All posts by Tony Hughes

1990, Complicated, Conspiracy, Corruption, Imperfect, Lawyers, Mediocre, Murder, Murder Investigation

The Two Jakes (1990)

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From Netflix:

World War II is over, and an older, wiser Jake Gittes still works divorce cases in this sequel to Chinatown. Developer Jake Berman asks Gittes to get proof that Berman’s wife is cheating on him — and wants other things Gittes doesn’t yet know about.

Hopefully you remember “Chinatown” because 16 years later Jack Nicholas is back as one of the Jakes, J.J. ‘Jake’ Gittes, along with Harvey Keitel as the other Jake, Julius ‘Jake’ Berman.

For my money this film is not the classic that “Chinatown” is. Moreover the plot seemed to me to be a bit complicated, if not downright contrived.

If only for the sake of film history you might want to see this film, but there are so many other films calling to you.

1974, Based on true facts, Classic, Conspiracy, Corruption, Crude Talk, Detective, Divorce, Environmental concerns, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Murder Investigation, Police Corruption, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Violent

Chinatown (1974)

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From Netflix:

With a suspicious femme fatale bankrolling his snooping, private eye J.J. Gittes uncovers intricate dirty dealings in the Los Angeles waterworks and gets his nose slashed for his trouble in director Roman Polanski’s complex neonoir classic.

Thanks to fellow Movie Fan Beverly for suggesting “Two Jakes” which is a sequel to “Chinatown”. First, therefore I re-watched “Chinatown” which is indeed a classic from 40 years ago.

During filming Jack Nichols was a very young-looking 37 year old and Faye Dunaway was a stunning 33 year old. In the sequel “Two Jakes” Nichols is 16 years older and looks more like the Jack Nichols that I for one remember. In this film the famous John Huston is a very effective and evil 68 years old villain.

Please read the Wikipedia account which treats not only the water history of Los Angeles but also, and more importantly, how the director Roman Polanski changed the original ending to the final very memorable version that we see in the film (spoilers not allowed).

Many older films seem dated. However, despite the older setting (styles, phones, cars, etc) this classic holds up well and can be very emotionally affecting.

Watch this great film before seeing “Two Jakes”.

2013, Alcoholism, Amusing banter, Crude Talk, Father-son relations, Feel Good Not For Children, Flirting, Love Story, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Teenagers, Witty dialog

Words and Pictures (2013)

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From Netflix:

A picture is worth a thousand words — or is it? That’s the question prep school students must answer as their teachers egg them on in this diverting romantic comedy starring Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche as the instructors who spark the debate.

Finally, a date movie without cringing. Ever beautiful Juliette Binoche as the art teacher and ever devilish Clive Owen as the creative writing teacher not only battle through an entire film with fun multi-syllabic word challenges but also engage their respective students in a competition of words versus pictures. Each has problems: she has serious rheumatoid arthritis and he is an alcoholic plagiarist. Will he keep his teaching job and not alienate his son? Will she be able to continue teaching and painting? Stay tuned.

Sometimes the dialog is not appropriate for children.

And by the way, it is also a love story which you might as well enjoy.

2007, Abduction, British Mystery Series, Detective, Divorce, Drama, Father-daughter relations, HBO Streaming, Made For TV, Marital Infidelity, Melodrama, Murder Investigation, Race Relations, Sensitive treatement of emotions, Sex Scenes, Violent

Five Days (2007)

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From IMDB:

A five-part miniseries that revolves around the disappearance of a young mother in a quiet British suburb and the circumstances that leave her children abandoned far from home.

From Netflix:

Each season of this innovative crime thriller focuses on the most significant five days in a particular police investigation. The series delves into variety of cases, including missing persons, infant abandonment and suicide.

If your are looking for a British detective mystery TV series that is well-written, well-acted, and has a good beginning, middle, and ending, then “Five Days” is for you. HBO streams the series.

By now, if you have watched enough British TV series, you will recognize many of the British actors:

Matt Wellings (played by David Oyelowo [Louis Gaines in “The Butler”]) has a wife Leanne and three children, the youngest of which is Rosie. One day Leanne and Rosie go missing. Among the police we find DS Amy Foster (played by Janet McTeer [Mrs. Dashwood in Masterpiece Classic “Sense and Sensibility”]) and DSI Iain Barclay (played by Hugh Bonneville [Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham in “Downton Abbey”]). Rosie is soon found. But Leanne’s disappearance is a torture for her parents Barbara Poole (played by Penelope Wilton [Isobel Crawley of “Downton Abbey”]) and John Poole (played by Patrick Malahide [Balon Greyjoy of “Game of Thrones”]).

