Connor Macgregor Reviews...Miniseries/TV Movies

Tools    







Connor Macgregor Reviews...Simon Amstell's Carnage

INTRO: A mockumentary which tackles veganism, meat eating and just the food habit in general in something which is clever and vicious when needed be.

SUMMARY:
WARNING: "Summary" spoilers below
Set in 2067, the narrator tells how the world is a happier place, as meat eating ("carnism") is banned and veganism prevails. Young people express their disbelief on how people could have ever killed and eaten animals. Yasmine Vondenburgen, a psychotherapist, holds support sessions for former carnists to lift the guilt of carnism. In one session, Davina breaks down after naming Edam as a cheese she once ate.

The film goes back to 1944, to the establishment of The Vegan Society, and rationing of meat due to war, which ends in 1954. Fanny Cradock promotes carnism in theatre and TV. In the 1970s and 1980s, US food companies disguise meat as toys children would like to eat, using figures like Ronald McDonald to attract them. Intensive farming leads to BSE crisis and foot-and-mouth disease. From 2004, many diseases grow due to consumption of processed meats.

The film then returns to 2067, with young people using new VR technology to experience eating meat. They stop after a while, unable to process it.

Going back to 2017, the film shows how celebrity chefs like Nigella Lawson, Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall promote carnism instead of veganism. It shows the rise in veganism, helped by people like JME, who inspires Troye King Jones. King Jones then writes a book and makes feature films on veganism. Maude Polikoff, former erotic dancer, reveals she left the career as milk and dairy were used in a sexualised way, in spite of being unethically obtained. Vondenburgen explains how the hierarchy of the British monarchy led to humans believing they should be above animals. The UN urges people to cut down on meat, due to climate change. This is ignored, and the UK faces floods. Lindsay Graber, a victim of these, explains climate change due to meat on TV. Veganism is promoted by TV presenters, but it is ignored, and in 2021 the UK faces a Super Swine Flu, killing many. Intensive farming is banned to prevent a re-occurrence, but this hikes up costs of meat, and many people are confused over what to eat.

In 2023, this Era of Confusion is broken by a new celebrity chef Freddy Jayashankar, who re-introduces a plant based Eastern cuisine. It is revealed that King Jones and Jayashankar are in a relationship. Later, a film, Dorothy is Still Dorothy, is broadcast by the BBC featuring Dorothy, a woman with Alzheimer's who forgets that eating a chicken is normal, much to the annoyance of her son Jeff. In 2024, a musical featuring Amelie dressed as a cow is made, which exposes the horrors of the dairy industry. Albania wins the Eurovision Song Contest by a vegan song.

Meanwhile, Graham Watkins speaks out against veganism, harassing vegans on streets and in restaurants. A TV show, Mike's Meat House, mocking veganism is started, but cancelled after four episodes. Graber returns to TV to explain harsh environmental effects of beef, and suggesting a ban on it, which is not accepted by the British, leading to riots. King Jones appears for an interview on Newsnight. Shortly after that, he is murdered and cannibalised, allegedly by a member of the Great British Meat League. This sparks a revolution, with major food companies including McDonald's and KFC turning vegan, and 75% of UK at least vegetarian; yet there is a reluctance for criminalising carnism. Watkins, with other carnists, states illogical reasons defending carnism.

All such arguments are resolved by the invention of a Thought Translator, allowing animals to communicate freely with humans using the recorded voice of Joanna Lumley. The unethical practices of the egg industry are explained. In 2035, the Bill of Animal Rights is finally passed, criminalising carnism. The animals who were victims of the industry are sent to recovery centres. Coming back to 2067, the Clifton Abbatoir is now a museum to explain the horrific dairy industry of the past. The young and old apologise to each other.

The film ends with the support group successfully naming the fish they had once eaten.


REVIEW: I tried to avoid this for years. Felt that this would be another preachy and woke attempt at making veganism a glowing and rightous movement to follow. Instead, I was given a fantastic satire of modern day eating culture, tribual thinking and modern day hysteria. It's a realistic and funny look at food and people's thoughts regarding ethinical eating and people's approach to it. The characters scattered across the mockumentary are believable and hillarious, often reflecting a range of age groups and diverse thinking. It also paints a very realistic future regarding dieting and general eating habits. Time will tell whether this is a good capture going forward, or something that Simon Amstell has failed to guide and is instead a fantasy Britain which sits perhaps in several liberal fantasies.

