tm-sheehan

My Review- Freud's Last Session My Rating. 7/10

I found this movie more interesting than entertaining based on a play by Mark St. Germain who wrote the screenplay with Matt Brown who also directed the movie.

It portrays an imagined meeting between the Sigmund Freud the great Austrian founder of psychoanalysis and C. S. Lewis the famous British writer of The Chronicles of of Narnia plus a literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian.

I think this would come across to audiences more effectively on stage than as a movie however to have the privilege of seeing two fine actors like Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Goode who plays C. S. Lewis act out an imaginary meeting between two intellectual giants debating their spiritual philosophy and faith or lack of it is a fascinating concept.

Set on the eve of WWII after the invasion of Poland Sigmund Freud is suffering from incurable cancer and approaching the end of his life . He invites author C. S. Lewis for a discussion about the existence of God.

The famous saying advising never to discuss religion or politics or sex doesn't apply to these 2 men one who is an atheist the other who has an unshakable faith in his God.

C. S. Lewis has faced death in the trenches and asks Freud why his scientific faith can't allow the possibility of a belief in a spiritual faith?

The interaction of these two men in Frued's study are cordial at they recall moments in each others earlier lives however Frued 's anger begins to show when the subject of his daughter Anna's and her friendship with Dorothy Birmingham enters the conversation.

Anna lived with Dorothy for many years after her father's death and together with Melanie Klein established the Hampstead Child Therapy Course and Clinic in 1952, now renamed the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families.

Sigmund Freud believed that homosexuality was a sexual dysfunction so this subject obviously was a prickly one for an old man totally dependent on his daughter's care to discuss.

Anna Freud is played in the movie by Liv Lisa Fries and she is very impressive in this supporting role .

Personally this aspect of the movie I thought detracted from the main topic of spiritual faith versus scientific denial and the possibility of a link or bridge between each philosophy?

At the end of the movie I decided I liked C. S. Lewis as a character much more than Sigmund Freud who Lewis describes as a very selfish man.

Frued's Last Session as I said is interesting a bit dull but showcases 2 great actors performances. I would love to see the play.

My Review- Ripley Streaming on Netflix

My Rating 8/10

It's unusual for me to begin a review by praising the cinematographer but this 8 part series is a joy to watch from beginning to end it immediately reminded me of the work of the famous French photographer and film maker Henri Cartier-Bresson.

The Director and writer of this adaptation Steven Zaillian was inspired by a black and white photo on the cover of his edition of The Ripley novel by Patricia Highsmith .

It stayed on his mind and he thought his television adaptation would lend itself to the monochrome treatment and I think it was a great decision .

The cinematographer Robert Elswit shot all episodes with Arri Alexa LF digital cameras capturing amazing definition and depth .

Andrew Scott plays a more mature Tom Ripley than the previous actors that have played this character both Alain Delon and Matt Damon were in their mid twenties Andrew Scott was in his late forties when he filmed Ripley.

I think he gives a fascinating new take on the character far more darker and complex than the previous fine actors who interpreted the role Alain Delon in the French movie Plein soleil or Matt Damon in the 1999 movie The Talented Mr Ripley.

I wont say that Andrew Scott gives the definitive interpretation but it's certainly the most interesting his face is a canvas that constantly changes as he deceives, charms, murders when his evil deeds catch up with him . His portrayal of Tom Ripley is of a man with a thousand faces who feels a self entitlement and desire to possess the affluence and wealth of his victim Dickie Greenleaf played by Johnny Flynn.

Tom Ripley flees his fraudulent lifestyle in Manhattan when his schemes unravel landing in The Italian Riviera like a cuckoo in to the nest of Dickie Greenleaf the privileged son of a wealth Baron who commissions Tom to convince his artistic playboy son to return to the family fold back in America .

Tom Ripley not only has to convince Dickie Greenleaf that he knew him in America he also has to convince his suspicious girlfriend Marge Sherwood played by Dakota Fanning sister of Elle who really impressed me in this role what a talented family she belongs to.

Tom Ripley is a loner and even rehearses his deceptive dialogue to with himself as he plots his strategy to convince the various characters in Dickie Greenleaf's life especially his girlfriend Marge Sherwood that he is who he says he is as he gradually wins over the trust of Dickie Greenleaf.

I was less impressed with Johnny Flynn's casting as Dickie Greenleaf I thought he was dull and uninteresting but perhaps that's just what the director wanted ?

The series for me started off at a little slower pace then after a few instalments it really took off at a very thrilling speed that reminded me of Alfred Hitchcock's style .

In fact the whole series I thought is a tribute to the famous film-noir movies of the post war 1950's period.

I looked up the definition of film noir which fits this series beautifully as a style of filmmaking characterized by such elements as cynical heroes, stark lighting effects, frequent use of flashbacks, intricate plots, and an underlying existentialist philosophy.

Ripley is a well crafted series and very entertaining well worth a look in my opinion.

My Review- To Olivia My Rating 7/10

I've read various descriptions of this movie made in 2021 mostly describing it as depicting the tumultuous marriage between author Roald Dahl and Oscar winning Hollywood actress Patricia Neil.

Both roles impressively played by Hugh Bonneville as Roald Dahl and Keeley Hawes as Patricia Neal, who also gives an impressive performance . However I thought in this case Keeley Hawes a little too British to play the Kentucky born famous American actress with a very distinctive voice.

I disagree with the simplicity of labelling this emotional story just as a the story of a tumultuous marriage .

It was a marriage that lasted 30 years in which the couple survived the tragedy of a brain damaged son then the loss of their eldest daughter Olivia at the age of seven from encephalitis caused by measles .

Then later Patricia Neal suffered three burst cerebral aneurysms while pregnant in 1965 and was in a coma for 3 weeks.

Roald Dahl who was fascinated by medicine assisted in his wife's recovery by pushing Patricia Neal back to normalcy with six hours of mental and physical exercise every day.

The timeline that this movie portrays in their marriage takes place earlier in the 1960's at a tumultuous time in both their lives .

Roald Dahl's writing success was minimal compared to his famous wife Patricia Neal who is offered the movie role that she eventually won her best actress Oscar for cast as Alma Brown opposite Paul Newman in the 1963 hit movie Hud.

It explores the couples shared grief which eventually becomes a source of redemption and strength, ultimately leading Dahl to write the renowned classic "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Directed by John Hay who co wrote the script with David Logan To Olivia is based on a novel by film historian Stephen Michael Shearer titled An Unquiet Life.

I enjoyed this movie as I think anyone interested in film history but I wonder if the novel is better than the movie.

My Review- Scoop My Rating. 6/10

I would gladly watch any docu drama with a cast that includes Rufus Sewell, Billie Piper, Gillian Anderson and Romola Garai and I though they all have impressive performances.

