidated at all in speaking of their anger and resentment over the way the country has been run. By the end, I felt close to each of this film's subjects to the point where I was disappointed that two Cubans who emigrated to the USA during the later stages of filming are not interviewed after their exodus to America.

Wonderfully acted with beautiful sets and of course, a superb script. Unfortunately, Atwood's words are sometimes at the mercy of tepid pacing made worse by gratuitous and flowery music, a device often used by filmmakers to compensate for lack of dynamics in the direction. While Sarah Gadon's performance is a wonder, she often speaks with such rapid-fire mumbling as to obscure the words she is speaking. I found myself watching about 10 minutes at a time, often with subtitles, before my brain began tuning out. It all begins to be a bit of a drag by episode 3. The superb script by Polley from Atwood's words deserves a bit more meat on the bones of the direction. As it is, "Alias Grace" is worth watching if you can forgive the uncomfortable, frustrating moments, of which there are too many.

This is an entertaining show that feels like fast food. Featuring lively direction and solid acting from Rebecca Gibney, it falls flat when it comes to the script but especially the flat performance of co- lead Geraldine Hakeweill. The problem is that Hakewill is supposed to be the comic relief. However, the actress is simply not funny; she can't deliver the lines to make the dialog sparkle. After a few episodes, you realize this is supposed to be an action/comedy; the action is there, the comedy is not. It would help if the script didn't have so many plot-furthering contrivances and they wouldn't matter if the lines were delivered with the comic flair they need. Despite Hakewill's lack of panache, the series is well worth watching. Gibney is a natural whose skills are undeniable. She keeps you involved emotionally so that you keep watching despite the show's other drawbacks. If you can put your mind in your back pocket, this can be quite an enjoyable ride.

This series begins promising enough but runs out of steam by the second episode, featuring a hard exterior but with a soft, creamy inside. Biggest problem is that the script is not funny enough to support many of the attempts at jokes. The ensemble acting is a bit amateurish. The underlying and persistent rom com story lines don't have enough punch to ding their subjects and the whole thing is so sloppily assembled you wish someone had rescued the crew from this dull ride. The worst part is the main character, played by the writer, is such an asshole you just don't care about her - or any other character. It seems like the people behind this haven't a clue about how to retain the irreverence while making sharp observations of human nature and tickling your funny bone at the same time. This should be funny, not merely amusing. If there is going to be another second set of episodes, re-casting should be top priority. An editor for Waller-Bridge wouldn't hurt. This kind of show should have laugh out loud moments (like the much sharper White Gold) and a tightness that pulls it all together. But it just sits there.

Season 2 let down from first series: Well acted with intriguing plots, this series can not overcome its flaws: the selfish sloppiness of the main character may be more true to life than the infallible detectives in US and British crime dramas but at times just seems ridiculous. More of a drawback is the low- budget filming, so dark and dull I wondered at first if the makers couldn't afford better lighting. Then I realized the higher-contrast image is most likely a product of post-processing where the makers have deteriorated the image to make it look more like a documentary. That's not a bad idea but you have to show the audience detail and not hide important aspects of the image, especially faces which are often darkened in shadows. Too bad because the actors are top notch. The script and pacing, when they aren't dragging, can be involving, building tension as the series progresses. But by the final episode, the plot-convenient actions of the characters become almost comical. While there are some drawbacks, don't let that discourage you from watching. This is a series made for grown-ups who think and there's too little of that in today's crime dramas. Hopefully, when season three comes around, the series will find a little more color, definition and more refined character development.

This was a real surprise for me: a Hollywood comedy with bite, great writing and superb acting from the principals - Brie, Maron, Gilpin. The biggest joy comes from the moments of real human interaction, a true rarity from an American comedy. The only weak spots are perhaps Kate Nash's character which seems hollow and the Justine character who would have rocked played by Aubrey Plaza of a few years ago. Small complaints. However, after finishing the last episode I had an uncomfortable feeling that this show was written by a couple of trust fund teens sitting around their mom's Beverly Hills pool, making fun of the maid, pool cleaner and other around-the-mansion help. While the duo successfully skewers 80's stereotypes (black angry woman, black welfare queen, Arab terrorist with machine gun, the KKK, officious Asian etc), it also presents these character groups as needy and stupid, requiring rescue by the flawed by super intelligent and benevolent Brie and Maron characters. All this accompanied by a dozen or so inside Jewish culture jokes, a precious Brie interpretation of a song from "Yentl" and even more adorable Brie Hasidic Jew. With a little more balance and credit for intellect among other races and types, this could be an even more substantial piece of work. In this era of Trump, how many Americans can tell that this is largely a satire? But that's the small stuff. I laughed at all the jokes - even the ones that made we wince - and felt rewarded by the more touching human elements. Looking forward to a equally savage but more even-handed second season.

I've tried to make it through several of these episodes but it becomes a frustrating exercise. As others have pointed out, the editing becomes confusing and difficult to follow, especially when vacillating between interviews with the actual detectives and recreations. But it is the sound mixing that really destroys it all for me. The music is loud and never stops. Worst, especially in season one, the music often overwhelms the detectives' narration so I have to keep rewinding to try to decipher the words. This abuse of the subjects to keep up a flashy presentation takes away from becoming involved in the story line. Saying that, season 2 is much better sound wise as the voices are clear and out-front. But that crappy, omnipresent music is still a distraction, over-saturation of music in films and TV demonstrates a lack of confidence in the skills of the filmmakers, compensating for bad pacing and covering up inadequacies. It seems totally unnecessary here as the direction is usually pretty crisp. The makers of this series don't seem to understand the power of background music is in its sparing use. Pity, because this really is a decent series full of interesting cases, told in interesting ways. Just too bad about the overactive editing and gratuitous music. Because of these serious drawbacks, I can't recommend this series. Each episode starts off with great promise only to drive the viewer away within 20 minutes.

