Category Archives: Acceptable for teenagers

2017, Acceptable for teenagers, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Action Film, Action Hero, Based on a Book, Film Remake, Grungy, Pseudo Utopia, Suspense, Violent

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

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From IMDB:

A young blade runner’s discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who’s been missing for thirty years.

British Air offered this film with subtitles.

Before you watch this “Blade Runner” update, you MUST watch the original version which ends with Rick Deckard flying off into the wild blue yonder with his female android sidekick. This 2017 version picks up some time after the first version ended.

Try not to compare the two versions. Remakes today use all kinds of visual tricks and techniques to make the films seem snazzy. But sometimes the simpler  filming techniques work just as well (but then who’s comparing?) If you see both versions I would be interested in your opinions. In the original who could forget the powerful android who just as his manufacturer-installed death date  approaches says “Oh – the wondrous things I have seen (THE END)”? Or who could forget watching the frustrated android (oops, we forgot to add the sex feature!)  squash the head of his creator.  Now quote for me some unforgettable portion of the new version.

Despite my old-fart grumbling, Ryan Gosling as usual puts in one of his well-done stone-faced performances. And what a surprise when Harrison Ford finally appears!

Loved both versions!

2017, Acceptable for teenagers, Airline pilot, Boating, British History, Docudrama, Father-son relations, French Soldiers, Grim, Human spirit, Mental Illness, Military, Navy, Sea Rescue, Suspense, True Story, War

Dunkirk (2017)

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From IMDB:

Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire and France are surrounded by the German Army, and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.

British Airways offered this film along with subtitles.

Dunkirk is famous for the heroism of the small British boats that came to the rescue of the surrounded allied soldiers. In this regard I hope you can someday read the beautiful short story “The Snow Goose”.

HOWEVER, this particular film, far from any romanticizing, shows all the horror and death associated with the Dunkirk rescue. There were also large rescue ships. But several ships and passengers perished. Sometimes a sinking ship left a cover of oil on the water which then caught fire and burned soldiers to death. All in all, the scenes are difficult to watch.

As a human-interest note in the film, one British small boat owner and his sons are featured. Along the way they rescue a shell-shocked soldier, further showing the horror of war.

Also featured are the British pilots who tried to battle the German planes that came to bomb the marooned soldiers.

Inspiring, terrifying, but worth the watch.

2017, Acceptable for teenagers, Based on a Book, Belgian Detectives, British, Detective, Eccentric Detective, Good Production Values, Kidnapping, Murder, Murder Investigation, Revenge

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

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From IMDB:

When a murder occurs on the train he’s travelling on, celebrated detective Hercule Poirot is recruited to solve the case.

On a British Airways flight I could watch this film with subtitles.

Agatha Christie’s murder mystery is one of her most famous. Because I am now reading that book, I can tell that the film is faithful while still embellishing. For example: the entire first sequence about Poirot solving the theft of a relic is not in the book.

Kenneth Branagh plays Poirot. However, in addition the cast is star-studded:  Penélope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Derek Jacobi, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe plus many, many other actors.

Magnificent snowy mountain scenes are just another plus. Imagine sitting in a train dining car high on a trestle and not moving because the train has been derailed by an avalanche.  Add to this scene a dead body. What could be more fun?

Worth seeing.

2015, Acceptable for teenagers, Adultery, Amazon Prime, Antique Cars, Australian, B-movie, Bad Acting, Based on a Book, Bullying, Comedy, Corny, Cross Dressing, Eccentric cast of characters, Haute Couture, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Mediocre, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Outrageous Behavior, Quirky, Revenge, Sad small town, School Teacher, Senior citizens, Slapstick, Small Town, Sports, Unmarried mother, Unusual

The Dressmaker (2015)

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From IMDB:

A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 2 hour film.

Revenge is the keyword in this Australian comedy-drama. Wikepedia offers you more than you probably want to know about this film. Equally important is the ever present theme of haute couture.   It stars Kate Winslet as a femme fatale in the titular role of the dressmaker, Myrtle “Tilly” Dunnage, who returns to a small Australian town to take care of her ailing, mentally unstable mother, played by Judy Davis.  Along the way we encounter a love affair, false accusations of murder, and (did we forget to mention ?) revenge.

Sometimes the acting is over the top if not downright corny. But the visual fun of the film is the outrageous cast of  characters: the policeman is a cross-dresser, Judy Davis is a positive wreck, several women are timid and unattractive until Tilly takes charge. Three quarters through the story we think we see a happy ending … but then suddenly — (you will just have to watch the film!)

Even though I would give the film a B+,  I enjoyed every minute. Visually the oddities and clothing transformations are fun to watch and the story for all its faults is engrossing.

