Reviews

I echo what others have said about the teenager girl character; the character is silly & unauthentic.

There is an unauthentic feel to the whole film. These 4 people neither look like or act like war journalists. The closest to a war journalist, probably is the female lead character.

For this film to work, it was so important for the audience to relate, to connect, in order to believe. This film plays like an earnest middle-class teenager's idea of the USA in the midst of a modern civil war.

This also watches like it was created by someone who doesn't know Americans. I am not an American but I'm married to one. I have spent a lot of time in the country & have travelled around it. The vast majority of Americans, regardless of political views, strike me as warm & welcoming. Reality is, they are just like others in Western first world countries & beyond.

America has its extremist eliminates like everywhere else, but, I don't buy into Americans, on mass, acting like Hillbillies on a buck shoot.

Americans love their armed services.

A US civil war wouldn't happen in this way & these 4 don't behave like war correspondents.

Mr Billis has done a most satisfactory job with this serialised comedic play of fools. I especially liked the setting.

Having worked in the field of tyres for over a decade, I can tell you one thing, tyres aren't easy. They can be a cruel fish.

I call tyre work, rubbing rubber, because tyres is a life of rubbing up against rubber.

Interesting fact: The phrase, rub of the green, actually comes from tyre work. The old Dunlop racing range of tyres used by Jaguar F1 in the early 50s, came with a green line that encircled the rim. These tyres were very successful for Jaguar, hence the phrase, rub of the green, meaning, to be lucky.

I remember these times. I am a Scottish Hibs fan. Nevertheless, this year, was framed by this Manchester United team. The footballing world could not ignore their on field magic.

E. G. The night my future wife first introduced me to her father, Inter Milan vs Man Utd was showing on the big screen TV in the pub we met. I remember desperately trying to maintain my composure. But the excitement of these Manchester Utd games were infectious.

I watched the English FA Cup final in the pub with a few pals & it was just one of those great days; full of youth driven fun.

The evening of the European Cup final, which was electric viewing that had me & my pals 100% behind the red devils (which is understandable due to Scotland's links with this great club), was the evening I first told my future wife that I loved her.

All these moments tied to these events depicted so masterfully in this documentary.

Watching it I almost felt 21 again.

Good old fashioned fun film.

I enjoyed this movie. It isn't going to change the world, but it's not supposed to. It's just fun.

I would not watch this movie if you want to be scared, but if you simply want to be entertained, go for it.

Very good cast, well directed & written. It obviously doesn't have a massive budget but it doesn't need one. Everyone did a good job.

There really isn't much more to say.

In conclusion: This is a good old-fashioned popcorn shoveling fun watch. Cartoon violence. No sex scenes or laboured PC lecturing. It's just fun. 6 out of 10 is a fair score. Maybe even a wee bit stingy.

There was no story. Like an odd collection of sketches sewn together with gibberish string.

Like a really fancy knickerbocker glory made out of milky glue & cotton wool. It was missing quality. The stars were there but the laughs weren't. Although, the Jackie Kennedy buying hats line made me laugh.

I've given a 4, but It's probably a 3. I gave it a 4 because I'm grrrrreat. There you go, that's funnier than anything in the film & I am not a funny man. I can't tell jokes & find others misfortune humorous. I am wanting as a human being. Nevertheless, this does not diminish my capability to determine this film is at best average. And I'm being generous.

It is just old-fashioned goodies versus baddies stuff. The acting is good, the directing is good.

It's just solid viewing & I thoroughly enjoyed a lazy saturday afternoon watching it.

However, the lead character's clumsy/goofy behaviour at the start of the film is a touch overplayed. There is an incident which you'll find yourself rolling your eyes at. As if he'd be that naive in his position.

Russell Crowe is great; as he often is. But! He could do with shifting some of that bulk. Lay of the beer & pies.

But if you want a cracking weekend afternoon feet up watch, this film fits the slot. Namaste pee stains.

Where to start?