RATING: 92% - A





Connor Macgregor Reviews...A Lost Dreaming

INTRO: A Lost Dreaming is something unique and different to anything else I've reviewed thus far, and one that I hope to see more of regarding this style of filmmaking.

SUMMARY: Written and narrated by the late Gerry Anderson, this documentary feature film is a beautiful portrait of what Gerry Anderson coined 'Stroke City'. A series of personal and intimate recollections of a city and its people. A story that weaves its way through half a century of history during a time that saw the city rise from poverty and neglect, to hitting the headlines across the world.

REVIEW: Almost like a poem on screen, A City Dreaming is a personal and beautiful account of the history of Derry/Londonderry. Narrated by Gerry Anderson, the film feels as intimate and personal as possible, with a multitude of archive footage thrown in to really illsutrate the mood and overall story of the city. The dialogue and narration is beautiful, poetic lines that work and feel passionate and thoughtout, making the piece as personal as possible.

RATING: 82% - A-





Connor Macgregor Reviews...Lost Hearts

INTRO: Another adaptation of ghost writer MR James and his incredible stories of the supernatural.

SUMMARY: A young orphan, Stephen, is sent to go and live with his strange, much older cousin at his remote country house. Once there, Stephen experiences terrible dreams in which he sees a young girl and boy who are missing their hearts.

REVIEW: I really got a grasp and sense that this drama has a tense, creepy atmosphere. The eeriness that longs and lingers throughout, and a very grainy feel that all 70s dramas tended to have. I love the story, and how unsettling and unsure it all was, and the anxiety of who to trust in the most scary of situations. The Ghosts depicted in this are great and scary and weird. Haunting grey skin, with fang teeth attached to the sides and a very scary presence. I also really enjoyed the performances overall, making for a very convincing and scary tale.

RATING: 93% - A





Connor Macgregor Reviews...The Treasure Of Abbott Thomas

INTRO: Another MR James story reviewed, and one that is slightly a let down compared to previous entries.

SUMMARY: The Reverend Justin Somerton (Michael Bryant), a professor of Medieval History, is approached by a former pupil - Lord Peter Dattering (Paul Lavers). Dattering fears that his widowed mother is being exploited by a couple of charlatans posing as mediums and offering her the chance to commune with her late husband. Somerton agrees to attend one of their séances and outwits the fraudsters. Somerton tells Dattering of the research he has been conducting into the history of a monastery and shows him a book which details the exploits of a former Abbot - and of the treasure he is reputed to have hidden somewhere within the catacombs of the monastery. The two find a number of clues to the location of this treasure, not just in the Latin texts but in a stained glass window. They ignore the warning that the treasure is protected by a guardian - shaking Somerton's rational beliefs to the core.

REVIEW: I wasn’t as excited about this one. Just padded a bit too long and not as engaging nor chilling as previous entries. The two leads though were good, convincing enough. Yet the scare doesn’t come till near the end, and it sort of lacks overall. Nothing really chilling about it that makes the story memorable nor linger in your head for too long a time. It’s a dull build up throughout the piece, and the ending is what ultimately stops it from being a real snoozefest overall.

RATING: 73% - B+





Connor Macgregor Reviews...The Girl Before

Episode One

INTRO: A four part miniseries I watched over Christmas which had such an excellent premise to it that I could not ignore. This is quite the smashing watch.

SUMMARY: A couple, Simon and Emma, view a unique, minimalist house, as does a young woman, Jane. The rent is cheap, but the catch is there are many restrictions, few possessions, no children, etc. Both are offered the house. Jane discovers that three years earlier Emma died at the house. The architect’s wife and child also died during the construction of a previous design of the house.

