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Dakteoseu (2016)
Two likeable stars to keep you watching
This isn't one of the best kdramas, but it has two likeable stars and they keep you watching.
The first half of the series focuses very much on the love affair between those two stars, with various obstacle needing to be overcome. If you like a good romance it is likely that this will offer sufficient traction to get you engaged.
As we enter the second half, the core relationship has reached a kind of equilibrium and thus offers less dramatic impetus. So the focus shifts away somewhat to other plot strands, most particularly some hospital management shenanigans. Unfortunately this transition is a little grudging, much time still being dedicated to the central couple, meaning that the drama from those other plot strands can be a little undercooked.
But still, if you like the central couple you will want to keep watching.
Do-ga-ni (2011)
Chilling and heart-rending
This film is very tough to watch.
The superb performances by the child actors bring to life their terror and pain. Their abusers are also chillingly portrayed. But for me the most frightening part of the problem was so many adults keeping quiet. Their failure to act over many years allowed the abuse to go on and on.
All of this is chilling and heart-rending.
Being a true story, justice is not at hand. A lengthy court case delivers minimal sentences on the perpetrators. Bribery and corruption intervene.
I understand from other reviews that the film itself had a massive impact in Korea, resulting in various steps being taken to afford better protection to children. I guess that is the positive conclusion that the true story on the screen is unable to offer.
On the other hand, many countries have enacted child protection and teacher vetting legislation, but abuse continues. Certainly, here in the UK we have had scandals come to light years later from a time when such stories were simply not believed. There will always be evil adults wanting to prey on vulnerable children. Key to minimising their ability to do so is the willingness of everyone else to shout and scream when they witness something.
Vienna Blood (2019)
An enjoyable journey through the underbelly of imperial Vienna
An enjoyable journey through the underbelly of imperial Vienna.
Strengths include the presentation of the turn of the century city: the gloss of imperial grandeur and intellectual and artistic energy only just managing to hold at bay the competing nationalistic pressures threatening to tear the empire apart was very believable. It served as suitably fertile ground for much plotting and nefarious doings.
Amidst all this, Inspector Rheinhardt is an immovable constant, around which everything else revolves. Even Dr Liebermann needs his certainty in order to anchor his almost whimsical theories towards a satisfying conclusion.
I was less convinced by the Freudian theory deployed somewhat simplistically ,or so it seemed to this ignorant viewer.
But put that to one side, and there is much to enjoy here.
High Country (2024)
Could have been better
I have delayed writing this review while I sort out my conflicting thoughts about this series.
On the one hand the eponymous high country is an impressive backdrop to the story, there is an interesting sub-text regarding the aboriginal heritage of the police sergeant and the plot is complex and the ending contains surprises.
On the other I did struggle to follow the plot, which is not usually a problem for me. Worse, the main characters were too often required to behave nonsensically in order to create the next moment of drama.
So this series has its merits and I did watch it through to the end. But it could have been better.
Thelma (2024)
Resonance and humour
This film does not generate much excitement, but in its gentle story of an elderly lady trying to prove she can still cut it on her own it finds resonance and humour.
I guess an older audience are more likely to relate to that resonance and humour, but younger viewers with elderly relatives will find something here too.
Those of us who remember Shaft will also enjoy seeing Richard Roundtree again. Action man has become old codger. It's happening to all of us, and some of us couldn't do the action even when we were much younger! Oh well, its life's trajectory and the only things to do are to fight against it with grace and find the humour that you can. And that's exactly what this film does.
Miseuti (2018)
Epitomises the great strengths of kdrama
This is a multi-layered and engrossing drama driven by the flawed relationship between the central couple, both of whom are portrayed perfectly by the actors concerned. Their journey towards rediscovering love is peppered with mistrust and suspense. Nothing is straight-forward. Everything is uncertain.
In many way this series epitomises the great strengths of Korean drama: rounded characters, meaningful relationships, superb acting and complex plotting to keep you guessing. It hardly puts a foot wrong.
Yet here I am giving it an 8, which means I do recommend it but am unlikely to re-watch it. Perhaps the series strayed into overly melodramatic territory on occasion, trying just a tad too hard to wring out yet another moment of high drama.
Still - if you appreciate the strengths of korean drama as I do, then you will find much here to enjoy. As always I am struck by the perpetual failure of western drama to scale such heights.
The Jetty (2024)
Surely there are exciting dramas waiting to be made that don't involve the police?
I didn't really want to watch this, but my wife was keen. I feared another police drama with little new to say and an over convoluted plot attempting (but failing) to generate excitement.
Some of my fears were realised. The plot is rather convoluted and not always believable. An attempt is made to find resonance with the threat of male violence against women, which is a worthwhile cause, but seemed somewhat forced here.
