Pomplemoose-Pass

Well it took 2 seasons of insipid nonsense to finally get it right but this here is what we've been waiting for and it's got it all: Action, suspense, humour, intrigue and a conspiratorial story line that has some flesh. It's not perfect but the introduction of some new characters along with the old has given this season a breath of life. Jack Crusher is a massive improvement on Wesley (LOL) and captain Liam Shaw is suitably arrogant - having just enough contempt for Picard and Riker to make things even more interesting. The villain is a real psychopath; relentless and unhinged with a maniacal laugh, and reminds me of a female Khan. But of course the scene stealer for me was Rafi getting rescued by none other than WARF. I must admit, I was nervous to watch the second episode, fearing it would go the same way as the previous series' i.e., downhill...but I'm so relieved it maintained the quality of episode 1. Now l can't wait for episode 3!

Star Trek Picard S03 - Now that's more like it!

Massive Spoilers Ahead

Mrs Coultre steals every scene she's in and is the heart of this show; when she's on the screen you can't take your eyes off her. I loved her in Luther and even more in HDM. Lyra and Will - not so much. They're okay but honestly I find them a bit gormless. In fact, I am beginning to find Lyra's character more and more annoying and preferred her character in the earlier seasons. I mean, who would sever themselves from their own daemon to save a dead friend? Couldn't she just have gone to a medium instead? It would have been a lot less hassle! Her galactic stubbornness means she went against all cautionary advice to have her way, so naturally she had to reap the consequences of her actions with the heartbreaking ending of this episode.

For a while I really thought Will would play the saviour and go in her place to find Roger so when Lyra turned around after making her choice to leave Pan, he would be gone with the boat. But no, he didn't do it and instead just sat there and watched the wrenching drama with that gormless expression - what kind of hero is that? Perhaps it all ties in in the end, or perhaps Lyra and her mother are going through a parallel reality of daemon severance. Father President btw is getting more unhinged with every episode as he creates his weapon of mass destruction to rid the world of sin. Mrs. Coultre discovers his plot but makes the wrong move! If it was me, I would have exchanged the hair with someone from the Magistarium like Father Gomez but that didn't happen either. Where is this going? We'll find out in due course. In spite of all that, this season has far more gripping moments than the previous and I'm much more into it than before.

Andor Season 1 was a stunning show in every respect and I'll be missing next weeks installment as I chomp at the bit for the next season to come out - it can't come soon enough!

The last episode brings most of the threads together and demonstrates the power of a united people under siege. Although it still leaves some questions unanswered for instance the relationship between Vel and Cintra - a story that has not yet been explored and could be interesting in S02. Whilst for me, this episode did not have the edge of the seat suspense that 'One Way Out did, there were still many outstanding scenes worthy of this finale; e.g., Maarva's soliloquy which I thought was perfection and served to fulfill her last wish which was to strike a blow for the rebellion and ignite the fire in the hearts of the Ferrix people leading them to stand up nd fight: Then there was the scene with the intense chemistry between Syril and Dedra following her rescue which literally ricochet off the screen and suggests there may be some romantic involvement in S02 although we'll have to wait and see.

The rebellion outbreak against the guards and the bombing is where Luthen gets his slap in the face and begins to understand the true value of Cassian who he originally came to assassinate with the help of his team. Cassian simultaneously has his own awakening where he finally sees that his only remaining choice is to accept the role of leadership and to fight the Empire.

Although some have said that Cassian's character is not the most colourful, there is subtlety there. The story arc of his development into a rebel hero is, in my opinion skillfully done, the prison episodes being the key pieces to his realisation of the horrific oppression that the Empire brings and how the only way to be free would be to stand up to them.

But by far the most ominous scene was saved for after the credits had rolled when we finally understand what the men in all the secret prisons were working on: The Death Star. It's all beginning to cook nicely. Truly, this is the best Star Wars offering I've seen, perhaps because there are inklings of familiarity in the emerging dystopia in our present time...Whatever the reason, I am hooked. Cant wait for Season 2.

Andor is the best thing I've seen on TV for a very long time and definitely a massive improvement on the majority of the other Star Wars spin offs which are IMHO average at best. This succeeds where they fail: Top notch actors; excellent character build up, an amazing plot, and outstanding writing gives thrills, suspense and fantastic action scenes. What more could you ask for. It just keeps getting better and better. This episode was super intense; I was on the edge of my seat for most of it. I can't wait for next week but I'm not sure how they are going to improve on this outstanding episode... My score is 10.

