Category Archives: Good Brother – Bad Brother

2020, Acceptable for teenagers, Australian, Binge worthy, Bloody scenes, Brother-Brother relations, Contract Killing, Corrupt policemen, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Failed Mother, False Imprisonment, Friendship, Gangs, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Incompetent or unfit mother, Murder, Narcissist, PBS Masterpiece Streaming, Plot Twist, Sniper, Suspense, Violent, White Supremecy

Halifax: Retribution (2020)

From IMDB:

A sniper is on the loose, as Jane Halifax comes back to the rescue to find the sniper before its too late. 20 years on the race for answers is more important than ever.

From PBS Playhouse you can stream the 8 episodes of this second season of this Australian thriller filmed in Melbourne. Each episode lasts about 45 minutes.

In 1994 Rebecca Gibney, who plays Jane Halifax, starred in the first series consisting of 21 episodes.  This explains the IMDB reference to “20 years”.

In “Retribution” she plays opposite Anthony LaPaglia, who plays a somewhat washed out Tom Saracen.   According to the plot Saracen is on his last legs as an overweight, alcoholic, divorced policeman. In fact Anthony LaPaglia looks horribly unhealthy. But he fits the role perfectly.

At least three plot threads are at play: Jane’s relation with her step-daughter Zoe and Zoe’s mother Mandy;  The appearance of a woman author whom Jane put in jail 20 years ago; Most important,  the effort to discover and capture an intelligent sniper who is on a mission to warn the world about technological mind control.

Fast moving plot,  white supremacists, corrupt policemen, and a capable supporting cast make for an enjoyable ride.

DO NOT MISS!

2007, Acceptable for teenagers, Accidental Death, Amazon Prime, Amusing banter, Bathroom Humor, Blackmail, British Comedy, British Slapstick, Coarse manners, Comedy, Drug trip, Eccentric cast of characters, Embarrassing episodes, Exaggeration Comedy, Father-daughter relations, Gay theme, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Jealousy, Mother-son relations, Nudity, Often downright silly, Romance, Satire, Uncategorized

Death at a Funeral (2007)

From Amazon Prime:

As the mourners at a British country manor struggle valiantly to “keep a stiff upper lip,” a dignified funeral devolves into a hilarious, no-holds barred debacle of misplaced cadavers, indecent exposure, and shocking family secrets. This classic farce blows the lid off the proverbial coffin as “the film’s delicious comic flourishes are served up by an outstanding cast” 

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1.5 hour comedy film.

Although there is an American 2010 all-Black version of this film, the Amazon version is the British 2007 all-White version.

British slapstick is not for everyone. For example, there is at least one  outlandish scene (this one involving human excrement) that could seem distasteful.   Nor is it certain that the treatment of a gay theme from 15 years ago would be  completely acceptable in 2022. These days the extensive nudity will probably not raise an eyebrow.

Among the British actors that might seem familiar, there are:

  • Matthew Macfadyen (Howard’s End, MI-5) as the grieving son Daniel.
  • Peter Dinklage (the dwarf actor in Game of Thrones) as  Peter, who claims to be the lover of the deceased father.
  • Alan Tudyk (Arrested Development) as Simon, who spends most of the time in a drug-induced haze.
  • Rupert Graves (Inspector Lestrade in Sherlock ) as Robert.
  • Peter Vaughan (Maester Aemon in Game of Thrones ) as Uncle Alfie, who spends most of the time on the toilet.
  • Peter Egan ( Martin Hughes in Unforgotten) as Victor.

Possibly not as funny as Monty Python.

 

2019, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Action sequences, Car Chase, Detective, Eccentric Detective, Failed Father, Father-daughter relations, Friendship, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Happy ending, Mediocre, Murder Investigation, Mysterious Disappearance, Netflix Streaming, Nothing special, Occasionaly violent, Plot Twist, Police Investigation, Sci-Fi, Serial Killer, Single Father, Surprise Ending, Time Travel, Uncle-Niece relations

In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)

From IMDB:

In 1988, Philadelphia police officer Thomas Lockhart (Boyd Holbrook), hungry to become a detective, begins tracking a serial killer who mysteriously resurfaces every nine years. But when the killer’s crimes begin to defy all scientific explanation, Locke’s obsession with finding the truth threatens to destroy his career, his family, and possibly his sanity.

From Netflix you can stream this 1 hour 55 minute complete  Netflix Original film.

In this B+ sci-fi yarn officer Thomas Lockhart get older and more desperate and determined in each of the portions of the film which are separated by 9 years.  As time progresses his relation with his daughter Sarah becomes increasingly difficult, so much so that Sarah eventually lives with Thomas’ brother Holt played by Michael C. Hall (of “Six Feet Under” fame).  Holt is also a detective in the police force and never gives up on Thomas’ seemingly crazy quest.  Actually Thomas in on the correct “crazy” track because every 9 years the killer returns from the future on her mission.