I've tried to make it through several of these episodes but it becomes a frustrating exercise. As others have pointed out, the editing becomes confusing and difficult to follow, especially when vacillating between interviews with the actual detectives and recreations. But it is the sound mixing that really destroys it all for me. The music is loud and never stops. Worst, especially in season one, the music often overwhelms the detectives' narration so I have to keep rewinding to try to decipher the words. This abuse of the subjects to keep up a flashy presentation takes away from becoming involved in the story line. Saying that, season 2 is much better sound wise as the voices are clear and out-front. But that crappy, omnipresent music is still a distraction, taking away from the impact of the acting and story line. The makers of this series don't seem to understand the power of background music is in its sparing use. Pity, because this really is a decent series full of interesting cases, told in interesting ways. Just too bad about the overactive editing and gratuitous music. Because of these serious drawbacks, I can't recommend this series. Each episode starts off with great promise only to drive the viewer away within 20 minutes.

This series took me three episodes before it sunk in. The first two episodes teetered between M. Night Shyamalan ridiculousness and Terrence Malick pompous creepiness. Episode three cuts back on the silly voice overs and laughable conversations with dead people, giving this series some serious mojo. Combine that with some top notch writing, stellar acting from Skarsgård and crisp direction and you have an intriguing and engrossing show. But best of all, Manville's strong but vulnerable boss illuminates the series with some revelatory chops that make everything seem more real and more involving with every show. By the conclusion, I was hooked and wanting more. Television shows don't get much more substantive than this.

You'd think a detective show set in the 1960's would have a contemporary score reflecting the times. Instead, we get 18th century lush orchestration, opera and choral music. Incidental music should be just that but each episode has me reaching for the mute it's so prevalent. That's not just once in awhile but this series features the music so much so that if you do not care for it, the series is difficult to sit through. No need either, because most of the music is gratuitous, not fitting themood or the pace of the direction. Silence would be a much better alternative when it comes to music and Endeavour.

While her performance has been noted for its gutsy bravado, it cannot overcome Hall's atrocious American accent. To make matters worse, her 'r's are so exaggerated as to be annoying. By a half hour in, I was reaching for the volume control to tone down her abrasive voice. This is the thing: Hall has a great, natural timbre to her vocal chords. But this time she is not up to par when it comes to accents. My ears began to hurt and I had a hard time finishing this movie. Such a pity because her performance is otherwise topnotch. I guess because this was based on true events, the storytellers couldn't have her be a recent transplant from the UK.

After laughing along with Brydon and Coogan savaging their own vanities and all of life around them, I found some of the reviews here to be more comical than the film. It's as if "The Trip to Italy" totally escapes them, probably much to the two main actors' amusement. The beauty of the ridiculous and sometimes lame impressions belies that the two are not trying to be serious travel/food hosts but two comics riffing on the idiocy of the business they are in .. and much more. This is satire, not some boring Anthony Bourdain exploration of food and culture. It's two goofy guys making fun of themselves. That so many people miss that simple point boggles my mind.

At the heart of this touching, subtle and remarkable movie is the character Ann, with a face and voice so captivating and stunning you can't help feel her every emotion. She is what we all would like religious people to really be like - kind, generous and non-discriminatory. At the beginning, I almost turned this off - it seemed like some god-is-great bit of propaganda. But this film is so much more. By the final stunning scene - with not a word spoken, just the mournful playing of a church organ, accompanied by the faces of two people, one with a loss of innocence, the other resigned to the plight of survival at any cost. Majestic and horrifying in its build, this is superb theater. Understated and real - the actress wears as little makeup as possible - there's hardly a false note here. I had to watch it twice to experience the artful unraveling of the characters.

My only complaint is the character of Caleb, whose sly and seemingly calculated moves, could have been developed better. He's at once evil, benign and just a guy. Perhaps that's the real beauty of this film - by the end you're left alone to decide right from wrong, good from evil yet feel immense empathy with the characters.

Well, it's actually a TV series but I watched the whole thing in one sitting. My jaw dropped. This is not a film for the casual viewer. It is bewildering, full of unattractive people, many of of them with facial ticks, mental problems or just a plain ugliness. The themes are rich and deep, exploring so many aspects of human nature one loses count. The acting by seemingly first timers is first rate. It's reviewed mostly as a comedy but it's not laugh out loud kind of funny. Instead it's a satire on human nature, making one gulp with the truth of the telling. Take heed, don't watch this is you don't like squirming a little bit when faced with the naked truth. But if you're willing to invest yourself in this film, your time will not be for naught. It's not life changing but does make you think and most of all, feel.

While one may argue that the ending is a little bit Hollywood, the movie itself is not. Featuring a stunning performance by ten-year-old Han Thi Pham, the movie stays with the viewer long after the credits roll.

I won't tell you the plot; there isn't much of one. The art of this movie is not so much about story as it is about human beings, their relationships with one another and how a little faith and a whole lot of belief can bring us all together.

There's not a wasted note here. The music, improbably an electric guitar, never overwhelms and is used with taste so rare with modern directors. You are invited to flow along with the story and live as if you are an onlooker on the streets of Saigon.

But all this wouldn't work without the brilliant understatement of its centerpiece, Han Thi Pham. Working without much expression, the actress uses her voice to convey emotion. The perfection and purity of her motives may seem suspect to many Westerners but in the setting of this story the result in at once sad and uplifting.

The script is crisp, the camera work utilitarian and the direction never more than what is needed. This is movie making the way it should be. It is a film perfect for repeat viewings, such is the depth of emotion and simple story-telling.