However I was disappointed with Scoop based on the novel Scoops written by Samantha McAlister an English former TV producer and author, best known for securing an interview with Prince Andrew on BBC Newsnight's program that disclosed his involvement with the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Epstein cultivated an elite social circle and procured many women and children whom he and his associates sexually abused.

If this part of Prince Andrew's involvement was part of the whole Epstein story as part of a series I would have found it more interesting.

This docudrama in my opinion even perhaps could have been covered in a later series of The Crown rather than a drawn out pat on the back for the BBC team who successfully exposed the covert and corrupt association that Prince Andrew the Duke of York had with Epstein and his criminality.

I imagine this television event did attract a great deal of interest and great ratings for the BBC but I remember thinking what an idiot Prince Andrew was and I felt so sorry for his late mother The Queen to have to experience yet another family scandal in the last two years of her long life.

My Review/ Civil War My Rating 6/10 In Cinemas now

Civil War explains the title of this road trip movie to hell and all you need to know about the plot can be summed up in a few words mayhem, insanity and a Nation imploding.

This modern Civil War takes place in the not to distant future but unlike The first American Civil War when the country split into two groups North and South this war involves the whole nation split 4 ways known as Loyalist states, Western Forces The Florida Alliance and The New People's Army When the unlikely alliance of Texas and California known as The Western Forces are about to make a final push to the Capital Washington to permanently remove a rogue President the violence really escalates to fever pitch.

A team of war reporters led by Lee played Kirsten Dunst who gives a wonderful performance and Joel played by Wagner Moura leave a war torn New York City to cover the action and try to get an exclusive interview with The President before the Western Forces get to the White House.

A third member of the group is a young aspiring reporter Jesse played by Cailee Spaeny who also is impressive plus a veteran reporter Sammy played by Stephen McKinley Henderson.

My problem with this movie written and directed by Alex Garland is that so much is unexplained with so many questions unanswered like who, what, when and why did this Civil War begin.

We as movie audiences are instantly thrown into the action and horror of very confronting and very disturbing war violence with no background, perhaps that's the direction that Alex Garland decided he wanted this movie to take .

It begins with this unnamed President in his third time giving a national telecast falsely stating a great victory is imminent that's all we know.

Then the crux of the story begins with the war reporters hellish trip to the Capital.

I really hope every American sees this movie but I can't say it impressed me in fact it disturbed me again I'm sure that was Alex Garlands intention .

However if it makes Americans think about the consequences of who they vote for this year he has my vote .

Mr Bates vs. The Post Office Streaming on 7plus My Rating 9/10

As one article stated There is a moment in "Mr Bates vs. The Post Office" that makes you as a viewer go "it cannot be real" only for you then to remind yourself that what you are watching is a true story.

However as Australians we know that so called revolutionary computer programs linked to our recent Robodebt class action cause heartbreak and great financial loss to innocent users of these systems.

This 4 part series tells the true story of one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history. When money started to seemingly disappear from its local branches, the government owned Post Office wrongly blamed their own managers for its apparent loss.

These allegations took a heavy toll on the victims and their families, leading to stress, illness, family breakdown, and at least four suicides.

The events depicted in Mr Bates vs The Post Office took place over a 20 year period covering the first sackings of sub postmasters and closures of their shops in 1999 to 2009 to the eventual class action that took place in 2020 2021 that began to see justice , accountability and some compensation for the victims of a faulty accounting system called Horizon.

A splendid ensemble cast headed by Toby Jones perfectly cast as Alan Bates a Welsh sub- postmaster who after being accused of fraudulent accounting was locked out of his business . Alan Bates eventually became the champion of over 500 post office workers who experienced the same treatment when the British Post Office insisted their accounting system Horizon doesn't lie .

As each victim rang for help to rectify the mistake they were just told they were responsible for the short loss and that no one else had reported the same problem?

This series is a David and Goliath story everyone should see this cautionary tale . It's beautifully directed by James Strong and written by Gwyneth Hughes.

After the series be sure to watch the 48 minute documentary on the same channel The Real Story of Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

My Review- HBO streaming Foxtel The Regime - Streaming on Foxtel My Rating 6/10

The Regime is billed as a Political satire which it certainly is , however for me it's more of a slapstick comedy than clever satire.

It's worth a look just for the brilliance of Oscar winner Kate Winslet's performance as the witless narcissist Chancellor Elena Vernham who rules like a dictator on speed an unnamed Central European principality .

Elena is quite unhinged even seeking instructions from her mummified father when the proverbial "S"hits the fan.

The unnamed kingdom is centred in a vague location between Switzerland and Germany and its deprived citizens mine plutonium while their leader and their corrupt government live in luxury ,an all too familiar story.

Kate Winslet obviously had great fun filming The Regime and has great comedy timing .

I admired the way she kept up Elenas's lisp impediment throughout the series plus her occasional singing on the local television station to entertain her people at Yuletide.

The Regime actually gets quite dark toward the conclusion as Chancellor Elena's empire begins to crumble and the rebels stage a coup.

Matthias Schoenaerts is also very impressive as the Rasputin like villain Corporal Herbert Zubak who mesmerises Elena with his charms and mysterious health remedies after he helps her surrogate son Oskar who suffers from seizures.

The other impressive cast member is Andrea Riseborough who plays Oskar's birth mother Agnes and personal assistant to Elena she is straight faced and dour throughout but adds real substance to a fractured plot.

This 6 part series In my opinion may have worked more effectively as a feature movie at times it reminded me of Wes Anderson's brilliant 2014 movie The Grand Budapest Hotel .

However this series for me was a bit of a drawn out farce lasting far too long .

The team of writers headed by series creator Will Tracy who wrote The Menu and 3 episodes of Succession which I think are both brilliant I thought lost their way a little in this romp comedy.

Stephen Frears and Jessica Hobbs directed 3 episodes each and I think maybe that's one reason that for me it lost its way for me .

Let's just say I'm glad I watched The Regime for the ensemble performances especially Kate Winslett.

My Review - Black Earth Rising Streaming on Netflix My Rating 9:10

This year on the 7th of April marks the 30th Anniversary of the start of the 1994 genocide that took place in Rwanda which lasted for the 100-day period to mid-July 1994.

More than 1 million people mostly from the Tutsi minority ethnic group, but also moderates from the Hutu majority who tried to protect Tutsis were systematically murdered by Hutu extremists during a 100 day killing spree.

Black Earth Rising is a powerful 8 part series released in 2018 that concerns the incredible task of a dedicated team of lawyers and diplomats trying to bring War criminals and the Political system that allowed these horrors to occur to justice.

It's a very emotional series the events of the genocide are based on fact but the series story by Hugo Blick is fictional .

