Tag: Netflix

Exploring Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein: A Modern Take

Ah, Frankenstein, the epic tale. It almost feels like a myth passed down thousands of years, rather than coming from the presumably seriously twisted mind of Mary Shelley back in 1818.

Now, it’s after getting the Netflix treatment. Frankenstein is a 2025 American Gothic science fiction film produced, written, and directed by Guillermo del Toro. It is a breathtaking reinterpretation of Mary Shelley’s iconic novel—faithful to its emotional core, yet bold enough to stand confidently as its own work.

From the start, the film establishes a chilling, immersive atmosphere that pulls you into a world where life, death, ambition, and heartbreak intertwine. It’s more than just a monster story—it’s a profound exploration of what it means to be human, and the cost of creating something you can’t control.

You see events unfold from two perspectives: the creator and the monster. In a way, they are each other’s mirrors. One is beautiful on the inside, hideous on the outside. The other is the opposite.

The acting is of a high quality. Oscar Isaac as Victor, the creator, and Jacob Elordi as the monster give powerful performances.

Even though it is a long film, many of the minor relationships feel rushed. Victor falling in love with his brother’s fiancée, and the brothers’ relationship misses the mark. The scene where the fiancée professes her love for Frankenstein is nonsensical. I can only presume important scenes were cut.

For that reason, it’s only three stars out of five from me. Read the book, it’s a classic.

Have you seen it? Let me know in the comments.

Review of Death by Lightning on Netflix

Hi readers. I do hope you are all keeping well. I’ve been watching this gem over the last week.

From Wikipedia :

The series depicts the election and presidency of James A. Garfield, the 20th United States President, including his anti-corruption and pro-civil rights stances, as well as how his path crossed with Charles J. Guiteau, a deluded admirer, who ended up shooting him, leading to Garfield’s death.

It states at the start that Garfield and Guiteau had been lost to history. And well, I’d never heard of them.

Visually, the series shines. It really takes you back to the 1880s. I loved the scenes of old New York, although I still had the feeling they were CGI. There’s something about the time period of the late nineteenth/early twentieth century for storytelling.

From the very first episode, the show establishes a distinct identity, depicting an accidental President.

We are also introduced to the troubled Guiteau. Gradually, he is overcome with delusions.

Michael Shannon gives a satisfactory performance, though it can be wooden at times. I think what I like best was the show’s depictions of the time.

The historical record is, in a way, a hindrance, as the show comes to an end just as it was getting going.

For that reason, it gets 3.5 stars out of five.

A Review of Netflix’s ‘Being Eddie’: Insights and Reflections

Anybody within seven or eight years of my age (I’m forty-six) would have fond memories of Eddie Murphy. I still remember seeing Beverly Hills Cop for the first time. A great film that would never have made it without him. It was the first time I saw on-screen a black character who was clearly more intelligent than the white people around him. All the curses stuck out as well.

But what happened to him recently? I haven’t heard his name in an age. I was also interested in what other aspects of his life were like.

That’s why I watched the documentary “Being Eddie” on Netflix a couple of nights ago.

If you are looking for something visceral, raw, then this is not it. Some critics think it’s more like a prelude to him returning to stand-up more than anything else. It retreats from anything awkward/contentious. He comes across as a family man and reminisces about voicing the donkey in Shrek. There is nothing about the paternity suit with Mel B, for example. He has ten children. Musk would be proud.

The best part is when it just lets him speak. I found his tendency towards OCD intriguing. Great minds appear to have a likelihood for such things, and I doubt it’s a coincidence.

He also brings up that he has never won an Oscar, despite his great performances and sometimes playing multiple characters in the same film. I wouldn’t worry about it if I were him; their value has greatly diminished over the years.

The interviews with other comedy legends, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart, and more, show what a powerful influence he was on the industry. They all say nice things. What a pity!

I give it three stars out of five. It’ll make you feel warm. Just don’t expect anything beyond the bland, though.

Have you seen it? Let me know what you think.

Netflix’s The Last Czars: Drama, History, and Flawed Royals

Well, let’s face it. Russia is fairly topical at the moment. But how did we get here? Well, any story about Russia has to include the Romanovs, who ruled for 300 years. The Last Czars is an ambitious attempt by Netflix to blend historical documentary with dramatized storytelling, chronicling their downfall —and the rise of the Bolsheviks. The result is an intriguing, visually lavish production that succeeds in moments but often struggles to find its identity.

The lavish costumes, ornate set designs, and snowy Russian landscapes evoke the grandeur—and isolation—of the Romanov dynasty. The performances, especially Robert Jack as Tsar Nicholas II and Susanna Herbert as Alexandra, bring depth to historical figures often seen as symbols rather than people. And rather flawed people they turn out to be.

At times, I felt sympathetic to their plight as their Empire collapsed around them. Other times, not so much as they make one poor decision after another. The Bolsheviks shouldn’t have shot the children, but Nicholas II and Alexandra cared little for the ordinary Russian. It reminds me of someone, I can’t quite put my finger on it.

