Hamilton

 

Hamilton 2020

• Director: Thomas Kail
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Philippa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr, Renée Elise Goldsberry, David Diggs, Jonathan Groff, Chris Jackson
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Lin-Manuel Miranda – In the Heights
• Why? The hype
• Seen:  22 February 2025                   

        Oh, to see this on stage, but oh how happy I am to see it on my TV screen.

       Believe the hype. Music, lyrics, voices, humour – just brilliant.

       With that said, there are problems. The story is muddled, possibly difficult to follow for those not familiar with US history. It goes on rather too long, a few kill your darlings would sharpen it up. The lyrics are always clever but don’t always bring the story forward.

       The major problem however is that, though the cast is mostly made up of actors of colour, the characters portrayed were in reality white slaveholders, or at least entrenched in a racist society. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote it and starred in the title role, has acknowledged this and apologised.

       Still, it presents some astute comments on the complexities of wars of independence and building a new nation. It is definitely worth seeing. More than once. 

4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lovely Bones

 

The Lovely Bones 2009

• Director: Peter Jackson
• Seen by this director: The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, King Kong
• Based on the book by Alice Sebold
• Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlgren, Susan Sarondon, Stanley Tucci,
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• All of them - many
• Why? The book was interesting
• Seen:  20 February 2025                   

        Susie (Ronan) is 14 when she’s murdered. She tells us all about it as she wanders through purgatory waiting to get into heaven. It worked in the book.

       Not so well here. It’s too sweet, too pretty and the ending is pure naïve heaven sugar. A pity because the cast is good. 

2* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loving

 

Loving 2016

• Director: Jeff Nichols
• Seen by this director: Mud, Take Shelter
• Based on the book by Nancy Buirski
• Cast: Ruth Negga, Joel Edgarton
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Ruth Negga – Ad Astra, World War Z, Misfits, Breakfast on Pluto
• Joel Edgarton – Boy Erased, The Great Gatsby, Ned Kelly, Star Wars
• Why? The subject
• Seen:  19 February 2025                   

        Virginia USA 1958. Mildred (Negga) and Richard (Edgarton) love each other and get married, thus breaking the law and becoming criminals. Why? She’s black and he’s white.

       They are exiled to Washington DC, have three children, and with the help of ACLU, sue the state of Virginia.

       Low-keyed but intense, very well acted and based on a true story. Sometimes painful to watch, but very good.

 4* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raspberry Boat Refugee

 

Raspberry Boat Refugee (Hallonbåtsflykting) 2014

• Director: Leif Lindblom
• Seen by this director: Svensson Svensson, Cleo
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Jonas Karlsson, Josephine Bornebusch, Frida Hallgren, Jerka Johansson, Björn Bengtsson, Susanne Reuter
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Jonas Karlsson – Tillsammans 1&2, Snömannen, The Tempest (on stage) Gustav IIIs äktenskap
• Susanne Reuter – Svensson Svensson, Cleo, Reuter & Skog
• Why? Jonas Karlsson
• Seen:  18 February 2025                   

        Swedish media has given this comedy many *s. Jonas Karlsson is one of my favourite actors. So.

       Finnish Mikko (Karlsson) wants to be Swedish. Mikael (Bengtsson) is tired of being Swedish and gives Mikko his Swedish identity.

       It is, of course, one long bad joke making fun of all kinds of Finnish and Swedish stereotypes and prejudices. But is it funny? Hmmm, mildly amusing and completely ridiculous. We saw Jonas Karlsson on stage as a simply brilliant Caliban many years ago. Here he’s adorable and the film is loveable in spite of itself. 

3* of 5  

 PS raspberry boats are a popular Swedish sweet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

600 Miles

 

600 Miles 2015

• Director: Gabriel Ripstein
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Tim Roth, Kristyan Ferrer
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Tim Roth - many
• Kristyan Ferrer – Sin nombre
• Why? Tim Roth
• Seen:  18 February 2025                  

        The recently seen Avengers are violent, but it’s pretend. This film is about guns in the US and smuggling them into Mexico. Real.

       It’s as far from an action film as you can get – introspective, slow, long close-ups, undramatic, matter-of-fact about massive gun shops and weapon fairs, domestic scenes. Even gun smugglers need to do the washing up after breakfast.

       Arnolfo (Ferrer) is a young, cocky but inexperienced and scared Mexican smuggler. Hank Harris (Roth) is an agent who ends up as Arnolfo’s hostage in the Mexican desert.

       It’s somewhat confusing – is the ending a flashback or what happened after the hostage situation? Maybe we aren’t meant to know, and the film is strong. 

3* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Run

 

Run 2020

• Director: Aneesh Chaganty
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Sarah Paulson – Glass, 12 Years a Slave, Mud, Down with Love
• Why? Possibly interesting.
• Seen:  17 February 2025                  

        Chloe (Allen) grows up with several handicapping maladies but now she’s headed off to college. Her mother Diane (Paulson) is proud of Chloe’s independence.