REVIEW: The way this story works throughout the run is the technique of dual narratives, one in the present and another in the past. Duo timelines that correspond well with the overview of the story. They flow effortlessly with one another, starting with the opening shot in the first episode. Almost like poetry in a way. We are first introduced to Emma & Simon, who are a young cute fun couple with Emma trying to bury away past trauma. Despite the reluctance of Simon, the two move in. In another timeline, we have Jane. A young single woman who moves into the house some years later. In both timelines, they both meet Edward, the architect of the house, a man that presents a very mysterious and specific personality in regards to the house. He has designed a very advanced house, one that is presented beautifully with gorgeous production design, blending somewhat between a dream house and a nightmare house. As we follow Emma, her trauma quickly becomes revealed which has become somewhat of a dagger to her and Simon’s relationship. It culminates in their breakup at the end of the first episode and leaves Emma very vulnerable and alone. With Jane, her trauma revolves around a lost baby and subsequently bonds with Edward over her trauma, as well as Edward opening up with his demons. A relationship between the two is quickly established. The mystery of the story revolves around Emma’s mysterious death, how it occurred and who was responsible. It alone develops into an exciting watch, with a fun concept attached, with great performances all across. Special mention goes to Jessica Plummer who has been the hightlight of the episode. A lot of EastEnders alumni are attached which of course makes the acting very strong, and produces a very excellent start to the story.

RATING: 95% - A





Connor Macgregor Reviews...The Girl Before

Episode Two

INTRO: This story continues to brew and bubble from the surface as Edward continues to play his games with both Jane & Emma.

SUMMARY: Edward pursues relationships with both Jane and Emma. As Emma is forced to testify against her attacker, Jane visits Emma's therapist, where she learns she is in danger.

REVIEW: Edward pursues a relationship with Emma following her breakup with Simon, as well as a similar relationship with Jane. Via intercutting between the two timelines, a similar approach and attitude is instigated by Edward to both women. A clever split screen approach is used and well executed editing excellence throughout the episode. Jane’s story remains deep and interesting, a woman still struggling with her previous stillbirth. She allows Edward into her life regardless of the red flags, yet comparing to Emma, is still more reluctant and curious about Emma’s supposed death. She begins to dig deeper into her death, investigating the past of the house, as well as finding a secret room and several of Emma’s left behind items. Then there is Emma, still reeling from her breakup, with moments of breaking down with the amount of pressure surrounding several issues going on in her life. She none the less becomes intriguied by Edward and establishes a sexual relationship with him. There’s also an upcoming rape case Emma also is dealing with, which ultimately goes to court and therefore Emma having to face the judge in addition. One thing to praise about this episode is the terrific editing, with clever cuts and transitions throughout. There’s also gorgeous cinematography, mainly around the house itself. It’s almost a perfect episode of Television, with a great mystery still unravelling throughout.

RATING: 94% - A





Connor Macgregor Reviews...The Girl Before

Episode Three

INTRO: We continue this exciting thrilling story as Edward's manipulations go up a notch.

SUMMARY: Jane thinks she is pregnant. The police discover that Emma wasn't raped by the burglar and charge her with perjury. Simon thinks Emma was murdered. Jane begins to wonder if Edward was involved.

REVIEW: As the story continues on, we see Edward conducting these relationships within sync of each other. Again, the fantastic editing does not falter, as Edward conducts his relationships in similar patterns, treating both Emma & Jane the same. Emma’s plot also continues with her facing court, in which a devastating twist occurs leaving Emma reeling and her arrested for supposedly wasting police time. You really feel bad for her situation, with Jessica Plummer’s performance both devastating and gripping to watch. There’s also this sense of something deeper lying in her head as her story reaches its emotional conclusion. Then there’s Jane’s story, as she discovers that she’s pregnant again, and enters a real conflict about her situation. To distract her, she digs deeper into Emma’s death, questioning those who knew her, and slowly begins to create a web, with the truth starting to be revealed. This was another great gripping episode, with suspects starting to emerge regarding Emma’s death, and a good juicy mystery starting to build, with the truth not far away.

RATING: 93% - A





Connor Macgregor Reviews...The Girl Before

Episode Four

INTRO: The finale of The Girl Before resolves the mystery with geniune surprise and twists through to the final scene.