I laughed, I cried; I peed myself but couldn't access the multiverse. There seems to be a massive disclosure going on. Everywhere I look there are info drops about time ravel, other dimensions and truths that have always been there but kept hidden. Glad this was made...

It all makes sense now...

When I was a student I used to hate the far right and thought communism and the installed Karl Marx was cool. Then I forgot all about it until C19 and the CCP agenda kicked in, and along with it a host of tell a vision series promoting far left and damming the far right. Long story short, this kind of entertainment is a form of MK ultra; seeping into people's consciousness through the back door, creating the kind of 'woke' mentality that got us into trouble in the first place. It's kinda predictable. Also, why do all cut out racist's have bitter working class accents when most if not all are minted masons. We know it's all inverted though right!? Truly, although Oldman (who is owned) owns this; it presents a patronising tone that assumes people believe whatever they are told - one word and your a racist! Unfortunately, we are so easy to manipulate, we are driving ourselves to our own destruction.

EDIT: I couldn't take any more of this wokist agenda crap after the second episode. Can't anyone write anything half decent anymore?

A perfect layout of what is happening now. The writer obviously wrote the scamdemic script. Unbelievable yet true!

I watched the whole thing and kind of enjoyed it on a very superficial level. If I had seen this 5 years ago, I probably would have thought it was cool...

However, now that my eyes are wide open, I can clearly see that this is just another of the increasing amount of series pushing the WOKE program: using young people to give an illusion of 'normality' so that it can settle into the subconscious mind of the viewer who then goes on to accept everything it absorbs. This is the true power of film and TV.

In short, this series amounts to just another brain washing grooming session from a world that is trying to fill your mind with an agenda that supports something far more sinister.

1. My opinion is, this doco wouldn't have been released if Cullen Hoback wasn't in some way biased against the Great Awakening that is currently taking place of which 'Q' is only one of the catalysts and not the ultimate reason. In episode 6 he clearly demonstrates his standing by saying that there is no scientific evidence - or words to that effect, that supports the effectiveness of Hydroxychloroquine - which is clearly disinformation as a vast amount of evidence exists.

2. Where this documentary could have been far more interesting in exploring what the Great Awakening actually is, and what is really meant by 'Into the Storm', it instead chooses to concentrate on a bunch of geeks and nerds some of which clearly have deep personality problems and are not particularly interesting to the viewer.

3. The undertone of right wing hate crime and it's connection with 'Q' is a driving narrative of this documentary. I feel that this is an opinionated and highly inaccurate analysis of what 'Q' represents.

4. It was released far too late. The narrative has totally changed and a lot of the content is now 'old news' and mainly irrelevant.

5. In summation I feel that the doco reflected the shallowness of the filmmaker and did not contain enough depth of analysis to hold my attention. In short, it was boring. It could have been summarised in 3 episodes. I skipped through some of it as my eyelids began to droop.

5. A true depiction of what (not who) Q really is would not be allowed to pass into the public forum by the MSM. (Think 'Sound of Freedom' which cannot be found streaming anywhere on the net).... But then again, it's just a conspiracy isn't it?????

Great episode, superb acting but I've seen this theme somewhere before so it didn't exactly come as a surprise. Jacobs Ladder! If you liked the feel of this episode, you'd love that movie. Highly recommend.

I've followed this series from the beginning and it's just got better and better with Annalises' character development carrying the main thread of the show along with Bonnie and Frank as the central trio, although everyone else also play their parts well. Now we're at the penultimate episode and I will be very sad when it's over because nothing has come close. In the meantime I've developed awesome respect for Viola Davis as one of the best actors in the business. HTGAWM was Top notch! I hope I can find something else to fill the gap it will leave. Thanks for such a fantastic show.

Though this movie is set in 2032 which is only 12 years from now, It's strange how few viewers have spotted the chilling truth in this film and the way it points at how things are today in the UK, especially with the lockdown. We are a hair's breadth away from the kind of scenario portrayed: Mysterious experimental virus's being unleashed on unsuspecting civilians; paralyzing fear fueled by fake news media; people being pressured and shamed into wearing masks and keeping apart from each other; vaccinations now being tested on people who have no idea what is in it with the threat of becoming mandatory; freedom of speech slowly being stifled through the guise of 'political correctness'; the government slowly nut surely taking more and more control of people and their lives. Slowly, slowly catch your monkey...and although other countries are in revolt, the UK remains as a nation of 'do as you're told' citizens. When I first watched this in 2005 I thought it was a chilling prophecy of what soon might come to pass. Now it's fast becoming a reality. That said, I love all the Wachowski movies and believe they must be some sort of time travelers given the content of many of their movies. Therefore I give this one 10/10

Without a doubt the best series finale of the best series I have ever seen. It had everything: drama, romance. conspiracy, suspense, thrills, action; fantastic writing, great acting...couldn't ask for more. The final episode was deeply moving and spiritual with the powerful message that the love of his sister Darlene being the thing that gives the 'part' of Elliot the truth to be able to let go and bring the real Elliot back fro his mental prison. Just a genius conclusion that brought everything together in a way that made every episode make sense. The greater meaning of the vigilante hacker character who is finally redeemed by love also has greater implications in our current worldly scenario and I thought the flavor of the ending was a perfect way to set up our entry into the 2020's.

I will be sad not to see another episode as I would look forward to it eagerly every week but I'm so very glad that this series aired and affected so many minds and hearts. Thank you for this amazing show, I don't think there will ever be another to match it!

Honestly I don't know what all the hate is about. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Great plot, good script, fantastic action scenes; competent acting; a great villain and of course Claire Foy was luminous. I want more.... A solid 8

Accident Man

I have been surreptitiously following Scott Adkins career for a few years with films such as Ninja, Shadow of a Tear; Close Range, Savage Dog and Boyka; watching him slowly make his ascent into blockbuster movies like Dr Strange.

Accident Man is a same, same but different kind of film for Scott which although, like many of his movies, follows the tried and tested storyline of revenge for a loved one; is filmed in London with a selection of accomplished and not too well known American, Irish and Scottish actors parading as cockney Brits. I wouldn't go so far as to say it is a love child of Quentin Tarrantino and Guy Richie, but there are elements of the two as well as a good dose of John Wick storyline and action.

It's not a bad movie, the action is good and the storyline keeps you entertained. Jesse V. Johnson shows some potential in the direction; the acting is okay with good efforts from Ray Stevenson, Ashley Greene and David Paymer; an okay script and a raw edge with a respectable musical score. However, the film lacks depth and intrigue. Fight choreography is decent and the dry humour keeps the movie from taking itself too seriously. I would say that this is definitely a step in the right direction for Scott; I could and would like to see him in Bondesque roles. I feel he is still to have his major breakthrough part but all in all I would give this a score of 6/10.

I did not consider this to be a Christian movie even though it appears that way. It is more of a spiritual film that explores a theme that is relevant to the whole of humanity and that is forgiveness. This is a content based film rather than one based on procedural expertise or artistry. Its power is in its message rather than the level of technical accomplishment, script or acting and with regard to this, I found it hit the spot very well.

Many people are extremely uncomfortable with movies that are spiritually centred especially those that are not historical or reportage based. This one deals directly with questions that affect us all; those of being able to put negatively perceived, traumatic experiences behind us and really move on. Films of such potent and pointed content can be threatening even to the most intelligent viewers because intelligence has nothing to do with the heart and it is a trend in our present society to belittle the spiritual heart in favour of more 'rational' thinking. So when a movie comes along with a relatively simple message, our suspicious minds can see it as manipulative.

This is one of the reasons this film has received so many negative reviews; namely because so many people cannot handle their own inner issues and so when confronted with films like this, they become angry and direct their anger at the film, using religion as an excuse to dismiss their message: it's largely an anti-spiritual thing and ironically defies logic.

It's a pity that so many people relate spiritual films like this one to their own personal, often negative experiences with Ministers and church when even Jesus said – in this film – "I'm not exactly what you call a Christian, am I?"

This movie had a profound effect on me and I woke up the next day suddenly needing to do a life review of all the people I had to forgive. After I did it, I felt a weight I had been carrying for years had been lifted.

That's the power of a spiritual film.

Whilst the story line induces compulsive viewing, the content and pitch leave much to be desired. What with women being treated like pieces of meat with no value other than breeding or pleasure; babies being slaughtered and fed to monsters, murdering and burning young children; dismembering people on all scales including genitally; stabbing pregnant women; incest between fathers and daughters and brothers and sisters; dirty old men bedding girls young enough to be their grandchildren; sadism, torture, murder, cruelty with a marked lack of compassion, mercy or any other redeeming factors, it's a wonder that this show is so popular. So it must be assumed that people are just addicted to pain, suffering and violence.