       Or?

       Chloe starts suspecting that her mother is giving her too much medicine, medicine she doesn’t need, medicine that is harming her.

       A bit predictable and just a smidgen far-fetched (though cases like this happen) but well- acted and suspenseful. 

3* of 5  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deadpool and Wolverine

 

Deadpool and Wolverine 2024

• Director: Shawn Levy
• Based on Book: no
• Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew MacFadyen
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor/actress in:
• See Deadpool
• Why: Nr 32
• Seen: 16 February 2025 

Yes, Wolverine is dead, buried and ossified. But come on, this is Marvel.

OK, I’m waiting for the kitchen sink because they’ve certainly tossed in everything else. I’m also waiting for Wolverine.

Oh, there he is. And there he is. And there he is. And…

Will the real Wolverine please show up?

Endless insider jokes, clever asides to the camera, extreme violence and sexual cussing, an Avenger or two. It’s amusing at times but has almost none of the emotional tugs that the best of the Marvels and X-Men have. Wolverine is allowed a moment or two but he deserves so much more.  

               

2 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

The Marvels

 

The Marvels 2023

• Director: Nia DaCosta
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Brie Larson, Teyona Parris, Imam Vellani, Samuel L Jackson, Zawe Ashton, Gary Louis, Tessa Thompson
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Brie Larson – The Glass Castle, Kong Skull Island, Room, Short Term 12, Scott Pilgrim vs the World
• Teyona Parris – If Beale Street Could Talk, Dear White People
• Zawe Ashton – Doctor Who, Case Studies, Misfits, Sherlock, Kick Ass Girls 2
• Samuel L Jackson – so many
• Gary Lewis - many
• Tessa Thompson – other Marvel films, Annihilation, Selma, Veronica Mars
• Why? Number 32
• Seen: 16 February 2025                  

             Oh, cats! At least 1* for them alone.

       Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel (Larson) meets up with her grown up niece Monica (Parris) and teen-aged Miss Marvel (Vellani), who apparently has her own series, to battle the evil Dar-Benn (Ashton).

       Again, many hate the film, some like it more than others. Granted, it’s not as good as Captain Marvel and other top films from the series but it’s fun, colourful, entertaining with three likeable leads.

       And the cats. 

3 ½ * of 5  

 

 

Guardians of the Galaxy 3

 

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (2023)

• Director: James Gunn
• Seen by the director: The Suicide Squad
• Based on the Marvel Comic
• Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Sylvester Stallone, Sean Gunn, Will Poulter
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Chris Pratt – Zero Dark Thirty, Wanted
• Zoe Saldana – Pirates of the Caribbean Black Pearl
• Karen Gillan – The Circle, Doctor Who
• Sean Gunn – Suicide Squad, Third Rock from the Sun
• Will Poulter – Midsummer, Mazerunner, The Fades, Sun of Rambow
• Why? Nr 31
• Seen: 15 February 2025      

       Darker, funnier, sweeter, sadder, prettier, clearly the best of the three. One of the best of the Marvel catalogue.      

4* of 5   

 

 

 

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantamania

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantamania

• Director: Peyton Reed
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: As before
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• As before
• Why? Nr 30
• Seen: 15 February 2025   

        The Ant-Man family are captured by a hostile Quantum Realm. Guess what! There are Quantum people there.

       The story is mediocre at best. Somebody had a lot of fun with weird and colourful creatures and Quantumscapes, which gives it a couple of * but that’s it. If it had been with actors with charisma like our beloved Tom Hiddleston, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johannson, Brie Larsson – for example Maggie Gyllenhall, Naomi Harris, Bill Nighy, Johnny Depp, Olivia Coleman, Hugh Grant, Delroy Lindo – this could have been good. Almost. Maybe.

       I slept through half an hour. I don’t think I missed anything. 

2* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thor Love and Thunder

 

 

Thor Love and Thunder

• Director: Taika Waititi
• Seen by this director: Jojo Rabbit, What We Do in the Shadows, Boy, Flight of the Conchords,Eagle vs Shark
• Based on novel: no
• Cast: as before plus Christian Bale and Russell Crowe
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in
• All of them in many
• Why? Nr 28
• Seen: 14 February 2025

 Is a Thor film without Loki even worth watching?

We’ll see.

Oh yes, it’s Waititi. Screwy humour to be expected.

And delivered. The film received very mixed reviews but for me it works. Russell Crowe as a smart-arse Zeus and Christian Bale (‘I know who this actor is! Who is it??? I know him!!! Who is it???? OMG, it’s Christian Bale!’ said I. That’s what a good actor he is) as the God Butcher is a genius move. They’re brilliant. And the god concept is cool.