The most interesting character is, of course, Rasputin. He is someone I have always been interested in. A religious man. God saves sinners; therefore, it is important to sin. Only then can you ask for forgiveness. He tries his best to drink and to make love to as many women as possible. God bless, he loves his God. The Romanovs fall under his spell, a sick son creating a wedge between them and their people (well, she’s German, it’s complicated).

The inclusion of documentary-style narration and expert interviews gives the viewer valuable historical grounding. However, this same hybrid format is also the show’s greatest weakness. The constant switching between drama and documentary can feel jarring, breaking immersion and undercutting any attachment to what is happening.

Personally, I found it a bit of a struggle to keep watching. Three stars out of five for me. If you’re committed to hours of TV every day, give it a try. If time is precious, there is much better out there.

But let me know what you think? Have you seen it?

A House of Dynamite: A Thrilling Perspective on Nuclear Crisis

Happy weekend to all my readers. I had the good fortune to watch “A House of Dynamite” during the week.

A nuclear missile is fired towards the United States. What follows is a masterclass in contemporary suspense. The film’s structure is bold: it essentially shows the same 18 minutes (or the timeframe of the missile threat) from several perspectives — intelligence, military, and White House. This different point-of-view approach illustrates how separate parts of the US military and government respond to the crisis.

Whether the nuclear warhead actually detonates, and what then happens, is not part of the film. Under the direction of Kathryn Bigelow, the film plunges the viewer into a high-stakes nuclear crisis with astonishing realism. The sense of urgency is almost physical — Bigelow keeps the camera moving, the editing sharp, the clock ticking.

Some viewers might find the repeating structure (showing the same timeframe from different angles) slightly repetitive, but I enjoyed it. Others may find it frustrating that questions go unanswered. I find it apt. I see the ambiguity as intentional, just like the real-life situation would be.

The film is more than entertainment: it’s a wake-up call about nuclear deterrence, about systems we (or at least the Americans) trust being fallible.

The movie boasts a stellar cast: Idris Elba, who looks much older than when I last saw him, gives a grounded, urgent performance as the U.S. President. His chances of being 007 are now gone, though. Rebecca Ferguson and Gabriel Basso hold their own in the thriller’s pressurized settings.

The characters feel real under pressure — not caricatures of power, but people making impossible decisions in impossible times.

If you’re in the mood for a film that makes you hold your breath—and keeps you thinking after—it’s absolutely worth watching. Five stars out of five for me.

Kiera Knightley Shines in ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ Review

Hello readers, I hope you are having a delightful day. I watched this film earlier today based on a book by the same name, and thought it was worth writing about.

Investigative Detective Blacklock, played by the still very beautiful Kiera Knightley, is going through a hard time. A source for one of her stories was recently murdered. So, she takes the opportunity to follow up on a fluff piece about a group of wealthy people, who will make a contribution to cancer research after one of them gets a terminal prognosis. Little does she realize that an ex is also on the boat.

I did wonder if they could make this film, with most of the action happening on a large yacht. But it pulls it off. Things go into high gear when our investigator sees a body in the water from Cabin 10. The only problem is that they don’t find it, and nobody is missing. Did she really see a body, or did her mind conjure it up? The rest of the people on the ship are definitely convinced it is.

What follows is a thriller full of intrigue and menace. Will our intrepid heroine figure it all out? It all makes sense at just the right time, turning into a classic tale of backstabbing and revenge.

As of October 2025, this film can be viewed on Netflix. I give it four stars out of five.

Have you seen it?

What did you think? Let me know in the comments.

Why Wednesday Season 2 is Worth Your Time

Dear readers, it is great to be back here with you again. For those who may not remember, or dare I say it, may not have read it, I thoroughly enjoyed the first series of “Wednesday”. The second season was recently released on Netflix, which is playing a blinder at the moment.

There has been quite a delay since the first series. Somewhat ironically, considering the black comedy, Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday, did not wish to return. She was not impressed with the rest of her team, and apparently had to come up with a considerable amount of her own dialogue and improvisations. Then, it became a huge hit. I’m sure this gave her much more power to get things done the way she wanted.

So what did I think of Season 2?

One word – excellent. And this from a man mid-forties about a bunch of mostly female high schoolers in a supernatural mystery comedy.

The first series turned Ortega into a worldwide star, and she is just as good in series two. In fact, her skills may even be more challenged in this one, where bodies are temporarily swapped. A powerful dynamic in Series Two is the relationship between Wednesday and her mother, who is played by the legendary Catherine Zeta-Jones. There is a certain warmth underneath the coldness as they try to outwit one another. Wednesday, so she can break free, and fear on her mother’s side that she pushes things too far. A pivotal moment is a veiled sword fight between them to determine if Wednesday gets her psychic knowledge book back.

Pugsley becomes a more central character in Series 2. He has a much greater wish to be loved than Wednesday. It hurts when he is rejected, and he ends up making a very unusual friend, even by the standards of the Addams family.

