2024 TV Highlights Thus Far, Pt. 1 | Bite-Sized Reviews

(L-R, 1st row, then 2nd row) SHOGUN (FX / Hulu), RIPLEY (Netflix), FALLOUT (Prime Video), MR. AND MRS. SMITH (Prime Video), and Presumed Innocent (Apple TV+).

You don’t really understand it when you’re a kid, but, boy, it really feels like time flies by as you get older. When you’re stressed or overworked or even just have more important things on your mind, it can be difficult to find the time to do what you want to do before it feels like you’re too late. This is, in part, why I started doing these review compilation posts sometimes containing bite-sized reviews about shows or films that I feel like I still need to talk about, even though I missed out on the moment right after the release. If you read my website frequently, then you know that I’ve recently posted two backlog/catch-up compilations for last year’s TV series. With that out of the way, I now want to focus on some of the shows of the past seven or eight months that I really want to give you my thoughts on. Today, I’ll focus on some of the shows that I think are the very best of the year thus far, including, but not limited to, a video game TV-adaptation and an incredibly stylish reimagining of an iconic Patricia Highsmith story.

Continue reading “2024 TV Highlights Thus Far, Pt. 1 | Bite-Sized Reviews”

All of Us Strangers (2023) | REVIEW

Jamie Bell and Claire Foy in ALL OF US STRANGERS. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Directed by Andrew Haigh — Screenplay by Andrew Haigh.

Loosely based on Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel titled Strangers, Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers follows Adam (played by Andrew Scott), a lonely screenwriter living in a high-rise London apartment building. One night, a drunk neighbor, Harry (played by Paul Mescal), knocks on his door hoping to have a good time with Adam that night. Though Adam refuses, Adam starts getting closer to Harry in the days to come. This is in part because he’s starting to work through some of his issues. Why now all of a sudden? Well, when, one day, Adam takes the train back to his hometown to look at the town he grew up in and around, he is approached by a man (played by Jamie Bell) who turns out to be his father. Adam’s parents died in an accident when he was just a young boy, and yet here is his father — at the exact same age that he was when he passed away. His father invites Adam back to his childhood home where he finds his mother (played by Claire Foy), who is also the same age that she was when she died. Overjoyed to reconnect, Adam and his parents gradually start to open up about things once left unsaid. 

Continue reading “All of Us Strangers (2023) | REVIEW”

REVIEW: 1917 (2019)

Theatrical Release Poster – Universal Pictures

The following is a review of 1917 — Directed by Sam Mendes.

Sam Mendes’ 1917 is a World War One-film that is inspired by the director’s grandfather, Alfred Mendes, and his stories from the battlefield. The film follows two young British soldiers — Lance Corporals Tom Blake (played by Dean-Charles Chapman) and William Schofield (played by George MacKay) — as they try to complete a mission. Blake and Schofield have been tasked with crossing ‘no man’s land’ and warning a battalion that they are walking into a German trap that may lay waste to up to 1,600 British soldiers. Continue reading “REVIEW: 1917 (2019)”

7th I’m Jeffrey Rex Awards, Part One – 2019

Happy new year! Today is the very first day of 2020, so it makes perfect sense to take a look back and begin to celebrate the best of the year to which we are saying goodbye. In the first part of the I’m Jeffrey Rex Awards for 2019, I will reveal my personal winners in my video game, song, superhero, and television categories. To see a complete list of the nominees, click here. Please do remember that my film nominations and winners will be announced in about a month. Continue reading “7th I’m Jeffrey Rex Awards, Part One – 2019”

Halfway Through the Year: 2019 – Special Features #52

We are already halfway through the year. 2019 isn’t coming to an end just yet, but we’ve already seen plenty of shows, episodes, or movies that we’ll remember the year for. In today’s article, you’ll find bite-sized notes and comments on the best films, shows, or performances from the first half of the year. Sure, my official awards winners and top tens won’t be published until the end of the year, but this is a great milestone or halfway-mark to look back upon some day in the future. Please follow the links below to read individual reviews of each film or series. Continue reading “Halfway Through the Year: 2019 – Special Features #52”

SERIES REVIEW: Fleabag (2016; 2019)

Fleabag was created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

This is a complete series review of the BBC Three and Amazon Studios black comedy series Fleabag, which aired its first season in 2016 and its second and final season in 2019. Both seasons consisted of six episodes with each episode having a runtime of approximately thirty minutes. A ‘series review’ is a new review concept on the blog that is inspired by my franchise reviews, which feature short reviews of every film in a franchise within a single article. Below you’ll find my reviews of each season as well as a full season grade for seasons one and two.
Continue reading “SERIES REVIEW: Fleabag (2016; 2019)”

REVIEW: Sherlock: The Final Problem

Sherlock - Reviewed

The following is a spoiler-filled episode review of Sherlock: Series 4, Episode 3 – The Final Problem

In The Final Problem – which may end up being the final episode of Sherlock, seeing as another season has yet to be announced at the time of writing – Sherlock Holmes (played by Benedict Cumbertbatch) and Dr. Watson (played by Martin Freeman) quiz Mycroft (played by Mark Gatiss) about Eurus (played by Sian Brooke), before traveling to the unknown island of Sherrinford to learn more about Sherlock’s secret sister. Continue reading “REVIEW: Sherlock: The Final Problem”

REVIEW: Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall

Sherlock - Reviewed

The following is a spoiler episode review of Sherlock: Series 2, Episode 3 – The Reichenbach Fall.

The Sherlock writing team took a lot of chances in series 2. Adapting The Hound of the Baskervilles was one, titling an episode The Reichenbach Fall was another. But none was bigger than what they chose to do to Sherlock Holmes in the series 2 finale.  Continue reading “REVIEW: Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall”

REVIEW: Sherlock: The Hounds of Baskerville

Sherlock - Reviewed

The following is an episode review of Sherlock: Series 2, Episode 2 – The Hounds of Baskerville

The Hound of the Baskervilles is probably the most famous Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel, and is actually the only Holmes crime novel I’ve read cover to cover. I read the novel when I was very young, and it is the one title I always think of when the topic of Sherlock Holmes comes up. So when the Sherlock writers announced that one of the series 2 episodes would be titled The Hounds of Baskerville, they had a lot of pressure to make something solid. Is it any good? Definitely. Continue reading “REVIEW: Sherlock: The Hounds of Baskerville”

REVIEW: Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia

Sherlock - Reviewed

The following is an episode review of Sherlock: Series 2, Episode 1 – A Scandal in Belgravia

17 months after The Great Game‘s cliffhanger was shown for the first time on BBC, A Scandal in Belgravia was televised. We finally had the answer to what would happen in the first real meeting between Moriarty and Holmes. The answer? Nothing.  Continue reading “REVIEW: Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia”