Thinking about this movie is really unexpected that after so many years this actress decided to return and give her an opportunity again in Hollywood, I´m talking about Pamela Anderson, she is in the new movie The Last Showgirl, she plays Shelly a 57 year old showgirl that has been doing the same act in Vegas for over 38 years but suddenly it is cancelled since that moment she must figure out what the hell she is going to do with her life. What really got me hooked though was how the movie doesnt try to make Vegas look all glamorous and exciting like most movies do, instead it shows you the backstage chaos and the day to day grind of people who are basically just trying to survive, which feels way more real than all that glittery bullshit we usually see. A move directed by Gia Coppola, as soon as you see that last name you start to judge right away because his grandfather is not more than Francis Ford Coppola a legend in Hollywood so knowing you expect more than a decent movie.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31193791/
• Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Rottentomatoes Rating

Remembering her days on Baywatch Pamela Anderson probably didn´t demonstrate her acting capacity because back in the ´90 she was more a sex symbol now with her new role she wants to show that she can performed more deepest characters. Shelly is presented as weird mix of being vulnerable but also stubborn as hell, a person who refuse give up in life even though all those years of disappointment she carries, at the same time you can see a more motherhood side when she is taking care of other dancers show us that she care about others. In addition to this story a new person is shown Jamie Lee Curtis playing the role of Shelly best friend Annette both of them are going to continue fighting and hang on onto whatever dignity they have left. Jamie Lee Curtis as usual embrace her role giving perfect mix of bitterness and humor to a character who could have easily been just another sad aging performer and completing the triplet is David Bautista who plays Eddie the stage manager bringing this quiet strength to the role, also theres a story between him and Shelly that the movie reveals slowly, every single character is in place including the supporting cast which are Kiernan Shipka and Brenda Song who plays the younger dancers both did a good job showing how they look up to Shelly even when she is struggling with her own demons.

This is the moment when we must concentrate in talk about the resurgence of Pamela Anderson career, being honest she as an actress that doesn´t has a long acting history, she is remember for few things like the Baywatch T.V. series and an infamous sex tape, I really didn´t know about it existence I only knew about the Kim Kardashian sex tape now about this one too but let focus, returning to the main topic that is Pamela Anderson as an actress, she really brought something special to this role that surprised the hell out of me. In the movie she is now a 57 year old woman remembering her first audition where she felt nervous and totally out of her comfort zone after that flashback she bring us back to the present where we can see that she actually has been doing the same for almost four decades since the 80s she has always been part of the Razzle Dazzle we can confirmed that at the moment we saw the promotional posters of those first year as performer knowing that it has been her life for 40 years if weird to tell how you can feel about it can be impressive or depressing is something to think about it, as Shelly she continue showing us her life but now at the backstage, it is full of energy and chaos during the show everyone scrambling around changing costumes between number, the good part of all this chaos is that the young dancers feels comfortable with Shelly, she has become a very important part of their life like a mother figure in special for Jodie whos dealing with family shit, knowing that probably Shelly is dealing with her personal demons she is willing to be a guidance for the people who surround her and not only be tag as an aging performer.

I do believe that a good way a movie can reflect a real aspect in a story is creating that essence that can touch your soul and the way of doing it is showing us real personal relationships this movie show us the relationship between all those women has how they support each other in a industry that basically treats them as disposable but also can show us how that same industry can affect, manipulate and destroy a relation between a daughter and a mother, Billy Lourd is Shelly´s distanced daughter Hannah their scenes together are some of the most emotionally powerful in the whole movie, you can see how Shellys dedication to her career has cost her the relationship with her own daughter creating this tension between following your dreams and being a responsible parent, this kind of situation is what many families faces just thinking that with a better job can provide a better life to their children but unfortunately for Shelly wasn´t the case, being parent will never be easy also being an aging actress and that is reflected in a very difficult scene which is the audition scene feature Jason Schwartzman as this casting director who basically tells Shelly that she is too old not talented enough for what he is looking for and that her time has passed, dam that was brutal and realistic, the way that this casting director spit all those words to Shelly felt diabolic because it shows how the entertainment industry treats aging women, especially those whose careers have been based on their looks, even though that unfortunately moment that Shelly lived, I can tell you that the a scene with Jamie Lee Curtis is an slap in the face for those who think that age is a problem, this actress is incredible in her role as Annette, she gets up and dances by herself in the middle of a casino making that scene both heartbreaking and beautiful, it show someone who still has passion for performing even though the world has written her off giving a look to a woman that still can fight and defiance to the moment.

