Tag Archives: 2018

Apr 2 2020

Three Identical Strangers (2018) Movie Review

Director: Tim Wardle

Plot: In 1980 New York, three young men who were all adopted meet each other and find out they’re triplets who were separated at birth. But their quest to find out why turns into a bizarre and sinister mystery.


Tagline – The Most Amazing, Incredible, Remarkable True Story Ever Told

Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Must Watch

Story: Three Identical Strangers starts when Robert Shafran starts college with everybody acting like they knew him, until he learns that they believe he is another man Eddy, who looks exactly the same, only to learn they were twins separated at birth, with their story making the headlines in the papers. If that wasn’t an incredible enough, it turns out another man David is the same making them triplets, who have everything the same in interests and tastes.

With the three men reunited, they reach celebrity status, partying before they all settle down, only this is only the beginning of a much darker reason for the three to be separated at birth.

Thoughts on Three Identical Strangers

Final Thoughts – This is an incredible documentary that shows us how the three brothers learned about each other, became friends, celebrities and felt like they had never been apart. This is the positive side of the story, we get to see the darker reason for their separation and just how much it affected them deep down, causing problems in their lives. This is a film that you could barely imagine some writing, let alone living through, with the twists about the truth being shocking beyond belief, we have the true affects of why this was done, which shows the pain that the brothers went through. This is one of the most essential watches in documentaries in recent years.

Overall: Essential Viewing.

Mar 31 2020

Rootwood (2018) Movie Review

Director: Marcel Walz

Writer: Mario von Czapiewski (Screenplay)

Starring: Tyler Gallant, Elissa Dowling, Sarah French, Felissa Rose, Tiffani Fest, Brandon Rhea, Kwame HEad

Plot: Two students are hired by a Hollywood film producer to shoot a horror documentary about the curse of The Wooden Devil.


Tagline – Welcome to the darkest place on earth.

Runtime: 1 Hour 23 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Running in the Woods 101

Story: Rootwood starts when two podcasters William (Gallant) and Jessica (Dowling) get to meet a horror movie producer Laura Benott (Rose) to shoot a documentary about the curse of The Wooden Devil. The pair are joined by Erin (French) and into the forest they go.

The further the trio get into the woods, the stranger the events are, with them looking to document other disappearances, they start to unlock clues to what might be happening, or will they become the latest victims.

Thoughts on Rootwood

Characters – William and Jessica have been working on their supernatural podcast for years, they like to look into stories from a distance, only now William has made connection to get their first field job looking into the unexplained, he see this as his chance to make himself bigger in the community, willing to risk more than life itself, while Jess doesn’t care about becoming as big as her co-star. Erin does bring glamour to the documentary, with the idea of using her status to make the documentary look more appealing to sell. Laura Benott is the producer that hires the team to investigate the Wooden Devil.

Performances – Where this movie is part documentary and mockumentary, it is hard to judge the performances, because Tyler Gallant, Elissa Dowling and Sarah French are doing the lost in the woods being haunted by something outside side of the film well.

Story – The story here follows three podcasters that look to investigate a local legend, only to find themselves experiencing the horror in the woods themselves. The story can easily be compared to the Blair Witch Project with the documentary filmmakers going into the woods for a story only to find themselves running around in from the danger. It doesn’t get enough to feel completely original, even if it does try to go in a different direction with the final act, it doesn’t seem to get enough to make the impact required.

Horror/Mystery – The horror does fall into the three people running around the woods screaming with noises causing problems for the characters. We don’t seem to get into the mystery behind everything either, which then falls into something that really gets solved.

Settings – The film is set in the random locations within the woods, it could be anywhere without being anywhere we haven’t seen before.

Special Effects – The effects in the film work for the film giving us everything we need for what might be in the costume.


Scene of the Movie – Race to escape.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too similar to Blair Witch Project.

Final Thoughts – This is a horror that does feel like it wants to try and give the Blair Witch Project, only to get caught up doing everything to similar, even with a fresh outcome.

Overall: The Blair Witch Project without the suspense.

Mar 22 2020

Agatha and the Truth of Murder (2018) Movie Review

Director: Terry Loane

Writer: Tom Dalton (Screenplay)

Starring: Ruth Bradley, Ralph Ineson, Tim McInnerny, Pippa Haywood, Blake Harrison

Plot: In 1926, with her personal life in tatters and her writing in crisis, a young Agatha Christie decides to solve a real-life murder.


Tagline – Some people have a taste for murder..