Episode one begins with the foster mother of Kate Ashby , Eve Ashby a renowned International lawyer accepting a War Crimes case to be heard in The Hague at The International Court of Justice Eve Ashby played by Harriet Walter saved her daughter's life of by rescuing her as a baby from the Rwandan genocide after Kate's parents had been brutally murdered.

When Eve Ashby takes on the War Crimes case involving an African militia leader the consequences of her decision alter her Rwandan born daughter's life forever.

The series then thrillingly enters a much wider arc of targets when John Goodman who gives a superb performance as Michael Ennis a barrister and friend of Kate's mother takes on the case together with Kate as a legal investigator.

This 8 episode series was written directed and produced by Hugo Blick who also has a major role in episodes 4 and 5 cast as Blake Haines the vile attorney in 2 dramatic episodes of Black Earth Rising .

Interestingly while in production the series was titled The Forgiving Earth but I think wisely went back to the original title at release time.

The series has a few slow spots but builds to a thrilling climax and thankfully focuses more on the drama of the fight for justice and accountability rather than depicting the shocking genocide that did actually occur in Rwanda thirty years ago this week.

A splendid ensemble cast some I've mentioned also include Tamara Tunie as Eunice Clayton the U. S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs ,Noma Dumezweni as Alice Munezero , a former General in the Rwandan Patriotic Army , all give top calibre performances in fact the entire production cast and crew deserve credit for this disturbing but thrilling series.

No doubt in years to come we will see similar stories of the atrocities of War still occurring in our world today because we never have learnt to live in Peace.

Mary & George My Rating. 8:10 Streaming Foxtel

Horrible history or hysterical history movies and series are very popular at the moment depending on your point of view .

We have The Favourite 2018, The Great 2020, Queen Charlotte-A Bridgeton Story ,Versailles 2015 and now Mary and George or as I call it " Moma Rose and Gorgeous George.

Julianne Moore is brilliant as Mary Villiers who later became The Countess of Buckingham like Mama Rose in Gypsy she lives her dreams of ambition and fame through her child .

In Mary's case it's not the showbiz stage that she's pushing her handsome son George Villiers toward it's The Royal Court and bed of King James 1st played by Tony Curran.

George is perfectly cast with Nicholas Galitzine as the handsome youth but he is just one of many who attract the attention and desire of King James the 1st .

James had already provided an heir to the throne his sonn who later became Charles the first but that's another story.

James the First married the Danish Princess Anne of Denmark when she was just 14 they had three children that survived .

A rift in the what appeared to be a happy marriage occurred with rumours concerning The Kings male favourites and possible lovers, notably Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset and George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham.

This is the primary aspect that the series creator D. C. Moore and the screenwriters have concentrated on in their adaptation of Benjamin Woolley's book The King's Assassin: The Fatal Affair of George Villiers and James I.

How much is fact and how much is fiction to add to the drama I'm not sure but Mary and George while looking authentic to the period in sets and costume doesn't try to pretend to be a historical document .

This story is dramatic, very raunchy and sensual in parts but I think it succeeds in creating an impression of just what the moral and ethical behaviour of the court of James 1 would have been like.

There is no attempt to creat Shakespearean type British accents especially from Julianne Moore as Mary and I think this adds reality to her character .

This North Carolinian born actress is mesmerising in this role you can see the wheels of her mind turning as she schemes and plots like Lady Macbeth to increase her power with her son George as the currency to purchase the power and influence she desires at any price.

Mary marries her way up the ranks, bribes politicians, colludes with criminals and claws her way into the hearts of the establishment, making it her own.

I really enjoyed this realistic almost contemporary look into the horrible history of James I who was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots and The King of Scotland for 36 years .

He began The Stuart dynasty which reigned in England and Scotland from 1603 to 1714.

If you enjoyed The Crown television series and the scandalous intrigue Mary and George I'm sure will be on your list.

Mary & George is inspired by the explosive true story of Mary Villiers, who moulds her beautiful and charismatic son, George, to seduce the King and achieve immense power.

From humble beginnings the pair rise to achieve riches, titles and huge influence on the English court through outrageous scheming and dangerous gameplay.

The stakes are incredibly high, with England's place on the world stage under threat from a Spanish invasion and rioters taking to the street to denounce the new king.

Prepared to stop at nothing and armed with ruthless political steel, Mary marries her way up the ranks, bribed politicians, colludes with criminals and claws her way into the hearts of the establishment, making it her own.

Mary & George is an audacious historical psychodrama about a treacherous mother and son who schemed, seduced and killed, in order to conquer the court of England and the bed of its King.

My Review - Litvenko Streaming on SBS on Demand My Rating 9/10

David Tennant is truly outstanding cast as Alexander Litvenko the British naturalised Russian defector and former officer of the Russian Federal Security Service.

Litvenko was poisoned and eventually died of radiation chemicals in 2006 aged 44.

Equally impressive in this series is Mark Bonnar who is cast as Detective Superintendent Clive Timmons who is in charge of one of the most serious murder cases in British history.

Based on actual events Detective Timmons is the first person to believe that the incredibly ill Litvenko is probably the only murder victim he has investigated that is still alive and slowly dying of radiation poisoning.

Litvenko bedridden in hospital relays the events that caused his horrific poisoning in an attempt to find justice and expose his assassin.

Alexander Litvenko totally is convinced that Vladimir Putin has been instrumental in ordering his death and as the detective discovers how contamination with anything that's related to the case can cause death this 4 part series takes off in a thrilling way.

This series also has an impressive ensemble cast directed by Jim Field Smith with a great script by George Kay who also created the top rating drama Lupin .

The series is even more fascinating especially in view of the recent events in Russia and the death of Alexei Navalny I highly recommend it .

My Review- The New Look - streaming on Apple+ My Rating 10/10

What a great series for so many reasons two being the superb performances of Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel and Ben Mendelsohn who gives what I think is the finest performance of his career playing the legendary French fashion designer of The New Look Christian Dior.

I also was incredibly impressed with Maisie Williams who plays Catherine Dior the beloved sister of Christian who survived the hell of slave labor in Ravensbruck and other camps, a death march to Dresden and likely rape by Soviet troops during liberation.

The New Look is a story of survival on many levels during and after the 2nd World War after the Nazi invasion of France and Europe.

Coco Chanel who preceded Dior also survives after the war but not without serious allegations of conspiracy and cooperation with The German Reich.

Coco who was 27 years senior to Christian Dior was scathing in her disdain and jealousy when Dior exploded on the fashion scene transforming the wardrobe of the contemporary woman almost overnight, leading to a rejection of the war years practicality in women's tailoring.

