Ugh
check out the doc it’s based on. it’s free on YouTube. liked the Hollywood version but the spoon-feeding and sanding of rough edges was unnecessary. the actual story is fascinating just as it is. watch til the end for an amazing bowtie moment that wasn’t depicted in the theatrical treatment. really liked both films.
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Thanks! I have to look into the documentary.
I’m in the middle of binge-watching Mackenzie Crook’s (The Detectorists) new show, Small Prophets, on YouTube thanks to some kind soul who knows that some of us don’t have BBC4. (or subscribe to BritBox). I love it’s quirky, whimsical, and humane story about an ordinary guy who happens to conjure up Homunculi in his garage. (I’m terrible at plot synopsis) And Michael Palin is a co-star.
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Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023) - dir Guy Ritchie
What the fuck? You have Guy Ritchie, a solid action director with a good ear for dialogue and who, of ALL people, should know how to best utilize Jason Statham. Toss in him, Josh Harnett as a full of himself action star and Hugh Grant in one of his recent oily villain turns, Cary Elwes as the officious beureaucrat, and, for some reason, Aubrey Plaza, and this should have all the ingredients for bang up action comedy, or at the very least a diverting 2 hours on a sunday afternoon.
Instead, this Prime Video Original is basically Temu-Mission Impossible. Much like the recent Netflix feature “Code Red”, similarly star loaded w/ The Rock, Ryan Reynolds, and Gail Gadot, it has the shape of a blockbuster action film. It has all the ingredients of a blockbuster action film. It has the exotic locations and the stunts and the effects and the fight scenes and the planning and executing and all the salient features one would expect.
And it just… sits there. A slick spy caper told with all the excitement and tension of sophmore economics lecture. Every ‘clever’ line lands with a thud. Every plot twist passes by with a shrug. Jason Statham performs his usual asskicking with all the verve and enthusiasm of a stereotypical DMV clerk. Even the absolutely ridiculous AI-centric plot feels like a reheated leftover from better films.
I’m unsurprised I’d never heard of it. Doubtless this came out of the edit and the powers that be could smell a dud, and let it die a slow and unmourned death on streaming. I love me a terrible Jason Statham joint, but this… there’s no excuse for this.
1 of 5 Aubrey Plaza eyerolls.
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It is so wonderful. I’m just sad I’m done.
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The Detectorists also had the inestimable Toby Jones; and can’t go wrong with Diana Rigg and daughter Rachel Stirling too !
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We positively LOVED The Detectorists, so thank you so much for sharing!
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I watched Seven Dials, it was just ok, The Singers, an Oscar nominated short that I really liked and I’m watching Bridgerton, Lincoln Lawyer, Queer Eye and How To Get To Heaven From Belfast which I like but I occasionally lose the plot and it takes a bit to get it back.
eta: all are on netflix.
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We’re really enjoying this one, but def need the subtitles 
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That looks right up my alley. I’ll have to check at YouTube since it’s not on BritBox yet. Finishing Lincoln Lawyer tonight (read the book but it’s all new to me!). Looking forward to Belfast series and happy to see some Derry Girls crossover. Just one more epsiode of Bookish to go. Also just started Riot Girls, Bridgerton, trying to finish up The Hardacres (Beverly hillbillies crossed with Poldark) and not totally enchanted with new season of Drops of God. Maybe should have been a one and done.
Found latest season of junior bake-off on YouTube and I love those kids.
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Ah, only on British tv ATM. 's ok. We can wait 
RIP Tom Noonan, a fabulous actor, a terrifyingly creepy villain, and all around really interesting guy.
One of my favorite short films of his, based on one of my favorite SciFi stories:
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Riot Women? I really liked it, also Redemption, if you haven’t seen it.
Yes, the Detectorists was also fun.
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Finished The Hillside Strangler. Infuriating. Caught up with the latest epi of Hijack. Still annoyed at the random English spoken, and people moving from subway car to subway car. IT IS NOT DONE. The doors don’t even open 
Finished S18 of Taskmaster. Only two more to go. SADZ.
Catching up on women’s Olympic figure skating (even though I know the ultimate outcome). Watched the short program, and will do the free skate tomorrow.
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Same here. The main characters have grown tiresome. We watched a couple episodes of Season 2 and that’s enough for me.
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Yeah the drama between the two main characters has become tiresome and the plot line and reasons for their latest quest are murky. Oh well may finish it up but as I said it should have been a one and done.
Yep got Derry Girls and Riot women mixed up. Riot Women looks interesting so far, How to get to Heaven from Belfast (too long title) was weird and no Derry girls but the actress from Unforgotten is one of the stars.
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Felt like something silly last night and watched Predator: Badlands. Perfect brain candy with cool critters & not entirely insufferable dialog.
That said, you’re not missing out if you skip it.
