Palatkik

Wicked Little Letters [2023] When people in 1920's Littlehampton begin to receive letters full of hilarious profanities, a rowdy Irish migrant is charged with the crime. Suspecting that something is amiss, the town's women investigate. A profanity laden ball of fun well worth a look.

Damaged [2024] A Chicago detective, travels to Scotland to link up with a Scottish detective, following the resurgence of a serial killer who's crimes match an unsolved case that he looked into 5 years previous in Chicago. Don't let the Scottish scenery or established actors deceive you. This is schoolboy error lower grade movie making.

Finestkind [2023] A crew of fishermen tread dangerous waters when their debts start piling up. A real mixed bag this one, kudos for some great scenes and camera work offshore but the characters onshore and plot are hard to fathom with some top talent playing a b-rate script. Enjoyable feel good crime drama nevertheless.

Scoop [2024] How the BBC obtained the interview with Prince Andrew about his friendship with convicted sex offender Epstein. The story is already well known and re-dramatizing it might seem superfluous, but somehow it works.

The Burial [2023] Inspired by true events, a lawyer helps a funeral home owner save his family business from a corporate behemoth, exposing a complex web of race, power, and injustice. Two excellent leads command an enjoyable courtroom drama that is full of emotions, humor and never dulls despite the usual cliched feel good gotchas. Worth a look.

Masters Of The Air [2024 TV Limited Series] During World War II, five miles above the ground and behind enemy lines, ten men inside an aluminum bomber known as a "Flying Fortress" battle antiaircraft flak and unrelenting flocks of German fighters. Nine part series has the signature Spielberg style stamped all over it which can seem both impressive and tiresome. Excessive CGI adds to the tedium and the characters are two dimensional. Occasionally engaging, but mostly dull corporate TV for the masses. A yawn fest.

The Deceived [2020 TV Series] A student falls for her married lecturer at Cambridge. When he mysteriously disappears, she tracks him down and discovers that his wife has died in a fire in Ireland. A four part UK Channel 5 series, hopefully no more series are planned as one can feel somewhat deceived with the top line actors appearing in a mediocre and twisted plot.

Monster [2023] A mother demands answers from her son's teacher when her son begins acting strangely. Discovering that a teacher is responsible, she storms into the school demanding to know what's going on. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher and child, the truth gradually emerges. A strong Japanese drama that is somewhat lacking in the editing work but has several mesmerizing performances in a whodunit worth seeing.

Freud's Last Session [2023] Sigmund Freud invites iconic author C.S. Lewis to debate the existence of God. And his unique relationship with his daughter, and Lewis' unconventional relationship with his best friend's mother. A top thespian who can read the phone book and make it interesting does the same with an otherwise bland, imagined meeting of the minds that probably never happened.

The Creator [2023] Against the backdrop of a war between humans and robots with artificial intelligence, a former soldier finds the secret weapon, a robot in the form of a young child. A timely sci-fi reminder, visually stunning with more action than character development apart from the usual stereotypical good guys vs bad guys that is tiresome, filmed in Thailand and worth a look for those into the sci-fi genre.

Bodies [2023 TV Limited Series] Four detectives in four different time periods of London find themselves investigating the same murder. If you are into the time travel genre this is worth a look and it's got Stephen Graham in it! For the rest of us it will just wash over like wallpaper and it won't need engaging the brain as the whole thing seems preposterous.

Rustin [2023] Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington. An outstanding lead performance steals every scene in this historical story telling that is otherwise tiresome format.

Poor Things [2023] The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Loosely based on a 90's book set in Glasgow, this is re-imagined elsewhere in a breathtaking visual production, steampunk retro, anarchic, emotional, funny, one of the year's most original and memorable movies from a director known for the bizarre.

The Zone Of Interest [2023] Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden beside the camp. Unique and stark depiction of the inhumanity of war criminals. Worth seeing and leaves so much to the imagination.

One Life [2023] The true story of Sir Nicholas Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued over 660 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in the operation known as Kindertransport. What starts off as a run of the mill war film ends in the TV studios of That’s Life when the story took on a new life. Strong performances makes this very watchable.

Bleeding Love [2023] A father takes his estranged daughter on a road trip in an effort to get her into rehab. Along the way they meet all types of strangers, as their strained relationship is put to the test and confuses matters. Average road trip movie meanders all over the place despite immersing us into images of rural America, the whole premise reeks of a true life father/daughter vanity project.

Miller's Girl [2024] A creative writing assignment yields complex results between a teacher and his talented student. Mediocre attempt by Freeman on his foray into the USA movie scene, this story is beyond pretentious despite two decent performances.

American Fiction [2023] A novelist fed up with the establishment profiting from Black entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him into the heart of the hypocrisy and madness he claims to disdain. Clever American biting drama comedy that is more poignant on home soil, the main satirical premise and fun part is cancelled somewhat by the serious background family drama. Up for awards so worth a look.

Welcome To Wrexham [2022 TV Series] Docuseries chronicling the purchase and stewardship of Wrexham AFC, one of professional football's oldest clubs, by two Hollywood actors, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Two series now complete with a third in the making, this is one of the better football docuseries to be made, full of passion and laughs with some self-deprecating humor from the new to the scene owners thrown in.

Butcher's Crossing [2023] An Ivy League drop-out travels to the Colorado wilderness, where he joins a team of buffalo hunters on a journey that puts his life and sanity at risk. Based on the highly acclaimed novel by John Williams. This flawed American dream story, based on the massacre of the nation's buffaloes, succeeds with Cage giving a controlled performance. Good old school western.

Ferrari [2023] Set in the summer of 1957, with Enzo Ferrari's auto empire in crisis, the ex-racer turned entrepreneur pushes himself and his drivers to the edge as they launch into the Mille Miglia, a treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy. This is impressive cinema set in Italy, beautiful scenery, fast cars, strong performances, the story-line stalls occasionally but the finish is worth it.