The problem with shows like this is that they set a terrible example that downloads into viewers subconscious minds and is then digested on a deep level only to pop out of someone later in 'real life' It has been known to happen. Sp, whilst the production is lavish, there are no positive features in terms of message; few heroic acts that often end with the heroes being murdered and the only motivation of the characters is lust, greed and power. TV is dangerously influential and should be handled with care. THIS is a celebration of everything abhorrent about the human condition and is being used as entertainment.

Whilst LOTR demonstrated elegance, beauty, magic, love and heroism as well as flawless production and direction, this is junk food made with the specific purpose of lowering your vibration and has come from from the gutters of deeply disturbed minds who are now in control of the industry. There is no doubt an addictive quality to it but it's far too repellent to be tolerated on a long term basis. After a while the violence gets repulsive because it does not offer anything good, uplifting or positive. It's actually disturbing that it is so popular. I wouldn't be surprised if there were subliminal messages worked in to get people hooked. Either that or human thirst for pain has sadly become the norm. But then, that's what brainwashing is all about!

I'm surprise this has not been reviewed by more people seeing as it covers the death of one of the most important musical icons of our time. Like many of our musical icons, the death of John Lennon was random and mysterious and suggestive of the same kind of conspiracy killing as JFK; perhaps not as elaborate but definitely with the shooting being done by the 'strange loner' type. Although this movie cautiously hints at a conspiracy – it does not allow the film to elaborate this story line in any shape or form which I found disappointing. We are only given a titillating taste of possible mysterious circumstances when we see the possible staged bike accident at the beginning of the film which serves the purpose of distracting all police and medical aid from the real crime scene - which is the shooting of John Lennon. This causes his late arrival at the hospital and subsequent death due to massive blood loss. When I saw the bike accident scene, I anticipated that this line of mystery would be explored further in the movie but alas, I was left wanting and unsatisfied.

Instead we were presented with a somewhat clinical reportage of events that took place on the fateful night - focusing mainly on 2 characters; the Dr who was trying to save JL's life, and the journalist who was trying to get a story. The scenes were presented with sparing emotional content and not enough to keep the viewers' attention engaged. For me, this film could have been a lot better if some conclusion were aimed at rather than just the presentation of facts. I'm not sure if the budget was to blame for that or whether the subject matter would have been too sensitive an issue for viewers if it were explored with suggestions of a murder conspiracy. To sum up there was a distinct sense for me of failure to launch and I was left feeling a little nonplussed at the treatment of the story.

How dare they insult the Holy Grail that is Terminator 1 & 2 with this bubble gum offering of a Sci-Fi classic? I am shocked and horrified and not by its content as was awesomely the case for T1 and T2. Here the shock was brought on more by the awful predictability of the 'Hollywoodeness' of the direction and a 'try too hard' bizarre plot where John Connor turns into arch enemy numero uno. This alone is a ridiculous idea because it ruins the consistency of the original story. Plus it leaves huge gaping holes in the adjustment of the mother and son relationship which is played out with about as much rapport as a sardine on dry toast and is for the most part impersonal; lacking in any humane content.

The other thing that was sadly lacking was the strength of any of the main characters. Sarah Connor came across as a bit of a teenage drip with no personality where in T2, she was an admirable central focus and force along with Edward Furlong. I think Emilia Clarke was actually wrongly cast for the part - I would have preferred someone like Scarlet Johanson who has greater screen presence and more experience with Sci-Fi roles. To add to this monumental mess, Kyle Rees had no commitment to his part as a freedom fighter and inspired no loyalty from the viewer and I felt zero chemistry between the actors as far as desperate love interest is concerned.

I think this was a pathetic attempt and was obviously made as a money spinner. It's such a shame – could have been another classic and maybe Schwarzenegger's last chance to play his unique and unforgettable role as the Terminator.

I'm a huge Arnie fan, and whilst his performance here lived up to his previous Terminator roles, I felt that the movie was too weak in terms of character focus and substance to make a lasting impression. (Rewind to 1984 when we all left the cinema with our mouths open and in silence!) The action scenes were considerable – but action without depth demotes this movie to the superficial ranks of movies like the 'A Team' rather than the likes of 'Alien/Aliens', and reminds me a bit of the pointless remake of 'Total Recall' which just made me think...'why'?

