Change Your Image
hreghen
Recent Check-Ins
Reviews
Wonka (2023)
Enjoyable but flawed
This film has some charming and creative elements but essentially all the great parts came from mining Roald Dahl's creativity and not from original thoughts. This origin story didn't really many details of Wonka's past or tell an interesting or nuanced story. A young Wonka is thwarted by over-the-top enemies who are outrageously cruel.
There were too many songs and too many attempts at heartfelt 'Disney' moments that would surely have made Dahl cringe.
There was a totally unnecessary subplot involving corrupt priests that could only be seen as a vulgar attack on the Catholic Church.
Chalamet was very good in the title role and Olivia Coleman delivered the sought of broad comedy she was known for before her surprising Oscar triumph in The Favourite. Hugh Grant, and his clipped English accent, made the Oompa Loompa character amusingly memorable.
There was too much focus on the Noodle character. Oodles of Noodle was too much.
Just watch the 1971 version. It's the best.
Hamish Macbeth: Destiny: Part 1 (1997)
Unbelievably awful finale
If you have enjoyed this show then I recommend that you do not spoil your experience by watching this two-part finale. The story is completely preposterous and the focus is mainly on new characters and the acting skills of the actors playing those new characters are almost non-existent.
The plot involves a crazy American evil mastermind, a man with one eye, one leg and one hand, and a remarkably efficient and successful hypnotist trying to steal a part of Scotland's heritage. Almost nothing makes sense in this episode. To ensure your sanity and to preserve your happy memories of this sweet, quirky show I recommend that you don't watch either finale episode and watch a favourite episode instead.
A Rainy Day in New York (2019)
Another Woody Allen charmer
People will tell you this isn't Woody's best film but it's still more enjoyable, intelligent and amusing than almost all films being made each year. In the same way a lesser-known Klimt painting is still a multi-million dollar masterpiece any Woody Allen film is still a class act.