Chanel was not afraid to express her disapproval. She accused Dior of dragging women back to the 19th-century ideals of femininity-upholding notions that women were objects to be admired by men. "Dior doesn't dress women

The New Look is a ten episode epic series full of surprises, intrigue and emotional content especially centred around these two very different and complex characters Coco Chanel and Christian Dior.

Ben Mendelsohn is totally convincing playing the famous French and Jewish fashion designer who remained in Paris during the occupation .

His beloved sister Catherine was a hero in the French Resistance, and Christian offered her both emotional and material support through some of the war's darkest times.

Juliet Binoche has the less sympathetic role as the ambitious and at times ruthless Gabrielle Chanel who rose from humble beginnings as a deserted foundling in a convent orphanage to become the most famous female fashion label in history.

The creative team on The New Look led by Director Helen Shaver and the talented team of screen writers lead by Matthew Fantaci have created a wonderful series.

Special mention of at least 3 supporting actor performances from John Malkovich cast as Lucien Lelong, Emily Mortimer as CoCo's problematic friend Elsa Lombardi and Glenn Close as Carmel Snow the editor-in-chief of the American edition of Harper's Bazaar.

Argylle My Rating 4/10

An impressive cast that's wasted in a juvenile fantasy that goes off in more directions than a Car Sat Nav .

The difference between this silly script by Jason Fuchs and a Car Sat Nav is usually the Sat Nav gets us to a destination.

The story I think is supposed to be an amusing parody on Spy movies we meet Elly Howard played by Bryce Dallas Howard a successful spy crime author who for some unknown reason enters the fantasy world she has created with her cat Alfie.

Her fictional world of espionage and conspiracy soon introduces us to her fantasy characters as Ellie begins to unravel mentally as most who manage get through this 2 hour 20 minute including myself also will by the time we reach the noisy ridiculous conclusion which sort of suggests a sequel ,please no no no ! Spare us .

I'm not surprised Argylle is a box office bomb for me it was a total waste of time.

I'm reminded of a much funnier movie title made over 60 years ago It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World .

I mentioned the impressive ensemble cast that includes Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine Howard , Henry Cavill, Ariana De Bose and Samuel L Jackson .

My one question I'd ask any of them is did they read the script?

Comedy crime thrillers can work remember The Pink Panther, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb , Casino Royale the parody version of 1967 I suggest Jason Fuchs take a look at these.

Most movies even bad ones I get something out of but sorry Argylle is not one of them.

My Review entire Series 2 Feud- Capote vs The Swans

I would suggest before watching Ryan Murphy's brilliant 8 part series Capote vs The Swans to at least watch the 2005 movie Capote starring Philip Seymour Hoffman or even better the 2006 movie Infamous starring Toby Jones.

I only say this because Capote vs The Swans mostly takes place toward the end of Truman Capotes main fame and his descent into alcoholism.

His fame and acclaim from his best selling novels Breakfast at Tiffany's in 1958 and In Cold Blood in 1966 plus his brilliant and acerbic wit attracted the cream of New York Society which included The Swans .

The Swans were Babe Paley, played by Naomi Watts ,Slim Keith played by Diane Lane , C. Z. Guest played by Chloe Sevigny Lee Radziwell, played by Calista Flockhart , Ann Woodward played by Demi Moore and Joanne Carson played by Molly Ringwald.

All the actresses cast as The Swans are barely recognisable as they are transformed in the elegant costumes designed by Lou Eyrich and lead make up artist Jackie Risotto who transforms these actresses with her brilliant hair and makeup.

All the actresses give wonderful performances especially Naomi Watts , Chloe Sevigny and Calista Flockhart who reveal aspects of their characters I've never seen them achieve in previous performances they are sophisticated, elegant, bitchy ,vengeful swans .

Naomi Watts plays Babe Paley who Truman Capote was once her closest confidant and friend till the betrayal .

He described her once as "Babe Paley had only one fault. She was perfect. Otherwise, she was perfect." their relationship was almost like a faux marriage they were that close .

This bring us to the crux of this 8 part Fued in A major - Truman Capote effectively destroyed his cherished friendships with The Swans in his first excerpt of what was to be his magnum opus never to be published titled Answered Prayers .

The excerpt titled La Côte Basque published in Esquire Magazine in 1965 dropped a bombshell on his Swans and New York Society.

His bitchy betrayal of the marriage infidelities and scandals of his characters in the excerpt were told to him in confidence or by rumour by his friends.

Capote naively or intentionally did use pseudonyms for his beloved Swans but it was a treacherous and cruel act even causing a suicide . The Swans plotted their revenge by totally alienating him from their lives and the lives of many of the New York society darlings that had begged for invitations to Truman's famous Black and White masquerade Ball .

This banishment from the high society and adulation he so loved sent Truman Capote into a spiral of self-destruction from which he would ultimately never recover.

This is why I think without some background into Truman Capote's personality style and fame this series may seem trivial or melodramatic his genius needs to be acknowledged as well as his flawed bitchy effete self destructive personality.

I think this series and the wonderful performance by Tom Hollander who plays Truman Capote brilliantly in this series might seem exaggerated and over the top but his portrayal of Capote in this era of his life is certainly equal to Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tony Jones and should earn him an Emmy in my opinion.

I've watched interviews with Truman Capote at the time this series is set in 1965 when these events of this series took place and he seems sad but still retained his caustic wit and Tom Hollander gives a truly amazing performance.

It's hard to imagine without knowing a little of Truman Capote's early life and fame that he created the beloved character we know from Breakfast at Tiffany's in 1958 named Holly Golightly .

Who knows the young fey café society girl Holly Golightly who charmed us so may have been an amalgamation of all the loveable and fallible aspects of his beloved Swans ?

My Review- Wicked Little Letters - My Rating 9/10

What an enjoyable romp refreshingly original like a dose of Tourette's the cast obviously had fun reciting the foul profanities in the wicked little letters that screenplay writer Jonny Sweet composed for this humorous comedy of substance .

I describe it as a comedy of substance because Jonny Sweet has combined a style of comedy with an earthiness and pathos which it seems only the British or Irish can achieve.

I won't spoil the story as it was a complete surprise to me in a way as I was expecting another predictable Midsummer murder type plot and no murders occur at all .

I wasn't expecting so many complex issues to be explored in this clever plot .

Set in 1920 post World War 1 Britain in a seaside village called Littlehampton matronly spinster Edith Swan played with delicious complexity by the superb Olivia Coleman receives the most obscene poisonous letters in language that no God fearing Christian woman would know or would she ?

When other women in Edith Swan's circle also begin to receive these obscene letters Edith's domineering father insists he knows who is responsible and the local police began an investigation.

The publicity of this unusual case soon propels Edith into the National News and her new found notoriety begins to appeal to this woman who has gone unnoticed for her entire life.

