TV series and films I recommend, or don't!
Blogger has changed and I can't work out how to add a video of the trailer, as I used to do for these posts, but I have provided the link to each YouTube trailer, along with each show/film's JustWatch page so you can see where they can be streamed/rented/bought.
The Day of the Jackal
Series
5 stars (easily!)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This series is much better than I expected; I imagined a jazzed up version of the Edward Fox film, but it's so much more. Previously I have not been a fan of Eddie Redmayne, but he's matured, and is perfect in this. Ordinary looking guy, kind of a reluctant assassin. Married to the woman who played Tokyo in Money Heist. Charles Dance strides forth as his usual character (ruthless and slightly sneering boss/patriarch), and Eleanor Matsuura (Yumiko in TWD) is his contact in the shadow world of enormous pay-outs for the successful hit.
Lashana Lynch (pictured) plays the intelligence officer obsessed with tracking him down, at the cost of her own family.
It's got very little to do with the original film, but that doesn't matter because the plot is so good, the action is terrific and believable, and you'll probably think 'why do I find myself liking this chap who kills people?' Thoroughly gripping all the way through. Highly, highly recommended.
*
Landman
Series
4.5 stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
All about oil men in West Texas. Billy Bob Thornton stars as Tommy Norris, and is excellent, as is Jon Hamm as the big business guy. The plot is great, the cinematography is a joy. The business side runs parallel to Tommy's ongoing family difficulties with his ghastly wife Angela (Ali Larter), his son and daughter. Jacob Lofland as son Cooper who is determined to be a landman just like his pa, was my favourite character.
The only thing I didn't like about it was the inappropriately sexual behaviour of the daughter and the wife, which I found a bit icky.
*
Woman of the Hour
Film
4.5 stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Film, true story, about serial killer Rodney Alcala. The story centres around Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick, who also directed), a contestant on The Dating Game in 1978. Alcala was one of the three bachelors, and the one she chose as her date.
The film includes flashbacks about women Alcala killed, and even when his identity is pointed out by a friend of a victim, he is not arrested. Very good, and from an artistic point of view, the whole 70s vibe worked. Hardly any daft wigs, like you normally see in films set in the 70s; for once they actually chose actors willing to do proper 70s hair.
Daniel Zovatto was wonderfully sinister as Alcala.
*
Carry-On
Film
3 stars
⭐⭐⭐
Christmas Eve-themed thriller starring Jason Bateman as a 'facilitator', who spins a series of highly efficient moves to persuade a security guard at LAX (Taron Egerton) to allow a mysterious package through.
*Spoiler alert*
The plot itself is cleverly executed, and the pace is scorching, but it was a bit of a let down for me, because the feel-good ending made it seem kind of outdated. The wheeee of police sirens as the hero saved the day was so clichéd that it felt almost like a parody. Too many cheesy moments.
I could not help thinking of the brilliant Arlington Road, a low key and far superior film about terrorism, with its shocking and more realistic outcome. Big let down, really, although I enjoyed watching it.
*
Earth Abides
Series
2 stars
⭐⭐
Drama series. Alexander Ludwig (Bjorn in Vikings) stars as a geologist who gets bitten by a snake. Alone in a cabin, his delirium breaks a few weeks later, which is when he discovers that there has been a global pandemic and almost everyone is dead.
At first I thought this was going to be brilliant, loving this genre as I do, but when Ludwig's character Ish meets up with others, the drama takes a different turn. What I thought was going to be a story of the harshness of post-apocalyptic survival ended up being a ludicrous feel-good tale about a community of fourteen who somehow, years later, still look well-fed and healthy, despite no evidence of actual farming. They drive around in cars, despite there being no sign of fuel production. Naturally, one of the people in their group just happens to be a fully-qualified surgeon. Imagine having that sort of luck, right?!
At the end of the last episode I watched, Ish was mauled by a lioness, though I'm sure the surgeon (who is one of a 'thruple', of course) will sew him up in a jiffy.
It's post-apoc for people who don't like post-apoc, basically.
Note Dec 31: I watched a couple more episodes last night and there was a better storyline, about a chap who wasn't 100% 'yay community', but it's now 20 years in and there is still no suggestion that they grow crops or make fuel, but all still look healthy and well-fed, and not a year older. Also, all have full sets of white teeth. Ish and wife Emma look no different from when they met, apart from Ish sporting a nice yellow wig. Why didn't they just suggest that Ludwig grow his hair?
*
Squid Game - Season 2
Series
4.5 stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Looooved Squid Game #1. Korean series dubbed into English, about people in dire financial straits accepting the offer to play a series of games in order to win a vast sum of money. Only problem is that failing to complete each game results in extermination.
The second series is just as good, but half a star off because it ended in a cliffhanger, with Season #3 not available until late 2025 or 2026. I don't mind cliffhangers, generally, but waiting that long to find out what happens????
*
Dexter: Original Sin
Series
4.5 stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you're a fan of the main series of Dexter, you'll love this. If you don't know what it's about, Dexter is a serial killer who only kills very bad people. In Original Sin, Patrick Gibson shows great dramatic expertise in his portrayal of the young serial killer in waiting, aided by his father, who is played by Christian Slater.
My only problem with it is that I think the series as a whole does rather glorify serial killiing!
*
That's all for now, back with more soon!
