Reviews

I saw Navalny several months ago, and it affected me so deeply that when I heard of this man's death, I found tears running down my cheeks. I don't cry often.

Alexei Navalny was a very special person. He stood up to a brutal regime when many were afraid to do so. He was imprisoned, poisoned, imprisoned again, attacked and constantly harassed. He returned to Russia a final time despite knowing what was in store for him. His bravery was immense.

It may have seemed suicidal to outsiders, but it is testament to his strong beliefs that he re-entered Russia. I cannot help comparing him to Nelson Mandela in terms of strength of purpose and courage.

I consider Navalny a 'must watch'.

I had high expectations for S02 of Reacher, and after watching six episodes it certainly hasn't disappointed.

As well as our favorite huge good guy and his faithful side-kick Neagley, we are blessed with some new outstanding cast members, all well-suited to their roles.

The outstanding new talent this season is the actor playing the arch-villain (who is known by the initials A. M.). Ferdinand Kingsley plays the role with delicious naughtiness. If you are like me and always fall for the bad guy, you'll love him.

The occasional humor offered by the four main characters is on-point and a pleasant juxtaposition to the violence.

The body count is high, the action is violent (but well choreographed) and there is blood and more blood. All the same, it is VERY true to the source material and highly entertaining.

This series nearly lost me around 30 minutes into E01 when the protagonist's hair style changed while she was turning a corner in her vehicle. There is no excuse for sloppy continuity.

Further down the track, the main character began to annoy me. Her actions didn't seem credible.

Take, for instance the scene where she needed her daughter looked after. She drops her to the brother-in-laws, and while there accuses him of drinking too much. Would you leave your toddler with a man known for his drinking problems?

Her accent was also inconsistent. It often shifted from well-spoken to lower class.

I kept watching for a while longer but decided that my time is worth more than this series offers.

I will read the book instead.

I would watch paint dry if it featured Sam Heughan and I am keen to support any movie or series he stars in. He is a solid actor and nice to look at--a good combination in my books.

Equally, Eleanor Tomlinson is great to watch. She brings a breath of fresh air to any role.

Discovering that these two actors were cast together in The Couple Next Door, I noted the date in my calendar and counted down the days. I was excited.

And really, the anticipation was the best part of this series. To me it just didn't strike the right note and some parts of the storyline just didn't work for me. Sometimes a point was laboured (yes, I got that...move on) and other times the characters just, well, didn't stay in character.

I am disappointed. Hopefully Sam will be cast in a role that matches his talent in the future.

The Forgiven was an unexpected pleasure, with locations that were sumptuous and a cast that gave strong and credible performances.

The story was brilliant. We witness the emotional journey of three characters who are, in different ways, greatly affected by a single event. Their emotions feel authentic.

I couldn't help but compare this film to Ralph Fiennes earlier journey into the north African desert (The English Patient). His role this time was very different.

The opening credits were annoying, and I wondered why they had been displayed in this manner. All became clear at the end.

Absolutely brilliant.

As writers, we are taught that you mustn't make errors that will take your readers 'out of the story'. This could be, for instance, dialogue or action by a character that is out of character. In S03 of The Crown, the mistake was made in casting. Both Queen Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret were known for their beautiful blue eyes. This has been spoken of in an historical context. Blue eyes are dominant in the royal family. So let's look at the casting. Claire Foy was perfect in seasons 1 & 2. Lovely blue eyes and that sudden smile that lit her face (just like the Queen). Not so with Olivia Coleman. I couldn't stand her as Queen Elizabeth in looks or acting, and I just couldn't overcome it. It took me 'out of the story'. Helen Bonham Carter played the role of Princess Margaret well, but again the brown eyes. I loved Josh O'Connor as Charles. Wow, what a performance! But those brown eyes yet again! How was it that three out of the four main characters had brown eyes instead of blue? Totally absurd. As were the storylines in some of the episodes. Clunky. Absurd. Terrible dialogue. I enjoyed seasons 1 & 2 and looked forward to enjoying this season. Instead, I was so off that I had to write this review.

I'm a huge fan of Andrew Garfield, but am at a loss to understand what he is doing in this over-long piece of indulgent mess. Full of plot holes and ideas that go nowhere, this is an uncomfortable watch. But then, I didn't like Mulholland Drive either.

Had I known that the director of 'Killing of the Sacred Deer' also directed 'The Favorite', I wouldn't have wasted two hours of my life so wantonly. There is so much wrong with this movie that I don't know where to start. The soundtrack, perhaps--how painful! The almost embarrassing attempts at humor? And how many scenes had gratuitous rutting in the background? Well, I'm not going to watch it again to count. I'm not going to watch this movie ever again. I should add, however, that Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone and Olivia Colman all delivered excellent performances.