Another character who lights up this series is Enid, played by the delightful Emma Myers. Enid is an unforgettable character who plays an important counterpoint to the deadpan Wednesday.

Five stars out of five from me. Now, go watch some TV!

So, have you seen it, and what did you think?

Review of the Netflix Series”The House of Guinness”

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is rare that I get to review something Ireland-related, but this is one of those times. A pint of Guinness and the famous brewery are synonymous with Ireland, nearly as much as the Catholic Church, GAA, and the Irish language.

The doors to the brewery are iconic. I’m sure all native Dubliners would know their location.

This series is a work of fiction, inspired by real events. Set in the 1880s, following the lives of the grandchildren of the founder of the brewery after the death of their father. It was created by the same people as “Peaky Blinders”.

The scenes of old Georgian Dublin are quite simply mesmerizing. It is recognizable, and yet so different. Unfortunately, much of Georgian and old Viking Dublin was later demolished. It captures Ireland and Irish people well, but there are times when it’s easy to tell the pure fiction.

An example is the opening fight scene at a funeral. That would never happen – Irish people love funerals, much better to silently say poisonous mutterings. It wouldn’t make for great TV, though, except as comedy, perhaps.

Anthony Boyle delivers a standout performance as Arthur Guinness, portrayed as a cunning, intelligent, and fierce individual. He happens to be gay, a criminal offence of a grave nature at the time, which adds to the intrigue.

This is a great drama. If you have Netflix, watch it tonight. If not, get it tomorrow.

Five stars out of five from me.

The Electric State: Billie Bobby Brown Shines Pity Chris Pratt

Hello dear readers, I do hope you are all enjoying the last gasp of summer. This time, I’m writing about an interesting film I watched on Netflix last night – The Electric State. It’s based on a novel, yay for writers everywhere.

From Wikipedia –

In an alternate 1990, a war between humans and robots has left the world in disarray. With the help of Sentre CEO Ethan Skate, who developed Neurocaster technology that allowed humans to upload their minds into drone robots, humanity managed to win the war, while robots were banished to the Exclusion Zone. However, the success of this technology meant many people opted to live their virtual lives in a semi-vegetative state while drones did most of the work.

In 1994, teenager Michelle lives with her deadbeat foster dad Ted. Years earlier, she was involved in a car crash along with her family, in which her parents and brother reportedly perished, and has since lived with a succession of foster families. Michelle is also having trouble at school due to her refusal to use Neurocaster technology to participate in virtual classes.

One day, the sentient robot Cosmo – a robot character of the cartoon of the same name which Michelle’s declared-deceased younger brother Christopher, who was a child prodigy, watched – finds Michelle. He is only able to communicate using gestures and a limited set of pre-recorded words, but manages to convince her that he is controlled by Christopher. Michelle and Cosmo set out across a dystopian landscape to find him by first finding Dr. Clark Amherst, the doctor who confirmed Christopher’s death.

The film has a good cast. Chris Pratt plays Christopher, and the indefatigable Billie Bobby Brown, of Stranger Things fame, plays Michelle. There is little chemistry between them. Like most modern films, it is no longer socially acceptable for any on-screen age gap romance to develop. If this were made during the actual 1990s, that would have been a central plank of the film. Down with that sort of thing! She is clearly a child, at just 21 years of age.

The relationship between Michelle and her brother is warm and authentic. The robots move naturally, and I liked the action scenes. Things get dark at times but not much more than your average Disney film.

So, when you’re sitting on your couch later, maybe give it a try. It gets four stars out of five from me.

Review of Wednesday (TV series Netflix)

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. What is that Mark fellow, who let’s face it could be described at best as being middle-aged doing watching a fantasy coming-of-age story about a teenage girl. Is he off his rocker again? Maybe, I even deserve your ridicule.

But, trust me when I tell you that I have no regrets whatsoever. Okay, you have to understand its fantasy and just run with it. The star of the show is Wednesday Addams, played by the wonderful Jenna Ortega. Remember the name. As anybody who has watched any Addams family will know, Wednesday is full of woe.

But this series develops her character significantly. And she has been sent to a school full of werewolves and other monsters. Yes, she is full of woe but deep down she does care deeply about those around her. This comes as a surprise to her, but you and the other characters can sense it. Not that she’ll ever be lovey dovely. Her disdain for her parents is very amusing. Her psychic abilities and curiosity drive her to find out who has been behind recent murders near the school. All very bloody, I like it.

The story builds through each episode. And, of course there is romance, this being a show about teenagers after all. Not too much thank God. That sort of thing is so last century.

There are lots of other memorable characters also such as Enid Sinclair, her colourful roommate, who is still to undergo her first wolf out. Talk about teenage angst.

Thankfully, virtue signalling and wokeness are absent. Yes, it could be seen as feminist, but it doesn’t have any man hate in it.

I was delighted to hear there is going to be a second series. Five stars out of five. Now, you know what to watch this weekend.