Category: Reviews

Documentary Review: I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not

Those of my readers around in the eighties will probably remember Chevy Chase. I remembered him from comedic films from the time period, but it had been many years since I even thought of him.

So, I said I’d give this documentary film a try. Its name is “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not.” From the start, it becomes clear that his bad reputation as a coworker will be a big focus, as well as his past drug abuse.

The film does an excellent job of reminding you just how seismic Chase’s impact on comedy really was. Saturday Night Live doesn’t just get a nod—it gets a victory lap. Watching early clips of Gerald Ford tumbling down stairs and Chase anchoring Weekend Update is like seeing comedy history being invented in real time, mostly held together with duct tape and confidence. The documentary smartly lets these moments breathe, trusting the material to remind you why Chase was, for a time, the funniest man in America.

Then come the movies, and oh, what a parade it is. Caddyshack, Fletch, National Lampoon’s Vacation—the documentary rolls through them like a greatest-hits album where every track is either iconic or inexplicably quotable. There’s a genuine joy in revisiting how Chase perfected the art of the smug, clueless, yet weirdly lovable leading man. His comic persona—equal parts charm and chaos—gets the credit it deserves as a blueprint for generations of comedians who followed.

But then there are the drugs. And he did a lot. And he could be mean. The drug abuse, his comedy, and this meanness all likely have one source – an abusive mother. He developed it as a coping mechanism. It is one he still uses as he makes jokes to deflect difficult or awkward moments, even in his eighties. Still, even his meanness comes off as him being a bit of a rascal.

When the stories get messy. You come away with the sense that Chase’s imperfections didn’t cancel out his contributions—they complicated them, humanized them, and, strangely, made his successes even more impressive.

By the end, the documentary feels less like a verdict and more like a well-earned, slightly crooked standing ovation. It celebrates a man who made millions of people laugh, sometimes by falling down, sometimes by being the joke, and sometimes by being in on it all along.

It gets four out of five stars from me.

If you’ve seen it, what did you think?

Review of One Battle After Another (2025)

Well, readers, if ever there was a counter-culture film to Trump’s America, then this is it, It oozes wokeness, but, at nearly three hours long, is it any good?

It stars some great actors, Leonardo Di Capprio, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro. Di Capprio gives a great performance.

The film’s narrative grapples with ideas about legacy, revolution, and personal consequence. For many viewers, these themes may give the story a depth beyond surface-level action. Thrilling sequences are filled with moments that invite reflection on how past actions reverberate through personal and political life.

Ghetto” Pat Calhoun (Di Capprio)and Perfidia Beverly Hills are members of a far-left revolutionary group, the French 75. While breaking out detained immigrants from Otay Mesa Detention Center, Perfidia sexually humiliates the commanding officer, Steven J. Lockjaw, who afterward becomes obsessed with her. Pat and Perfidia become lovers. When Lockjaw catches Perfidia planting a bomb, he releases her after she agrees to his demand to later meet him for sex.

After Perfidia gives birth to a girl named Charlene, Pat tries to persuade her to settle down, but she instead abandons Pat and Charlene to continue her revolutionary activities. She is arrested after murdering a security guard in an armed bank robbery. Lockjaw arranges for her to avoid prison in exchange for the names and whereabouts of key French 75 members. Perfidia enters witness protection, while Lockjaw uses the information she provided to hunt down and summarily execute her comrades. French 75 member Howard Sommerville gives Pat and Charlene stolen identities as Bob and Willa Ferguson, while Perfidia flees witness protection for Mexico.

This covers the first third of the film, or so. French 75 are terrorists. They bomb courthouses and free illegal immigrants at the point of the gun. Their cited causes are no borders and bodily autonomy (against restrictions on abortion). And white people are bad, mostly.

There is a part that had me laughing. In the car early in the film, Perfidia asks Leonardo’s character Pat if he likes black girls. I knew that wouldn’t be a problem, but I wondered if she would be too old for him!

A weakness in the early part of the film is how easily Lockjaw can track Perfidia with little explanation given. Also, nobody in the movement seems bothered that the only person they kill is a black security guard.