SUMMARY: Emma tells Simon she was raped by a colleague. They argue, he pushes her and she falls downstairs. Jane confronts Edward about "secret" cameras in the house. Simon comes to see her and she realises what happened to Emma.

REVIEW: We see Jane continue to investigate Emma’s death, digging deep into her past, and learning more about Elizabeth and Max in the process. With Emma’s timeline, she is subsequently dumped by Edward and told to leave the house suddenly. Messages continue to haunt her throughout the house, and eventually the truth of Emma’s ordeal was revealed, with Saul, a co-worker of Emma’s being the real individual behind her rape. You get a fantastic performance again from Jessica Plummer who for me is the MVP of this miniseries. The finale sees Ray Neilson try to break into the house to confront Emma, only for ex-boyfriend Simon to intervene. And that is where the true killer is revealed: Simon. Ben Hardy’s sudden turn to psychopathy is great, a brilliant acting turn, and a battle with Emma ends in her death, and a battle with Jane ends in his. The resolution of this is also good, with Saul’s comeuppance seen in a tease shot, and Edward & Jane appearing to go off with the rest of their lives. However, a final twist occurs with Jane dumping Edward suddenly, and taking her child away. I somewhat wasn’t a fan of this twist, feeling it a bit cruel to Edward. But it did not spoil what was none the less a great miniseries. A thrilling watch, well written, with terrific cinematography and editing also. A highlight in my recent viewing experience.

RATING: 96% - A





Connor Macgregor Reviews...Black Cake

Episode 1 - Covey

INTRO: A miniseries that caught my eye recently and propelled me to give it a go on Disney+. And needless to say, I was hooked from the very start.

SUMMARY: In the late 1960s, a runaway bride named Covey disappears into the surf off the coast of Jamaica. In present day, Eleanor Bennett loses her battle with cancer, leaving her two estranged children a flash-drive containing her past.

REVIEW: The opening episode, and ultimately the rest of the series, plays around with two timelines – The present day and a flashback to Covey’s younger years. In the present day, two siblings are mourning the death of their mother, who has surprisingly left behind recordings recounting her entire life story and the secrets buried within them.

We then see a flashback to Covey’s upbringing in the West Indies and the revelation that Covey is a mixed-race child of a black and Asian couple. Covey’s mother is not around and thus she is raised by a strict father, who is struggling with a conflict with a local gang who want debt collected from him. However, the gang leader offers Covey’s father a deal: to have the debt cleared in exchange for Covey to marry him despite having romantic suitors from other boys. Covey reluctantly agrees and marries him with most of the village present.

However, the reception turns sour as the groom collapses and dies mysteriously. Covey then flees the wedding, swimming out into the ocean, and being presumed missing and dead by the authorities. Covey is assisted by her best friend Bunny to get her to London. From there, Covey adopts a new name and life in London in the swinging sixties.

This is a strong debut for the series, with the time period and exotic location really alluring and gorgeous to watch as a set up to the start of the story. You have fantastic acting talent on display with a special shoutout to Mia Isaac as a young Covey who delivers a terrific opening performance. It’s a promising fun story that will be wonderful to watch unfold.

RATING: 89% - A-





Connor Macgregor Reviews...Black Cake

Episode 2 - Coventina

INTRO: Covey continues to venture out into the unknown as she meets new people, experience tension in a new world and grapples with loneliness and opportunity in 60s London.

SUMMARY: Byron and Benny struggle to process the revelations learned in Eleanor's first recording, which leads to the question of whether their mother's confessions will help them reconnect or leave them more lost than ever.

REVIEW: Byron and Benny reel from the first recording and the amount of information taken in. But all that is interrupted when Byron races to a major job interview late at night. A major executive role, which he doesn’t get and comes back chestfallen. Whilst gone, Benny bonds with the lawyer in possession with the recordings, learning more about his relationship with their mother. Byron then returns for the second recording. We learn more about Covey living in London, struggling to find her place within the major city. She bonds with her roommate and manages to get a job as a nanny to rich kids. Whilst there, she tries to introduce home cooking into the house, but it’s instantly rejected by the kids leaving her heartbroken. Following that job, she decides to follow her friend up north to Scotland. However, in a heartbreaking turn of events, the train taking them to Scotland crashes and leaves Covey’s friend dead. In a panic, Covey trades identities with the other lady and thus everyone on the island back home think she is definitely dead, therefore giving Covey the freedom to live her life her way and direction.

