TV Show Review - House of the Dragon (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Fantasy
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2022
Starring: Milly Alcock, Emma D’Arcy, Emily Carey, Olivia Cooke, Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel

Description: An internal succession war withing House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen.

Review: “Game of Thrones” was a huge success for HBO. Perhaps the last show that almost everyone seemed to watch. The spin-ff “House of the Dragon” is supposed to be its successor. But despite it’s set in the same fantasy world as “Game of Thrones”, the series has become a different kind of series.

It’s a prequel series and set about 170 years before Daenerys Targaryen was even born. It’s based on George R.R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood”. There are no familiar characters, but we do meet many characters with similar names, because it’s not uncommon in royal families to name your child after another family member.

The series contains fewer characters than “Game of Thrones” and also takes place in fewer different locations. The drama revolves around the Targaryens and related families Velaryon and Hightower.
The game for the throne begins with the death of the queen, after which King Viserys is left with only one child: Princess Rhaenyra. He appoints her as his heir and makes everyone swear allegiance to her, despite the fact that he himself came to power only because most of the lords of Westeros did not want his niece Rhaenys on the throne: would rather have a distant cousin on the throne who does not seem suitable, than a woman.

Viserys is expected to remarry very quickly after his wife’s death. He choses Alicent Hightower, his daughter’s childhood friend and daughter of his hand Otto Hightower. Alicent and Viserys soon have their first child together: a son, which makes him the first male heir to the throne. We get many time-jumps after that and follow these characters over a twenty year period. Rhaenyra and Alicent become increasingly enemies, despite attempts at rapprochement. The men around them want power and do not shun violence, murder or war to do so.

Structurally, “House of the Dragon” is set apart to cover those many years. Sometimes several years pass between episodes, which is mostly explained in dialogue. There is even ten years between episode five and six, after which all the younger characters are played by different actors, including Rhaenyra and Alicent, who have suddenly become adult mothers of multiple children (sometimes hard to keep up which child is which).

Daring as we had just gotten used to the young actresses Milly Alcock and Emily Carey. But Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke take over with dignity. To get to know the characters, the structure is slow at first, but then sometimes suddenly jumps quickly from dramatic climax to climax.

So far, “House of the Dragon” is definitely better than the last season of “Game of Thrones”, but not even close to when the successful series was at its best. It has more dragons though, which is a huge plus.

00s Movie Review - Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1980

Director: James Marsh
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Paddy Considine, Warren Clarke, David Morrissey, James Fox, Sean Harris, Jim Carter, Warren Clarke, David Calder, Maxine Peake

Description: A team of investigators attempt to stop a serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper from claiming his next victim, but uncover something far more terrifying.

Review: The second part in the “Red Riding” trilogy is largely focusing on the search for serial killer ‘The Yorkshire Ripper’. This is an existing case, but the author of the book series, David Pearce, gave it his own interpretation. The fact that prostitutes are mutilated and murdered over the course of several years is an actual fact. But people and situations have been fictionalized, with the exception of the Ripper himself.
The case, however, plays mainly in the background and serves only as a means of bringing detective Peter Hunter from Manchester to Yorkshire, to break the case wide open once more. Hunter has unpleasant memories of the English town and the local police, because years earlier he led an investigation into the murder of real estate tycoon John Dawson, in which two officers were injured. At the time, he felt he was strongly opposed by the Yorkshire police and was never able to bring the case to a close.
The film is still understandable if you haven’t seen the climax of the previous film, set in 1974, but it’s more interesting with the prior knowledge from the first film. Certain characters who had a small role in that part are now suddenly more on the foreground. Especially dirty cop Bob Craven.
Although the second film has a different director, “1980” has the same gloomy atmosphere as its predecessor. Where in that part at least you still get the idea that at leas a few characters are escaping all the corruption, in this middle part the tumult seems to encompass all of Yorkshire.  Equally as good as the first film.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Miss You Already

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Paddy Considine, Dominic Cooper

Description: The friendship between two life-long girlfriends, Milly (Toni Collette) and Jess (Drew Barrymore), is put to the test when one starts a family and the other falls ill.

