Tag: movies

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 the Film 28 Years Later

Hi, ladies and gentlemen. Yes, I’m still on my Christmas holidays. That is probably why you are hearing so much from me at the moment. On the plus side, I watched this film earlier and thought I’d share my thoughts.

For those who don’t love zombies as much as I (weirdos), this is a sequel to the iconic film 28 Days Later. A truly great film.

The premise in this universe is that in 2002, animal activists infiltrate a top-secret laboratory of scientists to release animals, and in the process unknowingly release chimpanzees infected with a pathogen, resulting in a rapid outbreak. The scientists were studying a highly contagious and powerful disease named the Rage Virus. This virus spreads throughout the UK, turning much of its population into de facto zombies.  Great stuff, I know.

Fortunately, it’s only the UK that has been affected (not overly worrisome), and it is in quarantine. This is a bit more serious than leaving the EU.

Anyways, this film starts with lots of kids in a room watching the Teletubbies, a perfect way to tell us the time period. Except for one lucky survivor, all the kids get killed. I almost shed a tear, seriously.

The film then jumps forward to the present. The movie understands that the real horror of an apocalypse isn’t just the chaos—it’s the long-term admin. Systems are breaking down. People are adapting in weird ways, going all medieval and shit. Societies are rebuilding themselves with duct tape and unresolved trauma.

At the heart of the film is a son’s love for his mother. It was all going so well, till then. She’s very sick, and the son thinks a doctor is a solution. It gives them a reason to go on a journey, but the kid seems happy to risk everything on blind luck. It’s a major weakness for the film, as well as the lack of understanding of the father.

They should have continued the film as it started – the father-son relationship.

Another criticism is that many of the scenes didn’t look apocalyptic. Too few trees, the grass was too short, and the roads’ surface too perfect. 28 years later, my ass. I expect more from a film.

For those reasons, it’s three stars from me.

Have you seen it? Why not message and let me know?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Review

Well, I finally got around to seeing this. This lapse would be very difficult to explain to my ten-year-old self. But was it worth the wait?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (also known as Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker) is a 2019 American epic space opera film produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. Produced by Lucasfilm and Bad Robot, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and the final episode of the nine-part “Skywalker saga.” And what a saga, it has proven to be.

Rey continues her journey with determination, compassion, and the kind of emotional resilience that would make any Jedi Master weep proudly into their robe. Her arc is full of self-discovery and inner conflict, and the movie treats her struggle with genuine sincerity. She’s not just swinging a lightsaber—she’s wrestling with identity, legacy, and the age-old Star Wars question: “What if my family history is… a lot?”

And in fairness, her family history is complicated to say the least. You see, it turns out Palpatine is her grandpa. These Jedi and Sith seem to be all related.

Meanwhile, Kylo Ren remains one of the most entertainingly conflicted characters in the entire franchise. Adam Driver commits so hard to every glare, whisper, and emotional breakdown that you half-expect the Force to file a noise complaint. His journey is dramatic, intense, and surprisingly touching—proof that no one does “angsty space villain with great hair” quite like him.

The one thing that doesn’t come off is the kiss between Rey and Kylo Ren or Ben at that stage. It comes out of nowhere, and to be frank, brothers and sisters have had more sexual chemistry in this saga.

The supporting cast brings warmth, humor, and that classic Star Wars camaraderie. Finn is earnest and heroic, Poe is charmingly reckless, and their banter gives the movie a breezy, adventurous feel—even when the fate of the galaxy is, once again, hanging by a very thin thread. New characters slide in with confidence, while familiar faces return like old friends who immediately start helping you move furniture without being asked.

Visually, the movie is a feast. Lightsabers glow dramatically, starships collide with operatic flair, and the Force has never looked so… forceful. Every frame feels designed to be replayed, paused, and pointed at while someone says, “Okay, but that part was actually really cool.”

And yes—this film is emotional. It wears its heart on its Jedi sleeve. Themes of hope, legacy, redemption, and chosen family run through the story like the Force itself. It reminds us that the past matters, but it doesn’t have to define us—a message that feels very Star Wars and very earned.

This is a film for all ages that leaves you feeling all warm inside.

Four stars out of five from me. My ten-year-old self gives it a million.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning: A Review of Epic Action

Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hawke in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, and he’s back with a bang. This dropped on Sky only yesterday, and I was immediately psyched up to watch it. You know what you are going to get – great action scenes.

From Wikipedia:

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is a 2025 American action spy film directed by Christopher McQuarrie from a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen.[7][8] It is the direct sequel to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023) and the eighth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series. The film stars Tom Cruise in his final portrayal of Ethan Hunt,[9] alongside an ensemble cast including Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny and Angela Bassett.[10][11] In the film, Hunt and his IMF team continue their mission to prevent the Entity, a rogue artificial intelligence, from destroying all of humanity.

Imagine if your toaster became sentient, hacked the world’s nuclear codes, and then asked nicely for world domination. Now replace the toaster with The Entity, a rogue AI that threatens to blow up everything except dessert buffets. Ethan Hunt is all that stands in its way.

It’s a long film. I mean, very long at a running time of 170 minutes. Personally, I watched it over two days and thoroughly enjoyed it. One sitting would be a significant endurance test.

The action scenes are what really set this apart. The underwater cinematography is incredible, as are the shots on the planes. Additions to all the great shots and stunts Tom Cruise has given us over the years.

On that subject, we do get quite a few flashbacks of previous films. Much like a tribute to the franchise’s greatest hits.

I give the film five stars out of five. It’s like Tom Cruise.

Do you agree? Do let me know.