I didn´t think this will be a movie that can impress me but I always believe that we must give a chance to movies that probably will never be our first option to watch The Last Showgirl only call the attention of the people for the actress Pamela Anderson and that´s the truth why? For the same reason that I watched, I need to know that despite all this years she has something to good to show us as an audience and let me tell you she did it, more that than the movie is good, the way that Vegas was shown without fall into all the usual cliches about the excess, the glamour, the sex, gambling you know all those things when you hear Vegas, also the way time is passing showing how Shelly started as a main show in the Razzle Dazzle and the audience is waiting for her with expectation but then the present hit you with a totally different reality theres almost now audience waiting for her even though that situation in backstage the performers and her are rushing to get ready a give best of them that night but everything get to end when the Razzle Dazzle is bought and close in this point of the movie Shelly knows she stock in a world that doesn´t belong to her anymore, that she doesn´t know anything else but being a performer, her desperation at that point is real working hard to not fall apart as everything does around her. Pamela Anderson proves that she was not only the old sexy woman that many people watched back in the days in Baywatch, she really gave more as an actress in this role as Shelly doing a good job and working with a good supporting cast that backup her making her shine in this movie. Despite all the thoughts Pamela Anderson movie, yes Im going to call it in that way because I do believe that´s the way many people will call it, is a good movie showing the struggle many actors and actress passed through at the moment they reach certain age and not only they because in real life many people pass for the same thing every single day, that´s why I got something in my mind, the way Shelly work in the same place doing the same thing for more than 40 years and at the end she only received a ¨thank you for your services¨, that happen to many people so is good to stay working for so many years in the same place or is better to move, grow as an person, learn different things and no only get stock in one place in one thing in one job, probably many people will say well is better move but sometimes for other is not so easy for that reason this is a good story force you think in the future when we all are going to arrive in one point of our live. At the end this movie doesn´t confirm if will work perfectly for Shelly but at least show us that she learn about herself who she is and that she can continue with her life with out her costumes and a stage, not a revolutionary movie but a good enough one time watch a 6.5/10 is fine.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #pamela, #anderson, #showgirl, #vegas, #aging, #performance, #casino, #dancers, #entertainment, #comeback, #family, #daughter, #friendship, #survival, #dignity, #audition, #backstage, #costume, #makeup, #dreams, #disappointment, #reinvention, #industry, #vulnerable, #realistic

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I just stumbled on one of those beautiful edits from The Summer I Turned Pretty and finally decided to make this post. My TikTok FYP has been going crazy with the whole “Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah” debate, and it’s been so fun going through them. The edits, comments, banter, observations, and all the different takes people have about the show. Honestly, I would have sworn the Movie and TV Shows community on Hive would also be filled with creators’ posts about this show, The Summer I Turned Pretty. Shockingly, I got here and haven’t seen a single post about it, even after my endless scrolling. This almost made me chicken out of making this post, because the big question is “WHO ELSE IS FOLLOWING THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY OVER HERE?!” But I decided to post anyway. I want to have faith that there are TSITP fans here too.

^{[Source](https://www.instagram.com/p/DIyxdNhvA01/?igsh=anhuc3kyMnBlcDB5)}

This isn’t exactly a movie review by the way. It’s more like me sharing my thoughts about the show and telling you which team I’m on (with my reasons, of course). I honestly hope someone argues with me so we can start a whole conversation and banter, lol! Guys, the tension is a whole lot, it’s literally torture to wait a whole week for new episodes of a show that ends with crazy cliffhangers every time. As much as I like following shows so I can relate to posts on social media, the tension that comes with it is a lot too. I remember how pained I was when I finished Game of Thrones about two years ago and had no one to rant to or share my feelings with. I couldn’t even find recent posts about it. I just had to stay in my room and process the whole thing by myself, which was torture too. Honestly, I don’t even know where I stand; it’s torture either way.

Anyways, who else is TEAM CONRAD over here? YES, I am a hundred percent Team Conrad and have been since the very beginning. I don’t understand why people misunderstand his character so much or the things he was going through when he was with Belly. Obviously, he didn’t handle his depression well, but really, I don’t think it’s fair to tell people how to process hurt. I just wish he had communicated better and stopped being so scared of messing things up, because that’s exactly what happened eventually. His character is very complex, he battles with anxiety, panic attacks and so much more, it's crazy.