2017, Acceptable for teenagers, Alcoholism, Blackmail, Bloody scenes, Brother-Brother relations, Car Chase, Child abuse, Complicated, Conspiracy, Corruption, Detective, DNA, DO NOT MISS, Drug Dealers, Dysfunctional Lives, Ethical struggles, Extramarital Affair, Father-son relations, Gay theme, Homophobia, Murder, Murder Investigation, Netflix Streaming, Norwegian, Norwegian Crime Story, Norwegian Detective, Personal Betrayal, Police Corruption, Suicide, Uncle-Nephew relations, Uncle-Niece relations

Borderliner (2017)

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From IMDB:

To protect his family, police detective Nikolai covers up a murder case. But when his co-investigator Anniken suspects foul play, he is trapped in a dangerous game on duty, blurring the line between right and wrong.

From Netflix you can stream Season 1 of this Norwegian production which consists of 8 episodes each lasting about 45 minutes.

As Sir Walter Scott wrote in his play Marmion: “Oh! What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”  Nikolai, a police detective on leave, visits his widower policeman brother Lars and Lars’ two children just when a suicide victim is found hanging in a nearby woods.  Special Agent Anniken arrives on scene because the suicide is really a murder and Nikolai is ordered to join in the case.

Not until the eighth episode will you learn the truths of the story But lies begin when Lars confesses to Nikolai that he, Lars, killed the man (who was a drunk and child abuser). Nikolai decides to cover up the murder and from that point that lie leads to an entire stream of lies.

Complication one is that Lars and many others (especially the police themselves) are involved in the drug trade.

Complication two is that Nikolai is a closeted gay policeman, which seems to be frowned upon in Norway.

Things just get messier and messier until the final somewhat satisfying conclusion.

Throughout the focus is on Nikolai’s relentless pursuit of the truth combined with his guilty complicity (and the brooding looks to go with his regrets.)

Somehow the Norwegians just get it right! DO NOT MISS!

2011, Abuse of Women, Acceptable for teenagers, Action Hero, Amazon Prime, Bloody scenes, Car Chase, Child custody, Child Molestation, Contract Killing, Detective, Divorce, DO NOT MISS, Failing Marriage, Father-daughter relations, Incest, Missing Person, Murder, Prostitutes, Scottish Detectives, Sex trafficking, Various Romances, Violent

Case Histories (2011)

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From Amazon Prime:

Based on the novels by Kate Atkinson. Former soldier and police officer Jackson Brodie (Golden Globe-nominee Jason Isaacs, “Harry Potter,” “Star Trek: Discovery”) becomes a private investigator, assisted by the loyal Louise (Amanda Abbington, “Sherlock”), compelled to bring peace to victims and their families, all while escaping the memories of his own traumatic past.

Season 2 is now available from Amazon Prime.

SEASON 1 REVIEW:

Amazon Prime streams season 1 of this TV series set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Each of the 3 stories is presented as 2 one-hour episodes, giving us a total of 6 episodes.

Jason Isaacs is perfect for the part of Jackson Brodie. Once again his private life is the usual cliché of a detective so wrapped up in his business that his marriage fails. Much of the time he spends trying to convince his former wife not to move to New Zealand and take his young (and really appealing) daughter Niamh with her. His attachment to Niamh and subsequent heartbreak when she leaves for New Zealand is genuinely portrayed.

Jackson’s main line of work is finding lost people. Even in one story he is searching for more than one person. For this reason you must pay a bit of attention. Often these missing people are somehow connected.

SEASON 2 REVIEW:

Season 2 offers 3 episodes. In general the mood is the same: Jackson Brodie is still the lonely seeker of lost persons and solver of cold cases.

Episode 1: Started Early, Took my Dog has Jackson searching for a woman’s birth mother.

Episode 2: Nobody’s Darling (in which his daughter Marlee returns) has Jackson finding the true murderer of a woman’s daughter.

Episode 3: Jackson and the Women has Jackson finding the true murderer of a young man’s mother. In addition Jackson has several unfortunate relationships.

Because I watched this series twice and enjoyed it both times I hereby deem this series a DO NOT MISS!

2008, Abduction, Acceptable for teenagers, Based on a Book, Bloody scenes, Bullying, Detective, Divorce, DO NOT MISS, Dysfunctional Lives, Extramarital Affair, Failing Marriage, Father-son relations, Forensics, MHz Choice, Mother-son relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Norwegian, Norwegian Crime Story, Norwegian Detective, Police Story, Revenge, Suspense, Transvestite theme, Violent

Unni Lindell (2008)

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From MHz Choice:

In this series based on the popular crime novels by prolific Norwegian author Unni Lindell, middle-aged detective Cato Isaksen (Reidar Sørensen) performs superbly at work while his personal life, on a good day, resembles barely-managed chaos. Careening between significant others and keeping up with three young sons by two different mothers, Cato tries his best to do right by all the players.