Four-Star Movie Review: Fun Light Entertainment

Hello, my dear readers. Guess you are all looking forward to Christmas right about now. I finished this gem called “The Adams Project” last night and thought I’d do you all a quick post. It’s been a while. What can I say? Alcohol comes first.

The plot zips around like it’s had too much coffee—time travel, futuristic jets, evil corporations—but it never forgets to slow down for heart. The real secret weapon is the banter between adult Adam and his younger self, which feels like watching your inner monologue argue with you in real time. It’s funny, oddly touching, and painfully accurate.

One of the funniest parts is where he convinces his younger self to stand up to a bully, only to get pummeled. Of course, that could be my strange sense of humor..

The film is quite uplifting, never getting particularly dark. His being mean to his Mum is about the worst of it, and he gives her a big hug at the end. The action scenes are good and will keep your heart beating away.

A small bit of romance, but it never gets in the way. Down with that sort of thing.

Four stars out of five for me. Good light entertainment.

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.

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.

A Review of Netflix’s ‘Being Eddie’: Insights and Reflections

Anybody within seven or eight years of my age (I’m forty-six) would have fond memories of Eddie Murphy. I still remember seeing Beverly Hills Cop for the first time. A great film that would never have made it without him. It was the first time I saw on-screen a black character who was clearly more intelligent than the white people around him. All the curses stuck out as well.

But what happened to him recently? I haven’t heard his name in an age. I was also interested in what other aspects of his life were like.

That’s why I watched the documentary “Being Eddie” on Netflix a couple of nights ago.

If you are looking for something visceral, raw, then this is not it. Some critics think it’s more like a prelude to him returning to stand-up more than anything else. It retreats from anything awkward/contentious. He comes across as a family man and reminisces about voicing the donkey in Shrek. There is nothing about the paternity suit with Mel B, for example. He has ten children. Musk would be proud.

The best part is when it just lets him speak. I found his tendency towards OCD intriguing. Great minds appear to have a likelihood for such things, and I doubt it’s a coincidence.

He also brings up that he has never won an Oscar, despite his great performances and sometimes playing multiple characters in the same film. I wouldn’t worry about it if I were him; their value has greatly diminished over the years.

The interviews with other comedy legends, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart, and more, show what a powerful influence he was on the industry. They all say nice things. What a pity!

I give it three stars out of five. It’ll make you feel warm. Just don’t expect anything beyond the bland, though.

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

A House of Dynamite: A Thrilling Perspective on Nuclear Crisis

Happy weekend to all my readers. I had the good fortune to watch “A House of Dynamite” during the week.

A nuclear missile is fired towards the United States. What follows is a masterclass in contemporary suspense. The film’s structure is bold: it essentially shows the same 18 minutes (or the timeframe of the missile threat) from several perspectives — intelligence, military, and White House. This different point-of-view approach illustrates how separate parts of the US military and government respond to the crisis.

Whether the nuclear warhead actually detonates, and what then happens, is not part of the film. Under the direction of Kathryn Bigelow, the film plunges the viewer into a high-stakes nuclear crisis with astonishing realism. The sense of urgency is almost physical — Bigelow keeps the camera moving, the editing sharp, the clock ticking.

Some viewers might find the repeating structure (showing the same timeframe from different angles) slightly repetitive, but I enjoyed it. Others may find it frustrating that questions go unanswered. I find it apt. I see the ambiguity as intentional, just like the real-life situation would be.

The film is more than entertainment: it’s a wake-up call about nuclear deterrence, about systems we (or at least the Americans) trust being fallible.

The movie boasts a stellar cast: Idris Elba, who looks much older than when I last saw him, gives a grounded, urgent performance as the U.S. President. His chances of being 007 are now gone, though. Rebecca Ferguson and Gabriel Basso hold their own in the thriller’s pressurized settings.

The characters feel real under pressure — not caricatures of power, but people making impossible decisions in impossible times.

If you’re in the mood for a film that makes you hold your breath—and keeps you thinking after—it’s absolutely worth watching. Five stars out of five for me.

Why Wednesday Season 2 is Worth Your Time

Dear readers, it is great to be back here with you again. For those who may not remember, or dare I say it, may not have read it, I thoroughly enjoyed the first series of “Wednesday”. The second season was recently released on Netflix, which is playing a blinder at the moment.

There has been quite a delay since the first series. Somewhat ironically, considering the black comedy, Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday, did not wish to return. She was not impressed with the rest of her team, and apparently had to come up with a considerable amount of her own dialogue and improvisations. Then, it became a huge hit. I’m sure this gave her much more power to get things done the way she wanted.

So what did I think of Season 2?

One word – excellent. And this from a man mid-forties about a bunch of mostly female high schoolers in a supernatural mystery comedy.

The first series turned Ortega into a worldwide star, and she is just as good in series two. In fact, her skills may even be more challenged in this one, where bodies are temporarily swapped. A powerful dynamic in Series Two is the relationship between Wednesday and her mother, who is played by the legendary Catherine Zeta-Jones. There is a certain warmth underneath the coldness as they try to outwit one another. Wednesday, so she can break free, and fear on her mother’s side that she pushes things too far. A pivotal moment is a veiled sword fight between them to determine if Wednesday gets her psychic knowledge book back.

Pugsley becomes a more central character in Series 2. He has a much greater wish to be loved than Wednesday. It hurts when he is rejected, and he ends up making a very unusual friend, even by the standards of the Addams family.

Another character who lights up this series is Enid, played by the delightful Emma Myers. Enid is an unforgettable character who plays an important counterpoint to the deadpan Wednesday.

Five stars out of five from me. Now, go watch some TV!

So, have you seen it, and what did you think?