Anyhow, sixteen years later, living off-the-grid in the sanctuary city of Baktan Cross, California, Bob (Pat) has become a paranoid stoner. He is protective of Willa (Charlene), now a free-spirited teenager who resents his substance abuse, and has led her to believe Perfidia was a hero. Through his vehement anti-immigration efforts, Lockjaw has become a colonel and a prominent figure within the U.S. security agencies. When Lockjaw is invited to become a member of the Christmas Adventurers Club, a white supremacist secret society, he seeks to kill Willa to hide his past interracial relationship with Perfidia. He hires the Indigenous bounty hunter Avanti Q to capture Howard, triggering a distress signal to be sent to the French 75.

What follows is some good action scenes. As with more modern films, Charlene saves herself to a large extent. There is little need for the father figure except as emotional support.

I score the film three stars out of five. In cinemas now.

Why The Last Jedi Stands Out in Star Wars Saga

Believe it or not, it turns out that I missed some of the Star Wars films. And, perhaps you have too. They don’t appear on anything, except Disney, so they are easily missed. At least, I had two good films to watch. Always look on the bright side of life, eh.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the cinematic equivalent of showing up to a family reunion and discovering that Uncle Luke has undergone a profound philosophical transformation, dyed his hair gray, and now has very strong opinions about the Jedi Order. And honestly? It’s not the best part of the film. Uncle Luke is a bit too entrenched for my liking.

Visually, the movie is absolutely gorgeous. Every frame looks like it was designed to be someone’s desktop background. The red-and-white battlefield on Crait is striking, the space battles are inventive, and the quieter moments are given room to breathe. From an Irish perspective, the scenes on Skellig Michael are fantastic. We’re going to have yanks visiting these shores for many years to come.

Rey and Kylo Ren are the central characters of this film, and it is clear that this is their trilogy. Good versus evil, the light versus the darkness. Except, there is a bit of grey in both of them, leaving you unsure what way things are going to end up.

Most of all, this film is great entertainment for all ages. I give it four stars out of five.

Have you seen it? Let me know what you think.

Exploring _The Salt Path Scandal_: A Review

Well, readers, I watched this gem on Sky earlier. The first few minutes revisit what had been a best-selling book, later turned into a starring Gillian Anderson.

The show lulls you into a tranquil daze. There are drone shots of cliffs that look like they’ve been photoshopped by the concept of serenity itself. Gentle strings hum. Someone says something earnest about “healing.” You exhale. It’s about a 650-mile walk you can do in the South West of England as told by Raynor Winn. She had just lost her house, and her husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness. The walk was transformative.

And then—record scratch—a talking head appears to ask a question so sharp it could open tinned beans: “But did that actually happen?” From there, The Salt Path Scandal becomes less a journey and more a brisk hike through footnotes.

The documentary’s true star is its tone, which can best be described as polite British skepticism wearing a fleece. Nobody yells. Nobody lunges. Instead, the filmmakers deploy the deadliest weapon in the national arsenal: calm, persistent follow-ups. “Just to clarify,” a narrator says, with the menace of a librarian about to revoke privileges. Every “just to clarify” lands like a small pebble in your shoe—annoying, impossible to ignore, and increasingly painful over time.

You see, the book claimed to be a memoir. Like, it was supposed to be true. But once, a journalist, Hadjimatheou, probed a bit. Well, there were reasons to be skeptical.

Structurally, the series is a masterclass in pacing. Each episode introduces a claim, lets it bask in sunlight, then quietly rotates it to reveal a price tag, a date discrepancy, or a witness who remembers things… differently. It’s less gotcha journalism and more hmm, interesting journalism,

By the finale, you’re left amused, mildly scandalized, and deeply suspicious of any memoir. The truth is out there somewhere.

It gets four stars out of five from me.

Have you seen it? Let me know what you think.

Liam Neeson is superb in Memory (2022 film)

Liam Neeson is back in action in the 2022 film, Memory. Like seriously, this guy is a film-making machine at this stage. In this one, he stars as a septuagenarian hitman called Alex Lewis who is—plot twist—forgetting things. Not metaphorically. Not “I forgot where I put my keys.” We’re talking medically, tragically, narratively, forgetting things. Which is bold, because the man’s entire cinematic brand is “I will find you,” and now the movie dares to ask: but what if he occasionally forgets why?