Review: Few manage to elicit as many tears as a film in which someone is diagnosed with cancer and, after a long fight and emotional goodbye, suffers. Think of “Terms of Endearment”, “My Sister’s Keeper” and “The Fault on Our Stars”. In “Miss You Already”, we deal with two best friends, one of whom is told of the dreaded diagnosis early in the film.
The two inseparable friends, Milly and Jess, have been friends since elementary school. An opening montage shows us how their friendship started and what they have been up to together. After this we see Milly visiting her doctor and is told the bad news. She gets sich from the chemo, needs surgery. While Milly faces this disease and potentially leaving her husband and children behind, Jess is busy starting a family of her own and building a life with her husband. For years she was there for Milly and was part of her life, now she is finally at the point where she can build those things for herself. Jess is trying to find a balance between being there for her friend and living her own life, something that isn’t easy.
“Miss You Already” tries to show the disease process and its impact on relationships in a raw way. Thanks to Toni Collette’s good acting as Milly, it certainly succeeds. A great moment is when Milly shows her friend the scars from the mastectomy. It is fully portrayed and that is quite shocking, but at the same time real as so many women have experienced that moment. It also tries to paint an honest picture of the relationship between best friends, who have become dependent on each other. The men in their lives sometimes seem to take second place, which is well played by male supporting roles of Dominic Cooper and Paddy Considine.
Less successful is the unsympathetic side of Milly. In the opening montage, you can see that se used to lead a free life, be a good mother and a heartthrob with whom Jess had countless great nights out.  But from the moment of diagnosis and insufferable narcissist emerges, who expects her friend to constantly drop everything to be there for her. She also cheats on her husband because he has trouble dealing with her changed body (and the psychological aspects that go with it) and she is angry at everything and everyone around her. Pleasant is different and because of this you miss the connection with Milly. Not unimportant within this genre.
With many of these films you sometimes have to wipe away the tears or unexpectedly rush through a whole box of tissues, but that is not the case with “Miss You Already”. There is certainly an attempt to move the viewer, especially towards the end, but by that time you feel Milly’s death may have put an end to Jess’ life as a doormat, especially since Drew Barrymore knows how to portray the character warmly. Ultimately, this makes it really nothing more than a drama about the raw effects of getting cancer, without the much-needed heartwarming (and therefore emotional element) needed to move you.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

00s Movie Review - Hot Fuzz

Director: Edgar Wright
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Rafe Spall, Paddy Considine, Olivia Colman, Bill Nighy, Steve Coogan, Martin Freeman

Description: Exceptional London cop Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is involuntarily transferred to a quaint English village and paired with a witless new partner. While on the beat, Nicholas suspects a sinister conspiracy is afoot with the residents.

Review: Supercop Nicholas Angel is transferred from the hard crimes in London, to a sleepy town called Sanford, because Nicholas makes all the other cops ‘look bad’. He is just simply too good. Sanford is in the running for the title ‘Village of the Year’, which they have won multiple times before. When Nicholas arrives, he soon discovers that the citizens and local cops don’t really take crime very seriously. Even when several people are murdered, they all think it’s just all an accident.
You can say a lot about “Hot Fuzz”, but not that it’s boring. There is a lot of action, violence and a load of great jokes. And there isn’t one joke that doesn’t make you laugh or is predictable or cliché. That makes this film fresh and original.
Of course the on screen duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost work like a charm. Pegg is an adrenaline rushed cop and Frost is the very naïve and looking-for-action partner. Like a tradition of buddy cop movies, who are complete opposites of each other, but yet again it’s never cliché.
“Hot Fuzz” is fast paced, action packed and fresh. An original film with lots of laughs, even after rewatching it many times, with a dark undertone. “Hot Fuzz” is a winner!

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Pride

Director: Matthew Warchus
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine, George McKay, Andrew Scott, Russell Tovey

Description: U.K. gay activists work to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984.

Review: Most British citizens are familiar with the miner’s strike in 1984, as a protest to the announced closing of the mines. People who went through this period remember it very well and it’s a story that has been told to children and grandchildren. It’s a very sensitive topic, still for many people. But one special occurrence during these strikes never got a lot of publicity, which is the focus of the film “Pride”.
During the strike, the miners and their families were struggling, because they had no income. That’s why fundraising campaigns were held. The in London based ‘Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners’ (LGSM) decide to also campaign for them and raise money to support them. But when they want to hand the union the money, that’s a problem. Because taking money from gays, that’s unheard of. They eventually find a union in Wales, that does say yes. The LGSM travel to a little town in Wales, but most citizens aren’t happy about them. They have prejudices and don’t really welcome them with open arms. But the two very different groups connect.
That “Pride” is based on real-life events makes this film extra strong. With that, many ingredients of a feel-good movie are present. The combination of emotional elements, humor and personal development of the characters make you think about films like “Billy Elliot” and “The Full Monty”. And since both those films are amazing, “Pride” can certainly be added to this line-up.
The screenplay is very strong but the fantastic cast also lifts this film to a higher level. Imelda Staunton and Bill Nighy can’t do wrong off course, but also the young George MacKay, who has the biggest part of the ensemble, manages to show of his talent. The journey of his character Joe, from being a shy guy growing to be confident man comfortable with who he is, is really strong. But the actor that steals the show is Dominic West, as the flamboyant Jonathan, who you can simple not dislike. His dance scene is one of the highlights of the film.
“Pride” is one of the rare films that has substance, entertainment and soul.