From MHz Choice you can stream 4 stories about Cato Isaken, a Norwegian detective. Each story is composed of 2 episodes where each episode is 1.5 hours.

From “The Euro TV Place”  I found this review of the TV series which characterized the series as mediocre.  However, I found the series more than passable with lots of the kind of tension which compels me to keep bingeing toward a resolution.

Cato Isaksen, the lead detective, is a determined detective and as a result a somewhat negligent family man. His life is really messy, complicated by fathering a child by a post-divorce girl friend.  He leaves the girlfriend after the first story “The Snake Bearer” but continues leading a troubled family life. In subsequent episodes his son is seriously bullied while the detective is too busy to notice.

WARNING: Ugliness abounds in some of the episodes, as in “not for the squeamish.”

In my opinion you will not be wasting your time on this series. In fact I was so caught up that I will rate it, for those of you who enjoy this genre, a DO NOT MISS!

2003, Acceptable for teenagers, Acorn TV, Based on a Book, British school girls, Detective, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Forensics, Jealousy, Murder, Murder Investigation, Nothing special, Personal Betrayal, School Teacher, Sex With Minors, Sex with underage girls, Sexual Tension, Sister-sister relations, Teenagers

Lloyd and Hill (2003)

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From Acorn TV:

Inspired the beloved characters created by Jill McGown, former lovers and detectives, Chief Inspector Danny Lloyd (Philip Glenister, The Level, Outcast) and Inspector Judy Hill (Michelle Collins, Coronation Street) investigate the death of a 15-year-old schoolgirl found strangled and deserted in a public park.

From Acorn TV (exclusively British empire productions) you can stream this 1.5 hour British film which is not part of a TV series.

Although nothing special, the hour and half spent watching this detective story is not a waste. To tell you the truth, I suspected the real murderer from the beginning. But there is enough drama, including the personal crisis of an obsessive runner and his betrayal by his close friend, to make the story worthwhile.

Beats being depressed by 2018 USA politics.

 

2013, Acceptable for teenagers, Accidental Death, Alcoholism, Antique Cars, Bloody scenes, Boxing, Brother-Brother relations, Bullying, Circus, Dancing, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Emotional child abuse, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Illegitimate Child, Marital Infidelity, MHz Choice, Mother-son relations, Norwegian, Nudity, Personal Betrayal, Plot Twist, Rape, Sex Scenes, Slow, Teenagers, Unmarried mother, Violent

The Half Brother (2013)

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From IMDB:

The life of a family spanning five generations in the 20th century Europe split in half by WW2, centering around the half brothers Barnum and Fred growing up together in Oslo; Barnum with his father, Fred searching for his.

From MHz Choice:

Based on the internationally acclaimed and best-selling novel by Norwegian author Lars Saabye Christensen, The Half Brother is an evocative family saga revolving around the life of un-produced screenwriter Barnum Nilsen. His family is laden with oddities and secrets, the darkest of which happened on the same day all of Europe rejoiced over the end of WW II.

From MHz Choice you can stream the only season of this complete family saga. Each of the 8 episodes is about 45 minutes.

Past and present flashbacks weave through Barnum’s writing the story of his troubled family. There are not too many characters: Barnum and his half-brother Fred, their mother Vera, Vera’s mother Boletta, Boletta’s mother, Vera’s husband Arnold,  and Barnum’s two best friends Peder and Vivian (who marries Barnum).  Although the plot is easy to follow, there are many plot twists and turns all of which end with a genuine surprise.

Kathy found the film slow at times, but I found the relaxed pace was perfectly suited to the story of two boys trying to understand their lives.  Now days it is hard to find unusual but truly human family stories. Note however that there are rape, violence, bullying, heavy drinking and at least temporary surrender to real difficulties.

For me this series rates a DO NOT MISS!

2009, Acceptable for teenagers, Addiction, Amateur lawbreakers, Based on a Book, Blackmail, Comic Moments, Crime, Detective, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Extramarital Affair, Failing Marriage, Forensics, Jealousy, Marital Infidelity, MHz Choice, Murder, Murder Investigation, Norwegian, Norwegian Crime Story, Nudity, Quirky, Sex Scenes

Good Night Darling (2009)

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From  MHz Choice:

A struggling musician tries his hand at blackmail after inadvertently filming a murder in this dark and quirky three-part miniseries based on the novel by Norwegian author Fredrik Skagen.

MHz Choice streams the three episodes of this Norwegian  TV miniseries. Each episode is one hour. English subtitles.

“Quirky” is the right description for this oddball cat-and-mouse story of murder and blackmail. Terje Lyngmo, the blackmailer, is an amateur at his new craft of blackmail and as such makes mistakes which his more clever target, the murderer, takes advantage of. Until the end it is not at all clear what to expect the conclusion to bring.

If it is possible to have a relaxing and fun story of murder and blackmail, then this easy story fits the bill.