Despite all that I did persevere to the end, although I would not have done so on my own. Jenna Coleman is, as always, watchable. The ending manages to be both obvious and unexpected. But it doesn't add up to much more than another police drama amidst the sea of mediocrity. Surely there are exciting dramas waiting to be made that don't involve the police?
Nunmuleui yeowang (2024)
Very Satisfying Love Story
This series gives us a very satisfying story of love conquering against all the odds. With two such wonderful actors in the lead roles and a plot full of evil villains and multiple challenges to be overcome there is every reason to get on side with our heroes and cheer them on.
The entertainment is deepened by the characters of the two leading characters. Neither is straight-forward. She is a controlling, power-hungry and money-grabbing woman evincing little empathy and few emotions. He is an out of love husband desperate to escape both her and her horrible family.
Then crisis hits and everything is turned upside down. Witnessing their journey is a joy. As the best Korean dramas do, this effortlessly combines romance, thriller and comedy into pure entertainment.
My only reservation is that the medical condition that drives much of the plot seems to appear when the plot needs it and then disappear until needed again. This series would otherwise merited a 10 instead of a 9. If the joy lingers I might return and upgrade the score.
Ssanggabpocha (2020)
Entertaining
This is an entertaining watch. The plot revolves around various Korean myths and legends and as such is sometimes rather non-sensical. But that's the nature of myths and legends. Into this world are placed 4 human and non-human characters and it is their relationships and interactions that power the story.
I did work out the secrets that lay below the surface well before the series declared those to us, but that actually increased my enjoyment as I watched the characters working towards the denouement.
Key to that enjoyment was the likeability of those 4 key characters. If you like them enough you will forgive the series when it slips into overly convenient plot devices.
Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)
Admirable
This series tells a dreadful story of human weakness and savagery, enabled by unquestioning belief in a self-serving religious doctrine. Some characters do shine through as rising above these frailties - the youngest Lafferty brother in particular, who eventually finds his way out of the tunnel his upbringing left him in. Inspector Taba perhaps leaves the strongest presence, maybe because his outlook is untarnished by religious certainty.
At this level this is a very thought-provoking and moderately exciting drama. Doubt is a much under-valued and often derided trait. But certainty as to your own possession of the truth and so the ability to enforce it on others is the result of a lack of doubt. Much such enforcement occurs here, particularly through male dominance of women.
I do not know whether this is an accurate reflection of the religions depicted, although the events purport to be true and the behaviours are all around us. I therefore choose to admire this series as a general warning, rather than as a specific portrayal.
Dakteoseulleompeu (2024)
Almost gave up on it
I am a fan of Park Shin-hye and have liked everything I have seen her in. Plus a story of two doctors struggling with mental health problems sounded interesting, with much potential for emotional engagement. So I started this series with high expectations.
Initial episodes didn't quite hit the mark, but the potential to do so always lurked, so I persevered. And as the mental health issues came to a head there was some improvement. But this happened so early in the series that I feared a loss of plot and impetus over remaining episodes.
And this is exactly what happened. I guess that if you were totally bought in to the romantic couple you might be enthralled by their minor travails over remaining episodes. To give an example, one whole episode is focused on the hero not knowing how to propose, entailing a lot of silliness as he trips over himself. Despite being so well disposed to Park Shin-hye I just could not remain engaged with their story.
I almost gave up on it before the end.
Wicked Little Letters (2023)
Worth going to see Olivia Colman enjoying herself so much!
Olivia Colman is always worth watching and she does not disappoint here. She appears to be having great fun in a part offering such contrasting behaviours. Jessie Buckley and Timothy Spall are also great.
In some ways this is a typically British film: tremendous acting squeezed into a little film about a forgotten incident a century ago. It's lovingly done but you do sometimes ask yourself whether there wasn't a bigger story that would showcase these talents more effectively.
It took me a while to tune in to the comedy, perhaps because of the incessant swearing. I hate gratuitous swearing, but it seemed less offensive than it might have been, perhaps because it is central to the story line and so not actually gratuitous, but also because it is delivered with a kind of innocence.
Worth going to see Olivia Colman enjoying herself so much!
Gungeomsa Dobeleuman (2022)
Entertaining
This series has its strengths and its weaknesses. Its biggest strength is its two leading actors, both of whom are more than up to the task of powering the action and giving us characters to root for.
They are aided by a complex plot with many twists and turns and some well-realised action.
On the downside, the focus on delivering entertainment too often eclipses any attempt at depicting reality, which somewhat punctures the excitement that might have been. Also, many of the characters are rather one dimensional. Goodies and baddies are painted in bold strokes with no room for rounded characters, except the one or two who change their spots as the plot develops.