^{[source](https://www.instagram.com/p/DNXD39mxPpy/?img_index=2&igsh=MWR6YWN3OWM1a25hYQ==)}

I’ve never been on Team Jeremiah because of certain things that happened in season one. The most annoying was when he shot that firework to distract Belly and Conrad from having their very first kiss. The anger and jealousy in his eyes was so questionable. And then, seeing how bubbly Conrad was the next morning, Jeremiah still went ahead to confess his love to Belly. Who does that?! He created that unnecessary triangle that’s stressing us all till now. And after Belly went back to Conrad after their talk, Jeremiah got crazily mad. He literally started seeing Belly as a potential love interest when he sensed there was something between her and Conrad. Like he just wanted to compete with him or something, since people always made him feel Conrad was better than him. I could go on and on, for real.

^{[Source](https://www.instagram.com/p/DMwOECsvWGd/?igsh=MWlpb3JjMXo5NWY4eg==)}

Even with Jeremiah cheating in this new season and how annoying his character has been, I still don’t understand the hate people give to him. They even extend the hate from his character to him as a person—that’s so low! I don’t get how people can’t separate an actor from their role. Some were even mocking his eyes. His eyes? those eyes are so damn beautiful, duhh! Jeremiah is gorgeous, he’s such a fine person. I just judged way beyond looks before choosing a team. Jeremiah’s character is weak, insecure, and manipulative, but also complex and deserving of grace sometimes. For instance, his dad is usually way too hard on him, and he constantly feels the need to prove himself.

Let’s talk about Belly for a minute before I end this, because I could go on and on, lol. Belly babies Jeremiah way too much and compromises so much in that relationship. Just so he doesn’t get mad or start crashing out, she literally suppresses her own happiness for his sake. She wouldn’t take half of those things if she were with Conrad. With him, she finds it natural to say her mind, even if it comes out harsh sometimes. She could easily forgive Jeremiah for cheating, but couldn’t forgive Conrad for being depressed and withdrawn while his mom was dying. GREAT! Belly needs to be brutally honest with herself, and we all know that if she ever gets to that point, she’ll definitely go for Conrad.

^source

Aside from all of this, I hate storylines like this! It’s so messed up, because why make one person be between two brothers? It’s not even just between them, there are too many back-and-forths, and it’s like they don’t realize how messed up it is. I can’t even imagine that happening in real life—it’s so cringy. Jeremiah would have been the best best-friend material for Belly, while Belly and Conrad remain the soulmates that they already are. But for the sake of drama, where’s the fun in that? lol. So, we wait to see how it all pans out.

The whole wedding situation is also hilarious—Jeremiah doesn’t even know what’s next, he just wants to win so badly. Like Belly is a trophy or something, okay! As much as I want Belly and Conrad to end up together, I don’t even know what that would look like. Her shuffling between brothers is just weird. Still, I look forward to whatever Jenny Han is cooking—it better be good. I cannot handle being heartbroken at the end of this show. I’ll come here to crash out.

On this whole “TEAM CONRAD OR TEAM JEREMIAH” debate, it’s literally everywhere—even the football team Juventus posted about it on TikTok! And guess what? THEY ARE TEAM CONRAD, YAYYYYYY! NBL(National Basketball League) also posted as well and they are team Conrad.

Source	Source

I honestly didn’t think this post would be this long, but if you read to this point, you’re a gem!

Thanks for reading❤️

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Hi guys, how are you all? Hope you are very well. Friends, we who like to watch movies, or those who like action movies, we definitely know some heroes in the world. Not only do we say, but all over the world who have a little idea about movies know them very well. When I used to watch action movies from my childhood, I first understood what we mean by action by watching their movies.

Hand-fight movies or those heroes who are good at hand-fighting are always at the top of the list of favorites, not just me, who likes action movies. For example, among the world's best heroes in hand fighting or kung fu karate, the best hero is Bruce Lee, Jackie Chang, or Jat li. I grew up watching their movies as a child.

Jat li acting or the movies he acts in are great action movies, I think every one of his movies is amazing, so this movie will have some great action, it's only natural. Every type of action scene in this movie, I mean, those who love action, this movie will be a different kind of thrill. I can't say whether I watched the movie or not, but whenever I remember, I watch this movie because the action scenes in this movie are amazing to me. and one of the best action movies

Hola mi gente espero esten todos muy bien, un gran abrazo para todos ustedes, y un feliz inicio de semana, el dia de hoy la ediciòn trata sobre la telenovela, "LA MUJER PROHIBIDA". Discfruten este articulo.

