Palatkik

Pieces Of A Woman [2020] Memorable opening thirty minute segment of this US drama before the opening title shows a young couples home birth end tragically, which is then followed by ninety minutes of pointless efforts by family members to hold the midwife accountable. A downer of a story, well acted but only held together by a dominant lead.

News Of The World [2020] A civil war vet working as wild west news reporter comes across a stranded German immigrant orphan since kidnapped by local Kiowa tribes. Thus begins a slow and incident laden road trip for the pair to find a home told in a trusted and tried old Western format, with two expert leads and top directing to keep us interested. Worth seeing when the mood suits.

Dead Man's Shoes [2004] Only just watched this, entertaining UK revenge crime drama with a memorable soundtrack. A soldier returns to his hometown to get even with the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother years ago.

The Serpent [2020 TV limited series] Crime drama series based on the true story of Charles Sobhraj, the 70's hippy trail conman and murderer. This is more impressive for the re-imagining of Bangkok and the Far East in the 1970's that somehow impresses those of us who remember it from then, whereas the crime drama itself is a confusing overkill of time leaps back and forth with a good lead albeit wooden and at times annoying support cast.

Promising Young Woman [2020] Memorable and entertaining dark thriller comedy with a darkness that lingers, of a feminist vigilant. A mesmerizing lead performance, good soundtrack and surprise ending make this one to see.

Breathless (A bout de souffle) [1960] First time viewing this 60 years after its release. Saw the movie Seberg [2020] earlier which led to checking this out, one of her most famous movies, very advanced in style for the era and so well edited that each scene is engrossing. A petty criminal kills a cop and tries to escape to Italy with his American french speaking girl friend. Classic cinema at its best. The torrent is a re released from 2007.

Nomadland [2020] After losing everything in the financial crash of 2008 a woman embarks on a journey through the American West living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad getting seasonal work where its available, even temping for the trillion dollar company Amazon, meeting others in the same predicament. A gentle post apocalyptic style road movie, with strong character development that grows on you.

Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan [2020] A look at the life of the blunt toothless Irish singer/songwriter Shane MacGowan, looking like death warmed up these days from years of drugs and drink, this is a one of the great music documentaries, full of soul and poetry worth seeing again and again.

Death To 2020 [2020] A year ending American mockumentary with a modicum of British content makes for an interesting mix of humor that occasionally raises a laugh, but the year has been one to forget anyway. Like the lead SLJ says at the start about making this "why in the fck would you wanna do that?".

Industry [2020 TV series] Everyone gets their tits and cocks out in the new 8 part soap in modern day London's finance hub. Entertaining and not too taxing to watch, with more style than details to worry about.

Looted [2019] Only recently released on digital platforms this is an impressive crime drama with excellent character development set in the north east of England of a young man trying to care for his sick dad whilst making money the only way he can stealing cars, until one job he's forced into by his aggressive friend makes him wonder.

Another Round (Druk) [2020] Delightfully intoxicating tragicomedy from Denmark with English subtitles, about four school teachers each with their own mid life crises, experimenting with improving their professional and social skills by taking a moderate amount of alcohol throughout the day. Top movie, one of the best foreign language films of the year.

Road Kill [2020 TV limited series] Entertaining four part mini TV series about a British politician whose personal family life is falling apart whilst shamelessly pursuing his career as those around him try and sabotage his goals.

White Riot [2019] Brilliant 2019 documentary available on the usual download sites now in 2020 named after the Clash song of the late 1970’s UK when the Rock Against Racism movement started. Includes some surprisingly bigoted opinions from mainstream music stars of the time like Bowie, Clapton and Stewart. Great imagery from the era showing social deprivation, the National Front and the punk music scene which would help RAR bring racism down.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom [2020] Tensions rise when the Mother Of The Blues arrives at a Chicago studio in 1927. Comes across overly dramatic, since it is based on a Pulitzer prize winning play, some might prefer a lot more music and less talk, but overall worth seeing.

Falling [2020] One of the years best movies, with two superb leads portraying a father son relationships final years with flashbacks of the bigoted, foul mouthed, hateful old man who travels from his rural farm to visit his gay pilot sons family in California.

The Queens Gambit [2020 TV limited series] A seven part limited series named after a chess move, this is an at times over stylized cold war era remake of the novel about a fictional young orphan girl who becomes a chess prodigy who is obsessed with the game at the expense of a normal life and through a drug habit. Chess and the melodramatic Hollywood style of film making takes a back seat to a good lead actor making this addictive viewing.

Mogul Mowgli [2020] British born rapper of Asian decent falls ill to a degenerative disease and is left to deal with his music career and family help. Very edgy independent movie is abrasive, in your face and to the point with never a dull moment.