Within the plot are subplots: Barbara and John Poole are whites who disapprove of Matt who is black; Leanne is divorced from a cad but Leanne’s child by him is white and dislikes her stepfather Matt; Leanne was close to her grandfather Victor who is cold to his daughter Barbara Poole; Victor favors his nurse Hazel Betts over his own daughter and that nurse is the mother of another important character Kyle Betts.

Despite the large number of characters, the plot is well-constructed and not really confusing. More than anything the emotional content is what is important.

Well worth your time, in fact DO NOT MISS!

2012, Abduction, Computer geeks, Could Be Sad, Detective, Divorce, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Irish, Netflix Streaming, Prison, Prostitutes, Suicide, Teenagers, TV Series

Amber (2012)

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From Netflix:

Recently separated, Ben and Sarah Bailey find their lives turned upside down when their daughter Amber fails to return home one evening.

Because I watched “Hinterland” Netflix suggested that I stream, among others, “Hidden” and “Amber”. “Hidden” has been reviewed.

“Amber” is one season, 4 episodes, streamable only. Never before have I seen used the “time gimmick” in this Irish TV series. As the story progresses, we often see on the screen only a calendar page telling us what day of the search for Amber we have reached. Do not be confused by the fact that the story repeats over and over. Hence, you may see the same day more than once. No, you haven’t gotten the episodes confused. But at each repeat you see some old scenes repeated but with some new addition, giving you the distinct impression of deja vu.

Acting, writing, personal connections and plot are all good. HOWEVER … usually I don’t include spoilers (i.e. giving away some part of the plot). In this case I feel compelled to do so. But I have made this page long so that you should have to scroll up to read the spoiler in case you don’t want to “spoil” the plot.

SPOILER: In season one (the only available season) Amber is never found. Many viewer/reviewers screamed in pain.

But it is definitely worth watching.

2011, British Mystery Series, Clever Plot, Computer geeks, Conspiracy, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Father-son relations, Journalist, Lawyers, Murder Investigation, Mystery Film, Netflix Streaming, Plot Twist, Prison, Suspense, Violent, Well developed plot

Hidden (2011)

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From Netflix:

When a mysterious lawyer asks small-time solicitor Harry to find a missing alibi witness for a client, he’s forced to delve back into his murky past.

Superb is the word that first comes to mind. After finishing the wonderful TV series “Hinterland” from Netflix, suggestions appeared on our TV screen among which was “Hidden”. As far as I can tell, you can get “Hidden” from Netflix only by streaming. Netflix’s suggestion was appropriate because here is another suspenseful, well-written, well-acted British mystery thriller. Oddly enough IMDB has no entry for this TV series.

What seems to begin with Harry trying to find out who killed his brother Mark eventually turns into a governmental conspiracy story with many well-done characters. Things are not as they seem and there are unexpected plot twists. Once I began the 4 episodes, it was very difficult to stop watching.

British TV you have done it again! DO NOT MISS!

2013, Bloody scenes, Child abuse, Clever Plot, Complicated, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crime, Dark, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Dysfunctional Lives, Emotional child abuse, Gloomy, Mental Illness, Murder, Murder Investigation, Netflix Streaming, Physical child abuse, Psychological Drama, Rape, Revenge, Sadism, Sex Scenes, Slow, Stalker, Suicide, Suspense, Violent, Wales, War Veterans, WWII

Hinterland (2013)

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From Netflix:

BBC police detective drama series set in Aberystwyth against the backdrop of mountainous terrain, close-knit villages, and windswept sand dunes of the coastline to the badlands of the hinterland. Starring Richard Harrington as DCI Tom Mathias.

UPDATE: April 2016

Netflix now offers Season 2 with 5 episodes. Below the older review still holds true, especially how slow moving and taciturn the scenes are.  Always start with the beginning episode: although each episode is a self-contained story, there are sub-threads that run through all the episodes which are crucial for appreciating the series.

From Netflix comes this Welsh one-season detective series either as DVDs or streamed. All four episodes are intense and grim. For example, episode 1 involves child abuse. Richard Harrington as DCI Tom Mathias is the silent type: he broods more than he speaks. Photography is beautiful although it depicts Wales as a barren, wild, scenic land. In this respect the mood of the country matches the mood of the characters. Episode 3 was a bit complicated. Spoken language is English and subtitles are available. Acting is superb. Plots are well constructed.

If you can survive the dark atmosphere, DO NOT MISS!