Expect a plot surprise at the conclusion.  While the film is nothing special, the somewhat original plot conceit held my interest.

1994, Action sequences, Bad Acting, Classic, Conspiracy, Drama, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Jealousy, Kanopy streaming, Mediocre, Mother-son relations, Murder, Norse Tale, Nudity, Old-Fashioned, Period Piece, Personal Betrayal, Political Conspiracy, Revenge, Sometimes seems silly, Uncle-Nephew relations

Royal Deceit (1994)

From Kanopy:

An ancient Danish story of evil, power and human spirit, that subsequently inspired William Shakespeare on his tragedy, Hamlet. When the king of Jutland is murdered by his brother, the dark prince claims both the throne and Queen Geruth. Although her son saw the murder, he feigns madness to spare his life.

From Kanopy you can stream this 28 year old film lasting 108 minutes.

Somehow, way back in 1994, the film got past the censors.  Have you ever seen a naked Helen Mirren?  Indeed, there is a lot of nudity in the film.

Give credit to the fact that the filming of this medieval tale hopefully stayed true to the Norse conditions of the time.  Buildings are humble and crude. Clothing is rudimentary.  Weapons and warfare are amateur affairs.  Somehow, killing a man  by simply sticking a short knife somewhere in his body just does not look convincing.

Delivery of the spoken lines is a bit stilted.

Watching a film that is 28 years old gives us a chance to see what familiar actors looked like way back then. And what a difference!

  • Christian Bale as prince Amled was 20 years old.
  • Gabriel Byrne as the evil brother Fenge was 44 years old.
  • Helen Mirren as queen Geruth was 49 years old.
  • Kate Beckinsale as Ethel was 21 years old.
  • Tom Wilkinson as king Hardvendel was 46 years old.

 

2017, Art Museum, Bizarre, Brother-Brother relations, Dark family secrets, Drama, Erotic Tension, Erotic Thriller, Explicit sex, French Mystery, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Kanopy streaming, Love Triangle, Mental Illness, Mother-daughter relations, Must suspend disbelief, Nudity, Outrageous Behavior, Psychoanalysis, Psychological Thriller, Sex Scenes, Surprise Ending, Twins, Unusual

Double Lover (2017)

From Kanopy:

Crafting a deliriously cinematic web of suspense, shock, eroticism, and power dynamics, writer/director Francois Ozon returns to master the thriller genre with DOUBLE LOVER.

Chloe, who works as a guard at a museum in Paris, seeks to shore up her resiliency and enters psychoanalysis. Following the end of the treatment with psychiatrist Paul Meyer, both realize that they have fallen in love. A new chapter begins for Chloe when she and Paul move in together…yet Chloe soon comes to believe that Paul is keeping a secret. She impulsively visits another psychiatrist, Louis Delord. Spiraling emotional and sexual stakes will push all three of them to extremes, forcing Chloe to take action in order to solve a mystery and save herself.

Nominated for a Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

“What gives the film its surprising coherence is not only the fluidity of Ozon’s technique but also his mastery of tone, the ease with which he applies serious craft to a resolutely un-serious endeavor.” – Justin Chang, The Los Angeles Times

From Kanopy you can stream this 108 minute French film with English subtitles.

Offering some exciting, explicit sex scenes, this quasi-mystery story is based on a wildly unscientific premise.  In addition to the heavy erotic atmosphere, the film features the  beautiful Marine Vacth who pairs perfectly with the French start Jérémie Renier. Renier featured in “In Bruges”.

Visually, many scenes, especially in the museum, are quite striking and colorful.

Kanopy is available free from your local library.

2019, Abduction, Abortion, Acceptable Trash, Bad Acting, Bloody scenes, Brother-Brother relations, Corny at times, Cross Dressing, Dark family secrets, False Imprisonment, Family Conflict, Fantasy, Fist Fight, Flashbacks, Frame someone for a crime, Gay Bashing, Gay theme, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Human experimentation, Mediocre, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Rape, Religious Cult, Religious fanatic, Religious Nonsense, Ridiculous plot, Romance, Suspense, Violent

Glitch (2019)

From Netflix:

A police officer and a doctor face an emotionally charged
mystery when seven local residents inexplicably return
from the dead in peak physical form.

From IMDB:

Six people return from the dead with no memory and attempt to unveil what brought them to the grave in the first place.

From Netflix you can patiently (if that is possible in this sad case) stream 3 seasons of unreality. Each season contains 6 wonder-filled episodes of about 54 minutes length.

Succinctly put, these 18 episodes present almost acceptable nonsense for the truly bored.   Each of the “arisen” was murdered in his or her former life and have been given a chance to discover the murderer and to right past wrongs.  At least at first my attention was fixated on amending past injustice. In addition, there are actually some small patches of good acting and character interaction. Unfortunately there was an equal amount of really bad, maudlin (i.e. weeping) acting. As time wore on, good guys became bad guys and sometime became good guys again. Moreover when the plot devolved into the hero-villains trying to save the universe from ending,  I almost threw in the towel. For better or worse I persisted to the end. Now I have to find another trash series.

