 |
The Only Way Is Essex - Season 1 (DVD)
by cha97mw
This is a review I must say I never thought that I would write. I have been quite bored since the kids have gone to school full time, and while I am at home on my own during the day I have been watching TV series through my lovefilm and netflix subscription. One day I wasn't sure what I was in the mood to watch, so I stuck on The Only ... Way is Essex, and my goodness, I thought that I was going to hate the programme, but it actually ended up being really entertaining.
The show is part reality show but also partly staged to show the very best and the very worst of a group of young teens and twenty somethings from Essex. The show is voiced over by one of the most famous Essex girls, Denise Van Outen, and as she advises us, the tans and the boobs may not be real, but these are genuinely real people, and this is how they live.
The first series introduced some of the key players as they go about their daily lives in Brentwood and Chigwell in Essex. First up is club promoter, Mark Wright. He is a serial philanderer. We see his on/off girlfriend of 9 years, Lauren, who is left heartbroken as he flirts with another cast member, model Sam Faiers, and then has a brief relationship with fashion designer Lucy.
Mark's sister Jessica is part of a girl band called Lola who are trying to become successful. The pair of them are supported by their Nanny Pat who does their housework for them and cooks them food like her famous sausage plait.
Amy Childs is Sam's best friend, and she runs the beauty parlour and is a wannabee glamour model. She is responsible for the spray tans and the infamous 'vajazzle'. Her cousin Harry is hilariously camp.
Mark's best friend is singer, James Argent, who is a loveable character who is left heartbroken when his girlfriend Lydia dumped him in Marbaya.
And lastly, but by no means least, we met Kirk Norcross who is the Manager of the night club The Sugar Hut.
For some reason I was gripped by this from episode one in a 'horrified' way. From seeing Lauren get a spray tan in Amy's salon, and seeing her 'Mark' tattoo and then seeing how bad he treat her throughout series one, you could see how genuinely upset that she is, and it was addictive watching how much Mark was winding up all these girls and waiting for them to find out.
Highlights for me in this series had to be Amy and Kirk's date at the zoo when Amy turned up wearing several different types of animal print.
I was also watching with baited breath as Arg tried to win back Lydia buying her a micro pig. There were moments that I found myself laughing out loud at things the cast said and did.
Some of them are so unintentionally hilarious with the things they come out with. Amy in particular came out with some absolute classics, like she was going to say she was working for the prime minister Tony Blair (after Cameron was in) and when her friend told her it wasn't him she then said she worked for George Bush. I also laughed out loud at her thinking the capital of India was Pakistan, or asking if Essex was south of London.
This is really so bad, but in a way that makes it good as it is so unpredictable and you just really do not what the cast will do next, or how they will react.
It is something that is so bad it is good, and I really enjoyed it. Series one has 12 episodes that are about half an hour in length. These were aired in 2010. This was then followed by a Christmas special, and there was a special episode called Vajazzled which features the best moments from series one.
Love it or hate it, the only way is Essex.
Read the complete review |
 |
The Tudors - Season 4 (DVD)
by Chloboshoka
Season four was such a thrilling way to end the show. Watching it has made me notice how there are some really creepy coincidences in The Tudor Dynasty such as Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard being cousins, both end up marrying the same king and both are beheaded for the same charges. The underlying tragedy in it all was that they were ... both pawns for other people plotting for personal gain.
There has been lots of drama going on, and in the final series, I think it all tries to end with a bang and everything catches up with everybody. It's also very nostalgic because there are a lot of flashbacks and hints that Anne Boleyn was the love of his life and he regrets putting her to death. Jonathan Rhys Meyers who plays Henry may not be obese and ginger as the king himself, but I think that Jonathan really captured the heart of his character and portrayed Henry in a more human form as a historical figure.
There are so many good quotes I've found in this season. I say that they are good because they really stick in my head. I also think it is because of the tone of their voice when they say it. These are some examples.
"We were like two moths drawn to the flame, and burned..." - Anne Boleyn
"But I was still your wife in God's eyes and still am." - Catherine Of Aragon
As you can tell Maria Donnel Kennedy and Natalie Dormer are my two favourite actresses. I also like Annabel Wallis and Joss stone because I liked Jane Seymour and Anne Of Cleves in this, but Catherine Of Aragon and Anne Boleyn were my favourite things about the series and I am happy to get to see all of the wives in this series.