Alex is hired for a job that he doesn’t really want to take, only to discover that the target is a child. In a move that instantly promotes him from “professional killer” to “professional killer with ethics,” he refuses the hit. He gives a warning that the girl is to be left alone. When another contract killer completes the task and goes after him, he turns his very specific set of skills on the people who ordered it. Meanwhile, his memory is deteriorating faster than a phone battery in the cold, forcing him to leave himself notes like a lethal, cardigan-wearing version of Memento.

This is where the movie shines. Instead of pretending Neeson is still 30, Memory leans into age, regret, and cognitive decline—and somehow makes them tense, sad, and weirdly wholesome.

The action is grounded, tense, and refreshingly free of superhero nonsense. Neeson doesn’t leap off buildings—he moves with purpose, like a man who knows his knees won’t forgive him later. Every fight feels heavy, deliberate, and earned.

The supporting cast (including Guy Pearce and Monica Bellucci) adds gravitas, though let’s be honest: this is Liam’s movie, and everyone else is just trying not to get emotionally or physically outmatched.

Oh, and the ending is perfect.

The best film I’ve seen in some time. Five stars out of five from me.

Have you seen it? Let me know what you think.

Colin Farrell’s Haunting Performance in a Macau Gambling Drama

Some films linger in your mind long after you would think. They make you think, leaving a permanent mark on your mind. Ballad of a Small Player is one of those films. It reminds me of Leaving Las Vegas, except this time a gambling addict rather than an alcoholic is the central figure. And it’s set in Macau, the gambling Mecca of China.

Colin Farrell is back! His first film in quite some time. He gives a committed, raw, and deeply haunting performance as Brendan Reilly, aka Lord Doyle — a once-privileged con man now at the mercy of his gambling addiction and debts. He embodies both the swagger and fragility of a man on the brink.

His luck has deserted him, and the walls are closing in on all sides. Reilly meets Dao Ming, an enigmatic credit broker.

Comforted by Reilly after one of her despondent clients jumps to his death, a guilt-stricken Dao brings him to a temple on the water for the first night of the Ghost Festival. Though she fears her own luck has run out, Reilly believes his fortune can turn in both their favor. However, he wakes up alone with a number written on his hand.

What follows is a complex, somewhat fantastical tale about a gambler whose fortune changes when he needs it most. But now he fears for his soul as he engages in a dangerous waltz to come out the other side.

I give the film four stars out of five.

Have you seen it? Let me know what you made of it in the comments.

Exploring the Thrills of Stranger Things Season 5 Episodes 1-4

Dear readers, the first four episodes of Season 5 dropped on Netflix a few days ago. And, well, I, being the TVaholic you all know and love, have watched them all.

The first thing to hit me was What the hell is happening again? It’s been so long since Season 4, and my mind has gone a bit rusty. A few minutes later, I was back at my A-game.

A quick reminder from Wikipedia –

After the events of the fourth season, in the fall of 1987, the group seeks to find and kill Vecna after the Rifts opened in Hawkins. The mission becomes complicated when the military arrives in Hawkins and begins hunting Eleven. As the anniversary of Will Byers’ disappearance approaches, the group must fight one last time against a new deadly threat.

It felt all nostalgic and warm to be back watching. Every now and again, it’s great to be reminded just how great the nineteen-eighties really were.

All the loved chair characters are back.

Millie Brown is once more stealing the show. Her relationship with Hop, a resounding theme. Still, there is so much more. You are kept on the edge of your seat, unsure what happens next. At times, especially in episode four, it can be terrifying.

Visually, Series 5 pushes the show to new heights. The Upside Down is more otherworldly and terrifying than ever, and the action sequences are some of the most ambitious in the show’s history. Yet despite the heightened stakes, the season never loses its grounding in friendship, loyalty, and coming-of-age struggles.

It’s well on the way to a high score.

Have you seen it yet? If so, let me know what you thought in the comments.