La mujer prohibida es una telenovela venezolana producida por Venevisión, cuyo estreno fue en 1972, transmitiéndose hasta marzo de 1973 en el horario de las 9:00 p.m. Este espacio estelar surgió gracias al éxito de la industria del melodrama, con la novela inaugurando ese horario con gran impacto en la audiencia.

-Título: La mujer prohibida. -Canal: Venevisión. -Emisión original: Del 18 de junio de 1972 al 31 de marzo de 1973. -Creador / Guion: Manuel Muñoz Rico (creador) y José Piñera. -Dirección: José Antonio Ferrara. -Tema musical: Háblame suavemente interpretado por Rudy Márquez. -Protagonistas: Ada Riera (como Virginia Galván), Martín Lantigua (Marcos Villena), Humberto García (Cristian Villena) -Antagonista: Amelia Román interpretando a “La Waica”. -Elenco adicional destacado: Gioia Lombardini, Luis Abreu, Haydée Balza, Jesús Maella, y otros.

La historia se desarrolla en San Pedro del Orinoco, una zona rural venezolana. Virginia Galván, joven muda desde niña tras presenciar la muerte de su madre en un incendio, es llamada urgentemente por su padre para regresar a casa. Allí, lo compromete con Marcos Villena a quien debe dinero. Virginia acepta para salvar a su padre. En la hacienda, sufre el rechazo de La Waica, la amante india y rival celosa. Además, conoce al hijo de Marcos, Cristian, con quien surge un conflicto amoroso imposible, dado que ella está comprometida con el padre. A medida que avanza la trama, la rivalidad, los secretos familiares y la lucha por el amor imposible dan paso a giros dramáticos intensos.

La mujer prohibida revolucionó el horario nocturno de Venevisión, marcó tendencia por explorar psiques humanas profundas y dejar atrás el melodrama tradicional “rosa”.

Ada Riera consolidó su primer gran protagonismo televisivo con Virginia, mientras Martín Lantigua encarnó al complejo Marcos. Humberto García interpretó inicialmente al galán Cristian, aunque luego su personaje se transformó a raíz de una controversia pública (posó desnudo), lo que llevó al guion a convertirlo en antagonista . El impacto fue notable y provocó incluso una secuela: La Loba (1973), continuando la narrativa con el mismo nivel de éxito.

La mujer prohibida (1972–1973) es un verdadero referente de la telenovela venezolana clásica. Su narrativa madura, su elenco dramático y su potente impacto cultural la convierten en una pieza fundamental en la historia del melodrama nacional. Inauguró un nuevo horario estelar para el género y sentó las bases para producciones más audaces en contenido y forma.

Bueno mi gente espero que sea de su agrado esta ediciòn y nos vemos en el siguiente articulo.

Your Place or Mine is a romantic comedy that can fully live up to ones expectations (it was more than fine for me) - especially with Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon as the protagonists.

Even though I had not watched a recent movie of them, I knew that with these two leading the story, it would probably be a charming and entertaining film.

The story:

Two long-distance best friends change each other's lives when she decides to pursue a lifelong dream and he volunteers to keep an eye on her teenage son.

What really surprised me today when I checked imdb, is the 5.7/10 rating. I would definitely put it a bit above 6 and I admit that I enjoyed this movie, even found many funny points that made me smile.

The chemistry between the characters feels natural and engaging, making the story flow smoothly. The film manages to avoid keep the viewers' attention, as the interest is almost ongoing without many dull or slow moments. Just when you think you know where the story is heading, some cool plot twists appear to keep you invested until the very end.

Overall, Your Place or Mine is a feel-good watch that delivers exactly what you’d hope for from a romantic comedy, led by two beloved actors.

I would describe it as funny, warm, and very pleasant to watch.

I would suggest is a great pick for anyone looking to enjoy a sweet story with a few surprises along the way.

Extra: You can watch some nice spots of New York too :) and also if you liked Grays Anatomy, there is another surprise waiting for you!

Also, just a trivial question .. do you believe in true friendship between women-men?

