Tag Archives: Sarah Paulson

Drama, No Spoiler Reviews

ALL’S FAIR (2025): The Thing I Liked…

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All's Fair (2025), Niecy Nash, Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Hulu
All’s Fair (2025), Niecy Nash, Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Hulu

All’s Fair, Ryan Murphy’s latest legal drama, starring Sarah Paulson, Kim Kardashian, Niecy Nash, Naomi Watts, Glenn Close and Teyana Taylor, is not very good.

Considering the number of reputable actors involved, one would expect a series about a successful divorce lawyer and her all-female firm to be of a certain quality. What we get instead is the epitome of style, particularly in reference to fashion and production design, over substance. But not in a way that makes you rationalise and think: ‘Hey, not every series has to be of the highest depth and quality’. Instead, you’re left wondering how so many skilled performers agreed to be in this.  

All’s Fair is something one may continue to watch begrudgingly, with a sense of disappointment, because it’s more like a fantastical soap with melodramatic elements, as opposed to a series to be taken seriously and appreciated greatly.

The first 3 episodes were more than enough for anyone to reach the above conclusions. Yet, what happens in episode four only cements everything that the most hopeful had feared. In that, All’s Fair is sadly, as bad as many have said. The kind of show you tune into, mainly for the aforementioned style elements.

So, steer clear, unless you’re especially curious and don’t mind cringing and letting the below thought enter your mind as you watch: ‘Oh, wow. A bad script and prioritisation of style over all else really can make a top-tier actor seem far less skilled.’

Happy Film Loving,

G

Drama, No Spoiler Reviews

THE GOLDFINCH (2019): The Things I Liked…

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The Goldfinch (2019), Ansel Elgort, Warner Bros. Pictures
The Goldfinch (2019), Ansel Elgort, Warner Bros. Pictures

The Goldfinch is a movie for which I had high hopes post trailer viewing. The primary reason is the reliable cast and intriguing themes. 

Starring Ansel Elgort, Luke Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Finn Wolfhard and Sarah Paulson; director John Crowley’s film is based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Donna Tartt. A story that follows Theodore Decker, a young boy who loses his mother in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. An event that leads to him being taken in by a wealthy Upper East Side, New York family. And from there we get to see the highs and lows of young Theodore’s life as he grows up.

‘Not particularly’ is unfortunately the answer to the question of whether I enjoyed watching The Goldfinch. The only sort of good news is that I didn’t hate the performances. Yet, I can’t deny that the movie left me disappointed. 

The Goldfinch (2019), Sarah Paulson, Warner Bros. Pictures
The Goldfinch (2019), Sarah Paulson, Warner Bros. Pictures

Part of the problem is the two-and-a-half hour-long runtime which felt excessive. Second, young Oakes Fegley is a talented performer. However, it proved distracting to me, how little he resembled Ansel Elgort, especially since he’s supposed to play the younger version of Elgort’s character. 

The Goldfinch isn’t focused on grief the way I expected. Yet, I’m not mad at that. My issue is that whatever the film had to say, it could have been better executed, story-wise and structurally. The lack of satisfaction and the emptiness I felt during much of, and by the end of the movie, took me back to that feeling of leaving a dinner party you’d been looking forward to with a largely empty stomach. 

Okay, there were one or two highlights, Young Decker’s relationship with Jeffrey Wright’s character and the tiny little crush I may have had on Aneurin Barnard’s character. Overall, I’m sure it’s unsurprising that I’m having trouble thinking of reasons to suggest you give The Goldfinch a chance. However, Tartt’s book is a Pulitzer Prize winner. So, maybe read it if you haven’t already. 

Happy Film Loving,

G

Crime, Drama, Mystery, No Spoiler Reviews

RATCHED (2020): The Things I Liked…

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Ratched (2020), Sarah Paulson, Netflix
Ratched (2020), Sarah Paulson, Netflix

Is Ratched, Ryan Murphy’s latest crime/drama/mystery starring Sarah Paulson, Finn Wittrock and Sharon Stone good? I wouldn’t say no. Is it also well-acted, features some great dialogue and is visually pleasing because of the colour-rich cinematography and costume design? Yes. So, with all that said, why did I find it to be a tad taxing to watch this eight-episode mini-series through to the very end?

