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David McK (3414 KP) rated Echo in TV

Feb 22, 2024  
Echo
Echo
2024 |
6
7.0 (3 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Marvel's latest made-for-tv, and (apparently) the first in their 'Spotlight' series of more adult-orientated affairs (think Netflix's Daredevil, The Punisher, etc), following the character Echo first introduced in Hawkeye; the niece of the Kingpin.

Yes, the same Kingpin (and actor) as in the superb Netflix Daredevil series.

Charlie Cox Daredevil also has what amounts to an extended cameo in the latter half of the first episode, the first half of which is pretty much a recap of previous series!

Only 5 episodes long; starts strong but seems to run out of steam a bit.
  
Harry H Corbett: The Front Legs of the Cow
Harry H Corbett: The Front Legs of the Cow
Susannah Corbett | 2012 | Biography
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Told by his daughter, excellent series of interviews and contributions (0 more)
Insightful, Poignant and Revealing
I started reading this after only knowing of Harry H Corvett in Steptoe and son as Harold the long suffering son of Albert (Wilfrid Brambell) and also n Carry on Screaming as Sidney Bung. I never realised what an accomplished actor he was at this point. After reading this amazing insight into his life i have realsied how versatile an actor he really was. With this being written by his daughter i expected a lot of fawning sentimentality and i am glad that i was proved wrong. This is a very revealing, moving and motivational book written with care and consideration. As well as her own personal experiences she draws on people from stage and screen that include but are not limited to Bryan Murphy, Lynda Baron and writers such as Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. One of the best bigraphies i have read for a very long time. Its a long book and tells of the history of the various theatres that Harry worked at and for but i found this interesting rather than distracting. This also includes a section at the end that debunks some of the myths associated with Steptoe and Son (them hating each other, Wilfrid Brambell always being drunk etc). All in all a five star read.
  
Charly (1968)
Charly (1968)
1968 | Classics, Drama, Sci-Fi
Touching, sad and moving
Cliff Robertson won a Best Actor actor in 1968 fr his portrayal of a simple minded man who undergoes an experimental surgery first performed on mice to supposedly increase his intelligence.

Charly is a man who wants better for himself and for his simple life. He tries to do better by constantly challenging himself, but it is no use. He is the butt of jokes at his job at a bakery and he doesn't even know it. He can't even beat a mouse at a maze game given out by his physician friends. When a wild chance arises that could resolve all of Charly's woes, he jumps at the chance.

The operation does seem to be a slow success. His intelligence grows as well as his zest for life, his noticing the little things in live and also an interest in the opposite sex. Will his happiness be temporary or permanent?

The acting and screenplay in this film are superb as well as some interesting split screen camera work. Charly's growth and development are in stark contrast from the beginning of the film through his discovery of knowledge.

I had seen this film in middle school I think after we had read the source material "Flowers for Algernon" so I was anxious to revisit.

So glad I did.

  
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
2022 | Action, Comedy
8
7.8 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Nic Cage movies have become their own weird genre at this point, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is designed to be a sort of pay off to his wonderfully erratic portfolio.
Cage himself is an intoxicating lead as per usual, with his performance here landing on the quirkier side of things (as opposed to the seriousness of last years Pig for example). He's an actor who has embraced his place in the minds of the public, and isn't afraid to poke fun at himself. Pedro Pascal has fast become another actor that I always enjoy watching and here is no different. The chemistry between the two of them is wonderful, and the character moments they share are frequently wholesome and equally hilarious. The humour on display is a nice mix of subtle weirdness, and all out silliness. Multiple moments had the showing I was in cracking the fuck up, especially one that revolves around Paddington 2.
My only real criticism is that it doesn't go far enough. It's relatively grounded for a film that is all about Nic Cage being Nic Cage, and it could have gone further in its absurdity, even if I did ultimately enjoy the direction it went in.

Massive Talent is a blast that even the most stone hearted moviegoers out there will surely enjoy, especially any Nic Cage fans. An unencumbered good time.
  
Paddington 2 (2017)
Paddington 2 (2017)
2017 | Animation, Comedy, Family
I haven't seen the first Paddington film so was worried if I'd miss the intricacies of the plot or character development. But like with other superhero origin films, I think that film's purpose was to set up the sequels.
The film has an excellent cast and a strong storyline to make the most of them.
My one main gripe would be that there is a well-known English actor playing a Scottish character (Julie Walters) and yet two well-known Scottish actors playing English characters (Peter Capaldi and Tom Conti) which just struck me as odd but I'm not going all SNP about it.
  
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Role-Playing
Interesting battle system (2 more)
Beautiful art and music
Fantastic voice actor cast
Licence Points can be tedious (1 more)
Limited freedom with job changes
A solid game in the Final Fantasy series. The remaster is very well done with the graphics and they remastered the music as well which is also great. The story is interesting and the characters stand out because of the great voice acting. Playing it again reminded me how much fun I had with it the first time and with a great remaster, it was more fun the second time around.
My full Mother Gamer review here: http://lorrie28-mothergamer.blogspot.com/2017/07/mother-gamer-plays-final-fantasy-xii.html