Runtime: 1 Hour 32 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Nice Murder Mystery

Story: Agatha and the Truth of Murder starts as the great Agatha Christie (Bradley) is struggling with her latest novel, with the readers being able to guess who the killer or killers are, going through a divorce, she isn’t willing to sign.

When one of her fans Mabel (Haywood) visits, she asks Agatha to try and solve a real crime on a train, one the police can’t figure out, seeing this as a way to get out of her writers block, she goes to attempt to solve this crime, with suspects that could come out of her own novels.

Thoughts on Agatha and the Truth of Murder

Characters – Agatha Christie is the great author, whose murder mystery novels have the large following, she is struggling to find motivation with her latest novel because her readers can guess the impossible killer. Her personal life is falling apart too, with an unlikely visit giving her a chance to experience solving a real murder. Mabel is the woman that comes to Agatha for help solving her friend’s murder, one that could have suspects from every angle of her real life, she gives her the information and joins in the trying to solve the crime. Detective Inspector Shore is the only real police involved in trying to solve the case, as other members of the gathering start getting killed, as the finger pointing increases.

Performances – Ruth Bradley in the leading role is great to watch, diving into the role of the legendary author. We have a host of British talent in here with Ralph Ineson, Tim McInnerny and Blake Harrison filling out the cast well showing the talent within the country.

Story – The story here follows the mystery behind Agatha Christie missing 11 days, which have never been explained, showing how she escaped the troubles in her life, to solve a real murder. This does turn into a murder mystery that could have come out of the novels of the author, which will keep us guessing like the detective, in this case herself. We do get glimpses into the real life troubles Agatha was going through, it also shows that post-war life that does have people suffering in private and shows moments of heroism that they achieved in war. If you like a murder mystery, this story is an easy watch that could be enjoyed by all.

Crime/Mystery – The film sees Agatha Christie becoming the detective, like her creations to try and solve murder, with plenty of suspects to keep us guessing along with the mystery.

Settings – The film here is set in a big house, which shows how the rich would be looking to get the money from the deceased, showing how they are more comfortable in the upper class of society.


Scene of the Movie – The truth.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – It does feel like any murder mystery that could be in any British murder mystery show.

Final Thoughts – This is an enjoyable murder mystery that does keep us guessing while taking a fresh approach to how Agatha Christie might have gotten her inspirations.

Overall: Murder Mystery 101.

Mar 11 2020

ABC Film Challenge – Favourites – K – The Keeper (2018) Movie Review

Director: Marcus H Rosenmuller

Writer: Marcus H Rosenmuller, Nicholas J Schofield (Screenplay)

Starring: David Kross, Freya Mavor, John Henshaw, Harry Melling, Michael Socha, Dave Johns, Barbara Young

Plot: The Keeper tells the extraordinary love story between a young English woman and a German PoW, who together overcome prejudice, public hostility, and personal tragedy. While visiting a PoW camp near Manchester at the end of WWII, Margaret Friar, the daughter of the manager of the local football team, notices young German soldier Bert Trautmann. 


Tagline – He came as an enemy… And became their hero.

Runtime: 2 Hours

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Outstanding

Story: The Keeper starts with the war ending, the English are putting their lives back together and the German Prisoners of war are helping with the rebuilding process. Jack Friar (Henshaw) a local shopkeeper who wheels and deals with the soldiers, while noticing one of the prisoners, paratrooper Bert Trautmann (Kross) has goalkeeping skills.

Jack offers Bert a place in his shop and being the goalkeeper for his local struggling football team, soon the teams fortunes turn around and suddenly the locals including his daughter Margaret (Mavor) learn that just because he is German, he didn’t have a choice but to fight. Bert builds a reputation which will make him one of the greatest goalkeepers of an era, one whose story will change football in England forever.

Thoughts on The Keeper

Characters – The characters in this film are based on the real people, Bert Trautmann was a paratrooper for the Germans in World War II, he was captured by the English becoming a prisoner of war, waiting for his chance to return home, he must serve around the village where his goalkeeping skills are discovered seeing him sign for Manchester City. Outside of football he must prove that he was a solider with little choice, but to fight for the Germans, he must overcome all the hate that is thrown his way, while falling in love with an English woman, breaking the boundaries of post war feelings. Margaret is the local woman that isn’t happy about having a German around the village, but slowly gets to learn that he didn’t have a choice, as the two slowly start to fall in love, showing how people need to learn to forgive, instead of holding on the hate. Jack Friar is the man who gives the Bert a chance to go in goal for a local team, a place to work away from the camp and lets him into his life, he is a typical wheeler and dealer. Jock Thompson is the Manchester City manager who offers Bert a chance at a major team, he has a bigger job at bringing a city together to support a man that could change the team’s fortunes.