The prime suspect is her neighbour a young foul mouthed mother Irish immigrant named Rose Gooding played to perfection by Jessie Buckley.

These two fine actresses both in their prime are the heart and soul of Wicked Little Letters as the history of their complex relationship is revealed in this clever tale.

Three veterans of British theatre and cinema also have great moments in this movie.

Timothy Spall and Gemma Jones play Edith's parents Edward and Victoria Swan in one telling line Victoria reveals that she had six children 5 left and poor dowdy Edith was the chick that stayed behind to look after her parents .Edith's domineering chauvinist father bullies her poor daughter in one of the more serious sides to this story.

I was also delighted to see 90 year old Eileen Atkins cast as Mabel a member of the Christian women's whist card club she has some great wise and insightful lines in the movie.

I won't say more however what impressed me the most in Wicked Little Letters beautifully directed by another great woman director Thea Sharrock were the handling of the effects of issues like parental neglect and abuse on their children especially when the relationship is based on dependency.

Also the misogyny and power games directed at female employees that existed in the 1920's that I hope has disappeared from the Police Force today.

Anjana Vasan is perfect cast as Police woman Officer Gladys Moss she is belittled and patronised by the 2 Keystone Cops who try to keep her in her place .

I liked her line just call me Police Officer Gladys Moss isn't it obvious I'm a woman ?

The other great aspect of Wicked Little Letters for me was the way a persons appearance and personality can be used to incriminate them when a suspect must be found at all costs even when credible evidence points to the contrary.

Wicked Little Letters has an hysterical conclusion I really loved this movie.

My Favourite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert

My Rating 9/10 In Cinemas now limited release

For those audiences who love great music and great talent this limited showing of a concert tribute to mark the 80th anniversary of the Broadway opening of Rodgers and Hammerstein's ground breaking musical Oklahoma is a must see.

Directed by 5 time BAFTA winner Julia Knowles it features a 40 piece orchestra plus many famous musical star performers of stage and screen.

This who's who of talent features Broadway stars Patrick Wilson , Audra McDonald , Aaron Tveit with a delightful appearance from Rita Moreno. The West End stars include Joanna Ampil , Lily Kerhoas ,Maria Friedman and Michael Ball and Marisha Wallace.

This Enchanted Evening took place on Tuesday, 12th December, 2023, at London's newly restored Theatre Royal Drury Lane where the original Westend productions of Oklahoma , The King and I, South Pacific and Carousel took place.

The glorious songs that feature in all of Rodgers and Hammerstein famous and obscure shows are performed to perfection by the cast in song ,dance and narrative tributes to their creators.

It's an era of musical history collaboration that probably will never be seen again with the advent of juke box musicals and show songs that are mostly forgotten as audiences leave the theatre.

My highlight was hearing and seeing the great six Tony award winning Audra McDonald again in magnificent voice who opens and closes the show .

As the now proprietor of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber the 2nd EGOT winner in this concert commented in his opinion Some Enchanted Evening is the greatest song ever written.

I don't entirely agree with that however this concert certainly qualified as an Enchanted Evening.

My Review- Waitress : The Musical My Rating- 7/10 In Cinemas now

It's rare indeed that the composer and lyricist of a successful Broadway musical gets to perform the starring role in their own creation but Sara Bareilles achieves this in Waitress . She wrote this musical with Jesse Nelson in 2015 and based it on the 2007 movie of of the same name written by Adrienne Shelly.

As a lover of the great Broadway musicals like Oklahoma, Sweet Charity, Hello Dolly and Company to name a few I have to say musically Waitress is a very average modern musical but very entertaining.

I doubt we will ever see the fabulous era of the stage musicals of Gershwin, Porter, Berlin ,Rogers and Hammerstein, Jerry Herman , Kander and Ebb or Sondheim ever again except in constant revivals.

This is partly due to the economics of producing a new musical on stage but mainly due to changes in the audience's tastes that pay huge ticket prices to see them.

Sara Bareilles plays Jenna Hunterson a waitress and expert pie maker living in a one horse town in a loveless marriage to a bully of a husband who regards her as his property and source of income.

Jenna works at Joe's Pie Diner alongside her two co workers Becky played beautifully by Charity Dawson and Dawn Pinkett a modern Ado Annie type played by Caitlin Houlahan.

This trio of Waitresses provide the best moments of the show as they support Jenna after she finds out reluctantly that after a rare one night of make up sex she's pregnant to her oafish husband Earl played by Joe Tippett who in real life is engaged to this movies star Sara Bareilles.

Becky describes Earl well in the show when he is displaying his name tattooed across his chest . She says he's so dumb he needs the tattoo in case he forgets his name .

Jenna wants a better life for her baby but gets involved with her gynaecologist Dr Pomatter played by Drew Gehling.

This further complicates her goal to enter and win first prize in a pie baking contest to escape her marriage.

Special mention to a great supporting male performance in Waitress by Christopher Fitzgerald who plays Ogie the awkward very odd but kind suitor of Dawn Pinkett .

He steals the show with his two comedy numbers You're Never Getting Rid of Me and I Love You Like A Table.

He was in the original Broadway cast and it must have stopped the show live.

I must mention this is not a film version of a Broadway musical it's a film of a special revival stage performance with a live audience in a theatre so I think I would have enjoyed it more watching the live performance.

I wish all the great Broadway shows of the past could have been filmed in the quality that Waitress has . Luckily one was preserved the original restoration version of the 1943 groundbreaking Rogers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma can be viewed on YouTube it truly is stunning.

Summing up as a musical average but very entertaining with a very talented cast worth seeing, yes definitely.

My Review- American Symphony My Rating 7.5/10 Netflix

Another fine documentary produced by the American Film and Television company Higher Ground Productions founded in 2018 by former American President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

The goal of their company is to lift up diverse voices in the entertainment industry.

I've been impressed with other of their documentaries such as Becoming, 2020 Descendant 2022 and the Oscar winning 2020 documentary American Factory all from this production company They certainly succeed again in this entertaining and at times confronting true story of two people who refuse to give up . One is a musician who refuses to be type cast or put in a particular musical genre Jon Batiste and his wife Suleika Jaouad a writer who underwent serious cancer treatment refusing to give up on life .

I had never heard of musician composer Jon Batiste before this documentary but now I know that in 2022 he was the most celebrated artist of the year with 11 Grammy nominations including album of the year.

A great year of achievement for sure but refusing to be pigeon hold as a pop wrap artist he sets off on his most ambitious composition of all to compose a symphony.

This was all happening while his wife the best selling author Suleika Jaouad discovered her leukaemia had returned and she must undergo aggressive cancer treatment.

As an encore after winning five honors at the 64th Grammys (including album of the year for "We Are" an Oscar for best original score (for co-composing Disney-Pixar's "Soul" Jon Batiste begins to compose a classical American Symphony hence the title . He also wants to have it performed at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York which it was in September 2022 with a 63 person performing ensemble .