Thanks for taking the time to visit :)

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Hello blog friends, how are you? Here I am again with a review of one of Shonda Rhimes's series I loved most: Bridgerton, a historical drama based on Julia Quinn's novels. It's romantic, delightful, a sort of Pride and Prejudice with a more modern and worldly twist. The undisputed protagonist of this latest season is the incredibly cute Penelope Featherington, who continues to hide her identity as a beloved and hated gossip writer. Despite her difficult life in the second season, Penelope blossoms in the third season, showcasing all her courage and beauty. Her goal? To finally find a good husband. Penelope changes her wardrobe and attitude, becoming bolder and stronger, revealing herself in all her uniqueness. This season, Penelope's family returns to the forefront, as do other families like Francesca Bridgerton, who is also looking for a husband to match her sweet, slavish nature, and then there's Colin. Colin Bridgerton, Penelope's best childhood friend, returned from his travels in Europe, from a boy he has become a man of the world with a few vices and a somewhat bohemian life.

Hola amigos del blog, ¿qué tal? Aquí estoy de nuevo con la reseña de una de las series de Shonda Rhimes que más me gustó: Bridgerton, un drama histórico basado en las novelas de Julia Quinn. Es romántico, encantador, una especie de Orgullo y Prejuicio con un toque más moderno y cosmopolita. La protagonista indiscutible de esta última temporada es la increíblemente adorable Penélope Featherington, quien sigue ocultando su identidad como escritora de chismes, amada y odiada a la vez. A pesar de su difícil vida en la segunda temporada, Penélope florece en la tercera, mostrando todo su coraje y belleza. ¿Su objetivo? Encontrar por fin un buen marido. Penélope cambia de vestuario y actitud, volviéndose más audaz y fuerte, revelándose en toda su singularidad. Esta temporada, la familia de Penélope vuelve a cobrar protagonismo, al igual que otras familias como la de Francesca Bridgerton, quien también busca un marido a la altura de su dulce y servil naturaleza, y luego está Colin. Colin Bridgerton, el mejor amigo de la infancia de Penélope, regresa de sus viajes por Europa y, de niño, se ha convertido en un hombre de mundo con algunos vicios y una vida un tanto bohemia.

But Colin isn't just a young hedonist and traveler; he's also a kindhearted man who wants to help his friend Penelope find a husband. She's always harbored feelings for him, and he begins to develop feelings for her, and friendship quickly turns into passion. It was a beautiful season, criticized by some precisely because of its protagonist, who isn't one of the usual skinny, emaciated actresses.

Penelope is a curvy woman finally removed from the usual roles of the nice but sexually unappealing curvy friend. Penelope is a character who exudes and creates great sensuality, overturning and destroying the usual clichés about curvy people, becoming the undisputed star of the season: beautiful, intelligent, and sensual. Some called the actress brave for appearing half-naked, and she responded in kind, saying it wasn't courage; it was simply loving and accepting one's body, because even a body that goes beyond the standards of beauty that demand everyone be thin is a beautiful and sensual body. A season that I really liked, much more than the second season, if you haven't seen it yet, make up for it and you will really appreciate Penelope's character!

Pero Colin no es solo un joven hedonista y viajero; también es un hombre bondadoso que quiere ayudar a su amiga Penélope a encontrar marido. Ella siempre ha sentido algo por él, y él empieza a sentir lo mismo por ella, y la amistad rápidamente se transforma en pasión. Fue una temporada hermosa, criticada por algunos precisamente por su protagonista, que no es una de las típicas actrices delgadas y demacradas. Penélope es una mujer con curvas, finalmente apartada de los roles habituales de la amiga con curvas, simpática pero sexualmente poco atractiva.

Penélope es un personaje que derrocha y crea una gran sensualidad, rompiendo con los clichés habituales sobre las personas con curvas, convirtiéndose en la estrella indiscutible de la temporada: bella, inteligente y sensual. Algunos la calificaron de valiente por aparecer semidesnuda, y ella respondió con la misma moneda, diciendo que no era valentía; era simplemente amar y aceptar el propio cuerpo, porque incluso un cuerpo que va más allá de los cánones de belleza que exigen que todos sean delgados es un cuerpo bello y sensual. Una temporada que me gustó mucho, mucho más que la segunda temporada, si aún no la habéis visto compensadlo y apreciaréis mucho el personaje de Penélope!

First picture edited by canva, translation with deepl.