It certainly didn’t help that the show annoyed me almost immediately. All thanks to the overly dramatic music which persisted throughout episode one. I found no need for the music to be as loud and constant as it was. Luckily, the episodes that followed aren’t as overtaken by the music.

Ratched, the story of Mildred Ratched, a nurse at a mental institution who becomes jaded, bitter and monstrous to her patients, opens quite well with some dark happenings. Besides Paulson’s performance and the great dialogue, we get to enjoy additional key highlights such as Finn Wittrock’s turn as the definitely disturbed Edmund Tolleson.

Ratched (2020), Sharon Stone, Netflix
Ratched (2020), Sharon Stone, Netflix

The whole cast performs very well but it’s Wittrock, Paulson and Sophie Okonedo’s performances that stood out most for me. The latter, particularly in the very last episode. Episodes two to eight contain some twists, turns and more monstrous happenings; some of which you may or may not see coming.

The main reason I’m not overly enthused by Ratched is that the series is the kind that features plenty of scheming, secrets and lies. The kind of scheming, secrets and lies that took me back to the likes of Desperate Housewives, a show I enjoyed, mind you. Yet, with Ratched, even though the setting is different, I think I may have fully exhausted my enthusiasm for such stories. That is, unless there’s something delightfully different and or the story doesn’t feel rushed, which Ratched does, in parts.

In the end, the only reason I stuck with Ratched is to find out how it would end. I think the story will be a lot more impressive to you if you haven’t seen much else like it before. As for the ending, I didn’t love it because I wanted a far cleaner conclusion; one with some finality to it. Still, I say give Ratched a chance if you’re curious. There are certainly some highlights to enjoy, even though most of the characters, especially Ratched, are not so easily likeable.

Happy Film Loving,

G

Crime, Drama, Mystery

RATCHED (2020): New Trailer From Sarah Paulson, Sharon Stone, Cynthia Nixon, Sophie Okonedo…

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Ratched (2020), Sarah Paulson, Netflix
Ratched (2020), Sarah Paulson, Netflix

Read my spoiler-free movie review of Ratched (2020).

From creators Evan Romansky and Ryan Murphy; new Netflix series Ratched stars Sarah Paulson as nurse Mildred Ratched. at a mental institution who becomes jaded, bitter and a downright monster to her patients.

Cynthia Nixon, Sharon Stone, Sophie Okonedo and Nathan George are among the key cast.

This may just be my favourite trailer of 2020 so far. I love the music, the visuals, and most importantly the dialogue. The kind of words that I imagine must have been incredibly fun for Paulson to deliver.

In fact, I was so busy enjoying nurse Ratched’s words as this beautiful trailer played that I forgot Ratched is the infamous and thoroughly monstrous character from Jack Nicholson’s Oscar winning 1975 classic drama, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, a movie I need to rewatch.

I’ll still enjoy all of Ratched’s dialogue as it’s perfectly delivered by Paulson, of course. Even though I may not be able to root for her completely, as she goes about wreaking havoc. One thing’s for sure, I’m on Ratched’s side about the peach-stealing incident. That woman/non-lady needs to learn! (I’m half kidding).

Ratched Release Dates: September 18th, 2020 (US & UK)…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Drama, TV

MRS. AMERICA (2020): New Trailer From Cate Blanchett, Uzo Aduba, Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Paulson…

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Mrs. America (2020), Kate Blanchett, Hulu
Mrs. America (2020), Kate Blanchett, Hulu

New drama Mrs. America has Cate Blanchett playing Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly. Schlafly becomes the leader of an unexpected fight against the Equal Rights Amendment movement in the 1970s.

Uzo Aduba, Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Paulson and Rose Byrne are among the key cast.

I’d been wondering about where one of my favourite actors had gone. Turns out Blanchett was busy working on a very promising new drama I simply can’t wait to see.

Knowing how far we’ve come with the fight for equal rights, I’m looking forward to seeing Schlafly’s journey unfold. I’d also like to find out to what extent she remained adamant that the Equal Rights Amendment was a bad idea.

Kayli Carter, Jay Ellis, Ari Graynor, Melanie Lynskey, James Marsden, Margo Martindale, Niecy Nash, John Slattery and Jeanne Tripplehorn also star.

Mrs. America Release Dates: April 15th, 2020 (US) / Hulu…

Happy Film Loving,

G