He even gave up his lucrative band leader gig on The Stephen Colbert Late Show to have time to devote to his composing and support Suleika his wife with her illness.

It's a very inspiring documentary I always enjoy learning about new music and the musician's that create it no matter if it's not in my spectrum of appreciation so I recommend American Symphony.

My Review- The Gentlemen Netflix series 7./10

The Gentlemen is a spin off series from a 2019 movie written by its creator Guy Ritchie which I found entertaining but I enjoyed the original movie more giving it an 8.5 /10.

The concept is basically the same as it's a satire on the problems that the British aristocracy have when they inherit titles and property but can't maintain the upkeep of their stately homes and must improvise.

The eight part series is no where near as humorous as the 2019 movie and that's ok because it's different enough to be worth watching.

This time instead of the crazy Fletcher character played brilliantly in the movie by Hugh Grant we have Daniel Ings as Freddie Horniman the heir apparent to the Halstead estate . He's a buffoon and an idiot so it's not surprising when his dying father Archibald Horniman played by Edward Fox in possibly his briefest role ever leaves the the estate of 15,000 acres and the title of Duke of Halstead to his second son Eddie played by Theo James.

From then on Theo James holds this series together, he's excellent when recovering from the hysteria of his brother Freddie at losing his inheritance discovers that his father was complicit in a huge illegal coverup.

The family estate was host to a weed-growing empire run by Bobby Glass played by Ray Winstone.

Eddie Horniman now the new Duke of Halstead ,a far cry from his previous career as a United Nations Peacekeeping Officer must navigate a world of eclectic and dangerous characters with nefarious agendas, while also trying to protect his home and stay alive.

That's the story but for me the series lacked the humour and originality of the original movie.

There's some great performances in the series I enjoyed Kaya Scodelario as Susie Glass the ruthless daughter of Bobby Glass the head of the drug syndicate who runs his crime empire from prison.

Eddie and Susie have some great scenes together as he tries to free the family estate from the shackles of the crime lords.

My Review - Cabrini My Rating 8/10 In Cinemas now I was a little surprised at how much I enjoyed Cabrini I was thinking it might be full of Catholic dogma but it's not.

In fact some of the greatest obstacles that Frances Cabrini the first United States citizen to have been canonized a saint by the Catholic Church came from the male dominated church hierarchy from the Cardinals to the Pope.

It's an amazing story of an Italian woman's strength and faith to help orphan children while battling ethnic and gender discrimination .

These hungry Italian orphan children whose parents have died of disease live less of a life than the rats that infest The Five Points a 19th century neighbourhood in Lower Manhattan New York .

They are forced to seek warmth and shelter in the underground steam pipes at night.

Maria Francesca Cabrini and the Italian nuns that have followed her to New York eventually open an orphanage much to the displeasure of New York Mayor Gould played by John Lithgow .

Archbishop Corrigan of New York played by David Morse place obstacles in the nuns way not wanting to anger the Mayor or the affluent citizens that see the Italians as scum or wops as they called them.

The Archbishop eventually helps Cabrini find a home for her charges when she and the orphans are evicted from the fashionable district they rent premises in an effort to keep her quiet.

However as Cabrin's health and strength decline due to a post TB condition she meets more obstacles when attempting to open a desperately needed hospital after a devastating factory explosion kills many immigrant adults and children.

Cabrini is skilfully directed by Mexican director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde who also directed the superb 2023 docu drama Sound of Freedom.

Cristiana Dell'Anna is an Italian actress who I haven't seen before she is wonderful in the role of Sister Cabrini . This is one of those demanding emotional performances that takes a very talented actress to excel in.

Of course there are other impressive supporting performances I mentioned John Lithgow and David Morse another standout is Romana Maggiora Vergano who plays Vittoria a young prostitute Cabrini brings into her fold who turns out to be her greatest supporter when the nun is at her lowest ebb.

I can recommend Cabrini it tells a little known inspirational story of a woman who despite chronic ill health and broken English uses her entrepreneurial mind to build an empire of hope unlike anything the world had ever seen.

I did think the film score was a bit over the top and over sentimental at times written by Gene Back there were moments which reminded me of Wagner's orchestral fantasies but it's effective and doesn't intrude on the movie.

There's a treat for opera fans also in Cabrini with Rolando Villazón cast as a famous opera singer in Cabrini's orbit plus a brand new song titled Dare to Be from Andrea Bocelli, sung with his daughter Virginia.

Amazingly the real Frances Xavier Cabrini lived till she was 67 years old despite being told she had 3 years to live in her late thirties she was canonised as a Saint in the Catholic church in July 1946 becoming the first American citizen to be proclaimed a Saint.

My Review - Rules of the Game My Rating 7.5/10 Streaming on Britbox

I'll watch any movie or series starring the wonderful Maxine Peake whether it's a touching comedy movie like Funny Cow or a legal series like the hit 2011 2014 award winning series Silk.

I wasn't disappointed in her performance in Rules of the Game even though some elements of the story bordered on melodrama.

Maxine Peake is cast as Sam Thompson an interesting choice of name because she had to match wits and play tough to hold on to her position as an executive at a Sportswear company with a lads club culture .

I would say this is an industrial thriller as Sam walks into her corporate building one morning she is confronted with the H. R. Manager Maya Benshaw that she appointed dead as a result of a fall from the mezzanine in what looks like a suicide?

This 4 part series is told in flashback and the present and much more is revealed .

It soon is apparent that the lads culture at Fly a family run Sports wear business in the North of England has covered up serious incidents of inappropriate conduct and worse inflicted upon its young female staff members .

We go back in time ten years to the death of a teenage girl who is found in an alley way after a boozy office night out .

This moves the story along in a very disturbing way as incidents of intimidation and power play toward women employees are revealed.

When Sam Thompson appoints Maya Benshaw played by Rakhee Thakrar as HR Manager she soon realises that Maya's reputation for weeding out injustice and sexual misconduct in the workplace is beginning to threaten her position in the company by exposing the toxic work culture in the company Sam in a blunt and very direct way gets Maya offside especially when a girl friend and colleague of the employee found dead in the alley a decade ago comes forward to relate how a male staff member sexually assaulted her .

There's at least 3 very impressive female performances in Rules of the Game ,Maxine Peake is excellent in this strong and at times unpleasant portrayal of a female executive .

Rakhee Thakrar is also terrific as the HR Manager who is principled and won't give in to pressure.

Alison Steadman plays Anita Jenkins the CEO family head of the company who patrols the corridors of power to protect her business's reputation like a grey nurse shark . She devours anyone who gets in her way as the business heads towards a profitable new affiliation.