This is a good follow up episode with the story going in really intriguing directions as well as consistently strong performances from both Benny & Byron, as well as young Covey who goes through the ringer this episode. I’m still enjoying this and remain very much engaged in this intriguing story.


RATING: 86% - A-





Connor Macgregor Reviews...Black Cake

Episode 3 - Eleanor

INTRO: We follow Covey now through to Edinburgh where she goes through more upheaval and struggles in her chaotic and dramatic life, one that leaves her with trauma and a secret desperate to be kept buried.

REVIEW: Because of the previous episode’s events, we now see Covey take on the identity of Eleanor and vows to make an attempt to start a good life in Edinburgh, away from the hustle and potential danger of multicultural London. Yet she keeps receiving constant knock backs at getting a good stable job in the city before finally securing one as a clerk at a bank. She initially meets hostility from the other girls yet the boss takes pity on her, building a strong trust between the two. This allows Covey to reveal her lies and build on their supposed friendship, even inviting Covey over to dinner to meet her wife. However, it goes all sinister when Covey is cornered and raped by her boss in a shocking twist. To add further disdain, one of the other girls reveals that she was a former victim herself. This is enough for Covey to return home to London to face his demons, but instead finds an old flame from a home a long way away, leaving the episode on a good cliffhanger.

It's another good episode with an excellent story unfolding with this episode and an exciting mystery unfolding and developing slowly but surely. I’m intrigued to keep watching for further development.

RATING: 87% - A-





Connor Macgregor Reviews...Black Cake

Episode Four - Mrs Bennett

INTRO: Covey gets a chance to start a new life, but only if she makes a huge sacrifice. In present day, Byron must recognize the inequalities he faces at work and Benny reveals the reason she's been estranged from her family for eight years.

REVIEW: Resuming from the previous episode, Covey & Gibbs reunite in London amidst turbulent and changing times. Yet they make the decision to leave London after being recognised from eyes with sources back home. They opt to go to America, eventually marrying and having two children and thus settling down to married live. Out of that, Byron & Benny begin establishing their own lives and directions. Benny often believes to be a disappointment in her parents eyes due to her life and career choices. This results in a falling out at Thanksgiving dinner, in which Benny isolates herself from the rest of the family, and begins a romance with Steve whose persona develops into a controlling and abusive individual towards Benny. Benny’s self confidence erodes over time, but she eventually breaks free. She shares her situation with Byron who consoles her. We see a flashback of Gibbs’s eventual death which is a sombre and sad scene. The twist at the end of the episode reveals a third sibling that Covey had following her rape. I found this episode to be excellent to watch unravel, following multiple stories and insights. I found Benny’s story to be fascinating as it finally presents her as a character to be troubled and anxious rather than selfish. It’s an excellent performance all around and adds to the depth of the story.

RATING: 83% - A-





Connor Macgregor Reviews...Black Cake

Episode 5 - Mother

INTRO: Byron and Benny must each face demons from their past - and their mother's.

REVIEW: The revelation of another sister throws this story into a new direction now with a third sibling embroiled in this ever-growing mystery. On the surface, this woman is seemingly white with a very privileged upbringing in London. Yet when Charles Mitch calls her and reveals her adoptive truth, it sends her reeling. A tense conversation with her parents reveals her true origins. It’s a betrayal to her but it none the less spurns her to seek out the truth.
Benny is reeling also from the discovery of a new sister, yet is also trying to navigate her complicated feelings for Steve, her toxic ex-boyfriend whose still floating around her aura. This all leads to a collision between Steve and Byron, a fight that leads to the cops arriving and a cliffhanger ending that is actually quite thrilling and scary in many ways.
Yet the episode is overall weaker than others. The dialogue isn’t as punchy and strong, almost a sliding scale in many ways. The British scenes in particular feel quite cliché and stereotypical, a fancy look at British life if anything. Benny still remains my favourite character out of the cast as her situation is very relatable but dramatic.


RATING: 80% - B+