Search
Search results
Awix (3310 KP) rated Blinded by the Light (2019) in Movies
Aug 13, 2019 (Updated Aug 13, 2019)
Clumsy, trite, and overlong musical coming-of-age drama. The story of an Asian teenager living in Luton in a dress-up version of the late 1980s is brought to life through the music of Bruce Springsteen (well-known as one of the great interpreters of the British Pakistani experience).
As you can probably tell, there is something slightly odd and out-of-whack about the whole premise of the movie, but it's the realisation that is really shocking. Badly-performed characters swap platitudes and re-enact virtually every movie about growing up with strict Pakistani or Muslim parents you have ever seen before, with occasional musical interludes where characters sing along, not well, with Springsteen tracks. To say the dance routines look under-rehearsed is charitable. Apparently aims to be a feel-good movie but I'm sure I felt it trying to suck the soul out of my body. 'Blinded by the Trite', more like - certainly more dross than Boss (I can keep this up all day).
As you can probably tell, there is something slightly odd and out-of-whack about the whole premise of the movie, but it's the realisation that is really shocking. Badly-performed characters swap platitudes and re-enact virtually every movie about growing up with strict Pakistani or Muslim parents you have ever seen before, with occasional musical interludes where characters sing along, not well, with Springsteen tracks. To say the dance routines look under-rehearsed is charitable. Apparently aims to be a feel-good movie but I'm sure I felt it trying to suck the soul out of my body. 'Blinded by the Trite', more like - certainly more dross than Boss (I can keep this up all day).
Otway93 (580 KP) rated Mary Poppins Returns (2018) in Movies
Apr 19, 2020
Acting (1 more)
Animation
Story (1 more)
Music
Unfortunately, I appear to have outgrown poor Mary...
Unfortunately, after wearing out my video of the original Mary Poppins, recorded off of the TV in 1996, I have outgrown Mary Poppins, and unfortunately did not enjoy Mary Poppins or Mary Poppins Returns.
But that is not to say they aren't excellent movies for kids! For kids, both movies are practically perfect in every way, practically because the endless music will likely drive parents to despair as it did with me.
But it did have its redeeming features, I was dubious about a sequel to Mary Poppins after so many years with a new younger actress. But Emily Blunt fills the role perfectly, and gives a pleasant surprise!
Another plus is good old fashioned animation, similar to the original, a mix of animation and real life reminiscent of the original, and other classics such as Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Pete's Dragon.
So overall, come for the nostalgia, leave when the music starts.
P.S. Thank you Smashbomb for the DVD, I apologise for the delay in the review! :)
But that is not to say they aren't excellent movies for kids! For kids, both movies are practically perfect in every way, practically because the endless music will likely drive parents to despair as it did with me.
But it did have its redeeming features, I was dubious about a sequel to Mary Poppins after so many years with a new younger actress. But Emily Blunt fills the role perfectly, and gives a pleasant surprise!
Another plus is good old fashioned animation, similar to the original, a mix of animation and real life reminiscent of the original, and other classics such as Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Pete's Dragon.
So overall, come for the nostalgia, leave when the music starts.
P.S. Thank you Smashbomb for the DVD, I apologise for the delay in the review! :)
Don Kenyon: His Own Man
Book
Don Kenyon was a 'leader of champions and a champion of leaders' for good reason: he was his own...
Warprize (Chronicles of the Warlands, #1)
8.0
Rate It
Book
SHE MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN HER PEOPLE AND HER FREEDOM... Xylara is the Daughter of the Warrior King,...
A Very Private Diary: A Nurse in Wartime
Book
The newly discovered diary of a wartime nurse - a fascinating, dramatic and unique insight into the...
Of Street Piemen
Book
'...a good bit of spice to give the critlings a flavour, and plenty of treacle to make the...
Sonofdel (6291 KP) rated Always Look on the Bright Side of Life in Books
Feb 21, 2021 (Updated Feb 21, 2021)
Whenever i think of Eric Idle, two things come to mind. One is the obvious one, that he was one of the Monty Python team. The other is that he wrote and sang the theme tune for One Foot in the Grave. After reading this autobiography its clear i hardly had even scratched the surface. Over a very long career, he has starred in several movies including the brilliantly funny Nuns on the Run. He has written stage shows and plays. He has travelled around the world more times than Phillaes Fogg and he has met more famous people that i would have thought possible. In this book he tells it all from his early days writing, to organising the final Monty Python tour. He also covers the amazingly brilliant Spamalot (I saw it in Blackpool). He pulls no punches and his honest and frank appraisal of his behaviour is something you don't see very often. A very good read and very informative with lots of anecdotes and real life stories
Dean (6927 KP) rated The Walking Dead - Season 10 in TV
Apr 10, 2021
Good and bad
The Walking Dead has gone in an odd direction in the last series and this. I wasn't a fan of the big time jump last series and we have a lot of back and forth in the time line this series. The return of Maggie at long last goes by barely unnoticed, with no real explanation of where she has been during all this time. It carries on like she has never been away. There are a few episodes towards the end that feature mainly on just one or two characters, mainly due to covid filming. A couple of these episodes weren't great. The one truly saving feature of the season was an origin story of Negan. This was one of the best episodes for many series starring opposite his wife in real life playing Lucille. So a real mixed bag, some great individual episodes but overall as a whole it feels a bit disconnected and disappointing. Hope the extended final series is better.
Lowri Catryn (229 KP) rated Everyday Life by Coldplay in Music
May 7, 2020
Violin (5 more)
Adventurist metaphors
Spiritual
Equality
Reality
Vocals
Adventurous album taking on the uplifting but also brutality of reality and it's every day themes.
A new (different) album from Coldplay, which is definitely revealing their experimentation. The band take on heavy themes of love, war, racism, faith, gun control, friendship, climate change, police brutality and other every day themes in life. It is a double album consisting of 'Sunrise' and 'Sunset', which reveals the difference between the every day highs and lows of the above mentioned themes.
The opening of 'Sunrise' is set beautifully with string arrangements, with the lead violinist doing an excellent job of playing uplifting but also emotional tones to set the mood for the themes. Good versus bad, happy versus sad.
Coldplay never venture far from meeting with Eastern and Western sounds to encourage the acceptance of different religions and ethnicities.
'Sunset' is accompanied with loungey rhythm and blues tones which compliment the themes and meaningful lyrics.
However I can't help but note that I feel some depth is missing to convey their messages.
The opening of 'Sunrise' is set beautifully with string arrangements, with the lead violinist doing an excellent job of playing uplifting but also emotional tones to set the mood for the themes. Good versus bad, happy versus sad.
Coldplay never venture far from meeting with Eastern and Western sounds to encourage the acceptance of different religions and ethnicities.
'Sunset' is accompanied with loungey rhythm and blues tones which compliment the themes and meaningful lyrics.
However I can't help but note that I feel some depth is missing to convey their messages.
Dyed in the Wool
8.5
Rate It
Book
For fans of Ian Rankin, Ed McBain and Stuart MacBride, Dyed in the Wool sees the return of Detective...