Let's start with Bobby Lee floating round this film looking like a marshmallow that got lucky on the lip of a rejection bin. Meaning he looks like a marshmallow that has been rolling around the factory floor in dust, pubes & dirt for 50 years.

His acting is laughably bad; which is a blessing. And when he isn't trying to act he's just being Bobby Lee. Theo Von shows promise.

The film itself, is too, and and and, instead of, so but so. This means it fails to really engage. It's just too choppy. To, next next next. At the very least throw in a few fade shots. Make the transition smooth.

But the film is not terrible. It watches like a practice run. With a bit more skill the film could have been very good.

It's, just, a bit, amateurish.

It watched like it was scripted, directed... by a film student. A bit generic. Like, who ever made it had watched Napoleon Dynamite too many times.

As for the acting. Sheesh! The lead isn't great. I'm trying to be nice, but, I don't know these people so I can be honest. She's a terrible actress. That's cruel. She could do with a few more acting lessons & a few less botox injections. I'm presuming it's botox as the upper part of her face has no movement, ergo, expression; which all adds to the lack of acting capability.

Also, the adult woman acting like a teenager bit, has been cornered by Aubrey Plaza. And it's a bit cringe worthy, especially when these people get further away from teens and closer to retirement age.

The lady lead in this is late 30s? The botox is a give away.

Jaded. Unoriginal. Amateurish.

But someone will think it's good.

I got just over half way before giving up.

A bit disappointed.

I sense this has been made with a touch of fear & a lack of respect for the original story. And as such it is simply based on the book & not an adaptation.

But as a stand alone effort, it's okay.

When I write, made with fear, this is what I mean:

The brutality of the Samurai Japanese way of life has been powder-puffed over.

But that way of life, the ying & yang of brutality & beauty is essential to the story & what makes feudal Japan so fascinating. The Book is packed with this juxtaposition as is the 1980 miniseries. It is so essential to the story.

The casting of John Blackthorn is also disappointing. Blackthorn is a big/tall, 6ft+ northern European man. Packing power in all physical places.

The casting of this sub 6ft, blue contact wearing actor, doing a Richard Burton impression, is questionable. But he does okay.

Shogun, is supposed to be the story of John Blackthorn, set in the world of feudal Japan. His journey through that world & his relationship with that world's puppet master as seen through both men's eyes.

This miniseries almost makes Blackthorn irrelevant in his own story.

This story, at times, is also unnecessary crass which undermines a pivot that Shogun revolves around. I repeat, unnecessarily crass & unauthentic. They have got Mariko wrong & the brush of girl power plays unauthentic & silly.

I don't know if budget or bad choices led to important parts being cut, either way, it doesn't help.

This miniseries as a stand alone, is not bad. It's just not an authentic, Shogun.

It's 6 stars at a wee bit of a stretch, but, that stretch isn't too far. It's much better than the current IMDB rating.

Interesting premise. Obviously doesn't have a massive budget but did well anyway on what it had.

Some good acting and some good actors. It's not a great film, but it's definitely not a stinker. It's a good lazy afternoon watch.

There's not much more to say. Now I'm just filling up characters. I went for a walk this morning. Some 9/10 miles. Had a chicken roast dinner for tea & a slice of homemade Victoria jam sponge for afters.

Got a new telly coming tomorrow, but I fear it may be too big so need to ring first thing and cancel the order/delivery.

As subtle as a brick. At times interesting. At times annoying. More of an art instillation than an accessible story.

Like a well watered-down Burroughs dream.

Some folk have been raving about this film & some may swoon, but, it's too brash for me. It tries too hard. Too obvious.

It's not original. Everything here has been done before & better. It strikes me as imagination/creativity born of comfort & as such I find it soulless.

As previously stated, it tries too hard. From the aesthetic to the humour. It's too much of a caricature as opposed to originality. It's also far too safe in its mimicry.

The acting has its plaudits but I find it easy looking due to the stylised story telling.

It is interesting in moments but keeps skipping from that grove.

