Palatkik

The Killer [2023] After a fateful near-miss, an assassin with a penchant to music by The Smiths battles his employers and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn't personal. Straight forward thriller with a more style and modern vibe than anything of substance. Very watchable nevertheless.

Fingernails [2023] A couple have found true romance, and it's proven by a controversial new technology that involves removing fingernails to test. There's just one problem, as the wife still isn't sure. Then she takes a position at the said Love Testing Institute to understand it more and meets the lead instructor. This science fiction/drama is a bit naff, one of the characters in it even says it's a stupid idea, but gets some kudos for daft originality and occasional good performances.

Nandor Fodor And The Talking Mongoose [2023] When famed paranormal psychologist Dr. Nandor Fodor investigates a family's claim of a talking animal, he uncovers a mysterious web of hidden motives. Soon, everyone becomes a suspect in his relentless pursuit of the truth. This old school family entertainment is a tough slog to get through and seems to go nowhere.

The Woman In The Wall [2023 TV Limited Series] A woman wakes one morning to find a corpse in her house with no idea who the dead woman is. She doubts herself, because she has long suffered from extreme bouts of sleepwalking. A harrowing series portrays the darkest horrors of the real life Irish Magdalene Laundries, but doesn't really do it justice, with more pained expressions and screaming than meaningful script, it ends disappointingly.

Scrapper [2023] A dreamy 12-year-old girl with street smarts, lives happily alone in her London flat, filling it with magic after her mother passed away. Suddenly, her estranged father turns up and forces her to confront reality. Amazingly refreshing take on working class life, a kaleidoscope of emotions both sad and hilarious. One of the year's more original movies out of the UK.

The Long Shadow [2023 TV Limited Series] A desperate multiyear hunt ensues when Yorkshire is being haunted by a serial killer. This seven part serial drama recalls the Yorkshire Ripper events in gripping no nonsense Yorkshire style of the period to a tee. Next to no time is spent on Sutcliff himself or the killings but focuses more on the drama of the bumbling police investigation and effects on the victims and the families. Worth seeing.

Oppenheimer [2023] Based on the book American Prometheus, the story of scientist, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and his role in the development of the American atomic bomb. A phenomenal movie with a huge cast is a long and detailed account of events leading to Los Alamos, Japan and the later US communist security hearings. Mesmerizes from start to end.

Dumb Money [2023] David vs. Goliath tale about everyday people, the Dumb Money, who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning a failing GameStop (the video game store) into the world's hottest company using social media and online trading during the COVID pandemic. A fun movie with a modern vibe, worth seeing.

The Great Escaper [2023] Based on the true story of Bernard Jordan, an ex-WWII naval sailor, who, known to his wife who lives with him in the home, walks out alone to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France. Two strong leads in their last ever elderly roles carry this all the way with their down to earth performances over a subject matter that could have gotten all sentimental and patronizing but thankfully doesn't.

The Last Rifleman [2023] A WWII veteran escapes his care home in Northern Ireland and embarks on an arduous but inspirational journey to France to attend the 75th 2019 anniversary of the D-Day landings, finding the courage to face the ghosts of his past. This movie, based on true events of Bernard Jordan who pulled off the feat in 2014 from and English care home, oddly came online within days of a similarly themed movie The Great Escaper set in the actual year with more accurate character names and places. Both movies worth a look, but this one seems more cliched in style and superfluous with the prosthetics and name changes for what was the same story.

The Royal Hotel [2023] Two foreign backpackers take a work and travel job in a remote Australian pub for some extra cash and are confronted with a bunch of unruly locals and a situation that grows rapidly out of their control. Bloody oath, this is a fun psychological thriller along the lines of a Tarantino flick, when other cultures get to sample outback Australian pub life.

Past Lives[2023] Two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrested apart after one's family emigrates from South Korea to the US. Twenty years later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront notions of friendship and destiny. One of the year's best dramas, sublime in every way from start to end.

Beckham [2023 TV Limited Series] A chronicle of David Beckham's rise from working-class beginnings to global soccer stardom. Surprisingly enjoyable four part binge that transcends the game, with a large cast of intriguing then and now famous interviews across three continents, cleverly offsets Beckham's own typically dull persona other than when he was kicking the ball.

Golda [2023] Focuses on the intensely dramatic and high-stakes responsibilities and decisions that Golda Meir, also known as the 'Iron Lady of Israel,' faced during the Yom Kippur War. This is solely about how well the lead carries off the prosthetics and character of Meir, everything else is cigarette smoke and awful. The use of the converted Boeing 747 from the old Top Gear race track in an historical biopic movie is saying what the director thinks of his audience.

The Reckoning [2023 TV Limited Series] The story of Jimmy Savile's life from his working-class roots, to his rise to TV stardom as a BBC presenter, and his later years when he managed to keep his reign of sexual abuse concealed until after his death in 2011. Four part series courts controversy for the BBC dramatizing its own obscene subject so recent in memory, but the lead brings off a masterfully subtle performance, the included documentary mixes validate its warning message and skillful direction makes this work.

Breeders [2020 TV series] Four seasons of 10 parts each TV series out of UK with some very dry and black humor about the trials of raising kids. The first three series were addictive, but the fourth is overkill with characterless grown up kids taking leads. Enough.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One [2023] Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands. This three hour part one is old school action thriller theatrics, peddling the good versus the baddies theme again, that does what's expected on the tin. One of the better summer blockbusters of the year now out with hard coded subs online.

Annika [2021 TV Series] Witty DI Annika Strandhed heads up the fictional Marine Homicide Unit, tasked with solving murders in and around the Scottish waters. Watchable six part crime series with a new murder case each episode. Droll humor presented in a gimmicky style with the lead talking directly to the camera occasionally to keep you alert, each episode focuses more on the detectives social lives more than the crimes themselves. Now two seasons complete with a neat twist at the end of each season. More to come.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar [2023 short] Chronicles a variety of stories, but the main one follows Henry Sugar, who is able to see through objects and predict the future with the help of a book he stole. This movie short of the Roald Dahl story done by Wes Anderson in his own inimitable style, has a strong cast and is both intriguing in style and seemingly perfect.

Jules [2023] A man lives a quiet life of routine in a small western Pennsylvania town, but finds his day upended when a UFO and its extra-terrestrial passenger crash land in his backyard. Uplifting slightly formulaic light weight sci-fi comedy drama about aging, loneliness and an alien from outer space.

The Retirement Plan [2023] When a woman and her young daughter get caught up in a criminal enterprise that puts their lives at risk, she turns to her estranged father, currently living the life of a retired beach bum in the Cayman Islands. It's Nic Cage's retirement plan so no matter how bad it is, and this is really bad, one of his worst, it'll still get shown.

Talk To Me [2022] When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces. Whilst the horror genre can often come over as silly to some, this is an original and entertaining Australian made supernatural thriller that appears fresh and vibrant.