Too much Guns’n’Roses but never mind.

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness

 

Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness 2022

• Director: Sam Raimi
• Also seen by this director: Drag Me to Hell, Spider-Man 1,2, and 3, The Gift, A Simple Plan
• Based on a book: no
• Cast: the Doctor Strange gang plus Xochitl Gomez
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Benedict Cumberbatch – The Child in Time, Sherlock, Richard III, The Hollow Crown, The Imitation Game, August Osage County, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Small Island, Creation, The Other Boleyn Girl, Atonement, Amazing Grace, Starter for 10, To Kill a King
• Chiewetel Ejiofor – The Martian, Dancing on the Edge, 2012, Children of Men, Kinky Boots, Serenity, Love Actually, Dirty Pretty Things, Amistad
• Rachel McAdams – About Time, Sherlock Holmes Game of Shadows, Sherlock Holmes, The Time Traveller’s Wife, Slings and Arrows
• Benedict Wong – Annihilation, The Martian, Prometheus, Johnny English Reborn, Sunshine, Tristram Shandy, Dirty Pretty Things, Wit
• Tilda Swinton – Hail Caesar, The Zero Theorem, Snowpiercer, Only Lovers Left Alive, Moonrise Kingdom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading,  Michael Clayton, Broken Flowers, Thumbsucker, Young Adam, Adaption, Beach, Orlando
• Why? Nr 27
• Seen: 13 February 2025      

       Wanda (Gomez), the one with all the magic who was in love with Vis (Bettany, not in this film, Vis died), Tony’s AI, has become the evil Scarlet Witch. She needs America’s (Gomez) superpower, the ability to pass through the multiverses, to be with her children. She will kill anybody to do it.

       I’ve never liked Wanda. Even less so now. Doctor Strange (Cumberbatch) isn’t so nice either in some of the universes but in our own universe he’s quite sweet.

       It’s kind of cool story,

       Oh! Charles Xavier (Stewart) of the X- men! According to Google the X-men and the Avengers have a complicated relationship. More to come apparently.

       So, this film. It’s a bit of a mess but I quite like it. 

3* of 5

 

 

The Avengers Endgame

 

The Avengers Endgame 2019

• Director: Russo & Russo
• Based on book: no
• Cast: Same + Guardians + Wakanda
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Same + Guardians + Wakanda
• Why? Nr 23
• Seen: 10 February 2025      

       Now I’m really worried. Is this really going to be the end of the Avengers? Are they all going to die?

       It starts out bad. Tony (Downey Jr) and Nebula (Gillan) are trapped in a spaceship light years away from Earth with no engine and about a day’s supply of oxygen left.

       Then there’s a light.

       Meanwhile, back on Earth. Thanos is still out there.

       No more spoilers. Only this. They made themselves into a 5* film. 

5* of 5

 

 

 

 

Avengers Infinity War

 

The Avengers Infinity War 2018

• Director: Russo & Russo
• Based on book: no
• Cast: Same + Guardians + Wakanda
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Same + Guardians + Wakanda
• Why? Nr 22
• Seen: 9 February 2025      

       Oh no! Is Loki really dead this time? I can’t bear it!

       The Avengers, Earth and the Universe are really in trouble now. Thanos is after all six Infinity Stones. The Avengers must quit squabbling, and even need the help of the Guardians of the Galaxy. I hope they don’t ruin the film.

       They don’t. They actually work well with the Avengers.

       But oh dear. What now?

       Cliff-hanger! 

4* of 5

 

 

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp

 

Ant-Man and the Wasp 2018

• Director: Peyton Reed
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Paul Ruud, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Hannah John-Kamen, Lawrence Fishburne, Michelle Pfeiffer
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Paul Ruud – The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Cider House Rules, Romeo and Juliet
• Michael Douglas – A Perfect Murder, The Game, Falling Down, A Chorus Line, The China Syndrome
• Evangeline Lilly – Crisis, The Hobbit etc, Lost
• Michael Peña – The Martian, American Hustle, Babel, Million Dollar Baby, Crash, The United States of Leland
• Hannah John-Kamen  - Ready Player One, Tomb Raider, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Misfits
• Lawrence Fishburne - many
• Michelle Pfeiffer - many
• Why? Nr 21
• Seen: 9 February 2025      

        If you’re going to be able to endure the Marvel films you have to love at least some of the characters, or at least like them, because the stories are usually mostly rubbish. I love Tony Stark/Iron Man because of Robert Downey Jr. Not as much as I love Loki because of Tom Hiddleston, but almost. I like Bruce Banner because of Mark Ruffalo, and Natasha Romanoff because of Scarlett Johansson quite a lot, also Stellan Skarsgård’s character. I also love Peter Parker when he’s Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland does him well too. I love Captain Marvel, and Fury and T’Challa. All of these because the actors are so good, but also because the characters have, well, character.

