Reviews

This is a fusion of Dirty Harry with Columbo but with the gravitas of Happy Valley or Line of Duty. There are themes of love, loss, betrayal and guilt -but foremost camaraderie. The fraternity of grade school friends with different paths to late middle-age is powerfully done.

The European root comes across in the female characters. The women are mature in age overall, and pretty but not vapid or just for scenery. The female characters are strong, smart - often courageous - but always with agency and insight and maturity. They are crucial to the narrative.

There is some comic relief with the police squad. At times it is a cross between the Keystone cops and Barney Miller, which can be detracting.

If you remember the saying from George Carlin "scratch a cynic and you will find an idealist underneath" then you will appreciate the lead character.

I have enjoyed fantasy movies since I was a kid. And yes I admit fantasy movies can be hit (Game of Thrones) or a miss (too many examples to cite). This is a hit. Why? Great production values, great -- but not over the top acting -- and special effects that facilitate but do not overwhelm in the plot.

I watched this because it starred Millie Bobby Brown. I became familiar with her through the series Stranger Things. In Stranger Things she played an abused institutionalized child, and so her acting was intense and vulnerable. Here Ms. Brown plays a very strong young women full of courage, tenacity and intelligence, and even nobility. Moreover, she carries the movie since she is in almost every scene. She does it brilliantly and with aplomb.

Another actress that helps raise this movie is Robin Wright who is obviously channeling Claire Underwood from House of Cards. She steals her scenes.

In short this is a great popcorn movie for adults.

I was expecting some sort of cheesy series, the main course being the monsters, and the side plate being some half naked woman. Nope. This is more in the vein of my childhood memories of Ray Harryhausen movies (e.g. First Men in the Moon, Mysterious Island). By the way there is also healthy dollop of the Journey to the Centre of the Earth, with Pat Boone and James Mason.

The monsters are the spice in this series. They add some zest or heat.

There is a good plot, with tensions and twists, and human insights and more than a pinch of conspiracy and jealousy.

I chanced the series because Kurt Russell starred in it. He is well used in the series, but he doesn't take over the move. If anything his son Wyatt Russell carries the load along with Mari Yamamoto.

Yes we have seen the concept of intergenerational body swaps innumerable times. Yes there are the usual tropes. Yes it can be silly.

But this movie is actually infused with the spirit of Christmas.

We teared. We laughed. We smiled. We nodded knowingly. We laughed hysterically. We felt warm and happy at the end of it.

All the leads were good but I found Jennifer Garner and Emma Myers particularly good. Ms. Garner really showed her comic skills.

This will not make best picture but it will make my annual list of Christmas movies. After all if you can't get sentimental or mawkish at Christmas then when?

The editing is tight, the writing brisk and crisp. The characters are well fleshed out and there are at least 3 story arcs weaved into each season and episode. The military aspects and background / political facts are close to reality with a pinch of poetic licence. I binged the series since I found it addictive. (I did serve and that may account for my reaction/review.) I was astonished this series was produced by a commercial TV network and not a streaming service. Then again that may account for the fact in one season the fortress redoubt set was atop a mountain in Afghanistan and the same set was used as a redoubt in an African country in another season.

This is not a heavy or involved criminal / treasure hunt flick. You could say it is a first draft of Body Heat, Fool's Gold with a pinch of an Errol Fylnn and a dollop of Burt Reynolds. It has the usual tropes of romance, detective work, wasted cop, father/son friction and expected twists. It is not an Emmy award candidate and it has no such aspirations. The series is good simple storytelling akin to the old TV series like Colombo, McCloud, MacMillan and Wife.

It's the right series to entertain you when your brain is fried and you are exhausted. So.get out your popcorn, have some white wine, cuddle and enjoy.

The plot twists and family discovery is a great concept and plot line. I thought the series could have used some editing to make it crisper, have a better cadence. The acting is excellent and intense at times.

Yes it is formalistic. But it is fun, entertaining and suspenseful; sprinkled with sentimental moments and dollops of revenge. And there is the odd plot twist to boot.

That is a tasty concoction of film noir, early 60s detective shows (Mannix / Peter Gunn), sci-fi, fantasy and a pinch of jazz minutiae but with a healthy dollop of Quentin Tarantino. Moreover, it is infused with easter eggs; keep an eye out for the street names and box labels. Yes, there are tropes and camp, but they enhance rather than dilute the work.

While there is plenty of action there is also plenty of character with the leads.

And the sets are delicious. Old IBM computers, original macs, 1950s cars. A feast for the eyes.

I took a chance expecting silliness. I got hooked.

This is a fun spirited - albeit at times silly-- movie. It's a great popcorn movie. The choreography is great; the costumIng is rich. . And the storyline has been updated with a slightly modern twist. It is hardly woke. I loved the dancing, make-up and costumes in the ball scene. It will put a smile on your face and some spirit into your pace.

This movie is a re-imaging of the original. There are bits and pieces that pay homage to the original cartoon. However, this ought to get academy award for costuming and photography amongst other things. Emma Stone is delicious, as is Emma Thomson. Emma Thomson in particular channelled the Devil wears Prada in her performance. Emma Stone is wickedly over the top in a number of areas. It is simply invigorating to watch. It is so visually stimulating, rich and amazing. I left the cinema on a cloud. Well done.

This show is brilliant in its writing and snappy and biting in its acting. The editing is tight. It is the ultimate satisfying binge material