My favourite episode in this series was the finale because Henry is really reflective and the acting was really touching. I really love the dream sequences where Henry is haunted by the ghosts of his first three wives. It doesn't tell us, but we can really see how much he regrets the mistreatment of his wives and children. It is also ironic that Jane, the one Henry was buried next to was the one that told him the most. I would have really liked the spirits of some of the other characters though, such as Katherine Howard, Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell.
The scenes that led to Katherine Howard's demise were disturbing. I had very little sympathy for Culpepper because I thought he was really creepy loverat. It was quite frustrating because Katherine is so naive and she has no idea that she is a pawn until her final hours.
Sarah Bolger who plays Lady Mary does a brilliant job. I do find a couple of Mary's scenes a bit unsettling to watch such as the time where Katherine and Mary didn't get on and when Mary broke down, I felt like crying too. I think I got really attached to her character because like father like daughter, her own desires lead her to her demise.
I think that this season has the most nudity in it, and I think in some cases the scenes were almost worth an 18 certificate. There is lots of implied sex and nudity and some of the executions display some bodily fluids, and I don't mean just blood.
The season itself starts from the time Henry is married to Katherine Howard to the last few months before his death. The only thing I am disspointed with is that Anne Of Cleves never really got a proper closure. Like after Henry has a sleepover at Hever castle, Anne of Cleves is never heard of again which I thought was quite funny because she got on with Katherine and has the title of The King's Sister. Maybe she was out there in the background and missed it, but I think she could have had more scenes.
I say that because Anne Of Cleves outlived all his wives and also heard that in real life, she didn't approve of Henry's marriage with his last wife, Kartherine Parr (is nicknamed Kate in the show.) Overall I think that the show is fabolous and that this season had a satisfying closing finale.
I would love it if there was a fifth season where it revolves around the reigns of Edward, Lady Jane Grey and Mary. After all, the show isn't called Henry VIII, it is called The Tudors. Don't think that will be coming any time soon though, but I love The Tudors and once my addiction to this is over, I will find more historical drama\fiction to enjoy.
Read the complete review |
 |
This is England '86 and This is England '88 Double Pack (DVD)
by Rubyjade
I would say, it is most likely crucial that you watch Shane Meadows' groundbreaking film "This is England" before immersing yourself into the two gritty television series' that follow. I will try to avoid spoilers, but will probably hint at some key moments. If that doesn't concern you, or you have already watched it then ... proceed to read this review, and hopefully I can sell this incredible display of British talent to you. The raw emotion that the film drags out of you will be brought to the surface again, and be prodded and then have salt rubbed into it. I would not recommend watching them in one sitting, but you will be compelled to with the fresh plot and the mesmerising acting.
'86 brings back the characters you grew fond of (or possibly loathed) in the film in the opening episode that is based around Lol and Woody's up and coming nuptials, three years after the film was set. The film centres around Shaun growing up without a father as a result of the Falklands war, and while he is present as a teenager finishing school, it is important to know that he is not the main protagonist for the televison accompniments. This humerous exploration of life in Britain is a pleasure to watch, and you will laugh in the places you are supposed to. What you take away, however, is a harrowing commentary on thr monsterous manner of humans.
There is a reason Vicky McClure's character Lol is on the cover of the DVD; as she is at the epicentre of both. In the film, she is Woody's girlfriend, an elusive and intriguing character who is a scene stealer but doesn't have a lot to add to the over all story. Perhaps Meadows realised what an extraordinary talent he had in McClure and revolved the tale around her, or maybe this emerged through his script but she is the star and deserves the credits she has received as a result. She is engaging, and at times her character is downright unlikeable to the audience but you never resent her. You will feel your heart aching at what she experiences in '86 that explores her past, as a way of explaining her present. The continuation of this in '88 takes it to a bleak place but you never question the talent you are allowed to witness through her performance. She is of course accompnied through this with the undeniable talent of Joe Giligun (Woody) who shines just as brightly in his scenes. Without spoiling, a particular scene in '88 during Christmas could be used as his auditon reel for the rest of his career, as he tackles every dimension of the human psyche in one scene.
The dvd is a worthy purchase, however with the approaching realise of This is England '90 you can bet they will both be shown in the not too distant future on channel 4 and also are available on 4od. However, I recommend watching it. There are times where it will be behind your hand, and it will take you on an emotional journey. Do not watch to escape the bleak world we live in, as you will be reminded of it round every corner in approaches and you won't be left to be a passive observer. Meadows and his team are remarkable writers, that is undeniable. The ensemble that have stayed, and growed with this franchise, are a reminder of the talent we have in Great Britain who could take on the Hollywood giants that dominate cinema.
Read the complete review |
