Alan Bloomfield

If this was a 2D film I would be debating whether to give it 1 or 2 stars. The plot is plodding and predictable, and the characters are boring cardboard cutout goodies or baddies. And it's way too long, so I would probably 'award' it 1 star. It really is that bad. But watching it in a 3D cinema is quite the experience, it is a technical masterpiece that is quite marvellous to behold. So I will likely never see this film again given how soporifically boring it would be in 2D. But I will watch the subsequent films - at 3D cinemas.

I got 30mins into this shocker but had to bail out. The Americans (Bruce Willis and Adrian Brody) tried but they were clearly the victims of terrible direction. The Chinese actors were truly awful, wooden and cliched. It must be cultural... Every Chinese film I have tried is unwatchable, because this one was not one the CCP was 'directing', so the terrible-ness cannot be sheeted home those genocidal tyrants demanding art always becomes propaganda. I'm giving up for good. Korean and Japanese for Asian cinema only from now on.

I was generally impressed by Domina. It is very different to the big budget, brash HBO/BBC series Rome. Perhaps not better, but different and very good in a different way. I'm a keen amateur historian of ancient Rome and Domina captures the essential truth that Augustus was no tyrannical emperor, he was a canny politician trying to forge something new - with his wife Livia's help - which became the Empire we know. Unfortunately the idea that Livia wanted to restore the Republic is pure fluff; there is not a shred of evidence for that, and it's the only serious weakness in this show. But ultimately this is a gripping character drama, a study of the corrosive effect of power struggles in a highly dysfunctional noble family. And the Livia character, along with most of the others, is impressively realistic. She is (just) smart enough, she does plan, but she also has to react to events on the run and she almost comes unstuck multiple times. And the psychological damage done to Tiberius by all of this familial infighting is also very true to history. He was a monstrous tyrant by the end of his reign... But most historians think he was made, not born, that way by the horrific family trauma he suffered through.

Tenet is an enjoyable 'experience', but the bizzaro-thon time twisting plot is so impossible to follow I simply had to let it flow over me to just survive it with my sanity intact. It is visually stunning and packed with impressive action, but also filled with far too much (ultimately needless) exposition (given that you won't get it anyway!) which, for some unfathomable reason is actually further marred by poor dialogue-sound quality in parts. It's certainly not Nolan's best film, but it is worth seeing in a cinema; and remember, just let go, don't try to work out what's happening, you'll just end up feeling like a dummy if you do...

3 stars cos I'm a star wars tragic, I love the world those movie create. This film was a visual feast and roller coaster ride. But I get the critic's critiques, Rise of Skywalker threw away some interesting themes from Last Jedi, like the idea Rey is actually the daughter of nobodies, meaning any one pure of heart (and lucky to be force sensitive too...) can become a force for good. Instead, cos fans went feral, she is Palpatine's daughter! A 'save' from left field, not set up, but worse, you really DO have to be born into a dynasty to have a chance... Sigh...