Conclusion: At times interesting but definitely overhyped.

Like a weak gateway drug to the world of the surreal.

It just doesn't work.

It's bland/boring & not funny.

If that has something to do with the inability of the guests to produce the laughs or if the situation is the dampener, I don't know. It just doesn't work.

Really weak stuff.

I've tried watching, but it's just too boring to stick with.

A really rubbish organised camping trip with slightly annoying people whose goal is to be more annoying than they normally are.

It's really lowbrow. Silly middle-class grating nonsense. It has all the edge of an unused prophylactic. I mean... pfft. It's not good.

I'm presuming the 10 out of 10 reviews on here are fake. Because if this show is a 10 out of 10 comedy hit... I dunno. It's just not very good.

I've seen the fantastic documentary about the AS team & one thing that shines through in that documentary, is the love of football, the love & respect these people have for the game.

Next Goal Wins, should have led with that. The love of football should of been at the core of the film, driving it, but, It isn't.

Sadly the film is driven by cute, but jaded, comedy, which is condescending.

The whole point of the story, the soul of the story, has been lost. It watches like an opportunity for a great sports film lost.

The whole soul in the story has been washed off with condescending quirk & en vouge hollywood gender politics.

Sad. A great opportunity, a great story lost.

This a a neo feminist Sci-fi fantasy and as such will only attract a certain audience. However it has been marketed to the masses and the subsequent poor reviews have flopped in. Because it won't appeal to the masses, male or female.

I have given it a 3 star rating due to it being an awkward tumbling mess of a film.

It's incoherent and hard to follow. And because there isn't anything in this film for me to latch on to, due to the afore mentioned target audience, it's a hard film to connect with.

Because these films aren't subjected to cinema releases they continue to slip by.

N. B. Why do English actors continue to mimic Irish (and Scottish for that matter) accents?

They always end up doing a generic hit and miss imitation that travels all around the county and dips back into England.

In a age when films are pumped out dipped in agenda politics at the cost of accessibility & craft, The Holdovers, brings a refreshing & much needed change.

If new Marvel films are white wine spritzers, The Holdovers, is visual cognac; deep, rich & smooth. To be sipped on and savoured.

Beautifully shot, written & acted.

The soundtrack is also beautiful.

I so hope the film gets the accolades it truly deserves.

The 70s & 80s were a time when films like this were far more common and it's apt the film is set in that time period.

Well done and thank you to all involved.

There's not much more to say.

Will this comedy make you laugh?

Well. It made me laugh in the first 5 minutes.

I gave it 7 stars and I think that's fair. It made me literally laugh aloud in the first 5 minutes & it's rare any comedy does that these days.

It's well cast & acted.

I think there could have been more curmudgeon humour, but, overall it was good.

I think it lost itself a wee bit in its efforts to self-appease an imagined sensitive audience. And that's my main criticism.

I understand this is the director's first shot at film making & as a first go, it's not bad.

Get your popcorn or popped this or that, sit back and enjoy.

It could have been better, but show me something that couldn't be.

Very well put together documentary. The documentary embraces the style of the silent era whilst telling the story of Chaplin from a contemporary point of view.

A complex man. As all men are. As all humans are. A man scarred by a brutal, victorian, poverty stricken, working class upbringing who went on to become, possibly, the most famous man there's ever been in his own lifetime.

Beautifully narrated & scored. I like how the silent film era style has been embraced in the telling of the story. It's a very visual documentary.

The US paranoid and curupt political system/institutions of the 50s are highlighted in contrast to, The Great Dictator, speech & I like how that was done.

Overall, very good.

What a gloriously sweet & glamorous slide down memory lane.

Most young men at the time had a favourite (Christy for me) whereas many liked Cindy.

But these women were unobtainable & we knew it and we were okay with it. They represented glamour & a world we working class kids didn't really understand. But that was okay too, because we understood beauty & dreams.