Pictures source ❤️

https://www.reddit.com/r/BridgertonNetflix/comments/1c58qma/season_3_stillscontent_megathread/

Bonjour les cinéphiles,

Cette série américaine, composée de 8 épisodes, est disponible sur Netflix depuis le 20 mars 2025.

Elle se classe dans la catégorie drame policier et est inspirée du livre "The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House", écrit par Kate Andersen Brower.

Cette série est produite par Shondaland (Shonda Rhimes), qui a également produit Inventing Anna dont je vous ai parlé récemment, mais aussi La Chronique des Bridgerton, Scandal, Private Practice, etc.

Source Affiche de la série

Synopsis :

L'histoire se déroule dans les coulisses de la Maison-Blanche, car, ici, le Président des Etats-Unis et sa famille sont des personnages secondaires. Ce soir, un dîner d'Etat a lieu avec une délégation australienne et quelques personnalités du showbiz, telles que Hugh Jackman et Kylie Minogue (Kylie Minogue).

Le personnel est en ébullition, les avis divergent, même quand les invités sont en train de s'installer à table et qu'on leur demande de changer de place en dernière minute, parce que le plan de table vient de changer à l'instant.

A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), huissier en chef de la Maison-Blanche, est appelé au 3e étage, par le frère du Président, Tripp Morgan (Jason Lee). Peu de temps après, A.B. Wynter est retrouvé, au 3e étage, dans la salle de jeux, allongé au sol, à côté du billard, mort.

La détective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), réputée pour résoudre les enquêtes insolubles, est appelée pour faire la lumière sur cette affaire, tout en perturbant le moins possible le dîner d'Etat.

Mon avis et petites infos :

J'ai beaucoup aimé. C'est rondement mené. Certes, il faut suivre, car tout détail pourrait s'avérer crucial pour la résolution de l'enquête.

Si vous aimez le style Agatha Christie et les films/séries inspirées de ce style, tels que "A couteaux tirés" ou "Glass Onion", vous allez bien apprécier cette série également.

Pour ce qui est du casting, aux acteurs précités, je peux ajouter : Randall Park (Edwin Park, agent du FBI) vu dans Aquaman dont je vous ai parlé tout récemment, Ken Marino (Harry Hollinger, conseiller en chef du Président), Julian MacMahon (Stephen Roos, premier Ministre d'Australie), etc.

Les 4 premiers épisodes de la série ont été tournés en 2022, avec André Braugher dans le rôle du huissier en chef. Le tournage a été interrompu par les soucis à Hollywood (grève des scénaristes, notamment) en 2023. Le 11 décembre 2023, André Braugher est décédé. En février 2024, la production de la série a repris avec Giancarlo Esposito dans le rôle du huissier en chef. André Braugher n'apparaît pas du tout dans la série, toutes ses apparitions ont été remplacées.

Je vous conseille vivement cette série, pleine de rebondissements et de surprises.

L'avez-vous vue, l'avez-vous appréciée ?

A bientôt, bonnes soirées-tv à tous,

Florence

Source photo : image Qwant autorisée

Proud member of the Principality of Bastion

Welcome aboard

Good literature rarely translates successfully into film. This challenge becomes even more pronounced within Croatian cinema. Such failures may stem from issues specific to the Croatian film industry or societal context, or from nuances lost in the transition from page to screen – no unintended wordplay implied. A prime example is Ivan Salaj’s 2018 film The Eighth Commissioner.

The film adapts Renato Baretić’s eponymous 2003 novel, widely celebrated as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, works of 21st-century Croatian literature. Its protagonist, Siniša Mesjak (played by Frano Mašković), is a young, ambitious, and successful politician being groomed as Zagreb’s next mayor. His career implodes after he is caught in a sordid sex and drugs scandal, prompting the Prime Minister (Stojan Matavulj) to dispatch him as far from the spotlight as possible. His destination is Trećić, an isolated Adriatic island whose inhabitants have failed to establish a local government in accordance with Croatian law. Mesjak is appointed commissioner to administer local affairs and organise the first elections. Even before arriving, he senses something amiss: seven predecessors have already failed in this task. The island lacks mobile signal and internet connectivity, while the locals speak an incomprehensible dialect. Mesjak finds crucial assistance in Tonino Smeraldić (Borko Perić), a kind-hearted epileptic youth who acts as his translator, guide, and assistant. Gradually, the commissioner uncovers the island’s secrets, wins the islanders’ trust, and, in the process, develops a genuine fondness for the place.