But still, it's an entertaining watch with two likeable stars, and I was happy to enjoy it for what it is.
The Piano (2023)
Positive, edifying reality TV to savour
I am not generally a fan of reality TV, much of which showcases the worst human behaviours in the pursuit of unedifying entertainment. However, I am prepared to try the genre where it gives us positive human behaviours to cheer on. This series certainly does that and I could not be more pleased that I gave it a chance.
It is amazing to listen to amateur piano players hitting the keys in train stations across the land, quite often with no previous experience of public performance. The talent displayed by ordinary members of the public is enough to make you wonder why you have done so little!
It does seem a significant proportion of the best players have a challenging background, which makes you all the keener to cheer them on.
A contest like this can be jarring if the judges make what seems like the wrong call, even though you cannot argue with their expertise. But that happened much less often in series 2. And the overall winners of both series were totally the right picks.
This is positive, edifying reality TV to savour.
Tokyo Vice (2022)
Japan the enigma
My review is based on series 2, as I don't remember enough about series 1. But clearly I enjoyed that first series enough to get me watching the second.
I have been to Japan twice and really love the country and the people. So darn polite and helpful. Experiencing a completely different world without having to be intrepid. However, this series takes you into the criminal underbelly of Japan. Not something that my tourist experiences incorporated!
So it was great to see a different side of Japan on the screen, combining that mix of assimilated western culture and the differences that make Japan such an enigma.
All wrapped up in an exciting tale of gangsters and corruption. Loved it!
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)
Better than the first installment
I was pretty scathing about the first film, but watched this hoping for something better. It is better, although it still has its problems.
The last half of the film is a spectacular battle, which certainly helps. Zack Snyder delivers destruction and pyrotechnics on an immense scale and we all know that he can manage stylish action with aplomb. So much so that you forgive the film for lapses in common sense and coherency.
Unfortunately the first half of the film is less assured. An attempt is made to make us care for the village community our heroes are striving to protect. The most obvious example is an extended community harvest scene on which much care has been lavished, but it just doesn't work, perhaps because it does not "fit" within the overall narrative and so feels like it's forced in to the story.
Also, an effort is made to round out the characters of the band of heroes, but with a similar lack of success. Nevertheless Sofia Boutella, Djimon Housou and Bae Doona manage to bring their characters to some sort of life, without much help from the script or the director. The other heroes could almost disappear from the screen.
So the final battle is the key. Enjoy that and you forgive so much else. I did anyway.
Atlas (2024)
Enjoyed this more than the negative reviews suggested
I am not a fan of Jennifer Lopez, nor a sci-fi geek, yet I did find something to enjoy here that gave this film sufficient impetus for me to keep watching and left me pleased that I had done so.
The need for AI Smith to earn human Atlas' trust, despite her deep suspicion and unwillingness to enter into any such interaction, lent sufficient weight to their relationship to get me engaged. Of course, this idea is far from new, but it did provide a much needed additional dimension to the unceasing CGI action sequences.
Without that relationship the film has little to offer unless you are a fan of Jennifer Lopez or love CGI action. But It seems I did forgive the movie on both counts!
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Does what it sets out to do to a very high standard
I am not a natural fan of Mad Max, not being a petrol head, nor a lover of violence as entertainment in it own right. But I did enjoy Fury Road and so I braved this.
And I enjoyed it. The story of Furiosa offers plenty of opportunities to buy-in to her character and her fight, so providing enough emotional connection to make the action on screen meaningful. Both the child and adult Furiosa actresses do a good job.
However, the stand-out performer is Chris Hemsworth, who seemed to be having a whale of a time as Dementus, and who surprised me with his larger than life depiction of the the evil villain driving the plot forwards with his demented shenanigans.
None of which gives us an adult movie with a mature story populated by real people. But that is not what George Miller is trying to do. Instead he delivers non-stop high octane action. The 150 minutes pass in the blink of an eye - well, almost!
So this film gives us just what you expect from Mad Max, with enough plot and character to draw in even the non-petrol heads among us.
Eric (2024)
Much here to get your teeth into!
This is a satisfying tale on many levels.
Best of all is the redemption of Benedict Cumberbatch's character. He is a great actor and his skills are on full display here. His demons drive the series and he is fully able to make every bad decision and awful utterance believable and "true" to his character. Of course he has to reach rock bottom in order to face up to his failings and so he does because of the disappearance of his son.
The imaginary Eric is crucial to this journey and our understanding of it, so although Eric seems a little forced and unnecessary at first, these doubts soon fall away as you buy in to the power of the story that Benedict Cumberbatch is giving us.
