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The Old Man and the Gun (2018)
The Old Man and the Gun (2018)
2018 | Biography, Comedy, Crime
8
7.9 (8 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Redford is one of a kind!
The whole time I was watching this film, it felt like a cross between classic Redford like Butch Cassidy, Brubaker, or Jeremiah Johnson. The plot and story are also similar to the recent Clint Eastwood crime drama, The Mule.

Hard to argue with watching Redford be Redford with his charm and grace portray a real sort of true true about an aging bank robber who can never seem to get enough wanting more and more, just addicted to the thrill of the caper.

Casey Affleck, Sissy Spacek and Danny Glover are also along for the ride and turn in memorable performances.

I liked th beginning and ending more than the middle. At just over 90 minutes, it seemed as if there were some extra scenes included just t increase the running time to a 90 minute minimum rather than to further the story, but this is a minor complaint.

Here's to hoping I can write reviews for more Redford greats for the next 20+ years!

  
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Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Unbelievable in TV

Oct 16, 2019  
Unbelievable
Unbelievable
2019 | Drama
A hard to watch but a must watch mini series
This is a true-crime story done so right. It focuses on a series of rapes so if that’s a trigger for you; stay well away; there is detail about the rapes.

I came across the story from a podcast episode on This American Life which had based an episode on the Pulitzer Prize-winning article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” and was rerunning the story because of this series coming out. It’s a hard-hitting story that strongly shines a light on the issues between differences of how victims can be treated. This adaptation does the story justice and is an engrossing watch.

We start off meeting Marie a young woman fresh out of the foster system who is raped by an intruder; her story and in particular how she is treated are hard to watch but important for people to understand the full horror of having to come forward as a victim.

As the series progresses we still see Marie’s journey but more of the action is on investigations into other rapes in different jurisdictions. We meet Det. Karen Duvall and Det. Grace Rasmussen who are both great and the story gets easier to watch as we see them get down to some hard-hitting police work.

What sets this apart in the current influx of true-crime TV is the real focus on the victims rather than the all too common focus on the perpetrator. It works so well; making a strong emotional watching experience.
  
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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Des in TV

Sep 20, 2020  
Des
Des
2020 | Crime, Drama
9
8.8 (8 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Gripping and creepy
I will start off by saying I might be biased when it comes to dramas like this. I love true crime, especially ones based here in the UK. It may be because of where I work or my educational background, or just because true crime is a fascinating subject. Whatever the reason, I've heard about Dennis Nilsen before and this short series is a truly excellent depiction of him and his crimes.

Right from the start this is a gripping and chilling watch. It has a slow pace but fortunately not enough that it ever drags too much. The soundtrack in this is often haunting and really enhances the tension and suspense, as well as giving you the creeps. And speaking of giving you the creeps, whilst the rest of the cast are very good, the standout is by far David Tennant as the ridiculously creepy Nilsen. He really gives you the chills and watching this you're almost in disbelief that Nilsen was this nonchalant and manipulative. But if you'd watched the "Real Des" documentary shown after this series finished, you'd see that this was actually have Nilsen was. And not only that, but Tennant embodies him perfectly - in looks, accent and general manner and behaviours. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing him so well.

This might not be a pleasant watch for many as whilst it's still a dramatisation, it does go into some gruesome and rather horrific detail on Nilsen's crimes. But it's worth watching for Tennant's stellar performance if nothing else.
  
1922 (2017)
1922 (2017)
2017 | Crime, Horror
Not Stephen King's best
Either this wasn't directed very well or it isn't Stephen King's best novella. There seemed to be something lacking to make it a true psychological thriller. It consists of a man who manipulates his son into killing his mother in order to stay on the land and live life as farmers. And as expected things go horribly wrong from there.

But the thing is, most of the things that go wrong are expected if you're watching this kind of film. You know from the outset that the husband and son won't live merrily if they've committed this sort of crime so it's a total anti-climax. After watching King's other adapted film @Gerald's Game (2017), this felt like a let down.
  
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Ross (3284 KP) rated S-Town in Podcasts

Jun 5, 2019  
S-Town
S-Town
Society & Culture
7
8.5 (21 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
Interesting, but nothing much happens
Don't expect this to be a true crime series. The blurb leads you to believe this may be a murder investigation. It is not.
What S-Town is, is an in-depth look at a troubled man in rural Alabama, who desperately wants some attention and for someone to care about the same things as him. He sees things happening locally that he is not happy with and is struggling to do anything about it.
The documentary series is a well structured analysis of a man with a head full of knowledge and a heart of gold, but with so many internal issues that hold him back.
Interesting, for sure, but not what you might be led to expect.