Rating: 5 / 5

TV Show Review - Peaky Blinders (Season 3)

Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2016
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Annabelle Wallis, Sophie Rundle, Joe Cole, Tom Hardy, Paddy Considine, Natasha O’Keefe, Packy Lee, Finn Cole, Kate Phillips, Gaite Jansen

Description: Set in 1924, two years after the events in series 2. It follows the Shelby family as they enter a dangerous world of international intrigue. Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and his entire organization are at risk forcing him to question everything about his ambitions and desires.

Review: After two very strong seasons, expectations are very high. And even though it never reaches that same level, “Peaky Blinders” is still one of the best crime series out there. The people Tommy Shelby and his organization have to face this time, are stronger than ever. Series 3 follows the same kind of pattern, but eventually manages to surprise big at the end.
The third season focusses on personal development. A quest for their role in this complete picture. At the start everyone is living their best life: Tommy marries Grace, live in a beautiful mansion and have a son named Charlie. Even the very unstable and aggressive Arthur is married now and has devoted himself to the lord. But in that first episode, they also see that trouble isn’t that far away. And this time it’s the Russians. The Bourgeoisie that were send away from Russia by the communists. They want to return, but need the Peaky Blinders to find weapons. They are represented by a wealthy family, with especially daughter Tatiana playing a confusing role in this all. Driving Tommy crazy.
Arthur is led by his wife Linda. Aunt Polly is in search for love and acknowledgment. She seems weaker then ever and regularly reaches for the bottle. Her son Michael is confronted with a reverend from his past. This same reverend, Hughes, becomes Tommy’s biggest threat.
Series 3 is a filled with political games. Which will intrigue viewers, but misses the sparks from the previous two seasons. But it’s still on top, when it comes to other shows in this genre. The acting is again great. Cillian Murphy’s Tommy shows more weak moments and he loses his cool a couple of times. Which is a Tommy we didn’t see often yet. And we are introduced to Reverend Hughes, played wonderfully by Paddy Considine.
A good third season, I’m ready for season 4.

Movie Reviews - The Death fo Stalin

Director: Armando Iannucci
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, Jeffrey Tambor, Andrea Riseborogh, Olga Kurylenko, Paddy Considine, Michael Palin, Tom Brooke

Description: Follows the Soviet dictator's last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death.

Review: It’s a rather bizarre story, that probably a lot of people don’t even know, but it’s worth it: the death of Sovjet dictator Stalin. Under his command, hundred thousand political opponents were executed or send to the Goelag. It seems that six to nine million people lost their lives under the command of Stalin. No wonder that, when Stalin was found unconscious in his office, help didn’t come running. With this starting point, director Armando Iannucci brings us the somewhay genius “The Death of Stalin”. A tragic comedy.
After Stalin was founf, it took another three days before he was actually dead. The stories of how he was pronounced dead are legendary. But the fight for power after the dictator’s death is also very interesting. These two subjects center this story. Iannucci based his screenplay on a graphic novel by Fabien Nury. And the way this film is styled is pretty remarkable and interesting. All the dialogue is in English and all the actors speak in their own accents, British, American.
The film is also filled with beautiful observations and detail. And in a dark way, this makes the film funnier. Especially the fight for power, after Stalin’s death, were there is a lot of betrayal and stabbing each other in the back. “The Death of Stalin” is sometimes painfully funny. Because you realize that most of it actually happened. The absurd fight for power and they way some situations go.
It’s not a film everyone will see the humor of, but I think for people who enjoy learning about history, it’s a film to watch.

Rating: 4 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 8: Tyrannosaur

Director: Paddy Considine

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 91 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan, Paul Popplewell, Ned Dennehy, Samuel Bottomley, Sally Carman, Sian Breckin, Paul Conway, Lee Rufford, Robin Butler, Archie Lal, Julia Mallam, Fiona Carnegie, Piers Mettrick, Vicki Hackett, Robert Haythorne, Jag Sanghera, Carol Plant

Description: Joseph (Peter Mullan), a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction, earns a chance of redemption that appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker (Olivia Colman).

