Howe's World of Film and TV

Paddington 2 (2017) – Review

A StudioCanal Picture, Written by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, Directed by Paul King.

For very obvious reasons, the world is a anxious and sad place right now, and every glimmer of hope and optimism is particularly welcome. This is where Paddington comes in.

Paddington 2 is probably the most heartwarming and charming film I have ever seen. It is so packed full of spirit, kindness, and warmth, and a feeling of an ideal Britain, that it is hard not to fall in love with the film.

I enjoyed the first one but this feels like a much stronger entry and exactly the film they wanted to make.

The performances are great all round, with the returning cast as perfectly cast as they were the first time around, and newcomer Brendan Gleeson proving a great presence.

However, it is Hugh Grant’s villain who steals the show with a ridiculously over the top performance, that even earned him a BAFTA nomination.

I really hope we get a Paddington 3.

Rating = 4.5/5

Girls Season 2 (2013) – TV Review

Thanks to the newly introduced Sky Comedy channel, I am finally able to watch some HBO comedy’s that I missed when they came out, and Girls is one of the main ones.

Season 2 plays out in many ways similar to the first season, but you can see that the writing and acting is continuing to improve. I am still unsure how self aware Dunham is that these characters are seemingly terrible people, but due to some storylines, I think she knows that and is playing into it.

The real stand out this season is Adam Driver. We all know what he has gone on to after the show, but here he really shines and shows all the signs of the talent he has. His story is packed full of addiction, consent, rage, and self appreciation, and it is handled with a level of honesty and feels very raw.

His final scene of the season, running topless through the streets of New York to Hannah‘s ‘rescue’ was compelling and very in character, and also gave Star Wars fans who were taken aback with his topless scene in The Last Jedi something else to obsess over.

Rating = 3.5/5

The Simpsons Season 3 (1991) – TV Review

In my opinion, this is the season where ‘the golden years’ of ‘The Simpsons’ begin. It is a season packed full of unique and fresh episodes, hilarious scenarios, and excellent voice work.

The things that start here and will progress through the next decade of the show go on to define many elements of pop culture that we still see today, and it’s fascinating to see that ground work laid here.

This is the absolute secret weapon of Disney Plus and I can’t wait to keep working my way through it.

Rating = 4/5

Hitmen (2020) – TV Review

Mel and Sue rose to prominence as the hosts of BBC’s ‘The Great British Bake Off’. However, when the show moved to Channel 4, they also left and pursued different career options.

This type of project was clearly something they wanted to do, with them starting in and contributing behind the scenes to this comedy series.

While the show has its moments, mostly thanks to some stand out guest stars, the show itself is a mostly predictable and uninspired misfire, with our leads struggling to shake their persona’s and disappear into the characters.

Some of the guest stars do make an impact, with Nick Mohamed, Jason Watkins, and in particular Sian Clifford, providing some strong moments.

I would be surprised if this show returns for a second season.

Rating = 2.5/5

Veep Season 2 (2013) – TV Review

The first season was very impressive, but in season 2, ‘Veep’ firmly establishes itself as one of the finest comedies of the 21st century. It is so well written, performed, and simply one of the funniest shows I have ever seen.

As the story continues to progress this season, the characters continue to come into their own and really show all the different layers to themselves, often revealing hilarious aspects as they go.

The whole cast, led by the superb Julia Louis-Dreyfus, are superb again, but a personal stand out for me this season is Timothy Simons as Jonah. Every time he is in a scene, he brings a real energy to the show and he is one of the funniest characters I have seen in a long time.

The show is not only skewering American politics this season, but absolutely everything and everyone, and that’s what makes it so enjoyable.

I can’t wait to get watching season 3 very soon.

Rating = 4.5/5

The Place Beyond The Pines (2013) – Review

A Universal Picture, Written by Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, Darius Marder, Directed by Derek Cianfrance.

Both Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper have been referred to as ‘heart throbs’ and ‘leading men’, and while that obviously has its merits due to their looks and charisma, they have both mostly made careers through being character actors in unique and experimental films, and this is a great example of that.

Derek Cianfrance has crafted a sprawling and yet intimate story about life, death, and legacy, and while not everything works (I won’t go into plot specifics because it is best to watch this film knowing as little as possible and let the surprises wash over you).

The film is at its best in the opening hour in my opinion, with Gosling and Mendes really shining, and the motor bike chases being some of the most thrilling chase scenes I have seen for a long time. It’s a shame Cooper and Gosling don’t get to share any scenes together as they are both superb, but I understand why.

This isn’t perfect but it’s incredibly ambitious and exactly the sort of film I want to continue to see.

Rating = 4/5

The Simpsons Season 2 (1990) – TV Review

As the UK lockdown continues, for an indefinite amount of time, I am gradually continuing working through ‘The Simpsons’ on Disney Plus.

Season 2 is a definite improvement on the first season, with the things we know and love about the show really starting to take shape, even if the season as a whole is still uneven.

There are some real stand out episodes and the characters become much more defined, effectively so. Especially Homer, who obviously is the face of the show, but he very much carries the show more than usual in this season.

The upcoming seasons are what are commonly referred to as the ‘Golden Years’ and I thoroughly look forward to making my way through it.

Rating = 4/5

The Updated MCU Release Slate

The Corona Virus pandemic has swept the globe, causing tragedy and destruction everywhere it goes. One place (although of course there are much more important things) it has hugely impacted is the movie industry.

The last film that Disney released in the MCU was the biggest movie of all time ‘Avengers: Endgame’ back in April 2019. This was intended to be followed up a year later by ‘Black Widow’ but the virus made this impossible.

Today, we got a huge amount of new Disney release dates (will cover in full in a future post) and this included some major MCU changes, and I will detail them below:

6th November 2020 – Black Widow

12th February 2021 – Eternals

7th May 2021 – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

5th November 2021 – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

18th February 2022 – Thor: Love and Thunder

8th May 2022 – Black Panther 2

8th July 2022 – Captain Marvel 2

There is another MCU film set for October 2022 (likely Deadpool 3 or Blade) and then 4 further untitled films set for 2023. Sony’s Spider-Man 3 is still currently set for July 2021, but that may also be forced to change.

Rain Man (1988) – Review

A MGM Picture, Written by Barry Morrow, Ronald Bass, Directed by Barry Levinson.

When it was initially released, this film launched to huge commercial and critical acclaim, winning 4 of the major 5 Oscars (only without Lead Actress, mainly because it doesn’t have one) and in the decades since, it is become a familiar part of pop culture.

Watching it now, I believe that it still holds up to those high standards, as it is a well written, directed and acted film about a potentially difficult subject, that is packed full of heart and good intentions.

While I wouldn’t want to comment on how ‘accurate’ it’s portrayal of this certain condition is, I do believe it is handled with care and sensitivity. Dustin Hoffman is absolutely remarkable in the film, completely disappearing into the role, which is very hard to do for an actor who is so recognisable.

Tom Cruise is also very good, in a role that seems very close to a version of his actual personality, but he is undoubtedly a talented dramatic actor.

Valeria Golino, recently one of the cast in the spectacular ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’, offers a very likeable and entertaining supporting performance.

Overall, I think this is a film that everyone should watch at some point, even if it is just for the quality of filmmaking across the board.

Rating = 4.5/5