Change Your Image
eamonnb
Reviews
Doctor Who (2023)
Not sure what this is, but it isn't Dr Who
There's nothing at all wrong with change - new characters, new ideas and new actors can bring freshness to a long-lived series. But, there has to be a limit. This show is no longer Dr Who. So much has been changed that not a single vestige of the original remains. At best, this is a palimpsest - something new drawn over the remains of something that once existed. At worst, its a tawdry, camp travesty - something that steals the name and reputation of a well-loved character. RTD - if you've got new ideas produce something new! Stealing from the past - even if you're stealing from yourself - is intellectually lazy and produces aub-standard results. Look at the ratings Russel - I don't think history will look back on this terrible show with much love.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
Nothing if not predictable
Before I watched it, my expectations were:
Neutering the Hulk
Re-imagined origin story
Women are awesome, men are useless
And of course I was right.
It'd be nice if one day Disney decided to subvert my expectations by producing a show that stands on its own merits rather than blindly (and badly) following the currently fashionable Hollywierd tropes.
It's a one and done for me. I'm out.
Lightyear (2022)
Disappointing :-(
As we know, this isn't a Toy Story movie - it is an origin story. The origin story of a person who inspired a kid to buy a toy. It's meta to to the point of self-indulgence (and beyond..?).
More importantly (for me, at least) is that they've forgotten to make the film entertaining. No kid watching this film would want a toy based on this character. No toy company seeing this story would say "Buzz - he's our next billion-dollar toy". The story is grim and dull and has more in common with Interstellar than Toy Story. Time and mortality are interesting concepts, but not in a film that is trying to compete with a Minions movie.
I can only assume that Pixar made the film they wanted to see and completely ignored their audience. I wonder why they're surprised that their audience ignored the film in return?
Le conseguenze dell'amore (2004)
Cool, stylish, gripping and wonderful
Well, where do I start...
As one of the other reviewers said, you know you're in for a real treat when you see the opening shot - minutes and minutes of film time spent on a guy standing on a travelator.
I won't repeat Rubin's excellent summary of the story. What I would like to say, though, is that this film gripped me more than any film I can remember. I sat open-mouthed, and on the edge of my seat all the way through. The camera work, sound track and *fantastic* performances (particularly that of Tony Servillo) draw you to the screen and won't let you look away.
It's Italian, so of course everyone looks fantastic, but it is by no means merely an exercise in cool style. This is a film with lots to say about luck, loss and love.
Go and see it.