Tag Archives: Sylvia Hoeks

Black Doves: Black Door [S2:E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – This opening episode builds the tension throughout because you know something very wrong is coming.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix service that I used to view this series.

Wallace and Helen walk into a gala.

Black Doves Review Introduction

There are times when you want just to sit down and wallow in intrigue and let a spy thriller absorb your life. That happened for me back in 2024 when Season One of the delightful spy romps/thrillers [I am not sure if something can be both, but Black Doves is both] dropped on Netflix. Well, it is now back for a second season, and I was more than ready to jump in.

So, to set the scene, things are moving fast in the world of Helen Webb (Keira Knightley) because not only is she a secret spy for an organisation that trades on secrets, but she is also now the wife of the PM of the United Kingdom. It is a dual life that is constantly rubbing up against itself, such as when a political dinner turns into a secret gunfight. However, while this dual world is a real struggle, what is worse is that even this structure is about to fall apart. We will be looking at the episode as a whole from here, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Ride or Die: Season One – TV Review

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TL;DR – A solid, engaging romp that felt like it would have been better in a more contained version.  

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime service used to view this series.

A wanted leaflet for our two main cast.

Ride or Die Review Introduction

I have been wanting something new in the spy genre for a while now to scratch that subterfuge action itch I have been having in a world where we still don’t know who the new Bond is. But while I am happy to dive into something old, I am also always ready for something new, and today we look at the latter.

So, to set the scene, Debbie (Octavia Spencer) is an American who married a British politician and has been content to follow that world, building up power bases for her husband behind the scenes, while also enjoying her love of aggressive antique hunting. Her best friend is Judith (Hannah Waddingham), who is an assassin, but not that Debbie knows that. They enjoy a world that includes not making fun of the lady in book club with the awful new haircut, well at least not her face. But all of that slightly falls apart when Judith is tasked with taking out Billy Donovan (Ed Skrein) and accidentally walks into an Albanian mob deal that includes David (Jamie Parker), Debbie’s husband. Now from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Movie Review – Blade Runner 2049

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TL;DR – Visually stunning, and a wonderful follow up to a true Sci-fi classic.

Score – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Blade Runner 2049. Image Credit: Warner Bros.

Review –

Besides Star Wars later in the year, I don’t think there has been a film as anticipated in the sci-fi world more than Blade Runner 2049. As I mentioned in my retrospective of Blade Runner (see retrospective) the first time I watched the original was just the other day so I came into 2049 with that whole story being very fresh in my mind. Which turns out was a good thing, because Blade Runner 2049 is not just a sequel in name only. So without getting into spoilers here, you may want to go watch the first film in preparation of seeing it here, not that you should need an excuse to see one of the most transformative science fiction films of the last century. I do have to say from the start that I went see Blade Runner 2049 at a premium showing (Gold Class for those in Australia) which I paid for, and I went during the middle of the day when there is usually fewer people. However, still with all this, I was in a session with a couple that loud talked throughout the film, in the quiet contemplative moments, and even answered an unmuted phone at some point. So while I am professional, I can’t put aside the possibility that this might have impacted my perception of the film. Now overall I really liked Blade Runner 2049 but it is hard to talk about it without hitting spoilers, hell even the cast list is a spoiler at this point. So just for the sake of precautions be prepared for [SPOILERS] ahead if you have not seen the film, which you should.

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