Anita's sons Owen and Gareth Jenkins played by Ben Batt and Keiran Bew both give impressive performances as ruthless and self entitled executives of the company.

Directed by Jennifer Sheridan and written by Ruth Fowler Rules of the Game I found entertaining and the conclusion leaves open an option for another series.

My Review- Rifkin's Festival My Rating 7/10

Many of Woody Allen's have slightly narcissistic aspects of his character indulgently and not so subtly written into his scripts and in my opinion this is most apparent in Rifkin's Festival released in 2020.

Wallace Shawn plays a disenchanted New York film critic attending the annual San Sebastián International Film Festival with his elegant wife Sue who is a successful press reporter.

Sue is busy promoting the career of her new protege a handsome French actor named Philippe so Mort has time on his hands .

He's depressed at the state of cinema today and the state of his marriage to Sue so as he wanders around the beautiful boulevards of San Sebastián virtually being ignored by everyone in the business he reminisces to himself about his favourite movies and European film directors.

Woody Allen pays homage to some great European film makers like François Truffaut, Ingmar Bergman, Jean-Luc Godard, Federico Fellini, and Luis Buñuel by making Mort's black and-white celluloid dreams briefly come to life.

It wouldn't be a Woody Allen movie if there wasn't at least one romantic triangle as a result of marital dissatisfaction.

Both Sue and Mort Rifkin become involved in relationships apart from each other.

Sue is besotted by the handsome Phillipe and Mort who is experiencing chest pain becomes besotted by his beautiful Spanish cardiologist Dr Jo Roi.

The question is can Mort's celluloid fantasies turn into reality ?

You will have to watch Rifkin's Festival to find out it's an entertaining and funny film and very beautiful to watch movie.

My Review- Dune: Part Two In Cinemas now My Rating 10/10

I checked my 10/10 ratings for Science fiction or futuristic movies or television series and out of 700 reviews Dune Part Two is only the 5th movie in this genre that I really can't fault.

I could see where every cent of the estimated USD 190,000,000 that this second instalment of Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of author Frank Herbert's six Dune novels has been spent .

Dune Part One had an estimated budget of USD 165,000,000 and World Wide box office gross so far is nearly USD 434,000,000 so hopefully this instalment will be as successful, it certainly deserves to be.

Judging from his first two movies in this franchise I expect at least two more Denis Villeneuve movie instalments.

I scored Dune 1 a healthy 8 out of 10 in my previous review but I then was a novice Duner however the state of the art technology of Dune 2 as well as the performances impressed me so much .

I cannot think of any other movie of the epic futuristic genre that outdoes Dune for spectacle or innovation For instance the inspired monochrome filming of the Feyd- Rautha gladiator battle in the stadium in front of Baron Harkonnen I thought was extraordinary.

Of course CGI computer generated imagery is constantly used in all sci fi epics but in Dune Part 2 it seems to blend into reality in Villeneuve's desert world with such beauty and dramatic impact.

This movie is a triumph of design by visual-effects supervisor Paul Lambert and the behind the scenes artisans who invented such creations like the dragonfly-inspired ornithopter to the ominous Harkonnen spice harvesters also called crawlers .

Then there's the terrifying giant sand worms that live on the desert planet Arrakis whose larvae produce the special spice known as melange.

I haven't spent much time on the plot line as readers of the books and viewers of the movie will know that Dune Part 1 left Paul Atreides trying to join the Fremen in an attempt to overthrow The Emperor and bring peace to Arrakis . Paul after surviving the attack from the Harkonnen and Sardaukar is literally left between a rock and a hard place .

Dune Part 2 begins with Paul Atreides united with Chani a Fremen woman he falls in love with . He is taught the ways of the Fremen and is eventually accepted by them after passing a deadly initiation .

Paul is seeking revenge against the sadistic Harkonnen who murdered his family and after becoming a Leader and prophet among the Fremen is in a powerful position to attempt to overthrow the colonising, sadistic Harkonnens . They include the sadistic nephew of the fascist Baron Vladimir Harkonnen a reptilian like villain called Feyd Rautha . Feyd and his uncle both see control of Arrakis as a path to the throne.

One of the reasons I give Dune Part 2 a top score is because the entire leading cast as well as the supporting ensemble cast give superb performances.

Repeating his role of Paul Atreides is Timothée Chalamet who really is impressive in Dune Part 2 expanding on his character from the first movie I think he as well as thd movie itself may well be a contenders for a Best Picture and Best actor Oscar in 2025.

Timothée Chalamet already highly regarded for his acting versatility surprised me again in this movie especially when his character changes dramatically to a leader and prophet after surviving death by poisoning during the dreaded water of life ritual .

My prediction is that the Dune movie franchise will do for Timothée Chalamet what the Indiana Jones movie franchise did to propel Harrison Ford to super stardom.

Zendaya is also perfectly cast as Paul's romantic interest Chani a female Fremen warrior Chani . Chani is outstanding and the chemistry between this couple is magnetic .

The most pleasant surprise for me in this outstanding movie was Austin Butler's performance as a cruel sadistic gladiator and cousin of Baron Harkonnen.

I try thought he was great as Elvis but since then in interviews and other roles I doubted he could portray such a cruel and evil character . Of course make up helps a lot but top marks to Austin Butler perhaps a supporting actor nomination next year? There are many impressive performances in Dune 2 including Javier Bardem as Stilgar , Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck , Charlotte Rampling as Mother Superior and Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Harkonnen.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan now betrothed to Paul Atreidis her role will be pivotal in Dune Part 3 which hasn't begun production yet.

I've mentioned the cast of Dune Part 2 , the look of Dune Part 2 but for me the sound and the film score of a great film is an important factor to add to the enjoyment of a movie and 2 time Oscar winning composer Hans Zimmer creator of great epic scores like Gladiator and Dunkirk scores returns to continue his musical magic in Dune Part 2.

I saw this with movie with 2 friends who love cinema as much as I do on a huge cinema screen as this film should be seen and we unanimously agreed as we sat there watching the closing credits and listening to the wonderful film score that this is a superb film in every way and what the magic of movies is all about .

I would be amazed if Dune Part 2 is the end to this franchise it's a wonderful cinema experience I can't recommend it highly enough but don't see it till you have seen Dune Part One.

My Review- American Fiction My Rating 9/10 Streaming on Amazon Prime

It's a great shame that this fine movie had gone straight to streaming without a theatrical release in Australia but that unfortunately is the nature now of the movie industry.

American Fiction is another of the ten movies nominated as Best Picture of 2023 plus 4 more Oscar nods including Best Actor for Jeffrey Wright who is perfectly cast as Thelonius Ellison or Monk as he is called throughout the movie .