       Doctor Strange is OK. Thor is OK although his gruff voice is fake and annoying. I don’t like the characters of Captain America or Ant-Man, though the actors are OK.

       So here I sit with Ant-Man and the Wasp. Maybe the Wasp (Lily) will help.

       Or not. She’s as dull as Ant-Man. Ava (John-Kamen) and Bill (Fishburne) add a bit but it’s a dull story.

       I only fast-forwarded a bit towards the end, though, so 

2* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Widow

 

Black Widow 2021

• Director: Cate Shortland
• Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Scarlett Johansson – Hail Caesar, Lucy, He’s Just Not that Into You, The Other Boleyn Girl, The Prestige, The Island, In Good Company, The Love song of Bobby Long, Girl with the Pearl Earring, Lost in Translation, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Manny and Lo
• Florence Pugh - many
• Rachel Weisz – many
• Why? Number 16
• Seen:6 February 2025      

       After defying Tony Stark/Iron Man and letting Steve Rogers/Captain America escape, Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) is on the run in Norway. Her past as a trainee assassin in Russia catches up to her when another Black Widow – which is what these assassins are called) – Yelena (Pugh) seeks her out because…well, bad stuff in their past. Oh yes, Yelena is Natasha’s sister.

       They go after the bad guys.

       Johansson and Pugh make a good team of bickering sisters. The happy family parody is skewered, partly funny, partly touching, but I miss the other Avengers.

       No doubt it’s a silly thing to say but in this series of absurd stories, I’m having a hard time with this one. I’ll need to see it again, probably. And I will.

  3* of 5

 

 

 

Captain America – Civil War

 

Captain America – Civil War 2016

• Director: Russo & Russo
• Based on book: no
• Cast: Chris Evans and a lot of others, you know who they are
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• same
• Why? The 15^th.
• Seen: 4 February 2025      

       The Avengers are having trouble because in trying to save people, people get killed and our heroes all have bad consciences. But do they want to answer to the UN?

       There’s a lot of same-old same-old but new depth to the characters, new characters, new complexity in the political.

       Captain A is still my least favourite, not even because he’s kind of the bad guy here with his ‘I can do it all by myself because I am right’ arrogance. Violent goody goody two shoes. Nope. I don’t like him. Funnily, Ant-Man is my other least favourite. I don’t like anyone on Captain A’s team.

       But I like the film because of Tony and Natasha and T’Challa and Peter Parker. The good guys. Flawed good guys.

 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Avengers the Age of Ultron

 

The Avengers the Age of Ultron 2015

• Director: Joss Whedon
• Seen by this director: Much Ado About Nothing, Serenity, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly
• Based on book: no
• Cast: Mostly same
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Mostly same
• Why? The 13th
• Seen: 3 February 2025      

       Crash bang boom. This is not a drill. The bad guys – the Hydra – are still bad.

       I love it when Iron Man quietly says, ‘Yay.’

       While the Avengers are partying and being good friends with each other, the AI invented by Tony/ Iron Man (Downey Jr) to create Peace in Our Time, Ultron goes rogue, attacks them all and escapes into Internet.

       That’s AI for you. Can’t trust anybody these days.

       Ah! Wakanda! The plot thickens!

       And Ultron is messing with the Avengers’ minds.

       This one has some very strong moments. But where’s Loki? With him it would have been 4*. Without him 

        3 ½ * of 5

 

Sightseers

 

Sightseers 2012

• Director: Ben Wheatley
• Seen by the director: High-Rise, Doctor Who
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Alice Lowe, Steve Oram, Eileen Davies, Monica Dolan, Jonathan Aris
• Steve Oram – Doctor Who, Line of Duty, The Living and the Dead
• Eileen Davies – Adult Life Skills, High-Rise, The Theory of Everything, Mr Turner, Another Year, Bright Star, Vera Drake
• Monica Dolan – Strike, Eye in the Sky, Casual Vacancy, Wolf Hall, Pride, Never Let Me Go
• Jonathan Aris – Rogue One, The Night Manager, Sherlock, The Martian, Humans, Wolf Hall, The World’s End, Being Human, Bright Star, Merlin, Bonekickers
• Why? Saw a trailer, looked interesting.
• Seen: 2 February 2025      

       Tina (Lowe) is 34 and lives with her neurotic mum (Davies). She finally has a boyfriend, Chris (Oram) and she wants to go on holiday with him. Her mum bad mouths him and guilt trips her but off they go in his caravan.

       He takes her to his favourite places like The Tram Museum, the Blue John Mines, the Pencil Museum…

       A tragic accident doesn’t dampen their enthusiasm, after they wash the blood off.

       It’s called a dark comedy. It’s dark all right, but not so much comedy as cringe. They’re both nuts. They tend to kill people and steal dogs.

       Happy holiday, folks.      

3* of 5