Sadly another patronising offering from Hollywood. I do understand that directors have to toe the line and probably sell their soul to the Devil several times over to maintain their status, hence the familiar Hollywood stamp whenever a director reaches a certain level of influence.…otherwise it's a case of 'Asta la vista....baby'!

Maybe someone should make a Sci-Fi movie about that… Please don't make another one unless you mean it...because I don't think I'll be back...My score 5.5 (for Arnie's effort)

I was very excited to see this, having waited to view it since its release in 2012. However, I was very disappointed with the overall quality of this film which is sadly lacking. Although it might have had the potential to have significant political influence; due to its many technical and creative flaws coupled with, I dare say, restrictions on its general release, I fear that any impact this movie does make will be rather limited, which I am sure Jeta Amata would not have wanted.

Although it achieves its primary intention, which is to expose and communicate an important message about what is happening with the corrupt western control of the oil in the Niger Delta, and the horrors thereof; the whole movie is done in a rather hurried fashion with inconsistencies of plot, script and no real building of the central characters. Add to this lack of attention to details and you get a rather slap-dash effort that I feel does not do justice to the message that it is trying to convey. I feel this political theme was explored and expressed with far greater skill in the 2010 TV drama 'Blood and Oil' which contains a more substantial plot, suspense and careful attention to the building of a central character.

By contrast, this movie feels much more like a documentation of events. Scenes tended to jump around a lot and did not give the viewer any sense of consistency. There are flashes of good acting at times, mostly overshadowed by a superficial script that does not explore any intricacies and therefore does nothing to build tension. The majority of acting though, is rather wooden and does not convey the passion necessary for such a significant issue.

Having said all of this, the film did move me with concern and compassion for the situation in the Niger Delta, highlighting the corruption of those in power; the desperation of the protesters and the frustrations of their helplessness due to poverty and oppression by a military government. It also gave me an understanding of how 'terrorism' can develop as a last resort of a country that has been continuously used and abused by those with greater 'power'. I would say in summation that this film is more of a political statement than a film crafted to enlighten and entertain; it's main purpose being to bring an awareness to the state of affairs in the ND. It also stresses the definite need to raise awareness through further cinematic expression of this critical message, which, if done with more attention to detail, and perhaps greater financial backing, could make an enormous impression and possibly even create some degree of positive change.

There is something deeply haunting about this film: A quality that Christopher Nolan seems to be able to instill into his movies – an unforgettable quality that keeps you thinking about his films for days after you've seen them. I found it to be the same case with The Prestige, with Inception and Memento to name a few. But Interstellar is different…

Somehow it feels as if a climax has been reached with a certain style of direction; there is a culmination of themes that have ran through other Nolan movies; mystery, curiosity, exploration, sacrifice BUT, what makes this stand out over the others is the haunting quality of love that pervades the entire movie. It isn't at all in the sentimental or romantic sense, but an underlying pulse that builds and builds and finally comes to the fore in the last quarter of the film; as if it creeps in through the back door and suddenly makes itself undeniably known; not only physically, but also spiritually...

And that's when you become desperately moved by the humanity that is portrayed through the cast; that's where the message comes together loud and clear, that this is not really a Sci Fi movie at all, but a deeply poignant film about what it is to really be human, shot through two parallel stories; in fact in two parallel dimensions where time and space are trumped by the energy of Love – an energy that is embodied in every human being.

Interstellar is a multidimensional, multi-layered expression of creativity at its finest, filled with intelligence and sensitivity presenting an infinity of possible interpretations to the viewer. Like many of Christopher Nolan's movies; it makes you THINK. But not only that: I found myself profoundly touched on a very emotional level at the rawness with which the paradox of human existence was expressed – in a nutshell; love versus fear of annihilation. The characters in the film are split between those who are motivated by love and those who are motivated by fear – and within this, there are those who begin with one motivation and end with the other. It is a film that explores the very core of humanity; presenting such qualities as faith, hope, courage, sacrifice; and on the flip side anger, betrayal, hopelessness and remorse, all against the backdrop of the unknown emptiness of space.

I felt that the message of the film was really about choice. The choice of whether to remain in fear which emerges as a result of threat to our survival, or to choose the higher frequency of love, which means to override the survival instinct and take risks based on faith. If I could write an equation to express the perfection of this film it would be expressed as 10/10

Flawless!

It would be very easy to misconstrue this film and take it as racist attack against white people. In fact, the first segment of the film before the plot thickens is filled with anger and seeming one sidedness which I believe is completely deliberate so as to incite an inflammatory reaction from the audience.