Why Madame Web Stands Out in Today’s Marvel Landscape

It’s been widely reported that Marvel films lost their shine over the last few years, and I’d agree. Each film seemed to be a rehash of the last one. And the CGI was too overboard. It’s also difficult to get excited when you know that superheroes are almost impossible to kill, so there’s little to really worry about.

Still, I went into my sitting room with an open mind. I’m nothing if not fair. And I’m so happy that I did. Madame Web is a uniquely refreshing entry in the modern superhero landscape—one that prioritizes character, atmosphere, and emotional resonance over the typical barrage of CGI-fueled spectacle.

A new story is finally being told. And she’s not invincible, but rather a haphazard time traveller. In fact, you see her death on more than one occasion. How refreshing. She is trying to protect three teenage girls, aptly played by Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor. The dynamic between them, and the main character Cassandra Web makes the film. The trio exudes warmth, charisma, and a natural chemistry that gives the story an emotional core. Their scenes together are vibrant and often surprisingly funny, providing a wonderful contrast to Cassandra’s world-weary pragmatism. As their bond develops, the film gains a sense of heart that elevates the entire narrative.

Cassandra Web is played by Dakota Johnson of Fifty Shades fame. Thankfully, this film is much better. It gets five stars out of five from me. My first five stars in quite some time.

Have you seen it? Let me know in the comments.

Exploring Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein: A Modern Take

Ah, Frankenstein, the epic tale. It almost feels like a myth passed down thousands of years, rather than coming from the presumably seriously twisted mind of Mary Shelley back in 1818.

Now, it’s after getting the Netflix treatment. Frankenstein is a 2025 American Gothic science fiction film produced, written, and directed by Guillermo del Toro. It is a breathtaking reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s iconic novel—faithful to its emotional core, yet bold enough to stand confidently as its own work.

From the start, the film establishes a chilling, immersive atmosphere that pulls you into a world where life, death, ambition, and heartbreak intertwine. It’s more than just a monster story—it’s a profound exploration of what it means to be human, and the cost of creating something you can’t control.

You see events unfold from two perspectives: the creator and the monster. In a way, they are each other’s mirrors. One is beautiful on the inside, hideous on the outside. The other is the opposite.

The acting is of a high quality. Oscar Isaac as Victor, the creator, and Jacob Elordi as the monster give powerful performances.

Even though it is a long film, many of the minor relationships feel rushed. Victor falling in love with his brother’s fiancée, and the brothers’ relationship misses the mark. The scene where the fiancée professes her love for Frankenstein is nonsensical. I can only presume important scenes were cut.

For that reason, it’s only three stars out of five from me. Read the book, it’s a classic.

Have you seen it? Let me know in the comments.

Exploring Football’s Greatest Con: King of Lies Episode 1

Hello, my dear readers. Took an annual leave today and decided that it was important for it not to be wasted. So, I watched TV and the above documentary, in particular.

Episode 1 of King of Lies: Football’s Greatest Con launches the series with an enticing blend of mystery and tension, but it’s not without its stumbles. The premiere does a solid job establishing the central scandal, which revolves around the sale of Notts County Football Club (the oldest professional football club in the world), teasing just enough information to pique curiosity without revealing too much too soon. The opening sequences are atmospheric and stylish, setting a tone that’s equal parts investigative thriller and sports documentary.

The documentary’s greatest strength is its interviews. I was stunned to see Sven-Göran Eriksson pop into the story. The interview is from the depths of sickness shortly before he died. Unfortunately, he gets caught up in it all and quite bizarrely ends up in North Korea at one point!

However, the pacing is noticeably uneven. Some sections feel stretched out, lingering on details that don’t yet carry emotional or narrative weight. The editing sometimes jumps abruptly between timelines or perspectives, which can make the episode feel scattered,

Russell King is the conman leaving ruin wherever he goes. It’s quite a complex con, almost masterful. But it’s impossible to see his out. He needed the con or new cons to keep being successful, to not get caught.

An interesting documentary. I learned that you can’t get people to do what they don’t want to. The art of persuasion is giving them a reason to do what they want.

Yes, so, not sure if that’s a positive, but what the hell.

It gets three stars out of five from me.

Have you seen it? What do you think?

Episode 1 of King of Lies: Football’s Greatest Con is currently available on Sky Documentaries.