I've read a couple of articles reviewing the series that criticise the lack of indepth journalistic probing. These critics have completely lost the point & the plot. That's like criticising Disney cartoons for a lack of animal welfare storylines.

This show is as these ladies' careers were: dramatic, fun, optimistic & most of all, glamorous.

Nostalgic heterosexual male thoroughly enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed this film. I watched it on a Saturday afternoon. I had my feet up and a bag of crisps. Or chips as the Americans say.

Bill Burr & Pete Davidson shine. They both put outstanding performances in; as do the majority of the cast. There's the odd weak link. I don't really buy into the actress playing Davidson's sister. Don't get me wrong. She's a very proficient actress. I just don't feel she's authentic enough in the roll. Not working class enough? Yes. That's it. However this is a very minor issue. I'm probably just picking at bones.

Basically I recommend watching this. It's a good film.

88/(especially)89 Manchester was full of youthful electricity & hope. The claustrophobic pissed stained red brick weight of the past was starting to lift & music/fashion/attitude were central to this.

For the working class kid, a hooded top & baggy flairs would do. Pride was taken in georaphical identity & it was affordable & achievable & this film swims in the creation of that.

Tony Wilson was an extraordinary character. A middle class Mancunian, who, instead of distancing himself from the grime of this Northern city in golf club politics & suburban escape, he embraced its working class grit & used his position to promote Manchester & its youth.

This film captures the events & people of this magical used handkerchief.

It's a good film. Simple and sweet. And enjoyed it from start to finish. Obviously isn't a big budget film, but it doesn't need it. The actors do a good job. It is well scripted and shot. It's not going to change the world but it doesn't need to.

It's just a good old lazy afternoon, feet up, popcorn at the ready, good watch of a film. There isn't much more to say. I enjoyed it? Basically I'm just trying to get the characters up to post this review. I had a pork chop and salad for tea (dinner). I support Hibs and I like to procrastinate. Still not enough characters. When will this review end? Oh! For f.

I'm not American and came to this via Amazon and I have to say it is an excellent family sitcom that doesn't patronise the viewer and allows them in on the jokes. And the jokes themselves have a bit of real life cut to them.

What is also refreshing about the show is that it reflects social reality. The vast majority of families aren't some neo diverse group with every single minority represented in some fashion or other; which is the makeup of most shows these days and that is why most don't contact.

The characters are likeable and accessible. The format is fun and quick which prevents the viewing from becoming stale.

Also the show is so well cast.

The cast is fantastic.

It's okay. It's not great. It's not going to change the world. It's okay.

The lead does a good job. It looks like he's having fun. You know. It's obviously trying to be fun whilst highlighting... You know. Stuff? I think. Something to do with Hollywood & its superficial... Blah. Blah. Stuff. I think?

I wasn't overwhelmed by it, but, I could watch it. It was okay. There was something captivating about it.

I would have liked to of seen more nakedness. That may of helped. The special effects weren't up to much. It was quite lo-fi. I would of liked to have seen more dragons and stuff like that.

From the direction to the editing to the sound quality (which is ironic) to the script to the acting... It should all be much better than it actually is.

The audio is terrible. The direction and editing is too choppy; all over the place which means there is no smooth and accessible narrative.

The lead is not good. It may be the poor script and direction but he just doesn't carry it. But that may not be entirely of his fault.

Once again, the bedding tracks are far too loud. So much so it's difficult to hear what is being said half the time.

It's just boring. It's just not interesting. And it should be. It should be better.

The writing/direction/acting is okay but lacks the gravitas/eloquence needed to make it a great film; which is disappointing. Nevertheless due to the remarkable and fascinating story at hand this still has turned out a good watchable film; but it could have been great. Once again it's ok, it isn't bad. Everybody involved does an ok job but the man and the story deserved better.

It's primarily let down by The script and the direction. But once again this isn't a bad film it is a good film. You are gripped because the man's life is so engrossing.

The film is probably a six but I have given it a seven because the man himself deserves that respect.

Once again it's a good watch but it could have been great.