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Enchanted April (1991)
Quite disappointing
When I watched this film it had a rating of 7.3. I was expecting a decent film. This is like the first episode of a series. The acting is good. The direction is nice. But overall, I was completely surprised when the film ended, as nothing seemed to have happened. It was like a film with only 2-acts. We get the setup in England. And then they are in Italy, and then they are on the way home.
I'm guessing that this was probably quite a decent book. But the character development in film is non-existent. One minute they are arguing, and a few minutes later they are the best friends; and promising to be friends for life. And then the film is over.
Watching it, makes me feel like large chunks of the book have been omitted.
The Birthday Cake (2021)
Would have been bad for a student film
Clearly having great ingredients isn't enough to make a even a mediocre film; you also need a good cook. This film is stunningly bad. The story is fine, although probably really just enough for a TV movie or a short film. The actors are great. But the direction and final cut are just disgraceful.
And the final nail is that they have to have Ewan McGregor do a voice-over to give the film a clear narrative.
The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs (1974)
Very poor comedy from the 70's
I do like David Jason. He's done some very entertaining work. This is not some of this best, or even good work. The comedy is not clever; it is stupid. Clearly others disagree with me here, looking at other reviews and the overall score. This would be barely funny to a 6-year old. Part of the failing is that Jason is the only one with anything resembling anything that could be called funny. He is acting against 5-straight characters. I would say this is at the exact opposite end of the comedy spectrum to Black Adder. I have watched the first 8-episodes, and I would say it is more frustrating to watch than anything. There are so many truly brilliant British comedies to watch before this one. I would suggest not bothering with Edgar Briggs.
Poirot: Dumb Witness (1996)
Doesn't make sense
I really enjoy the Poirot series; and even this one wasn't bad. Unfortunately this episode contains, what I would describe as mistakes.
The murder's motive was money. The victim, after nearly being killed, changed her will, and thereby removed the murder's motive. Now the murderer had put the poison in the capsule before the will was changed, but surely it would have behooved the her to retrieve the capsule before they were consumed so as to have a chance of convincing the victim of changing her will, and not committing murder.
The 2nd victim was killed for no obvious reason at all. He discovered a fact which was mostly irrelevant, and which was already known, and yet was murdered. There was no way that the 2nd victim knowing about phosphorus could have lead to her being discovered; so why risk a break-in to commit the 2nd murder?
The bobby said the 2nd victim died of carbon monoxide poisoning. He didn't; he died from whatever type of gas they used in the heater in the room. It would only have been CO if the heater had been turned on and the exhaust gas was diverted to the room.
Poirot: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1990)
Nice show, but stupid solution
Everything about this episode fits in well the the series generally. It is very well produced and acted, and generally enjoyable to watch.
The problem with the episode lies in the fact that the culprit decides to leave the most inculpatory pieces of evidence at the scene of the crime. The culprit broke into a locked room where the victim had died to retrieve a letter that proves his guilt. When he hears Poirot and some others coming to the room he decides to tear up the letter in 3- strips, crush them lengthwise and leave them with some other pieces of crushed paper in a vase on the mantelpiece. He then escapes through a second door before Poirot et al. arrive.
Why the hell didn't he just take the letter? What he should have done is so obvious that it spoils the episode. Fortunately this information is only revealed to the audience at the end of the show, so one gets to enjoy most of the episode before the incredible action of the perpetrator is revealed.
Margaret Cho: Assassin (2005)
Not funny
I've seen Cho on various things on TV and thought she was quite funny, so I decided to give this one a try. I was extremely disappointed. I'm on-board with her politically, but making a statement of political opinion, no matter how true, is not comedy. We all know George Bush was an idiot, but just saying that doesn't make it funny.
In terms of political humor, Bill Hicks was the master. He not only got the point across, but he was hilarious while doing so. That is what I expect from a political comedian.
The oppression of minorities, and in some cases majorities, is an awful thing--but just saying so is pretty awful comedy.
To Have and Have Not (1944)
What an awful film
This film is barely passable. While Bogart is one of my favourites; this film is just a knock-off of "Casablanca": it is set during WWII, in a an area controlled by the Vichy French, involving a couple who Bogart helps move around against the wishes of the police, one of the characters plays a piano, much of it is set in a bar, after a shooting the bar is closed by the cops, Bogart helps out the resistance reluctantly, Bogart tries to send the girl away. It even has a Sidney Greenstreet and a Peter Lorre impersonator.
And as for the ending--what a load of old toss. While modern Hollywood films suffer from the never-ending ending; this film does the opposite. It feels as if they all had another film to get to.
It is a disgrace that this film is now scoring 8.1 here. Just having Bogart and Bacall does not make a film good--and here is the proof.