Reviews

As a preface, I haven't read the books, but I have watched the full Chinese series.

I was reluctant to watch this version, but am glad I did. I thought this was, overall, a pretty decent adaptation. Not perfect by any means, but then neither is the Chinese version. I think the Chinese version does a great job of explaining the science and the reasoning behind the decisions better, but it lacks any real sense of dread and the present-day characters seemed a little bland. The US version also lacks that sense of dread, and also cuts out a lot of the explanation for certain decisions, but it does (in my opinion) have more rounded present-day characters, even though they are a little bit 'cookie-cutter'. This version also cuts out a lot of the 60s/70s back story , which I thought was one of the more interesting parts of the Chinese show, and helped lend weight to the main characters motivations.

This version moves at a much faster pace than the Chinese version, which in some ways is good, but I think they blew the whole plotline too early. I would like to have seen more focus on the mental trauma caused by the slow realization of what was happening. A director like M. Night Shymalan who is very skilled at building dread would have been perfect for this project. I would also have liked to see a stronger focus on international co-operation and reaction to the events. It seems the whole world is ok with the UK making all the calls.

All in all it kept me hooked enough to binge watch. I look forward to the second season.

I don't remember watching a thriller before where I've rooted so much for the bad guys. It's not difficult to imagine why though, there's not a single likable passenger on the plane. And that includes the main character. Not sure if this was by design, but if it wasn't then it's a big misfire. Dialogue and acting is bearable for the most part, but there's certainly a lot of 'that would never happen in real life' moments. To be honest though, it's hard to find a thriller these days that's believable. Anyway, here's to a good outcome for the bad guys, and with any luck they'll let the kids off and then blow the plane up before they make their get-away.

I really liked this movie, it has lots of great points, but from the get-go there was way too much screaming of lines. There's always been a lot of banter in Guardians movies, but it's never always been screamed before. I felt everyone was constantly angry, and it kind of ruined the rappore between the characters a little. That aside though, it's a solid movie and a great addition to the trilogy. Adam Warlock's character was a good balance between bad-ass and a bit goofy, and the main bad guy did a great job of being 'unhinged' and scary. I think this could have been a solid 10/10 if they'd paid a little more attention to maintaining the character's individual demenors instead of throwing them off-balance. As it stands though, it's a good 8/10.

I've been enjoying this season of The Crown, but in this episode in particular I was absolutely blown away by Imelda Staunton's performance. How she was able to express such a torrent of conflicted emotions with hardly any words was indeed a testament to what an amazing actress she is. Her voice, her movement, her breathing. An absolute masterclass in acting. It's a tough episode to watch because there is a lot of brutality at the beginning, but it really sets the scene for just how much weight is carried by some of the decisions the royal family has had to make throughout history, and how they sometimes have to make the choice they least want to make.

I would say probably less than half of what happened in this movie actually happened, but it was still a fun ride. Russian KGB are apparently a bunch of bumbling buffoons. Car chases and 'just in time' scenarios abound. If you go into this expecting a comedy/action movie you'll enjoy it. If you go in expecting some accurate drama and portrayal of what actually happened you'll be seriously disappointed. Taron Egerton did a great job as always, and the actor playing Alexey was also very good. Toby Jones, of course, was fantastic as always. I felt a little sorry for the other actors, as their characters felt like comic book caricatures. Anyway, despite the flaws it's an enjoyable couple of hours if you take it for what it is.

Andor is why I pay my Disney+ subscription. This is Star Wars for those who have grown up with the franchise and are yearning for a more mature take on the Universe. It's hard to use the work 'realistic' when it comes to sci-fi, but everything about Andor feels real. The characters act sensibly and their actions never feel like they are purely made to drive the plot forward. I think the last time I used the term 'sci-fi that transcends it's boundary' was when talking about Battlestar Galactica. I think I can safely use that term here too. It's not a action sci-fi, so it's audience it probably smaller, so I hope it will not get cancelled. I hope Disney can find the courage to front a show based on quality and not just audience numbers. I believe that quality shows will always be good revenue earners over time as they are appreciated by more people, even if they are not the most popular out of the box.

This is some seriously quality work, from the way the story is structured, to the respect it shows the victims, to the amazing cast. This is not some cheap slasher cash-in, but a seriously thought provoking and moving experience. We are able to see the story from many angles, most of them absolutely heartbreaking. It makes us feel for the victims, for their families, for others impacted, and even for Dahmer's family. But it does so without making excuses or having us sympathize with Dahmer himself. I could go on and on about the performances, but suffice to say EVERYONE brought their A-game. Hats off to everyone involved.

I nearly bailed on this after the first 2 episodes. I thought it was going to be more gritty and realistic, but by the second episode it became clear it was something more like 24. However, I'm glad I stuck with it because I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It did require some suspension of disbelief, but the cheese was kept to a minimum which I appreciated. It kept me interested enough to binge watch, so for that it deserves at least an 8 in my book.

It was kind of a fun watch, and I enjoyed Kristen's performance, but I thought it wasn't really funny enough to be a dark comedy (which is was obviously supposed to be) and not serious enough to be a thriller. It was kind of an awkward mix of the two. I think they should have played up the comedy elements a bit more.

I don't understand the negative reviews on here at all. I thought this was gripping from start to finish, and raised some great questions about how it's dangerous to follow without question. I really liked how it was split into 2 acts.

I'm looking forward to see where they go with this in a season 2, because it has the potential to shape into something really exciting.

I'm probably not the usual target demographic for this kind of teen fantasy drama, but I really enjoyed the Hunger Games series, so I thought I'd give it a go. I was very pleasantly surprised. The two lead orphan characters do a great job, and are very charismatic without being annoying. They really makes us feel for the characters and root for them. The acting all around is very good, and very well cast. The dialog isn't too corny, and the characters act in believable ways and don't make stupid decisions like in some shows that can really be a turn off. Really looking forward to another season of this. Well done!

Firstly, I really love the main characters and actors in this show. It's what kept me watching as long as I did. The first season was great, but in the the second it slowly starts to become very disjointed and starts to lose it's gritty realism. Half way though the third season things are really disjointed and some things just left completely hanging to the point where you wonder if there are complete episodes missing. The realism also completely gives way to ridiculous police tactics, just in order to further the story. It redeems itself somewhat in the last couple of episodes, but I can't help think this could have been a classic show if the writers hadn't gotten so lazy.

Everyone one in this show does such a fantastic job with their character. It's funny and disgusting yet sometimes moving. Such a hard balance to pull off, but the cast, writers, directors and crew nail it. A diamond in the rough.

As someone who grew up watching the Eurovision Song Contest this was fantastic. I thought it captured the feel perfectly, and the casting was great. Sure, there were a few misses, especially with the main villain, but it had a lot of heart and the songs were great. Total, silly fun. Would recommend to anyone who needs a break from the world we're living in right now.

I enjoyed the first season, but I must say I think season 2 is even stronger. Ricky does a great job as both writer, actor and director and brings out the best in a superb supporting cast. If there was one thing I'd change, I'd like to hear him talk about himself less with other people and speak more in the third person, but other than that it's pretty hard to fault this funny yet emotional comedy.

Do people really live like this? Adam Sandler was fantastic; everyone was fantastic. Great movie, but so stressful.

The Witcher season 1 was much better than I was expecting. The time jumps can be a little confusing to start, but it's just the beginning of a great story. The actors really nailed their parts. Can't wait for season 2! I really hope they take their time with this one and don't rush it like another fantasy show whose name we won't mention.