2014, Barely Acceptable Trash, Bloody scenes, British, Corny, Crude Talk, Father-daughter relations, Not Recommended, Nudity, Outrageous Behavior, Satirical ultra-violence, Somewhat ridiculous plot, Violent

Dom Hemingway (2014)

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From Netflix:

After finishing a 12-year prison sentence, safecracker Dom Hemingway sets out to collect the money he’s owed by his former partners in crime. When that mission tanks, Dom returns to London to try and gain forgiveness from his estranged daughter.

As a violent tour-de-force for Jude Law, this film might interest you. However, I rate it as barely acceptable trash and outrageous behavior.

In order to dissuade you, I describe the very opening:

Dom Hemingway stands naked in prison. We see only his upper body. He recites a poem of praise for his “cock” while another inmate performs fellatio on him.

If that is not enough to dissuade you, what is?

One outrageous and usually violent episode follows another. Law’s acting is embarrassing at least in one scene when he visits the grave of his much abused and now dead wife.

You are warned.

2014, Abduction, Addiction, Bloody scenes, British, British Mystery Series, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crime thriller, Depression, DO NOT MISS, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Dysfunctional Lives, Ethical struggles, Gritty, Kidnapping, Melodrama, Mental Illness, Murder, Murder Investigation, Mystery Film, Netflix Streaming, Not Feel Good, Police Corruption, Police Story, Psychological Drama, Rape, Sociopath, Suicide, Suspense, Thriller, Violent, Wonderful acting

Happy Valley (2014)

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From Netflix:

From the creator of “Last Tango in Halifax” comes this police drama starring Sarah Lancashire (“Coronation Street”) as Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood, a strong-willed officer coping with the suicide of her daughter and struggling to raise the young son she left behind. When the man she blames for her daughter’s death is paroled, Cawood embarks on a mission to bring him down, unaware that her target is plotting another heinous crime.

Update to initial Season 1 review: Netflix now offers Season 2 of “Unhappy Valley” which continues the story line of Season 1. Season 2 is at least as riveting as Season 1.

———————————

Original Review:

“Happy Valley” is NOT happy. After I tell you what is brutal in this riveting British TV series, I will then try and convince you to watch one of the most spellbinding detective series I have ever watched.

First the ugly news: Years ago the handsome sociopath Tommy Lee Royce raped and drove to suicide the daughter of sergeant Catherine Cawood. He is just out of jail and has joined in with a kidnapping of young Ann Gallagher whom he rapes in captivity. While transporting the kidnapped girl in a van, the kidnappers are approached by a young woman policewoman whom the sociopath runs over and over and over with his automobile. Get the nasty picture? You never see any rape, but you do see some brutal fights.

Now the reasons why you should not miss this drama: Sarah Lancashire is (as the British would say) “positively brilliant” as Catherine Cawood. Here is an incredibly strong woman with a long list of problems. For example, her dead raped daughter had a resulting son whom Catherine raises alone as a grandmother because Catherine’s remarried husband left her when the boy was born. Yes, it does sound like a good old melodrama. But the acting, the complicated personal relations, and the exacting plot details and surprises are well worth the uncomfortable price of admission.

If you can stand the barbarians and their callous behavior, then I feel duty bound to say: DO NOT MISS!

2013, Bloody scenes, Corruption, Detective, Drugs, Erotic Thriller, Father-daughter relations, Irish, Mental Illness, Mostly About Sex, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Police Corruption, Police Story, Psychological Thriller, Redemption, Revenge, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Stalker, Strange Ending, Suicide, Suspense, TV Series, Use of Irish Brogue, Violent

The Trial (2013)

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From Netflix:

When the Belfast police are stalled in their investigation of a spate of murders, Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson is drafted to investigate. Under her lead, the team uncovers an intricate web of lives entangled by the killings.

These days serial-killer dramas are standard fare and often very similar. Nonetheless some of these presentations are different enough to be of interest. So what makes this one season, 5 episode TV series which I streamed from Netflix worthwhile?

  • Both the police investigation and the ordinary home life of the married-with-kids serial killer develop at the same time. You constantly switch back and forth.
  • Instead of black and white, good and bad, the killer and the cops are humans with their own mixtures of good and bad.
  • Relations between different parties are intricately interwoven.
  • In the psychological makeup of the killer is an element of remorse and a desire for normalcy.
  • Gillian Anderson (of “X-Files” fame) is as good a stone-faced actor as she is beautiful
  • Jamei Dornan, the killer, deserves to be better known.
  • Be on the lookout for Archie Panjabi (Reed Smith in “The Fall”) who is the clever and mysterious woman Kalinda Sharma in “The Good Wife”.
  • Just as interesting as the main thread, are some secondary themes.

Tell me what you think of the ending. Since I was glued to the screen, I can only heartily recommend this TV series.