I really enjoyed this original ,thought provoking and at times very humorous story . It really exposes the hypocrisy and woke marketing that has infiltrated every aspect of the entertainment industry today.

I don't think the movie American Fiction or Jeffrey White's performance is the finest of the year but it certainly is up there with the best.

The main thrust of the movie is the crusade of the main character Monk a talented but unappreciated novelist to expose the saturation of black stereotypes in popular novels that he finds so demeaning .

Monk is at first reluctant to write the trash that he refers to that become best sellers aimed at white audiences that seem only to portray violence ,crime and poverty in the black community.

Monk's reluctance to change his style from an intellectual author to a stereotypical best seller like the writers he holds in contempt occurs when he is nearly broke and can't afford his beloved mother's health care.

He presents his latest book titled My Pafology to his agent who is at first horrified by its content full of all the tropes Monk says he hates and he knows white people love. It's a story of drugs, deadbeat fathers, and gang shootings but the publishers and even movie studios lap it up and offer millions for the rights to publish.

It even becomes more appealing when Monk publishes under the pseudonym of a fictitious criminal fugitive named Stagg R. Leigh.

Then the fun begins in clever satire full of colourful characters and situations.

As well as being a satire on the culture stereotypes of today American Fiction is also a family drama with humorous benefits.

I found it very interesting that Monk's family in the movie was a comfortably off middle class African American family totally explaining why he was so irritated with the authors who ignored black high achievers.

His elderly mother Agnes Ellison even has a black maid delightfully played by Myra Lucretia Taylor . Lucretia pays homage to the countless black actresses who played maids in so many historic movies when they were only offered maid roles.

Thankfully today any role is available to any actor or actress of colour we've come a long way.

Monk's mother Agnes suffering from dementia is delightfully and sensitively played the by the wonderful Leslie Uggams a pioneer African American entertainer and singer who integrated her fabulous singing voice into mainstream American culture over 65 years ago in 1961 through the enormously popular Mitch Miller Show.

Sterling K. Brown plays Clifford Ellison the brother of Monk Ellison who had come out as a late bloomer and after a marriage bust up is embracing his new life style and expects his family to also accept his new sexuality choice. Sterling K . Has some of the funniest moments in the movie .

There are many other good performances in American Fiction including Tracee Ellis Ross as Monks sister Lisa even though hers is not a large role it's a very touching performance. I also enjoyed Erika Alexander who plays Coraline Monk's girlfriend who sees through Monk's quiet reluctance to commit to relationships and criticism.

Based on a novel by Percival Everett Erasure American Fiction was adapted to the screen by Cord Jefferson who also directed the movie American Fiction is an impressive movie.

My 699th Movie Review You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger My Rating 6. /10

Often I find it's worth watching an average movie if the cast is as impressive as featured in this one especially if the director is Woody Allen.

Interestingly this movie wasn't released in Australia till January 17, 2013 ,perhaps because of the court proceedings that the director was involved in at the time?

It initially was released in Spain in August 2010 after a showing at The Cannes film festival that year in May.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is the fourth Woody Allen film shot in London, following Match Point in 2005 Scoop in 2006 and Cassandra's Dream in 2007.

This movie for me has a strange almost naive quality in the storytelling it lacks the usual Woodyesque humour and doesn't have near the dramatic impact of Match Point.

Basically all the characters are dissatisfied with their life choices and childishly searching for something or someone to restore their faith in life.

As mentioned earlier even an ordinary script if it stars include Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Pauline Collins and Gemma Jones for me is worth watching.

Alfie played by Anthony Hopkins and wife Helena played by Gemma Jones have separated it's the usual story .

Alfie in an attempt to relive his lost youth falls for the charms and marries a free spirited call girl escort called Charmaine played with delightful self interest by Lucy Punch , she's a real scene stealer. Meanwhile Helena Alfie's jilted wife has lost faith in everything in life and feeling rejected falls under the spell of a so called charming clairvoyant called Cristal delightfully played by Pauline Collins.

This eventually drives Helena's daughter Sally and her husband Roy to distraction as Helena relates the prophesies of Cristal to them in every visit while depleting their scotch supplies in the process.

Sally played by Naomi Watts took on this role when her friend Nicole Kidman had to decline due to her film scheduling at that time ,perhaps Nicole consulted Cristal?

Sally and her author husband Roy played by Josh Brolin are also experiencing marriage difficulties as Roy looks out their apartment window for writing inspiration as is instead lustfully inspired by his beautiful young neighbour opposite Dia played by Freida Pinto.

To add spice to this tale of dysfunction Sally who is discontented and restless at home goes back to work for an enigmatic attractive Art Gallery owner Greg played by Antonio Banderas and you guessed it becomes infatuated with her boss.

This Comedy of Errors bears no comparison to William Shakespeare's early play written in 1623 it's not Woody Allen at his best probably because it's not very funny but it's worth a look for the excellent cast who obviously had faith in Woody Allen's reputation but like the characters in this story their faith was ill placed .

Fool Me Once Netflix My Rating 6.5/10

Perhaps the novel by Harlan Coben is a more believable story than this 8 Episode television adaptation by Daniel Brocklehurst ?

I can't say why it lost credibility for me without spoiling the plot for anyone wanting to watch this series .

It is worth a look just for the impressive actors who play the various roles in Fool Me Once.

Since streaming has bombarded our television habits by churning out series and television movies like sausages I've been guilty of watching some just because I like the cast . However eight hours is a lot more time to invest in a mediocre series than two hours in a mediocre movie.

As soon as I saw that Joanna Lumley who plays a serious character in this show called Judith Burkett I was intrigued.

Judith Burkett is a wealthy widow living in a stylish English home on a stylish English Estate who heads a successful Corporate Drug Company supplying medicine to the public. Judith is mourning the brutal shooting of her son Joe Burkett played by Richard Armitage . She barely tolerates her now widowed daughter in law Maya the mother of her grandchild .The feeling is mutual as Maya feels she has never been considered good enough by her mother in Law .

The whole storyline revolves around their strained relationship plus the efforts of Detective Sergeant Sami Kierce who leads the homicide investigation into Joe's death while trying to ignore his own deteriorating health secrets.

Meanwhile, Maya's niece and nephew, Abby and Daniel, are trying to find the truth about their mother's murder several months earlier. Are the two cases connected?

It's not a bad series well acted well directed and I enjoyed Michelle Keegan 's performance as Maya Stern it's a very strong role also Joanna Lumley gives a good dramatic performance as the nasty mother in law . Adeel Akhtar is very impressive as Detective Sami Keirce but when we got to the surprisingly odd conclusion I was left with many questions about the plausibility of the whole story, perhaps I've become to used to true life dramas instead of pot boiler fiction as everything today seems to be based on true events that you can't argue with .