- Season 4 of Slow Horses Is Untouchable
Slow Horses might be the best show not on terrestrial television. As season four launches and Gary Oldman gets to crawl under the skin of Jackson Lamb for a fourth time, why this show has eluded audiences remains the biggest mystery. Adapted from the Mick Herron novel Spook Street, this latest instalment finds River Cartwright … - The Big Cigar Packs All the Punch of a Political Pot-Boiler With Blaxploitation Vibes
The Big Cigar is as much about 70s cinema as Huey P. Newton (Andre Holland), founder of the Black Panther party. It possesses a radical edge that embraces the blaxploitation vibe of that era as much as any subversive political forces, who would rather see this civil rights icon behind bars than doing anything progressive. … - Sugar Is a Slow Burn 30s Noir With Colin Farrell Front and Centre
Colin Farrell (The Batman) is not only a pretty face. Over the years he has carved a niche into popular culture with some career choices that have always made him good value. From turns in The Lobster through to collaborations alongside Martin McDonagh on Seven Psychopaths, In Bruges and The Banshees of Inisherin for which …Continue reading “Sugar Is a Slow Burn 30s Noir With Colin Farrell Front and Centre”
- Legends Rarely Come Larger Than Steve Martin, Especially in 2 Pieces
For fans of comedy Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces is essential viewing. With a combined running time of 3 hours plus, this evocative travelog immerses audiences into every aspect of his life to discover what lies beneath this wild and crazy guy. Pulling together unseen recordings to provide a rare look behind the …Continue reading “Legends Rarely Come Larger Than Steve Martin, Especially in 2 Pieces”
- This South London Crime Drama Comes With a Social Conscience
Criminal Record is proof that crime dramas can still inspire, repulse, and engage delivering hard hitting social commentary alongside top-tier performances from seasoned veterans. It may aim to entertain by pitching Peter Capaldi (DCI Daniel Hegarty) and Cush Jumbo (DS June Lenker) as professional rivals in this London based limited series, that explores the respective …Continue reading “This South London Crime Drama Comes With a Social Conscience”
- The Russell Clan Go Head-To-Head With Monsters in This Apple Original Melodrama
Image via Apple Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a Kurt Russell fest for fans of this evergreen action star, that only gets better when audiences realise his son Wyatt is also onboard in this Apple backed monster mash. Unpacking a story that intentionally connects the dots between Skull Island and an alternate existence where muto …Continue reading “The Russell Clan Go Head-To-Head With Monsters in This Apple Original Melodrama”
- Slough House and Their Slow Horses Hit Another Home Run for Apple
Image via Apple Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) is an MI5 section chief with all the charm of an SS officer who cloaks his excessive intellect beneath an unwashed indifference for his fellow man. Running crowd control at Slough House, where secret service agents go to die, Lamb is a mass of undercover contradictions who manages …Continue reading “Slough House and Their Slow Horses Hit Another Home Run for Apple”
- Still Up review: Insomniac comedy may send you to sleep
Best friends Lisa (Antonia Thomas) and Danny (Craig Roberts) have trouble sleeping. Connected by late night conversations and a shared condition, is Still Up the romcom Apple TV+ insomniacs have been waiting for? As packed with potential as the premise might be, this lightweight dramedy from creators Natalie Walker (I May Destroy You) and Steven …Continue reading “Still Up review: Insomniac comedy may send you to sleep”
- The Afterparty S2 review: Apple’s whodunnit keeps you on the edge of your seat
Lacking in life signs on every level, Edgar Minnows (Zach Woods) opens season 2 of The Afterparty still suited and booted in his wedding bed. With both eyes open but most definitely deceased, his widow Grace (Poppy Liu) is busy screaming the place down while a house full of family members wait in earnest for …Continue reading “The Afterparty S2 review: Apple’s whodunnit keeps you on the edge of your seat”
- Review: Life-changing revelations promise huge things in ‘The Big Door Prize’
Life, as it turns out, is a lottery rife with missed opportunities, fortuitous interactions, and more than the occasional happy accident. The Big Door Prize, which stars Chris O’Dowd (Slumberland), Crystal Fox (Big Little Lies), and Gabrielle Dennis (Luke Cage) – digs into those ideas just a little deeper on Mar. 29, when it hits …Continue reading “Review: Life-changing revelations promise huge things in ‘The Big Door Prize’”
- Review: Top-tier talent is just about enough to save ‘Liaison’ from mediocrity
Globetrotting espionage thriller Liaison, which premieres on Apple from Feb. 24, brings together two formidable performers in Vincent Cassel (La Haine) and Eva Green (Penny Dreadful) for the first time, making this slick slice of bilingual cyber-terrorism an enticing prospect for anybody after some international espionage. Created by Virginie Brac and Oliver Butcher, Liaison opens …Continue reading “Review: Top-tier talent is just about enough to save ‘Liaison’ from mediocrity”