Review: Joseph is a mad man, a very mad man. He is a widow, spends his days in the suburbs of Leeds and has a temper he can’t control. He yells at everyone and often uses violence when they don’t do as they say. Without too much human contact, Joseph goes through the days. Joseph is the main character in “Tyrannosaur”, a very impressive directorial debut by actor Paddy Considine.

After the opening, where we meet Joseph and his rage, director Considine focuses on the relationship between Joseph and Hannah. She is the owner of a thrift shop where Joseph hides one day. Hannah is scared of Joseph at first, but along the way the two tortured souls connect.

Because Hannah also has some problems. The Christian woman is married to a man who can’t keep his hands to himself and she is in a deep depression. The film is raw and has some great performances.

“Tyrannosaur” is a very depressive film, very heavy too. The film is pretty short, but it feels longer. That’s because this is such a heavy film, with no lighter moments. Considine wanted to show us that for some people, it really never gets any better.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 73: Dead Man's Shoes

Director: Shane Meadows

Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime

Runtime: 90 minutes

Year: 2004

Starring: Paddy Considine, Toby Kebbell, Gary Stretch, Jo Hartley, Seamus O’Neill, Stuart Wolfenden, Paul Sadot, Paul Hurtsfield, Emily Aston, George Newton, Neil Bell, Craig Considine, Matt Considine, Andrew Shim, Arthur Meadows

Description: Disaffected soldier Richard (Paddy Considine) returns to his hometown to get even with the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother Anthony (Toby Kebbell) years ago.

Review: “Dead Man’s Shoes” is a collaboration between director Shane Meadows and leading actor and co-screenwriter Paddy Considine. Considine plays Richard, a soldier who visits his hometown. He is on a mission: take down the people who terrorized his mentally challenged brother Anthony. His retaliation is brutal. Cold as Lee Marvin in “Point Blank” and psychotic as Robert De Niro in “Taxi Driver”.

But “Dead Man’s Shoes” is not just a revenge movie. It’s a lively and authentic portret od the daily life in the English province. The characters, the realistic dialogue, every day locations, it’s social realism at its best. This is how director Meadows states it himself: ‘It’s part kitchen-sink drama, part Terminator’.

“Dead Man’s Shoes” is a raw British movie, that we don’t get enough of lately. I think it has a specific audience, because it’s an overlooked movie. If it got more attention when it came out, more people would know about it. And love it.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Favorites: Hot Fuzz

Synopsis: Top London cop, PC Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is good. Too good. And to stop the rest of his team looking bad, he is reassigned to the quiet town of Sandford. He is paired with Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), who endlessly questions him on the action lifestyle. Everything seems quiet for Angel, until two actors are found decapitated. It is called an accident, but Angel isn't going to accept that, especially when more and more people turn up dead. Angel and Danny clash with everyone, whilst trying to uncover the truth behind the mystery of the apparent "accidents".

 

 

Unique Selling Point: This is how action and comedy should be mixed. This is probably my favorite out of the cornetto-trilogy.

Most Valuable Player: Edgar Wright, for writing one of the greatest comedies in movie history. Clever jokes, something that makes me laugh every time.

Best Moment: Nicholas Angel jumps over a fence, smoothly. Danny also does it, not so smoothly. “What’s the matter, Danny? Never taken a shortcut before?” Well, he clearly hasn’t.

Quotables: "The World's End"

It’s really sad to hear that this is the final movie in the Cornetto series. I secretly hope there will be more movies directed by Edgar Wright and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. They are a trio made in heaven. But there is still enough room on my blog to talk about these amazing comedies. Here are the best quotes from “The World’s End”.

Gary King: Tonight, we will be partaking of a liquid repast as we wind our way up the Golden Mile. Commencing with an inaugural tankard in The First Post, then on to The Old Familiar, The Famous Cock, The Cross Hands, The Good Companions, The Trusty Servant, The Two-Headed Dog, The Mermaid, The Beehive, The King's Head, and The Hole in the Wall for a measure of the same, all before the last bittersweet pint in that most fateful terminus, The World's End. Leave a light on good lady, for though we may return with a twinkle in our eyes, we will be in truth blind - drunk!

Gary King: [to The Network] Oh fuck off, you big lamp!

Gary King: Get back in your rocket, and fuck off back to Legoland you cunts!

 

Gary King: Drink up. Let's Boo-Boo.

Steven Prince: 'Boo-Boo'? What is that?

Gary King: You remember "Let's Boo-Boo". You know, from Mr. Shephard's classroom, it said on the wall "Exit, Pursued by a Bear", you know, from that Shakespeare play?

Steven Prince: A Winter's Tale.