Two key elements that propelled the novel’s success – sharp political satire and intricate linguistic play – likely hold limited resonance for non-Croatian audiences. Within Croatia itself, however, the film faces additional hurdles: its plot and character dynamics feel increasingly disconnected from contemporary economic and political realities, which have shifted significantly since the novel’s 2003 publication. The film’s blend of comedy and drama appears to draw inspiration from Northern Exposure, particularly in its depiction of a charming, insulated community populated by a series of endearing, quirky characters, both locals and outsiders. Regrettably, if Salaj indeed aimed to create a Croatian counterpart to this beloved television series, the execution falls short.

The acting is generally competent, with Perić demonstrating particular talent for comedy. Mašković, cast as the straight man in this comedic dynamic, lacks both chemistry with his co-stars and, more critically, the fundamental charisma required to elicit audience sympathy for his character – a disgraced politician, arguably the most despised profession in modern Croatia. However, the more significant flaws lie in the film’s structure and pacing. Salaj attempts to cram excessive material into the runtime, including intriguing but ultimately disruptive experiments with magic realism (notably featuring the first Aboriginal Australian character in Croatian cinema). These additions contribute to an unwieldy 139-minute duration – exceptionally long by Croatian feature film standards. Many scenes, especially in the first half, feel painfully overlong or superfluous. It is highly probable that The Eighth Commissioner would have functioned far more effectively as a miniseries rather than a single feature film. While the production possesses occasional bright spots, they prove insufficient to offset its fundamental weaknesses or prevent it from becoming one colossal missed opportunity.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

(Note: The text in its original form is available here.)

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The Alien franchise has travelled far and wide, but it's finally back! After many attempts to get a franchise going, Alien has really suffered with some truly boring entries. Some films being absolutely terrible, lackluster and just recycling the same nonsense. Though the previous film, while I don't remember a whole lot about it, was one of the good ones. A refreshing take on the story without really doing much different. Though snippets of the film explored something new to the franchise: the off-world colonies. The life beyond the ships that end up being slaughtered by an alien species. I found this aspect to be the most interesting part of the film. Giving us a glimpse at the universe out there that the others had not. And I remember thinking that it would be great to see more of that. Well, here we are! With Alien: Earth. A television series which still sort of remains stuck around the alien, but is finally taking us into different locations and exploring the progress of humanity within the universe.

To match the previous film, Alien: Earth takes the budget to new highs. And it really shows here in the episodes released so far. This is where the Alien franchise can really shine, where the rich science-fiction goodness of the universe the stories unfold within can really be displayed. People often would say that the designs of the original Alien film were unmatched. And that was true given the additional films would make significant changes in the wrong direction. Though with today's budgets and styles, I found the episodes to be incredibly beautiful. A very nice cyberpunk look to everything with the addition of anamorphic looking lenses. This style definitely allows for things to stand out a bit more and seem more out of this world, compared to regular lenses which wouldn't offer the same characteristics: lights are not just circular, instead they're oval. A shallow depth of field makes things look a bit more dreamy. And this also comes with a more filmic look which makes things look softer and darker. With different environments and locations, the story feels much larger, something with lots of little details to admire. It adds more weight to the moments of action that do appear as we aren't constantly following people aboard a ship. Instead we see the contrast between the low life aspects of civilisation and the developments of society that have formed careless and odd elites. This was very quickly addressed in the previous film regarding corporations and off-world colonies. But here we see the attempts made from trillionaires to expand upon humanity's abilities, to create the androids of their dreams that have human consciousnesses but aren't limited to the weaknesses of a human body. We've seen plenty of times in previous films how androids end up betraying the survivors, how they are sworn to the interests of corporations above all, though we never really saw the foundations of that, and here we are starting to. Down to the ways in which corporations of massive scales interact and fight each other.

And this is of course mixed with the personal drama of its characters introduced. Giving more depth to the characters given the television series will keep them around for a while, perhaps the entire series. Still, some are written with brief development just to write them out again, and that's fine. But the show so far really is taking advantage of its ability to pace itself and display reasons to care for its characters. Showing the situation they're getting caught up in and how the schemes of others are leading them into horrors beyond their imagination. Currently there are three episodes out, on a weekly release schedule. But it's well worth jumping into if you're looking for something to scratch that more serious science-fiction itch, or if you're an unfortunate fan of the Alien franchise.