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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021) in Movies
Jan 17, 2022
1/2 of a GREAT Movie
It is a fun surprise to be perusing all the streaming services available and tripping across a very entertaining film that, heretofore, was unknown.
Such was the case with THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN - a biography (of sorts) of the eponymous English painter, known for his fanciful portraits of cats.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch (in the title role) and Written and Directed by Will Sharpe (BLACK POND) based on a story by Simon Stephenson (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sharpe), THE ELECTICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN is 1/2 of a very good (maybe even GREAT) film that falls apart in the 2nd half.
The first half of this film finds the eccentric Wain finding love and discovering his artistic talent. It is this 1/2 of the film that draws you in - and must have been what drew the talents of Sharpe, Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth in the first few seasons of THE CROWN) and Cumberbatch to this film. Cumberbatch, of course, is superb as Wain (especially in this first half) and his chemistry with Foy (who plays his love interest/wife) is tremendous and IS the reason to see this film.
However, the film shifts focus, by necessity, in the 2nd half to the rising stardom of Wain and his descent into madness. Toby Jones (as his benefactor) and the always under-rated Andrea Riseborough (OBLIVION) take center stage with Cumberbatch in this part of the film and the love, fun, whimsey and depth of the first 1/2 of the film disappears. Riseborough, particularly, suffers from a poorly written role where her character - Wain’s disapproving sister - is (in essence) the “bad guy”, so Sharpe and Stephenson replace love, warmth and support with disapproval, anger and madness. While this is true to the life that Wain lived, it didn’t make for a particularly interesting 2nd half of a film.
Come for Benedict’s and Foy’s chemistry and performances, stay for the rest because…well…it’s still pretty good.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Such was the case with THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN - a biography (of sorts) of the eponymous English painter, known for his fanciful portraits of cats.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch (in the title role) and Written and Directed by Will Sharpe (BLACK POND) based on a story by Simon Stephenson (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sharpe), THE ELECTICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN is 1/2 of a very good (maybe even GREAT) film that falls apart in the 2nd half.
The first half of this film finds the eccentric Wain finding love and discovering his artistic talent. It is this 1/2 of the film that draws you in - and must have been what drew the talents of Sharpe, Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth in the first few seasons of THE CROWN) and Cumberbatch to this film. Cumberbatch, of course, is superb as Wain (especially in this first half) and his chemistry with Foy (who plays his love interest/wife) is tremendous and IS the reason to see this film.
However, the film shifts focus, by necessity, in the 2nd half to the rising stardom of Wain and his descent into madness. Toby Jones (as his benefactor) and the always under-rated Andrea Riseborough (OBLIVION) take center stage with Cumberbatch in this part of the film and the love, fun, whimsey and depth of the first 1/2 of the film disappears. Riseborough, particularly, suffers from a poorly written role where her character - Wain’s disapproving sister - is (in essence) the “bad guy”, so Sharpe and Stephenson replace love, warmth and support with disapproval, anger and madness. While this is true to the life that Wain lived, it didn’t make for a particularly interesting 2nd half of a film.
Come for Benedict’s and Foy’s chemistry and performances, stay for the rest because…well…it’s still pretty good.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Dean (6926 KP) rated Doctor Strange (2016) in Movies
Jun 10, 2017
Benedict Cumberbatch (1 more)
Amazing range of Sfx
A mindbending strange film
Another super hero Marvel film that will dazzle your eyes, if not your mind. All the magic, space, time and other dimensions makes it feel less connected to the rest of the Marvel universe. It's totally over the top, but the range of Sfx shots it leads to are amazing. A bit like inception on steroids. Interesting visually but the story will probably wash over you.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Doctor Strange (2016) in Movies
Aug 20, 2017
A good origin story
This is another Marvel comic origin story, so yes it's fairly predictable. However for me it's one of the better Marvel films I've seen in recent years. Due to its mind and universe bending nature, it has a completely different feel to the other super hero films. Benedict Cumberbatch is a great addition to the Marvel line-up, however his accent does get pretty dodgy at times. It's intriguing, funny and the special effects are fantastic.
David McK (3422 KP) rated Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) in Movies
Aug 6, 2023
Second entry (of, currently, three) in the so-called Star Trek Kelvin timeline, with the crew (including Zachary Quinto's Spock and Chris Pine's Kirk) on a mission to capture a renegade Star Fleet officer (played by a pre MCU Benedict Cumberbatch) who - despite all the pre-release denials - everybody *knew* would have links to the past of the original cast.
Especially with the poster.
Worth a watch - all the Kelvin timeline movies are - but, IMO, not as good as Star Trek.
Especially with the poster.
Worth a watch - all the Kelvin timeline movies are - but, IMO, not as good as Star Trek.
Sherlock: A Study in Pink
Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and Jay
Book
Sherlock Manga - printed in English in the US for the first time! Adapting the episodes of the...
Kevin Phillipson (10018 KP) rated Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) in Movies
Dec 16, 2021
Tom Holland (3 more)
Zendya
Bendict cumberbatch
Jacob batalon
Just watched omg in my opinion the best spider - man movie so far there won't be any spoilers here the film has it all villains many of them and there are many scenes that made me go yes for me as long time spider fan I almost cried at certain points in the movie and it was brilliant seeing jk Simmonds back as j jonah jameson spider - man movie wouldn't be the same without him. Overall just wow
Fantastically clever
This is a very clever and very well written series. It has a fantastic cast, it's made Benedict Cumberbatch the star he is today and the supprting cast are great too. Mark Gatiss is fab as Mycroft, I just wish he was in it more. Same with Moriarty.
The episodes and plots themselves are well thought out and intriguing, and very difficult to work out the endings in advance. My only criticism would be that the last season 4 wasnt as strong as the earlier 3 - it was almost a little too bonkers.
The episodes and plots themselves are well thought out and intriguing, and very difficult to work out the endings in advance. My only criticism would be that the last season 4 wasnt as strong as the earlier 3 - it was almost a little too bonkers.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Sherlock - Season 1 in TV
Aug 9, 2017
First series is the best series by far
Without a doubt, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman transformed the face of Sherlock, completely updating it for modern viewing. Sherlock is played to be on some kind of spectrum, which allows him to work out calculations at lightning speed. He's arrogant but hilarious and Watson is an absolute spellbinder of a sidekick. The bromance is beautiful. But the first series by far is the most coherent without going into odd tangents and storylines. Really worth the watch.
Erika (17788 KP) rated Crimson Peak (2015) in Movies
Jun 14, 2018
I feel kind of bad for Crimson Peak, for one, it was marketed completely wrong. Universal marketed it as though it was a horror movie, when it couldn't really be farther from it. The inspiration for it was Rebecca and the Mysteries of Udolpho, it was a gothic romance. I liked Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska in it, but Jessica Chastain... I have nothing nice to say about her performance.
The twist was.... creepy. I can't help but wonder what the film would have been like if Benedict Cumberbatch hadn't dropped out.
The twist was.... creepy. I can't help but wonder what the film would have been like if Benedict Cumberbatch hadn't dropped out.
The Current War (2017)
7.2
Rate It
Movie Watch
Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse -- the greatest inventors of the industrial age -- engage in a...