Gary King: Yeah. What was it called?

Steven Prince: A Winter's Tale.

Gary King: That's it. And if we needed to make a quick getaway, we'd say: "Exit, Pursued by a Bear". And then, it was: "Exit, Pursued by Yogi Bear". And then, it was just: "Let's Yogi and Boo-Boo". And then: "Let's Boo-Boo".

Steven Prince: So you're saying we should go?

Gary King: Yeah. Shitty, here. Isn't it?

Gary King: How is, uh...

Peter Page: Vanessa.

Gary King: No. Your wife.

Peter Page: Vanessa.

Gary King: Yeah. How's she?

Peter Page: She's good.

Gary King: Have you had sex yet?

Peter Page: We have two children.

Gary King: Ooh twice! Get you, fuck machine.

Andrew Knightley: I haven't had a drink for sixteen years Gary.

Gary King: You must be thirsty then.

 

Steven Prince: Ten people have entered in this toilet in the last five minutes and not a single one has come back out again. That's going to look suspicious.

Gary King: Gay loving!

Gary King: [having repeatedly banged his head against the wall] There, that proves I'm human.

Steven Prince: It proves you're stupid.

Gary King: Exactly! Ow!

Andrew Knightley: You said you wanted to chew the fat. I think you just wanted to drink it. We're not your friends, we're just your fucking enablers.

Gary King: Enabler? Oh that's a funny word. Gary King & The Enablers. Actually that would make a great name for the band. Steve, write that down.

In the Picture: The Characters from "The World's End"

I finally saw it this year and it met my expectations. It’s a fantastic comedy, this is how comedies should be made! And it also brought some great characters. Here are the characters from “The World’s End”.

Gary King
Played by: Simon Pegg
Gary King is a middle-aged recovering drug addict. He is still stuck in his teenage life, because he wants to get the old group of friends together again. Gary is determined to finally finish “The Golden Mile” because they didn’t manage that back in the days.

Andy Knightley
Played by: Nick Frost
Andy used to be Gary’s best friend, but nowadays Andy is a more serious man. He is a lawyer. Andy doesn’t want to be a part of the reunion, but when he starts feeling sorry for Gary he decides to take part anyway.

Oliver Chamberlain
Played by: Martin Freeman
Oliver is a serious business man, an estate agent, who is still working while trying to finish “The Golden Mile” with the guys. He only got into the group because Gary thought his sister Sam was hot.

Steven Prince
Played by: Paddy Considine
Steven used to be Gary’s fellow rock star in training. They were very similar when they were kids: Cool, good-looking and both into Oliver’s sister Sam. Steven is now an architectural consultant and hasn’t heard from Gary for a very long time.

Peter Page
Played by: Eddie Marsan
Peter is from a wealthy family and that was the only reason Gary wanted to be friends with him. As a child, Peter was bullied and when he revisits New Haven he sees his bully again.

Sam Chamberlain
Played by: Rosemund Pike
Sam is Oliver’s sister and caught the eye of both Gary and Steven. Gary had a fling with her when they were younger, but she always regretted that. Nowadays she is more into Steven.

Favorite Character: Gary King

100 Movies Challenge 2014 - # 42: The World's End

Director: Edgar Wright
Genre: Comedy/ Science Fiction/ Action
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike, Pierce Brosnan

Description: Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

Review: The trio Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are back in the last part of their so-called “Three Flavors Cornetto-trilogy”. With previous successes “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” Pegg and Frost write the screenplay and play the lead characters and Wright has the honors to direct this comedy.
Twenty years ago Gary King and his friends wanted to achieve “The Golden Mile”, which means that they visit twelve pubs in their hometown Newton Haven and ending in The World’s End. They didn’t make it and now, all grown up, the group of friends is going to give it another shot. But if they will make it to The World’s End or not is the least of their problems.
If you’re a fan of the previous films, like I am, you get exactly what you want. “The World’s End” is filled with the British humor that I love, mostly very subtle and not in your face. The film brought us a very memorable fight scene in a bathroom, which you really have to watch to understand why it’s close to being classic. Off course there is again a scene featuring a fence and a very subtle cornetto remark, both only meant for the insiders.
The entire cast is perfect and they all work very well together. Simon Pegg is the star of the film though, he shines in every scene and shows us that many American comedians still have a lot to learn.
If I want a good comedy, I leave it to Wright, Pegg and Frost, a magical trio. This is really my humor and they can hardly do anything wrong in my eyes. “The World’s End” is again a great film, for the lovers. And I hope the three men decide to make another movie… or two.

Rating: 5/ 5