Performances – David Kross is brilliant as the solider turned goalkeeper, he shows us the pain a war soldier would have been through, just showing the hope he wants a new life after it. Freya Mavor is wonderful too in her role, which shows us how somebody would stand up for a change. In the support roles we have strong work from everybody through the film.

Story – The story here follows the life and career of former prisoner of war, turned professional goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, how he found love and had to build bridges after the war to make history. Before watching this story, I only knew one major part of Bert’s career, the FA Cup final he won with a broken neck, this is shown and is very scary to watch, when you think about the safety in sport now. Outside of this we get to dive into how the English must learn to forgive the Germans for what happened in the war, something that was never going to be easy, but it was the only way to move forward, this is show through the different levels of acceptance Bert must achieve, his personal life is also very interesting to see, with the ups and downs which could have broken any man, showing the horrors war did to him too. This story is a must watch for any of the sports fans out there, it is told in a way that does show people can be good, not everyone is considered to be bad.

Biopic/Sport/War – We do follow Bert’s time from his POW days to his return to football after his own personal tragedy, seeing this shows how the war can create a divide that needs to be broken and with sport, it gave him a chance to build the bridges.

Settings – The film uses the settings well, they are kept simple for the most part, with it being focused on the small village and the football stadiums.


Scene of the Movie – The cup final.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Certain hate filled characters, are just basic with why they are created, a little bit more about them would have given them more reason to hate.

Final Thoughts – This is a brilliant biopic about one of the most iconic men to every play football, we see his life which was filled with so much to overcome, he still managed to make history.

Overall: Brilliant Biopic.

Feb 27 2020

Bloodline (2018) Movie Review

Director: Henry Jacobson

Writer: Avra Fox-Lerner, Will Honley, Henry Jacobson (Screenplay)

Starring: Seann William Scott, Mariela Garriga, Dale Dickey, Christie Herring, Raymond Alexander Cham Jr, Nick Noraine

Plot: Evan values family above all else, and anyone who gets between him, his wife, and newborn son learns that the hard way. But when it comes to violent tendencies, it seems the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Dexter Movie

Story: Bloodline starts as we see a woman killed in the shower then getting buried, Evan Cole (Scott) returns to his wife Lauren (Garriga), then off to help the students decide their future. As the couple have their first child, the sleep deprivation starts to come through, as the memories of an abuse from his childhood come back to him.

As Evan counsels the students, he starts to hear the stories of abuse they are going through and decides to channel his own aggressive into eliminating the threats in their lives, in an attempt to give them back the lives they are having taken from them.

Thoughts on Bloodline

Characters – Evan Cole is a guidance counsellor at a school, dealing with children that are suffering abuse, much like himself as a child, to vent this problem, he eliminates the threats to the children to filled his serial killer urges. He remains calm with everything going on in his life, including a new-born which is taking away his sleep, he still performs in a calculated manner. Lauren is the wife who has just given birth to their first child and starting to get stir crazy at home with the baby, she must decide what is right for the family. Marie is the mother of Evan, she has always looked after Evan in her life.

Performances – Seann William Scott is chilling in the leading role, with how he can manage to seem calm and friendly, while also being disturbing at time. Mariela Garriga and Dale Dickey are both strong too, being the support in Evan’s life.

Story – The story here follows a guidance counsellor who listens to the students problems, before using the night to solve the problems of the students moonlighting as a serial killer. The story does show us a lot of similarities to the Dexter the TV show with the anti-hero in Evan, he is only killing people who deserve it, rather than random people, which does work, where even in his conflicted head, he believes he is doing the right thing, the biggest change between the two would come with how the family dynamic unfolds. It is fun to start with, only it just seems to slow down when it comes to the investigation into the bodies being found.

Crime/Horror – The crime side of the film follows the serial killer that is dealing with child abusers, while starting his own family, while also giving us the horror elements with how he gets the kills.

Settings – The film gives us the residential setting, showing how a killer could be living next door to you.

Special Effects – The effects are used to show the brutality of the kills we see through the film, that look as brutal as they need to.


Scene of the Movie – Lauren’s car trip.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – The investigation side feels slow.

Final Thoughts – This is a cold movie which only makes the killer more terrifying despite he remains calm through the film, even though it is a Dexter feeling movie.

Overall: Chilling Serial Killer Movie.