- Review: ‘Hello Tomorrow’ misses a big opportunity in lunar real estate
Hello Tomorrow, which premieres on Apple TV on Feb 17, exists in a world futuristic ’50s kitsch, where huge Buicks glide by without wheels, and salesmen sell people lunar timeshares. Perfect picket fences, retro-tech Facetime, and an endless stream of ‘can do’ optimism shapes an American society where no dreams are too big. In this …Continue reading “Review: ‘Hello Tomorrow’ misses a big opportunity in lunar real estate”
- Review: ‘Shrinking’ is packed with pathos, and laugh out loud funny
Harrison Ford seems to be experiencing a career renaissance, with the imminent Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Yellowstone prequel 1923, and now Shrinking – which hits Apple TV Jan. 27. That this surge in productivity coincides with the return of Scrubs legend Bill Lawrence to writing, should perhaps come as less of a surprise. Co-created by Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso), Jason …Continue reading “Review: ‘Shrinking’ is packed with pathos, and laugh out loud funny”
- Review: ‘Truth Be Told’ continues to intrigue in a riveting third season
Inspired by the novel Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber, police procedural and podcast private eye hybrid Truth be Told has consistently delivered from day one. With the Oscar winning Octavia Spencer embodying Poppy Scoville-Parnell, this family drama has remained compelling for two seasons now. That the show also had some top tier support from the likes of Aaron Paul (Breaking …Continue reading “Review: ‘Truth Be Told’ continues to intrigue in a riveting third season”
- Review: ‘Servant’ season 4 cranks up the creepy to deliver something truly special
Season 4 of Servant promises a reckoning on Spruce Street, which will begin with homeless gatherings and continue inside as masonry cracks and basements subside. This is when Leanne (Nell Tiger Free), Sean (Toby Kebbell), Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose), and Julian (Rupert Grint) will learn the truth. Only then will this whole twisted tale finally make sense and … - We Got This Covered: ‘Bad Sisters’ is a murderous melodrama worth the investment
When it comes to murder, some things are best kept in the family. An adage that never held more weight than it does in Bad Sisters, which streams on AppleTV from Aug. 19th. Based on the Belgian television series Clan, written by Malin-Sarah Gozin, Bad Sisters transplants the premise to Ireland, introduces audiences to Grace Garvey (Ann-Marie Duff), then …Continue reading “We Got This Covered: ‘Bad Sisters’ is a murderous melodrama worth the investment”
- We Got This Covered – ‘Five Days at Memorial’ packs more than a dramatic punch
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Thousands of people lost their lives as storm force winds wreaked havoc, leaving emergency services stretched to breaking point. Five Days at Memorial, which hits Apple TV Plus from August 12, gets under the skin of that moment in history, to shed some light on what went …Continue reading “We Got This Covered – ‘Five Days at Memorial’ packs more than a dramatic punch”
- We Got This Covered – Review: ‘Black Bird’ offers powerhouse performances with genuine depth
With the arrival of Black Bird, which hits Apple TV on July 8, reasons not to sign up are running out. Taron Egerton (Rocketman) is back on our screens at full force as Jimmy Keene, full-time drug dealer and charismatic powerhouse, while Black Bird also benefits from a supremely structured adaptation courtesy of Dennis Lehane. Read more … - We Got This Covered – Review: ‘Loot’ fails to find comedy or drama in its filthy rich premise
If ever an Apple original could be accused of suffering from first world problems, then Loot would be the one. In a series of 10 30-minute soundbites, audiences will quickly become acquainted with Molly (Maya Rudolph) and John Novak (Adam Scott), a couple who are propped up by his billion-dollar tech empire, affording them unlimited financial freedom … - We Got This Covered – ‘Slow Horses’ introduces audiences to a new kind of antihero
Directed in the main by James Hawes, a showrunner who brought TNT’s Snowpiercer to life, this seedy espionage thriller series stars Gary Oldman as a lifer in charge of the MI5 version of a dead letter office, and it’s solid stuff. Shot in and around London, Slow Horses takes its time to embrace the milieu of this sprawling metropolis, … - We Got This Covered – SXSW Film Review: ‘WeCrashed’ Jared Leto shines as ‘WeWork’ CEO that won’t take no for an answer
As society changes, work practices become more esoteric, and numerous jobs are commonplace, WeCrashed feels blessed with celestial levels of good timing even within the startup dramatization golden age. With this particular piece of programming, Apple seems to have embraced an ethos that defines WeWork, the office rental startup. Read more at: https://wegotthiscovered.com/tv/sxsw-review-wecrashed-jared-leto-shines-as-wework-ceo-that-wont-take-no-for-an-answer/ - We Got This Covered – ‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’ fails to dig deep enough