Waste no time on this clunker.

2021, Acceptable for teenagers, Addiction, Alcoholism, Amazon Prime, Big Pharma, Bullying, Career Competition, Conspiracy, Contract Killing, Cover-up, DO NOT MISS, Eccentric Detective, Failed Father, Father-daughter relations, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Greed, Lawyers, Mental Illness, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Opioids, Reconciliation, Schizophrenia, Suspense, Trial Scenes, Wonderful acting

Goliath Season 4 (2021)

From Amazon Prime:

In the final season, after Patty takes a job at a prestigious white-shoe law firm in San Francisco, Billy returns to his Big Law roots. Together, they try to take down one of America’s most insidious Goliaths: the opioid industry.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 8 episodes of this last available season. Each episode lasts about 50 minutes.

As I have mentioned before,  you do best watching this series beginning with season 1, remembering that season 2 offers some ugly scenes.  Many characters have remained throughout the four seasons, notably  Billy’s sidekicks as well as some old enemies. Surprisingly Donald Cooperman (played by William Hurt) plays a positive role in resolving the lawsuit.  Wonderful performances are provided by:

  • Bruce Dern plays the good brother Frank Zax.
  • J.K. Simmons plays the evil brother George Zax.
  • Jena Malone plays the lawyer Samantha Margolis who is suffering from multiple sclerosis.

Part of the fun, as usual, is watching all the “Lawyer Trickery Bullshit” (which is the title of episode 7) as Billy and friends battle the opioid industry.

DO NOT MISS!

2021, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Action sequences, Bloody scenes, Confusing Plot, Could be boring, Detective, Drug Dealers, Failed Father, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, French, French Detectives, Friendship, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Harlan Coben, Imperfect, Mediocre, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Nothing special, Plot twists, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Gone For Good (2021)

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From Netflix:

Ten years after losing two loved ones, a man is plunged into another dizzying mystery when his girlfriend vanishes. Based on a Harlan Coben novel.

From Netflix you can stream the 6 episodes, each episode less than one hour, of the serialized adaptation of Coben’s 2001 novel of the same name. French with English subtitles.

Even the reviews of Coben’s novel complain that this is not one of his better novels.  Confusing plot twists, hard to accept events, and other defects, despite the many action sequences, make the story sadly forgettable.

In fact, I was tempted to stop watching the series.  Either read a different Coben novel or find a film adaptation of some other Coben story.

Forget it!

2019, Acceptable for teenagers, Amazon Prime, Brain Invasion, Brother-Brother relations, Complicated, Computer hacking, Controlling personality, Drama, Failed Father, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Identity Theft, Jealousy, Mother-son relations, Narcissist, Nothing special, Revenge, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Violent

The Feed (2019)

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From IMDB:

A man’s invention of a brain implant that allows people to share thoughts and emotions gets into the wrong hands.

From Amazon Prime:

In the near future, people’s minds are connected to The Feed, giving them instant connectivity. When something or someone invades it, everyone is at risk

From Amazon Prime you can stream 10 episodes, each  lasting about 55 minutes, of this one season sci-fi series.

What a mess!  This complicated story and set of characters seems to go on forever.  As a concept, the idea that we could all be part of some mental “Facebook” is scary and also a good theme for a sci-fi story.  But “Takers” keep stealing people’s bodies and often you might not be sure just what person you are seeing.

Besides the sci-fi mumbo jumbo, a background issue is the narcissist scientist who created this mess and how he treats his adult children as well as the rest of poor inferior mankind.  Maybe that counts as drama.

Not a complete waste of time.

2013, Amazon Prime, Anti-Arab, Anti-terrorism, Arab Culture, Brother-Brother relations, Bullying, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Gay theme, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Grim, Hebrew and Arabic, Homophobia, Israeli culture, Israeli Secret Service, Lawyers, Mother-son relations, Palestine vs Israel, Problematic Ending, Suspense, Violent

Out In The Dark (2013)

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From IMDB:

A drama centered on the love affair between two men on opposite sides of the Mid-East conflict: Palestinian student Nimer and Roy, an Israeli lawyer.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 35 minute Israeli film with English subtitles.

Hopelessness of a gay relationship between a Palestinian and an Israeli seems to be the theme and intent of this film.  Homosexuality is accepted in Israel and violently rejected in Palestine.  What really complicates matters is the fact that Nimer’s brother is a Palestinian terrorist which brings the homophobic Israeli secret service into the plot.  When Nimer is finally on the run from the authorities, through the connection of Roy’s father Nimer is smuggled on a boat out of both countries expecting to meet Roy in Paris.   But that is the end of the story without any satisfying conclusion. Indeed that seems to be the point of the film.  Is there a solution?

As well done as it is hopeless.