HOWEVER

As I persevered with this movie, I began to see how incredibly perceptive it was to all angles of prejudice and concluded that it is actually a stroke of brilliance from a masterful mind who is more than capable of seeing the big picture. When you see the big picture you can present a multidimensional interpretation. Therefore, in the spirit of true art, with a film such as this, people see whatever it is they want to see and that's the whole point of what this work is trying to communicate. This movie is not really about the struggle for equality between black and white people but more about HUMAN behaviour and the lengths that people will go to get their own way. This desire is all inclusive of humanity and not reserved for particular races alone.

A master of observation, Justin Simien derived much of his script from his experiences at the predominantly white Chapman University and sites his influences as Spike Lee and Woody Allen, and it has to be said that there are indeed echoes of these styles within this movie and that is why I would not call this a 'pro black' movie; the content is just a medium to demonstrate the pointlessness of 'pro' and 'anti', nothing more.

The film itself follows 4 individuals with similar needs but different agendas and examines their methods for getting what it is they think they want. However, as events run their course, each of them realise that they are actually seeking something completely different from what they imagined. In the end, the most angry and rebellious of the four, ironically and ridiculously called Sam White who plays an angry anti-white activist, just wants to be loved and accepted and doesn't really care that the man who loves her happens to be white; Lionel, the shy confused reporter who is a loner, becomes anarchic and gains inclusion, Coco, the fame seeking manipulator who will do most anything to get ahead, comes down to earth and lets go of her ambition and the only one who stays true to his role, for whom 'success' in the eyes of others is more important than any 'cause' is Troy.

This film is a fantastic send up of the rigid beliefs that keep people stuck in racist attitudes but the bottom line, which is demonstrated in the very last scene of the film, is money. Thus proving that when it comes to down to the wire, money speaks louder than colour and any other segregating belief, and that is why, in the secret circles of the extremely rich and powerful, you can be from Mars, with purple hair and green spots, and no-one will give a damn!

Nicely done!

This film pressed my buttons and made me MAD!!!! If the equivalent were made about a modern day black man who is demoted to a life of doing menial tasks because of lack of education; who then goes on a mission to win respect of those who are belittling him, the whole world would be up in arms at the racist implication. However, in this case, when such things are taken for granted, very few people can see the offence in it!

On the surface this film seems harmless enough but remove the cultural veneer and you will see that it is completely insulting to women. The main character is a spineless and timid housewife who cooks and cleans, runs the house and does a bit of freelance cooking on the side which her partner does not approve of. She is dominated by an overbearing husband who wants to keep her in her place, and bullied by a bratty, arrogant daughter who joins her father in his fun making of her mother due to her not being able to understand English. Then out of the blue, the opportunity to learn English is presented to her after going to the USA to attend a wedding. There she makes friends, is wooed by a French student and opens her mind to people all walks of life. Once the rest of her family arrive, she has to continue her English lessons in secret because her first and foremost duty is cooking, cleaning and attending to her husband and children and putting them before all else. The movie continually re-enforces that this is what Indian women are supposed to do and should be the sum total of the meaning of their lives.

I think the most insulting line of all in the entire film is said by a couple of fellow Indian students from the English class after the French student Laurent declares his undying love to Sridevi: "All women not French, this is Indian woman - show respect" – the implication being that, French and other women do not need to be shown respect because they are sexually promiscuous and can be easily won over by anyone who's interested, whereas all Indian women are in some way pure and unsullied and cannot be brought to the tarnished depths of Western culture. Really, that type of script is verging on racism surely!

The climax of this advertisement for Indian purity happens at the wedding where the housewife (who was tempted but did not stray…of course), delivers a moving speech in broken English about respect simultaneously shaming her daughter and opening her self-centred husbands eyes to the idea that his wife is more than just a rice cooking baby machine.

The final scene shows that she is still his obedient wife because she gives him 'two Ladoos' thus proving that even though he treated her like a servant, she still maintains perfect loyalty because he is the 'man' of the house and her 'husband'.