In many respects, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, adapted by James Mosley from his own novel, shares more than a little DNA with Florian Zeller’s The Father. Both deal with mental decline, employ set design and cinematography to disorientate, while in each case a revered character actor holds court. Disintegrating relationships and psychological isolation play their …Continue reading “We Got This Covered – ‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’ fails to dig deep enough”
- We Got This Covered – ‘Severance’ savagely satires the idea of work-life balance
Created by Dan Erikson, directed in part by Ben Stiller, and featuring an A-list ensemble, Severance is the latest offering from Apple TV Plus. Taking its inspiration from Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror, with a dash of George Orwell’s 1984 thrown in, Severance is all about work-life balance. In an age where …Continue reading “We Got This Covered – ‘Severance’ savagely satires the idea of work-life balance”
- We Got This Covered – Review: ‘Suspicion’ brings a talented ensemble cast to a provocative thriller
It should come as no surprise that Suspicion — an intricately penned and potentially provocative thriller from Apple TV Plus — is so engaging. With an emotional premise, solid casting, and perfect pacing, it lays out its ground rules quickly, whilst unpacking character moments with care. In a plotting coup that maintains momentum from the outset, it … - We Got This Covered – Season 3 of ‘Servant’ highlights talented ensemble cast navigating tensions
As Servant advances into season 3 with all its tonal ideocracies intact, audiences may start to question that pedestrian pace. There is no doubting the ensemble cast which includes Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, and Nell Tiger Free, but some may wonder when its tension tightening whistles and bells will amount to something. Sinister sound design, marauding members … - We Got This Covered – ‘The Shrink Next Door’
Inspired by a true crime podcast and penned by a veteran of Veep, Succession and The Thick of It; this Will Ferrell-Paul Rudd double-header should be flawless. Big on character building, subtle in plot points and trading off the reputation of both, The Shrink Next Door should be a home run on paper. Read more at: https://wegotthiscovered.com/tv/review-the-shrink-next-door/ - Apple TV+ Review – Invasion
The word Invasion feels implicitly threatening. It suggests solid characters in crisis, an impending threat of global significance and most importantly conflict. Marauding alien lifeforms, threats to life and limb and earthly upheaval should all be on the cards. Some light vivisection and flashes of operating table mayhem might also add some much needed darkness, if only … - Apple TV+ Review – Mr. Corman
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has gone all in with Apple, offering up a character piece jam packed with contemporary angst. Unfortunately, as Mr. Corman this genuinely engaging actor may well divide popular opinion. Resentful of his job as a fifth grade school teacher, mooning after an ex-girlfriend and suffering sporadic panic attacks seems to be his lot in life. … - Apple TV+ Review – Mythic Quest Season 2
For those who thought The Morning Show was all Apple had to offer think again. Carrying influences from The Office into new territory, Mythic Quest thrived on dysfunctional dynamics and a central performance from Rob McElhenney that tied everything together. Aided and abetted by an outstanding cast including Charlotte Nicdao, David Hornsby and F. Murray Abraham it felt fresh. By crafting … - Apple TV+ Review – The Mosquito Coast
In 1986 Paul Shrader and Peter Weir tackled The Mosquito Coast on film. They created in the process a densely layered allegorical diatribe on the evils of consumerism. With Harrison Ford as the headliner and strong support from River Phoenix, it intentionally undermined an era defined by crass commercialism. The Eighties embodied excess, thriving on iconography which … - Apple TV+ Review – Calls
Adapted from the French short form series and written and directed by Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe), Calls is a strange proposition for consumers of conventional content. Split over nine episodes varying in length from fifteen to twenty minutes, this format is reminiscent of a radio play. Featuring an all-star voice cast including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Karen Gillan … - Apple TV+ Review – Servant Season 2
There is an inherent theatricality to Servant which makes it unique. Mainly limited to a single location and viewing the outside world through televisions or smart phones, it remains intentionally two dimensional. By restricting the principle players to an opulent brownstone townhouse, audiences become vicarious observers on its occupants Dorothy and Sean Turner. Prowling from room to …