The depiction of New York in the 1980's is also satisfying, in the sense that it feels real and truly dreadful. Was it really that bad? Although I did make it to NY in the 1980's, my intended stay of a few days was truncated by my instant dislike of the place, perhaps aggravated by a short walk in Harlem, so I journeyed on to Boston instead. In light of which, I am inclined to believe it.
Lastly I will highlight the character of Detective Ledroit, a gay, black man surviving amidst NYPD's intolerance and bigotry. I guess it is easy to believe that particular scenario.
There is much in this story to get your teeth into. I'd like to think that NY's improvement since then is a source of optimism, but then I have never been back, so what do I know?!
Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (2022)
Is this the real India?
I was persuaded to watch this by an Indian taxi driver who said it would show us what Bihar is like, as my mother was born and raised there.
I am glad I did. This is an exciting story of the police hunt for a notorious gangster. That story is lent significant weight by the fact that it is drawn from a book written by the policeman who lead that hunt.
Perhaps even more interesting for me was the opportunity to experience a slice of India. What emerges is a highly believable depiction of rampant corruption, industrial violence and widespread rural poverty.
I was in India as a tourist earlier this year and bemoaned the fact that we were ferried between architectural monuments and western hotels with almost no contact with the "real" India. Perhaps this show has filled that gap?
Ahsoka (2023)
An easy but far from satisfying watch.
There are some good things about this series. The special effects are good. The characters of Ahsoka and Huyang are not without interest. Baylan Skoll offers far more depth, however, and justifies a series of his own, although I believe the actor has passed away since.
Despite these strengths the show as a whole comes up short. The plot is pretty farcical, especially the space whales flying at hyper-speed between galaxies. Some of the characters lack any credibility - most obviously General Hera Syndulla - with almost no attempt made to give us any reason to believe that she really was a battle-hardened hero of the New Republic, used to commanding armies. Also, Ahsoka's multiple backflashes to her apprenticeship with Anakin Skywalker appeared entirely irrelevant to the story.
I guess it was easy watching, but it was less than satisfying.
Unnatural (2018)
Enjoyable
I enjoyed this series.
The individual characters are well drawn, each occupying a meaningful place in the drama. Their interactions develop and grow through the series without a false note anywhere.
The individual stories are interesting, as is the overarching plot concept of the unsolved case 8 years beforehand. Some excitement is generated. At times the cleverness of the plotting was apparent, for example the 8 year old corpse being buried in the USA, turning everything on its head. I cannot comment on the forensic science on display, but there was enough explanation to make it believable.
At times, however, there were happenings on screen that invited disbelief. The most obvious being our heroine's witness statement in court straying so far beyond her expertise as to elicit an emotional confession from the perpetrator.
But most of the time the positives I have mentioned were more than enough to move you past the less assured moments.
Stove League (2019)
Ted Lasso without Ted Lasso?
I watched this because of the presence of Eun-bin Park, even though I know nothing about baseball.
What struck me was the plot similarities with Ted Lasso: a struggling sports team bring in a manager with no knowledge of the sport because the owner wants the team to fail. The one thing missing was Ted Lasso himself. Here the manager concerned is much more cold and calculating, with the heart provided by the character played by Eun-bin Park.
Nevertheless, it seems that this series was made first and perhaps Ted Lasso took it as inspiration.
I was moderately entertained as I watched this, whereas I thought Ted Lasso was very good. So the absence of that character did suck something out of the entertainment for me. Perhaps baseball is just too alien to me also, whereas football is all around me, even though I don't follow it myself.
But hey, I was moderately entertained and Eun-bin Park is always worth watching.
Andor (2022)
Best Star Wars Yet
First the health warning on this review: I have never been a fan of star wars. I thought the original films were aimed at a younger audience and I was pretending to be an adult when they first appeared!
Then came Rogue One. The only Star Wars film I would rate, with mature storyline and an explanation for the ridiculous notion that the Empire would build a weapon of such power and leave it vulnerable to a fighter attack.
Then came Mandalorian, which I surprised myself by enjoying.
This is better than all of them. The world it creates is very believable, with excellent special effects and meaningful characters.
I particularly enjoyed the prison spaceship, which was superbly realised, visually and conceptually. Plus the meaningful character portrayed by Andy Serkis added so much to the depth of this realisation.
I do hope for another series.
Shardlake (2024)
About as good as the book
I do love reading historical fiction, but was not grabbed by the Shardlake books. I only read the first. However, the books have many fans and perhaps I would have been won round had I ventured into subsequent volumes.
With all that in mind I watched this with some hope. I was not convinced. The story seems rather slight, with major events in British history reduced to a foggy murder mystery. Stephen Saylor showed how to use this genre to shed light on history with his Roman novels. Now, a series based on those would be worth watching! Rory Clements did the same with his Tudor series.
I won't attempt a second series, should one be made.