Andrew L

Great if you're into a very traumatic women/female series covering anything from the menopause to very ugly violence. Almost all the men are absolute b*stards, criminals, unfeeling etc. . And the good ones, not many, appear quiet and impotent. After watching, I learnt a new word misandry, meaning hatred of men, and Riot Women hates men with a passion. It's all backed up by their band Riot women an outlet to express so their experiences and frustrations. For song topics they draw upon their experiences, and at this stage all I could think about was the anodyne song the class created in School of Rock. I for one have far too much in my real life to watch more TV which presses my emotional buttons. So, in that respect it works brilliantly for its audience, serving up a healthy dollop of chaos, shocks and trauma. Good for some not for others. You pays (sic) your licence fee, you takes (sic) your choice.

Calm down! This was an excellent dramatic portrayal of a bunch of scally drug dealers in Liverpool. Good storyline and you get more involved as they weave chaotic drug violence with the disempowered females who are simply not in control. Much grittier that a Scorcese Mafia film, although the ending has too many twists for my liking. Roll on season 2!

This was a great romcom with all the right ingredients. However, it certainly wasn’t (Feta) Cheesy. There, were stereotypes galore, jokes and romance. There was also some profound Greek Philosophy to justify the protagonists’ choices. The film wasn’t predictable, as the storyline allowed scenes to pan out differently. Gave us a warm feeling inside at the end. Recommended. PS: Acting was OK. No one is ever going to win an Oscar here but the cast did what they had to do to make a good movie.

Awful film and formulaic. Belongs to the 80s and 90s genre. Eddie Murphy does Eddie Murphy things with bigger and better stunts and action scenes. Think good cop bad cop story with lots of ageing Hollywood actors. Some will like it. Not for me and I'd take twists on the plots any day like with Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino.

It's Jerry Seinfeld, and you expect a quirky humorous take on cereal competition. Together with so many excellent comedians and you expect even more. So, the plot is thin, boring and uncompelling. Usually in American cinema the bad and good guys are very clear. You know who you are rooting for and you know when to boo and hiss. However, here you're not exactly sure and you remain undecided. in that respect there's no real payback or triumph for the audience. Sorry Jerry. As you know from stand up, not everything's a winner. Avoid.

Brilliant. An incredible piece of TV based on a real story and written by the guy it happened to. He also plays the main character too. The truth is stranger than fiction. It’s not feelgood, that’s for sure, as it deals with stalking. There’s only a few characters and 7 episodes, but that allows those characters to fully develop. Whatever you expect; don’t. This is something really different as the story develops in ways you might not expect. Netflix writes a summary of each episode, and this spoils what you’re about to see. So, I’d advise you to skip that before watching any episode. Also skip reading news about it as it has generated some publicity. The lines are so well written, and the situations may put you in an uncomfortable state. As the core of the show really happened, you can tell it’s not just been created to include some extra diversity or useful characters. However, the portrayal of the police is a bit overdone. Were they really like that in this case? (i.e. Constable Savage reincarnated). Anyway, it’s a must watch. Not really for teens and definitely not for a romantic Saturday night! Highly recommended though.

White Lotus is a bit like Fawlty Towers, but set in a much larger hotel, in beautiful Hawaii and without the humour. There’s lots of barmy guests to keep the odd storylines going as well as a wonderful backdrop of Hawaiian music to accompany the scenes. It’s also shot with a golden haze/filter to give a better atmosphere, especially at night. The characters are all bonkers as is one of the staff (not saying who). There’s also lots of topics to cover including lots of woke stuff. However, it’s not rammed down your throat as some sort of message but is well weaved into the storylines. I’m really enjoying series 1 and am looking forward to series 2.

Watchable soap opera in the heart of nowhere, with stunning backdrops of mountains, forests and lakes. Loads of characters in this sleepy cosy village who all have their skeletons hidden in multiple closets. The acting is poor, and everyone seems to have flashbacks or strange backstories that dominate their present. Also, the setting means it is not “woke” as it’s a place where men should be men and women should be, er, nurses, wives, cooks etc. Anyway, with love, medical emergencies and a threatening forest camp/community nearby there’s plenty of material for it to run and run. PS: How does that bar run when Jack is always on "errands" with Mel?

Tremendous film based on a true story. Swimming from Cuba to Florida has never been attempted, but Diane Nyad aged 61 is the person to go the whole 103 miles. It’s an endurance movie, a bit like The Revenant but in the ocean. A great story of determined resilience and persistence with a brilliant ending. Did she make it? Somehow you end up mentally swimming with her. Excellent performances from Annette Benning and Jodie Foster, and they really make the film! PS: For motivation, I loved the picture on Nyad's wall of a diamond. The caption read, "A diamond is a piece of coal that never gave up".

Absolutely 5 stars for this brilliant, tense and tragic drama. Backdrop is with a mighty hedge fund and the mighty stresses that it brings. Add to it a couple of employees who should not be “together” (company policy) and you’ll see how things start to unravel. No formulaic storyline here. No happy endings either. But instead you are gripped on what might happen next. Lots of twists and turns and with some outrageous sexual/violent scenes that aim to shock you even more. Good coverage given to watching YouTube gurus and mis-interpreting their messages. In summary there's reality, and then there's your perceived reality, and in this film never the twain did they meet. Still, you'll have to watch the film to see how it plays out. Both leads were brilliant, and you really believed in their performances. Well done! It must have taken it out of you by the end. Also what would a film about a hedge fund be without a strip club scene. Still, this one was very different to Steve Carell asking a stripper about her property "exposure" (pun intended) in The Big Short! First thought: Today, real life is shocking enough so I wonder if the writers ham up the shock value in a race to the viewers’ ultimate emotional break-down. Grisly stuff, but can they do it in a less forced way and still get the message across? Second thought: In a professional world performance matters. In this case their relationship compromised the firm's performance by negative $25m and probably lost them a big client. This is independent of gender. If you're making the firm money then you succeed. The film shows how that can be confused through an illicit relationship.