Good morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of fitzie’s film and tv reviews, where your hoddler-in-chief rates some of the things he’s been watching on the television or cinema (or home cinema).
It’s been some time since we last checked in here. I’ve mostly been waiting for Survivor 50 to begin, and it has! And it’s living up to expectations so far. Since we’re only a couple episodes into it, I’m going to withhold from rating it for now. Instead, here are a few others I’ve seen:
The Traitors US Season 4
Gosh, this is bad. And what a stepdown from the UK’s celebrity version (or even its Average Joe version). It’s very unpleasant to watch this cast of characters interact with each other, and I can only imagine how frustrating it was to actually live it.
The only saving grace here was Love Island star Rob Rausch, who flawlessly worked his way to become the second traitor in the US edition of the game to win it. And he did it in spectacular fashion at the final roundtable.
Shrinking Season 3
You would think a TV show that stars Harrison Ford would be better in its third season. It isn’t, and that isn’t because of Ford, who continues to carry the cast. It’s everyone around him that’s dragging this show down.
There have been too many other non-central characters thrown into the mix and and storylines that don’t carry the series forward. Even for all that, most of the episodes fail to have any sort of lingering impact. It’s white noise television, which is a shame because Ford is relishing in his role.
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein: Lots of great visuals to look at and admire (including a not-so-hideous monster), but there’s not a whole lot beneath it. Given how dense the source text is and how many variations of it appeared in other films, I think del Toro was wise to focus on just the relationship between Frankenstein and his monster.
Where he falls short, though, is how he stripped both characters of their complexity. And because of that I think he failed to reach the greatest heights of the book.
Rental Family: There was a point in my life where I never thought I’d see Brendan Fraser dressed as a superhero tube of toothpaste. That character’s acting career fell off, and now he’s employed at a company that rents out its actors to be people’s husbands, sons, friends - what have you.
It’s a wonderful comedic film that dives deep into this world, one in which Fraser builds a handful of lovely relationships.
Dead Talent Society: So you’re a ghost who’s out to make a living, eh? Call Dead Talent Society. This Taiwanese horror-comedy imagines what it’s like for ghosts who are out to make a living scaring people. Not just in the classic “Shining” kind of way, but the kind that’ll really go viral across the world.
It’s a tonne of fun to watch these ghosts who seek to become some of the biggest legends in the underworld, which itself looks a bit like a shmaltzy 1970s game show.
Fitzie’s track of the day: Driver, by Soccer Mommy
And now for your links:
The Independent: “How Igor Tudor’s reign of error turned huge corner as Tottenham remembered how to win”
The Telegraph: “Spurs go down fighting to raise hopes ahead of Forest death-match”
Alasdair Gold: “Every word Igor Tudor said on Archie Gray, Xavi and two other Tottenham stars who impressed him”
The Athletic ($$): “Tottenham 3 Atletico 2: Can Spurs and their fans take hope from this? Is Tudor safe now?”
BBC: “Even when they win it still ends in defeat - Spurs’ season summed up”
ESPN: “Senegal to appeal CAF’s decision to hand AFCON title to Morocco”