caitlin_online Reviews

Moon (2009)

Wow, just Wow...

[10/10 · 3 January 2010]

Possibly the best sci-fi film I have ever seen. Gripping from beginning to end, full of tension, fascinating, heart-wrenching, and certainly not predictable. Elements of Silent Running (another favourite) and 2001: A Space Odyssey, but stands alone. Completely breathtaking and beautifully understated.

Really that sums it up, but to meet word count requirements:

Spoilers follow -

Sam Rockwell as the Sams' was just stunning - so completely convincing, and beautifully portraying their uniqueness in their sameness. Kevin Spacey was also just perfect as Gerty (what a great name). The music was spot on too.

'kick me' :-) Love it.

The Day of the Triffids (2009)

Oh dear, another mangled remake

[31 December 2009]

Why, oh why do people think it is a great idea to remake a hugely successful and gripping novel, and completely screw around with the plot and characters. Nothing in this remake adds to the original, instead it twists it into a laughable and contrived mess. There are plot holes throughout - and god knows where all those automatic machine guns came from in the heart of England.

Heaven knows why writers/producers would take what was a proved winner, as demonstrated in the 1981 BBC series, and entirely rip its heart out. Very, very disappointing.

2/10

Smuggler (1981)

Just released on DVD!

[21 June 2008]

I've been hunting for this for decades, and did another search today to discover that the complete first series was release in March this year. I'm very excited, and just placed my order.

It is one of the series that I have the fondest memories of from childhood.

It seems that this comment isn't long enough for IMDb's filters - but what else can I say when I haven't seen the series for over 25 years? Once I've watched it again I'll come back and review what the show looks like through adult eyes.

********************

Play for Today: Our Day Out (1978) Season 8, Episode 16

A well balanced powerful TV play

[8/10 · 9 January 2005]

Ignore the rating IMDb is currently showing for this drama - a baffling 5.4. The system IMDb uses must be seriously flawed (And I suspect looking at the spread of votes grossly in favour of US voters) as if you drill down you'll in fact discover the mean vote is 7.3, and the median 9.

Our Day Out is in many ways a simple drama, full of clever lines, and some hysterically funny scenes with the students of the "Progress Class" clashing with the Welsh countryside, and a zoo that doesn't know what hit it….

But there also are some powerful moments amongst the carousing and glee of a 'special needs' class on a day outing to Wales.

The acting is uniformly good from the child cast, and the editing and direction are again apparently simple but highly effective.

The comedy and drama are well balanced, and though it does feel very much like a made for TV play, without great character development in any of its child cast in the short hour available, it is a pleasure to watch, and highlights some powerful issues around the neglect of working class kids along the way.

State of Play (2003)

John Simms is absolutely brilliant in this

[10/10 · 24 October 2003]

Actually the whole cast is - Bill Nighy, David Morrissey, Kelly Macdonald. What a terrific ensemble piece. David Morrissey's performance was very reminiscent of his role in the equally good "Holding On' I thought.

John Simms as the prime investigative reporter was definitely the standout though - a cleverly scripted excellently directed piece that convincingly twisted and turned throughout the five episodes. Totally gripping and highly recommended.

3000 Miles to Graceland (2001)

A really nasty film

[3/10 · 30 May 2003]

This film is one of the most gratuitously violent and nasty films I've seen for a very long time. The ludicrous shootout in the casino would be laughable if it wasn't just plain nasty. Not even any saving grace of the 'art' of a Tarantino - this just packs in mindless and a disturbingly immoral body count in the pretense that this can be a substitute for a decent plot.

Framed (1992– )

Powerful performances from both lead actors

[8/10 · 11 April 2003]

I've only seen this in the 'edited' DVD form. If this is indeed cut to bits like I've read, the original must have been fantastic. I thought that the performances of David Morrissey and Timothy Dalton were riveting.

Born Romantic (2000)

Light, fun escapist flick

[8/10 · 11 February 2003]

This film is a really nice ensemble piece, all the cast are good and put in a range of very appealing performances.

Personally I have a bit of a 'thing' for David Morrissey and it was nice for a change to see him here with his native Liverpudlian accent being charming, sexy and very very funny.

Ian Hart who gets top billing is really a fairly minor character, yet also puts in an excellent, and unusual performance as the misogynistic taxi driver who dishes out advice to anyone who cares to listen in the cafe.

The plot is certainly nothing new, and there are no real surprises along the way, but it succeeds well in it's aim of being a warm and appealing feel good movie.

The Game of Death (2000)

Not as good as I expected

[5/10 · 23 September 2002]

I'd read rave reviews about this, and bought it on DVD as I'm a big fan of David Morrissey's work. While it wasn't bad, I felt it lacked depth or emotional involvement. I just didn't care about the characters, and found the plot too implausible. Not a memorable film.

Smart Money (1986)

A truly abysmal film - painful to watch

[1/10 · 21 May 2002]

This has got to be one of the most embarrassingly bad films I have ever seen. The director managed to turn out bad performances from every member of the cast, and the script was laughable. It was an effort to sit right though it.

The only saving grace is the curiosity value of seeing 'cutting edge' computer technology and computer gaming from 1986!

One Summer (1983)

A memorable coming of age drama

[10/10 · 19 April 2002]

This 5 part coming-of-age drama had a profound affect on me as a teenager. It was the first screen appearance of David Morrissey, who has since gone on to a fair level of screen success both in the UK and US. Also appearing as the troubled Icky was the brilliant Spencer Leigh, who unfortunately has not had the same success and appears to have appeared in very little since, and nothing in the last 10 years... I can still hum the haunting harmonica theme by Alan Parker.

Still Crazy (1998)

Maybe not an original film - but still a really enjoyable one

[9/10 · 19 April 2002]

No - I agree not as ground breaking as Spinal Tap. But this film has warmth, and no great pretentions. Just a nostalgic funny look at growing middle aged and still being a wannabe rockstar. I thought Billy Connolly was slightly disappointing in his fairly small role, but the rest of the cast were all excellent - the superb Bill Nighy, Stephen Rea, Jimmy Nail. And spot Bruce Robinson - writer/director of cult classic 'Withnail and I' as the ex-lead guitarist and wild child Brian.