Honestly, I cannot express my disappointment at what a heap of tripe the content of this film presents; it is insulting, patronising and perpetuates an outdated dogma that should have been over a long time ago. Please Gauri Shinde, do not insult Indian film-making with this flaccid offering of backward garbage; there are so many brilliant Indian movies out there that are real, gritty and do justice to the industry. If you have the facility and the ability, do something life-changing with it rather than this utter nonsense!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I did not think that Jennifer Aniston possessed sufficient charisma or presence to carry off the lead role of the desperate and grief-stricken Claire Bennett in this movie with enough impact; there was just something missing and it failed to grasp my attention. Although her performance did demonstrate a certain degree of empathy with a character who is numbed, inwardly enraged and semi-suicidal; in my view she failed to add anything exceptional to the role and I feel her rapport with the audience as such was rather compromised in view of what I felt to be a dampened performance.

I tried my best to attend to the details, but as a result of watching that excessively restrained grimace on her constantly pained face, plus the recurring scenes of her lying horizontal in various vehicles; I found my patience becoming rather stretched in wait of something (anything) else to happen, but after a while I began to understand that there would be no plot or general direction here. Therefore, such unremarkable content took its toll and by the end of the film succeeded in engendering lacklustre feelings verging on boredom, i.e., I could not engage with this movie.

Although this was a novel role for Ms Aniston and to her credit, she did manage to capture some degree of authenticity, many of the scenes were just too repetitive and did not contain enough emotional depth to draw the viewer in. The same could be said of Sam Worthington who seemed to be doing the bare minimum to get by. The real star of the show IMHO was Adriana Barraza who effortlessly added a little spice and real feeling to this rather laboured affair. That and of course a near cameo appearance by Felicity Huffman who was virtually unrecognisable and who I feel would probably have been more suited to the lead.

On reflection, I assume that the name Cake, had some play on having your cake and not eating it, or eating it rather late, or giving it away rather than eating it... (the possibilities are endless) or some pun to that effect. I found the penultimate and ultimate scenes both a bit weak and left me rather blank with an "Oh" rather than a "Wow", not that this film was intending to 'wow' it would seem! To conclude, I feel the movie would have done much better as a black comedy since there was ample opportunity for humour in many scenes. I have always thought that comedy is the area where Jennifer excels as an actress and is the area where she is most able to bring a satisfying interpretation to script. My verdict – watch when sufficiently under the influence of alcohol and try not to fall asleep. 5.8/10

I have to say, I'm not particularly a fan of sports as subject matter for films. The main reason I watched this movie was because I adore Mark Ruffalo and have loved almost every film he has been in; I thought that this would be enough to maintain my interest. However, viewing this film was akin to sitting in a dentist's waiting room listening to the drill in the distance…I had to force myself to sit through this slow, deliberate, intense, slow, brewing, smouldering – oh and did I mention SLOW, movie. I actually breathed a sigh of relief once the climax happened which took approximately 2 hours, and which I thought would never come.

Although the performances were impressive and couldn't be faulted, and the minimalist script served the tone of the story well, I felt it just failed to deliver what I class as quality entertainment, In fact it was quite painful to watch and though some may consider the nails on the blackboard approach to film-making to be 'entertaining', I do not. I guess it goes back to that philosophical question "what is Art?"

An imaginative director can take any subject matter and make it live, die or remain indifferent. To me, this movie was a miserable, serious affair with little life affirming qualities save for the end obituaries detailing how the dead were remembered in the accolades of fame and how the ambitious were demoted to teaching positions but still survived. This is obviously what the direction was aiming at – a tense drama with dry almost clinical camera work and suspense that built and built; that promised an explosion but in the end just gave out a few sparks - one to be exact! In a sense, you could say that it was a very brave attempt by Bennett Miller as a reaction to the very obvious, noisy and spelt out cinema that seems to be dominating Hollywood screens today. Or on the other hand, this manner of creativity could verge on self-indulgence- you decide!

However, that being said, it is a noteworthy film. The performances on all three counts were excellent shedding new light on the hidden talents of Steve Carrell and Channing Tatum both of whom gave memorable depictions of not particularly likable characters. Carrell as Du Pont – an extremely repellent bratty individual with huge Mother issues, Tatum as Mark Shultz, an almost primitive emotionally childish man with a large chip on his shoulder and low self-worth, from which his entire ambition stemmed. Much of the interpretation of the script was left to facial expressions and what was NOT said. This in itself requires a certain talent to put across successfully.

To sum up, don't go and see this if you are impatient and/or have had a bad day at the office – you may want to throw yourself in the path of oncoming traffic once out of the cinema. As far as film making standards go, I give it kudos as a suspenseful character based study, but at the same time I wouldn't be willing (or able) to sit through it again.